Soaplovers

I recall 1st watching when philece was playing Donna...and she played Donna as a dingbat.  I was thrown when Anna Stuart came back...and the character became less dingy and more snarky.

What does everyone think is the reason Erica endured as such an iconic character over other characters?

When watching the early 1970 episodes, no one probably would have figured she would have lasted over 41 years.  I do think had she been part of the online show...it wouldn't have folded so quickly..imho

Researched a series of clips highlighting the Eden rape and aftermath...and I can see how the reveal of her OB as rapist would unsettle the viewers..especially when he was one of the people examining her post rape.  It was like he violated her all over again.

Marcy Walker was truly the stand out...and she had a lot of great support. 

I also liked her therapist Heather...michael's sister.  It's a shame she didn't last too long cause she could have been used well  in 1990/1991.

2 hours ago, Cat said:

 

OC had Jeana at one time. 

 

NY lost Heather (even though she was preachy), but I guess Dorinda has taken her place to an extent.

 

Eileen would say she is the grounded one on BH....

 

NJ is a [!@#$%^&*]-show now that Caroline is gone.

 

Cynthia also made a point on the final part of the Reunion, and today on the Bravo site, which was this:

 

"My heart went out to Kandi. She had been battling the lies that Phaedra and Porsha said about her all season. It's really disgusting and sad to see grown women make up blatant, disgusting rumors about each other with absolutely no remorse, receipts, or confirmation of truth. I honestly believe that if the vicious lies don't stop amongst our circle, it will be our downfall. There should be limits morally and legally as to how far you are willing to go to try to hurt someone and their family. I was grateful to not have been affiliated with this garbage in any way. Thank God the truth finally came out, and Kandi was vindicated."

 

Obviously gossiping about other HWs is part and parcel of those shows, but slander for revenge's sake -- because you are protected by the no-sue clause in the Bravo contract -- has gotten way too vicious. I'm not just talking Atlanta and Porsha, but also BH where Lisa Rinna was like a machine gun of slanderous comments. Unfortunately, unlike Phaedra, I don't think Rinna will be fired for being a loose cannon but rather celebrated by TPTB. Because she was 'open' about it.  When Cynthia mentions downfall, she's not talking about her group of friends but these shows as a whole.

 

@Cheap21 100% agree with your assessment of each HW this season.

I do agree with Jeana....meghan on season 11 was grounded...pregnancy made her logical and calm...who knew lol

Rhobh...adrienne in s1 and 2.

Rhonj.....delores came closest since Caroline.

On Ny...sober Dorinda...yes. 

I think Vicki on OC should have been fired...she crossed the line in season 10..and again in season 11.

Rinna...thats a tough one.  None of the women would want to film with her to make her get fired.

2 hours ago, Cat said:

I am so glad I tuned in to the 4th part of the Atlanta reunion! I was bored by the other parts and didn't think this would deliver. However, the way Phaedra was exposed was so damn satisfying! Like a longtime wrong was finally righted.

 

I sort of understand Phaedra's initial motivations for revenge: she lost Kandi as a BFF when Todd edged her out and had Apollo's back. And then there are Don Juan/Mama Joyce who do Kandi's bad-mouthing for her. However, ruining Kandi's rep with accusations of criminal behavior? She's lucky she didn't get slapped with a lawsuit. I cannot possibly see how anybody in the legal or political community in the US will associate with her now that she has been exposed so thoroughly. All that was missing from the episode was proof that she was the brains behind Apollo's fraud crimes! (Though Kandi practically provided an Amazon link to Angela Stanton's book).

 

Porsha is the luckiest bitch on this show. She stays slandering others -- and hitting others -- with no consequences. I'll bet she'll be back on the show next season. I'll be shocked if Phaedra is.

 

I liked the ending with the birthday cake. I know people think Cynthia is a bore, but I like her. She seems nice, she is beautiful ofc, and this season she finally shook off the albatross that was Peter and gained independence. I need somebody calm and grounded on these shows to balance the evil and the cray.

