j swift

To quote Casablanca, "it's still same old story" - actors fired for cost then trying to find some causal meaning when interviewed by the press... Maybe the Dobsons were short sighted jerks, despite years in the business, or maybe they spent too much money making the floors in the Capwell atrium look like tile to afford such a large cast, the truth probably lies somewhere in the middle.

Can we take bets who is in the coffin? Liam is too obvious. I'm going with Culhane because Fallon's grief over her past lover will cause Liam to become jealous.

I only dipped in and out of the prior seasons, but I will continue this year. Also, a Lachie Buchanan fan, but Station 19 isn't for me, so this is a good excuse to watch him. Plus the EW article mentioned that he's going back to the strip club, so that's a plus. I don't mind the speed because it is only an hour a week, so they have lots to get through. Fans often wish that old soaps would get replayed on streaming, but I just watched an old season of Dallas, and at 29 episodes per year that plot dragged by today's standards. I don't know if it was Culhane or Jeff that was talking about napkins with Sam, but I liked their chemistry as well; I appreciate the portrayal of a straight/gay friendship. I still translate these characters using the old cast, like the cliffhanger of Anders on the plane going to investigate Adam made me run to my phone to figure out who Alan Dale was playing. It is amusing because it is as if they are predestined to live through certain plots, because they happened in the old show, but there are enough new twists to keep it suspenseful. I'm still wondering what's in Dominique's safety security box, that her mother conveniently kept the key to, just in case she dropped by a year later. Also, I don't think people buy loans from banks using briefcases filled with cash, but I was entertained by the visual, and I can't wait for Alexis to start throwing furs over the railing of the Carrington staircase. Most of all, I think they nailed the casting of Kirby and Fallon. However, if Moldovia means that Amanda or Prince Michael are coming I may need to start hitting the ff button...

I'm not good at mind reading, but from this article, it seems as if everyone freaked out at the initial low ratings (remember it debuted against an extremely popular summer Olympics games on ABC, and CBS was showing great success with the expansion of Price is Right), given the expense of the show (they built a new sound stage and the hand painted flooring in the Capwell atrium alone cost over $100,000 to make it look like tile but still be quiet enough for production) so like most decisions made to please the masses, they got rid of the outliers, which in this case meant the Latinx cast. To make a gross comparison I ran some numbers, $30 million in 1984 is the equivalent of $76 million in 2021. DAYS entire production budget for 2020 was $26 million, meaning that they tried to produce as many shows at 34% of the money given to SB in its first year.

Here's the only mention of Ruben's exit that I could find from the Tumblr Soaps of Yesterday's 1984 posts I find not only the Rosa/Mason relationship a missed opportunity, but also Santana as the Cinderella step-sister to Eden and Kelly, subsequent Santanas always played up the Brandon and Cruz angles, but I wanted more exploration of her motives based on growing up in the same house but with different privileges and an in-tact family. Did she resent Mason's devotion to Rosa? How did she feel about Kelly? Her upbringing seems to have been overlooked in order to make her into a viable love interest for CC and Mason, even though if you think about for more hat two seconds that is kind of gross, given that they knew her as a kid. (to @FrenchBug82's point about stories that literally don't age well).

It is a smart move. NBC-U already has a contract with the Critic's Choice Awards which they show on E!. So, my prediction is the next move will be to move Critic's Choice to the network, give it a red carpet, and the Globes go the way of the Cable Ace Awards

I feel like Roseanne Rosanadana getting all my "facts" wrong today. This make more sense. Was Keith the DA at the time? Because, he always perverted justice when it came to the Capwells and I stand by my assumption that anyone would have believed Kelly acted in self-defense. Just so I wasn't 100% wrong, I went back and checked and Joe apparently did work-study with the custodial staff to pay for tuition at Kelly's private school (who had apparently didn't do background checks when they hired former gigolo Peter Flint as their physics teacher). Warren referenced the issue with his mother who was flirting with Joe when she hired him as a handyman at the Lockridge estate. However, it does beg the question once again as to why Danny Andrade attended Lyman High School with Ted Capwell and Laken Lockridge (as seen in their caper with the camel in Mr Bottoms' classroom), but Santana went to public school with Cruz, Keith, and Victoria Lane. Didn't Santana grow up at the Capwell estate? I wonder when/why Rosa and Ruben moved to their own place? Or were they always day staff and Santana just accompanied her mother to work sometimes?

