Franko

John and Marlena may have committed adultery, but they weren't going to be smug creeps about it. "Roman, how do you feel about the name Isabella Titania Brady?"

At this point, Marlena, John, and Roman all thought Roman was Belle's father. Sami had switched the initial blood tests. When it was time for another round of tests (because Belle was jaundiced), Sami panicked and kidnapped the baby. Up until January 1994, Sami was the only one who knew that John was Belle's father. Next up were Stefano and Peter, once Stefano read Sami's diary (he figured it would reveal what was going on between John & Marlena). Stefano revealed the truth of Belle's parentage to Roman AFTER Marlena revealed her tryst with John (about two weeks later, to be exact). Marlena and John were the last ones to find out (during February sweeps, naturally). The John Black name was revived in September 1991.

Belle is indeed named after Isabella. It was Roman's idea. Courtesy the Oct. 22, 1993 synopsis found on Jason's site: "Roman suggests to Marlena that they call the baby Isabella and Marlena agrees. Sami isn't too happy when she overhears it but when they ask John he loves the idea. They toast to Isabella Brady."

Something I didn't realize: Frank Ashmore, who played Monica's investigator Corrigan in 1981, was also Victor, the third guy in the cockpit, in Airplane!

Okay, if we can get this, then surely the long-elusive Alan and Monica wedding episode(s) will turn up someday.

Thanks. After I posted, I realized that this would be from GH's first week as an hour-long series.

Reposting my YouTube comment: Thanks to the Love Boat promo at the very end, we can pin this down to the week of Jan. 16-20, 1978.

Politics. The Fanelli Boys was from Touchstone Television, and was the follow-up series from four former writers-producers of The Golden Girls (Barry Fanaro & Mort Nathan and Kathy Speer & Terry Grossman). On paper, it probably seemed just much a sure thing as Wings.

I'm now catching up on the 1984-85 season and am up to "Odd Man Out." They never explicitly said Sue Ellen doting on Jamie was a chance to have the sisterhood that she never had with Kristin, did they? It would all be a lot more touching if Jenilee Harrison was a better actress.

I'm convinced there was someone in the music department, or a production assistant, who decided, "You know what? I'm just going to let this happen." @Mitch64, did you happen to be watching the episode when it first aired?

Okay, someone on staff knew exactly what they were doing when they approved the song for Kirk's scene.

Doug Davidson and Barbara Crampton cover Honolulu's Aloha Parade for the first six-and-a-half minutes of this. Bonus: Jackee at the end, when it seemed like her soap days were long behind her.

Seems like he was a fun fellow.

Eric Preven, who worked his way up at SB as a producer, has died. He was 62. https://deadline.com/2025/11/eric-preven-dead-reba-santa-barbara-producer-1236614660/ He's at 4:33 here.

This is one of my favorite early Krystle scenes. I appreciate that it took a lot out of her, but I liked that Krystle put Joseph in his place. "You've been very cooperative, Joseph. You're a good worker. I believe I'll speak with Mr. Carrington about increasing your salary." Translation: Yeah, that's right, you creep. Remember who signs the damn checks.

Early Krystle is the best, when she's trying to come to terms with her strange new world. When she and Blake are cooing at each other non-stop and the servants love her as if she was a daughter, it's just not interesting. I was actually trying to find one of Alexis' scenes with Mrs. Gunnerston. In one of them, it's implied she might have slept with Mr. G. In the other, Alexis reveals she paid for Gunnerson's son's hospitalization (done as an attempt to get Hilda to spy on Krystle).

"Mrs. Gunnerson's several relatives eat well at my expense."

Next year marks 40 years for Lynn Herring, and 35 years each for John J. York, Wally Kurth and that lovable bastard, Steve Burton. It might be asking too much, but I kinda hope GH would give them all anniversary episodes. For Wally's, I'd love to see one epic showdown between Tracy and Ned, where they finally have it out and we can finally move forward from the empty and pointless mean ol' Tracy stuff.

I'm glad you got a kick out of the Krasker essay. He did the entire series, and also has some excellent ones about sitcoms. Ah, the perils of binge watching. At the rate I'm going, I might finally be caught up and ready to do one episode per week in time with the 40th anniversary of the 1986 episodes. I might end up appreciating every nuance of Paige's introduction.

Up to "Vulnerable": I am beyond ready for Val to scream her guts out at Joshua and kick his sanctimonious ass out on the street. I know this won't happen (although thank you, lord, for the small favor of Ben knocking Joshua's lights out), and I know I should be applauding KL for playing every emotional beat of the storyline, but it's just so damn unpleasant and offputting that I'm ready to fast-forward. It can be said; Joshua is my Diana. (With all due respect to Alec Baldwin as an actor.) My theory on Nurse Wilson was that she distributed meds without a prescription to needy neighbors, and that's what Ackerman had on her. The dialogue makes it seem like Wilson was involved in the arrangement Ackerman had with Easton and (at least) one more person, Cavanaugh the adoption guy. I initially assumed the Easton-Ackerman operation was as bare bones as possible, but I guess they would need someone to facilitate the adoptions rather than finding couples themselves.

If we're including the primetime soaps in the worst retcons conversation, Tommy Krasker makes a strong argument against Anne (and by extension, Paige).

Please say that Tony and/or Shelley did a high kick at one point in the movie.

AMC: The un-abortion.

"Ackerman!" -- Karen tapped into a side of herself we haven't seen since Chip was in the hospital. Seems like once Karen uses that tone, some guy's gonna end up dead soon.

Yes, that was the compromise to keep the show going after it was clear that the audience didn't like the episodes where Angela was only there to introduce a guest detective's story.