Franko

If they wanted a younger woman/character to fit into Iris' role, Nancy McGowan and Pammy Davis were right there ...

Great idea, kalbir! Jackie Zeman, in the '90s Soap Opera Book of Lists, said GH's story about Lucy agreeing to and then backing out of an arrangement to be Bobbie and Jake's surrogate mother was based on the Baby M drama that unfolded in 1986-87. The storyline was on GH in 1987 (a plot point in the bigger Bobbie/Jake/Lucy/Tony drama). In 1988 it happened with Adam and Dana on Dynasty (a plot point in the bigger Sean Rowan vs. the Carringtons and Alexis drama).

*quiet voice and low eyes, as befitting someone late to the party* I'll take Lucas Adams, please.

I had to double check that none of them were wearing a fanny pack.

Ah, thank you @BoldRestless, I figured it had come up before.

I'm sure this has probably been covered, but when I saw the topic come up on the Bold from the beginning thread, my OCD kicked in and I decided to compare newspaper listings. I used the Pittsburgh Post Gazette and cross-referenced with Jason's DAYS site, the AWHP, the French Santa Barbara site and the GH episode summaries. There are some discrepancies, so if anyone can verify information, the floor is yours. First things first, the Iran/Contra hearings were scheduled between 9 a.m.-12 p.m. and 2 p.m. onward on days they were held in July 1987. DAYS and RH/LOV/AMC were apparently never pre-empted. Y&R and B&B were pre-empted for at least three days because of an interesting arrangement that I'll get to in a moment. Week of June 29-July 3: No GH on Tuesday, June 30, because of the Daytime Emmys. No AW and SB on Thursday, July 2, because of Wimbledon. No NBC daytime from 11 a.m. onward on Friday, July 3, because of Wimbledon. Week of July 6-10: Gavel to gavel coverage of Iran/Contra began on Tuesday, July 7. AW and SB are listed as not airing that day, as is GH. I'm not sure about OLTL, ATWT and GL. Between July 8-10, CBS aired Pyramid at 12:30 and The Price Is Right at 1, then went back to the hearings at 2, so none of their soaps at all during that period. AW, SB and GH are listed as off on those days, with OLTL confirmed off beginning on July 9. Week of July 13-17: No soaps at 2 and 3 p.m. through Wednesday. No pre-emptions Thursday. Starting Friday, July 17, the networks staggered their coverage, apparently no so much for soap fans, but because they were losing money. Apparently one network would bear the brunt per day. CBS' day was Friday. Week of July 20-24: ABC day on Monday (GH is confirmed off). NBC day on Tuesday (SB is confirmed off). CBS day on Wednesday (but apparently AW also took the day off, unless Eddie had a typo). ABC day on Thursday (OLTL and GH are confirmed off, but AW is also listed). NBC day on Friday (but GH is also listed). Week of July 27-31: No pre-emptions on Monday. NBC day on Tuesday. CBS day on Wednesday? GH is listed as off on Thursday, but so are AW and SB. AW and SB are also listed as off on Friday.

Have you all seen the episode where Ridge is chilling on a sleeping Caroline's bed in just a pair of red manties? That was a bit of a surprise. It feels like the flesh parade really kicks off beginning on Memorial Day 1987. Might as well hook the young/summertime viewers, I guess. I'm also amused by Ridge/Ronn strictly wearing Speedos or briefs, whereas Thorne/Clayton and Eric/John are in shorts.

Of course. What was the factor behind Kin leaving, anyway? He wanted more money? Wanted to go to New York? Needed a time out from Gloria Monty?

Ah, thank you, @will81.

Correct. Somewhere between Jan. 18, 1980 (when he did a really disgusting thing, as you'll see) and July 10, GH decided to bet it all on Luke. I just have to determine when was the point of no return.

My new goal is going to be figuring out when it was clear that Luke was being rehabilitated by TPTB.

Lee apologizes for burning the divorce papers, Friday, Nov. 6, 1981:

Scotty found the letter on Thursday, July 10, 1980. In the July 11 episode, he had it out with Laura, then set out to kill Luke, who was preparing to marry Jennifer Smith. The impression I got regarding Lee and Gail attending Luke & Laura's wedding was that it was out of gratitude for the whole saving the world thing, followed by social obligation, with personal regards for the happy couple lower down the line.

I think Bobbie and Lucy win this one for GH, with three men definitely (Jake Meyer, Scotty and Tony). I can't remember if Lucy actually slept with Damian Smith. If so, that's four. "Stage combat? Who the hell needs that?"

I always love Dorian's stance in that photo of her and Herb. "Yeah, I said yes to an ugly-ass dress. WANNA MAKE SOMETHING OF IT?!"

Great photo, abw! I can see why Audrey went on to play Kim Zimmer's mother.

Off the top of my head -- and at two different points -- Camilla Moore as nu-Anna and Billy Warlock as nu-A.J. I'm not sure if this story has been debunked, but supposedly Jane left GH with the intent to join Marland's The Soul Survivors.

We can't forget GL's influx of ex-TEXAS cast members beginning in 1983.

Leslie, Brad Maule and Jackie Zeman were all robbed in '95. (Sorry, Rena.) On the other hand, I'm okay with Sarah Michelle Geller beating Kimberly McCullough, since she won in '96.

Oh my. I don't know who was responsible for deciding Marj should furiously mug like that, but I hope that afterwards, they thought long and hard about what they did.

I get where you're coming from, @amybrickwallace, but I'll be honest, that first image of the teens (and Rita Mae) by the pool was giving me a "Five Go Mad" vibe. Somehow, I don't think Agnes wanted her new soap to be associated with the '80s British alternative comedy scene.

The flood apparently started the week of Feb. 24-28. I would assume a character like Stephanie would have her murder be a Friday cliffhanger, so the options are Jan. 31, Feb. 7 or Feb. 14. Then again, because of the preemption due to the Challenger explosion, things might have been off by a day for a couple weeks.

This thread has me wondering when was the first Search For Tomorrow episode that Mary Stuart didn't appear in. You have to assume that to the 1950s viewers, she was probably a goddess.

Quite a few to choose from: Josh returning ... as Roman, having Eileen play two more roles, Steve Wilder as Jack, John Aniston's firing. Was Jensen Ackles the only real casting success of the year, or am I forgetting one?

Not long after the Hope & Billie moment @Titus Andronicus mentioned, but still worth noting. Lisa Rinna is breaking my heart here.