1989 seems to be when audiences, who judging by ratings were loving the Rauch stuff before, seemed to lose patience or interest with everything.

These reviews have made the rounds but I'll repost them just to give a sense of how Critics reacted to Rauch...
1984 (just when Slesar was joining and before Rauch came on, who replaced him quickly with the Corringtons--who he knew from Texas--who didn't last long either)

 

1986

1988 (from one of my fave soap writers, Chris Schemering)

And just cuz I have the files here, an article about Joe Stuart's take over of OLTL in the late 70s.
 

6 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Have you seen her in Whatever Happened to Aunt Alice ? with Miss Ruth Gordon?

Often grouped into the hagsploitation genre but based on a good little thriller by Ursula Curtiss (one of my favorites in domestic suspense) 

La Page is fantastic in this.

Have I???  Who do you think you are asking??  Though we call them "psycho-biddy" films

I was watching some 1984 OLTL episodes (from before and then after Paul Rauch became EP in July) and watching the writing credits--does it drive anyone else how completely off they are on OLTL's Wiki??  LOL  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_One_Life_to_Live_crew

7 hours ago, soapfave06 said:

1989 is one of my favorite years I have watched outside of "my era" and it just seems so fun with Eterna, the baby switch, the crown jewels, Tina and Cord wrestling convicts in an arena, the baby switch, Megan/Ruby, etc. I only found the B stories and cast boring but I guess the show was gettinf absurd. 

 

Can you share what SOD called them out on?

Sure! 

Geraldine Page is in my top 3 actors.  Back then, especially, there was no way either of those actors would have agreed to a daytime soap in a regular role.  I mean yes Kim Hunter had done an arc on Edge of Night, etc, but Page and Bridges' careers were still more prominent than hers was when she was on a soap. 

Wait--Cranston has a book and mentions Loving?? 

Director Michael Lindsay-Hogg is semi active on FB.  A couple of times, and maybe after a couple of drinks, I've been tempted to message him and ask him about his memories (if he has any) of the pilot film.  But then think better of it.  (Though, I mean, surely he's tired of all those questions about  Brideshead Revisited, or his dozens of Rolling Stones videos and would find it refreshing, right??  FUn random trivia considering Larry Kramer's passing--he directed the original Broadway production of The Normal Heart.  Opening just a month or two before was Broadway's first gay AIDS drama, the now forgotten, but IMHO better written hit, As Is.  He didn't direct that, but the impossible to find, except for 15 minutes on youtube, cable TV version of As Is from 1986 was directed by...  Michael Lindsay-Hogg)

Thanks for a great article!

On 5/20/2020 at 10:45 PM, mikelyons said:

I've always found Bill Bell & Agnes Nixon's relationship interesting. He claimed in his Academy interview that he barely knew her, but from my research, it appears he wrote under Agnes in the late-50s while Agnes head wrote THE GUIDING LIGHT. Additionally, if he barely knew Agnes, why is her AMC bible in his archive? SO. MANY. QUESTIONS!

So very strange!  Agnes' archives I went to had the As The Earth Turns bible, but she's listed as co-creator with Irna and Ted Corday, so that makes sense.  (it also had two radio "outlines" as they called them--one for Dr Joyce Jones, which was an Irna show Agnes did write for and was at a time that Agnes could have done the actual initial creation--and...  Ma Perkins.  Which...  Maybe she or someone involved in the archives had a copy in and just threw it in there?  Talk about random!)

Also--re Bell and Nixon.  Bell co-created Another World.  We know that Irna only wrote it briefly, the implication being her plan to go full out melodrama for it didn't suit her actual style.  And then the show floundered under Lipton (there may have been another writer before him) and then Agnes Nixon came on in... 1966 I think.  If Bell was co-creator, why didn't he go to that show?  Instead, in 1966 he went to Days of Our Lives, which he was not, as far as we know, a creator of...

*waits impatiently for the Debbi video*

3 hours ago, LeClerc said:

Regarding Lorraine Broderick in 2010:

 

When AMC was wrapping up, SOD did an interview with Broderick. In the next issue, in the "Things We Know But Shouldn't Tell You" section, it said that Broderick had in fact wanted the HW position in 2010 but that the network (i.e. Frons) didn't want her. Given that SOD had just spoken with Broderick, I think it's safe to assume that the source of that tidbit was Broderick herself.

Thanks!!  I missed that issue somehow, though I was trying to get all the AMC ending mags, I wonder if I can find a scan.

8 hours ago, John said:

Maybe with all the crap about the set if BULL & how he treated actress Elisa Dishku Im just  over MW

Oh, that's more than fair.  Im certainly not talking about MW now.

4 hours ago, gimmetoo said:

 

 

 

The AMC reunions on EW.com have avoided these types of questions, sticking to JUST the show...and they have been much better and tighter because of it.  

