Soaplovers

@Khan Long would have been an interesting choice, but her attempts at helming a primetime series didn't go well in the 90s (Christy & Second Noah). Although she did understand the male psyche and would have been listened to David Jacobs and his suggestions, unlike Cidre. The high ratings in the first season is probably why Cidre wasn't tossed out. And in regards to the plot twists being a main focus, Cidre claims that with the limited episode order.. there were character scenes that were cut in order to ensure the plots ran effectively. I think a talented show runner could have sprinkled in some character moments, and I use season 14 of Knots landing as an example since that had maybe 19 episodes.. but there were fun character moments that came through (Karen seeing a naked Nick by accident when she came to Claudia's house, Paige dumping coffee onto a client's lap when he assumed she was an assistant, Anne being turned down for plastic surgery with the dr stating she look great and that perhaps she needed to work on her self-esteem, etc).

Letty Lynton, I think the source material (book) went into public domain in 2025.. which is why it's getting a release at long last. From what I recall, people have said this movie was a turning point for Crawford (i.e. heralding the next chapter/era in her film career) so I'll be interested to see this one.

Guiding Light having a gothic overture made sense for the show, and it probably started that way long before the Dobson's joined the show. Pre-Dobsons, just based on the few episodes that have come onto the surface, it looked as though the Kit character had a gothic vibe to her as well as reading summaries of Holly's brother Ken and his obsessions/hatred for Ed. Dobson's had the Wexlers, Spaulding's, & the Roger/Holly arc as their examples of pure gothic. Marland had Quint/Nola and his house, had Helena/Silas/Mona, plus had the whole Mark/Amanda arc. Long went full on Tennessee Williams in her first stint as head-writer with Reva/Josh/Billy, Beth's SA story, Tony & Annabelle's cottage story that tied into the Spauldings, Lesley's Ann death scene. High tech Gothic were displayed with Infinity, Reva's attempted suicide with Barbra Streisand's Somewhere playing. At the same time,the Blue Orchid had a very dark and bleak set design that combined 80s glitch with gothic overtures. Her 2nd stint was less southern gothic, but still gothic altogether. The Adam Malik (Roger) story, Reva's PPD with Josh's nightmares predicting Reva's demise, Alan Michael's kidnapping, the gaslighting of Phillip with the fake Beth story, Philip trying to dig up Beth's grave, & the Sonni story were all examples of Gothic story telling. The only other Gothic stories I can recall was the Marian (Brent in disguise) story in the mid 90s and the stupid Reva stepping into the portrait (but that seemed more fantasy than gothic). I think the move away from Gothic in the early 90s (and Curlee didn't seem to write Gothic stories) was the first step toward GL moving away from its identity since the Gothic element was an important element going back to at least the late 60s/early 70s.

In regards to Chelsea, the show has kind of done a disservice to her character since day 1, she almost feels like an afterthought to the writers most of the time. When compared to her contemporaries (Kat, Eva, Naomi), she's under written and under developed as a character. There are moments I get excited when she finally gets some focus (the trople flirtation, the obsessed Allison arc, the hostage arc), but the show doesn't seem good at writing the aftermath of her brief arcs. The only thing I can assume is that Chelsea's lightening quick relationship and engagement with Madison is a form of PTSD, but she and Madison have gotten little development as a couple nor as individual characters. Lynette was the sparkplug needed, but now that she's vanished.. the Hayler arc is stalled though at least her presence did reveal some of the motivation for Lia joining the ring (because all her money was stolen). In regards to Nicole, she divorced Ted quickly without truly processing everything that had happened between them. Partly due to Nicole trying to be the sensible and logical Dupree and also to not be like her sister Dani, a doormat when it comes to Bill. Now that time has passed since the divorce, Nicole is now starting to process what she truly was feeling and I'm going to guess this will either be a way for to put her marriage to Ted in the past.. or the start of the two slowly working their way back to one another.

I recall Vigard stating that she was in school at the same time as she was filming GL.. and neither would accommodate the other. So that could have been why she was always late because she had to figure out how to slip out of her classes at school to get to work. In regards to Janet Gray and her signing another contract, I think she did that in mid 1982 right before Marland was leaving. I'm sure he would have written her as either becoming a replacement mom for Phillip/Sam with her possibly dating Justin.. or he would have written Ben/Evie reconciling slowly. Her character just got lost in the shuffle with the various head-writing/EP changes and they just wrote her in enough to fulfil whatever her guaranteed days were on her contract and eventually once Long/Culliton were officially head-writers, they just dropped her character.

Not needed whatsoever. Touched by an Angel was the 90s answer to Highway to Heaven and it had enough uniqueness to make it difference. Time for Hollywood to just throw in the towel and admit that they're hacks. I'm sure AI will provide all the content and scripts for this unneeded remake. And I loved Highway to Heaven when I was a kid. It was so 80s, and so warm and sweet (but I watched Our House when I was a small child.. so what did I know about quality LOL).

