P.J.

What's the point that Roger crosses the line from misguided to amoral?

It is just so amazing to me that anyone would've thought that Roger could "be straightened out". Maybe I can cut Bert slack because this was so much earlier in his story, but it still annoys me that Maureen "was friends with" him.

Now I remember the recap. That's the Christmas Vanessa spent dead. I would maybe rewatch, but I'm just not into Billy and Reva's "friendship".

Well, there was the 50th anniversary week showings of fan favorite moments. But it still tickles me that Vanessa 's first Christmas with #### is her reminiscing about the Lewis's. I'm not sure what they did in '96. But otherwise I don't recall them ever digging out clips. Other than Roger/Holly around the time they returned to Springfield. Did GL ever replay classic episodes like ATWT did a couple of times?

And watching that wedding segment, it seems to be a mistake they make repeatedly. Eleni had two wedding dresses that looked like they threw every tablecloth in the studio over her and stitched them together. There's big skirts and puffy sleeves a-plenty. Oh, and about that '92 show (which I can't really stand)...they had access to those clips in '92. That they only made the effort in a prime time special was a choice. ATWT was doing stuff like that years before. The clips they used in the thirtieth anniversary show was a treat for the fans. Yet a year earlier, the best GL can do is random photos for Bert's tribute.

Honestly, I remember being so disgusted at Parker/Liberty. Not because it was anything approaching remotely suggestive. But because I knew Mick was 15 and Meredith was 21. Nola was older than Morgan. Morgan was still in high school when she came to Springfield. Nola was out of school. Genie Francis looks 30 in that TV guide cover. Ironically, in that clip, I like Maeve's wedding dress the best. As stunning as Reva's dress is---it doesn't fit her personality. Reva would've worn something much more body conscious and glamourous. And shout out to GL's most iconic scenes---Van and Nola's cat fight.

Hearing it was shot over three days, I now know why Vanessa wasn't at that wedding, even though she was dating Ed. I wouldn't take a pregnant woman out on a three day location shoot either. Certainly not to wander dirt paths over tree roots.

At some point, they try and pass her off as Reva's cousin Dolly. Just numbingly stupid. It wasn't Morgan's gown I was cringing at, it was Hope's. Vigard looks beautiful and delicate in that gown. Maybe I'd have a different opinion (or at least a less harsh one) if I saw Hope moving in that dress. But it's the difference between wearing a dress and the dress wearing you. Elvera looks like one of those dolls your grandma crocheted to sit on a made bed.

eeek. Poor Elvera. She was a pretty girl. There she is just lost under a monstrosity and a hairdo from hell. I'm not sure it's fair to blame Marland. He had just taken over. Weddings just weren't the big production until Luke and Laura. Ross and Carrie's wedding is dull as dirt. Even Morgan and Kelly's (while the scenery is beautiful to look at) is people wandering around the woods.

Well, technically, Alex's introduction party was a masquerade. GL loved doing them. This also gives Alex the freedom (or in the first episode, Alex's double) to wander around the party unrecognized, not to mention Bradley and Jim. OMG--Alan and Jackie's wedding sounds like a HOOT. Alan and Hope's, not so much. I think I've seen a picture of that wedding dress and it looks drab. The German episodes start around the summer of '82. I keep hoping more of them will pop up. Odd ones from earlier will occasionally. But seeing more with Jackie would be epic.

Oh, and another thing---how unlikely was it that a) Elizabeth just left her wedding dress somewhere where Phillip could find it at the Spaulding mansion? Like, is there a separate attic space for each of Alan's wives? or that b) Alan would actually remember it, which he claimed to do?

I assume that Martha would've called him Harlan, just as Sally and later Sarah do. Given that, I think Reva does it (in the beginning) to manipulate him and then later because they're closer (having been married) or because that's what Reva heard him called as a child. Reva does occasionally call him HB, but Vanessa never, ever called him Harlan. Billy, Trish and Josh each had their issues with him, so I think they started out calling him HB to create that distance. The same way Phillip would call his fathers Alan and Justin most of the time. And in direct contrast with Vanessa and Mindy, who nearly always use "daddy" when referring to their fathers, emphasizing their closeness. Later, Billy and Josh would occasionally use "daddy", but it would be in personal conversations with him.

