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To be frank, i don´t take too much seriously from the man who made Ava Jerome the daughter of Delia. I also don´t think AU would have closed overnight. Enrollment may have dropped (most likely temporarily as no one cared when the co-ed prostitutes were murdered in the 1980s), but I would be hard pressed to see the decline from the murders alone. Maybe if AE also relocated because there wasn´t a single Alden in Corinth than that might make some of the decline make sense. With that said, I'd play a variation of that in the revival. It was never going to happen, but the perfect time for a ¨Loving¨ revival would have been 2020-2021 when COVID was driving people out of New York City into the less crowded suburban areas where some ambitious property developer saw Corinth as an opportunity to provide an oasis from the chaos going on in the world around them. The old AU factory could be turned into lofts or some other repurposed hipster attracting spot like a microbrewery. I believe some affiliates started airing in a late night time slot before the cancellation and that ABC may have been monitoring the situation to see if it was successful. I don´t think the found family concept alone was feasible. To highlight my point, I´ve seen bits of both ¨Tribes¨ and ¨Swan´s Crossing.¨ Both geared to a much younger audience than ¨The City,¨ but both operating in a sense outside the lines of the traditional soap format by shifting the show completely onto the lives of characters under 18 years old. SC only featured the young characters in contract roles and emphasised on the romantic complications of the characters with some action and adventure thrown in. TRIBES on the other hand offered up a tight, found family group of young leads with their fully developed parents in a supporting role. I find TRIBES more effective of the two as a result. Even ¨Edge of Night¨ had traditional family structures mixed amid the created family of law enforcement. The created family could have been central, but peripheral families should have been weaved in and out. The Roberts family drama comes off as mostly exploitation because of the underdeveloped parents. Azure C.´s brother and mother were featured in her story, but her story would have been deeper if the two characters had been developed beyond a short term dayplayer. The Soleitos appeared on occasion, but it might have been worth exploring that a little further.

Ally would have been a harder sell for me because the relationship with Gwyn wasn´t there. Gwyn´s pain came from her daughter´s abandonment. To have her surrogate daughter be the one to relieve her pain brought the story full circle. Gwyn was not alone at the time of her death, which is something that Gwyn had suffered from a lot after Trisha´s presumed death. Furthermore, Steffi´s character had historically (in all variations under the four sets of headwriters in the time Steffi appeared) had been the morally gray character. While Steffi and Ally both had complicated relationships with their parents, Steffi´s tended to be more raw as Ally seemed to come to terms with her parents divorce, while Steffi had in recent years been pimped out by her own mother to Clay in order to secure financial stability and recalled the reason for her father´s absence from her life was that Deborah had insinuated that Malcolm and Steffi´s relationship was also sexual in nature (the larger implication was that Deborah saw Steffi as a romantic rival even in terms of her own father). The Gwyn / Steffi dynamic was intriguing because even though Gwyn did have feelings for Clay she never saw Steffi as a threat. She was kind to Steffi and it was Steffiś insecurities that led her to want to be more like Gwyn. Steffi´s career path would naturally lead to New York City so her departure didn´t really need much of a push. The ad agency setting up shop in Soho was enough reason for most of the departures as well as the fact many of the old guard characters (Alex, Tess, Buck, Ally, Angie, Jacob, Frankie) weren´t native Corinithians. Though I could see why the writers wanted a grander reason for this, but even in that case, that isn´t a thread that is followed into the City. The characters are shocked by the dead body in the carpet, but it doesn´t lead to any deeper conversations about how they cannot run from their problems or how safety and security are things you create not things you find. With all that said, Steffi should have stayed in Corinth. Even ignoring the fact that the chance of Heinle renewing her contract was unrealistic, Heinle´s pregnancy would have created a need for Steffi to be off the canvas for at least a month fairly early in the show´s run. They would have been better off trying to convince Heinle to go on an extended maternity leave (which she might not have agreed to) and had her make up the time later in the spring after her child was born and brought Steffi in as a brief spoiler for Tony/Ally before wrapping up her story for good. The pregnancy was a necessity because there was no way to hide Heinle´s pregnancy. Though, given the fact that Steffi had a recurring bouts of binging and purging, Steffi´s pregnancy should have been a bigger complication in her story than simply a road to eventually reunite Cooper and Steffi. Destroying the ties to Cooper´s family while Cooper was still alive is a bit of a stretch. If that was the case, Cooper should have been killed off. He had hurt Steffi as much, if not more, than Tess had. While I appreciate a lot of the passion for this plot, I think we also need to recognize some of the inherent flaws here. None of the people murdered were young. The victims were expendable because production wanted a younger image for their aging product. Older contract cast members were offed in a ploy to shock the audience and present a revamped version of the show that focused on ¨the families you create¨ because they didn´t want a lot of older cast members. The fact that Steffi and Ally had children was reflective of a bigger problem the show had: the characters´ stories were rarely reflective of their lived experiences. From a revamp standpoint, you don´t want the baggage, but even the stories themselves are often ageless. Angie and Jacob´s desire to have a child isn´t complicated by the fact that this need was already met for Angie (she had her son) or even by the possibility that Jacob was looking to replace the child he had lost in the shooting years earlier. It was mostly a tale for a newlywed couple in order to insert an old interloper (Lorraine) into the story as a catalyst for conflict. The age difference between Jocelyn and Alex (which was most likely not as bad in story because I think LLC is playing a character significantly older than herself) should have spurred a period of separation after it came out that Jocelyn had been pimped out to older men by her father and she was now involved with DILF Alex Masters. Your emphasis on the disrupted culture makes me consider what the actual result of Corinth would be post-Gwyn´s reign of terror. Does Alden University continue to be a thing? If so, is it renamed? And were the Aldens endowing significant amounts of money to the university? How would this change with the Corinth based Aldens being massacred? I also wonder if the physical construction of ¨The City¨ (i.e. sets) played any role in the killings. With most of the Aldens dead by August, the show no longer has to feature the mansion and they can start to repurpose it for Sydney´s loft.

¨The City¨ was obviously intended to have a younger crowd. I always assumed that characters like Tony and Richard were introduced with the intention of being setup for the new series. I wonder if a smaller set of people moving forward would have been more effective. Buck has very little story in the material I´ve seen. Tess´ arc in the spring/early summer of 1996 is her attempt to develop herself as a major powerbroker in the City with some tutelage from Jared Chase, which is suppose to escalate the rivalry with Sydney. After Jared rapes Sydney, Tess´ closeness to Jared provides a serious professional moral crisis for Angie, who treated Sydney after her assault. In some May, 1996 episodes I´ve seen, the comatose young woman that Sydney goes to visit and confess her secrets, Lauren, the daughter of her chaffeur, Samuel, begins to show signs of waking up. I suspect there may have been plans to pair Lauren with Frankie because both Lauren and Frankie were dropped around the same time. I do wonder if Noelle Beck´s refusal to be the killer had any impact on the ending of the story, but not in the sense of Trisha being the killer. I think Trisha putting Gwyn out of her pain at the end, rather than Steffi, would have been a very logical conclusion to the story. With that said, Heinle delivers a dynamite performance and holds her own with Tudor Newman in those sequences, but I cannot help but think about Trisha being the one to relieve Gwyn of the pain that resulted from Trisha´s absence.

I think the ¨Proud and the Passionate¨ story would have worked better with Kim involved alongside Barbara Wilde. Kim being cast by the new writers on P&P to bring in the younger viewers, which leaves Barbara in a desperate position. Barbara and Kim´s rivalry could have been escalated by Seneca´s position on the show as a consultant and Barbara could try to out Kim Kim by making a play for Seneca. None of this really works with Arley in the picture, but I think it would have been fun to see Kim go from theatre to daytime. I wonder if Ellen Barber´s 1981 role was essentially what was planned for Kim when the story was originally in development pre-strike. Doesn´t Kristen depart the first time after Delia´s breakdown? Edwards had the chance to play the reformed version of the character. Kristen is competent, but it would have been interesting to see how she handled the character given the evolution she had undergone during her absence. I would love to see more of 1982. I think the Kirkland takeover is really much shorter than people credit it (December 1982-February 1983) as most of the synopses before seem pretty balanced with other stories as well. Catsy doesn´t arrive in New York City until December, and that´s when it seems that the domination is very clear. I enjoy Mary Ryan Munisteri´s work on ¨Loving" in late 1991 and her work with Trent Jones headwriting the shortlived ¨Tribes.¨ I haven´t seen much of her stint on ¨Guiding Light,¨ but I know the general opinion is it wasn´t good. A soap rumor I read years ago was that the show had intended to pair Matthew and Maeve in order to keep Bernie Barrow in line (I can´t remember what was going on, but they wanted to make it clear that if Johnny wasn´t on the canvas Maeve would move on). I don´t know if that really played out onscreen though. The tonal shift between 1975 and 1976 is very jarring and I enjoy the starkness of those early episodes when characters were more rough around the edges before the writing seems more slanted towards presenting the Ryans as this perfect family. I do know Frank´s survival ultimately required a lot of shifting, but the shifts occurred in places that weren´t as connected to the Frank change as well. I liked the more neurotic Faith that Faith Catlin was written as. I know Catherine Hicks is well regarded, but her Faith always comes off as very generic. I occassionally have to remind myself that the episodes on SoapNet aired at 2 episodes a day which definitely impacts how I perceive pacing so I will say that´s something I don´t always pick up on. I think part of the issue is that the show´ś excursion tales is they didn´t always have much long term impact. Interesting thoughts regarding the potential exploitation of the popularity of ¨Cheers." I would offer up that the show seems to do this not with Ryan´s, but with Greenberg´s Deli under Pat Falken Smith. I remember some regulars in the 1975 episodes (or at least one guy) but he was very underdeveloped. It would have leant to the extended family idea well.

