P.J.

Sigh...I know it's been more than 30 years, but you'd think he'd remember that Harley gave her baby up.

Because it is the 4th of July...favorite Bauer BBQ? For me, it's 1990. Ironically, people are avoiding the BBQ. Rick, Mindy, Beth and Phillip reminisce at Laurel Falls, Josh/Reva are down in the Keys, and the Lewis-Chamberlains are at HB's suffering from unrequited love. Ed and Mo spend the day arguing because Ed criticized Mo's potato salad. It's my favorite because Vanessa snarkily wishes Billy a happy independence day when he wants to keep his options open with Nadine, Ross is strolling around in a tank top, and by the end of episode, Holly accepts Ross' proposal, Billy has dumped Nadine and Vanessa tells him she wants to be married, and everyone's gathered in the backyard to sing. (I think it's "This Land is Your Land".)

Exactly! The writers seem to be trying to redefine relationships, and it makes them sound stupid. Vanessa and Alan worked together, she blackmailed him and he fired her more than once. She always knew he was a snake, and not to be trusted. Ross even says to her that she hasn't changed. WTH? You mean she hasn't changed from the days when she was accidently overdosing and borderline stalking him? Aye Carumba. It seems out of place to see Vanessa and Alex so light-hearted, but I can argue that they deserved a break from the angst. But at times it seems like Ross and Henry are treating her like a child. And not that Alex couldn't enjoy the simpler side of life, but being so giddy with HB seems a bit much. I appreciate the gravitas Don Stewart brought, but I can't see him and Bev having a spark.

It has something to do with the people Alan's mixed up with attacking both Lewis and Spaulding, and them kinda bonding over business. HB just gave Alex some hand carved figures, that reminded him of the whittling he did for Billy (cowboys and Indians) and Trish (animals) when they were young. He laments about how he didn't have time to do the same for Josh. It's just extremely odd. It seems (from the German episodes) that Vanessa is even saying that he should be careful because she doesn't trust Alex. (Vanessa blames Alan for Henry's latest heart attack, but how that translates to Alex I haven't figured out. Alan apparently either advised Henry badly or didn't step in when Vanessa thought he should have. He may have even helped swindle Henry somehow.) She had sort of a romance with Fletcher. But, y'all know how unimpressed I am with him. lol I can't imagine who I'd cast as a love interest for Alex. She's so dynamic, she'd run all over the wrong person without even trying.

In 1987, it's Warren's club, the Blue Orchid. (It preceeded the Blue Moon, which Hamp and Fletch owned in '90. Chelsea also sang there. LOUDLY.) Yes, Chelsea Reardon, played by Kassie (Wesley) de Paiva. No, they're trying to sell HB/Alex as a romance._

KZ? probably. Good grief, who thought HB and Alex would work? And now I remember why I hated Chelsea with a passion. She's singing practically from the moment she steps into town.

I know! I watched the one that was put up and picked it apart out of shear frustration. There are more today, but only one I was interested in.

I'm heartbroken. I was just watching last night before I went to bed.

Plus, Billy's Melinda Sue, even though she's not in town. I didn't think they used younger actors in the flashbacks. But I haven't seen it since it aired.

No problem. For some reason, I kind of stumbled on the particulars of the story just before you asked. So--serendipity. Some day, we'll have to discuss how it trashed the established history of Billy/Josh/Buzz/Alan and Ed...but it is truly a coincidence that most of the men have daughters/granddaughters whose names start with M.

Until I rewatched, I had never realized how violent Billy could be. There are three times when he's truly scary---throwing Reva out of HB's house when he catches her and Josh, this one, and when he goes after Jack Kiley after the hung jury in Vanessa's case. Jordan gets this eerie blank look on his face and he plays it like Billy is lost in rage. And physically, he's just so much more imposing than most men on the show.

I thought she laughed a little longer too. It doesn't seem to be any longer in the German episodes.

The part where she wants to rip his lungs out? Yeah, that's a great speech. And highlights the connection between Henry and Alex. I hope the full episodes eventually get uploaded. And I think Rick, Matt and Frank (maybe) kind of drift by them at Bill and Lizzie's wedding, and Billy says something about how she's already attracting all the boys in town again. When KS arrived, Mindy and Billy are a little more at odds than they ever have been between the Will thing and the Dylan reveal. But there's a moment between them after Billy and Vanessa blow up (after Saudi Arabia) and he's sitting alone in his office and she just comes in and consoles him that sold it for me. That moment's in the opening credits until the Hold on to Love one debuted.

Yep. AFAIC, Billy is the heart and soul of the Lewis family. Josh is it's conscience. I'm not sure I would've accepted Crampton more, but the Billy/Mindy dynamic had always been important for both characters.

I think this is the clip you're thinking of, it's from May '91, when Mindy's miscarrying. Alex had learned that Mindy was pregnant with Roger's child, that Hart was Roger's and that Roger was embezzling from Spaulding. As for the writing for Alex, there are things she's doing that I don't think Alex would've done. After getting him out and divorcing him, she turns around and uses Roger to get the dirt on Mindy to stop the wedding to Nick. I also don't like the way she punishes Mindy by telling Billy. (Although on rewatch, she and Billy have a more antagonistic relationship than I'd remembered.) Then again, the ripple effect from that is fantastic.

I'm surprised Locher isn't doing some kind of GL interview. I should go watch those anniversary shows interviews.

Now Martin's secret is some multi-level conspiracy, involving nearly all the male cast? Oy vey. But hey, points for the unexpected.

I do occasionally watch some Henry/Jenna. He "mentors" her after she's won the lawsuit, encouraging her to run the business and not just let Roger play puppetmaster. It really is hard for me to watch Jenna, especially during this period. She and Roger are so odious together. I haven't watched into the fall, but just from William's appearance at Billy and Vanessa's wedding, I have to wonder if his health wasn't declining.

But that is much more about the writing than the characters themselves. As long as the Lewises or some assemblage of the Three Musketeers was on screen, there was a place for Mindy on canvas. Yes, characters also benefit from rests. But there's a huge difference between Mindy and Reva. No way, no how was Mindy ever going to get the outrageous, continual front burner status that Reva enjoyed.

I remember SSH as Lauren Fenmore's bitchy mother, so that definitely would've been a 'no' from me. Even someone like Susan Flannery, who is arguably in the top ten of soap actresses, I can't see having Alex's softer qualities or humor. I think Krista could've played a more adult version of Mindy easily. However, I don't think she could've played Mindy's affair with Roger.

I adore William's chemistry with everyone. He and Jerry ver Dorn as a pseudo father/son-in-law were gold.

No on Krista. Krista said about six months after she left, Pam Long called and tried talking her into a return. Is she on OLTL at this point? I'm not sure it was initially made clear who was older, but during the Susan Piper story, it was established that Alex and Alan's mother had died shortly after giving birth to him. Retcons/story "tweaks" so often seem completely unnecessary.

OMG---I had not realized Munker was such a baby on ATWT! I can understand it being hard to recast Alex. Look at how divisive Marj Dusay in the role is, and she is by no means a slouch. Any actress is going to suffer by comparison. Yes, that's JFP's job. But there were so many qualities that Beverlee brought to the role, that it must've seemed impossible. I

MOL wasn't even on the show at the time. But no, I can't imagine Hickland embodying the quirkier aspects of Mindy, or clicking with MOL as ex sweethearts.

That was the point I was also (clumsily) trying to make.