Mitch64

I like that..I wanted Tammy Blanchard to be Stacey (instead of her from nowhere character they had to do weird things to tie to a family, and then it didnt matter...I think she could have gone toe to toe with her cousin Dinah. Dinah running to Nola, Stacey running to Van, and both cousins annoyed with each other would have been a good twist on the Van/Nola history.

I remember my Mom wanting to see what "Lisa was up to today!" and her using Lisa as an example of what not to do,"See, that woman, lies and is mean and she has no friends" (of course during Lisa's villainous heyday..) Fulton, Wagner and Hastings voices are what I heard when I had to take a nap when my Mom watched "World Turns" and they are always comforting to me....never again will a TV show have that much thrall over the generations and become such a part of our lives (and Gautman/Madd threw it all away...) Penny owned the bookstore and turned it over to Lisa, so that might have been her husband. I wish they had kept that bookstore among Lisa's many businesses.... it was interesting that this woman who always wanted more out of life owned a bookstore where people could see different possibilities..and it was an interesting change from a cafe, or restaurant of kitchen for people to gather and talk (and Lisa eavesdrop...)

No, that was Bob's kitchen in his own house. He had the same house set from when Chris and Nancy were still on..for when Nancy came back for the wedding...(do not ask me why I remember these things..) They had a great scene were Bob and Frannie and Nancy are in the kitchen and Don and Penny come in for the wedding, it was like the new PTB were saying "The Hughes are BACK!" (and oddly enough this was when GL was obscuring the Bauers.) The show never really wrote Nancy and Chris out...after Wagner left people would mention her like she was in town, then when DM was taken off of contact and eventually disappeared they mentioned her once or twice (Frannie wanting to go live with them in Arizona) and then they fly in for Tom and Margo's wedding, so who the hell know what happened to their house, but it would have been cool to have Bob and Kim move into it after their wedding. Especially as she would be so easy to use...she knew everyone, was a buttinsky of the highest order and they could have used her like Marland did, even without a storyline to link all the storylines...(during Marland's time Lisa spent her entire day driving back and forth to Bob and Kim's to Tom and Margo's to the Mona Lisa, to Fashions, to the hospital to insult John, back to the Mona Lisa to annoy Lucinda, back to what ever bad girl was trying to cover up her babies paternity..) along the way she gossiped and updated all the characters (and us) on what was going on and why.

McTavish was really making sure she got the coveted "worst storyline" title that year, between that...Lonatrat (and those idiots Dinah and Hart besting Roger) the twins storyline and last but not least Zachary the Angel...she was on FIRE! It was really weird that they wrote Amanda out just as she was getting her own thing going (I remember they even redid the Wexler Mansion set for her...) Maybe it was CB leaving and Bev coming in that changed that...but it would have been interesting to see AmandaCullen and BevAlex dealing with each other. I agree that McLaiby didn't really do much to explain the Spaulding dynamic other then they were at each other's throats and constantly talking about who had the most stock and none of it ever made sense. Alan and Alex had such an interesting relationship that was thrown out the window with the recasts..AM was reduced to romantic hero (he should always have been dealing with his Bauer/Spaulding duality) Amanda was reduced to a cartoon badgirl (as fun as that was) and Phillip the Golden Boy was portrayed as the outcast...and Nick...I don't even know what Nick was about. However, their was a rich dynamic that could have been played out with all of them (I can see why Rauch got rid of MarjAlex...she and Amanda were basically playing the same character..tho the sister thing was unneeded.) With Alex and AM out of the way I would have focused Alan manipulating competition between Phillip and Amanda, repeating the history as it were. But they had Alan holding Annie's purse, Phillip mooning over Harley(did he ever work during that time) and Amanda flouncing around town chasing after Roger or just snearing at people.

I would have gone with it..as I posted before I would love to see Poser as Rita's daughter, who Rita lies and says is Alan's but is really Eds..so we have a Bauer with a really bad attitude slinking around town doing her best to sully the name.."Roger, do me quick, I have to go to some boring potluck by the pool." What about Judith Chapman (ex-Natalie on ATWT..I never saw her on YR)

The Hughes house was originally lived in by Nick and Kim..and was remolded (acknowledged on air...the staircase and the entryway where even Kim mentioned, "So someone can come in and close the doors to have a private conversation" a foreshadowing of many eavesdropping to be done only to be outdone by the Snyder eavesdropping porch, which ruined many a paternity secret.

