Marissa Gallant

3 hours ago, Tyro said:

Unfortunately, I cannot advise to believe the articles about Sophia on this site. I don't know if this concerns to other characters that Lillian writes about, but a lot of about Sophia, her storyline and her men is fanfiction. 

I assume that she tried to unite the 1984 and 1991 versions in this article, but she had a wrong knowledge of the subject.

The version 1984. Eden was not on the beach and nearby. Marcello wasn't a casual beach runner. He is stalking the Capwell family and, in particular, Sophia. He is obsessed with revenge and takes Sophia away to hurt CC. Lilian doesn't know about it.

Channing never hated Sophia. He didn't part with her ring (which he took away from Lionel because considered him unworthy to wear it).

Ted didn't welcome his mother with open arms. He disowned her almost immediately because he was afraid that her comeback would affect his relationship with Laken.

The version 1991. Eden was not only on the beach, she was on a yacht. Moreover, she was not alone but with Channing. The kids heard Sophia's confessions that Channing is Lionel's son.  Lilian  doesn't write about Channing at all.

 

This is why I do not enjoy the later years, they retconned every story. And I don't like that.

5 hours ago, amybrickwallace said:

I believe the Wallaces began to reconcile for good at Amy and Brick's wedding. In all their subsequent appearances, they were always seen together.

SB had a real treasure in Dena Dietrich, who played Katie Wallace (Brick's legal mother). She was best known for playing Mother Nature in the Chiffon Margarine commercials in the 1970s.

I remember Mother Nature. She was so great in those commercials. Loved her. SB really wasted a great deal of talent. And I wasn't that crazy about Mr Wallace's redemption. I would have liked it if he hadn't gotten back together. Sometimes you have to live with the consequences of your bad decisions. And he should have. 

1 hour ago, j swift said:

Wow, Minx's baby switching scheme seems even less logical and more malicious now that I realized it was random.

Setting aside how she could have known for sure that Channing Jr was Lionel's biological son, (or how she got into the maternity ward, or how she knew that she would later be able to contact her grandson), by switching him with the Wallace baby, without providing any financial support to the parents, just so that he wouldn't be raised in Capwell household she deprived him of a good education and all of the benefits of growing up with wealth.

On the other hand, seeing what a bastard Channing became, perhaps she was wise to want her grandson to be reared in a less caustic environment. 

 

That was her thought. But there is also a bit of nature vs nurture happening with Channing. At first, Mr. Wallace was presented as a jerk. He was an alcoholic who just abandoned his wife and child. Brick didn't know where his dad was. And they didn't really seem to have fond memories of him. The show gave him a redemption arc, but original Mr Wallace was a jerk. Perhaps Channing was partially genetics, and CC nurtured the bad nature already there.  I don't know that Brick, with his natural moral fiber would have been that ruthless. 

No one knew about the baby switch until Brick's accident. Brick might have needed a kidney (or something). The doctors weren't sure if he would heal or need replacement parts, but Nick and Kelly tracked down Mr. Wallace and had him tested just in case. They found out he wasn't Brick's dad then. Brick accused his mom. Augusta also accused his mom. Then Brick got better and figured out that Minx did the switch. Brick told everyone. No more secrets. They don't show Santana finding out, but no way did she not know. Brick publically got very loud several times about who his real parents are.

CC knows Brandon is not related. But at this point, he loves the kid and Gina is...Gina. 

Brandon is older when he finds out he was adopted.

17 hours ago, Tyro said:

Ok, now I'll know it, because I definitely missed it. The first 200 episodes of SB weren't shown on Russian TV, and I watched 1984 on the Internet partly. 

Our "Santa Barbara" began with a trump card - the investigation of Channing's murder. I started watching, being sure that this detective film would end soon.  Well, the format of the "soap opera" turned out to be a big surprise.

The very first season seems to me quite soapy, especially in acting, so my TOP seasons are:

1) The season 1986. Acting became more natural, the quality of the script was still high, Sophia and CC were one of the main couples, although, to my taste, their reconciliation was blurry (perhaps someday we will discuss what it should have been)

2) The first half of 1990.  I returned to watching after a 1.5-year break because Sophia finally got her own storyline, acting was outstanding, directing and cinematography were amazing, new screenwriters by inertia wrote well and wittily. It was SB's swan song, after the triumphal Emmy Award ceremony it flew down towards the inevitable end.

