Franko

Aw, thank you again. And that's precisely why I'd prefer to see full episodes as opposed to storyline edits, as thorough as they can be. I forgot to mention that Bryan & Claudia get a whopping one minute devoted to their marriage woes on Friday. They're at the Policemen's Ball, and Bryan asks if Claudia can at least be peaceful with him long enough for a dance. I'd love to know that answer, too. I was thinking about how Bond's time on Santa Barbara wrapped around the time of Lucy's marriage to Alan. If they weren't already committed to the storyline of Lucy passing her and Scott's unborn baby off as her and Alan's, they could have did a Ruthless People storyline with Jimmy Lee and (a dying) Charity having kidnapped Lucy. That's nice that Judith had such a positive experience.

Aw, look at how cute and fresh faced Robin looks there.

Yup, Lucy's a published author. What happened was that she was convinced to share her account of the Kevin situation rather than have it be in the hands of unauthorized writers. Lucy was still making nice with Patrick and Terry to an extent at the time, so she claimed the proceeds would go to benefit the Jennifer Talbot Memorial Wing in Laurelton. In reality, the proceeds were going to the Lucy Coe Clothing Closet. The combination of her greed, how sour things became among Lucy, Patrick and Terry over things like Lucy's book triggering Terry and not being kind to the hick, not to mention hostility from the likes of Ted and Sheriff Broder, all added up to make Lucy a key suspect when the Laurelton 2.0 murders happened.

I can say with authority that yes, yes indeed, she is. Perhaps Lucy's tell-all book, Lust for Death, gets a 40th anniversary reprint. It ends up luring Dr. Patrick O'Connor back from wherever he's been since 1988. That is one cheap looking cover! At least three, in fact. Colton Shore and Decker Moss, Aunt Charlene's sons, plus Dr. Eric Simpson.

How exciting! Thanks for the update, Errol.

Also, I don't care that the show played it for comedy, with everyone thinking, "Ha-ha, Frisco's got blue blls!" It's still not cool that they had a scene where he non-consentually entered Felicia's bedroom. And apparently Tony & Tania have a two-bedroom apartment?

Same, guy, same. Before I move on, I'll give a rundown of highlights from my notes. Obviously, I loved the vibe of contrition, renewed friendships, second chances, etc. running through the week. It was all the better to contrast with Duke's introduction and the Quartermaine men's intentions to get Sean and Monica. As Alan put it, "Fortunes come and go, Jimmy Lee. Betrayal is forever." Edward's off to bring Tiffany back to Port Charles, so she can seduce and distract Sean. We won't see Tiffany for several weeks, and she's not yet named, but I imagine a good chunk of the 1986 audience knew who Edward had in mind. I've lost track of how many times Patrick's been disowned by his parents. The lead-up to GH's wedding of the year continues, as Felicia asks Samantha and Anna to be bridesmaids, and Robin to be a flower girl. I really don't like that Felicia asking Anna took place on the waterfront, amid police business. Frisco and Sam had tracked down Angel, believed to have played a role in Buzz's attack. I wish a longshoreman had heckled Felicia and asked if he could come, too. Steve's "on vacation" this week, meaning Rick's acting chief of staff. This week sees blatant chem testing between Lynn Herring and Steve Bond, and I feel like they were setting up the groundwork if they wanted to go there for Lynn and Chris Robinson. Lucy and Jimmy Lee are friendly to one another at the hospital, especially since she frequently provides Buzz with books. At the end of the week, when Buzz is felled by an infection that requires emergency surgery, Jimmy Lee comes to the Webbers to check in with Rick. He instead finds Lucy, who has let her hair down, tried on Ginny's spare shawls, and dances with him to "On My Own" (the Patti LaBelle-Michael McDonald one). As for Lucy and Rick, I just feel like the combination of Rick having greater power, his seeming indifference towards Lucy, Lucy hanging around the Webber house now that Ginny decides to mentor her (and she's doing that partially because Amanda insulted both Ginny and Lorena), and Lucy's ease in picking up identities and wrapping folks around her finger all would have added up to a trashy love triangle if GH wanted it to. I wonder if I'm reading too much into coincidences, or if the show decided it was better to prop Guy Mack and Robyn Bernard and/or knew that Chris and Judith Chapman weren't staying that much longer. Now, really, could anyone say no to a dance invitation from Ian Buchanan in 1986?