It was boring compared to the 1979 episodes of the Dobson's and the high energy Long era of the mid 80s.

Shame he had to do that when the character wasn't a fit, Jane Elliott was just not a good fit onto GL, and Marland was just pissy because he was over-ruled. His idea for the Carrie character sucked and it was time for the character to leave. Unpopular opinion, Marland coasted on the Dobson's work for the first several months.. but his 1981/1982 output was lackluster. He just wasn't a fit on Guiding Light, ATWT was his soul mate in terms of his talents.

Sometimes people become better friends and rediscovering things they liked about one another once a marriage ends. Glad to see that happened to both Cady and Jon.

PFS also didn't seem to be a P & G type of writer, and I'm sure she ruffled some feathers with her arrival because she wasn't an East Coaster, she worked for non-P&G soaps, and didn't have the P&G favoritism. The soap opera world is just like any other corporation, it isn't about how good you are.. it's about how well you fit into a corporate culture. And I wonder if the actors were understanding to PFS's face about not having vacations on a whim, but silently complained behind the scenes. Lastly, with Texas being canceled in December 1982... I'm sure that P & G had to figure out what to do with some of the performers and production the scenes.. and I'm sure Kobe was intended to cross over onto GL after Texas officially ended while deciding to instill a head-writer they knew could do the job (L Virginia, later the Cullitons, and finally Long).

Speaking of which, here is one of her looks. I think the hair up and the Hilary Clinton esque blazer was meant to age her though she did talk about being a young pregnant teen with Charlie.

From watching the show, Lane worked best as an intro character. The character that the audience identifies with, but as the show continued and the audience got to know all the players.. the focus did eventually move to Constance. To me, she seemed more like a Fallon type then a vixen. I think once the show figures that out in season 2, the show improves and it's a shame the show took too long to find it's focus and footing because season 3 would have definitely continued the stories set as the 2nd season was coming to an end.

Playing the gay angle with Tara's husband would have been kind of a cop out and not necessary. From reading the history, Tara's true love was Phil so after he passed away.. she turned to someone supportive and she quickly married him and left town. Even though the two had a child together, I think deep down her new husband knew that he was never going to measure up to ole mighty Phil Brent and I'm sure even Tara wasn't aware that she was probably doing that. It also would make sense that she would probably prefer Charlie over Kelsey because who their father was. I think it wasn't just Tara dressing more dowdy that was the problem, but the writing didn't really do the character any justice. Instead of writing her as someone that was aware of her current situation with her husband, her inability to relate to her daughter, and not being to bridge the gap.. they wrote her as very insipid.. even though the character of Tara had moved away from that by the mid 70s (and even in the few B & W episodes with the original Tara.. Tara did display a backbone)

Mona is exactly like a lot of bible thumpers, she's written in character. People like her are the reason why people despise structured religion. She needs to teach by example, not by lecturing nor judging. Samantha is an ungrateful and I'm glad someone on the show talked down to this entitled brat. How someone as sweet and whimsical as June could produce such a vile individual makes me curious to know who the father is. Vanessa is displaying all the toxic traits that people say men have, and if men can't do it. .neither can an entitled sex addict like Vanessa either. She obviously doesn't understand nor respect boundaires... because if she did, she would have done a better job honoring her marriage vows or divorcing Doug before she ventured out into the hook up world (like her bestie Nicole has done.. divorced and now just enjoying her newfound status as a free agent).

Plus, Kelsey was a Martin and the daughter of a legacy character (Tara) and kind of answered the question on what happened to Tara after she quickly married and moved away from Pine Valley in the early 80s. She ended up with another child of the man she married because she avoided dealing with her grief over losing her first/true love Phil.. and I remember it being mentioned that Kelsey always felt unfavored and that she knew her mother and father didn't really love one another (with Tara even kind of hinting at that with Joe when she briefly came back to visit in the mid 90s played by the original actress). I did enjoy that 1995 did try to revive the teen story focus that had been the bread and butter of the early years. Bobby being a con was so like his late mother Sybil, Anita being sheltered was the opposite of her sisters Maria/Julia/Mateo, Kelsey being the opposite of her mother OG ingenue Tara, & Scott being the adopted son of Stuart Chandler. It just happened too soon, too quick.

So I'm working in the office today and watching B& B today. I have serious questions on Brooke's wardrobe and hairstyle. I also see nothing has changed with Ridge replacing Steffy (his daughter with Taylor) with Brooke. Rinse, lather, and repeat. Brad Bell is such a nepo baby.

In regards to Lynette and her ability to fleece people. You can be a pro at fleecing people out of their money, but be a moron in regards to how you spend your money. I gather Lynette is all about instant gratification so that money runs out fast so she has to continue to con in order to fund the delusional lifestyle she's become accustomed to. Don't forget that she managed to blackmail Hayley into funding a few of her impulses so I could see her being able to fleece others out of their money.

