j swift

After reading the AMC critique from its early days on the AMC tribute thread it got me thinking about how much of our fandom is based on the soap press. When a soap fan blames network executives, to me, that always seems to be based on exit interviews of producers to the soap press where they blame network interference on inhibiting their creativity. SB is a perfect example of this issue. The Dobsons gave a couple of juicy interviews to SOD when they left and returned to SB and much the parlance in those interviews is repeated by fans when we despair over the loss of the show. However, I've also been reading the Classic SOD Tumblr, and noting similarities between interviews, which may suggest that our collective understanding of the behind the scenes issues of SB may have been biased. The Dobsons were also interviewed when they left GL and ATWT and they complained about the executives at P&G in very similar tones to their complaints with New World. However, at some point don't we have to question whether or not the Dobsons were the common variable? The first year of the show relayed on multiple recasts that changed the characterizations of both CC and Santana, so was it that outrageous that the network questioned their choice for Pamela Capwell? Networks are asked to put up a lot of money, good producers learn how to get along with the network, perhaps their unwillingness to compromise created many of their own problems? I'm just suggesting that in retrospect it is interesting to look for bias rather than allowing those with access to the press to dictate the narrative.

Does that vindicate Jeff's behavior or is it just a correction of the sequence he used to drive Heather mad?

I feel like I finally understand the female Spaulding sibling sequence. It seems like GL always wanted to have a female family counterpart to Alan throughout his time on canvas. Despite the fact that Alan's familial heritage was retconned, everyone always thought that they had a right to the company that he started. First Amanda comes along, but she was already established as an anemic character, so although she was a drain on Spaulding resources, she was no match for Alan. She leaves in 1983 and Alexandra arrives in 1984. Alexandra by Beverly was an excellent foil for Alan and she could extend the Spaulding line. But, Beverly left in 1992 and Marj sputtered along with multiple Mindy's until the mid-90's. Then, in 1995 we get the questionable, (I still think she was fake), Malibu-Amanda; whom I was shocked to learn stayed until 1998. I did not recall that much story for Amanda, and there seems to be some lingering stories about the choice of reboot for that character, with that actress, in that way. Then, in 1998 we get Viki Brandon aka Vicky Spaulding; the girl with the least clever undercover name in history. The only satisfaction that I had with her was that she was not instantly given access to Alan's wealth simply because they were related. I know if my here-to-for unknown and disloyal niece suddenly appeared from the Bermuda, I wouldn't give her half my company. She stays until 2001, by then Lizzie was SORASed to fill the female Spaulding role. I find it interesting, in retrospect, to see how different writers tried to extend, as well as balance the family. Of course there was Phillip, Alan-Michael, Nick and all of the male heirs, but I was captivated by how different writers conceptualized the family side of the family. The 70's gives us Sensitive Spaulding, the 80's is SuperDiva Spaulding, the 90's gets Suspiciously-Diverse Spaulding(s), and the 00's got Spoiled Spaulding. Each period had it's own Spaulding lady, and each seemed like a response to the time, rather than an organic character responding to living with Alan Spaulding.

@Khan or , (in a modern interpretation of the 70's drama) Jeff Webber used her for sex when Anne wouldn't engage in premarital intercourse. Then, when she found out that she was pregnant, he refused to commit to her, alienated her at work, and turned the whole town against her, so that he still seemed good guy. Then, when she tried to give the baby up for adoption, it winds up with a couple down the street from her. Then, even her own mother turned against her. Then, she was framed for murder and drank LSD tea. Heather wasn't born evil or insane, it was a necessary adaptation to a crazy time and place.

I am fascinated by soap sets and set design. On the SOD classic news TUMBLR, there was an article on the refurbished Quatermaine mansion from the early 90's. The article noted the size of the front door and the added landing at the top of the stairs. However, I instantly noticed that the door at the base of the stairway was missing. The door was across from the living room entry. In older episodes it was amusing to me because it changed from being an entrance to the kitchen to a coat closet depending on the season. Do you think one of the reasons the Q's always had pizza on Thanksgiving was because they could no longer get to the kitchen after Monica remodeled the house in the 90's? Are there any other rooms on that floor or should we imagine a huge second floor, (because there are endless en-suite bedrooms for all the Q's and their cousins) on top of a tiny first floor, like an inverted triangle?

I'm surprised at how fast paced the plotting goes when there were fewer episodes per week. Also, it is amazing how many people can fit into Denise's kitchen.

