Khan

I agree. From the start, David Jacobs envisioned DALLAS as a modern-day "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof," with Bobby as Brick, J.R. as Gooper, Pam as Maggie, Sue Ellen as Mae, and Jock and Miss Ellie as Big Daddy and Big Mama. You also saw a little bit of George Stevens' "Giant" in the Jock/Digger/Miss Ellie triangle, and especially in how Jock and Digger's falling out over business AND Miss Ellie turned Digger into a bitter drunk; and even some of "Romeo & Juliet," too, with Bobby and Pam becoming husband and wife, despite the decades of bad blood between their families.

I think a big reason (aside from the usual network/sponsor interference) why Laibson didn't work out at GL was because it wasn't his choice to leave AW. Similarly, I think Megan McTavish came back to GL as HW with a major score to settle with ABCD, who had dumped her from AMC in the wake of the OKC/Murrah Building bombing. In turn, I think their bitterness over their respective firings infected GL.

Wow, that sounds awfully judgmental of her, lol.

No, you weren't.

By the way, Donna, the correct sentence is, "Who ARE you calling flighty?!!"

The first season's tone is interesting to examine, as you can see how Peter S. Fischer is determining the right tone for the show going forward. For one thing, as has been mentioned upthread, Jessica herself is quirkier and decidedly more New England-y than she would be in later seasons. Furthermore, the mysteries themselves are more "serious" and cerebral, with more clues than you'll ever see in subsequent years. (In the final season, you're often given only one clue!) Look, for example, at how Harry McGraw is presented for the first time (in "Tough Guys Don't Die") and then compare it to his subsequent appearances. In his first go-round with Jess, Harry isn't nearly as offbeat as he would become later on. Aside from his brief disguise as an oilman to get some info from someone, a lot of the heavy comedic lifting falls more to Jessica/Angela than it does to Jerry Orbach. You don't hear the unique turns of phrase that, for better or worse, would come to define Harry's way of talking. The pacing isn't as comedic and the music isn't played for laughs either. Even the police detective, played by Paul Winfield, isn't as comically combative with Harry as subsequent leadfoots would be. Instead, it's a fairly straightforward introduction for McGraw, one that goes along with the darker and (for lack of a better word) grittier tone of many S1 episodes, when they still toyed with Jessica exposing herself to real danger from time to time. And as for the other guest stars in S1 - they're probably the most motley crew you'll ever find on this show, too. I mean, only in S1 will you see the likes of Gabe Kaplan and Jo Anne Worley, lol. In subsequent seasons, perhaps as a result of the show's success, there seems to be a more concerted effort to hire guest stars of a better caliber. By S2, though, the tone that will come to define MSW at least until David Moessinger's arrival is set. Jessica is more the "everywoman" that Angela wanted her to be. As such, it falls more to the guest stars and recurring characters to be comical and quirky - which, in turn, forces the writers to write more lighthearted (and perhaps, less challenging) mysteries. A format or approach that works pretty much until S6, when MSW becomes almost TOO cute - a corniness that isn't helped by the presence of the bookend episodes. In some ways, then, the changes that Moessinger and his team make in S8 are welcome, but the show itself is "dumbed down" a bit more in the process.

Seriously, is it December already? Because that's been the time of the year when we have so many frequent, high-profile deaths.

I agree. At one point, the interest rates on my graduate loans were TWICE that of a mortgage on a new house. That should not be a reality in any country, let alone this one. I'm not someone who believes all student debt should be wiped out. If you take out a loan, I believe, you have to do your best to repay it. But I do think something needs to be done about lowering interest rates so that college graduates and others aren't stuck paying off loans into their so-called "twilight years."

I like this a lot!

Mine's 9%. (God bless Navient, lol).

Definitely! Donna Reed's Miss Ellie might have dressed better, but....

If there ever was a soap character who didn't need a very special anniversary episode, it's Phyllis Summers.

TD, EON, GH, LOL, OLTL, RH and SOM appear to be firmly in the middle or bottom of the pack, while the rest of the shows are in a near-constant state of flux.

I choose either option A or B.

So senseless, and so very sad. My heart goes out to all his loved ones, including everyone at GH. May he RIP.

I agree. It seemed like Gloria Monty and her writers were trying to damnedest to make TG/Bill work somewhere on the canvas, but they just weren't getting anywhere. I felt that way watching the show off-and-on with GL and SaBa as a kid; and reading through these synopses, I feel even more that way now. I don't think I've ever witnessed a character on soaps go through as many, um, transformations as Bill Eckert did. Which makes me wonder: what would have happened if Genie Francis had told ABCD she was never going back to GH as Laura ever, AMC job or no AMC job? Would GH had gone through with bringing back Luke without her? And if not, would they have just written Bill off the show when Geary's contract was done and let him go as well?

Next time, Donna, just click on the links.

Why not? It isn't as if the show wasn't setting up the audience for it at the end of S6, with Harry Fisher driving off with one of the twins. All they needed to do was keep it going long enough - 2-3 episodes max - to set off enough story bombs that would keep the audience from tuning out once the story was over. As everyone is on the lookout for Harry and the one twin, they're also keeping an eye on Sheila and the other twin, because they suspect that Harry will contact them at some point. In the meantime, Gary would learn he's the twins' biological father and everyone else would begin piecing together Abby's role in the whole thing, with the threat of criminal prosecution hanging over Abby's head. And it all culminates with the Fishers finally getting caught and the twins being reunited with Val (as Gary looks on and Ben panics).

That's why I wonder if there's more to that story than just "It contradicts my beliefs" or "What will the children think?" And even their passion is sordid and kinky when you think about how, not too long ago, Drew wanted to beat her down like a dude. Not partly, but totally. We're definitely getting two HW's separate handiworks here.

Forget the love scenes (or lack thereof). Amanda once played a gold-digging exotic dancer who married a man old enough to be her (grand)father! How will she explain THAT to her kids, lol?

Well, everything ends up on the Internet sooner or later! Josh/Amanda: "We were thinking about you when we demanded no love scenes. We didn't want that stuff to come back and embarrass you later." Kid(s): "Well, that's terrific - except now? Everybody thinks we're Mormons!" Two thoughts: 1. I know Amanda is doing this out of respect for her real-life husband, but...if you're worried about what performing love scenes on a daytime soap opera might do to your real-life marriage, then is your marriage really all that secure? (Steve Burton refused to do love scenes or even go shirtless for years partially out of respect for his wife, and look where that got him, lol!) 2. Part of me believes Josh and Amanda's "No Sex, Please, We're Skittish!" act, and part of me wonders if it's REALLY because the two might not like each other IRL and are only forced to work together because Frank.

Chances are, if/when Josh and Amanda's respective offspring stumble across old Chase/BLQ clips online, they're going to be just as frustrated as we are now that they are the most sexless, romance-free pairing ever.

Besides, if we want to watch a bunch of men chase after Susan Lucci, we can just watch old AMC episodes on YT.

I’d rather Frank just skip using sets for a whole month and spring for Paul Anka. It IS sad how so many young folks are so unaware of the hotness that was Gonzo Gates.