Not a longtime fan by any stretch, but have been dipping in and out of different times in the 1990-1995 era. I enjoy parts of the Ned / Jenny / Paul / Tracy quad, but I can really watch anything from 1992-1993 and find some things to enjoy. Ned and Jenny are clearly a redo of Ned / Dawn, but slightly more effective because Wally Kurth only has to try and create chemistry with Cheryl Richardson while Kurt McKinney had to try to make it work with the four Dawns in less than two years. I think when Jenny and Ned are together, and happy, while Paul lusts for Jenny, and Tracy is pregnant with Dillon is solid. Watching Tracy who has gotten everything she has wanted for most of her life not know what to do to get Paul was fun for me to watch, but I can see how others wouldn´t like Tracy being in a position that makes her look desperate. I liked see another side to Tracy. That period (1992-1993) is very interesting because while the story isn´t always the strongest, a lot of the moments between characters evoke strong emotions and play on history. I find little moments to love. Once Paul and Jenny get together, there part of the story isn´t my favorite. Paul tends to be a bit of a deadend. Satterfield was more effective on ¨Savannah¨ in a swarmy role, which may have benefitted Paul. Richardson can be charming when they allow Jenny to show intelligence and spunk. When she gives as good as she gets, I find Jenny highly enjoyable. The umbrella story involving the sentorial hearings regarding Jenny´s affair with Senator Kensington ties a bunch of splintering groups together. Tracy and Marco Dane are great together. Julia and Ned are a surprisingly effective B-couple (maybe B is generous though I remain they function well for story purposes), but theirs is a doomed relationship because Ned carries a torch for Jenny. The business stuff between Paul, Bill, Ned, and Julia in early 1992 seems to work to move the story along, but it´s nothing that I would cry about if I hadn´t seen. I would try it out yourself and see if you like it. I don´t think they get the full angsty love montage music sequences set to then current pop hits like Jagger and Karen, but the story definitely has some strong emotional beats among some stretches of boredom.

I hadn´t considered that. I like near a smaller size city and briefly hung out a neighborhood bar so I got that kind of vibe. I do think the show always felt more vibrant though when they explored the other aspects of the city (Kimberly´s attempts to become a Broadway star, Delia purchasing the Crystal Palace, the mobsters out in Sheepshead Bayy), while I also recognize that a lot of those ¨excursion¨ type stories, for lack of a better term, may not have been what most people wanted. I´ve only purchased the book yesterday and read some parts a few days back on Google books (it is a limited preview). Ana Alicia´s comment were disappointing, but not surprising. In thinking about how the show was developed, with Mayer and Labine writing intense backstories for those key characters, I can see why they were key to keep those core. With that said, they could have revisited whatever they had in mind for the Ramona Gonzalez character who never had anything to do. I think the narrowness in the setting though played into the narrowness in the story. Not only were the Ryans and Coleridges sleeping with each other, they were all working together as well. If they had expanded their worlds a bit career wise, it would have provided more opportunity for story. Those early days are heavy on the intense emotional family drama from all the interconnections, but often the career elements weren´t always utilized to their full potential. With that said, they could have had the characters in different careers and it would still have been narrow if they didn´t actively work to expand the canvas. I really enjoy 1980-1981 becasue it seems to try and attempt to balance the more brazen storytelling of Labine and Mayer from earlier in their careers (¨Where the Heart Is" and ¨Love of Life¨) with strong domestic drama they had come to be known for during ¨Ryan´s Hope.¨ In reflecting on 1981, I can definitely see how the show pushed some of the core characters to the edge while the elements ABC wanted (Joe/Siobhan, Michael/Kim/Rae) eclipsed what the show had been about from the beginning. I haven´t rewatched the show from the beginning in many years, but my teenage self, on the first go around on SoapNet, loved the first seven months, and then struggled to maintain consistent interest in the next couple of years that followed. I became much more interested around late 1979 when Faith started boozing and Kim decided to pursue Seneca and so on. It was probably the third viewing before I ¨got¨ why people thought Mary and Jack were so special. I felt that first year presented some very raw characters that had their edges shaved down over the years in order to present an idealized version of the Ryan clan. I felt some of that edge came back in the early 1980s, but not with the characters it probably should have. I was very pleased that the recently published book mentioned how unlikeable people were allowed to be, but I struggled because of the lack of consistent accountability by the family for their own. I think Jack and Jill would have been interesting as well. I just have to wonder how well Michael Levin and Nancy Addison Altman would have done with each other given that they both seem like such strong personalities.

December 1984 would have seen three key storylines playing out: (1) Warren Carter, who had been sent to prison earlier in the year, was presumed dead in a prison fire back in October. With the help of photographer Brett Hamilton, III, Warren was hiding out in Henderson and was gaslighting his ex-wife, Suzi Wyatt, in order to get her hospitalized with the intention of taking their son, Jonah, and starting a new life. Around November/December, Wendy Wilkin, Warren´s other (ex?) wife, learns he is alive and has resumed their affair. Brett shared a romantic past with Justine Calvert, a McCleary family friend who had set out to snare Cagney McCleary away from Suzi for herself. Suzi, under the duress of the gaslighting, publicly attacks Justine verbally for all the games she has been playing in order to get Cagney. This all leads to a murder mystery party that ends with the bullets in the prop gun being replaced with real bullets. (2) T.R., the runaway that had been fostered by Travis and Liza Sentell, discovered that she was actually Rebecca Kendall, the long lost daughter of Lloyd and his absent ex-wife Estelle. T.R. doesn´t want to be a Kendall and desperately wants to push forward her adoption so that no one can separate her from the woman she has come to love as a mother. Meanwhile, Lloyd has begun to put the pieces together and suspects that T.R. might be his daughter because his son Chase shares with Lloyd a french lullaby that T.R. knows that Lloyd´s mother made up. In the meantime, Liza has become involved with Kentucky Bluebird, an airplane engineer. Liza and Kentucky worked together to oust Cord Tourneur, the mentally disturbed cousin of the late Travis, from his position at Tourneur Instruments. Now, Kentucky and Liza are in limbo or are about to start a minor plot involving Kentucky having a heart ailment. Will Patton, who played Col. Bluebird, refused to sign a contract and, as a result, was not always available. (3)The love triangle between the Kendall boys Chase and Alec and the innocent Adair McCleary is stalled because Adair has left town (Page Hannah was let go in November and Susan Carey Lamm doesn´t arrive until February). There is some angst because Chase and Adair, believing Alec to be dead after the sea vessel he was on was destroyed in a storm, went to bed together. When Alec returned from the dead, in early November, both were shocked. An emotional Adair leaves town to sort out her feelings, but more than likely she was picking up on the intense sexual tension between Alec and Chase and decided she didn´t want to be the third wheel in their staging of a queer ¨Flowers in the Attic¨ story. By December, there is a lot of chemistry testing for both Alec and Chase. Chase confides in Justine, Adair´s best friend, as well as having some scenes with Wendy, who he was paired with earlier. Stephanie deduces that Wendy has a secret man, and believes it is Alec, which Wendy goes along with since her secret man is in fact her not so dead husband Warren, who should be in prison. Ultimately, it is Chase and Alec who should be endgame. Out of curiousity, are you referring to physicality, performance, or both? I´ve been watching Cheatham in her 1990 run on ¨General Hospital¨ as Aunt Charlene and while Charlene has edges that Stephanie did, there are certainly differences that show Cheatham can play different types. By the 1980s, Cheatham definitely leans into the over the type, broad style, but I think that she (like Robin Strasser) showed earlier in her career she could play a more restrained character, and I could see her embodying Alex if she cultivated the right persona. I will concur that Miss Sally was more the type that Cheatham seemed to be most interested in playing by that point in her career. Martin leaves in May 1984 when there is a cast purge by Ellen Barrett about six months into her run as producer. Martin leaves to operate a club in the Caribbean. He later returns in a recurring capacity later in 1984. When Warren Carter has escaped prison, Carter begins to target all his enemies including his former business partner, Martin. Carter arranges for Martin´s club down in the islands to be torched forcing Martin to leave Henderson to deal with wreckage in October, 1984. A year later, there is a story about how Martin has gone missing in San Marcos (where his former lover Estelle Kendall has been hiding out for years). Jo goes down to the island to find out more information, but comes up empty handed. Eventually, Jo gets communication from Martin saying he is alright and hiding out in Europe and that if she wanted to get in contact with him she should do so through Justin Marshall of World Oil through their Paris operation. It was a nice little Easter egg for the NBC/P&G soap fans. I suspect Gary Tomlin wanted to bring Martin back into the story in his 1985/1986 run by the change over in producers, or the simple reluctance of NBC to have many players over the age of forty on the canvas, prevented Martin´s return. Steve comes back on contract for about a month alongside Estelle. Tomlin´s 1985-1986 run (from what I´ve seen) has a lot of stops and starts so it´s hard to tell where anything was going.

