Soaplovers

I wouldn't mind if they kept what happened in the 90210 reboot with Brenda/Kelly/Dylan/Donna/David/Andrea in this version since we got some updates with Kelly having a child with Dylan, Brenda being successful as actress/director, Donna being crazy due to her and David breaking up.. and Andrea's daughter Hannah was following in her mamas footsteps by getting into journalism (the character appeared only in the pilot as an anchor on the high school news program). I recall only liking season 1 of the 90210 show only because of the cameos of the original cast members and getting updates on their lives (much like I loved seeing Jo blackmailing Amanda and strangely acting more like herself than she did in the second half of season 3 and all of 4 of the original MP).

Scarlet... but I heard Minibar was known for doing that. I never had a problem even when I was a little heavier as long as I wore my Stonewall kickball t shirt Alas, they don't exist anymore so obviously they turned away a lot of peeps.

I will tell you that having all the leads being white didn't make sense, but than I have to remember that they were older than I was.. so perhaps that was how gay men hung out back in the late 90s. I live in Chicago, and the gay population is diverse (though it's interesting that the three or four main areas of gay club hotspots have different demographics/clienteles). I could see someone like Brian going to the hot-spot as a 50 something guy thinking he's still hot stuff and being told he was too old/fat/etc.. and to go to another club (true story, it happened to one of my friends when he had put on a little weight and was told he was too fat to be let in). There are so many avenues the powers that be could do with this show.. and Andy Cohen doesn't oversee production on scripted/unscripted shows anymore (or at least ones in development)... so there might be a chance of some depth being infused in these shows (and yes.. a little male backside is always a nice touch

I liked Paul/Stacy better when Depriest was writing because there were so many layers and dysfunction with that coupling. Stacy's craving a father figure (which fit Paul)... and Paul remarking that Stacy reminded him so much of his late wife (who died from suicide). Depriest set up layers of psychological elements with that coupling where I wondered if Paul truly cared about Stacy, or if he just using her to further his own vendetta/agenda against Matt. I always wondered that while watching him with Stacy while Marland kind of spelled it out for us including making it seem like they were in love (with them being sappy with the baby coming, etc). The other thing I noticed about Marland was that the interesting push and pull between Paul/Ann (so fascinating and hilarious with their one liners) was deluted/watered down the moment he and his script writers came into the picture. And watching how he's totally watered down Penny to the point where she's a Stepford Wife.. it's no wonder Julia Duffy bailed...I would have at the end of my contract as well if I were in her shoes. The Pollacks, Cenedella, and Depriest wrote some good content/material for Penny.. but since Marland took over.. she's become window dressing and become a Stepford wife.. and oh how he's watered down MJ as well. I think Marland wasn't the right fit for the show. The Doctors needed writers that wrote plot and heavy emotion.. over repression and restraint. That was why Cenedella also struggled when he had the helm, too.

Depriest was a faster paced writer than Marland was. In her final few weeks of her tenure, we had a lot of movement in both stories.. once Marland came on the scene... both plots slowed down quite a bit. Both stories were set up to end quicker than he intended.

I think a few of the older characters should appear on the new version.. to show the generational differences between the younger gays vs the older gays.. It would be an interesting angle to explore that could mine stories for many seasons if done correctly.

From rewatching the Thanksgiving 1983 episode, I was surprised at how ahead it was in terms of subject matter, especially the discussion between Didi and Marty about Thanksgiving. I know fans of the show didn't like Sheldon's version of Edge of Night.. but the show in 1983 was so ahead of its time in regards to story (This was after the mind control/George Orwell esque story had concluded and before the Native American land deed mystery started).

It would have gotten a second season if Andy and Bravo weren't obsessed with thinking the Salahi's were the only interesting thing about it. You had Cat and her British abruptness that threw everyone for a loop especially Stacie (I loved how Cat totally read Luann for filth on WWHL).. Mary was such a ditz yet had a nice husband and her oldest daughter had some fun stuff going on (back when the show gave camera time to the kids).. and Lynda was such a boss.. the greek chorus with a great looking boyfriend and fun career... and Stacie was the normal one (with a fascinating backstory). When Cohen and co opted not to do a second season was when I first thought that Cohen should have been replaced with someone that could see the bigger picture and not focus on just the train wreck factor.

I love that Lecy's worked off the acting rust.. and has become a pro at deadpan comedy delivery. I always felt Becky got the shaft starting in season 5 (yes, Lecy left for college.. but even during her return in season 8... the show still didn't utilize her at all). With that said, it is still a little weird not having Roseanne there delivering a wisecrack.. but I think in season 2.. it won't feel so weird (stages of grief I guess LOL)

Gina needs a pink slip from bravo for Christmas.

From what I've read, Marland was upset that the scabs burned through his story outlines at a fast pace. I don't think the show ever got back the momentum established in 86-87 after the strike. It was decent, but it seemed much darker than the show was before the writer strike. And I hate to say this, but I thought the day to day episodes were less cringe (in terms of dialogue) during the 1988 strike than it was when Marland was around.. but the pacing/stories were all over the place.

I do recall Stephanie being mentioned when Mike first came onto the show... he had a disdain for Evan/Rosanna... and Rosanna confronted him.. and he had revealed that his sister Stephanie married a wealthy guy and forgot about the family (i.e basically abandoning the family).. and that left a sour taste in mouth for anyone wealthy. I know that when Mark/Sara joined.. that the show had mentioned next casting for Nora.. and once that happened and the mom was settled would look into bringing Stephanie back (the child that married into money to escape the alcoholic father..and mom who enabled that behavior). I recall the show was casting for the mother (Nora).. but than backed away from casting her for some reason (perhaps a change in writers/regimes.. maybe).