Notoriously, I have the worst gaydar in the world, but did anyone else just learn that Keith Hamilton Cobb (AMC Noah) came out ten years ago? EDIT @Faulkner 's comment made me look further into the story and the info appears to be false from the actor himself - so I guess my gaydar isn't as far off as I thought - moral of the story, don't believe everything you see on Tiktok and from his own blog http://keithhamiltoncobb.com/site/arrogance-ignorance-and-a-little-innocence-and-reports-of-ones-homosexuality-can-end-up-being-greatly-exaggerated/ Then, a number of emails arrived from young gay men expressing their gratitude for the example I set for them in their lives. Further investigation revealed that this “article” had metastasized, finding its way onto gay blogs and chat rooms across the net, and even onto Wikipedia! The young men related stories about their hesitance to make public declarations of their sexuality for fear of being ostracized by family, or society at large, etc. Because I had ostensibly “come out,” I was now a role model to them of some sort, and they were grateful for the example I had set. Holy [!@#$%^&*]! I didn’t know what to say. But if you’ve made it to the end, here is something that you might like to know about me. It’s not the sort of thing that IMDb might offer up without my permission, or, say, some poor, repressed soul with a busy mind and too much time on his/her hands might fantasize about. But it is a thing directly, completely, truthfully from me, because I’d like you to know: I’m just an actor.

I went back to look at the Cass and Steve iterations of the house. It is amusing that wall color and fabric prints changed, but none of the subsequent owners ever rearranged the furniture. Blaine, Jordan, Steve, and Cass all kept their respective sofas in exactly the same place.

OK, I watched the season finale last year and then the season premiere last night, and I am kind of hooked on the campy charm of this reboot. Although I still need to reference the original characters in my head in order to "translate" the current cast, Dynasty is a great example of using a reboot to correct the past. Melrose Place, 90210, and the Dallas reboot proved that nobody cares about new characters in our old shows. Recasting Fallon was a huge production error in the original, but this time the series is able to give her center stage and focus on her as the most interesting member of the Carrington Clan. In my opinion, John Forsythe verged on creepy when playing sexual scenes, but Grant Show (who is only four years younger than John was when he portrayed Blake) maintains a healthy sex appeal. As much as I miss the other Morells, like Sable and Caress, I like Dominique being Jeff and Monica's mother. Obviously, nobody could be better than Joan Collins, but that is why I am glad to see that the current series doesn't focus on Alexis as much, and uses Alexis as an antagonist rather than a heroine. I am shocked by how truly funny it is, without being too wacky. E.g. in last night's premiere Fallon turned to her new Latina florist and yelled, "crystal" as a referential nod to the seasonal recasting of her step-mother, when in fact she was talking about the fact that her wedding cake topper was crystal and not gold. They found a sweet spot between parody of primetime dramas, absurdity, and comedy. That being said, it also looks expensive. Although there are too many excuses to keep the drama in a limited number of sets, those sets looks great. La Mirage has tons of flowers and extras to fill the lobby. Alexis's suite is chic with modern details. And the costumes are fabulous. Of course there are errors in logic, I like Sam, but I have no idea why the Carringtons continue to support him after his aunt Cristal's death. The loss of Steven seems unresolved, especially given that Michael the chauffeur is still around in season 4. Also, character motivations flip flop each week, for example, why does Kirby like Fallon? I still don't get who the intended audience is supposed to be? As an older gay, I get the references to Moldavia, the girl hidden in the pond, pool fights, barn fires, and other OG Dynasty tidbits. But, would the 18-25 crowd be willing to check the old WIki to understand these callbacks? I don't actually care if they are producing the show solely for my entertainment, but it does seem like a rather specific cultural indulgence which I am really enjoying.

