Lust4Life76

As far as epic fail attempts at storylines... in lieu of the show's 40th Anniversary, I could appreciate Ron Carlivati's nods to three of ONE LIFE TO LIVE's most memorable moments. Of the three, Bo and Rex journeying back to 1968, though inspired, was a complete retcon of the Buchanan family origin story. They could have easily taken that history crafted by Gordon Russell and his team of writers from the late 70's and used it to tell a new story in 2008. Also, retconning Irene Manning, the mother of Tina and Todd, to be alive and well, while acting as a secret government agent as part of a convoluted plot to allow Roger Howarth back on the canvas was cringy. Looking back, I was only in it to watch Andrea Evans' return, but there were other ways to grow and mature Tina. Lastly, the mass prison break at Statesville, though I would have loved to see Mark Philpot (Jamie Sanders) and Jill Larson (Ursula Blackwell) sprung again, the fact this attempt led to a third return to Heaven for Viki and a second character visiting Hell... the show was on such an insane loop, vs. building upon what they had already done.

Krista Tesreau as Tina Lord Roberts. It's not that she wasn't a good actress, it was she was Mindy Lewis, not Tina. Andrea Evans of course was Tina, but Karen Witter wasn't a pushover either in that role, as she had great energy. I was sad when Andrea left, I was sad when Karen left. I wasn't sad when Krista left. I wanted her to return to "Guiding Light" and take Mindy back from Barbara Crampton who was Leanna Randolph, not Mindy...

Check me... they did do a father/daughter incest story... possibly pre-Garth/Lily Slater ("Loving"), pre-"Something About Amelia"? (This is cut and pasted from the Internet Archives: "Soap Opera History" contributing author Mary Ann Copeland):

Thank you @dc11786💖 Thank you, thank you... this is very kind of you to share this rare gem with all of us, but you're just that kind of awesome friend and fan of the soap community. 🧼 "A New Day in Eden" (EDEN), the infamous "first 'nude' serial"... I am not surprised viewers had to watch this late at night, as to not get it confused with the daytime shows (heaven forbid the toddler who wandered in). The Showtime bumper for what's on schedule takes me back. Watch EDEN at 11:30 pm and then Star Wars right after, at midnight I thought EDEN must have been a weekend thing, but I read they aired new episodes twice a week, and then had days set aside for marathons to get people caught up (pre-Soap Net). Given the episode #, 60, is it six more episodes, until EDEN just vanishes from the Showtime schedule, without any explanation? There are fans who used to watch this show as a guilty pleasure, and said, without internet back in the day you had no idea what the reason for cancellation was, and there was no real final closure to the series I suspect the Moral Majority... ✝️ Having just watched the episode of EDEN you shared, starting with the opening... everything in silhouette (including a nipple!), I felt like I was supposed to be transported into the book of "Genesis", just witnessing another frolic in paradise between Adam and Eve. The opening is kind of slopped together (even for standards in 1983), having seen more filmed openings for the ABC soaps that were quite dynamic for that day. Of course, Showtime's groundbreaking "Queer as Folk" (QAF) had the same kind of silhouetted graphics and acid-like background, but given QAF's success over time, producers created a better opening that represented the series. Maybe due to budget, this was all part of the evolution with EDEN? Speaking of producers, I always thought that "Bold and the Beautiful"'s Susan Flannery was a producer (and sometimes director, per Wikipedia). That's a great talent to have on board if you're looking to do something evocative, while being provocative... As are Patrick Mulcahey, credited as this episode's writer, and creator Douglas Marland credited with story... I am in the process right now of rewatching and trying to observe why the story and scripting doesn't come off deeper, given either artist's usual nuance in plotting or planning? It all lacks gifts that could make EDEN sexier: Mulcahey's sharp, "tongue in cheek" wit (as exhibited on "Santa Barbara"), along with Marland's social relevancy (as exhibited on "Loving", and "As the World Turns"). Maybe five days a week gives the ability to tell the necessary beats for a story vs. two days doesn't? Also, with it being created by Marland, I was expecting more epic-sounding names like Nola, or Holden, or Seth, or Ava... but then maybe my expectations are running too high for something that was commissioned to be soft-porn escapism... Yet, this episode didn't pose to be any more or less risqué than what they were doing on "Young and the Restless" or "General Hospital" in 1983... (but to be fair, I didn't see EDEN's erotic deflowering in a barn, or lesbian seduction in the family pool) ... When I look at the date of this episode, 7/28/83, I have to wonder if the creation of EDEN took somewhat of a backseat to what Marland was working on concurrently with Agnes Nixon at that time: "Loving". To me "Loving", in its creation as "a soap opera for the 80's" was always too good for ABC. The alphabet network, not only allowed for "Loving's" scheduling to compromise "Ryan's Hope"'s ratings, but any attempt in telling original story for daytime was hindered in favor of other primetime projects the network wanted to highlight. "Loving", give or take several premiere characters, should have been the EDEN Showtime was looking for as I think, the new network would have allowed them to freely tell the edge stories they wanted about incest, AIDS, progressive priests, liberal media, and PTSD. I feel, given the talent involved, EDEN wasn't totally in vain. People wanted something more adult, but also the template of two, three, episodes a week, could be a very welcomed to preserve the current genre for networks (that maybe Prospect Park should have considered out of the gate). But no matter how many pair of breasts your characters show, or "F-bombs" they drop, your story is what needs to be "gripping". I also feel... Larry Poindexter (Greg Lewis on EDEN) was and is still cute to this very "new" day. 🌄 Erik