First, I agree. Nice job, @Kane. I don´t share the enthusiasm for the storyline, but I appreciate the passion and dedication to details. Kudos! There are times I wonder when choices were made. I´ve seen a bit of ¨The City¨ in the past year and there are times where minor details are puklled together to create a cohesive tale, and, often, they are so minute that it highly unlikely that it was planned in advance. For example, was the intention always to have Gwyn dressed as Trisha or was that a later development? I felt a lot of the comments ¨Trisha might look different¨ was in case the show couldn´t secure Noelle Beck for the final plot because it was hard to tell that story without Trisha appearing at one point. Your points though may be more valid. Similarly, I think the white suit stuff seemed to be an attempt to just make it clear that the mystery woman was easy to pick out... I remember thinking it was stupid that the ¨Trisha¨ at Dunellyn was not the same figure as Gwyneth. In terms of the POV, would Gwyneth be walking around in her Trisha getup while this was happening? Because Gwyneth´s final speech makes it clear that there was a part of her that was unaware that she was the killer. Regarding the failed momentum, I think this is the bigger issue I have. The destruction of Corinth was more engaging than the construction of ¨The City,¨ which is highly problematic. There was no story to carry over, and that was probably by design because TPTB wanted the premier to be an easy access point for new eyes that tuned in for the start of a new show. I can´t share the appreciation of the boldness. When ¨Days of our Lives" got rid of a large chunk of their long term cast in 1980, it was called a massacre and deemed a mistake. Maybe if there was more focus on the emotional fallout of all the death I could appreciate it more, but I find it an emotiionally hollow story that has moments of strong acting and script writing. Ultimately, the murders didn´t do anything for the ¨The City¨ because when you torch the whole canvas, and the carnage is cleared, all that was left was a whole lot of nothing ... which is a terrible foundation for a new series. The Medea references were intriguing. I would add that Trisha´s miscarriage also could play into that idea. I believe ¨Crystal¨ had an offscreen miscarriage which led to Trisha to explore her past. I don´t think that Gwyn caused the miscarriage, but it would have been interesting to consider what role that could play. I was surprised about Ewing until I realized he was the only one of the lot that didn continue onto ¨The City" so they had to use up his guarnatees.

I was surprised in 2002/2003 when Soap Opera Digest covered the Michael / Kim / Rae story with a featured article giving the same impression that this was a very big story for the show. In retrospect, it is more likely that it was considered a big story because Michael was murdered during the summer of 1981 when ABC daytime was exploding because of Luke and Laura and ¨General Hospital¨ in general. Personally, I enjoy Kim´s stories because things happen when she was on. Her moral code is very different than most of the other characters which makes her more intersting to me. I also think the Kim / Seneca / Rae / Michael story is a bit of a variation on both the Mary / Julian / Liz / Michael story Labine & Mayer wrote on ¨Where the Heart Is¨ and the Meg / Rick / Cal story from ¨Love of Life." I´m not sure Michael had the potential to be a longterm character. That whole grouping (Rae / Kim / Michael / Seneca) plays in such a bubble that the whole lot seemed to be limited in their story opportunities. Corbett ends up at ¨Search for Tomorrow¨ in late spring/early summer 1982. So there was more than enough time from his departure from ¨Ryan´s Hope¨ and his arrival on SFT to bring him back. Kelli Maroney gets a quick September, 1981, departure at the end of the Writer´s Strike upon Labine and Mayer´s return and she´s back by March, 1982, probably at ABC´s insistence. I think there may have been more issues about the existence of Arley in the mind of Labine and Mayer because it forced them to play that story and they probably didn´t want to or at least not explore that at that time. I think the show´s peak ratings were in August, 1981, when Kim gave into labor on the houseboat after either shooting the drunk vagrant (who I think was played by Robert Pasorelli) or being shot by him. I believe the source of this information was a poster on danfling´s board who claimed she had interned for Claire Labine on ¨Ryan´s Hope" in the early 1980s or late 1970s. She also claimed that Rae´s surname was originally Whitney, but that ABC had insisted on a change because of the Whitney clan on ¨Edge of Night." Several yars later, I remember SoapNet´s online episode summary listed Rae as Rae Whitney in the episode summaries, which I suspected might have been based on scripts. Or it was just a wild coincidence. In thinking of the origin of ¨Ryan´s Hope," one of the things thhat I haven´t really seen discussed much is the impact of the original ABC idea for the series: a show set in a hospital. While dismissing the original Frank dies story was a problem, I think the adherence to the hospital based drama was also ineffective because there just doesn´t seem an intense interest from Labine and Mayer to tell that kind of show, which is interesting when you consider Labine´s 1990s run on ¨General Hospital.¨ The medical group was easily the group that faded into the woodwork in terms of the original cast and story with Ramona being the first one dropped, Clem never having a story of his own (his shining moment seems to be the hospital strike), Bucky becomes a supporting part after Reenie is dropped, and Nell and Ed die. I would have been interested to see how the show would have been shaped if there hadn´t been an insistence on a hopsital drama element. Bibles do not necessarily translate into what happens onscreen. Also, there may be versions of a a bible. I know that Labine had stated that the ¨Ryan´s Hope¨ bible included 100 years of the Ryan family history prior to what played out onscreen. As the show evolved, there may have been a bible for ¨A Rage to Love¨ and one for ¨Ryan´s Hope" even though they ultimately are the same thing. Onscreen, Jack and Jill had shared a romantic past prior to July, 1975. This wasn´t addressed much, but it did seem like that the show would consider pairing Jack and Jill again at some point. There was also the abandoned Roger / Mary pairing that seemed to be in the stages early on. It may not have been the kind of shows they had wanted to write, but it is the kind of stories that got them hired. Labine and Mayer´s earlier work on ¨Where the Heart Is" and ¨Love of Life¨ sounds much more energized and much more creative than the material in the early years of ¨Ryan´s Hope.¨ I don´t think that ABC thought they would be buying a show where an entire flashback would be spent with a drunken Michael Hawkins explaining to Helen Gallagher about how he bought her lineloum. The early days of the RH still maintain a bit of the psycho-sexual undertones that the writers had embedded into their earlier work. I find the first six months fascinating as it goes in such a different direction than the next couple years with Pat advising Bucky to avoid Faith because she was frigid, to Faith recalling a distrastous affair with her older professor (this may have been the revision to the Faith/Jack romance), and Maeve telling Jill she would never accept her as Frank´s wife because Frank had married Delia first. The first few years is definitely strong writing, but it´s just not my favorite period. I enjoyed Nell´s right to live her final days on her terms. I thought that was beautiful especially when Maeve bluntly told Johnny, who had been disparaging Seneca for removing Nell from life support, that she hoped he would do the same for her. I think Delia´s Chinese cooking lessons affair with Roger and her later faking her pregnancy with Pat was fun. Nothing is more enjoyable for me as Ilene Kristen as Delia calling Alicia Nieves and doing her best Mary Ryan impression trying to get details out of Alicia about how to fake a her miscarriage by asking how to prove someone was faking. Another gem is Frances Foster (I think she was in the role at that point) as Miriam telling Jack that she hits Ryan because Miriam and Maeve have determined Jack is Ryan´s pal at the park in hopes that Jack will go to Mary and reveal he does care. As disjointed as the early 1980s can be, I do appreciate that the show doesn´t seem as tied to the slice of life material that had dominated. There is nothing wrong with it, but I found it made any attempts to try anything outside the box stand out, and not always in a good way. The narrow focus in the early years almost seems out of place given the nature of the setting. For a show set in New York City, it often felt small.

I thought some might be interested in this. This is the final episode of ¨Grand" that was unaired (at least in the United States). This two season series underwent several revamps. in the first season, the show featured continuing stories about three interconnected families: the lower class Pasettis who lived in a trailer, the middle class aspiring yuppie Smithsons, and the wealthy Weldon clan who owned a piano factory, the local business. Janice Pasetti was the maid for the Smithsons and the Weldons. Carol Anne Smithson was Harris Weldon´s niece as well as high school classmate of Janice´s. The first season ended with an infamous cliffhanger leaving most of the characters in Janice´s trailer which disappeared when a tornado hit the town of Grand. The second season started as a more traditional sitcom with most of the recurring cast members dropped as well as some of the contract cast. The show centralized the story by moving the Pasettis into the Weldon´s stable and Carol Anne moved into the Weldon mansion after Tom disappeared. Norris Weldon bought the local bar and a lot of the stories were focused on singles Carol Anne and Janice. The traditional sitcom format wasn well received. In the final four or five episodes, the show shifted back to more serialized stories but of a supernatural nature with the attempts of a coven to take over the piano factory, the arrival of Janice´s mother Viva (played by Caroll Baker), and Carol Anne adopting a boy who had been raised by wolves. I suspect the final version of ¨Grand¨ was an attempt not only to regain the show´s original fan base but possibly cash in on the cult status of ¨Twin Peaks,¨ even if, by that time, TP was already losing appeal in the ratings.

@robbwolff Thanks. This makes sense timeline wise. Shaffer alluded to working on ¨Tribes,¨ which aired from March-July, 1990, so she must have worked on ¨Loving¨ just prior to that.

Most of the Taggert/King period is very blurry to me because it is so heavy on Trisha/Trucker that I really have a tendency not to notice much until Jackie Babbin arrives in mid-1990. From what I´ve seen, Norma was effective in a supporting role. It didn´t seem like Norma´s story was something that needed to be featured weekly. I am curious when she stopped appearing as I imagine its in the late spring/early summer of 1991 as the show is switching producers and writers. Dinahlee´s waitress pal Maggie (Constance Shulman) plays a similar part later in the year. I wonder if there was any intention of bringing Norma back for the function played by Maggie. It would have given an interesting dynamic given Norma and Gwyn´s friendship and Gwyn and Dinahlee´s animosity. I don´t know when Shaffer wrote. I thought it was in the early 1990s and the only actor I can think of that may have fallen into that category would be Marisol Massey (Abril Domeq). @Khan ABC never left the show alone long enough to ever really solidify itself. Personally, I would have liked to see a slightly longer run of Fran Sears and Mary Ryan Munisteri or Fran Sears with Mary Ryan Munisteri / Millee Taggert writing the show. There were times that the show was intriguing, but it was rarely must see television. I would say the actors were often the strongest part if the story wasn´t. The fact that the show´s final younger set had a pretty successful run elsewhere is pretty remarkable. I do agree there was always more

Paul Joynt (Greg Huddleston, OLTL) was the first Brian. He appeared for a few days or weeks in either May or June 1980. Not long at all. Spence Langley seems like a very appealing character. An ambitious young man who wasn´t afraid to scheme to get what he wanted. The real heir to Stephanie´s throne in some ways. The relationships in early 1981 with Wendy and Cissie are intriguing. Add in his desire to become a lawyer and it connected him to another part of the canvas. His immediate successor was Zach Anders, but ultimately the role went to Warren Carter. Not bringing Spence back when they wrote out Warren in either 1984 or 1985 seems like a mistake. I think Wendy retaining Spence (Jeffrey Meek) as her lawyer in the custody trial (which was truncated by the change in writers) would have been a smart way to reintroduce him. Add in a returning Kristen (played by Susan Carey Lamm) as someone also vying for her nephew with her husband/ex-husband Brian supporting Suzi. Brian the noble cop vs. Spence the ambitious and morally corrupt lawyer would have been a good way to continue the rivalry between Wendy and Suzi. On paper, I wasn´t too interested in Martin and Jo, but watching the tailend of it, I think it was more effective than it sounds. It probably was more of two strong actors making the most out of the material rather than strong story potential. I´m not sure who I would have liked to see Jo paired with. In the end, I don´t mind Martin and Jo. If there were to introduce someone new, I think a senior newsman who worked at either the television station or for the newspaper who could clash with Jo in terms of her city council position might be interesting. Overtime, they could have introduced some family members for him to interact with other parts of the canvas. I haven´t been sold on Dr. David Glenn (Jack Betts), but he was such a low key interest that I only recently learned that they tried pairing the two in the final year.