Season 12 should have been kept on Sunday and advertised as the final season at the start of the season with tv and print advertisements proclaiming '4 more episodes', etc. In season 11, although MSW was still winning it's timeslot.. it had decent competition from Lois & Clark on ABC and The Simpsons on Fox that had decent ratings so the 12th season should have been planned as the final season on Sunday night. At the same time, networks will use a show until it's done and then throw it away when it no longer needs them. CBS did to MSW what other networks did to shows back in the day when they would schedule shows opposite MSW, NBC had previously moved Family Ties opposite MSW in its sixth season to basically let it die.. though that show held its own in season 6 against MSW even on occasion beating it in the ratings.

The Cotillion has lost momentum for me, it should have been a Feb sweeps focused event instead of being dragged to May. With that said, even if it had played out in Feb, I don't really care because it's focusing on two pointless characters (Tyrell & Samantha) when it would have worked better if the show had thought to have Donnell & Deanna be a little younger and on the show from the start so we could have seen the dynamics between Doug/Vanessa/Donnell/Deanna before Doug's 'death' (I still said he's alive out there). The Plasma story also seemed to hinge on the free clinic, but we've yet to see the clinic nor the players involved in the clinic in a consistent way (i.e. Derek). With Derek being friends with Jacob, it's odd that Derek was kept out of the undercover story.. but being that he's the only one with a working brain.. it's probably why he was kept out of most of the action. Just the way he and Ashley interacted on Monday's episode makes me think Derek is going to be the one to suffer an untimely ending (hopefully as a hero saving everyone).

The late 1970s was the start of focusing on the looks of an actor/actress over talent. If you looked at Search for Tomorrow, especially their final episode on CBS, they had Rod Arrants in a black speedo and that was in early 1982 (and he looked sexy in them, imho). So I'm not surprised that being in swimsuits started to become a thing on soaps in the late 70s. I always say to bring on the eye candy (male and female), just so long as there is some acting ability to go with it.

Do the writers want us to dislike Naomi? I often think it's a one step forward, two steps back situation with that character. She seems to have inherited the worst traits of both of her parents Dani and Bill. She bullies and takes her spouse for granted like her father Bill did to her mother while being a nosy buttinsky and blurting it out at the worst moments like her mother Dani. Instead of the show doing those pointless filler fantasies of Dani/Andre.. they should actually look at the character of Dani and really delve into her toxicity and how that damaged both of her girls in different ways. Naomi grew up not wanting to be like her mother (i.e. letting Bill cheat and walk all over her) while treating Jacob just like her father Bill treated her mother Dani while Chelsea is emotionally immature due to the domineering hold that Dani had on her with Chelsea resenting Bill because his cheating made Dani take out her frustrations and lack of control out on Chelsea. Plus, like others have said, Andre not wanting to be photographed is a clue to something from his past and wondering if he witnessed something or it has something to do with the death of his parents years ago? I think the popularity of Dani/Andre (not planned by the writers) made the writers keep them together.. but not have anything to write for the two other then those filler fantasies and constant love scenes and talk. There is so much that could be written/mined from this coupling that hasn't been mined thus far. Derek should never have to grovel to Ashley. Writers.. Derek can do so much better.

It was during the writer's strike so listing the 'scab' would have been a kiss of death for their career. I'm not sure if any script writers on ATWT were working as scabs during the strike or not. One of Marland's many trademarks was his love of writing gothic stories. The one's he wrote for GL were pretty good (seamlessly picking up where the Dobson's left off and creating his own), but I didn't think he successfully infused ATWT with that gothic sensibility. The closest he came was the Doug Cummings mystery and Lilith, but one was more of a mystery while the other bordered on camp. Was it because ATWT didn't seem to lend itself to gothic storytelling like other soaps of the era like AMC or GL?

From what I recall, Rita was the only writer on The Doctors writing every episode for over a year. I think Rick Edelstein was added in order to give her some help because she was burning out fast. I recall Edelstein was the one to write that creepy gothic kidnapping story on The doctors, perhaps he could have been a good fit at GL. I always viewed GL as more gothic in the 70s/80s.

I often find that being a good head-writer doesn't automatically mean you'll be like that on every soap. Wendy Riche I could see being a good EP for GL because she would have focused on the emotion and idealism about finding your own individual light. In terms of head-writer, it would need to be a head-writer that could specialize in gothic overtones that got established back in the Dobson era (and possibly earlier), and continued on through the Curlee era of the early 90s. Perhaps, Agnes Nixon could have come back to right the ship and trained someone on the writing team to step up to continue that tone.

This episode shows how juvenile and emotionally stunted Dani is. I have to admit, I will always be intrigued to see what Daphnee would have done with the role since she tried out for Dani originally. In regards to Lia, I find the actress striking and doing more with the character then what is written on the page. She's able to play a more professional and capable character while also being able to play moustache twirling. Sometimes character performers can elevate a recurring/short term role in a way that a seasoned soap opera veteran can't do.