Well, darn the luck, it looks like my retro recaps are once again on hiatus. Until this gets resolved, I'll leave you with the Line of the Week from June 6, 1986. Anna: "We should all live together as friends ... Sometimes those friendships are severely tested. But we all have the ability to forgive, and to love again, and, uh, this has been clearly demonstrated by my friends here tonight."

I wonder if the censor permitted Jack choking Ava because of the recent Dynasty season finale cliffhanger, with Blake doing the same to Alexis.

Well, I finished the Dream Season. I can't decide what my favorite weird moment is. I'm leaning towards either Sue Ellen and Patricia's reconciliation, which is presented at a distance from the viewers -- first the actresses are seated at a table, then their hug is filmed from above -- or the chem testing between Ray and Donna's to-be-adopted son Tony and Jenna's daughter Charlie. Also, knowing that it's all Pam's dream makes Jenna's plight for most of the season quite funny -- of course Pam's going to figure that Jenna would turn into a total basket case over losing Bobby to Pam.

Yup, it's AI. Notice that Another World World is apparently a Paramount release.

Gretchen Wyler! (Replaced for the movie by another future soap actress, Janis Paige.)

My go-to for the late James Handy is The Verdict. (I always wonder if the algorithm changes the screengrab in response to new news, or if this upload always had a prominent image of James.)

Two months later, Susan elaborated on her dad.

Speaking of the dream season, I'm up to late February, when Sue Ellen's a blonde for whatever reason.

I'll keep that in mind as I watch. It's funny how 1986 will end up having five weddings and five varying degrees of effort from the show: Terry & Kevin (location shoot) Lorena & Derek (happened off screen) Frisco & Felicia (set intended to look like it's outside) Bobbie & Jake (the Hardy living room set) Jimmy Lee & Charity (her living room set) I don't necessarily mind Frisco as a cop, but it feels like it's out of necessity rather than merit. If I had to guess the show's rationale, they figure it was time to cement Frisco/Jack as the male lead and crimefighter by having him fulfill as much of the duties Robert/Tristan had. I'm also wondering if there was some sexism at play; if Anna/Finola bombed as the female lead and crimefighter, they could easily have Frisco take the full reins.

I think you're referring to the backyard, which will end up hosting Frisco & Felicia's wedding. I believe it's also where Tony proposes to Bobbie, and it might also have hosted Felicia & Colton's wedding (complete with Terry doing "After All" as a solo!). There's so many things I ended up loathing about Laurelton: the overwhelming insistence of how menacing and mysterious the place was, the absolute refusal for there to be a coherent narrative (which continues all the way up to Terry and Patrick's last scenes at Jennifer's place), and how much airtime it wasted. @Vee has touched upon this in previous posts. Anna & Buzz seems to have been an attempt at a young, grey woman gets tamed by the older, paternalistic male storyline. There's other examples, but the first that comes to mind is Rachel and Mac. Tania's getting a little bit more to do thanks to the Buzz storyline. She and Tony are often seen at his bedside for speech therapy and checkups. They really shot Tania in the foot by making speech her field. She'll never figure in emergency scenes the way most of the other hospital characters would. Rest assured, I will start keeping a tally. Before I started watching, December 1985 included the departures of Robert, Grant, and Lee & Gail. At this point in 1986, we've lost Celia and Kevin, and are about to lose Lorena. I'm limiting my tally to characters who didn't exist solely for a single storyline, like Jennifer. I've already watched the episodes for this weekend's recap, and let me tell you, it's unintentionally hilarious watching Ginny bond with Lucy. Ginny's rationale is that a town outcast who's been redeemed should give back to another gal trying to make good. If it's the Hunk Formerly Known as Rick Jr., maybe he models for Deception on the side. There's a cute moment in Tuesday's episode where Lynn and Judith are balancing what Lucy and Ginny are supposed to be doing, watching their pretaped interview on chairs in the Webber kitchen, with trying to keep the infant they're acting with from lifting his hands too high and screwing up any shots.

