j swift

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.

I see what he means about villainy because during Craig's first stint there were distinctions between kinds of evil; there were serial killers/drug runners and there were people who faked their pregnancy/paralysis to try to keep a relationship going. When I think of Craig I always associate him with apex of yuppidom in that he craved approval in the form of wealth. He wanted Whit to think that he was better than Steve. He wanted to stay with Betsy because divorce wouldn't look good and he wanted a two-story house in the suburbs. To bring Craig back (played by whomever) and not utilize the same dynamic was my disappointment with the character. There were multiple Craig-bots; yuppy business guys, unabashedly ambitious. One could say Scott Eldridge was a good Craig replacement as a casual neer-do-well, Neal Alcott played a similar role (before he turned - I'm still undecided on that plot), Brock Lombard, even first-grown-Paul seemed like an attempt to fill that hole. However, once it was filled Craig just grew into a very unpleasant and non-redemptive character. I'm not a fan of returns but I think Ariel Dixon was an under appreciated character who deserved further exploration later; given her familial ties.

Its odd because Blake was educated in Europe, like India or Kelly (OLTL), but she lacked all of their sophistication or ambition. Holly was married to Lord Lindsey and raised Christina in Switzerland. One imagines that she went to boarding school at Le Rosey; among the elite like Christina Onassis (in fact, Christina O probably peer pressured her into changing her name). She then went on to college and got an advanced business degree before moving back to Springfield. I chalk it up to her messed-up writer's strike introduction, but Holly should have at least commented once on Blake wasting her education on being a glorified secretary. In fact, it is a shame that I cannot recall one scene between Blake and Holly where they discussed how Roger affected both of their ability for intimacy. They did a lot of blaming and lecturing of each other but they lacked the Rachel/Ada vibe that they could have played well. It's also amusing that the first Blake looked like Glen Close's Alex from Fatal Attraction because there was always a side of Blake that would get a little "boiler bunny" when she felt betrayed. I wonder if that was part of the initial pitch for the character?

Bethanny usually wins because of her tone, she can stay controlled and concise. However, she confuses success with intelligence and it was funny to see Carole use that to mock her. Twice in the first episode Bethanny used a false equivalency to deflect. She said, "if (insert insult here) counts as friendship then... However, they never made sense. But because of her tone they went to commercial on one of her dumb comparisons in the first episode. Then, they come back to this episode and Bethanny tries a false comparative again only to be met with Carole's, "keep your brand" retort, Bethanny asked for receipts and Carole provided them, she tried to bring up her resume but Carole is correct that they currently have the same job. Then, Bethanny resorts to verbally mocking Carole and making faces which were unbecoming. The coup de grace was when Bethanny tried her line about Carole being a doctor, and Carole responded that one only needs to be in the same room with her to know that she is a narcissist. My two quibbles were the tacky dedication to Dennis, they could have just as easily edited out any comment about him and addressed it within the season. Also, the foreshadowing of an obvious turn in the reunion next week when they will all forgive each other and hug. I see on social that Andy is on vacation but this would have been better now because this whole discussion seems dated already.

Rita may have suffered from the same issue that I mentioned with Craig in the ATWT thread. By the time she returns in 1989, the entire town of Springfield had moved on. So now Christina, (who Rita last saw as a child running through the hall of mirrors) is Phillip's age and they're getting married? Lenore Kasdorf must have some degree of vanity because how old would that make Rita? Maureen Garrett might have wanted to play the mother of a grown woman while in her 40's, but Lenore's career was built on playing vixens, so I could see why it would have been a more of a risk. Her entire peer group would have been the elder generation on the show when she was introduced as a lead; it lacks appeal. Also, Eve and Alan had left the show by that point, and Ed was in another orbit, so there wasn't a lot of history for Rita to play into. I believe that Roger Thorpe and Iris Wheeler are the only two characters in the history of soaps to return after 3-5 years off screen and be successfully reintegrated into the story; and they both suffered dissatisfying endings.