In addition, Jenny and Peter as "The Vamp" and King Arthur...

Katherine Chancellor outranks Jack Abbott any day, even Jack Abbott would admit that.

Ooh good question... possibly? Because if it housed Melinda and Becky Lee initially before Karen, Kat, Ed, etc., that was mid to start of the late 70's. It seems Cassie did live there, at the same time Herb did? And Gary Corelli lived there too (given an episode posted on YouTube in 1982)...

Good Evening, Does anyone know of anywhere on this site I can find scans for the "One Life to Live" 20th Anniversary article in Soap Opera Digest? Thank you, Erik

@robbwolff In "Delirious", John Candy, a soap scribe, gets knocked out in a freak accident, and wakes up in the soap opera town he writes about on a soap called "Beyond our Wildest Dreams". Someday, when I die and go to Heaven, I want to live in Llanview from late the late 70's to the late 80's, lol.

Thank you Robb! I love these stories! They help me understand the origins of Agnes Nixon's creativity. I did listen to the audio book Judith Ivy created for insight. It's nice to Llanfair exists somewhere - meaning "Beautiful fair" I suspect. Robb, have you ever seen the movie "Delirious"? With the late John Candy, Emma Samms and Mariel Hemingway?

Some of you have posted some really thoughtful and genuinely kind respects in lieu of Susan Lucci's loss... that stem from your very personal appreciation of her work. But some of the rest of you... Personally, I don't think the private lives of this (any) family, in the event of their grief, should be left up for speculation by strangers on this board. And if you think to identify your "concern" under the auspice of being a "fan"? Please note this is not fandom. This is not even of a caring nature. This is being a gossip and bordering on schadenfreude. If the same thing was happening to you, in your life, I would hope someone would show you some grace. And to a prior poster about the decorating tastes of Ms. Lucci in her own home - maybe you should share a video of your place, so we can understand what true decorating style is? Maybe it overcompensates for your inability to display tact.

Was it a specific suburb of Philidelphia? Yet, I have a feeling, Agnes Nixon's town was more based on Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania - yet a lot of that town people say is more Pine Valley (Agnes' other locale) than Llanview... I know once Paul Rauch took over as executive producer, Llanview became based on the layout and style of Pennsylvania capital Harrisburg... I have been to that town, it was surreal to see all the actual locations and the bridges that I saw so many times in the opening credits to my favorite of soap operas... So where is Llanview?! Lol

This is sad. I never watched "As the World Turns". But just on her star power, anyone who was a fan of soap opera knew who Kathryn Hays was. My thoughts are with the ones that she loved, and loved her.

Yes, you do have to extend your credulity in that respect - but I wonder if in the story they addressed that slightly with people making quips like "Oh I didn't realize Samantha was as short as she is" or something to that effect. That and she has this custom made costume on so nobody would think anyone would have access to it. I believe it was noted Olympia, once she locked Samantha in the freezer, slipped into the party, she cleverly deflected people who tried to interact with her. Maybe the who jewelry heist subplot interrupted their observations.

Like I said, we will have to see who it is when the episode resurfaces someday.

Clint went as Count Dracula, I think the cowboy is Johnny Drummond. The Times at one point ran an article citing some of the popular characters as to what they were going as. I have seen several going as the exact costumes the article cited - however, Tina was supposed to go as Spiderwoman - from what I see she looks more like Catwoman. And Johnny Drummond was supposed to go as Daniel Boone - but I think he may have been switched out as the cowboy we all see. We will have to see who it is when the episode resurfaces someday.