I get what you mean about Maree Cheatham being a big personality and hard to replace. If Cheatham had stayed as Stephanie, I think the character was still have been diminished. She wasn going to win in the romantic rivalry with Liza over Lloyd and a Liza/Lloyd pairing ultimately would have been the impetus for a Travis return from the dead plot. NBC casted everyone else in the story with much younger actors (Joe Lambie and Louan Gideon). The show had made Stephanie always appear older. I´m not sure what Shaffer or Cheatham would have looked like opposite Lambie. Shaffer didn´t evoke Cheatham´s Stephanie sexuality, but I don´t think there was much attempt to explore that side of Stephanie once Gary Tomlin left. On that note, when Stephanie´s romantic life does reemerge, it is in the that very odd romance with Bela which definitely made Stephanie come off as past her prime and desperate. The only way Louise Shaffer´s Stephanie was able to seduce Bela was through her wealth and position. 1981 is disappointing. I think there are hints of what could be an interesting show from about April - July, 1981. The jade story is bad. It is half-baked Luke and Laura without the network of connections and relationships that ¨General Hospital¨ developed. The boxing story was well received in the press. I think it´s an interesting concept and I´d prefer that over the plane crash story I watched from 1982 in the jungles. I do feel that Brian and Suzi may have been attempting to cash in on the success of ¨Rocky¨ and ¨Fame.¨ Part of the issue with the plot involving Stephanie´s son is it goes through so many writers. Linda Grover and John Porterfield start it in May/June, 1980 when Brian Emerson comes looking for his biological mother with his buddy, Spence Langley. Then, Brian just decides he wants nothing to do with her before meeting her and Spence decides to claim to be Brian in order to cash in on the success. Spence impersonates Brian for a few months while romanicng ¨Dawn," a waitress at a diner who is really Wendy looking to escape her own issues with her mother. Around this time, Gabrielle Upton picks up the story and plays the reveal that Spence is just a con artist. Upton weaves Spence into the Cissie Mitchell story towards the end. Then, Harding Lemay comes in and uses the trial to have Stephanie befriend Cissie and support her in her fight for custody. This is what reignites Stephanie´s interest. By the time that Brian comes in, Don Chastain is writing the scripts. And Brian is on and Spence is written out when the dynamic between the two could have easily fueled story for a year or so. In the interviews I´ve read by Don Chastain from the newspaper columns of the time, Chastain seems like someone who was from the Hogan Sheffer camp of wanting men to be men and not being neutered by female charaters. I think it was an attempt to be edgy, but obviously lacking of any actual substance. Part of the issue is there doesn´t seem to be much idea of what to do with Tom. He returns as a shoulder for Sunny Adamson to cry on as I think they had been involved the last time Tom was in Henderson. They also try him with Cissie and Wendy before landing on Kathy. I suspect Tom was in Lemay´s projections, but I don´t know where he would have been storywise. I haven´t seen any material with Gary, but I´ve seen Stephen Burleigh in other roles and find him suitable. So many choices made sidelined Jo. I know a lot of people liked the Murder with Mayhem plot, but I don´t like Jo in the Jessica Fletcher role. Though, I would have been interested to see what could have happened if the show had tried doing a ¨Golden Girls¨ setup post flood with Jo and Estelle sharing a space at Liberty House with Wilma Holliday. Three different personalities sharing the space. I´m not sure how successful it would have been, but at least it would have been something different.

It looks like it was a two-week strike and it was on both coasts.

I believe Cheatham was fired or she was in heated contract talks that ended with Louise Shaffer taking over. Shaffer temporarily plays Stephanie in late May or early June 1984. Then Cheatham comes back for a few episodes, and then she is gone again with Shaffer permanently in the role by the end of June (I believe). Stephanie had mileage as a character left, but a lot of her connections were definitely offcanvas, leaving the show, or about to leave the show when Shaffer arrives. The bigger issue is that June, 1984, is when the show takes a heavy youth romance angle with the introduction of Adair McCleary, Justine Calvery, Alec Kendall, and Chase Kendall all introduced within a couple of months. Stephanie as the station manager became her primary role rather than her domestic and romantic conflicts, which had been Stephanie´s function under previous regimes. There was a Lloyd / Stephanie romantic thread that had been developed before Cheatham left that was played on occasion when Cheatham was in the role. It could have worked (Lloyd / Stephanie) especially with Martin and Steve in place. Furthermore, Wendy was often paired with the Kendall boys (first, Chase, and later, Alec) so there was more mileage to get out of the Lloyd/Stephanie relationship. It´s just that was never played. I find much of 1984 odd, while others adore it so to each their own. On the otherhand, I think it is possible that it might have worked if Shaffer came on as Estelle Kendall. With that said, you would have needed Martin and Steve in the picture (and truthfully, Stephanie) to get all the drama you could out of Estelle´s return.

I see what your saying regarding the lack of connection to Pamela´s exit, though I´d counter that Mason´s reaction was more in the immediate aftermath of what had happened to him. To be fair, my concerns with the dinner party have always been on the lack of the complete follow through of the potential laid out. I haven´t watched much of 1988; what I´ve seen (pre-strike) is a level of over the top that I don´t find appealing. I don´t get the sense though that Pamela´s mental health was treated with a level of seriousness in 1988 that I feel it is being treated in 1991, but I am willing to accept that I am wrong on. Since C.C. and Mason´s reversed reconcilliation is a level of contention, what was the story that led to them reconcilling? I guess I can see your point about whether Mason´s anger is justified. I would argue that part of the animosity between C.C. and Mason was that C.C. always saw Mason as the reminder of his problematic marriage to Pamela. Mason often felt that C.C. didn´t see him as enough; no one saw Mason as good enough in his own eyes. This was being played out well into 1990. I´ve seen a scene from September when Mason is on the verge of success with the Oasis and wants Julia by his side, but Julia is considering siding with Dash and the environmentalists. Lester played the hurt of that ongoing rejection well. I think C.C. playing God and dictating what happened to Pamela very easily sway Mason especially as I view Mason´s perspective through the lens of my belief that Mason is dealing with his own ongoing battles with mental health. Another thing I´ve considered in recent years regarding the dinner party is what role Frank Hursley´s passing in 1989 played in Bridget Dobson´s writing. As I am sure you are aware, Frank Hursley abandoned his wife and family to marry Doris and have two daughters. I suspect some of the C.C. / Pamela / Sophia / Mason dynamics are being lifted from the Hursley family tree. I think Bridget may have needed to work out some things through that sequence. To me, the bigger crime isn´t the timing of the Sophia/Pamela trials on motherhood but rather than Channing, Jr.´s murder was allowed to lay dormant for so many years (including the time that the Dobsons wrote). Channing´s death was a defining moment in the family´s history. To me, it´s the equivalent of Zach Brady´s death. I am also an apologist for the tension in Hope and Bo´s marriage several years later under Dena Higley even though that hadn´t been a focus in the inbetween. Events like that do not just die. Cassandra´s father comes up during the dinner party. When Pamela outs Cassandra as Minx´s daughter, she mentions she knows Cassandra´s father very well. Before departing for the hospital, Pamela is confronted by Cassandra about the identity of her father and Pamela is no longer aware of the connection only suggesting that the man must know Pamela´s own father. Where they were going with Cassandra´s paternity I do not know. Ben or Hal Clark are possible. I also wonder if they considered David Raymond at some point especially as I think that David was tested with Julia early on. I think the Dobsons may have initially intended to give Minx a greater presence with Janis Paige in the role as Dame Judith Anderson´s age had prevented them from using Minx in a way that I imagined they intended.

@j swift I want to make sure I am interpreting what you are saying correctly. You are saying that you don´t feel Mason shouldn´t have welcomed Pamela back into his life because of what happened in 1988. If that is the case, I disagree. The sense I get from the two episodes of the dinner party is there is a very different take on mental illness than some of the previous years. The stance I felt Mason was taking was that his mother had committed all of those horrible crimes when she was mentally unwell, and that she should be exonerated the way that Sophia had been for murdering Channing, Jr. I would also suggest that Mason laid a lot of the blame for Pamela´s poor mental health on her treatment by C.C. The marriage, as recounted by Pamela during the episodes in question, sounds miserable and unbearable. Even as an adult, Mason appears to be a pawn in their game with one another. C.C. wants to maintain control over Mason, while Pamela hallucinates and imagines Mason as C.C. himself. I also think it had been a well established element of Mason´s character that his separation from his mother and the coldness from his father were at the roots of Mason´s psyche. It is his mother after all. I think we will just disagree on this matter. In regards to Kelly, Pamela states that she is suppose to ¨stay away from the family - especially Mason.¨ So Kelly is lumped in with everyone else even though she had significant reason her out.