When Nola came back I thought they should have brought recast Chele with her, which would explain her change in character..kinda...(lets admit it RM played Chele as a bit downbeat ..and for good reason...but saying she was staying with Nola and meeting her Reardon cousins around the country would have explained the new energy...though RB's airhead Chele chasing after everything in pants would not have been my idea of how to renew the character...) and then mention that Dinah had spent time with her and Quint when she was offcanvas...Nola introducing her to a more "fun" part of the world and encouraging her outrageousness (in part to spite Van) would have made sense. I don't remember OGAmanda for anything but dressing like a kid and having dolls as babies, then constantly talking about her "frigidity" though she had hottieBen in her bed (and maybe the explanation was more that Ben was hiding his own sexuality then it all on her..) and then simpering after Mark. I would have avoided the manho aspect all together (cause face it, Matt was too boring to even be a gigilio..) and just have Amanda partnered with an older Silicon Valley CE0) this was back in the day when tech was just starting to be big business and would have been a nice contrast to the staid corporation of Spaulding..which did....whatever it did..) and he is the one not putting out so she has an affair with Matt..in typical Amanda fashion she picks a bad apple for a partner and he is abusive and one day he is found dead..and both Matt and Amanda think the other did it (but of course, it would be his exwife he dumped for Amanda..) that would give them a reason to keep their past a secret while suspecting the other.

I'm good with that...(I was all for recasting Rick with a more energetic actor)as long as they kept their history and relationships in line. With Amanda they at least did mention the past (the attic, Ross, Josh, LTA, giving up Spaulding) they just dropped the ball on WHY Amanda was so different, and the rest of the characters never mentioned it...(when Harley came back for the 70th Ball she commneted on how much Dinah changed...) And I do think Tonja should have played Hope!

Ha..I thought Cullen acted like the lady down the street who never wore makeup and wanted to tell you about her Dahlia's and remind you to recycle. The age thing didnt bother me that much as it was just a weird soap aging thing that viewers accept...(I would have loved a line from Alex, "Amanda, California must have been good to you, you look even younger, who is your surgeon?") While I loved Poser for her camp..I agree, they never gave her any motivation so she never got to act "real" ..which Poser had the chops to balance vixen and human. First she comes on and is after Ross (why..not because they were involved before, but to be a plot point) then we find out she was the Malibu Madame (this from someone who was "frigid," ) The writers could have explained it all as a persona that Amanda created to guard herself against men and the world, but deep down inside she was still the girl an old lady kept locked in the attic (which could have been explained as her animosity to Alex...) kinda of like Lucinda on ATWT was really Mary Ellen Waters underneath but hidden away. If they played those beats Amanda could have been more then a plot point and someone who did terrible things but the audience knew why (like Roger.) And yes, Amanda should have been secretly plotting to topple the old guard of Alan, Alex, Vanessa and I would include Roger..(one thing that annoyed me is that she became a pawn for Roger, in love with him...more fun would have been two amoral people happily using each other for sex and power and trying to one up the other. I would have just had her steer clear of Ross as the "younger" bad girl after him was done before and better...so just having him as a friend and legal advisor but making Blake jealous (with Amanda happily dropping hints that there is more) would be enough for her to self destruct and do something dumb. Though she never would admit it..Kimmer should thank her lucky stars Watros was cast as Annie..it gave Reva and Josh material when they were basically over and done with. What besides Annie and the Clone does anyone remember from Reva 2.0?

