Soaplovers

What is the story with Liz? Was she a fun-loving character in the past, a long-suffering character, or somewhere in between? I also don't get Tina's about face especially given what I've read about the character in the past. This new story twist seems out of character for her. I would probably have bought it if the show spent the next six months building up to it and explaining why Tina's so suddenly latched onto someone old enough to be her father. Did she have a bad relationship with her father? If so, I could have bought if it was due to daddy issues as opposed to actual love or lust. I think Tina would have been better used in the David story moreso then being thrown into Peter and Carla's story. If the character of Peter needs to stray, what character would you rather have been used in place of Tina?

Looks like RHOC has officially cast a 6th housewife... interesting backstory if true http://allthingsrh.com/exclusive-details-meet-new-rhoc-danielle-gregorio/

In a way, I think GL being so different year to year was one of its strengths but then its weakness at the same time. It seems like the 1979 and 1980 were both from December, correct? If so, the reason could be that December 1979 was when the Dobson's were leaving and Marland had just taken over.. while December 1980 was the result of Marland gradually changing the show to where his stamp was firmly on the show.

Was Diana ever on the show before the Nene spin-off? She looks familiar to me. It just hit me that if talk of the new housewives on OC is true, that three of the franchises have a housewife that competed in Miss USA. Kenya, Joyce, and Elizabeth (Lizzie). I wonder if New Jersey, Miami, and New York might start to do that in future seasons

Lizzie is a former Miss teen Kentucky and Miss Kentucky that competed on both Miss Teen USA and Miss USA. She didn't win, but I've seem pictures of her and she's an attractive plus wasn't a blonde! Plus, she has a degree in Fashion Merchandise and Business. I had a friend who majored in that and she said it was harder then she would have ever imagined. I bet they only have two housewives added. I really think Lydia's decision to quit was last minute. It's telling that the show didn't call Gretchen or Alexis to come back so I bet both had burned their bridges with the show.

I think the Dobson's tied Sheila to either Steve or Nick Andropoulis.. but I do think she didn't last too long.

I think Faye would double the toxic levels of the show. I'd rather both her and Brandi had been gotten rid of and the show focus less on manufactured fights and more on organic interactions. The reason the Dinner Party from Hell, Scary Island, and theresa's table flip were successful was because those things were not manufactured.

As long as Gretchen/Slade stay far away from the RHOC, all is right in the world Still a shame that Lydia quit, she got some good zingers in on Heather.. makes me wish she'd get a few in toward Tamra

Didn't Sheffer have Carolyn Culliton as a co-head-writer his first year or so? That could explain why it was pretty decent

I totally agree... I was fearful in season 8 of OC when Alexis was bought back last minute that it would be the same vibe with the same 5 women (i.e Tamra/Gretchen/Heather bullying Alexis with Vicki mooning over Brooks). I think the producers realized that as filming started and added Lydia to the mix. Lydia and her honest retorts were refreshing while her mother Judy was a delightful Tinker Bell Hippie Plus, she did help broker truces between Heather/Alexis and Tamra/Alexis... while finally telling Slade that he was d bag and calling Gretchen a malibu barbie LOL What surprised me was that Tamra and Vicki didn't bully Lydia because she was the new girl like they did with Gretchen, Lynne, Alexis, and Peggy to a lesser extent. Atlanta kept the same cast, yet new things have been happening to most of them so there wasn't a need to change up. Though I think I would have changed out Kenya with someone new if a cast change was needed. I think season 6 should be Porsha's final season though I'm intrigued with the dynamic that she has with her mother. It's like she was coddled and sheltered by her mother and she ended up marrying someone that did the same thing... just in a more controlling manner. Now that she is divorcing, she has returned to her mother instead of truly striking out on her own. Like Kandi's story this season, Nene's story, and even Cynthia's story. Btw, do you guys notice that the new season's have had more focus on the housewives within their own families and less in big group settings? I know RHOBH have had two episodes in a row, and I like that better then all the catty big group gatherings.

I think Bravo did add one new woman when there were contract issues with the women. I don't think Luann officially came back on until filming had been going on for like a month or so. Not sure if the new woman will be an official cast member, or a friend. we shall see.

I didn't realize how matronly Ellen was back then, I think the 80s was much better fashion wise for Nancy and Ellen, imho.

I had a feeling Jill was just a legal go to throughout most of 1982, but I did fine a summary that Hollis Kirkland was flirting with Jill when he first came to town and wasn't sure if anything was pursued with that. Given how Rae was a spoiler for Jill and Frank, I figured that the show would have Jill be a spoiler for Rae and Hollis... plus add the whole Kim/Arley/Seneca custody fight.. and that would have been a good story to play out in 1982... oh well.