I´ve rewatched the dinner party several times in the last couple years. I think there are some details we are getting wrong. Mason brings Pamela to the dinner party after she has been released from the hospital with the help of C.C., not Mason. This has all been done offscreen, but the revelation is suppose to establish the amount of power and control C.C. exerts on those in his circle. Part of the stipulation of Pamela´s release, which C.C. has Pamela recite after she has completely lost it again, is that she wasn´t suppose to contact Mason or the family. In the subsequent confrontation between Mason and C.C., Mason brings up the fact that they have had a ceasefire in their animosity in the past few years, and C.C. fails to recognize anything he has done as wrong. The dinner party is intriguing in that it pits parallel plots against each other. The ¨trial¨ forces Sophia to admit she, like Pamela, had spent many years away, much of it in a fugue state, and did something truly horrendous, killing her ¨son" Channing. Pamela and C.C.´s marriage sounds like hell and neither of them were capable of raising a child. This is all playing out while Eden has started her multiple personalities plot. And, also, Mason is a character who seems to suffer from untreated depression that manifests itself in his self-destructive behavior. I haven´t seen much of the good years between Mason and C.C., but Mason´s animosity with his father seems to be at the heart of who his character is. Maybe a longer arc to get them back to that state would have been better, but the truth is SB never did long arcs. I think the dinner party sets off a lot of loose plots that come together (and some that don´t). The trial seems to play well into the downfall of Eden with her assuming the role of Channing to execute her mother for her role in the crime. From what I´ve seen, this also leads to Sophia´s self-imposed banishment which allows C.C. to romance Santana, another person who suffers because C.C. ¨knows better" and has made sure she has stayed in the mental hospital. Also, Pamela´s comment about Ruben and Rosa´s land leads to the revelation that this was the land that the Oasis was built on, which should have meant the property belonged to the Andrades. I imagine that at one point there was consideration that this would have led to Santana assuming the property with C.C. and Mason both trying to vie for the property (and her affection). Something else that seems to arise from the dinner party is Rosa Andrade seems to express much more disdain for the Capwell clan. I thought this was a fascinating facet to the character that was never really utilized enough. With all that said, there definitely seems to be a sense of desperation in the Dobsons second run. Carrington Garland was wonderful (in my opinion) as Kelly. The Kelly reset is not only unneeded, but wasteful. Davidson´s Kelly just sort of flutters around butting into people´s business in her first few months and I think might have a C-romance with Craig Hunt.

I agree. It doesn´t seem likely that Lemay´s plan was to bring her back to murder her off. I´d speculate that storywise most of the show through about late July, 1981, follows elements of Lemay´s plans. The custody trial was a nice umbrella story set up by Gabrielle Upton, which Lemay runs with and brings even more parties into. I love all the reactionary fallout with characters choosing sides. I would also doubt that there would be no residue from the story in the months to come had Lemay stayed. Travis and Liza move on fairly quickly into a brief Dane Taylor as a potential romantic spoiler arc before deep diving into the murky labrynith that is the jade treasure plot. I found the idea of Mignon Sentell becoming emotionally attached to baby Roger Lee an interesting dynamic that could have given the Liza/Mignon rivalry a different story to play rather than the redux of Mignon interfering simply in Travis and Liza´s marriage. I could see Lemay wanting Liza to embrace her artistic passion (music) and it coming between her and Travis as music was key to her relationship with her late first husband Steve Kaslo. I don´t think Dane Taylor was initially conceived as a spy. The one story I feel that never gets off the ground, though Lemay seems to be laying some groundwork is a relationship between tempermental Garth Taper and loser in love Sunny Adamson. Sunny´s documentary on local artists seems to be the starting point. Given the Garth´s volatile marriage to Kathy, I cannot see that marriage lasting long. Garth´s backstory with Tessa (the other man´s baby) would have given Garth very real insight into the situation that Sunny was experiencing with Lee, Cissie, and Roger Lee. I could see that relationship leading to a quasi-rape situation between Sunny and Garth where Garth thinking it was consensual and Sunny claiming he forced her. Soaps, however, have never done those stories well. I am curious what, if any, plans Lemay had for Ted Adamson and Janet Collins. There seems to be almost no suggestion of what would happen after Jamie leaves town except for Janet´s paranoia over the omnious threat of Jamie returning at some point to extract her revenge. Though I do wonder if the plan wouldn´t have been to bring Gary Walton (not Tom Bergman) back to the fold as their would be obvious tension to resume regarding Gary raising (or not raising) his child with Ted´s daughter, Laine. The early stuff written by Gabrielle Upton is a mixed bag. Garth Taper doesn´t feel like the sort of character that could lead as much story as he was given. His connections to the canvas were limited (a brother he wouldn´t talk to and a relationship with a fairly islanded character in Kathy), though this feels very much in line with the kind of material Upton wrote on ¨Love of Life.¨ The Jamie Adamson stuff seems absurd with the terrorist connections. The falling off the train and the amnesia plot seems very plot heavy and intentionally built obstacles without the long lasting ramifications. The one story that really works is the Roger Lee story. The story involving Sunny´s brain tumor and the quack Winston Kyle on the island is another unnecessarily extravagant plot. Lemay seems to start to ground the story again and it works for me based on the synopses. I think most of the material from early April through late July seems highly enjoyable. There is stuff after that has potential (Brian´s arrival with the boxing story and Suzi´s arrival with her interest in Brian), but already the jade storyline seems to be taking up too much story space. In August, the show starts to hack away at itself by murdering Mignon, deciding to ship off Spence Langley after bring back Brian Emerson because they had Zach Anders (who could never have been played longterm effectively), and callously writing off Ellie Bergman by having her run off with the chef. It just doesn´t feel like a show with much energy despite the constant plot movement. Chastain´s work is hard to judge because if what he claims is true, he worked off projections of someone else, than he might not be to blame for the horrid jade story, but also might not be responsible for the boxing storyline either. The adventure stories aren´t effective. Actually, really looking at how bad the show gets by December, 1981, it´s actually impressive what Ellis and Hunt did manage to do even if they wrote out a bunch of older cast members in the process for the NBC run.

