P.J.

I don't think it would've mattered who played Tonio---I think Marland purposely kept the character one-dimensional to facilitate story. He's really like a short-term character (like Philip Lombard, say) who just kept weaseling his way around town.

Nope, not me. As a square white girl---I'd have to look that up in an urban dictionary. Re: LIz....I could understand if she had been exasperated with Marland writing her as the heavy, while Lily made her jump through hoops for her love after discovering the down-to-earth, poor and noble Snyders. Admittedly, I didn't listen to her comments, but the almost obsessive way Marland wrote the town of Oakdale worshipping Lily, might have grated Liz to no end. Not to mention some others.

Ugh...Kirk and Ellie were a disaster. I never got it---and I doubt they would've been paired up if Scott Bryce had stuck around. Kirk was the only guy who was inherently interested in Iva from the jump. With every other guy she always seemed to be a second choice. I loved Kirk and Iva. I practically wore out a vcr replaying their scenes. Him following her into the Mona Lisa ladies room was hilarious.

I seem to recall ED saying that by this time, HW would tire easily and could struggle with her lines. I just saw it was one of those "quiet" moments we can have around the holidays, remembering the past and those who aren't there.

Obviously, most of the viewers are never going to understand the pressures HW's face in terms of volume and balancing a multitude of characters with issues that are beyond their control. Or even trying to walk the line between growth and keeping characters capable of stirring pots and creating the requisite drama. But Pissy seems particularly lacking in character progression, even if a story seems to be entirely created to showcase such. A character can still be a screwup, after making a mature decision . My biggest story beef with Pissy was Carly's tumor. Carly was legitimately sick. And what could've been a heart-rending story ----with no truly "bad" guy----where Jack and Katie could've simply realized they were getting married for the wrong reasons, and ended their relationship, instead threw Carly under the bus the moment she decided lie. Jack supporting Carly while sick didn't mean they had to reunite; and Brad being attracted to Katie ( :barf ) didn't need to be propped, it could've developed naturally. None of the climaxes would've really changed. But....no. HacksawJean struck again. Ugh...still makes me furious.

I get your point, but Bob and Kim weren't a couple when she got pregnant. While Kim had at least one successful pairing with Dan (we could argue about Nick), Bob went through a string of not-so interesting women, or so I heard. Their friendship grew, granted, all through that time. But they really weren't what I would call a couple until like....'83? I do wish Carly and Jack would've "co-existed" more. Although I wouldn't really have ever wanted to see them stable or happy with anyone else.

Well, notice I said CarJack rocked----not always the writing for them. It often felt to me like TPTB knew they could yank strings and have their fans root for them. And you're right----the story was mostly "Carly bad, Jack good....wash, rinse, repeat". I think CBS's emphasis on female-driven story devolved into this trope where the man was always right, and in some ways undercut their leading men. Both Josh and Jack got to the point where they looked like Puritans who ignored their mistakes and focused on correcting their woman. (Ironic when Josh started out as a horndog chasing anything in skirts, and Jack as an undercover cop who had gotten lost in the darker side of life...) At least CarJack got to touch on Jack's high-handed tendency to moralize. I had quit caring about Josh and Reva 10 years before the show ended.

So...poor little Pissy "had her hands tied", and that's why her stories were repetitive and unmotivated? Really? Yes, Gwen and Will may have had to be front burner---but there was nothing to write for them other than becoming baby-obsessed at 20? It was important for Brad to come back younger than Jack---even though that completely contradicted what we'd seen play out on screen, and vastly changed Jack's backstory (if one thought about it....which of course, the show wouldn't have wanted us to do....)? Making it make a little sense is a low threshold, and Pissy rarely even made that. There are so many stories that could have made more sense, had someone in the writing room taken five minutes and thought about the "why" of things, and restrained themselves from going that one last step that made things distasteful. RE: the critical nature of the discussion. Don't get me wrong, I'm glad it's not just some rah-rah, "everything was GREAT" discussion, but sometimes it does get me down. I try and remember everyone has the right to express their opinions. But for me, Marland was a GOD, the Snyders were a breath of fresh air, and CARJACK ROCKED.

Considering ATWT's long history, I'm surprised I can't think of more examples. Josh impregnated both Iva and Meg, who are adoptive sisters.

Reva also had a child with Josh and Billy's father H.B., though she lost that.

