Sapounopera

4 hours ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

Fingers crossed for Patrick Mulcahey. 

25 minutes ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

Thanks. Try not to let him bother you. He only posts to be a detractor. Never contributes. 

Another 90s trend: the steamy sex scene. Sax, satin sheets and all.

8 hours ago, dc11786 said:

I think "Santa Barbara" in the first episodes ooze potential that seems to get lost among the weeds of poor casting, backstage influences, and a series of rewrites. 

I'm rewatching the second week. My initial reaction was wow there is a lot of time spent on this younger set in scenes of just them that are quite awful. Though, pulling back some, other things come into view. Knowing now that the Dobsons were originally planning to have Warren Lockridge be the murderer, the whole dynamic in these early episodes shifts. In particular, the Jade / Warren scenario comes off as even more delicious.

Melissa (Brennan) Reeves is miscast as Jade, without a doubt. I think they should have straightened her hair and made her Laken. Jade fascinates me. The working class girl coming of age in a world of privileged and elite young men and women who are use to getting whatever they want. Jade, too, has learned to do that with her body. Yet, she isn't just a cut and paste vixen. Jade's relationship with both her father and her brother are complex in what I've seen. Pretty smoothly, Jade is able to coax her father into letting her go to Hollywood by buttering him up, not unlike the way she does to the beach crowd. She also is fiercely protective of Joe. Watching Jade go after Warren is delighful because he is in fact the murderer and the reason her brother went to jail. 

With this scenario in mind (Warren as the murderer), the younger set becomes dramatically more interesting in the long term. Eventually, a Lockridge will be revealed to have killed a Capwell meaning that Laken Lockridge and Ted Capwell's love will be tested. Given the return of Sophia, the Hollywood starlet, on the horizon, and Jade's intense desire to become an actress, the obvious next stage is Ted and Jade once Warren has been outed as the murderer and Joe has been cleared of the crime. Ted and Jade now threatens every dynamic in the younger set: Ted/Laken, Laken/Jade, Jade/Danny, and Danny/Ted. Also, Danny and Ted would have also have had to survive the inevitable revelation that knowledge of the existence of  Santana and Channing's child would shake the foundations of the ties between the Capwell and Andrade clans. 

I see Jade becoming deeply attached to Sophia and there being shades of an 'All About Eve' style plot with Sophia pushing Ted towards Jade because of the animosity among the Lockridges and the Capwells, while C.C. struggling with his feelings about the family now that Joe has been revealed to be innocent. Danny and Laken would more than likely grow closer (as I suspect, in the intersecting story, we would see Ruben and Rosa leave C.C.'s employ to go work for the Lockridges, because you know that's a boss move that I could see Minx and Augusta finding common ground on). With the inevitable staging of a movie that Lionel would secretly finance and Sophia and Jade would star in with Danny possibly involved in stunts. 

This casual Hollywood fluff is fun, but it would be a nice counter balance if the show was in the midst of strong high drama, which is potentially there but just never hitting the mark.  The murder mystery stuff is hit or miss. I often wonder how Dominic/Sophia is accomplishing some of this. I know she has a partner in crime, but is she dressing in other outfits to sneak into the police station and such? Joe trying to clear his name, while also being in love with Kelly seems very generic at times. Witherspoon and Wright have chemistry. I don't necessarily hate Kelly and Joe, but I wish there were deeper layers to each character. Marissa Perkins keeps saying Joe has changed. I wish Joe was more hostile and deeply jaded by his prison experience and that Kelly's engagement was driving that rage that would let the audience think that maybe he did in fact kill Channing. I do like that the Joe / Kelly relationship is more complicated. Kelly is trying to move on, but it's clear she can't. There was a nice Rosa/Kelly scene where Rosa gets her to admit she isn't completely over her first love (it's also wild when young consider a counterpoint scene is Santana going off on her own to Acapulco to track down her stolen child while her mother plays sounding board to the white princess she raised when the girl's own mother abandoned her). 

Anyway, the real triangle of interest that seems to be brewing for Joe is that between Joe and Augusta Lockridge with Marissa Perkins in the wings as the antagoinst. Marissa is such a hovering presence in Joe's love life. Trashing the picture of Kelly, pushing her own husband out of the house (and her bed) to protect her Joey. I wish Armstrong leaned into that psycho-sexual dynamic that seems to be in the undercurrent of the writing. 