According to Mary Ann Cooper's column, Harding Lemay's first script aired on March 30, 1981. Gabrielle Upton's last script aired March 27, 1981. This was announced in a February 28, 1981 column. The Writer's Strike of 1981 began on April 11, 1981. So assuming that Lemay had already written the first script he probably only had on air scripts through about early May, which was about the time frame that the credits began to disappear on the episodes on "Ryan's Hope" that aired on SoapNet from that period. Lemay seems to set up the return of Mignon as well as the return of the real Brian Emerson (and I wouldn´t be surprised if his long story involved the return of the aged Suzi Wyatt as his romantic interest). He quickly nixes Sunny´s brain tumor story (it´s cured) and wraps up the Jamie Adamson tale (like the tumor, she disappears). He also writes out David Sutton during the height of the custody trial. Lewis Artl´s departure seems to take a lot of the conflict out of the situation involving Garth and Kathy´s sudden marriage. The custody trial seems to continue focusing on the relationships between the characters and the reaction to the events in the story. Elements of the Richard Kent story seem to be a bit Lemay-esque (the emphasis on artists), but I cannot imagine this was what Lemay originally planned unless this was his middle ground with Mary Ellis Bunim. I suspect this might be the infamous rape story he refused to write. Also, Don Chastain claims that he was fired after submitting his first set of story projections in the fall of 1981. Prior to that, he claims he was writing ¨someone else´s stories and characters.¨ He had plotted a story, which he claimed had been approved and had been launched, that would have sent Travis Sentell into outer space. This was most likely the Project Goliath story that seems to start in October and is quickly forgotten only to be replaced by Operation Sunburst. It seems possible that Chastain was writing off Lemay´s projections for much of the strike. Until about late July, the show remains relatively normal until deep diving into the jade caper which devolves into some sorta mess involving spy networks and secret cartels or something. Chastain´s scripts get some praise from at least one columnists, while there is also mentions of how bizarre some of his material was. The infamous ¨Ellie runs off with the cook¨ wasn´t a strike story. It happens in October, 1981, well after the end of the strike. Also, this story led to an insane moment where a drunken Stu Bergman ends up seeing a life size rabbit on Halloween. Chastain´s proposed outer space story projection would be something to behold. Given the mess the show is in November/December 1981, I think Chastain´s departure was a smart move. These are from the "Daytime Dial" and ¨Tune in Tomorrow¨ columns covering the weeks leading up Lemay's arrival into the Writer's Strike covering Mignon's return, the murder mystery, and the conclusion of the year. March 2 - March 6, 1981: Martin Tourneur, planning a business trip to Miami, asks Joanne Tourneur to go along. At first, she agrees, but then decides it's unfair to drop all business problems in Stu and Ellie Bergman's lap. Stephanie Wyatt, planning a trip to South America, says goodbye to Max Taper and the two are obviously growign close. Stephanie, on her way to Miami to catch her South American crusise ship, is delighted when she finds Martin is a fellow airplane passenger. Dr. Jamie Larsen Adamson was hospitalized after falling from a train during an argument with Janet Collins about Ted Adamson. JAmie remains in critical confition and Ted and Janet both feel guilty. Stu is surprised when he discovers Wendy Wilkins is living with Spence Langley. Wendy complains about the cockroaches in the space she is sharing with Spence. Brian is going back to law school. Garth Taper lured Kathy Phillips to Jamaica under false pretenses, then proceeded to charm her. Travis and Liza Sentell learned that Cissie Mitchell was pregnant when Stephanie Wyatt first met her. March 9 - March 13, 1981: Cissie Mitchell is shattered when she realizes the Sentells may take Roger Lee to Europe for two months. She decides it is time to tell Travis and Liza that she is the baby´s mother, and tells Travis. Travis knows this is true, but emotionally cannot accept it. Cissie tells Travis either he takes her to Europe with them or he must leave the baby in Henderson with her. An upset Travis fires Cissie and orders her out of the house. Dr. Jamie Adamson regained consciousness, but believes she is in the 1960s. Jamie is reliving the horrors of her early life and Ted Adamson realizes that is will be a long time before he can divorce his emotionally unstable wife. The press intimates that Jamie´s fall from the train may not have been an accident. Janet Collins realizes that Ted must stay with Jamie for the time being. Sunny Adamson is wondering if it is right to marry Lee Sentell. Kathy Phillips and Garth Taper are married in Jamaica. Spence Langley missed Wendy Wilkins´ birthday party in order to assure Cissie he would help her in her fight with the Sentells for Roger Lee´s custody. Sunny Adamson admits to Jo Tourneur she is not yet ready to marry Lee. March 16 - March 20, 1981: When Kathy Phillips Taper fails to return home from Jamaica, her son Doug Phillips is upset, but turns happy when he learns Kathy and Garth Taper are married and Garth is his new father. Upset over Doug´s future with irresponsible Garth, David Sutton asks Kathy to tell Garth that David is the father. Travis Sentell explains Cissie Mitchell´s firing to his wife Liza Sentell. Travis does not think Cissy can take Roger Lee away from him and Liza. Cissy turned away at attempt to visit Liza. After Travis tells Lee Sentell of Cissie´s claim, Lee feels the baby may be his too, but Spence Langley comes to Cissie´s defense and tell Lee he is the father. Wendy Wilkin´s jealousy of Spence and Cissie´s secret meetings abates when she realizes she is the only woman in Spence´s life. Cissie filing lawsuit against the Sentells, which Kathy feels she won´t win. It seems that Martin Tourneur and Stephanie Wyatt were not only in Miami at the same time, but resided at the same motel. After Sunny Adamson tells Lee she´s not ready to get married, they postpone the wedding. March 23 - March 27, 1981: (Gabrielle Upton´s final week) After Kathy Taper tells Garth Taper that David Sutton is her son Doug Phillip´s father, Garth is angry and admits his jealousy of David and his visits. Visiting Jamie Adamson at the hospital, Kathy meets Garth´s brother, Dr. Max Taper, whom Garth refuses to talk about. Kathy tries to reunite the brothers. Kathy agrees to take Cissie Mitchell´s case. Suspecting Spence Langley is Roger Lee Sentell´s father and is in love with Cissie, Wendy Wilkins moves out on him. Fearing Cissie will do something rash, Travis and Liza Sentell plan an early departure with Roger Lee to Europe, but receive a summons to appear at a preliminary hearing. When Jamie, who is faking her amnesia, leads Janet Collins into believing Ted and Jamie consummated their marriage, a very upset Janet goes to San Francisco to stay with her son Gary Walton. Sunny Adamson and Lee Sentell to marry in May. Because Kathy was unfaithful to him once, Garth feels he cannot trust her. Experimental treatment being given to the unremembering Jamie. Cissie goes to the pediatrician´s office when she finds out Roger Lee is there. March 30, 1981 - April 3, 1981: (Harding Lemay´s first week) Liza and Travis Sentell are disappointed and angry because Kathy Taper is handling Cissie Mitchell´s custody suit. In response, the Sentells hire David Sutton as their attorney. Lee Sentell agreed to be a character witness against Cissie. Refusing to tell everyone that Lee is the father of her baby, and fearing Lee will tell the court they slept together, Cissie asks Spence Langley to marry her, but he refuses. In spite of Kathy´s attempts, Garth Taper still refuses to see his brother, Max Taper, but Kathy finds out Max bought Garth´s painting for $5, 000. Garth informs Cissie he loved a girl who had had a stillborn baby. Convincing Jo Tourneur there´s nothing between him and Stephanie Wyatt, Martin Tourneur and Jo make up. Jo agrees to curb her jealous nature. Jamie Adamson´s amnesia is apparently undiminished. When Ted Adamson and Janet Collins get back together, Ted and Janet both suspect Jamie is faking amnesia. After Wendy Wilkins gets a job at Steve´s (Stu´s?) restaurant she is offered Suzy´s old room by Martin. Wendy thinks Spence is Roger Lee´s brother (father?). April 6, 1981 - April 10, 1981: In court, Cissie Mitchell refuses to let Kathy Taper question Lee Sentell. Later, Cissie plots to to kidnap her son, Roger Lee Sentell. Cissie promises to lift her demands on Spence Langley once he agrees to be a character witness for her at the custody trial. Because Kathy´s representing Cissie in custody suit, Lee and Travis Sentell consider her an enemy. Stu Bergman is unhappy with Spence Langley´s relationship with Cissie and is taking time off from work. Garth Taper making sculpture called ¨Brother Love," which he refuses to sell. Kathy convinces Wendy Wilkins that Spence really loves her. When Kathy finds Dee she refuses to testify on Cissie´s behalf. Cissie still refuses to let Spence tell that he is Roger Lee´s father. Ted Adamson fails to convince Dr. Max Taper that his wife Dr. Jamie Adamson is faking her illness. While Ted fails, his daughter Sunny Adamson succeeds in catching a faking Jamie in a lie, thus proving to Sunny that Jamie´s amnesia is not real. Sunny is told by Max her brain tumor is completely cured. Sunny set out to reunite Max and his brother Garth. April 13, 1981 - April 17, 1981: Refusing to tell Kathy Taper that Lee Sentell is the natural father of her baby Roger Lee Sentell, Cissie Mitchell plans to use the tape she made to her unborn child at trial. At hearing, Spence Langley states he met Cissie Mitchell after she was pregnant. To everyone´s dismay, Kathy Taper reveals Liza Sentell and Travis´ mother, Mignon Sentell, were under psychiatric care. Liza successfully challengea Cathy´s insintuations about Liza´s mental state. Liza catches Cissie in nursery clothing her baby. When Ted Adamson tries to throw a cured Jamie Adamson from his house, she threatens to charge Janet Collins with attempted murder if Ted files for annulment. Because Jamie refuses to leave, Sunny Adamson and David Sutton investigate her leading to Sunny´s offers to go to Washington, D.C., to track down Jamie´s FBI file. Garth Taper refuses to have Sunny do a documentary on local artists. Sunny invites both Garth and his brother, Dr. Max Taper, to her wedding. Even after Spence and Wendy Wilkins make up, she prefers to stay at her mother´s house. Jo Tourneur dissuaded Stu Bergman from firing Spence. April 20, 1981 - April 24, 1981: Not believing Jamie Adamson when she claims the FBI has a file on her because she was indirectly responsible for her aunt and uncle´s death, Sunny Adamson decides to go to Washington, D.C., to check on Jamie´s story. This leads to Sunny´s discovery that Jamie is wanted by the FBI for instigating riots. Lee Sentell gets Sunny to move their wedding date up to May 2. Wanting to see her baby again, Cissie Mitchell sneaks into Roger Lee Sentell´s bedroom, but is discovered, and Liza Sentell