Soaplovers

I don't buy the riding into the sunset trope.. it's kind of a cop out to me. From watching the Steve/Betsy courtship.. I just didn't see the appeal. I was actually rooting for Diana to break them up (or for Diana/Craig to become a couple). Did Marland ever write a fun loving couple during his time as head-writer on the show? The only couple I could think of was John/Lucinda.. but anyone else?

I like an authentic season with little to no scripting. NY seems to be giving a lot of authentic and organic drama this season... rare for them since season 3. When was the last time that Atlanta gave a truly organic, fun, and drama filled season? I can't recall. Beverly Hills.. it's been since season 1.. maybe season 2 maybe? Orange County.. I would say maybe season 10 (where they had a cast trip where everyone had fun and there was little to not fighting).. although season 11 had the ATV accident.

And she would have had job security for another three years or so since Jenny/David had execellent story.. and lots of interplay with Dorian/Herb/Cassie. She would have been used much better here then her brief return on AW. A shame.

I heard a rumor that the Dorian/David/Jenny triangle wasn't the plan originally .. that Pat was supposed to be the third person in the triangle, but that Jacqueline Courtney's contract was terminated, etc... and that Jenny filled that slot. I'm not sure if that is true or not.

I just Betsy as jaded with life and love (after all... her storybook romance with Steve went up in smoke with his crimes leading to prison.).. She probably thought she could change him and when he still reverted to his old ways, she became much more jaded and guarded. I do think she did quite well as a character without a love interest even in the era of the super couple. And I think she and Emily had an interesting dynamic as half-sisters (the yin and yang effect).

I actually think continuing the show without Roseanne would be interesting.. since Darlene and, to a lesser extent, Becky really carried a lot of the load in this last season. Perhaps Jackie could then be presented like a functional adult instead of the village idiot the show and Metcalf kept insisting on playing/writing.

I loved her as Betsy, she made the character less stupid. I didn't know that she was going to be cast in A League of Their Own.. but had to back out of it.. and was replaced by Madonna. So I guess baseball was always in her blood in one way or another.

My mom and all of her girlfriends in the 70s loved Katie and also loved her friendship with Hilary. They were relatable as twenty something nurses channeling the dating and working world. With that said, you're the first person I've ever talked to that loathed her character LOL Do tell what about her did you dislike?

Now that I've been watching the Doctors and seeing more of the original MJ's work... I have to wonder if the Dobson's looked at MJ as an inspiration for when they created Katie Parker? MJ is an attractive twenty something, sweet, good natured, and willing to step aside to let someone get the guy (and from what I read on the last years of the Doctors).. didn't have much luck with the guys (a loser in love)... and was a nurse Katie started as an attractive twenty something, sweet, good natured, and also willing to step aside to let someone get the guy, also had lousy luck with love, and was a nurse. Plus, both were likable and funny.

I know Matt Williams had control for the first 13 episodes... and I liked those episodes even if they felt a little run by the numbers... and she had more input in the final episodes of the 1st season (I wonder if Matt Williams had stayed in control if Roseanne would have left the factory or not). I think Tom Arnold (as much of a train wreck as Roseanne) had good ideas and vision.. and when he was running the show.. the show evolved and gelled. I think the shift happened once season 7 started and he was no longer in the picture... then it became a show I didn't recognize. I usually only watch the first five seasons... and only the Halloween episodes in season 6 through 9 (sad there won't be any Halloween episode this fall Sara Gilbert had the acting chops.. effortlessly doing drama and comedy without batting an eye. And we know she's acting because she's so not Darlene in real life

I have to wonder if Whitney Cummings saw the writing on the wall and she opted not to return for reasons other then being too busy with her other venues?

I liked that Irna Phillips would kill off popular characters because she knew that in real life, people die without warning. I do think she killed off Kathy in the late 50s because she'd grown tired of writing for her (and the girl had been married two or three times already).. Ironically, she felt the same way about her daughter Robin in the late 60s as well. The difference was that there was always a replacement/back up in place before she killed off a popular character. So while I applaud the show for having the guts to kill Mo off in early 1993, the show didn't have a back up for her to replace the void she left (the closest character to come to mind was Abby... man, I still recall when she flipped out when her attacker got off scott free and he mouthed a threat to her and she shot him in cold blood in the court room... the show had a slight ratings bump that week I recall)

Which character was the most wasted (i.e. had the most potential that was never realized). On a show that never really wrote a character to their fullest potential, that's a tough one to answer.