3) The beginning of 1987 as a continuation of season 1986, until the wedding of CC&S

4) The end of 1988 up to the Train New Year Eve. It was a absolutely romantic period for CC&S. Jed and Judith played themselves (I mean their friendship in real life helped them to act naturally in the romantic scenes)

5) The season 1985. I'm putting it lower because of Jed's absence. But Sophia was at the centre of the plot; there was high-quality writing, including dialogues; and of course there were Mary and Mason (my second favorite storyline).

If Jed hadn't come to SB, I think Sophia and Lionel would have been together, or at least they would have had a real romance. I believed in their love in the Fire story. 

What do you think happened between them on the yacht in 1986 (when Lionel took Sophia away after CC kicked her out of the house)?

The fire story was very well done. I don't think anything happened on the boat, she wanted out of there right after one kiss. 

Jed and Judith- she often said they were like a married couple without the physical part. It makes me want to hug her and tell her she's missing the fun parts. Not that I wanted Jed to cheat on his wife, I just get the feeling from interviews that she was hurt very, very deeply once and never allowed herself to fall in love again. It makes me a bit sad, but she did get her daughter and that brought her a lot of joy.

I got to see the 88 train scenes during Christmas vacation from college. I bought 2 Michael Feinstein tapes and wore them out! Loved those scenes. I would love to see the other years you mention.

I made a point of watching Mason and Julia's wedding.

When you read all of the cast interviews on the french site, a lot of the cast mentions staying in touch with Louise Sorel, and you can see that in the show too. I find all of the backstage stuff just as interesting as the show.

Definitely will talk Dominic, and it will be the same answer as always.

I don't really know what I would ask, honestly. That's why I'm not an interviewer or reporter. That's not my strong suit. Fiction writing, opera singing, those I can do.

3 hours ago, Liberty City said:

Anything, and I do mean anything would have been better than TJ.

Agreed!

3 hours ago, amybrickwallace said:

I have a feeling Jade Perkins was supposed to be more of a vixen at the beginning, but Missy Reeves (Brennan at the time) played her more as an adorable kitten. Honestly, the best screen partner she had on SB was Kerry Sherman (Amy Perkins). They had maybe the best big sister/little sister relationship I've ever seen on soaps. 

I really believe this too. They really had Jade talking the talk at the beginning. But once they brought Amy on, Jade grew up a little and the two were really great to watch.

5 hours ago, Tyro said:

I'm afraid, Jade was too stupid and empty to be Eve. It could have been more interesting with Leiken. She and Sophia almost crossed paths in the film business in 1990...

But the problem is that Sophia wasn't Margot type at all. She herself was fighting for her place in this world for most life.  I would like her to reboot successfully her career in cinema. But to become Margot, she needed to gain a foothold in Hollywood for at least another 5-10 years.

However we could find traces of this classic plot in SB.

1. Cassandra. Sophia was her childhood's idol, but it was Cassie who ruined her restarting movie career.
2. The Capwell's  dinner in 1991. Dobsons rewrote their story of how Sophia became CC's wife. This time she previously took Pamela as a model and transformed into her. 

(I prefer the 1985 version anyway)

 

I had stopped watching by Cassandra, because 1985 was better to me too, although 86 and the beginning of 87 were my favorite. CC and Sophia together, fighting off the rest of the world. So. Much. Chemistry. 

1 hour ago, Tyro said:

Sophia had told Minx bluntly in 1985 or 1986 that she herself had used the tunnel between Lockridge and Capwell houses and had no right to reproach her. It even seemed to me that Minx had an inexplicable sympathy for Sophia. After all, she was going to tell Lionel about her pregnancy and changed her mind only because he had announced Augusta's pregnancy. So if Augusta hadn't been pregnant, would Minx have preferred Sophia as a daughter-in-law?

Yes. They did. When Sophia first came back, Laiken confronted her and told her to get out of town several times. 