I like the storyline, except for the fact that I would not one a murderer to be in one of the core families and it makes Van look stupid...(besides the way she says MAAAATTTT which annoyed the crap out of me...) and pathetic. I always thought there needed to be a male Nola in the Reardon's someone who wanted better in life and would use anyone to get it.. I thought they were going that way with him but...no..(instead of Rusty Nail Shayne..I wish they had brought in a male Reardon who would go after Mindy for her money..and break her up with dull as dirt (though sexy as hell) Kurt. Bea would support him more than she did Nola (cause you know Irish mamas and their boys) etc. Such a lost opportunity to bring back Bea yet another kid to expand the dynamic. I loved Poser but can understand why people could not accept her as Amanda...(I personally thought original Amanda dull as watching paint dry...) so I would have made her an adopted daughter of Alan..(he adopted her while in exile and molded her into a weapon to use against Alex) who was also a grifter who used older men, and she and Matt were lovers who pulled scams in California. When she comes back she has all the goods on him, etc. The male ho thing was definitely not something Van could accept..(plus, what male has are exclusive to women...I wish they had explored THAT angle...)

Agreed...instead of Rick (which was gross, they grew up thinking they were brother and sister, and while that dynamic was not played..it was still gross) it should have been Matt screwing Blake after Van find out he was a rent boy in HW...(not that I would have done that particular story, but I would have made Matt a former gold digger living on the largess of older, rich, married women) and knocks Blake up...(only one kid, please, not twins by diff fathers.) They could have set that up with Van saying she was past wanting to be preggers, while Matt wants to have kids (cause he is a Reardon, he wants to have tons of spawn) and Van and Ross are pulled together, along with the Dinah drama (another thing would be both Matt and Blake sick of Dinah Drama causing more issues.) Having a Van/Matt fall out would effect Bridget and Nola (though I would have Nola taking Van's side..) Yes, Matt was boring and bland (I never believed he was a Reardon) and judgemental as hell...(whats it any of his business to blackmail Amanda to leave Ross alone..Ross is in charge of his own zipper...) but not quite as dull as poor Frankie D who could not act his way out of a paperbag.

Van and Ross should have always been endgame...(and drove the Blossies and Mattress's nuts...) I saw an episode from 1999 where Blake is screwing Hunt Block's character, and Beth is sniffing around Matt, and Dinah is having one of her ridiculous crazy episodes (she burned her face so is running around with an oversized napkin on her face) and this would have been the perfect time for Ross and Van to be drawn back together...and away from their younger partners insanities. A good writer like Marland would have jumped on it, but our writers liked to play around with "maybe it will happen" but go back to status quo. I do have to admit, the episode while dumb, is entertaining and still GL...(this is the start of the stalker storyline and poor MG has to be forced to overact, popping her eyes and threatening India of all people "In this town, bad things happen to people who break up families". India: "Is that a threat?" Uh, India, you have been threatened almost every day since 1985, your smarter then that!!! Watch out for those anvils!!!

Soap paled in comparison to "Mary Hartman, Mary Harman" first season only..

I am chaff...I will not watch anything with Billy Crystal in it..I HATE Billy Crystal and don't think he has ever said one thing that was funny!!! I don' t really like fantasy stuff (even wink, wink fantasy) thou my taste is horrible as I watched Once Upon a Time to its bitter, bitter end!

He sucks at interviewing...just as someone is about to get to an interesting point, he jumps in with an inane comment, and its not even like he is trying to stop them from besmirching his old bosses, he just does it..he is the Mike Douglas and Dinah Shore of today....(shows you how old I am) just like him they got great guests but blew it on just talking about crap (at least Alan doesn't sing "That Old Black Magic" or something from the "Fantasticks") I liked Katie too...and never understood the animosity...but granted, I didn't watch much in my last ten years, and I thought she was more fun as a schemer my favorite line "Henry, you just walked into my Henry Free Zone, now get out of it" I just watched Clue a couple of weeks ago and liked it! Lily was beyond annoying as the teenage princess of Oakdale....some old friends of mine still say when something happens "But what will Lily feel about this..did anyone tell Lily..did they check in on her?" That was all Marland as I was okay with her after he was gone...kind of the same way I was with Reva...she was annoying as hell but I was used to her. Well, who was looking at poor Steven when there was big brother Tim Daley to look at!

Poor things looks like she had spent a few years in a Montegan cell! Seriously, that is sad.

Lord..she was terrible on ATWT (though a lot of people liked her..) I would dread her scenes of sloowww talking and then spitting everything out..if she had a scene with Lily talking about Lily's problems the world "literally" stopped..uggh. However, I have to say that Tremors is a cult classic and is actually good, it is in on the joke without being super campy and Carter is also actually good in it..as her character is no damsel in distress.