watson71 Contract Members 504 posts Members Posted May 6, 2019 (edited) About the only thing Corrine Jacker did correctly at AW in 1982 was integrate Bay City with African American characters. While their storylines were standard soap fare, the casting of the African American characters was top notch from 1982-84: Quinn Harding (Petronia Paley) and her brother Ed (Howard Rollins, Jr.) The Morgan Family- Bob (Robert Christian), his estranged wife Henrietta (Michelle Shay), and children RJ (Reggie Rock Bythewood) and Mary Sue (Tisha Ford) Architect Roy Bingham (Morgan Freeman) Dr. Abel Marsh and his rock star twin brother, Leo Mars (Joe Morton) former prostitue turned good girl Lily Mason (Jackee Harry) and her niece Thomasina (Sheila Spencer and Pamela Kay) who was adopted by Quinn Grant Todd (John Dewey Carter) and his son, Carter (Russell Curry) I wholeheartedly agree with you @watson71 I really enjoyed reading, then re-watching, the Bob/Henrietta/Quinn triangle. It was so modern for its time because it referenced their culture, but it was also a story about a marriage just like Pat & John or Clarice & Larry. Neither of the women were forced in stereotypical roles, there was no sassiness or neck rolling. Both women had higher earning potential than Bob, which seems revolutionary for soaps both then and now. But, also Bob wasn't just indecisive, he was actually understandably stuck between his devotion to his family, the fact that he couldn't maintain a physical/sexual relationship with Henrietta, and the perception that Quinn's independence meant that she didn't prioritize Bob's commitment. It contrasted well with the adolescent games being played in the Sandy/Blaine/Cecile triangle. Having just read 1981-1984, Sandy had to lie to his significant other about his job for her protection three times in a row. One would think by the third time Blaine would at least start to question his motives. The one other odd thing that I noticed about both the Brown (12/80 - 11/81) and Jacker (11/81-11/82) eras was that regular characters would take long breaks out of town. Pat left for weeks before her return and final exit. Steve left for a few weeks before his exit, and Mac left town as well. I would guess it written to explain the actors' vacations, but it seemed odd that with such a big cast they couldn't just have someone off screen without explanation. Also in that period, Brian was so good during Blaine's trial that it is a true shame that Cass's introduction made his legal expertise redundant. I didn't like how Brian reacted to Iris, so I never appreciated the character until his defense of Blaine and relationship with Pat. Paul Stevens (who played Brian) reminded me of Cary Grant with his distinguished nature and charisma. Most of the younger male characters really suffer during the writing change. Rick Halloway was never appealing to me but, one day he is gung-ho at becoming a psychiatrist, then a few months later he abandons that plan to be a community health specialist. Joey pivots from Eileen to Kit without much mourning, Jerry gets sudden onset brain injury induced psychosis which causes him to make prank calls, and Jamey, now James, gets four different love interests (Christine, Marianne, Susan, and Julia). Finally, I found it odd that in 1982 not only was there no mention of AIDS (although I guess it is similar to today's pandemic that it was deemed too political), but Marianne and Cecile both think they are impregnated by James, which means that both women slept with a drug addict before AIDS tests were publicly available, without condoms, and nobody discusses it as an issue. Hindsight is 20/20, and those were obviously different times in daytime TV, but I can't imagine watching a soap produced in New York in the early 80's and not immediately thinking that was huge oversight.

I recalled that back in October this promo caused some debate about whether or not Steve Frame was the richest man in Bay City (specifically if he was richer than Mac). Well, I was reading the 1981 weekly summaries (really enjoyed the Jordan Scott mystery, Jamie's drug addiction, and the Pat/Cecile rivalry - really disliked Jerry's sudden psychosis, Leigh & Sally, Rick & Marianne, and Mitch's inexplicably sudden exit). Anyway here's a detail that caught my eye NOVEMBER 16-20, 1981 James accepted Steve after Steve revealed his identity to all at a posh wingding. Steve purchased Blaine's house Blaine's house had been Jordan Scott's house, which while it was referred to as a mansion, and coveted by Cecile, never seemed as palatial as the Cory estate, nor did it have a stable. However, from a practical stand point, it was a lovely set and deserved a second life DECEMBER 28, 1981 - JANUARY 1, 1982 Rachel supported Steve in his competition with Mac to be the most powerful man in Bay City. So, I guess that was a thing...