Also, I can't see Minx preferring a starlett daughter-in-law. But who knows? I do think that Sophia and Lionel could have had AMAZING chemistry if they had ever really let it go. But I always felt like the actors held back. 

13 hours ago, amybrickwallace said:

No one was ever charged in Amy Perkins Wallace's death in the bomb explosion, right? Earlier in the episode, the one protestor was shown putting the explosive device in the can that he deliberately handed to Hayley and urged her to throw. I think they just dropped that part of the story was dropped too quickly. She really was framed.

Of course, Amy (for all intents and purposes the last remnant of one of the show's original core families) was too quickly forgotten once Kerry Sherman left. As much as I liked Kerry Sherman (who left SB and show business altogether while pregnant with her second child - her first pregnancy had been written into the storyline), I felt Amy should have been recast. Her husband, Brick - the biological son of Sophia and Lionel - was too quickly marginalized. I also loved Amy's friendship with Julia. They didn't have to kill her off.

I don't think anyone was charged in Hayley's death. 

I agree that Amy could have easily been recast. She'd been off the scene for months by this point. But then again, the show didn't know how to write a happily married woman and keep her interesting. And Brick could have had so many other things. 

13 hours ago, Tyro said:

 

I mean, having adult children didn't make Sophia old or aging. She was a woman in her prime.

Without a doubt, if Sophia was still a working actress, she would have wrapped Victoria in a curtain and thrown her into the orchestra pit. For a real fight, Tori had to be less melancholic than Kristen Meadows.

But Sophia has left the profession since she turned 20, and she held the position of the expert, not the acting prima donna. She had no reason to compete with Victoria. It only remained to become friends, lol.

But I'll try to develop your idea... It is really strange that the plot didn't work out the status of Santa Barbara as the residence of Hollywood stars. Both Sophia and Victoria couldn't be the only divas in this city. If the story had developed in the direction of glamour and the film industry, of course, Sophia would have taken a more important place in the character system (instead of "Oh,CC"/"Oh,Eden" technical support).

And the show would get more locations and plot twists. As far as I understand, in other soap operas a lot revolves around business issues, while Capwell Enterprises looked like a fictitious company for the first 5 years, because the working locations were mainly the court, the police office and the restaurants. No matter what anyone says, I love 1990 for having the theme of film industry. 

Agree that Sophia should have had more storylines. I still like the thought of bringing back Jade Perkins to give Jade and Sophia an All About Eve storyline.

I actually watched Amy's death yesterday, so it is very fresh. It isn't environmentalists that are the protesters. It's right wing extremists opposing the casino. Haley falls in with Lily Light. Ted broke up with Haley because she hid being Gina's niece. To Ted, that was basically like lying. Haley found out her friend Jane was really Roxanne and was aftee her boyfriend, Ted. Haley was on the outs with Gina because Gina tried to kill CC. So, Haley was alone and disillusioned. Enter charismatic Lily. Lily found out Haley was her cousin and groomed their relationship. Everyone around Haley could see the danger, but Haley was young, naive and stupid. It culminated in Haley being handed the bomb, which she threw. 

55 minutes ago, Tyro said:

*They could have had Count Armonti come back from the dead. That would have been interesting. Especially if they had landed a powerhouse actor to play him. Will Sophia choose CC, Lionel or  Rodolpho Armonti?*

Rodolpho? Is that the Count's real name? When did it sound?

I made up a first name. I wanted Giuseppe, but couldn't remember how to spell it! Lol

1 hour ago, Tyro said:

 

The Italian aristocracy is an incredible source of ideas for the plot! By the way, Marcello told Sophia that some people are waiting her back home in Italy. This means that there was someone else from the family who was not told about. The writers cast the bait, but didn''t develop the idea

As for Marcello. How could he devote half his life to Sophia without demanding anything in return? He wasn't a gay. He was a couple of years older than her. And he constantly gave her a massage (a typical reflex for those who liked Sophia as a woman - for example, CC and Stephen Slade did the same)! 

And she betrayed him in the end. So Marcello is nominated as the first candidate to return with revenge plans. Sophia must have her own personal maniac, like every decent resident of Santa Barbara. And I suppose, Katrina Ruyker was the first step to that.