 

With that said, as messy as Nene is -- I am ready for her to return in a fulltime capacity.

Cynthia has stayed grounded...considering the years she's been on the show.

Who r the grounded housewives on the following shows....

Rhoc

rhony

Rhobh

rhonj

5 hours ago, DRW50 said:

 

McTavish seemed to have an odd relationship with Dixie as other than that 1998 return a lot of her material for her seemed to heavily focus on her negative traits, especially her stubbornness and self-righteousness. I think sometimes Cady preferred playing that, but it was such a contrast to the St. Dixie we would often get.

 

Jill Larson was such a wonderful actress.

Oddly...I thought Dixie during the brief online run was written as a 3D character... the first time in several years.  She showcased her compassionate side, her sarcastic side, her ability to forgive and her judgmental side.  It was the best shed been written since the 90s..imho.

It does seem like after the first two years...the show just focused on a small number if characters...with other characters only lasting 1 to 2 years.

In some cases, like with the character of Amy...the actress chose to leave and the show wisely didn't recast...but I didn't get why the show spent a good year building up a new family for Lional (wife and two step daughters) only to write them all off after a year or so.

The show banked too much on the Capwells...but once they were recast or left...the family was basically non existent by 1992...so I don't blame Pam Long for what she did..cause the structure was gone...and I did think the Walker family was a good idea.

With that said, you had the perfect Santana in Ava...yet she only lasts a few months.  Color me confused..because she had chemistry with Cruz..and good antagonistic vibes with Eden...so the whole cruz/Santana marriage to regain Brandon..would have been even better with Ava in the role.  Plus her opposite robin mattson...would have been awesome.  Oh well

On 4/29/2017 at 10:07 PM, Nothin'ButAttitude said:

 

If I were watching Santa Barbara when the Gina recast happeed...it would have been jarring...since RM didn't have the essence or resemblance to LG.  Over time, Gina became less crazy and more comedic.  

The santana recast was more seamless..at least from #2 to #3.  Gina G doesn't seem weak willed or clingy in the first episode...when did Santana veer in that direction?

Melbourne needed a little house cleaning...there were too many (8 is excessive).   Chyna opted to go and I can't blame her especially with her businesses being at stake if more slanderous stuff got out...pettifleur had no redeeming qualities and shouldn't have been asked back for season 3...and Susie seemed too ordinary

Since Chyka is gone...they need a more level headed housewife to come on...someone warm and logical..with a nice family life and business..but not afraid to stand her ground.

If Tamra hasn't gotten her just desserts by season 12...I doubt she ever will sadly.  Heather got raked over the coals more in season 9 then Tamra did...and Heather and Shannon got more flack in season 11 then Tamra..which was odd.

I'm curious to see the season 12 line up...will Lydia make the cut as a main housewife?  I know Tamra said in season 8 that she wouldn't want to cross her...which intrigued me.

4 hours ago, GH_Girl said:

 

The weird part of that is that generally the push at that time was ditch the vets and put young cheap hot people on contract instead. But Frank and Buzz?? lol Not young or hot, I have no idea about cheap but JD probably wasn't and FD had been around for a long time at that point so he couldn't have been cheaper than a newbie. Anyway, I'm sad we never saw teenage Jason/Kevin/Clarissa. Mostly because I think watching Blake get a bit of a comeuppance dealing with a teenage daughter would be hilarious. I'd imagine the nice calm Ross genetics wouldn't override the Roger/Holly/Blake crazy ones.

 

Unrelated question, watching some old episodes and Dylan and Sam are babysitting Susan/Daisy. Mrs. Lemay is enormously pregnant. I was watching when Brittany Snow's Susan came back but I don't remember her having an adoptive brother or sister. Did they ever say what happened to the baby Mrs. Lemay was pregnant with then?? I remember her being dead when Susan arrived, then Jim arriving a while later but not with another child in tow.