Today I re-watched the ep where Kelly pushes Dylan out of the window. It is a particularly odd story that doesn't age well. First, Dylan was a threat to Kelly's safety. Others were aware of the threat, (including her brother-in-law and member of the police, Cruz) so the fact that SB police needed video evidence to believe that Kelly was not a murderer is unbelievable. Second, it was clearly an accident. Kelly was 30 lbs lighter than Dylan soaking wet, so there was no way that she could have actually thrown him out of a window. Third, it all occurred in a well occupied hotel, so the idea that nobody heard or saw anything strains credulity. BTW, between letters falling on nuns and rapists falling out of windows it is a blessing that the Capwell Hotel burnt down before it killed any other cast members. From the French SB website, Page Mosely who played Dylan noted that he was not well liked by Robin Wright, so I guess they needed to write him out quickly. Also, this story was the excuse for Robin to leave the canvas to film Princess Bride. Of course, Kelly on the run led to her meeting Jeffrey, Pamela, and lots of other memorable stories. However, it left a bad taste in my mouth that the SB court system would be willing to be influenced by CC in Brandon's custody trial, but not willing to allow justice for a clear case of self defense.

As much as I appreciate Janet's music, (I've seen her in concert twice), I get annoyed by her "silly" persona. Recently, she was on the Tonight Show and every story was told with a little girl giggle, similar to the voice that Britney and Paris Hilton affect. She tried to seem embarrassed to admit that she had an assistant and a nanny, as if a woman in her position wouldn't be assumed to have a staff of employees. We know from prior interviews that Janet can be bright and insightful. Part of her backstory is that she broke free from the family to pursue her own music. Yet, as a 54 year old woman, her desire to portray herself as having a naive waif confuses me. I hope in this doc, and subsequent appearances, she will return to the cool and somewhat defiant artist we saw in the 1990's. That being said, one assumes the giggles are a means to deflect from questions about Michael, her mother, and the rest of the family. Given her age and experience I want to know her views on the effects that race and sexism have had on her career. She deserves to tell her story. In particular, how her exploration of sexuality was treated differently than white singers like Madonna, and how her historically large recording contracts were publicized differently than her male contemporaries. However, I worry that her persona undermines her credibility.

We really don't know when in Dorian's timeline she learned of Addie's supposed death because she instantly recognized her as an adult when Blair introduced them. Just as we don't know who paid for her care, or why the Cramer parents were willing to treat Melinda's mental illness but not Addie's, or why Blair would blame Dorian and not her parents for her neglect?

I am old enough to know that actors use social media to promote themselves and it is not always an honest representation of their real lives. However, several soap actors use Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok in ways that really irritate me. I am not talking about actors who espouse opposing political views, because social media seems like the place where everyone should be free to express their unpopular opinions. I mean the preening narcissism that too many actors use to engage their fans. So, I figured that we must all have a list of actors that we "love to hate" on social media, I'll start... My first would be Robert Scott Wilson. The squint he makes in every picture makes me wish that his face gets stuck that way as he ages. There seems to be nothing more "basic" than actors who deify Scorsese and Tarantino movies. The use of metal music to underscore his workouts makes me want to scream. And, don't get me started on his appropriative accent. It's totally illogical, he can like whatever he wants and speak however he wishes, but it rubs me the wrong way. Then, we have Kyle Lowder. I cringe every time he starts an Instagram video by looking away from the screen then slowly pans into view, we know you are shooting yourself by holding the phone, just look into the camera, you fool. The never changing haircut from 1992 sends chills down my spine. And the Hallmark card quotes about sunsets and workouts drive me crazy His content is completely benign and inoffensive, but these traits never fail to to get my goat. Finally, an obscure one, Alec Musser. This one I will admit is just pure jealousy because this former AMC star seems to live a life filled with skiing, surfing, and travel despite having no viable means of support. He hasn't acted in years, and seems too old to be sponsored, so I covet his carefree existence of playing everyday. Again, I have no knowledge of the man or his recent work, I'm just following for the occasional shirtless pic, so my reaction is completely irrational. Note that I am creating this list in jest and do not wish to engage in a dialogue about actors who do not share the opinions of their fans. So, please do not submit your ideas about actors who endorse fast food chicken restaurants, religion, and former presidents on this thread. This not meant as a critique of any particular actor, their skills or talents, just the peculiarities of their social media persona. So, I want to see who you follow on social media even though their content arouses an unreasonable amount of annoyance.