As I believe I said before, I believe the next stage of the Augusta/Joe/Marissa story would have been Joe ending his relationship with Augusta and her hooking up with Joe's father, John Perkins. I think if they played the Augusta / Marissa dynamic early with Marissa wanting Augusta to keep her hands off her man (Joe) would have given Louise Sorel some chances for some delicious pre-Sophia tongue lashings. Given that Joe commented that John wanted to make Joe into the man John never got to be, hence John's deep hurt at Joe becoming a murderer, adds more sense to not only Marissa desire for Joe (the version of her husband that she fell in love with but who John never truly was) but also the sexual rivalry between father and son as John is envious of Joe's potential as a man that he no longer has. Joe would have won Marissa, but I could see John winning Augusta in the sexual sense with John/Augusta bringing out resentment from both Joe and Marissa. Obviously, for this to work, both John and Marissa would have required stronger actors or at least more appealing in John's case. 

My other missed opportunity on this round of viewing involves Peter Flint. I think Peter Flint should have been a real person that Stephen Meadows' Antonio Fiorno was impersonating. If Antonio/Peter had married Kelly, then been killed they could have brought in the real Peter down the line to at least provide a silly legal obstacle to Kelly and Joe's marriage plans. Though I would have Kelly and realPeter bound over how they were victims of Peter's and having Kelly lean emotionally on the real Peter while Joe is busy caught up in some other plot (ideally, I think I would have Joe pursuing a law degree which could allow him to have Julia as a law professor). Of course, I probably would also want Joe raising faux Peter's baby as well, but I think I mentioned that in my last rant about the potential of this story.  

It's a shame that the show abandons the Santana plot because it is probably my favorite. Santana is fierce and takes no grief from anyone. Her handling of Ramirez is beautiful. Her persistent attacks on C.C. are wonderful. Her devotion to Channing is admirable. She isn't moving on. He is the love of her life. It's a very interesting contrast to Kelly who has abandoned Joe for Peter. I can see what they are trying to do with C.C. and Santana, possibly better because I could see how they were doing it in 1991. The bond is about shared grief and access to a child that unites them. 

I feel like there is the bones of some great conflict as the Andrades come to terms with the role C.C. has played in keeping their grandchild away from them. Rosa and Santana are both determined to keep Ruben from finding out. His knowledge of the child is presented as a great threat to the family's happiness. I would love to see this all play out, but I don't believe it does. I think Rosa coming to terms with her role in the family drama would also be worth seeing. Her loyalty has come at a price that might be too high for even her. 

Mason is just a great character and slowly you can see the layers unraveling. Mason shows up to a party for Peter, who seems to be the perfect blond haired replacement for Channing, hosted by C.C. Peter cannot attend as he is recupeating from a polo accident. Mason becomes the secondary guest of honor with C.C. toasting about his predictions about his son's political career with a slip of the tongue calling Mason Channing. It's a very raw moment, maybe too simple, that just makes it clear the dynamic between the two. Mason will never be Channing. To top it off, there is a great little line about Mason's date, Patricia Hampton (played by one of the stars of the American "Prisoner" show "Dangerous Women), a file clerk at town hall. She isn't one of Channing's type of women, which I wonder if this was intentional given the later revelation about his sexuality. 

The potential in these early episodes could have developed into a show with the roots that would have survived the back to realism 1990s if it had found an audience. Though, I feel the same way about the first few years of "Loving."

Wow, your Santa Barbara is fascinating. It almost reads like an East Coast soap. Perhaps that was the show's real problem. It was not meant to be as "simple" and one-dimensional as it ended up being.  

I have seem some random episodes where Draper and April discuss moving to Oakdale. What was that all about?
I am obsessed with late 70's-1980 episodes. Such a "grown up", modern soap. Friends, co-workers, couples, crime, mystery and of course Raven living her life unapologetically like a man.
 

The 90s had the primetime specials as it has already been said in the 80s thread.

The psychotic obsessive woman who became crazier than ever. 

A Latino invasion with new families and romantic leads.

Everyone trying to outreily James E. Reily with insane, outlandish posts.

The teens become more prominent.

The Melrose Place aesthetics. Even NY soaps got a California vibe.

I started a new thread, for everyone who is interested in discussing the 90s trends.

16 hours ago, YRfan23 said:

It's said often enough, but oh how different things would be if Terry Lester never departed the role, nearly 35 years ago....