It probably helps that, besides Vincent's, they've been edited.  But I agree.  Even the Ladies of Loving reunion, which had a *bit* of that at the start, was much tighter and show-centric.

28 minutes ago, victoria foxton said:

One Life to Live - 1989 - Supercut

Wow!  Lots of work put into that.  Funny enough, I just found a SOD which voted OLTL as worst show of 1989.

1 hour ago, titan1978 said:

I meant to comment on this when you posted it.  I think the Housewives remind me more of what Dynasty kind of became in the middle period.  Women dressed to the nines trading barbed comments and throwing drinks and having cat fights with each other, while the men mostly looked on in judgement.

I can buy that lol

8 hours ago, gimmetoo said:

 

 

Agreed and the host asked for Vincent's memories of John today as well...with no mention of Marj Dusay.  He has asked about John in every episode. Clearly, he is confused as to John's role on AMC.  Yes, it was appropriate to discuss John w/ Eva and even Kelly, but it should have stopped there.  John did NOT play a legacy character and there are many actors far more important to AMC's legacy that should be remember before John C.  Certainly David Canary deserves the touching tributes, but Jill Larson should have been asked about James Mitchell, Vincent about Marj, etc.  I am hoping Susan is not asked about John C.  She should certainly remember David, but Larkin Malloy, Mark LaMura and Frances Heflin all worked much more extensively with Susan than John C.

Oh I wouldn't mind if Susan was asked about John--one of his first big storylines was kidnapping her (and then "kidnapping her") in the Destiny on the Danube arc.  They definitely worked together and he was pretty major to the 90s of the show.  But otherwise, I agree with you.

8 hours ago, ghfan89 said:

I am watching the Vincent interview, and I never heard this before, but he mentioned that it was Frons idea to force out Lorraine in favor of a younger writing staff in 2010. He says they lost 34% viewership after that, which led to the decision of cancellation, and Vincent says he attributes that to Frons getting rid of Lorraine. He said "the exec" head of ABCD micromanaged the show, making one bad decision after the next for 9 years.

No secret about the micromanaging, but glad to hear him say that.  I'm more curious about the earlier comment--Lorraine came on as a favour to Agnes Nixon to try to fix AMC for its anniversary after Pratt's mess--we've basically been told that in interviews.  Also, from the start I thought Lorraine said she didn't want to take on the responsibilities of a HW anymore and it was just an interim job?  It is true that in 2011 it was announced she would be the new HW (and then, what, a week or two later the AMC cancellation announcement...)  I mean obviously Vincent should know far more about this than myself, but...

YES to Julia Bar.

I actually liked Billy Miller on AMC--I know many fans don't agree (it was one of B&E's better stories actually--the reveal of his true motives was drawn out but in a good way--for a long time I just thought he was a regular bit player, playing a friendly bartender who had a few lines at The Comeback).  But it did seem a bit awkward to have him among actors who were on the show much much longer.  I was never a big Babe fan, but Alexa's love for the character and show was nice to see. 

The host made one of his first real faux pas I thought when he asked for memories of John Callahan.  His character was pretty much decimated by the time most of these actors came on, and, as they mentioned, they never had any real stories with him or even memorable scenes that I can think of.

I wished Bobbie had confirmed that they immediately took Krystal in a different direction because I remember the first couple of scenes we saw on her (on the phone to her daughter) it was implied that she was going to scam her daughter and only connecting now that she was rich--and they showed her sleeping around in a cheap motel, etc.  Then when she showed up in Pine Valley nearly all of that was out the window. 

Anyway, I welcomed the video, but yes, the least interesting so far (but I'm not too surprised...)  Interesting about them being aware of David Canary's deteriorating health when he returned for the final few ABC episodes.  I remember thinking his depiction of Stuart seemed off, but otherwise it was great to see him.  Then when he appeared (very briefly despite being on contract) on the online version, it quickly was aware how wrong things were.

13 hours ago, Marco Dane said:

Why was James Kiberd so hated on AMC... Did Kate Collins leave because of him? 

From all I've heard, most of the actors really liked him.  I thought that eventually him and Kate both got along (certainly they've joked about how much they hated each other at first).  He seemed loved at, no pun, Loving...

I actually didn't see it as shade--at least not the way she said it, but maybe that's just me...

LOved the story about director Kaplan's notes (he was a regular at AMC from 1977-97)  Interesting when they started talking about AMC being the best soap--something of course some actors, for a myriad reasons, seemed more keen to say than others (reasons like maybe they were on another soap for a long time, maybe their character didn't have the best writing, etc)

By 1992, when I started paying attention to the soap ratings, AMC was pretty consistently number 2--I believe this stayed until 95 or so.

18 hours ago, Darn said:

 

You're right, I just checked. Dixie died in January 2007, McTavish was the headwriter until April of that year.

Yep, when McTavish's final run at AMC really became awful.  It barely even seemed like she or any other HW was in charge.  Not because the writing was bad-and it was--but McTavish has had bad writing eras before, but it just really felt like suddenly no one knew what they were doing (Pratt's final months being similar).