The writer's inability to let the characters evolve and be stuck in a hamster wheel was the first undoing of the show. When Frank was gone from the fall of 1981 till early 1983, did Jill do anything or was she just the friendly go-to?

Bless Tamra's big mouth LOL Nice to know she can't keep her mouth shut in person nor on the internet. In this case, I think it's a good thing since Bravo won't say anything.

I think Joyce stated in her blog that she was repeating herself numerous times because she thinks the thoughts in spanish and works to translate them into english when talking.. so she says a point over and over until someone says they understand. She stated looking back she wishes she hadn't stated her point so many times.

While I think Wheeler had passion and wanted to make GL a great product, she didn't have the right instincts to make it happen. It was as if they saw Springfield as some small little town in the mid-west, when it was always established as a decent sized small city. What's funny is that there are some decent suburbs in the Chicago land area with tall buildings, malls, and businesses that could have been used as a model for Springfield (such as Oakbrook/Oakbrook Terrace, Schaumburg, etc). I know on UK soaps that the EP has story power/vision and that the writers have to utilize that vision, but I always figured up till the late 90s that US soaps had the writers determine the overall story with the EP making sure that the story/ideas fit within budget plus running the financial aspect of the shows. It seems like ATWT and GL, in the last years of their show, put more of the power for story in the EP's hands instead of the writers. From what I understand, Jill Lorie Hurst was pretty decent but it seemed like Wheeler had final say on all stories.. true? false?

I think the issues come down to writer and show compatiablity. The Dobson's fit better on GL then they did at ATWT. I think P & G had the mistaken impression that GL and ATWT were similiar shows and they weren't. Marland's writing was different at GL then at ATWT. What was Marland's greatest strength could also be viewed as a weakness as well. He could balance out several stories at the same time and going at different paces as well.. but if he left a show suddenly, things always fell apart since he created very complex and intricate story threads that very few could carry on if he jumped ship without warning. At GL, he abruptly quit and the show struggled to finish out his complex stories with two different writing teams before they settled on Pam Long.. who promptly started tying up his stories while introducing her stories. In ATWT's case, Marland suddenly died during routine surgery when stories were in mid-steam.. and his successors couldn't maintain his style.. even though there was an attempt to do so for two to three years. As I stated before, I think P & G should have done a writer swap in late 1989/1990... and put Marland over at AW (who had a very interesting vibe that I think Marland could have written... he would have had a ball writing for Iris)..maybe put Pam Long at ATWT (she seemed to love community and family.. plus she was good at writing male characters)..

Season 1 of BH was perfection, and season 2 even had some fantastic moments as well. I do admit there seems to be a void where Camille should be.. I certainly know she would have had some interesting views on Carlton LOL.

According to a montly summary from December 1979 (when the switch happened).. Joyce was seeking therapy, wrapping christmas gifts for teddy then sent them to Don and Mary.. freaking Mary out, who suspected it was Joyce. I can't totally dislike the Dobsons, they created James Stenbeck.. plus paired up Tom and Margo.

I believe that Marland's brief stint went from August/September 1979 till December 1979. So all of the clips being shown were during Marland's brief stint. From watching the clips, Betsy looked to be positioned as the main teen character. Suzanne Davidson's Betsy reminds me a lot of Lucy Deakin's Lily in the scenes shown. There was one clip of Dee and Betsy having a heart to heart, and I could have envisioned Sierra and Lily having that same talk years later. It seems to me that Joyce coming back from the dead was in the works so I'm not sure if it was a Marland idea that the Dobson's carried on or not.

For UK soaps, does the EP or the head-writer decide on story content? From reading this message board, it looks as if the EP seems to decide on the story content. From viewing several months of episodes, I actually think the cast is too large and some paring down is needed. Of course, I'm just an American caught up in the US mindset of downsizing LOL

I asked my mom last year her thoughts of the show from the late 70s through mid-80s since she was in her 20s at that time, target audience. Her fav characters were Maggie, Diana McColl, Lisa, Joyce, Natalie (Judith Chapman version), Kim, Tom, Barbara and Bob. She was bothered when Chris and Nancy were written out while she liked Betsy once Lindsay Frost started playing her. Plus, she thought Mr Big was a stupid story LOL

I always assumed Maggie was a popular character on the show. I know that she was my mom's favorite character during the early 80s.

The new cd is under-whelming to me. It seems like she is in a holding pattern in terms of her artistic pursuits. I thought that 'The Fame' and 'The Fame monster' were great companion cds, but both Born this Way and Artpop seem like rough drafts that were turned in without being edited and proof-read, imho