Maybe Marcello is the only person in soapdom who is creeped out by dating his step parent. 

Sophia did choose CCs son. But she did know Hailey very well, and encouraged CC to support his son in dating her.

I was done with Marcello. But the Count could have an evil brother. He could have been crushing on her, or been rejected by her.

I like Joe Mascolo. And since it's pretend I'll go FULL pretend.  Jed Allan as CC from episode 1. Charles Bateman as the count.

1 hour ago, amybrickwallace said:

I dunno. All the "dashing" actors from daytime then that I can think of were all on other soaps. Can we throw out non-daytime names?

Sure- why not? It's all pretend anyway.

52 minutes ago, j swift said:

Wasn't Marcello adopted, or at least cared for, by Count Armonti after his parents died?  So I always assumed when Marcello picked up Sophia they just went back to his dad's house. 

There's some irony in Marcello hating CC his whole life, and then CC clears it up and everyone is like, oh OK, got it...

As for how Marcello got from the Netherlands to the Amalfi coast that I do not recall, but one assumes that the sites were specified so that nobody assumed Hans was a Nazi.

That's what I've always thought. That isn't really a stretch.

I think that a lot of orphans were adopted after the war. I could be wrong though. And they never really say that the count was an old geezer. He could have only been 10-15 years older than Marcello and gone for Marcello as more of a friend because he was so smart.

Now, let's cast the Count. Who would have had chemistry with Judith McConnell?

6 minutes ago, Tyro said:

I'm on duty in the topic

As for the departure of Louise Sorel, several circumstances converged here.

1. She didn't want Augusta to have an affair with Dash Nichols, which caused her sister suffering.
2. Paul Rauch was her ex, and they didn't break up very well
3. Bridget Dobson also disliked her for some reason since 1986 (when Louise left for the first time)

Therefore, Louise couldn't discuss the lame storyline with either Rauch or Bridget. She tried to talk to Jerome, but to no avail. And then she jumped over the heads and met with the network manager. And this caused a terrible scandal and a quarrel personally with Bridget Dobson. She promised Louise unpleasant consequences (backfiring). And as a result, her contract was not renewed.

This information is taken from the interview that Louise gave at that time.

So, it's really kind of an all of the above. She was fired, but it was because she stood up for the character. 

I thought she might have had storyline approval like Nicolas Coster. (BTW- has anyone else watched The Deep Ones on Amazon?)

18 minutes ago, j swift said:

It is an odd timeline, because she fell off of Lionel's boat in 1969, and was believed dead.  Sometime after that she wound up in Italy with the Count.  Then, in 1979, at Channing's 18th birthday party, she returned to try to kill Lionel, but mistakenly shot Channing.  And at that time she was actually, kidnapped/rescued by Marcello and returned to Italy for treatment of the shock of killing her son. 

So, there is some room for discussion about her conscientiousness of guilt over leaving her children from the decade of 1969 to 1979, given that she recovered from amnesia long enough to recall hating Lionel and had the freedom to return to Santa Barbara to plot his demise.  Although, I agree that she was not of sound mind enough from 1979 to 1984 to say that she actually abandoned Eden, Kelly, and Ted.

Actually, the story of Marcello's first abduction is explained. He was there in 1969 when Sophia fell off the boat. The boat kept running over her and she got amnesia. Marcello was going to kill her, but seeing her bloody after swimming to the shore, saw her as a victim of CC and took her home to Italy. Enter the count (somehow). She got her full memory after seeing CCs picture in the paper. Marcello tried to keep her from going to CC, but failed because she wanted to confront Lionel and reunite with her children. But instead she shot Channing and went full on Bonkers. Marcello took her to the asylum in Alaska. Then it gets fuzzy, but I believe she returned to Italy. But I might be wrong. It could have been after shooting Channing that she sees the CC picture.

2 hours ago, Liberty City said:

They were glazing over a lot in those first few years to push other storylines that frankly did not need to be told.

I would have preferred Count Armonti to Marcello the WWII orphan child out for revenge on a man who would have to be 65 in 85.