18 hours ago, DRW50 said:

 

 

I don't have a ton of interest in Cooper scheming to win Ally back, but Cat Hickland is so luminous as Tess, just fascinating to watch, and she and Michael Weatherly have an intense spark.

 

I find the Curtis madness stories so depressing and a bit grimy and sleazy, so I'm not sorry we got little of that in these three. Thom Christopher is fun as Dante though. Probably not the right word. Chris Marcantel is hard to take your eyes off of - everyone in this triangle is charismatic and attractive. I wish they had gone another way. 

 

 

I loved Tess on Loving--never really liked Hickland on OLTL.

The Curtis stuff is kinda grimy and sleazy for Nixon--but I admit I have a soft spot when she goes out there with the Gothic drama and the story really appealed to me.

Which is pretty amazing!

On 5/21/2020 at 11:45 AM, Gray Bunny said:

 

A lot of us here keep the "Bravo's Real Housewives of...." thread very active. Not sure of all our ages though

 

 

Ha I've noticed And gosh, I really don't mean to cast any shade on fans of them, and hate that my comment sounded like I was.  Just for myself, I don't see any of the things I love about daytime soaps in any of the shows.

Jeez--thanks as always DC for such a thoughtful recap.  I completely agree about Ceara's use in Loving.  I know that when Agnes Nixon created her character and got Genie to accept it, according to Genie, she was offered a role that she "couldn't say no to" and that would cross over to various ABC shows.  I suppose it was too hard to think of how that would work at GH...

I have a lot of affection for the Carter Jones/Loving crossover, but that's mostly because it was what made me a steady Loving viewer.  I can't say that it was a particularly strong time for the show.

4 hours ago, Khan said:

 

[!@#$%^&*].

Ha I loved him and yes, always had his pink haired clip from Geri's Bag it Up video in my avatar.  A completely useless character who was on way too long, although I would prefer his storylines over Ryan's...
 

5 hours ago, Vee said:

Jon Lindstrom's story on the AMC livestream about Bruce Dern living in fear of David Canary while auditioning for '60s TV was great.

Which AMC livestream with Jon Lindstrom? 

13 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

 

I think the focus on the University was a good idea, and that could have been the element to separate it from the other soaps.  About the going ons at the college..faculty, students (townies and out of town students), parents of the students, alumni, and financial contributors...could have been a strong soap, etc.  

 

However, the powers that be eventually went in the traditional family oriented set up..but had been done to death already. 

They also, especially under Tom Ellis, went heavily in a corporate business direction which felt devoid of character in the late 1980s...

I agree about the campus.  Agnes Nixon in her bible mentions how the campus will be used as the required "marketplace"--the term she always uses for a location where she can have characters interact, run into each other, etc.  Traditionally she admits to rather awkwardly using the hospital as a "marketplace" (which is still true of many soaps--cuz, you know, we all go to the hospital so often in real life) and how the campus setting will mean they won't have to use that "tired trope".  The campus also is a good excuse for different generations to mingle--students, young professors, older tenured professors and administrators, etc.

8 hours ago, DramatistDreamer said:

Does anybody remember a few years ago when The Daytime Emmys showed clips from their first ever televised show?  Those clips were lifted straight from YouTube.  I wondered why N.A.T.A.S. wouldn't have had a "clean" copy somewhere in their archives. Do they value the anything associated with daytime so little that they couldn't even bother to archive their old broadcasts of the ceremonies?

Oh I remember.  But, this just seems to be accepted practice now.  I would hardly expect the budget Daytime Emmys to have issue with this when higher profiles are doing the same.  Sadly

5 hours ago, Faulkner said:

I remember the furor thirtysomething’s gay bedroom scene caused just two years before. 
 

 

Great episode scripted by Richard Kramer (who went on to write the first Tales of the City series, some great novels, and was very generous when I asked to interview him for a project).

The rules were ridiculous--basically no touching, but they were allowed to have a cigarette which was a concession of sorts.  And a number of affiliates did not air the episode, it was pulled from reruns, sponsors pulled out (of course an actual *bed* scene was completely unheard of at the time and something daytime wouldn't do for a long time, despite some serious inroads in gay storylines in the 90s).

13 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

Yes your right in comparing the situation to primetime in that era.

Were there any women in positions of importance on primetime in those days?

Loretta Young springs to mind as she (and hubby of course) were in charge of her show which was very popular for years.

Off topic - Loretta was always very underrated - she went freelance in 1940 in the heyday of the studio system but never gets credit whereas Stanwyck, Hepburn etc are always mentioned and lauded for bucking the system.

Anyway, fascinating topics to explore.

PS I couldn't bear to invest time in the 'reality' of RH.

What do you mean by the reality of RH?

Great point about Loretta Young!  Lucille Ball probably should get mentioned for this too (even if hers was a partnership with Desi).