Vee

Before Malone got the axe, he'd intended to pair Rachel #3 (I think?) with Drew Buchanan as an interracial couple beset by Becky Lee, who would return as Drew's mother but now be a bigot for no apparent good reason to do a story that was already old hat at that point. I believe he also intended to have Rachel kill R.J. in a murder mystery. I'm very glad none of that came off. Allegedly they considered no less than Eileen Davidson for a Gabrielle(!!) recast in 1991 or 1992, something that blows my mind.

Carol was only supposed to be in the pilot and die from her suicide attempt. IIRC, it was Steven Spielberg's (a producer on the show) idea that they have her live and keep her around.

There was an Eddie, yeah. I may be thinking of him and not Javier, who might've been a straight antagonist? I don't know, it was all so long ago. I haven't watched much of that material since I was a kid. I do think the early-mid 90s under Gottlieb, Malone, Horgan, et al was very strong until it wasn't, but I don't know how they would've handled Gabrielle or the full-power Tina being on '90s OLTL. They were both such bigger than life characters, and it was a very grounded, socially conscious show at its best. Karen Witter's Tina adjusted to it for the most part while also changing and maturing a great deal, but Krista Tesreau's was a dreary nonentity. I don't know how Andrea Evans' Tina would've fit in. I know the Gottlieb/Malone regime allegedly considered using Gabrielle early on (she had just left, and they allegedly either toyed with talking to Fiona Hutchison or recasting), but it never happened. The different eras of the show were apples and oranges. 1997 was when they were clearly just coasting on supercouples and past successes in recent years. I felt it even then; they were trying to just cruise. '96 had been a mess with Malone getting burnt out and then being fired, and a slew of bad stories took over. Bo and Nora were considered a supercouple at that time in '97, as were Patrick and Marty, Antonio and Andy, Todd and Blair (who were broken up but remained in orbit of each other). And I personally think they all qualified, so I don't think Téa was ever considered a serious spoiler for Antonio and Andy - I'm pretty sure they knew Kamar and Wendee Pratt were leaving that year. Susan Haskell and Thorsten Kaye also left late in the year, IIRC. It was a strange time. Labine didn't want to be at the show, and then in '98 JFP came in and 'shook things up' and 'energized' the show - irrevocably.

It's been so long, but I feel confident the Angel Square recurring cast (Linda Soto, Javier, etc.) hung in as local talk-tos til at least some of '97. I believe Téa interacted with a number of them, esp since IIRC she was initially brought in as a spoiler for Antonio and Andy and maybe Kevin and Cassie.

I think Biden is being very vocal tbh - saying all the right things. A lot of populist lines. I think he acts like they have the majority. Schumer could always be doing more. But do I think they're going to do nothing or that we're screwed, no. That depends on a lot of things. It's easy to spend all one's time on doomspiraling Political Twitter and think it's the real world, and generally it is not - it is always trafficking in hyperbole and high emotions and high-voltage statements. This is definitely an urgent moment and a lot needs to be done, that much is clear. But do I think Manchin and Sinema won't ever budge and hold all the power and we're fùcked: No. Meanwhile, a thread:

Oh, I think it's very worth talking about Barrowman.

I think it was the entire institutional environment - IIRC the claim was he had a huge problem with the director of Aliens of London/World War III, Keith Boak (who did not return AFAIK), but that he also felt Phil Collinson, RTD, etc. had failed to back him up or support him on the issue.

I don't know why people would say skip Season 1. It was certainly a critical and commercial hit out of the gate, IIRC.

Yes, because Pratt's Y&R was unwatchable. Again: We know you like the Adam character. Him being featured does not make the show good.

The show is bad. Just because it features your favorite character in your near-decade of watching doesn't mean it's not bad.

Started digging into the 1990 episodes posted recently. WEHT Eric Kane? It's odd seeing him as a talk-to in his daughter's life.

So cute to see Debbi and Darnell.

Let them fight!

McConnell has fùcked up. He's given the Beltway nowhere to go giving him cover and trying to push 'bipartisanship' on Biden.

More journalism astroturfing to try to create an issue:

Facebook's (imaginary) Oversight Committee has upheld its ban of Trump, but punted it another six months down the road for future 'review.' I would not assume he will be allowed back in six months though, as many prognosticators were positive he would be today and he wasn't. Meanwhile: IMO Swan and many others like him who rely on Trump for major career boosts are wrong - Trump won't run. I've said this for months now: He's lazy, profoundly disinterested in doing the work and his first run was a PR stunt that got out of control. He's barely doing a thing today. Remember all those claims that 'Trump will be a major GOP mover and shaker for years to come' in November? All pushed by journalists like Haberman on the Trump beat hoping to keep him relevant? What is he doing in FL but blogging and crashing weddings? Nothing. People are coming to him, he's not actively doing anything himself. He'll talk about running, he'll pocket money specifically for a run, but he will not seriously run. I'll bet on it.

Good for her.