Personally, I don't think Y&R, B&B, or CBS in general value any former CBS/P&G actors, period. And even Y&R isn't interested in giving Jack (or any older character) a story with an age appropriate actor. They'd do round ten of Jack/Nikki because of "history" or Jack/Phyllis round 1089.... but if he goes chasing new vajayjay---it's going to be young.

I think Sierra and Craig went back to her father's estate to try and find out more information about her mother. Because, of course, why not venture into a civil war on a random weekend?

I think there's a fine line---Rattray was better suited for the version of Lily that she portrayed. I can't imagine Byrne pulling off that cold, controlling, Lucinda-like vibe Lily had when she first returned. And part of my problem with Byrne is I never felt she grew as an actress. Now, whether that was because Lily was forced to circle back to Holden time and time again, or simply because Byrne only has so much in her wheelhouse, I don't know. It's personal preference. Just like Scott Bryce will always be my Craig, or Melanie Smith the superior Emily. Re: the Spa. The actual "Spa" part, with the blue drinks and Larkin Malloy---yeah, not so much. But I get why Martha, Kelley and Maura enjoyed it. They got to step outside their characters a bit, and for Kelley and Maura, it was easier to lounge around in white fluffy robes while preggers. And afterwards, at least for a while, they got to play the friendship out. Neither Emily or Carly really had women friends on the show (outside of family). Lily neither, although Rose had Mitzi.

Emma was sort of the flip side of Lisa. Lisa took in "bad" girls. Emma took in the "good" girls/runaways. Seriously, if there was one trope Marland ran into the ground, it was the "rich girl who finds herself" at the farm.

True enough.

LOL...at one point, I could recite who found out about Aaron in order, and how much of the truth they actually got at the time. And I only remember the Aaron/Lucy angle here because it ended up impacting Carly/Jack. One wonders why Holden would've been surprised about Caleb having "anger issues". He always had them.

That's not the way I remember it. Aaron ran away because he and Caleb had been butting heads. Then there was something about him having had an affair with a married woman (which Craig ambushed Lucy with to try and torpedo the relationship).

Not lying---pee'd my pants a little.... LOL. And while I adore CarJack----what's sweeter is that Maura and Michael truly adore and support each other.

Those are the Carmen Miranda of earrings. My guess is that's a little bit of Lisa leaking through Iva's normally subdued wardrobe.

I thought the Lorraine Broderick era was better than advertised as well. Kathryn Hays got a moving anniversary episode, the church fire/Teague saga, etc. Some great casting--Danny Markel/David, Mikey Park, Peter Parros, Lauren B Martin---all great. There were also flaws, but they seem trivial in light of what passes for daytime now. There were some revolving personalities/characters (firing Danny Markel for Keith Coulouris? The Brad parade, Andy being so desperate over Denise, the frustrating, constant flux of the terms of Carly's trust), but Broderick knew how to build to a climax, and move characters towards growth. Sheffer simply kept his characters in vicious circles. Re Carly and Molly caring about each other----they did, but a lot of time early on, they simply intersected to catch each other up on their respective schemes. Each would offer the other sound advice, but they'd usually ignore it to further their own established agenda. They had each other's backs---it just wasn't always in a positive way. At least until they grew a little and got involved with good men.

Yeah, it was infamous. Marland had a habit of "layering" a new character in. (It's annoying and brilliant all at the same time...) Darryl was a new client of Lucinda's, who happened to go to high school with Margo, and happened to randomly impregnate Barb while she and Hal were "on a break" and fell for Barb's half sister Frannie after his wife was murdered. The murder of Carolyn was drawn out because of a writer's strike, centered on four newbie characters and was one of the few times Marland switched horses mid-story, backtracking on Darryl as the murderer.

It's been so long since I've watched an episode from that long ago---the scenes seem to stretch out forever! LOL. WTF? BabyEmily had the hots for Steve? And Iva lived off the Snyder Reservation?

Figures Scott would say he'd stuck with the show for a paycheck. It showed.

Thank you for linking to Tom's blog. I haven't been so happy to read something about my show in the longest time. I'm sorry I didn't read it years ago. It just makes me love and be amazed by Doug Marland even more.

It's just odd seeing HBS with Deas. I'm sure it's the fuzzy quality of the tape, but I have a hard time distinguishing her from Colin. I'm sure some of that was deliberate. It's also odd hearing Margo call the man who raised her "Bart"---but such is fatherhood on soaps. Eh---I won't die on this hill, but Dolan was a better Margo.