Franko

Making my way through 1982-83, the contest for control of Ewing Oil season. Two things: I feel like Bobby's losing his identity and that the show was thrilled to have original recipe J.R. and this new diet version. Also, Sue Ellen and Pam going on and on about how they're really gonna try to not hate each other reminds me of a quip from David Denby's review of Beaches. "These two spend more time talking about their friendship than having it."

Here's the thread devoted to them. If they ran longer than two installments, I think they should go to the miniseries thread, but I'm not going to be a hall monitor. I should do my homework and find out what stars like Victoria Principal, Cheryl Ladd, etc. thought about their TV movies. I imagine that the stars who had regular series work liked having something to break up their regular grind and/or having an extra paycheck. And it probably didn't hurt their Q ratings, either. If I was a motivational speaker, this would be my entrance music.

Ah, yes, that's right. I even saw that item when I was digging through this thead to find the supposed casting shortlist that SOD posted in 1999.

I keep thinking about the actors considered, wanted, or rumored for Passions when it began. So many of them seem overqualified. I'm also thinking that some of the characters were made younger by the time the show premiered. Sydney Penny -- Theresa? Fiona Hutchison -- Grace? Ivy? George Alvarez -- Luis? Martin? Sandra P. Grant -- Whitney? Ian Buchanan -- Julian? Finola Hughes -- Grace? Ivy? Kimberly Simms -- Grace? Ivy? Sheridan? Thom Christopher -- Martin? Jack Wagner -- Sam? Rena Sofer -- Beth?

Robert Gentry and Susan Keith, not in character as Ross and Shana (from Loving), are featured in this ad for a New York Daily News supplement.

Bumping this post. That's some array of names!

I'll have to re-read the They Almost Became thread, but I think Simms was one of the names considered for Passions (as Sheridan, I assume, or would she have been more likely for Ivy?).

Yes, three cheers for @chrisml. It's interesting to revisit Logan's columns (which were always the first thing I read in '90s TV Guide), even if I'd forgotten some of these items, like King Sassy's time as a consultant.

I'll also concede that Days probably survived the ABC-ification the best.

There might have been more personal stuff, but Rauch was still producing OLTL when Fiona left or was forced to leave. If I recall correctly, they lowballed her and she walked.

I think they should have given up the 12 p.m. EST half-hour, since most affiliates were going to use that for local news. I'd have them keep Super Password, though, airing it in the 10 a.m. slot against The $25,000 Pyramid on CBS. Or, if they didn't want to have two games with celebrity guests competing against one another, SP could air at 10:30 a.m., between Sale of the Century and Wheel of Fortune and against Press Your Luck on CBS. As for the soaps, they really needed to stand on their own instead of being ABC clones. (If we needed to bolster ABC, my answer is obvious: shows at 10 a.m.)

Dear God, did someone consider this fresh material? https://deadline.com/2025/04/snl-promo-jon-hamm-saturday-night-live-1236364549/

Thank you so much, @slick jones!

You're welcome. I always forget to tag everybody. And I agree with you -- these new discoveries are a real treat. @Kane is going to have a lot to work with! Loving had enough kids for at least two future teen scenes. First off, J.J. & Heather, Johnny Watley, Sandy & Alexis, Tommy, and Christopher. After that, Tyler, Patti, Steffi & Cooper's child, and Trucker & Dinah Lee's child. It sounds like Sam was meant as either a fill-in or tryout replacement for Maggie (Constance Shulman). I'm shallow. I just want to see more of the Perfect Man contest, particularly when they wore singlets. Googling didn't turn up a "Matt Hargrove" with ABC Sports, but he may have been from a local affiliate.

The first half of the Oct. 30, 1989, episode. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-jS3-gMgug

Oh, that's right, I forgot about the near-death experience in 1989, the one with Steve (once again played by George Reinholt) and Janice.

Surprisingly, they didn't go for the trifecta and have her in a coma/have a near-death experience.

Twenty-five years ago this week. (It took me a moment to recognize PAS.)

A few months later, GH ended their 30th anniversary episode with John Beradino walking with dignity off the set and onto the soundstage. I suspect that was meant as a classy rebuttal to SB's finale. And now I wonder if GL got to give its own response.

Welcome, Tisy-Lish! I take it you're a Family fan?

I'll never deny Megan her place in OLTL history, but I think you've blended two years together. Megan died in February 1992. The show's next milestone anniversary (25th) was July 1993. I can understand the confusion, though, since the lead-up to Megan's death included a lot of flashbacks.

Man, if that doesn't encapsulate what soaps mean to us, I don't know what would.

ATWT using "Tears Are Not Enough" during 1985's July 4 episode made me think about Hands Across America, which took place less than a year later. Suppose some of the shows acted like how they did with early Day of Compassion observances (i.e. wear AIDS ribbons but not necessarily mention it). In this case, a show could have a normal enough episode, but characters are also standing in the local chain. Which shows do you think would do something like that?

It's "Tears Are Not Enough," the Canadian answer to "We Are the World." https://justinmcelroy.com/2015/02/10/bring-back-the-tears-celebrating-30-years-of-canadas-forgotten-supergroup/

Diana Canova waited by that phone ... 😜