Ken Meeker dressed as Romeo Montague, not a cowboy. I don't think it's Chip Lucia - he was dressed as a gambler from the Old west - think Kenny Rogers. I suspect it's Johnny Drummon (Wayne Massey), or an extra.

Thank you - I really liked Taina Elg as "Olympia". She was, and still is, tres elegant.

Asa proposed to Samantha, and they had a June wedding circa 1981. All the while, Olympia was being kept prisoner in a mansion (I think in South Hampton) and was watched by Asa's nephew Rafe and Asa's right hand man Chuck. Somehow Olympia broke free and with a gun, she tried to enter the church Asa and Samantha were being married at, and shoot Asa at the alter. But Chuck and Rafe were on it and stopped Olympia and smuggled her out of the church back to South Hampton. I think in September/October Olympia burned down the South Hampton mansion she was being kept as part of her escape (after several other escape attempts went awry). Olympia hid out at Llanfair in the abandoned west wing. There, Olympia made friends with a black cat on the property; she also stole Dorian's handgun for protection. At Llanfair, Olympia was aware of certain goings on via spying on Dorian. So when Dorian received an invite to Asa and Sam's costume ball, Olympia planned to sabotage it. Olympia, managed to get a copy of Samantha's dress by calling the designer and telling them she was Samantha's maid and she had burned the original dress "ironing". By December, Olympia was ready with her revenge against the newlyweds Asa and Samantha, and planned to kill them both at the masquerade party - I think the party was thrown as more of a housewarming for the couple's new "Moorcliff" mansion (a neighboring estate of Llanfair). Olympia, at the ball, was revealed to Llanview society during the unmasking. Prior to the unmasking she had locked Samantha in a walk-in cooler, so she could take advantage of Samantha's "absence". After her reveal, Olympia told either Bo or Pat directly that Bo was not a Buchanan, but a son of ranch hand Yancy Ralston. The only thing that played out during the party that I don't know how it effected the plans was the jewelry heist arranged by the four hired maids at the party (the maids who worked at the Sunrise Motel Cassie was staying at when she first came to town).

A lovely person named KCGuy on Twitter shared a few more images - this is totally taking me back...

It is!

Oh my God! Thank you! I love this - she must have gone as Catwoman then! I did hear on a recent podcast that Judith Light's mother videotaped her entire time on "One Life to Live", and Judith said something to the effect of "We have to do something with those tapes"... I was like, PLEASE convert them and put them on YouTube! That whole time she was on Llanview was a real community, and everyone had a great story.

Good evening, I know nobody has access to video of this extravagant event, but does anyone have any photos? I obsessed as to who was there, and what they came as. Asa - Robert E. Lee Lucinda - Lillian Russell Bo - French Dandy Ivan - The Executioner Samantha & Olympia - Titania Wanda - Harpo Marx Jenny - Theda Bera "The Vamp" Brad - Rudolph Valentino "The Sheikh" Anna - The Can Can Girl Clint - Count Dracula Tony - The Gambler Pat - Marie Antoinette Dorian - Josephine Herb - Napoleon Sadie - The Statue of Liberty Cassie - Dorothy Gale of "The WIzard of Oz" Rafe - Romeo Mimi - Jean Harlow Johnny - Daniel Boone Tina - Spiderwoman Others I suspect were there but not sure what their costumes were: Viki, Larry, Ina, Edwina, Chuck, Will, Katrina and Marcello.

I do... thank you: Lust for Life (podomatic.com)

My view, how long has the writing been like this on a soap (or all the soaps) to the point you're dissatisfied? I will agree from other comments I have seen that the writing could be of a higher caliber - as preceded by Irna Phillips, Agnes Nixon and Bill Bell, but also Douglas Marland, Michael Malone, etc.,... But we've been waiting for a decade and a half. I agree with people - as having watched Ron's version of "One Life to Live" (some of which I liked) yet his ability to name drop, rewrite histories (that had already been maintained by celebrated regimes) that ultimately led to no payoff. I guess that's why I champion taking to writing your own show where you control your continuity, your tone, your characters and honor your histories. SO many of you are speaking from a good place and it's out of respect for what the genre excelled at - tight, engaging stories that you could recapture an audience. Long gone are the days the networks really had any say... Now we can all take agency, and you never know the success and/or connections you may contribute to the genre. If Jamey Giddens can get a gig, why can't more people? I know you previous shared that you think I was challenging you for having an opinion. But I do respect what you are saying. You're a clown.