 

Jack would have died many years ago.  And with EB's ego, things might not have been that different.

1 hour ago, watson71 said:

Here are newly posted AW closing credits from early 1982 from 4 episodes, including those from a location sequence featuring Diana Frame in a horse riding competition.

 

 

Replacing the previous music theme with... this 

32 minutes ago, Mitch64 said:

Agreed...I really liked Derwin as Mallet and thought he brought a masculine vibe to his role as a cop (unlike say cheesy Rusty who tried to act like a tough guy but seemed more into hair mousse, and we won't even mention Frank as a cop..) but it was the writers who should have written to his strengths, which was banter and he was better at quiet scenes then DRAMA...its like MOL, who was really good in nice big brother, friend, lightly humorous scenes but as soon as he had to be mad, or romantic he failed (I won't even mention his later, "comedy" scenes...) There should be all types of characters on soaps and yea, leave the heavy lifting to the actors who can do it.

 

I love that they kept the Spanish influence with the arch and the brick work, while making it look warm and friendly which the Bauer kitchen should be. Do New York producers like Wheeler and Gautman ever use their kitchens..cause in the midwest that is where most people hang out but it seems the shows would rather show a cop station then a kitchen. I actually think the Bauer living room with the fireplace is neck and neck with the Carriage House as longest running set. 

 

The Spaulding mansion has a convoluted history..Alan moved from Chicago there (later retro written that it was where Alan and Alex grew up under Brandon's thumb..) and had his various wives until he married Hope and in typical Marland fashion...did not like the mansion and wanted to live in a smaller house, so they moved to one that just happened to be behind Ed's house which allowed Alan and Rita to pass through the adjoining gate for some nooners. They then moved back to the mansion (so Rita would have further to go in her Walk of Shame in the afternoon?)  which was retro written to be the house adjoining the Bauer's (and the SF CC.) The Wexler mansion did have the carriage house on the property, which humpy Ben lived in and painted in his shorty shorts and got all the SF ladies including Amanda hot and bothered (though he always looked like he would rather spend the night with Kelly Nelson...and vice versa..) Amanda escaped the Wexler mansion but during Long/Kobe redecorated the gothic house to look nicer (obviously they had a story planned for her but it went nowhere..) I always wanted Poser's Amanda to move back in, since part of her story was chasing after Ross, how convenient to be next door to drive Blake crazy..("I just had to drop off some papers..is Ross home?") 

I thought that Rita insisted on moving near the Spauldings. 
And I am almost certain that the redorated Wexler mansion is the house Hope is redecorating once again the summer 1982 episodes.
Perhaps they used parts of the Wexler set once Amanda was gone?

4 hours ago, P.J. said:

Yes, the carriage house was on the grounds of the Wexler estate. I think Ben and Eve got to live there while employed by Lucille. Then Carrie and Ross moved there.

No, the Spaulding mansion was a separate entity that would've come before the Wexler set. I'm not sure if any other characters bought it after Amanda left. 

I am almost certain that I have heard Alan and Hope discuss a new home. During that time Amanda was staying at the Wexler Estate alone and I am almost certain that it was the same set with the 80s Spaulding mansion one.

8 hours ago, P.J. said:

That I'm not sure of. But Ben lived there before Carrie and Ross. It was hideously decorated with wood every where. 

I'been sayting that this is the same place for years. The question I have... wasn't this house part of the Wexler estate? 

And am I crazy to think that Amanda inherited Lucille's house and Alan eventually moved there with Hope? Making this the Spaulding mansion? 

Erica learned very early in her life that men leave you and go away.  She always wanted a man in her life because she didn't want to feel the void of her childhood again, but not a specific one. She was hurt as a child and she became a drama queen in order to learn how to play with her pain. 
I don't think that Erica believed in love. Only in the pain it brings you.

In 2000 Rob became the Art Director for the CBS-TV daytime drama Guiding Light. He has been nominated for three Emmys for his work on that show. On permanent sets for kitchens, restaurants and hotels with Guiding Light, he has been a part of earthquakes, floods and fires. He then made the transition into handheld, location and exterior work in the show's later years. He was with Guiding light through its last episode in 2009. 

The Bauer kitchen:

You can see the Boarding House, the Beacon and Towers among others here: 

https://www.robodorisiodesigns.com/television

The opening was the only thing left as a reminder of which soap was on.

