Planet Soap

I think the short hair was good because it set her apart (minus Emily and Molly), as she was an anti-establishment character in the beginning. What do you guys think about her baby daddy hopping storyline in the late 90s? Was it was excessive to have her go between so many men like Jack, Hal, John and Brad? How exactly did it work out that John inseminated Carly with his sperm? Did he not tell Carly that he was using his own sample?

Exactly, unfinished story gets a random new layer. For example: was Harmony always Neil's killer or was that a last minute addition? I have a feeling we won't get a proper resolution to who The Hook is. Heather as the culprit is anti climactic. I don't even think they intended for Esmé to be Heather's daughter the entire time. Why does the show always feel the need to make new additions related to current players. Eventually, the writers won't be able to remember all the random family trees, and have people who are cousins dating. Dex & Joss = Molly & Brando = Dev & Trina/Joss. Sketchy guy of the moment. Esme=Nelle=Carly. If GH's writers are going to keep re-introducing the same archetype in such a short span, make it diverse by changing their race at least.

After taking husband, Younger beautiful woman forces her way into company during bitter separation: Jill at Jabot, Brooke at Forrester after BeLeif. Bill Bell: red headed/dark haired psychopath uses sexuality to manipulate desperate man: Phyllis/Morgan & Dr.Tim Reid, Sheila & Mike. Red headed/dark haired psychopath drugs and or rapes high status man in order to get pregnant: Sheila & Dr. Scott, Phyllis & rockstar Danny.

Bill Bell: Miserable grand dame resents younger beautiful woman for taking her husband. Stephanie/Brooke B&B, Katherine/Jill Y&R.

What was the direction of Ryan's charachter? Twice he lead women on in relationships while married. First Nina then Tricia? he seemed more apologetic than Brad for me to call him a womanizer.

RIP Quinn. Kay's best husband who barely gets a mention, yet we always hear about the "beloved Phillip".

You are correct. The evolution to luxury happened early in both shows runs to the point where I'm associating them wilth wealth.

Melody Thomas Scott and Katherine Kelly Lang both jumped on the trend and looked good aswell. I think short hair works best for Maura. Specifically these cuts, (middle one from Y&R).

OLTL always felt like the middle child of ABC Daytime. GH and AMC were greater priority. I don't know if people off the street (of a particular age) could name an OLTL storyline off the dome. They just know the name however. That 90s urban opening with end credit shots of basketball courts and Amtrak trains really cemented the show's urban feel. The dialogue between characters on one life to live, especially the Christian/Natalie/Jess youth scene felt more down to earth and every day life than the more glamorous Y&R. A lot of the soaps transition between a big city or small town atmosphere whenever it's convenient for them. Guiding Light felt big cityish in the 90s only to seem very small and suburban during the new production model around 2008. Repeated names I keep seing across shows: Shelly Altman, Jean Passanante, Pat Falken Smith, Megan McTavish, Lorraine Broderick. Do/did they have any defining features to their writting?

Trademarks of Ron Carlivati/Frank Valentini soap: random and messy uses of established history, dark and edgy crime stories and youth charachters.

Is crazy how Isabella and Tricia just took a turn for the crazy. Cameron, Grace and Amy can return for a story as a thowback to the Gen X clan from the 90s. Donna isn't serving a prupose on B&B so the actress would be good here. I'd love to Grace her get into a troubled marriage with Nick and raise hell for the Newman family. Maybe the marriage blows up with Nick cheating on her with Amy or something. Grace gets revenge by bringing Cameron back, Mariah kills him defending Sharon and there's a whole trial, Matt Clarke's lookalike cousin surfaces. Something. Even though the actress no longer performs due to a medical condition, it would be nice to see Tricia return as a ghost something for just a scene.

That final intro, which I also like, was really screaming ER. Same font, similar two letter abbreviation logos, and similar tinted backgrounds. JFP's tendedncy for action was really evident on GH. Bill Bell's style of soap is daytime's closest thing to Aaron Spelling. Troubled lives of lavish people. Spelling's Dynasty's influence was obious in Dickson's Jill becoming Alexis Carrington from about 1985 onwards. Primetime's influence in daytime was also obvious with the show Texas and the Buchannan's on OLTL.