It could have been the Count's brother that abducted the amnesiac Sophia. (I want the count to basically be a good guy, so I do not want him to be the one who took her.)

Although an evil count could have been fun against Jed Allan. 

And yes, Sophia did NOT leave CC and her children, she was abducted. 

1 hour ago, amybrickwallace said:

It would have been better than TJ.

That was not a worthy story for JM. And she looks so tiny against him. 

They could have had Count Armonti come back from the dead. That would have been interesting. Especially if they had landed a powerhouse actor to play him. Will Sophia choose CC, Lionel or  Rodolpho Armonti?Instead, we got 842 years of Tori, and TJ.

39 minutes ago, amybrickwallace said:

You ever notice that he's never on a case that doesn't involve friends, family or the Capwells?

Well, since the Capwells are the only people in town, and since they are CONSTANTLY in trouble, that makes sense.

10 hours ago, Tyro said:

I've been reading you irregularly, but for a long time, since about 2012. I signed up now because a lot of SB fans have recently had the opportunity to rewatch almost all SB seasons, and your conversation is like discussing a show that is still on the air.  I'm looking forward to the return of Marissa Gallant, because if she needs someone who will always be interested in discussing Sophia, then here I am! 

If you'll have any questions about Russian resources dedicated to SB, you can ask me, I'll be glad to help.

 

Aw, new job keeps me busy. I thought people were tired of discussing Sophia. So, I sort of stopped. Tori just came to town and Sophia went to let her know who the Queen actress in town really is. I will say Tori is more annoying when you aren't ffing through her scenes.

And Cruz is a terrible detective. Eden says she's having lunch with an attractive Italian aristocrat and he didn't know she's referring to the Contessa? 

I also don't think Haley murdering Amy had long enough dramatic repercussions. The animosity that should have existed between Ted and Brick could have provided friction for the rest of the show! And it would have effected everyone. Which son does Sophia side with? Kelly, baby brother or older brother, who had her as his best man? Could have been a frickin GOLD MINE, but tptb were too short sighted.

There could have even been a recast Brick who comes back with a vendetta. 

8 hours ago, chrisml said:

 He also fired Louise Sorel because of their previous relationship. 

 

Louise Sorel refused to allow Augusta to date Julia's rapist and left the show. Very fuzzy on whether she quit or was fired, but it was the Augusta/Dash romance that cost us Augusta. (And allower Days to get Vivian- our loss their gain)

I truly, truly LOVE this topic. 

Uhm, yeah. Words fail me

CC is like a million years old, and has on 80s gym shorts with a tank top tucked into them. And he's all over Santana 1. 

5 hours ago, DemetriKane said:

Yea. That beginning is a struggle. I tried it for the first 8 episodes and just jumped to Marcy walker joining and it still was a struggle. But now things finally seem to be hooking me.

Just be ready to FF through second CC, because if you don't you will see things you can never unsee.

I'm glad Holy Roller Evangelist Mason was temporary. Lol

2 hours ago, Liberty City said:

Returned to Santa Barbara for the first time in about a month... and honestly, I didn't miss it. I can see why this soap didn't work out... the Dobsons and their teams really destroyed the soap, and Jill Farren Phelps' desire to forefront the bore of Cruz & Eden is such a turn-off.

I'm on 522, and still very intersted. But 86, 87 are my favorite years

Oh, My Favorite Year. Someone should write a song about that.

I'll generic this up:

SB CC and Sophia. CC after Jed Allan. All things Mason. 1986 and 1987. Early episodes, Augusta is very fun especially after Lionel gets back.

AW- Cass and Kathleen, Cass and Frankie, Felicia is an alcoholic, and Vince and Mary. And basically everything anything Felicia. Sharlene and John Hudson 

DOOL- Jack and Jen, Bo is Victors son, Vivian Allemagne puts Carly in a coffin (I know. Believe me I know. But I adore Louise Sorel)

Thank you. I thought that DiD was mostly a soap woman problem and it seems I'm right. 

Was Mason the only DiD male in soaps?

21 minutes ago, amybrickwallace said:

Yes, now I remember. How could I forget, with that ancient and tired trope?

Uhm, because you've attempted to block out all things Torie?