Khan

Thanks, AMS.

Do you all think that Claire's writing only worked at RH and later GH because it was more along the lines of ABC daytime soaps and not CBS soaps, which were more rooted in realism, hearth, and community? Possibly. At its best, Claire Labine's work possessed urbane qualities, sharing Agnes Nixon's penchant for topical storylines, if not her broad sense of humor. In fact, I think it says a lot that Labine's two biggest successes were on shows that were set in New York (three, if you count LOVE OF LIFE, which might have been set in NY as well, but don't quote me on that). That was just her milieu. However, to suggest the CBS soaps were more rooted in realism implies Labine's work was the opposite. If anything, the further she strayed from the simple, everyday, character-driven stuff that characterized her best years on GH and especially RH, the more she faltered as a HW.

In hindsight, ATWT with Claire Labine as HW would have turned out the same way that GL did: a victim of constant network/sponsor interference, mixed with a nagging feeling that ATWT wasn't really Labine's kind of soap and that maybe, her best days as a scribe were long behind her.

If Goutman and Sheffer were so eager to bring Howarth (and his fanbase) to ATWT, that would have been one thing. But I always believed they would have been better off creating a new character for him -- even one who, down the road, might turn out to have some surprising ties to established characters -- than to bring him in as a recast of a pivotal character in some attempt to make longtime fans care about him. It's so cheap and obvious whenever a soap goes THAT route -- and IMO, it hardly ever works. As for Darryl Crawford and everything else associated with the Carolyn Crawford story...you know, as much as I admire and respect Marland's body of work on this and other shows, I must admit, in hindsight, that that might have been the point where someone (either at P&G, or at CBS) needed to admit Marland was burning out. Even Julie Poll admitted (years later, in some interview for SOD, I think) that Marland had changed his mind about the story's direction about halfway through, which was something he rarely did. Someone needed to sit the man down for a discussion about his future with the show. Maybe he needed to move over to one of P&G's other shows -- AW, perhaps, or even back to GL -- or maybe he needed just to stop working for awhile and then determine where to go next. Who knows? He had been working on his own soap, after all, so there were no guarantees he would have stayed with WT much longer, had he survived heart surgery. Either way, though, I feel like Marland, by that point, had given WT everything he could and needed to move on.

Ah, the Eighties.

True, Luke had his faults. However, at the end of the day, I saw him as a decent, if self-involved and naive, human being. Ergo, I always believed that the right kind of love interest for him needed to be someone who was darker and edgier than Noah or even Reid. Someone who wasn't clean-cut or up to doing the "right thing" all the time, but who, through Luke's love for and influence on him, became, through the usual fits and starts, a better person. IOW, a "good girl who falls for a bad guy" story -- but with a twist. Also, I don't care what anyone says -- Kim Zimmer pulled her son off the show, because she didn't want him to "play gay." That's my belief, and I'm sticking to it.

If Silberman weren't comfortable portraying a gay man, then why take the job in the first place? That's always what I've wondered on that subject. Was Noah originally intended to be straight? Did TPTB not inform Silberman of their plans for his character and Luke's?

I mean, are we that hard up to see ourselves on screen that we just don't give a damn? I have said the same about African-Americans -- and to me, the answers are the same. Some believe any exposure -- even if it's unflattering exposure -- is better than no exposure at all. I think those people are wrong.

I haven't encountered an ATWT fan yet who didn't think that particular story was boring or not the kind of story that fit on the show.

Ah, John Litvack (the director in the photo with Fulton and Douglas). The same guy who was The WB's head of programming during the "Buffy"/"Dawson's Creek" era -- and the same dude who infamously referred to Michelle Williams as a "chipmunk-cheeked c**t."

I have a confession to make... I think these promos work better and faster than a dose of castor oil.

I think Brown did tape some but realized quickly it was too much work for him. Pretty much -- and I have heard, as well, that PB had an on-set breakdown which led to his decision to leave. Which is too bad, because I think he would have been much better in that role than Hunt Block.

Liz Foster. Definitely Liz Foster. Jennifer Brooks (as kalbir mentions above) might have been more glamorous, but from everything I have read, Liz sounds like the meatier character. Unless, of course, John Conboy DID offer BM the role of Jennifer and Bev decided to sign with AW because Iris was more attractive to her. Either way, we know it wasn't for Katherine Chancellor, as Bill Bell didn't introduce her until later in order to boost ratings (IIRC). Meanwhile, regarding Charity Rahmer...those "conspiracy theories" about her make sense if we assume her predecessor (Kirsten Storms, right?) had a tremendous fan following. If that's true, then yes, Charity was hired in order to lower our standards for a Belle recast. Whoever came after her was bound to look great by comparison -- and for the most part, "Grandma Belle" did.

IA, KMan, one of the Olsen twins needs to make an appearance, at least, just so the media can move on. I'm not surprised FH has been renewed. Personally, the original series never was my cup of tea -- and I doubt I will make time for the new series either (the hotness of Steve and the Katsopolis twins be damned). However, so many out there were so ecstatic to hear about the revival, I just knew the results would score with Netflix subscribers, regardless of my personal feelings about the two shows' qualities. Besides, maybe FH's success might encourage Netflix to revive OTHER beloved shows from the past...like, say, "Cheers" (hint, hint, lol)?

Jeanne Cooper on ATWT? It's too surreal to imagine. As I've said in the past, if Marland had not died in '93, he probably would have left ATWT anyway -- either to write his own show, the bible for which he was working on at the time of his passing; or to work on another soap. (My theory has always been that P&G would have asked him to fix ANOTHER WORLD.) Either way, he wouldn't have remained at WT much longer. IMO, its increasingly somber tone -- while certainly not reflective of the kind of quality, character-driven writing Marland had been giving it all along -- was a sure sign that he was starting to burn out.

Granted, I was not alive back then to witness this first-hand, but I tend to suspect Y&R in the beginning was little more than ATWT with bigger hair and skimpier outfits.

You know, I'm surprised they never had "poor Val" brainwashed into joining some religious cult? Given everything ELSE KL's writers did to her, it wouldn't have been too much of a stretch.

If Paul Rauch and the writers had intended Sharon Gabet's Melinda to be a substitute for Robin Strasser's Dorian, then they failed. Based on those YT clips, Gabet's Melinda was all over the place. Not that Gabet didn't give Melinda her all, mind you. The show just didn't know what to do with her. Also, my God, was OLTL over-the-top at that time. A serious cross between EDGE OF NIGHT (helped by the appearance of several vets from that show) and the nighttime soaps from that era...and not in the good way.

They were right about Dixie and her wedding dress. She should have known better.

Don't hate me, but I think RC would've been better as Amanda in the long run than as Lorna.

My God, they must crank out these puppies from an assembly line.

Why?

Not necessarily. Marland might have brought more consistency to ATWT, but that was because CBS and P&G did not interfere. Once he was gone, so was that guarantee, IMO.

Ashley Williams was and is a horrible actress; and unless God performs a miracle, she will continue to be a horrible actress for the rest of her natural life.

As John mentions upthread, John Dauer (ex-Jeremy) has resumed his acting career: http://www.imdb.com/name/nm7657426/?ref_=nmmd_md_nm He also fronts an indie band, The Ruse: http://www.rusemusic.com Thanks, Carl. I had NO idea he had elected to leave ATWT in order to attend college. I always assumed the decision had been the show's, and that letting him go had been a supreme mistake on their part. If Dauer has recommitted himself somewhat to acting, then I certainly wish him the best. Because, yes, he WAS good.