What sister wants a bachelorette party thrown by her brother, (and attended by her other brother and father) dressed in togas with a bunch of chippendale's dancer extras? Is it any wonder why Kristen had so many intimacy issues with Clark?

I was watching the wonderful YT character profile of Solita/Sonni. It got me thinking that Will Jeffries and Paulina Cory (AW) were both born and raised in South America, but the roles were played by blond caucasian actors. 90's soaps obviously liked diversity in their settings, but not their casting. Also, I don't think it can be repeated enough that Daniel Pilon is a bizarre recasting choice to play Alan Spaulding. He is a good soap actor, he is also sexy and virile. However, he shared none of the snivley/sinister traits of the prior Alan. Alan always seemed like less of a physical threat when played by Christopher Bernau, and his cruelty was much more intellectualized. Pilon's Alan is too macho and European to be the same guy. Phillip would have suspected that he was switched from birth at much younger age if the late Mr Pilon was masquerading as his father. Too little too late, but I think DP would have been better served as Alexandra's ex-husband and India's father, Count I-forgot-his-name. He still could have stayed in the Spaulding mansion and had most of the same stories, but DP's acting style would have been a better fit in another part.

Remember when Ridge threw a toga themed bachelorette party for Kristen? That was creepy.

Does this mean that Paul didn't die on screen or was Ellen just not at the hospital to witness it? Also, was Paul well received as a character?

@Bright Eyes if you're not following his instagram, you are missing out on some interesting content.

Every time I see this actress's name I think her name sounds like a Harry Potter character. I appreciate an actress with a better name that her character. Is it pronounced Tud-ee or Tood-ee?

@P.J. & @DramatistDreamer I used the term anachronism to express the oddity of seeing the morality of that era through today's standards, sorry if I was unclear. I wasn't really considering abortion as much as the idea that the three female leads all had stories where they got pregnant under less than ideal circumstances. I was struck that the female characters were being punished for their desires, and how different it was/is for male characters. For example, Susan's conception of Emily with Dan limits his ability to form a relationship with Kim. Given the times, Susan is portrayed as selfish, and Kim a victim, but Dan doesn't suffer and nobody judges him for shtooping Susan after a glass of wine. Now that is out of way, - Was there less of an outcry at the loss of Stewarts on ATWT relative to the Bauers leaving TGL? Is Liz's stairway death the infamous case of writer's revenge? Did anyone like Paul? And wasn't there a Daytime TV article posted somewhere in these boards that suggests that the Jacqueline's (Schultz and Courtney) were somehow related?

I was reading about Paul and Dan Stewart this morning. I wonder if there were more limited avenues for audience reaction because the decimation of that family is quick and weird. Paul and Dan die of "brain disease", Liz trips up the stairs, and Dee just decides to leave town (although she came back for weddings and funerals, she also seemed to never marry again or have kids). I know Betsy and her progeny propelled plot, but it's one of those odd early-80's-we-need-to-kill-off-the-older-generation/all-the-actors-are-moving-to-LA moves to get rid of most of the vital Stewarts and give all of their stories to Kim and the Hughes family. I would be eager to hear people's reflections of Marcos St. John's Paul (boring character name, fabulous stage name). I take it he was much less popular than John Reilly's Dan. I think it is a clever resolve to have Kim raise Betsy because she could have been one of those heroines who missed out on having her own kids, except Andy. Finally, it is an odd anachronism that Susan, Liz, and Kim all get pregnant in very unhappy marriages. Why were they still shtooping their husbands? And why weren't they more upset at Dan for sleeping around? Did Oakdale has a magic stork rather than allowing their leading ladies to have any agency over their reproductive rights? Also wasn't there some connection IRL between Jacqueline Schultz and Jacqueline Courtney? And also, am I correct in understanding that Kim and Jennifer's mother Francis Sullivan, (who Franny was named after) was not the same maid named Franny that Ellen Stewart killed when she threatened to reveal's Dan's parentage?

@watson71 I watched her scene on YT today. It was astounding when she spoke off camera how much she sounded so much like Beverly. The look was off, she came across more like Mac's sister than his daughter, but the voice was on point. Also, I like this period of complicated-Mac, more than avuncular-Mac; he was a real bear. We discussed how difficult it is for writers to create intimate stories for older women, Mac was one of the rare cases of a complicated older man who wasn't a villain. Also, the Cory mansion looked huge. I don't know if it was lighting or the lack of the perspective into the entry hall in the later years but the house lost some its grandeur when everyone was subjugated to the living room.