I think our outrage would be more effective directed at our friends and acquaintances who would stay at show with Louis CK and give him an ovation. It is all well and good to try to debate public figures, but jerks can come back whenever they choose. However, I wouldn't support it and I would shame anyone I knew who would choose to stay in that audience. These issues seem to be debated as if someone rather than the audience decides if we will tolerate this behavior. I would much rather see people like this met with antipathy than antagony. I also think we shouldn't let the opposition name the movement. It was originally called "times up" but those who wish to belittle a movement to a hashtag refer to it as "#me too". I prefer Times-Up because it is a call to action not an identity which infers victimhood. We need to remember the lessons of the pro-choice movement who for too long were referred to as pro-abortionists rather than protectors of a woman's right to privacy.

Craig is one of those characters, (like Tad AMC or Jamie AW) who was beloved in their first run so they weren't killed off when they left the story. Then, years later, there's a hew and cry to bring Craig back, but everyone else has been SORASed or evolved and for viewers to recognize Craig he had to stay the same. Then, we get dumb things like Craig being in a love triangle with Dusty. I remembered Dusty as the teen who lead Paul into shoplifting while Craig was having "intimacy issues" with Betsy; it would seem absurd that one day they would be competing for the affection of Barbara's daughter. So, we're stuck between a rock and hard place because you want characters to return, but they're doomed to return to a town that has gone on without them; as if they were returning from a time wrap in outer space. It seems a herculean task to successfully write someone back in after 3-5 years off the canvas, and I can only think of two cases were it worked successfully, Roger Thorpe on TGL and Iris Wheeler on AW; and neither had a satisfying ending.

If you can't trust TUMBLR to not post fake news who can you trust? It's probably those Republic of Eden-ites trying to re-write history. lol

According to the recap Billie Mae was smothered! THE EDGE OF NIGHT: Week of March 22 - March 26, 1982 (4:00pm - 30 minutes - ABC) Posing as Johnny’s jealous lover, Jinx faked death when the gun went off during a struggle with Raven. Smiley detained Buffy, who came home early. Raven called Cliff to her defense after being “jailed” for killing Jinx. Spence reminded Libby that Sky is their ticket to the Whitney fortune. Jody got a good look at Joe, who smothered Billie Mae. Sky had a “spell” outside Valerie’s apartment while Valerie reminisced about her love for him. Jinx had fainting spells. Since Nicole is Jody's half-sister, maybe Leonie was her step mother? But that doesn't make sense because didn't Nicole's father play a role in the show as a crocked politician when it was still on CBS? Although I always thought of Jody as a ward of Nicole, like Robin and Batman, or Monica Quatermaine and Gail Baldwin? I know new characters on EON didn't always get much exposition to explain their origin (eg Kelly), but Jody's relative status is still in question for me.

Given that this is such a data driven discussion, has anyone ever counted about how many days of story were told per year? In other words, sometimes a soap day can last 2-10 episodes, so how many actual days past within a year of stories? I figured since all soaps celebrate Christmas one could start with that as a day and then begin counting until the next annual celebration. It would provide a metaphysical reason for SORASing if each year in the soap universe really only lasted 40 days, a soap character could age 10 years within the span of one human year.

That's amazing! Soap writing can be so sexist, the men never age and their women keep getting younger and younger.

Jason Priestly turned 49 today and I saw at least two social media posts suggesting that if one should feel old as they remember him in his youth. It struck me that this was really rude for a couple of reasons: (1) as I recall he was in an auto accident and required plastic surgery, so references to his appearance seem uncivil, (2) there are men and women who made a living off of their looks and it seems unnecessarily cruel to point out their age as if they no longer have a thing of value to the culture, (3) Jason Priestly could still probably get it any time he wanted, (4) he's a human being, not a thing by which we tell time. It plays into my overall concern with celebrity culture that it dehumanizes people into memes rather than recognizing our similarities.