Was Rodell the same actress that played the largely unbalanced Joyce on ATWT? If so, it's interesting that she played two distinctly different characters that ended up being popular (Leslie because she was the heroine.. and Joyce because she kind of was giving Lisa a taste of her own medicine LOL)

I do think the only other housewife that made Bethenny uneasy was Heather... but Heather was generally a nice person that would defend her friends. I remember Bethenny starting to freak out once when Heather brought up not inviting Kristen to her party, etc... and then Heather sits there looking at her like she's crazy saying it isn't that big of deal (then her talking head where she basically said Bethenny was a *itch LOL). And Heather backing off from befriending Bethenny when Bethenny had a melt down and not needing anyone to crowd her... and then once Heather backs off.. Bethenny cries that Heather is mean and won't talk to her. With that said, Carole is a closet mean girl and while she isn't as verbally quick as Bethenny.. she is intelligent and can blow through smoke screens.. which Bethenny isn't prepared for. The only time I liked Erika was how she effortlessly handled Bethenny and made Bethenny look pathetic while Erika gave off a vibe that Bethenny was beneath her NY reunion time will be fun.

My mom recalls the Ann story with her blaming Paul for their babies death and her eventual nervous breakdown. From what I heard, Marlena and Don Craig's baby DJ dying was surprising and heart wrenching (according to my mom who watched back then). I know that once Judith Barcroft left the show, Ann wasn't shown at all really for the next two years till she was recast. Was the character killed off in the early 80s because the recast wasn't accepted.. or was the show deciding to shed reminders of the 70s that wouldn't make the transition into the 80s?

Sherry Mathis seems to be a bright side of the show in the 80s.. where it went through so many writers and changed tones like people changed clothes. The sad thing is that even if the show had a consistent tone and writing team.. it still would have been doomed because of P & G being stubborn in 1982, NBC picking it up and putting it in a time slot known for preemptions and ranking third (in the areas that did air it). Part of me thinks it probably would have been better to have ended it in 1982 since we would have been spared the obnoxious McCleary clan... but I'm sure there were some golden nuggets and scenes that would have been missed if that had happened.

Ugh.. of all the past producers to choose from to work with.. she picked that weirdo? I'd rather she tried Stuart Price.. or even went an adult Contemporary route and worked with Patrick Leonard again.

I agree.. I wish the mid 70s existed or were shown.. since I read that was when the show went through a revival in terms of ratings/story/quality... and I'd love to see more of Morgan Fairchild as Jennifer Pace What I've seen of her was quite fascinating.

I remember as a kid where Colleen was on the cover of SOD along with Kim Zimmer and Susan Pratt holding their newborns back in 1990... so young

Bethenny is evidence of what happens when certain personality types obtain power and/or control. They let it go to their head and they resort to gas lighting to keep that control... sort of like a certain someone holding office right now. If she had said to me that I was freaking her out, I'd ask if she needed to go to her safe space to collect herself.

The problem is that it seemed to have been nicely resolved in September 1975 with Toni declaring she was choosing herself. Mike then left for Brazil.. while Alan/Toni dealt with lingering feelings at first. She then focused on balancing motherhood and her career.. while he gradually moved on with MJ. I even liked the scene where MJ told Toni that she and Alan were starting to date.. and Toni gently telling her that she doesn't own Alan and even wishing them luck. I did think it would have been interesting to see how Mike would have reacted to the changes that had gone for the last three months he was gone.. but oddly, it seems like we are back at square 1.. instead of continuing the organic progression that had been nicely set up the last three months where both Alan/Toni had moved on.. and seeing how Mike would have adjusted to the fact that he hadn't moved on. Instead we aren't seeing that. The current head-writer supposedly is set to leave in the next month or so.. but I'm starting to see why he was replaced.

You didn't see the article where Kelly went on a podcast and said that Vicki is not to be trusted LOL

When Heather Locklear set the bar at a high level playing Sammy Jo... the modern day version would pale in comparison.. and boy, he does. Oddly, Nicolette has been quite good blending Paige and Edie into Alexis. She's cold like Paige, yet sarcastic and a great shade thrower like Edie... just wish she dressed more like Paige then Edie as Alexis LOL

I had heard two or three were filming (one was Kelly's friend, the other two were Tamra's friends).. so I'm curious to see if any of them made the cut... or if they're friends of.. that cause all the conflict/trouble.. while the main four kind of get along. I'll be intrigued to see if any announcements of a 5th or 6th house in the coming days.