No second chances!

Okay, who read that and immediately checked to see if there were 14 different New York-based soaps from 1975-78? Just me? (There were, but only if you count Lovers and Friends and For Richer, For Poorer as separate shows.)

I'm trying to get a sense of the Brownstone as it existed in 1986. Unless there was a typo or a line flub, apparently Frisco & Felicia and Tony & Tania aren't across the hall neighbors. Frisco, trying to entice Felicia into coming back to their place -- she's having them be celibate to make their wedding night special, which is rather silly considering they've been having sex for quite some time now -- mentions they could go upstairs. Anyway, here's how I think some things were: Ground floor/street level: Jake's law office and Jake's apartment First floor: Terry's apartment, which she returned to after becoming a widow (faces the street) Second floor: Tony & Tania's apartment Third floor: Frisco & Felicia's apartment, plus Jennifer's apartment, now vacant Attic: formerly Terry and Kevin's apartment, now vacant I'm not sure exactly which floors Bobbie, Patrick, Ted, and Kevin before he was married lived on.

Claudette Colbert, who had been away from Hollywood for even longer than Jane.

Alas, Elizabeth never had a long-running Broadway show. After this article, she was in ... Children! Children! (opened and closed March 7, 1972; it was Gwen Verdon's one non-musical, and belatedly adapted into the movie Twisted) I Remember Mama (May 31-Sept. 2, 1979; Richard Rodgers' last musical -- he died that December -- headlined by Liv Ullmann, but also with George Hearn and a pre-soap fame Kristen Vigard and Ian Ziering) John Gabriel Borkman (Dec. 18, 1980-Feb. 8, 1981; Elizabeth was the standby for Irene Worth in this revival of an Ibsen drama; E.G. Marshall headlined) Present Laughter (July 15, 1982-Jan. 2, 1983; Elizabeth played George C. Scott's wife in this Noel Coward revival George directed; the cast also included Kate Burton, Christine Lahti, Jim Piddock, and, making his Broadway debut, Nathan Lane) Dance a Little Closer (opened and closed May 11, 1983; Alan Jay Lerner's last musical, an adaptation of Idiot's Delight set amid the onset of World War III; the cast included Brent Barrett just before he joined AMC) Anything Goes (one-night reunion concert for the 1987 Broadway revival held April 1, 2002; Elizabeth took the role of Mrs. Harcourt, since Anne Francine died back in 1999)