This morning for no particular reason I was thinking about "The Cramer Women." While I always enjoyed their camaraderie, their backstories are completely convoluted retcons and were too often cribbed from each other. I can believe that Melinda had a child while she was institutionalized that became Kelly. But, why give her the exact same upbringing as Cassie? Both were secretly raised in European boarding schools, paid for by Dorian. Both came to Llandview and were immediately accepted as Cramers by everyone in town, without any questions. In retrospect, it gives Dorian motive for her avaricious during her early years, because she had to pay for two girls in boarding school. However the fact that Dorian was paying for Melinda's hospitalization was mentioned as early as when she married Victor Lord, so there was no need to add that she was also paying for double tuition (at least if Kelly and Cassie went to the same school Dorian could have gotten a deal and visited them both at the same time). Kelly feels like an attempt by new writers to correct the character defects in Cassie who was developed as a contrast to Dorian. Addie makes much less sense. Not only was Dorian's older sister never referenced, (to be fair Dorian thought she was dead), but Addie shared the same backstory with Melinda. Both women spent most of their lives in institutions and both were inexplicably naive and immature due to their mental illness. I am willing to attribute Addie's lack of cognitive prowess as an indicator of her mental illness to the times they were written, (although it was not that long ago). But, I am also bothered by soaps unwillingness to educate their audience on mental illness by using global terms rather than specific diagnosis. Cancer and heart illnesses have been staples of the soap's attempts to provide awareness, I have no idea why mental illnesses are not given the same respect. I guess Melinda's return was recent enough that the audience might not accept Blair as her daughter, but it strains credulity that both sisters shared so many qualities, yet none were inherited by Dorian. Furthermore, I refuse to believe that Dorian was a middle sister. Dorian was not a Jan Brady by any stretch of the imagination. She never had middle daughter energy, and she sought the kind of attention that middle kids crave. Finally, although I am willing to suspend disbelief when Blair changed ethnicity, I will never accept Paul Cramer as a legitimate member of the clan

Not a headline per se, but Sandy's prostitution story is straight of out of American Gigolo, including the female pimp and the associated murder story. American Gigolo was released 2/1/1980 and Sandy came to Bay City 1/19/81, so the connection is contemporary. BTW I just learned from AWHP that his name before Bay City was Alexander Sanderson, so his nickname could have been Sandy Sandy (lol)

My favorite Housewives-ism is the beginning of every season, when they haven't seen each other in months, they hug and agree to "move on." Followed by the obligatory confessional statement about forgiving, but not forgetting. Or, the effusive compliments every time one of them enters a room, regardless of how much trash they were just saying about each other.

Although I wish all of the rejudication of GL recasting was discussed on that thread, to quote myself from 3 years ago

It felt to me that after The Vixen and Nina Bonina, Drag Race wanted to show a redemptive story of an angry queen who softened due to the power of drag, and the process of Drag Race. While the story editors may have underestimated the audience's sympathy for Tameesha Iman because many fans were put off by Kandi and Tameesha's fight and never wanted to support Kandi. Clearly, there was an attempt to demonstrate that queens who want to be mean girls, are really just looking for camaraderie and replaying the rejection that they experienced. I still think of Drag Race as a more of a parody than a reality game show (as it was in the early seasons). Although not all of the contestants are in on the joke, the rule twists, heavy handed edits, and tonal changes seem more like a comment on the housewives than an actual competition. I find it amusing when fans take it seriously, because the very nature of drag is a to reflect the culture. From the entry lines to the reunions, they are taking the piss out of reality conventions. With all due respect, the straight privileged girls on Twitter/TikTok who drive the social media narrative seem to lack the sophistication to understand the humor and the references. Taken at face value, Drag Race must seem like a very unfair show that is subject to the whims of RuPaul. However, within the context of the 13 seasons, and the evolution from a parody of Top Model and Project Runway to Housewives, the entertainment value is in the editing as much as it is in the performances and the looks.