That was because Knots Landing had the Jill/Val story all season.. and I swear that story kept the show afloat.. as well as the hilarious Abby/Greg political marriage.

If Dallas comes back for season 4.. they need to shake up the cast to keep it from going toxic.. so I say let go of D'andria, Brandi, or Leeann.. and add a new housewife.. someone brand new to Dallas and slowly merge her into the cast (the shows used to let us get to know the new housewife for two episodes or so before introducing her to the other women.. worked much better).

Wow... this is why I'm glad with my brain and not with emotion

I think you might be right, but I do think Dennehy had the tortured quality that Garrett had as Holly back in the 70s. At the same time, Dennehy and Aleksander had more chemistry as a couple than Stringfield and Aleksander did as well. Plus, Stringfield was 21/22 when she started as Blake so she looked young enough to play daughter to Garrett/Zaslow as well.

So I've been watching the 1988 videos recently reposted on Youtube.. and I actually think I know get why Blake was eventually recast with Sherry Stringfield in mid 1989. I think once the plan was officially in place to bring Beth into the picture, the actress playing Blake had to be replaced since Elizabeth D had spent a year playing Blake as tortured and remorseful, plus she and Grant A had chemistry. The second that Sherry Stringfield walked into the room on her first day as Blake, gone was the tortured public relations guru. Sherry S was anything, but tortured. She had a sarcastic wit (just like her mama Holly) and was much colder than Elizabeth D was in the part without any of the torture/angst. You could buy her being the heavy in Phillip/Beth's love story more so than if Elizabeth D kept playing the part.. imho.

RHOC reunion Tamra is cold-blooded, but I can't say that I feel sorry for Shannon being duped by her.. because Gretchen did warn Shannon a few years ago on WWHL to watch out for Tamra. However, I do think Shannon needs to take a restraining order out against Gina... talk about obsessed/creepy.. yikes. I think Gina, and Andy Cohen, thought that viewers would embrace Gina because her story was a lot like Camille/Kelsey's story. The difference was that we all knew Kelsey Grammar for years.. and even saw him on the show several times (even getting a few talking heads).. and Camille was interesting, fascinating, and yet evil (and I still believe her claims about Kyle to this day). I'm really hoping Gina is a one and done girl because she offers nothing interesting, nor new.

I do like Crystal coming in for guest spots. I do think once Crystal was phased out in the 5th season that the quirky/pathetic soul role went to both Nancy and Jackie. And I was one of the few that never liked Darlene with David. They worked as first loves, but not in the sense of being end game.

Wow... why don't we just agree to disagree and move on from this topic? I do admit to loving holiday episodes on the soaps (and will watch older holiday episodes from the 80s/90s online). The one thing I wish modern soaps would portray is the chosen 'family' vs biological family aspect of life. I'd love more scenes of Friendsgiving and friends celebrating Christmas because I know a lot of people do that instead of trying to go home for the holidays.

He also was the teen son on Evening Shade. Gilbert had good taste in men as a teen

I agree with how tone deaf modern soap operas are especially with what resonates with modern day viewers vs viewers from the 70s/80s. However, soaps still do write this kind of story.. and some viewers actually eat it up... case in point... Y & R: Sharon and Adam... the man stole her baby.. and she still had feelings and even thought of going back to him evne if that meant losing custody of her daughter (the same child that Adam stole from her and made her believe was dead for months). Ratings dropped.. and yet it still carried forward for a long period of time. Days: Ciara and Ben... a serial killer that is getting a romantic story.. and Hope is viewed as the baddie for actually having reservations about her daughter going with an unbalance guy known to serial kill. The scary thing is on social media, it's a popular coupling and anyone that questions it gets roasted by their fan base. So when the show messed up the potential of Travers character, they at least knew that a romantic pairing between him and Jessica was not in the cards. And yes, I do question why Marland couldn't find a place for Heather on the canvas when he took over. He even admitted it in his initial story bible when he took over as head-writer.. and she was gone within a few months. Heather and Jessica, like mentioned, were vastly different characters.. and would have been good to see the contrasts between the two characters. The show briefly tried that with Denise, Camille (still thought it was a waste writing her off), and Jessica in the late 90s for a time.

I was thinking about this demo thing.. and perhaps the silver lining would be that Andy Cohen would be removed from the channel since he is over 50 A dude can dream.

From the one episode available on youtube from 1979, Kathleen plays Nola as very cold and calculating so it will be interesting to see Kathleen's Nola starts to display a calculating tone in the future episodes. I asked my mom once what she thought of Nola.. and she said that she was a fan of Zimmer until she joined GL explaining she wasn't so OTT as Nola nor Echo.

I kind of disagree with Roxie being redundant and unnecessary because of the Cassie/Reva sibling relationship. Roxy was more the type to be open and accepting while Reva was always on guard and eyed anyone with caution.. so I could have seen Roxy coming for visits.. bonding with Cassie while Reva feeling left out.. and we all know how Reva hates to be left out and not the center of attention. Plus, early Cassie was very rough around the edges and cynical like early Reva was.. so I could have seen Reva/Cassie butting heads because they too alike. And I do agree it is surprising Josh never fathered a child with anyone other than Reva.. given how much of a ladies man he was when he first came to town in 1981... I do agree that there was a period where Sonni was thought dead so I could have seen Sonni perhaps having a child and in her Solita personality given the child up... and that could explain why even though Sonni had been treated for the split personality.. she felt ill at ease staying in Springfield because of the guilt of giving her and Josh's child up (and could have tied into that open ended final scene questioning if Sonni had been Sonni.. or was Solita the whole time).