Working from home today and at lunch flipping through the channels and Blue Bloods was on (hey, I'm an old man who watches old man shows...I draw the line at Matlock..) and Yvonna Wright...Mel is on the show as a detective and she is really good. Another GL miss(would have been interesting to have a strong black Bauer matriarch) as she is beautiful but forgettable there.

To bring it back around..I think that Rachel and Carl (who I remember as trying to kill her and her family) appealed to the same "demo" that was into Matt and Vanessa...women of a certain age who liked the fantasy..damn if it makes sense or not.

I just thought it was funny that a 40-50 something with an acting style, which is to say the least, an acquired taste, would boast that, thereby putting down the rest of the cast, the wrtiters, production staff, etc. Geez..if our own Kimmer never said that!

They still post about the "Marvelous Midwestern Towns," and someone inevitably talks about VW's interview when she pompously said that the president of NBC told her that the only reason they keep AW on is because of her....ooohhhhkaay Vicky!!!!

I think Irna was trying to do a story where a woman was not that obsessed with being a mom and was ambivalent about giving up her career? I hope they wrote a scene where Lisa comes in and makes over the crib "Oh Grandpa...how WONDERFUL, why I remember when you made one for me when Tom was on his way...oh how I loved that..." (as she turns to smirk to Jennifer.)

The sell out of Chamberlain stock is soon forgotten as Henry and Van are back at Spaulding with no apparent ill will. It was just another move of Long's to push Van totally into the Lewis orbit and sit around and fuss over Billy. Long wrote some of the most interesting strong female characters but then wrote others as simpering wimps....Van and also Trish, who actually has a scene where she breaks off with Ross to concentrate on her family and be just like her Mama, "And take care of the men in my family." H.B. and Billy's schtick got really old when Josh left and Ryder was writing them..I swear every time the Gates walks into a scene he does a "Whooo Hooo" Thankfully Long corrects that on her second time...(though Hawk was a walking cliche who said "Dag NABBIT" every other line, but he was a minor comic character.) Every time I see her name, I think of what they call her on DataLounge..."Lady Eye's A Popping!" which is really accurate.

They were trying the..'Spaulding man going for a society marriage but attracted to a hottie from the wrong side of the tracks." to mirror Brandon and Victoria's mom. The problem was (other then we find out Brandon f*cked anything that moved..I always wanted to a retro write where he and Aunt Meta..got it ON..) that we had Reva in that story with Kyle, and while it sucked (sorry, not a Kyle/Malloy fan..the histrionics, the flaring nostrils, boring Maeve who we could care less about..) we saw it before. And while Van was no Maeve..she shouldn't have been thrown into a role as Reva's Melanie Wilkes...Van would smash her or walk away...(unless, Alan somehow had something to hold over her, so he marries her for a society thing, she goes and bangs Ross behind Company, he suddenly finds that Van is actually a vixen with class, and Reva is exhausting, and he runs after Van, while Reva runs after Alan cause she needs a sugar daddy...) But yea, RR's Alan and Van never act like they had any kind of relationship outside of knowing each other forever. Which is good ( I hate RR's Alan, tho he did have surprising chemistry with Holly, which of course the show forgot to have him..marry Beth..cause we just can't get enough white trash storylines...)

San Crud was supposed to be a summer storyline and as dumb as it was I could have accepted that..(but I remember back in the day, summer meant young storylines, not ones built around a 40 something gal, who, lets face it, who looked just that..what new demo were they going for) .but Rauch wanted to extend it and put all three extra actors on contract...(taking RR off for a while.) Stupid move. Lets have two locations when we barely can afford one. Ross and Van were great together and I am sorry Bloss and Billy/Van fans, they should have been end game. I guess Long and Ryder were trying to create a Billy/Van/Ross/Calla thing here, but really, Calla was such a bore (the only thing I remember about her is her ex..Gordon, cause he gave her "V.D." as we called it in the day. ) And Van..who a year or two earlier was still hell on wheels, as a small town lawyer secretary?