Funny you mention clarissa... I remember in 2003 or 2004...Ross and Holly had a conversation about the kids...and Ross remarked that Clarissa was very spirited for a child..and a handful for blake/ross...but that Holly was great with her...and Holly said in her dead pan way..that she and Clarissa had an understanding.  So the show looked to be hinting that Holly would be the buffer between Blake/Ross and a spirited Clarissa.   

15 hours ago, Nothin'ButAttitude said:

 

Well under Carrington she dropped the damsel role, but the character immediately inherited it back when Eileen stepped into the role. 

I forgot about Craig taking Kelly hostage when Eileen played her.  I found a clip of that...and it didn't work cause eileen was too strong willed to truly be a damsel in distress.  Plus...Eileen was so wrong for the part of Kelly.  

I noticed when Pam Long wrote kelly...that damsel in distress thing went from Kelly to BJ.  Which made more sense..imho.

I do wonder how Pam Long would have written for Flame...the Dobsons didn't know quite how to write for her...and I think Flame was unique in a way that Pam Long could have handled..imho

1 hour ago, Nothin'ButAttitude said:

 

That's one thing that bugs me about the women on SB at times at that they do come off as damsels with the exception of Gina. Why is that when the 80s was the time when soaps were producing strong female characters left and right?

Ironically...Kelly stopped being the damsel in distress when Robin Wright left the show.  Ironic considering how so not a damsel in distress her House of Cards character is.

Gloria....an interesting character right up till 1995 before the show seemed unable to figure out what to do with her...she briefly was in the Dr. Kinder story as his assistant...briefly flirted with jack...then tried to be Tad's quirky girlfriend before becoming Dimitri's stepford wife.

Ironically..the last few weeks of her stint..she was more like the Gloria of 1991 to 1995...instantly figuring Ryan as a con artist...before opting to move to sunny California.

I liked Dixie's hair in the online version of AMC the best.

Watching the early episodes...Kelly is so the damsel in distress...with Eden the confident dare devil.

It's a shame once eden/Cruz got popular.... that Eden took over the damsel in distress role. 

Kings crossing seemed more sunny and bright (based on promos)..yet from what I read..it looked like some good old fashion Peyton Place activities were going on.

Can we get in writing that Rinna will never speak of Kim again?

I believe Carolyn Colliton was his co headwriter during the 1st year or so of his stint...which might by why the 1st year wasn't too bad of his stint.

The Dobsons in their second round side create Angela Raymond...but I didn't like that they made Mason/CC tread water in their relationship or that Mason suddenly didn't like Sophia again.

Katrina was written a bit better under Pam Long..but by then..the character was beyond saving.

On 4/22/2017 at 9:04 AM, Nothin'ButAttitude said:

 

Simply to stick it to Leanne, who sided with Tanya last year that Stacey does act uppity one second and then cool the next second. 

 

It's all about alliances with Stacey & Dawn. I'm beginning to see that they are very much alike except Stacey actually has money while Dawn is a poser. 

 

I'm beginning to see too that Seema is another fake b-tch too. Remember, she couldn't stand Dawn the past 2 season too, but now she enjoys her. 

 

Odd how I loved Stacey & Seema their first season, and couldn't stand Leanne the first 4 seasons. Now I am growing to enjoy Leanne while finding Seema & Stacey unbearable.

 

 

I never bought Tamra/Eddie. I always knew that she was secretly whoring around while acting as his beard. Look, I can typically spot my gay brethren, and Eddie gives me those vibes. Hell most of the Twitter audience has been assuming Eddie has been gay for years. 

 

I think Vicki has been on the money, and she possibly is the one leaking things. I don't blame her if all of this is true. Tamra had no problem with tossing her to the wolves the past 4-5 seasons when it came to Brooks. Now the chickens have come home to roost for Tamra. 