Week 22, Part II -- Conclusion Monica: "... If we put all of Alan's girlfriends end to end, we would have our own version of Hands Across America." Alan & Monica: Even with Laurelton taking up most of the week's oxygen, Stuart Damon & Leslie Charleson had the best scenes, happening on Wednesday. What else could it be but the estranged couple's first mandatory marriage counseling session? Once Alan and Monica learn that their sessions will determine A.J.'s custody, and Monica finds out that Alan wants alimony and child support, the gloves go from off to thrown out of the ring. It eventually results in name calling ("You're a tramp!" "You're a liar!" "You're a slut!" "And you're an animal!" "And you're a witch, Monica!" "You're a creep!") and smacking each other with bataka bats. No matter how many times I watch the scene, I lose it when Alan spanks Monica. Before this, there's another moment of scary Alan, at the Floating Rib during the post-marriage party Monica's blackmailed into throwing for Lorena and Derek. I already know that Lorena's last episode is on Wednesday, June 11, and I doubt that she and Monica will have any more interactions before then. I already know that most of the cast will be at the Policeman's Ball, but I think Lorena will only interact with Derek, Rick, and Ginny. Mike's Parentage: Similar to Laurelton, there's an 11th-hour moment this week that doesn't come anywhere close to making up for weeks of tedium, but is still pretty satisfying. I'm talking about on Wednesday, when Mike has a heart to heart with Ginny after he's chosen to live with Derek and Lorena. It's not about getting to live the good life, with a new wardrobe and private bathroom. It's about Mike finishing his teen years with his biological father, which Mike expects will improve his self-understanding. That's nice. I still want to fast-forward to when Mike's off the show. I've got nothing against David Mendenhall or Judith Chapman. I just don't want to deal with any ending fatigue. ETA: Mike made his decision on Tuesday, one episode after Rick told him to choose already. Rick, whose offer of a guys night basketball game outing was rejected in favor of Mike going with Derek to purchase the boy's new horse, was sick of the tug of war. And who could blame him? Bryan & Debbie: They get a grand total of around five minutes on Tuesday. Willie is considered well enough to get a summer job (as a paperboy). Once the adults are alone, Bryan reminds Debbie about when she said she was falling in love with him (a moment that happened more than a month ago). Bryan says he thinks he's falling in love with Debbie, too. And for all I know, this all will be resolved on the Fourth of July. Jade & Yank: Or rather, just Yank. Patrick Bishop shows up for the first time in weeks on Thursday for some scenes with Jackie Zeman and Kimberly McCullough. I'm beyond glad that Laurelton is wrapped up, but it was sweet to see Bobbie and Robin bonding during the babysitting. Anyway, Robin gets a new doll, of an imperial lady-in-waiting. Yank says Robin should name the doll Jade, and when he's alone with Bobbie, he admits to fearing that he's losing (the living) Jade. The youth are only communicating by letters, and Jade says she's bound by her family ties and must honor her grandfather's wishes. If Mr. Wu says Jade can't be with Yank because Wu's still mad about Yank killing Kim, then she must agree to this. You'd think that Mr. Wu being an evil, bail-jumping scum would nulify his authority, but ... Bobbie says that when you love somebody, you have to trust that love. I don't know when this story will resume, either. Stray thoughts: -- Nice of Ruby to run a tab for the Quartermaines. I hope that in addition to the rent and food expenses due to her, Ruby got or at least was offered a cut of the Pickle-Lila profits. -- I should really bother to learn the name of the blonde nurse that Monica consulted with on Tuesday. She's not Gaby, who started the trouble with Alan and Monica in the first place. Well, really it was Arthur, who had the nerve of dying and launching Alan's midlife crisis. The nurse is also not Carrie, niece of the dearly departed Mrs. McCormick, who gets a shoutout during Alan & Monica's therapy session. The nurse had a quick tryst with Alan, then went out with Patrick earlier this year. I'll have to see if blondie hangs around, or is gone by the time of H. Wesley Kenney.