I always admired Jill's work wardrobe. I think everyone would feel more confident at work in high heels and a suit with a matching hat and veil. It might be slightly inconvenient while working in front of a computer. But, maybe the veil blocked the screen's bluelight? The classic telephone moves of dialing with one long claw-like nail, while peeling off the clip-on earring to talk, and sipping tea from a china cup, made work seem so much more fun.

Jill's husband Frank (Daniel Hugh Kelly) is in the background and the character who was as poorly conceived as he was named, Dakota Smith (Christopher Durham), is in the foreground. I am amused by artist's choice to have Frank and Jill be barefoot, while Dakota is wearing shoes but is depicted as bare chested. I don't think most accomplished sailors like Dakota would be wearing Reebok's on deck.

I beg to differ. Although I tried hard to find the source and failed, my memory from reading Soap World was that the Carrington family owned the newspaper. Arguably, by the time Eliot moved to Bay City he may have acquired his own source of wealth through the publication of his book. However, I also have a vague recollection that Eliot's family owned the newspaper and that is why he was considered to be a viable match for Iris. However, my initial point was that around the introduction of Blaine there was a lot of chatter about Mac's will. Brian wants Iris disinherited before their marriage. Mac offers to care for Jamie in his will, setting up the eventual struggle between Jamie and Sandy (I guess Alice's mishandling of Frame Construction voided Jamie's inheritance from that company). Also, Rachel expresses concern about Matthew being in the will. However, nobody seems to mention Dennis's rights of inheritance. Speaking of Blaine and her family, I read some gossip that Rick Porter (Larry Ewing) and Gail Browne (Clarice) clashed backstage. On the Soaps of Yesterday Tumblr there are stories of Rick's side hustles, such as selling adult novelties, but no mention of their relationship... (On a side note, it always makes me laugh to think about actors like Rick Porter, or OLTL Jeremy Slate (Chuck Wilson), or GL's Larry Gates (HB Lewis) living in New York while having to maintain the look and accent of cowboys from the ol' west.) I was also reading the AWHP summaries of Eliot's introduction and there was an interesting tidbit that Eliot ordered Louise to supervise Iris's visits with Dennis because her negligence almost led to Dennis being kidnapped. First, I think the Dennis/Iris dynamic was so inventive for the times. The contrast between Rachel/Jamie and Iris/Dennis was unique, and Iris's reaction to Dennis's rejection of her interestingly informed their dynamic throughout his development. Second, I find it amusing that kidnapping was in the news so much in the early 70's that it was a thread through so many soap stories. I'm sure it was inspired by the publication and TV movie of Anne Lindbergh's diaries about her baby's kidnapping, the Chowchilla Busnapping, and of course, later the character of Kit owed many plot points to the Patty Hearst story. It would be interesting to track how many plots were influenced by news stories of the time. Obviously, Iris's bugging of Eliot's suite happening at the same time as the Watergate hearings comes to mind, but I wonder if anyone can recall other plots that were lifted from current events?

In reading this thread I was thinking about how Wentworth Tool & Die was truly the structural missed story opportunity. The idea of giving Pam her own power base was very smart. However, Wentworth going from a tool and die company to an oil company was not as smart. It negated various stories for Wenworth to mess with Ewing oil based on controlling the means of production. Upthread someone mentioned that Pam was always supposed to be more ambitious and business savvy than Bobby (which seems clearer in the pilot and the seasons before Jock's death). Imagine the conflict if Pam was able to use her own fortune to fight JR? Yet, putting Cliff in charge was dumb. Cliff should have maintained a moral opposition to both companies through his governmental positions. Messing with unions, property rights, and environmental stuff made more sense than having him suddenly in charge of an oil company and then being an easy target of JR's manipulation. Cliff became an idiot in business when he could have been an expert in legislation if he had stayed in his own lane. While the aforementioned Susan Howard story sours me on the actress, Donna's federal government power base also seemed like a missed source of plotlines. Ray was comparatively modern in his acceptance of Donna as both the more educated and powerful one in the marriage. Her job could have posed several threats to Ewing Oil and affected the Bobby/JR rivalry. However, by instantly saddling her with a dependent family and baby fever, most of her power got lost in the shuffle.