The problem is also how it effects the show moving forward. So, years later, when Reva has cancer why can't they come up with another clone and another magic potion? Once you've gone to the magic potion well once with a character it is hard to go back to gritty realism. Upon reflection, I'll think that I'll remember TGL/GL as most innovative soap as well as the soap that was unable to maintain a tone. It is difficult to imagine the fan who liked the drawing-room-drama of Jackie/Justin/Alan/Elizabeth/Mike staying around for stories of clones and fairy princesses; no matter the quality, the tonal shift was extreme. I think it is reflective of fans on this board who seemed to be watching a completely different show depending upon when they jumped in. Also, was Joshua funding the clone research? How did that guy not go broke? He lived in Italy and Venezuela for years with out much means for support beyond Lewis Oil. Weren't Lewis Oil stockholders pissed that they were funding unethical medical research?

DO we know why the Maureen recast occurred?

When Jody was involved with the Republic of Eden, she had a meeting with Geraldine because she had taken over Kelly's children's show and needed time off to go the party. Both Jody and Nicole were on-air talent at the station during that period.

I would encourage you to go back and look at the footage. She played most of her cancer story with a full face of makeup and beautifully blown out blonde hair. Lillian wasn't sexy, but Tina Slone had played more sophisticated, upper crust blondes in the past. You could put her in a nurse uniform, but she still looked dewier than Parker's Maureen, at the time.

Now that we've debated the Marj issue (ad nauseam) where does the crowd fall now on the Maureen's - Ellen Dolan ('82-'86) vs. Ellen Parker ('86-'93) debate? Do we know why the recast occurred? Did Dolan quit or was she fired? I'm in the Dolan camp. Her Maureen was vivacious and she had a bit of the Nola-side of the Reardon gene pool. Dolan was a capable foil to Susan Pratt's Claire. They seemed around the age and both were Ed's type of woman. Parker has the obvious issue of seeming more matronly that Dolan. I guess it became a disadvantage in writing for Maureen. This seems never more obvious than when she is a triangle with Lillian. Nurse Lillian was "soap dowdy", written as an eternal victim, but portrayed by the stunning Tina Slone. Maureen, who was once too young for Ed, now seems like a school marm next to sexy nurse Lillian. So, while I liked Parker/Maureen's legendary scenes with Roger and Vanessa, I also get the argument that this was no longer the Maureen to whom we were first introduced. I don't know if a younger, sexier, Maureen would have lasted through Michelle's struggles with the Santos clan? I may be conflating Maureen with Margo, because of the Dolan-ness of it all, but Dolan/Maureen may have been more of a threat to Carmen. Does anyone think that the character may have lasted longer if the recast had never occurred? Last thought of the day: I wish the Reardons had just been a family of women, Bea, Nola, Maureen, and the cousin/nieces; like the McQueens on Hollyoaks. The introductions of Tony and Jim made that clan too macho.

Which leads to the question of Jody's age. I know she was a ballerina/tv show co-host before she went to college. So, was she 18 when she came to town? That would make her awfully young to date Gavin, and Kelly, as well as hang out at the VideoDisco. Also, later when she went to college and pledged a sorority didn't anyone mention that she was 3-4 years older than her peers? She was either too young or too old the whole time she lived in Monticello. BTW did anyone pronounce the town like Jefferson's home monte-chello, rather than the ethnocentric soft "c" monte-cello ?

Wisner Washam/Judith Barcroft

Thinking back on Deidre Hall's "spokes on a wheel" firing, I wonder if the additional fees spent on spin-offs and etc. were part of that decision?

The one choice that both Alexandra's played to my confusion was their slight southern drawl. It was most pronounced when they talked to HB or Billy, but both actresses would go a little country. It was especially odd because her brother and son(s) did not share the same affectation.

I agree, we never saw the wedding which is why the announcement was such a shock. Isn't silly that they broke up over Duke? He left and never returned, but they never got back together. There are a couple of older couples of the era who broke up because the wife was "interfering" in their children's love lives. However, just as often, those kids moved on, or broke up, and the reason the couple broke up is no longer a valid concern. It seems like Lucinda was difficult to write. She was a bitch with vulnerability and that balance was hard for some writers. At her worse, she was either too mean, or her evil plans were too big, or she was too silly and more concerned with her daughter's happiness than running a multi-national conglomerate. Her sensuality was completely lost as she aged and she was far too easily conned by men who would have been her toys when she first came to Oakdale.