P.J.

Oh, sweet baby Jesus. Granted, I really haven't seen Jerry Lanning's acting. But it's hard to imagine anyone being Billy other than Jordan, or having that chemistry with Maeve. I was just thinking that as much as I love Doug Marland, I don't think he would've scripted Billy that way, or even envisioned Jordan in the role.

Yes. And Nadine later admitted that she built up the "Buzz, King of Fifth street" lore so they'd have someone to be proud of. Buzz had a criminal history prior to going into the army. He may have faced jail time and been given the choice of that or the army.

I know Pops provided for them, but it seemed like Frank "raised" Harley. He ran an illegal chop shop when she was pregnant with Daisy. They thought Buzz was dead, so you understood why initially Frank was very resistant to Nadine's return. It took Harley a little longer to realize Nadine was selfish and self-absorbed (or to see it was wrong, Harley was the same way.) In Nadine's case, I think both Frank and Harley just realized she was never going to really change. She never did anything as devious as the Peter debacle, but she was never going to be a straight arrow type. I also think Eleni kind of worked on both of them to forgive Buzz. Harley's issues were probably brushed under the rug a bit with Ehler's first exit. But I think I recall her still being a bit bristly with him at times because of it.

Now that i think about it, did James Reborn ever stick anywhere for long? He's on GL less than a year, even though he returns a couple of time for short arcs. He's not on ATWT for long stints either. I know he was constantly working, he was a good actor.

I've seen Daniel Davis in other roles. I'm not sure he's exactly Alan---but it's not a terrible idea. I mean, wouldn't you trust Bev's instincts?

I'm not sure who had significant roles or who simply appeared on the show. Bev McKinsey, of course. But IIRC, Ben Hendrickson (Silas Crocker) did as well.

I definitely mean the actors from Texas. Because truly, other than Bev McKinsey and James Reborn who I didn't realize or had forgotten, (and arguably Harley Kozak) they are washouts, IMO. OMG...why didn't someone tell me Jerry Lanning (who I had to look up, who played the creepy Cain what'shisname) was also Randy Twizzle from the episode of the Dick Van Dyke show? Anyhow, while it's unfair to paint anyone who'd been on Texas! with a broad brush--given that I can't really stand Jay Hammer, Lisby Larson and Michael Woods (and this goes for his role on ATWT later too as Alec Wallace) or really Alexandra McNeil---I think they as a group were worse. Technically (and I'll understand the objections), the Lewises were pre-Long. Josh and Trish were created by Doug Marland. HB and Billy were both mentioned before Diane Ballard's murder in '81. Even though that's pretty much forgotten.

I'm not sure I agree that she was fired to pay for him either, but in some way, I think Buzz's personality was formed in response to the focus group mentality. They didn't have to make Buzz an obnoxious con man who ran out on his kids because he couldn't stand his blue collar existence and his responsibilities. And they later softened that by giving him Lucy, who thought he was a great dad.

Question: what's more egregious---the FOJ invasion, or the Texas invasion of the mid-80's?

Being a Trekker, of COURSE! @DRW50 or any actress who really could act. Not the parade of former models trying to learn the craft.

I don't discuss her as much because I just don't watch the era she was on much. (Although I do occasionally torture myself watching the final years, mostly to catch Billy and Van.) I love catching her on classic tv, and she was great as Blair's mother on Facts of Life.

Was Kristen on B&B at the time? Physically, she'd have been a match for that role. Although, I'm sure that other than Susan Flannery, would've acted rings around the cast. I can't see her lasting on B&B for long. Mostly because no one other than KKL and SF did.

For me, it's not even close. Deas, by a mile. I found Nick annoying, but Irizarry at least had a history with the show before Jill was involved, and Nick never seemed to eat the show. Deas is the male equivalent of Kim Zimmer. A little went a long way, and he seemed to get these "moral center of the universe" moments that just left you scratching your head. I actually liked Marj Dusay, much more than others here do. Not being Beverlee McKinsey isn't a crime. Marj was a respected character actress long before her soap days. Marcy Walker was screwed over by Jill. While the character of Tangie was bad, it's not really a reflection on her.

I do think part of the allure of Deas was critical darling status. Especially in those first couple of years when Kim was still gone. I mean, he's probably a great guy and he was doing what was asked of him. The Coopers were an established family, and he and Jenna were a popular pairing. But like Reva, Buzz wore on me. Honestly, Buzz never should've really been completely reconciled with Harley and Frank. He wasn't "a family guy"...but somehow wound up as Mr. Springfield. (well, except for sending Rocky off to Jenna's nonexistent family, or wherever those kids went for years and Rocky never came back from...)