Heck Cohen has wanted Eddie to be gay...and you can bet Cohen spotted it right away...and just let it go in order to build to when it is revealed their a bearded couple lol

Season 11 hinted at it.  Maybe season 12 will out Tamra with vicki responsible...then maybe the two will go away.  Time to clean house on that show

3 hours ago, InLoveWithSoaps said:

They actually lightly SORASed them for Ross's funeral in 2006 and who else but Mick Hazen (ATWT) and Eric Nelsen (AJ on AMC 2.0) to play them. They had no lines whatsoever. Clarissa stuck around until the end I believe but they didn't do anything with her. I know it's unpopular but I'd have said Kevin (I believe) was Rick's after all so that would have given him a kid legitimately old enough to be a teen. (2 year old Leah suddenly being one, ugh!)
I'll always be mad they didn't do a Blake/Alan-Michael redux after Ross's death. That was one of the best outcomes possible, although I know many wanted him with Dinah which could have worked too. Firing the last A-M who must have been as cheap as a Mandy Bruno was one of the pre-Peapack signs of how increasingly out of touch they were becoming. I'll never understand why they did that. You can't tell me it was because it was a failed recast given there was a lot more uproar about a certain recast around at the time, but they ignored it, and people didn't seem to dislike him too much, it was the stories they gave him first with Marina then with Ava that people didn't care for.
Re: Nadine, I'd have kept her over Buzz anyday. She was iconic! Not too fussed about Jenna's second run, she was isolated from everything that made her stand out in the first place. Her death scenes were cringe-worthy too thanks to Buzz.

I liked the episode where Jenna went to visit vanessa, alex, Holly, Harley and finally Buzz.  It was a great good bye episode.

I did love in that episode where India said she wished she'd known Jenna better...with Alex saying they'd have a lot to talk about... 

And I do agree once Jenna married Buzz...she lost what made her unique and memorable.  She was the 90s version of India/Helena...yet was her own person so she wasn't a carbon copy.

I liked how frank and outspoken JC was about her departure.  Based on the summaries I read in late 1975/6...Willis was pursuing Alice and she kind of fell for it...but within a year...the story shifted..and she then started interacting with Ray and his mother due to Sally...with Rachel thinking that Sally should go back to the grandmother.

I imagine how JC would have played the mid to late 70s material...I think she and Rachel would have remained hostile though civil with one another..but I think Alice wouldn't have lost her importance to the show had JC remained.

And JC obviously won because she ended up on OLTL for about 8 years..and did quite well playing a character not quite like Alice.

I was surprised it took Julia/Mason so long before they became a couple.  I always wondered if when julia asked Mason to be the father of her baby...that the writers intended for them to become a couple...or, like eden/Cruz, they had such chemistry that the story shifted to them as end game.

Buzz coming on (thus leading to Maureen death since money was needed to hire Justin Deas) was the start of the demise of the show.  He basically isolated Nadine and later Jenna from the rest of the canvas in so many ways.

Pre buzz...Nadine had connections such as an odd couple friendship with Holly, rival in Vanessa...dated Ross, Alan, and was married to Billy...so she had connections to not only the Coopers...but to the Spauldings and Lewis clans...so I was confused why the show had trouble finding story for Nadine (the reason she left).

Jenna had ties to the Spauldings, Thorpe, and to the Chamberlains...but once she married Buzz...she was isolated in a lot of ways...

I do recall one scene during the 25th anniversary where Sharpene was telling Donna and Michael that she was as surprised at them about Gwen..that she isno acting like the Gwen she remembered....so I think even the writers knew this wasn't really Gwen...which adds more credibility to the rumor that she was a last minute addition.

Can I say that I thought both kim and Rinna were in the wrong.  Kim should have given the present back off camera....she just did it to stick it to rinna...which tells me she isn't truly recovering at all.  I did think her reasons were valid though..just think off camera would have been better.

Rinna needs to move on...I thought kim being demoted would cancel out a long running feud...but maybe Rinna needs to go.