thinks she´s trying to kidnap the child. As a result, David Sutton secures a court order barring Cissie from the Sentell home. Garth Taper bolts after running into his brother Max Taper. Garth agrees to be a subject for Sunny´s documentary about artists. Stu Bergman wants to fire Spence Langley because he is friends with Cissie. Ted Adamson warns Janet Collins not to have any contact with Jamie. Jamie, vowing revenge on Janet, takes a bottle of acid and spills it on a picture of Janet´s face. Liza gets judge to believe her emotional problems were all natural reactions to stressful situations. April 27, 1981 - May 1, 1981: When Sunny Adamson discovers her stepmother Jamie Adamson is wanted by the FBI, Jamie admits her marriage to Ted Adamson was never consummated and agrees to annulment. A disgraced Jamie donned a disguise after Sunny confronted her about her criminal past. Hating Janet Collins so much, Jamie tries unsuccessfully to throw acid in her face. On TV, Ted Adamson announces his resignation as governor. Ted´s action leads to admiration from Stu Bergman, the father of Ted´s paramour Janet Collins. Unless new evidence is presented, Judge McNair cannot say Cissie Mitchell can get her baby back. Kathy Taper gets Cissy to admit that Lee Sentell is really the babyś father. Cissie plays the audio tape made before the baby was born for a stunned Sunny to show she is really Roger Lee Sentell´s mother. Liza Sentell will not leave her home. David Sutton, still unhappy about losing his son Doug Phillips to Garth Taper, plans to move to state capitol separating them even further. Returning to Henderson, Stephanie Wyatt calls Martin Tourneur. During their conversation, Martin agrees to help Stephanie reunite wiht her daughter Wendy Wilkins. When Stephanie goes home, she finds Wendy dining with Spence Langley and seems resigned to their relationship. Even though it´s the first time in 12 years, Garth refuses to talk to his brother Max Taper when they run into each other. May 4, 1981 - May 8, 1981: Learning her future husband Lee Sentell sired Cissie Mitchell´s baby, Sunny Adamson is stunned. When Sunny plays the tape for Lee that Cissie left, he refuses to believe it and wants the wedding to go ahead. After a few drinks, Lee visits Cissie and demands more proof or she won´t get the baby back. Lee then tells Martin Tourneur he might be Roger Lee Sentell´s father. Martin suggests postponing the weddding and taking antibody test to determine parentage. Sunny agrees to postpone the wedding. Leaving Henderson for good, David Sutton says goodbye to Kathy Taper. Jamie Adamson disappears from Henderson. Joanne Tourneur tells Stephanie Wyatt she´s onto the game she´s playing with Martin. Stephanie pumped Spence Langley for information about her son Brian Emerson, but Spence didn´t know Brian´s whereabouts. May 11, 1981 - May 15, 1981: (about a month after the strike starts so Lemay´s scripts should be almost out) Although Jamie Adamson has disappeared, Janet Collins fears that she will return. David Sutton says goodbye to Kathy Taper and asks that Doug be allowed to visit him in Washington. Garth Taper upset when he catches his wife Cathy and David in emotional goodbye hug. When Lee Sentell tells Liza Sentell he may be Roger Lee Sentell´s father, she falls apart and insists there will be no paternity blood tests. When Travis Sentell says tests need to be taken, Liza feels he too is against her. Travis leaves for a Mideast business trip. Stephanie Wyatt and Max Taper become closer even though Stephanie still has a yen for Martin Tourneur. Stephanie befriended Cissie Mitchell and encouraged her to fight for her child. Later, Cissie applies, and secures, a position as Max´s receptionist. May 18, 1981 - May 22, 1981: (Max Taper´s story starts to pick up. Don Chastain most likely has started as scab headwriter mostly working on scripts from ¨other people´s stories¨) Kathy Taper orders the court to have Lee Sentell submit to a paternity test for Roger Lee. Stu Bergman harangued Martin Tourneur for suggesting the paternity test. Fearing her son will be taken from her if tests show Lee is really her baby´s father, Liza Sentell takes baby Roger Lee and heads for New Orleans under assumed name. Returning from Europe, Travis Sentell begins search for Liza and the baby. Max Taper goes to Garth Taper and they hash out their past problems. Twelve years ago, Garth was in love with Tessa, who became pregnant by another man. The 16-year-old girl claimed the child was Max´s, although Max was happily married to Jennifer. Garth believed the story and decided to help raise her child. When the baby was stillborn, Tessa disappeared and Garth left his family. At first Garth refuses to beleive Max´s contention that the baby wasn´t his, but a letter Tessa sent Max a year ago proves his story. Garth feels a fool who lost 12 years of his life, but couldn´t promise a reconcilliation with his brother. Kathy Taper having trouble communicating with Garth. Garth and Sunny Adamson lean on each other. May 25, 1981 - May 29, 1981: (Mignon returns.) Sunny Adamson is upset when Lee Sentell says he wants to adopt Roger Lee Sentell if the child is his. Stu Bergman considers Lee the enemy. Travis Sentell slapped Lee for telling Cissie´s attorney Kathy Taper about the paternity test. Stephanie Wyatt asks Cissy Mitchell to move in with her and vows to help win the battle with the Sentells. Stephanie´s daughter Wendy disapproved of Stephanie´s actions. Stephanie encouraged Cissie to fight for Lee. Doug Phillips misses Cissie as his baby sitter. Martin Tourneur goes to the sanitarium where his sister Mignon Sentell has been a patient and learns she is totally recovered and must be treated as a normal, capable human being. He also discovers that Mignon was released from the sanitarium. Garth Taper still unable to be close to Max Taper because he feels he´s been made a fool of by Tessa, the firl he loved when he was younger. June 1, 1981 - June 5, 1981: Tests prove that Roger Lee Sentell is Lee Sentell´s biological son. Liza Sentell is hysterical suspecting that Cissie Mitchell had tampered with the results. Martin Tourneur is stunned that Mignon Sentell, his once-emotionally- ill sister, seems to be well-balanced. Travis Sentell brings his wife Liza and his mother Mignon back to Henderson. Jo Tourneur invites Mignon to stay at the Henderson Inn, but Mignon begged off in order to stay with Liza and Travis during the custody battle. Lee feels that perhaps by joining forces with Cissie Mitcehll he can once again see his son. Kathy Taper jealous of the so-called housekeeper Vicki Curtis since she spends more time modeling for her husband Garth Taper than cleaning the house or watching her son Dougie Phillips. Garth tells Sunny Adamson the documentary she´s doing on his life is causing problems in his marriage. Stephanie Wyatt asked Spence Langley to find her son Brian Emerson. June 8, 1981 - June 12, 1981: (The brutal attack may give us a clue to the rape story that Lemay has stated he had conflict with Mary-Ellis Bunim over. I wonder if Richard was intended to eventually rape Sunny) Liza Sentell crushed when tests show Lee Sentell is Roger Lee Sentell´s natural father. Following argument with his wife Kathy Taper over Vicki Curtis´s lack of attention to household chores, Garth Taper spends the night at his friend Richard Kent´s apartment. Vicki tags along. When Vicki passes on message to Garth that his brother Max Taper wants to see him, Garth leaves in a rage. While Vicky is on phone to Max to discuss Garth´s temper flare ups, someone comes in and brutally attacks her. Kathy Taper and Max think Garth may have done it after Kathy discovers Garth has a history of assault. The child custody hearing begins. Travis and Liza Sentell´s attorney, Giles, brings out that Stephanie Wyatt once had a child out of wedlock and this is why she has taken Cissie Mitchell into her home. Kathy forces Sunny to appear as a character witness for Cissie, but Giles gets Sunny to admit that Cissie may be using her child to get Lee Sentell back. In court, Cissie announces her love for Lee. On the witness stand, Kathy damages Liza´s credibility when Liza breaks down and court must adjourn. When Travis tries to talk to Liza, she tells him to get away, blaming him for their return to Henderson. Mignon Sentell blames Liza for the conflict between her son Travis and his cousin Lee. Mignon asks Lee for a visit while she is taking care of little Roger Lee Sentell, and Lee gets to be with his son for the first time. Travis and Liza return home unexpectedly and are shocked when they see Lee holding the baby. Ellie Bergman overhears Mignon tell little Roger Lee he´ll soon be living in New Orleans. June 15, 1981 - June 19, 1981: As the custody suit continues rift between Liza and Travis Sentell, Travis promises his cousin Lee Sentell unlimited visitation of Roger Lee Sentell if he and Liza retain custody of the baby, while Cissie Mitchell makes Lee same promise. Liza fears she´s losing control. Mignon Sentell is becoming obsessed with her adopted grandson Roger Lee Sentell. Vicki Curtis is unable to recall who attacked her. Kathy Taper feels Garth Taper only person responsible for Vicki´s attack. When Garth arrested by the police, Cathy gets trial recessed so she can see him in prison. Garth refuses to see Cathy because he senses she feels he´s guilty. After Max gets Garth out on bail, the two renew their brotherly feeling they had for each other years ago and Max tells Garth he knows Garth did not attack Vicki. The police also grilled Richard Kent, an artist, about Vicki´s beating. Sunny Adamson considered breaking things off with Lee, while Cissie dreamed of marrying Lee. At Stephanie Wyatt´s urging, Martin Tourneur asks Spencer Langley about her illegitimate son, Brian, and Spencer claims Brian wants nothing to do with his natural mother. June 22, 1981 - June 26, 1981: (In his exit interview, Chastain claims he received accolades for writing the conclusion of the custody trial so Chastain is writing scripts for sure by this point) Travis and Liza Sentell stunned when judge gives Cissie Mitchell and Lee Sentell joint custody of their son, Roger Lee Sentell. Seeing it is impossible for Cissie to take care of baby part time, Lee suggests Cissie quit job and take care of baby full time and he will pay all her expenses. Mignon Sentell and Travis tell Lee never enter their home again. Stu Bergman orders Lee to move out of the Inn, since he blames him for Cissie winning custody suit. Sunny Adamson refuses to grant him room and board either. With Cathy believing Garth´s story that he did not attack Vicki Curtis, he returns home to Cathy. Ted Adamson balmes Stephanie Wyatt for Sunny and Lee´s split. Martin Tourneur and Spence Langley both attempt, and failed, to convince Stephanie to halt her search for her son Brian Emerson. Ted and Martin have business disagreements. June 29, 1981 - July 3, 1981: Richard Kent, thinking Sunny Adamson is his ex-wife Alice, attacks her. Sunny floored Richard and realized he was the one who had attacked Vicki Curtis. Kent admits to Sunny that he was behind the attack, so Garth Taper is cleared. Kathy and Garth Taper reconcilled. Lee Sentell neglected Sunny to help Cissie purchase goodies for their son Roger Lee Sentell. Stephanie Wyatt tells Cissie Mitchell she´ll think of way to split