Other than the riveting reveal when Harley nails him to the wall for walking out on all of them, I just can't stand Buzz scenes.

Personally, I think that's great. I just wish he'd have done it somewhere other than GL.

Good Lord....it sounds vaguely familiar. Olivia certainly inherited the Golden HooHa badge from Reva. She got more Dick than a convention of Richards. I just generally loathed the character and hated her stories, period. I don't get people's liking of Crystal Chappel. Olivia was another character who wore out her welcome long before the end of the show.

Oh, and honestly, if Beth Ehlers hadn't returned, GL might've finally been forced to dump Deas. There is no doubting Deas' talent, but Buzz had run amok. Frank had never been a character strong enough to really generate story, and it was clear TPTB had no interest in him and Eleni anymore. Buzz doesn't really do anything for that last decade other than run around in an apron at the diner. The regrettable Maryanne Carruthers story notwithstanding.

Imagine my surprise on watching the German episodes. I'd read that Van's exit was day x, and day x's episode is one long Van/Reva talk at the airport, where Van is suddenly all buddy buddy with Reva again, after months of sniping over their places in Alan's life. And Van is just all concerned about opening ol'Reve's eyes to the fact that Reva is falling for Alan. And I'm just ROLLING MY EYES, thinking WTF is Van giving one flip about Reva's stupidity? On watching the German episodes, I realized Vanessa spends nearly the entire week packing up her life and saying goodbye. Her last episode is actually the day after the talk with Reva, where she says goodbye to Dinah, A-M, HB and Henry, Alex and Phillip, and Ross. Alan shows up, but they don't' speak. Maybe it was just that she'd been so heavily in story that year that she got that buildup to leaving. And while maybe not a "happy" ending, at least a purposeful one. Considering Long seemed so blase about Van for so long (maybe that's the wrong word...but often didn't know what to do with her outside of being Billy's supportive wife) it had some effort put in to it. It's even kind of a lynchpin in the story of Phillip and Alex's plot to oust Alan, as Van's leaving kind of cements Henry's support for them.

I don't think they were good in general at goodbyes. Probably a consequence of so many regimes and no consistency. There are some meaningful goodbyes (Vanessa in '88, Josh in '91) and some tragic deaths (Lujack, Reva and the bridge, even ***** and **** as I don't want to spoil you), Roger's '80 exit stands out. But otherwise it's some random deaths, (Jackie, Hillary, Leslie Ann, Maeve) and people randomly picking up and leaving town (Katie, Tony and Annabelle who go on summer vacation and leave off screen, Quint and Nola decide to leave together, but I think only say goodbye to Henry onscreen. Johnny comes back from visiting Roxy and breaks up with Chelsea, ouch.) There aren't a lot that seem to happily send people off to the next chapter of their lives, that we just don't get to see. Harley and Mallet get married, Phillip, Beth & baby Lizzie go to Arizona for their community service, and Phillip does at least stick around through Sam's surgery.

In '88, I think Ross was mostly involved in a drug case. I think the character's name was Nicky, and he was Cam's father's supplier. Mindy gets mixed up in it via Rusty, Ross is semi-dating a cop played by Mary Ellen Stuart, and (as was normal for Ross) he's probably riding herd on Phillip somewhat. Towards the end, he's defending Josh for the attempted murder of Will. Nadine doesn't come to town until Jan/February '89. Whatever they have going on kind of stalls when Vanessa comes back, and Ross is more interested in Holly than Nadine.

LOL...as I've never seen a scene of Carter and Lainie together, the entire romance might've been off-screen. Don't forget the jack-of-all trades William, who worked at The Blue Orchid, The Blue Moon and The Towers, not to mention WSPR (if not The Journal back when Maeve was alive, but I'm not positive on that.) And there's another problem--he couldn't have even gone by his last name (Fletcher) like others might (or what the hell ever Mallet came up with Mallet), because of Fletcher. So, middle name "X" would be okay. There must've been more children at least referenced during the '70's. But it doesn't seem like GL made an effort to give characters families. There's Billy, Emily (who'd never heard of before posting) Tim Werner, Rick, Christina and Phillip. Hope, of course, but she must've been older than Billy at the time. I can think of a lot more ATWT children--Betsy, Emily, Frannie, Andy, Paul, Teddy (who becomes Ryder in the '90's), Chuckie (although I'm not sure how old he was when he died) LOL...ironically, its the same amount.

No kidding. A-M should've been a bigger presence in Springfield. They really should've recast him at some point. I'm not sure they ever said what Lainie Marler had---they could've given Ross a nephew Bridget's age.

I was trying to think of any male from the past they could've brought in for Bridget, and couldn't think of anyone.

oh...if only...