Sallyinlondon

I agree with what's been said about tom desmond, what a strange, boring character.  The scenes where he's trying to get Mary (who's something like 8 weeks post partum) to shag him by telling her these long stories are excruciating!

I was convinced the actor was the guy who plays Artie (Marge's ex boyfriend) in the simpsons but turns out he's not lol.

@NothinButAttitude and @j swift  thanks for the explanation

i am always a little surprised that people find Jill/Mary a little preachy.  They are my mother's generation (i think Kate Mulgrew is a similar age) and their struggle with being a "career woman" is something she and her peers would have found fascinating.  I was born in the late 80s and me and my friends were the first generation in our semi rural town to expect to go to university and have a career job alongside child rearing (which I believe is behind the US).  I really liked seeing their struggles and can resonate.  I love that Jill is a successful lawyer, i find her very inspiring- mary too in that she won't sacrifice her job for her man/child.

I've also read the book and enjoyed it.

My main note is that I felt it was a bit too heavy on the years that aren't available on Youtube, so any newer fans don't know who a lot of the characters were (obviously the target market is mainly those who saw it in the 80s, but i felt it skipped too quickly through the years that are currently available to watch).

I was interested to learn about the way they initally shot it.  I thought Ilene Kristen gave loads of great material to the book and really pulls it all together.

I would have liked to hear more about Nancy Addison whom I find fascinating.  I'm glad Tom got to speak to Michael Levin and Malachy McCourt before they died.

I found Catherine Hicks fabulously bitchy, i was amused how she made a point of saying how successful she was afterwards- especially as I've not seen her in anything else again (i grew up in 90s/00s UK). 

I liked the personal photos that were included, overall an enjoyable read

I loved the Nell storyline, i hadnt realised she left when the actress became unwell.  She was so fresh and unique in the way they portrayed a middle aged woman at the time.  Shes actually my second favourite character.

I agree the coleridges and ryans seemed too intertwined but i do like the early years "smallness" feel, it gives a sort of claustrophobic intensity that you see the younger ones want to break from.

I wish the Szabos had come back again, especially Nick as they are gloriously corrupt, I know Reenie went onto a different show but she was great.

I feel like they were testing different pairings at the beginning, Mary goes on a few dates and even seems like they are trying her with Clem at one point (which I would have loved to see) and the Jill and Jack relationship doesnt seem to be mentioned much after 1976.  I was expecting Jill to be a bigger character after reading what Kate had to say about her in her book, but she seemed a bit on the side in thr years ive seen (up until 78)

I've just read the book and enjoyed it.  I do wish more time had been spent on the earlier episodes as the 1981-1989 years are not available online so that part of the book is only relevant to the people who watched it in the 80s, but obviously that's only possible if people from that period are willing to speak.

Interesting that it was the first US soap to air in the UK and Ireland, it definitely fits in with Corrie/Emmerdale more than the glitzy American soaps

I was fascinated that they tried to do the whole episode in one take and only had 45 mins of film roll, remarkable that it came off so well.

I enjoyed FC as Faith, she was a bit odd and not your usual heroine which made her  character more interesting.  Catherine Hicks was polished but felt superflous next to Mary and Jill.

I've just finished the first 2.5 years and WOW this soap is so unusual and well crafted, it feels more like a play than a TV show.  I also love the insight into what ordinary life was like for my parents' generation

I've just come to the end of the Kate Mulgrew years.  I find it astonishing that she went through a whole pregnancy and gave the baby up, then had to act out the happy ending she didnt get (which must have been very hard).

For those that watched it at the time - did people know what had happened? What were people's reactions to it/was it shocking?  If this happened today the reaction would be crazy but obviously very different times.  I read her memoir (which is what instigated my love of RH) and she states nobody really knew but watching it now, it's obvious she's real life pregnant vs Jill's neat little bump. 

Hello!  I have recently discovered (and become obsessed with) Ryan's Hope, I don't know if there are any UK fans around?

Im currently in 1976/M&J wedding, I find IK's portrayal fascinating and heartbreaking, a really unusual performance and one you don't often see.

I love KM's Mary, very nuanced and layered, she has buckets of charisma.  Her relationship with Jack is fascinating and compelling, it's sort of firecrackingly exciting but also about a thousand red flags

I like NA, and am saddened to hear of her early death.

I LOVE the Nell story and find it so poignant, the actress is brilliant and I Love the way she is played with dignity.

I accidentally saw some episodes with Andrew Robinson as Frank and whilst he is a better actor I Think the first Frank is more believable as the character, even his wooden acting fits with Who frank is.

Generally I find it a fascinating insight into what life and relationships were like in those days.