What were some of the defining features that a creator, executive producer, head writer or writer brought to a show? For example, a Bell created soap like Y&R and B&B focuses heavily on business, wealth and people of status, who seem like they live in a magazine. Examples being Jill, Katherine, Nikki and Victor. In contrast, Agnes Nixons's soaps were adept at showing a wide class of people from the welathy to the inner city. Noah and Julia's orbit on the same show as Erica's orbit. As for writers, James E Riely clearly brought melo drama and fanatsy on both DAYS and Passions. What perhaps were defining features of Douglas Marland's or Jill Pharren Phelps' presences on a soap?

thanks.

EDIT: Were Victor and Nikki together or divorced when Nick was conceived? I'm Realizing that Nick grew up with his parents never being married. I know this was posted already but it's interesting to see how much a documentary broadcast on E! got incorrect. Guiding Light went to television in 1952 not 57, they say Irna Phillips co-created not story editied DAYS. Jamie Lyn Bauer played Lori not Jennifer, yet they say she played Lori in part 2. Then they said she played Laura Horton on DAYS before not after Y&R.

Nope. Neither Diana either. That's why Finn been being her child is so stupid because she has so many random children running around.

That's the main issue, the corners. Reforming her into michevous woman trying to maintain sanity, rather than outright criminally insane allows her to be on long term. The spiked champagne or tampering with Bridget's paternity is a good mischievous act. Shooting Stephanie or Taylor or Finn and Steffy in plane sight require immediate ramifications. Had Sheila been wearing a mask while shooting the latter, she would be free of her writing corner.

Why kill Britt off and not leave things open incase the actress wanted to return? Britt's death and failed Jason pairing ironically reminds me of Patrick and Sabrina. Couple with so much potential interrupted, with the woman killed off a few years later. Sucks! Can the hook take Austin and and the other extra fast off canvas please.

Diane can stay, her storyline needs to go somewhere other than I wanna be reformed but Phyliss and Nikki can't let go of the past. Diane being her old villainous self would be great tv. Sheila needs to stop doing huge evil deeds that require her to run from the law. Soft dastardly acts like her OG B&B run helps keep her on long term.

Phillip, the best example. 2 years living produced over 40 years of posthumus story. Victor Lord was OLTL for a relatively short time, yet his postmortem impact lasted the show's entire run. Claudia GH: Claudia's year long stint on GH set in motion Michael's coma, SOARSING, imprisonment and rape, it also helped set in place the feud between Johnny and Sonny.

In watching the 1989-95 episodes list on page 310, you can just feel a certain energy die down storyline wise beginning in 1994. Granted 94-97 is miles above what we have today, but not as great as 90-93 before it, and late 97-2001 after it. I did enjoy Victor's shooting drama, the aftermath of Matt Clark's shooting and the scenes associated with Nathan's affair.

the masquerade ball is playing on CBS today (AGAIN), well its better than a new episode

Similar to Diane's return on Y&R, the Sheila plot feels aimless. She wants to reconnect with family. Get that, tried it, didnt work. What now? Give Sheila a solid plot to keep her in town long term.

So many paralells between 2002 and 2022 Sheila with the lightning storm scene. Not to mention we got a semi repeat of Deacon and Brooke this year.

I liked 1990 in that it set the stage for future stories, with Sheila, Drucilla and Olivia's introductions. Plus, the year had three solid plots ongoing: The George Rawlins murder, the start of David Kimble & Nina, and the Katherine/Marge doppleganger story. The problem with todays show is that the stories are dry, too down to earth and lack imagination. The creativity behind Sheila switching babies or posing as a book author to Lauren's son, or even David Kimbles intricate plot to murder Nina cannot be found (or would be poorly written) on the modern show. Old Y&R's strength is that it could be down to earth and have exciting camp. For example, while the baby switch story could be considered over the top, we got really relaistic small moments like Lauren calling the insurance company to to set up a scheme so she could obtain the baby's blood to perform a paternity test against Scott, or even Sheila's mom's speech therapy after her stroke.