The problemn with SB was that it was a product of the 80s. Supercouple mania with a Dynasty vibe. They tried to move on to the 90s with Pamela Long, but it was not the right way. I find her work on this show horrible.

33 minutes ago, kalbir said:

Kelley Menighan joined As the World Turns in 1992, three years before Maura West.

Wasn't another short-haired blonde around during that time? A bad girl, who was someone's ex-wife. They liked the type. 

13 hours ago, Wendy said:

I mention this because I'm surprised to not see Melanie Smith vs. Kelley Menighan (formerly-Hensley) as Emily on here.

Smith's version seemed like the intense sexpot, impulsive type while Menighan just seemed neurotic, losing the intensity. Not to mention the actresses did not even resemble each other whatsoever.

Such a weird recast. Was KM hired while Maura West was gone and they wanted a Carly lookalike?
I adored Melanie Smith btw.

5 minutes ago, wonderwoman1951 said:

as i recall, it was a boarding house, so it would have generated income. 

i don’t recall the reardon’s backstory. perhaps the family fell on hard times after the father died?

Tom left them and Bea turned their home into a boarding house when most of the kids grew up and left town. Nola used to complain about growing up poor and working as a servant for strangers in her own home.

The Gail Kobe exterior shot never fit with the backstory and my imagination.  Then things got really crazy when the Reardons ended up with Company being thrown in their property.... 

Ok I cried my eyes out. GH is the only soap than can make me feel something at this point. 
RIP Miss Zeman, it seems like yesterday I was watching Bobbie next to Jesse at the nurses station talking about Scotty, Luke and Laura.

Soap is such a unique genre.

15 hours ago, Mitch64 said:

I wonder why Hilliard got fired? I thought he was too small for Hart but he came off as more midwestern farm boy then dem and dose Grillo (who may have gotten cast as a Midwestern farm boy in gay porn, but maybe that is what they were going for...) 

I love this facade...I wonder where it really is? I think a house for a big family but Tom Reardon had to make some good money to afford this place. I hate what Rauch did to the Reardon's, got rid of Bridget, made Nola a sad stalker, getting rid of JFP's Reardon kitchen set with looked like an old house kitchen (complete with worn wallpaper...) so they forced Nola into a sad little room with a kitchenette..and the worst, having the Coopers taking over Company and apparently the Boarding House..EEEWWWWW!

Such a big house for such a poor family. I envisioned a more  urban exterior.

For some reason the Reardon house exterior never made sense to me.

On 12/23/2023 at 6:36 PM, Khan said:

Personally, I think Y&R made a mistake in reuniting Nina with her first child (Ronan).  The fact that Nina had had that baby as a teenager and then had it stolen from her was, IMO, the event that defined her life most.  It informed many of the choices that she would go on to make.  Take that away, and I think you take away a lot of Nina's essence and drive.

I loved this about Bill Bell. He didn't think that every question needs an answer. Sometimes characters and/or viewers have to just live with it.

You are right, this story defined Nina.

I wonder if the baby drama was written for Cricket's first pregnant friend Molly and then Bell saw Tricia Cast on Santa Barbara. 

Was Josh Taylor hired to play Nina's father?

Jed was involved with major characters like Nikki and Jill. What is the story behind that? It seemed like Bill Bell got bored with him.

5 minutes ago, Donna L. Bridges said:

When was the rumor about Julia & Mason? 

 

I guess shortly after SB was cancelled. So I guess... early 1993?

Some thoughts:

SB would have been much better as a half-hour show.
I was madly in love with Mason Capwell as a kid and found his relationship with Julia fascinating. In my mind they were the show's real supercouple.
What was more fascinating was reading how many things Mason and Bridget had in common.
At one point SB became too "funny". I prefered the original, dramatic version of the show. 

The rumor about the Dobsons writing for AW, was it during the time it was rumored Mason and Julia would be joining the show?

The Dobsons's GL was amazing. Sophisticated, adult soap, I still watch.

RIP Mrs Dobson.

4 minutes ago, Mona Kane Croft said:

If I remember correctly, the video for this opening was found footage.  I believe I heard that on a daytime talk-show fairly early in the run of this opening. Don't remember which talk show or why they were discussing Guiding Light.  Sorry. It was nearly 50-years ago. This is one of my three favorite GL openings, and I believe it fit the show perfectly at the time.   

Which are the two other favorite openings?