The Decline and Fall of the Monty Empire Week 22 (May 26-30, 1986) -- Part I Jake: "Terry, don't you think you'd remember killing your own grandmother?" Laurelton: It's time for another round of What I Like, What I Dislike, and What I'm Okay With. I Liked That Seaview Sanitarium wasn't an intentionally sinister place, even if I'm questioning the logic of having a mental health facility on an isolated island. It's fun to see James Callahan as Dr. Montgomery, a year-and-a-half before Charles in Charge. It's obviously not Laurie Metcalf playing Nurse Lily, but for a moment on Monday, the actress kind of looked like Laurie. I Dislike Dr. Farrell's lack of professionalism. Okay, I know HIPAA wasn't around in 1986. At least not officially, but on Thursday, Bobbie references "the 11th Commandment: thou shalt not give out any information about a patient." Anyway, would a doctor who's apparently been practicing for some time really say sensitive information about a suicide attempt, including the victim's name, in front of two people who might not have any connection to the incident? Speaking of that, shouldn't Farrell have put two and two (or rather, three and four) together with the more than half-dozen people from Port Charles, New York, who have all needed his services or been at his hospital in the last few days? I've Made My Piece With Kevin cutting the phone line, because how else is the show going to slow down the action for a good three episodes? See also, Friday's episode devoting a good amount of time to Terry exploring the old stagecoach station from the inside, while Kevin does the same from the outside. The message is loud and clear to viewers: nothing crucial's going to happen before 3:50 p.m. Friday, so just enjoy the ride, alright? I Dislike that Patrick is back in Port Charles during the grand finale. GH whiffed a good opportunity on Monday, by having there be ample time for Kevin to cut the sanitarium's phone line before Patrick can try calling Bobbie. Think about how much more effective it would have been if the line was severed when Patrick was on the phone, and he remembers that Kevin was "taking a walk." His suspicions raised, Patrick would secretly hang around the island. Then again, I guess it's less problematic to have the good guy in the finale be Terry's father figure rather than the guy who apparently was thisclose to outright raping her. I Liked Jake finally getting through to Terry. I LOVED Terry getting revenge on Kevin, even if it was only for three quarters of Thursday's episode. Oh, if only Terry hadn't wasted half her ammo so quickly. Kevin: "You're out of your mind." Terry: "Oh, we've known that for a long time, haven't we, Kevin? Now GO TO THE WATER!" fires second shot I Liked the fakeout in Thursday's episode, when it looks like Terry's fifth bullet was fired into Kevin's side. I'm Okay With Patrick's rude awakening on Thursday and Friday (and likely Monday, which I still need to see). He just can't believe that Port Charles would turn against its fair-haired boy. You can take an O'Connor away from the gullability and prejudices of Laurelton, but ... Bobbie: "Patrick, you are riding for such a fall." Patrick, leaving for Lucy's: "I'm finding out the truth, Bobbie!" I Dislike how ugly things got at Lucy's apartment. It's bad enough that Patrick held a mirror to Lucy's face and said she was full of hatred and jealousy. It's worse that he grabs her neck and seems ready to throw her into the phone. GH seems to present this as a deceived man lashing out at a deceived woman. I wonder if at least a part of Lucy is now looking forward to regaining Patrick's trust and gaining his love just so she can have the revenge of deceiving him herself. I Had a Good Laugh Over Kevin fireman carrying Terry out of the station. Those '80s jeans made Robyn Bernard's butt look enormous. I Liked how there was no ambiguity. Kevin died when Terry bludgeoned him and he fell from that cliff onto some more jagged rocks. After next week, for the most part, Laurelton's over. It's really over. Forgive the intrusion from another soap, with a problematic character/actor, but it sums up my feelings ... https://youtu.be/xenz_CWGR7k?t=365 Stray thoughts: -- I hope Pete's Chili Dogs didn't have to pay the full price for product placement. Look at what Jake and Anna left behind and out in the sun on Monday: burgers (at least one of which is half-eaten), fries, and soft drinks without lids on them. -- Way to go, Sgt. Lewis, getting promoted to captain. Lewis' scene with Burt and Derek includes an exchange that warmed my ex-newsman's heart. Derek: "... Just asking an innocent question." Burt: "Captain. Rule number one of the game: Newspeople never ask innocent questions. after Derek's tried to suss out Anna's whereabouts Rule number two of the game: How to handle newsmen. ... No comment. But, uh, you can quote me." -- All that hay in the stagecoach station and no pitchfork? -- Fun with foreshadowing: Patrick tells Lucy that what she knows could fill a book. Tomorrow, my thoughts on Alan & Monica (John Reilly had the week off), Mike's Parentage, and the bare minimums we got with Jade & Yank (Tia Carrere also had the week off) and Bryan & Debbie (Bianca Ferguson also had the week off).

@Kane, the newest batch of uploads includes one that wasn't in your collection -- Friday, Dec. 11, 1992. If that's not enough to cheer about, we've also got Trucker revealing his clean bill of health to Trisha by standing in his (ugly) underwear.