Yeah, no one says "Harlan Billy" very often. While we think of Billy as a nickname, it was a more popular name from around the 1880's-early 1900's. For me it's the "Harlan" that just sounds harsh. There's a lot of other names they could've used...Howard, Harrison, Hamilton even Harwood, that arguably might sound better with "Billy". I'll have to pay more attention to the earlier episodes I watch to see if it pops up under Marland. 'Cause honestly, it does sound like a Marland-ism. Beth wore Elizabeth's wedding gown to the party welcoming Alexandra back to Springfield, where they also announced their engagement after returning from New York. (this is also Vanessa and Billy's first wedding.) Ugh---part of what I hated about the clone story was how stupid everyone else had to be to not know something was off with "Reva".

Given the way Long focused on his family issues, I doubt it was accidental. Happy or otherwise.

In those specific instances, it was probably to keep confusion to a minimum. And with Lesley Anne, it's another instance of GL reusing a name fairly quickly after a character's death. On a planet with millions of names, it seems like GL just couldn't help themselves.

I'm pretty sure it was always credited as Harlan. The obvious inspiration is Harland Sanders. Marland did have a propensity for biblical names (Joshua, Caleb, Seth (from ATWT)) or slightly old-fashioned names: Margaret (Meg), Eleanor (Ellie), and Harvey Snyder for example. If it was Long who decided what the "H" stood for, maybe Harlan(d) is more of a Alabama/Georgia name. And there's Harlan County USA, which either could've used as inspiration. I'd never heard the name Reva before (or Reba, for that matter). Roxie I think was short for Roxanne, which seems a little pretentious for Sarah. Rusty's given name was Russell.

Very early on, there were occasional references to the Lewises having a ranch and horses, but that was quickly dropped. And funny, for "down home" people, whenever they visited back home, it was always going to Cross Creek (which is apparently just a vacation cabin.)

Jordan Clarke even starts out with a different accent when he debuted. I'm not sure what he was going for, but it changes noticeably. I believe Carrie Cromlyn comes from the Kentucky/West Virginia area, which accounts for her twang. Not to mention Mindy, who mostly sounds like Valley Girl.

The lady who held the deed to the land under The Towers name was Ruth Price. Her reading Roger for filth was great. "I know the Devil is a gentleman..."...LOL I'm not sure of her name, and I don't recall seeing her elsewhere. Unlike Vera who I think occasionally showed up on ATWT. Per slick jones' character guide, Ruth was played by Beatrice Winde. Greg Burke was on the least of the three. I'm nearly positive he was never on contract. Someone hated YaYa?

Joe Pozeneki (and I know I've murdered the spelling of his last name). I lnpw he was on for a good decade. He was there fir Diane Ballard's murder. The last time I recall him being mentioned was Reva's PPD disappearance. They had this guy during Lujack's time who I liked too--but I forget his name.

Margaret probably delivered Springfield's babies for twenty years! Oddly, one of my favorite ATWT recurring characters was Lynn Michaels, played by Courtney Sherman, aka Mrs. Peter Simon. Leo is delightfully smarmy. And let's not forget Nick, our Christmas Santa.

Okay, random question--- Who's your favorite recurring character? Mine: Wanda Vera Det. Levy HM: Lance, Vanessa's secretary in '83

It'd be a little jarring jumping into the last months of Sonni/Will, but otherwise, I can't see a downside. '89 (while Reva heavy) isn't exactly RevaOverload.

I know I'll sound like a broken record, but I'd still start with '89. If episodes aren't available, at least there are SOD recaps available to augment. I know gaps are frustrating, but I'd watch as much of Alex/Roger as I could. That begins in '89. By '92, you're only going to see about 8 months of her.

As someone who criticized KM in the first weeks of the show and felt she was really struggling being "angry, shoot'em up Dani", I'm happy to say I agree---she's settled into the role. I mostly meant that I've warmed up to Bill. The rest of the males, however are still pretty bland and interchangeable. I'm surprised more focus hasn't been landed on Nicole. Anita may be the matriarch, but Nicole should be the heart of the show as she rebuilds her life.