Sunny Adamson and Lee Sentell. Stu Bergman is overjoyed when son Tom Bergman comes home to Henderson. Liza Sentell, unable to face loss of Roger Lee´s custody, becomes more reclusive and buries herself in her music. July 6, 1981 - July 10, 1981: Hoping to end his wife Liza Sentell´s depression, Travis Sentell has his friend Dane Taylor agree to be her vocal coach. Liza and Dane hit it off immediately as Dane reminded Liza of her first husband, Steve Kaslo. Liza turns further away from Travis. Lee Sentell takes his son Roger Lee for the weekend. Cissie Mitchell considers taking an apartment in the same building as Lee, which led to Wendy admitting her distrust of Cissie. Lee is jealous of Tom Bergman and Sunny Adamsonś new friendship. Stephanie Wyatt learns her son Brian Emerson is in Oklahoma City after speaking with Paul Emerson, Brian´s father. Sunny Adamson accepts an out of town assignment. July 13, 1981 - July 17, 1981: When Cissie Mitchell takes apartment and leaves building, Lee Sentell suspects it was Stephanie Wyatt´s doing. Lee offers to hire a nurse for their son Roger Lee, but Cissie insists on watching the child herself. Lee grew jealous when he discovered Sunny Adamson was dating Tom ¨Trip¨ Bergman. Feeling she needs time alone, Liza Sentell goes to New York to study with Dane Taylor. When Dane is out of town, she decides to take a cruise. Travis fumes that Liza has run off on him. Stephanie Wyatt finds her son Brian Emerson boxing in a ring. He wins the match after he is told to take a dive. His failure to do so has led to jeopardy from the fight fixers. When Stephanie introduces herself to Brian, he refuses to acknowledge her. Garth Taper feels he is living off his wife Kathy Taper´s money and feels further rebuffed when she says she is too tired to make love. Vicky returned to being Garth´s model and pursurer. July 20, 1981 - July 24, 1981: Brian Emerson decides to leave town quickly to avoid his fight manager because he did not take a dive when he was supposed to. Wendy Wilkins is upset about her mother Stephanie Wyatt and Dr. Max Taper having an intimate relationship. Stephanie sought Trip Bergman´s help in investigating her son Brian Emerson´s boxing enemies. Stu disapproved of Trip´s investigation. Jo Tourneur encourages Trip and Sunny Adamson to renew old ties. Alone on a cruise, Liza Sentell is very unhappy and is curious when several gifts come from a mysterious cruisemate. She then learns that the flowers and jewelry are from her husband, Travis Sentell. Travis buys a pair of interesting jade earrings for Liza, which led Liza to blow a gasket. Singer Zach Anders and his cohort, Sylvie Descartes (it says Zoe, but I think that´s wrong) are also on the ship in search of the jade. Garth Taper and his model Vicki Curtis began a steamy affair. Dane Taylor left town. July 27, 1981 - July 31, 1981: Travis and Liza Sentell made up on the Queen Elizabeth II. Travid tells Liza there is an operation which will allow her to become pregnant. She agrees to the procedure. Travis refuses to sell the jade to Sylvie. Brian Emerson, who ran from his gun-blasting tormentors, called his mother Stephanie Wyatt´s house, but hung up. Trip Bergman finds Brian in Oklahoma and makes arrangements for him to come to Henderson. The FBI finds Jamie Adamson in San Francisco when the car she is riding in is stopped by state patrol. Ted Adamson assures Janet Collins that the imprisoned Jamie will not hurt them, but Janet is fearful. Jo and Martin Tourneur vacationed in New Orleans, where Mignon Sentell is planning a boutique. August 3, 1981 - August 7, 1981: To get annulment from Jamie Adamson, Ted Adamson offers to pay for an expensive lawyer to get his wife off for terrorist and murder charges. Jamie agrees and Ted is free. When Stephanie Wyatt´s son Brian Emerson appears at the house, Stephanie questions the boy. Brian flees and moves to the Inn. Wendy Wilkins senses her brother Brian is in hot water. When Stephanie goes to visit him there, she learns Brian has disappeared. Sunny Adamson and Trip Bergman are growing closer, while Lee Sentell seems to be getting closer to Cissie Mitchell. Roger Lee consumes pills which Sunny had dropped. Undergoing surgery to help her conceive in Vienna, Liza Sentell is discovered to have a tumor. Both doctors assure her husband Travis Sentell that Liza will be able to conceive, but they wihthold the fact that she might not carry the child to term. Lee Sentell was summoned to Bellville. August 10, 1981 - August 14, 1981: (about a month since strike ended. At some point in near future, Don Chastain is credited even though he worked the strike). Jo and Martin Tourneur find Martin´s sister Mignon Sentell hanging from a noose. Henderson is stunned when Mignon Sentell is found murdered. Suzi Wyatt returns to Henderson. Garth Taper reveals to his brother Dr. Max Taper that his life, both personally and professionally, is in shambles. Spence Langley, preparing to go to law school, is looking for a clerkship and considers moving out of town. Things change when Kathy Taper hires Spence to work in her law office. Roger Lee Sentell unaffected by the aspirin he consumed. Sunny Adamson tells her former fiance Lee Sentell she´s considering overseas assignment for a while. Zach Anders and Sylvie Descartes arrive at the Henderson Inn. Wendy Wilkins disapproed of her mother Stephanie Wyatt´s steamy relationship with Max. Stu Bergman hired Wendy and Zach for his new nightclub room, the Terrace. August 17, 1981 - August 21, 1981: Sylvie Descartes decides that Zack Anders´ job as singer at Hendeson House is a good way to get near the jade. Travis Sentell attends his mother´s funeral. Liza and Travis returned from New Orleans leading Lee Sentell to press for family unity. Duke, a goon working for the fight fixers, breaks into Stephanie Wyatt´s home in order to get her son Brian Emerson. Dr. Max Taper arrives on the scene and saves Stephanie. Brian returned and warned his sister Wendy Wilkins against Zach Anders, who enraptured both Wendy and her stepsister Suzi Wyatt. Sylvie orders Zach to get close to both girls in order to get info on Travis. August 24, 1981 - August 28, 1981: Stephanie Wyatt is confused when her daughter Wendy Wilkins switches from dating Spence Langley and goes over to Zack Anders. Spence also bristled at Wendy and Zach´s closeness. Brian Emerson punches his former friend Spence when Spence admits he once impersonated Brian. Brian, who is now a bouncer at Henderson Inn, almost gets in trouble when the first person he bounces is a state senator. Brian warmed up to his mother, Stephanie Wyatt. Ted Adamson gets his annulment from Jamie, but Janet is fearful that there will still be trouble galore ahead. Cissie Mitchell and Lee Sentell are growing closer as Sunny Adamson is becoming more enamored of Tom Bergman. Sylvie Descartes pressures Zach to charm Liza and lift the jade. Liza mellowed towards Lee. August 31, 1981 - September 4, 1981: Zach Anders and Sylvie Descartes get Liza Sentell to sing at the Henderson House so that Sylvie can get in and get pieces of the jade. Zach spots the jade on Liza´s finger. Sylvie´s mysterious adversary arrives. When she discovers Hemmings at the Sentell mansion, Sylvie kills him, searches for the jade pieces, but cannot find them. Wendy Wilkins is growing farther away from Spence Langley and closer to Zach Anders. Garth Taper feels guilty after his wife Kathy Taper almost caught him in the bushes with his lover Vicki Curtis. Lee Sentell resents Trip Bergman dating Cissie. Suzi Wyatt becomes buddies with her former stepmother Stephanie Wyatt and Cissie Mitchell. Brian Emerson and Zach clashed over Wendy. The police informed Travis Sentell that his mother Mignon Sentell´s death was a murder, not a suicide. Sylvie replaced Zach´s scarf which was found near Mignon´s body. September 7, 1981 - September 11, 1981: Vicki Curtis reveals her affair with Garth Taper to Garth´s wife, Kathy. In the aftermath, Garth was involved in a fatal car accident. Dr. Max Taper rushes to the hospital to try and save his brother Garth Taper, but it is too late. Garth succumbs to his injuries he sustained in the car crash. Garth´s passing stuns his wife Cathy Taper and Vicki Curtis. Sylvie Descartes used Zach´s scarf to strangle Mr. Billings, her enemy, and nixed telling Zach where she is concealing the corpse. Travis Sentell is beginning to think that his mother Mignon Sentell´s death which has been ruled a murder and not a suicide may be tied up with the break-in of their apartment and Hemming´s death. Spence Langley tells Wendy Wilkins he´s leaving for law school. While saddened, Wendy continues to grow closer to Zach Anders. After catching Zach kissing Wendy, Sylvie warned Zach to steer clear of Wendy if he wanted Wendy to live. September 14, 1981 - September 18, 1981: Garth Taper´s funeral is held. Liza Sentell and Cathy Taper renew their friendship when Liza tells her she knows how she feels because she remembers Steve Kaslo´s death. Stu Bergman also buried the hatchet with Kathy. Wendy Wilkins taken aback when Sylvia Descartes warns her to stay away from Zack Anders, but Stephanie Wyatt steps in and takes care of Sylvie. Ellie Bergman distrusts Sylvie. With Spence Langley leaving town, Wendy grows closer to Zack Anders. A mysterious man (Bobby Stuart) snooped in Mignon Sentellś home and fondles a picture of Mignon. Brian Emerson and Suzi Wyatt hit it off. Sunny Adamson confided in Trip Bergman that she feels shut out by Lee Sentell, who has been distracted by Cissie´s bed. September 21, 1981 - September 25, 1981: Sunny Adamson is taken aback when her father Ted Adamson says she seems to revel in her myriad problems. When Cissie Mitchell becomes ill, Lee Sentell runs to her side, making Sunny wonder if she even wants to marry Lee. Bobby Stuart, who has returned to help investigate Mignon Sentell´s death, tells Travis Sentell a flower-peddler saw Mignon standing in the window of her apartment hours after the coroner said she must have been dead- so Bobby and Travis come to the conclusion that it was the murderer standing in the window and the murderer was a woman. Jo Tourneur upset by her niece Suzi Wyatt dating Brian Emerson because Jo felt Suzi was abandoning her dance studies to chase Brian. Sylvie Descartes copied the inscription from Liza Sentell´s jade, but a jeweler failed to translate it becasue the inscription is incomplete. September 28, 1981 - October 2, 1981: Dane Taylor is livid when Zack Anders misses Liza Sentell´s opening at the club because he and Wendy Wilkins are stuck in a cabin during a rainstorm. Stephanie Wyatt distrusts Zach. Stu Bergman angered Suzi Wyatt by firing Brian Emerson. Brian wants to resume his boxing career and goes to Martin Tourneur and Ted Adamson for funding. Martin agrees to sponsor Brian´s return to the ring. Cissie Mitchell plans to open a dance studio in order to make money. Lee Sentell is growing closer to Cissie and further away from Sunny Adamson as Lee feels he is playing second fiddle to Sunny´s work. Cathy Taper is struggling with her son Dougie Phillips, who misses the late Garth Taper terribly and cannot understand why he has again been deserted by a father figure. Bobby Stuart learned that a strange woman was seen in Mignon´s house. October 5 , 1981 - October 9, 1981: Dane Taylor receives mysterious phone calls. It is revealed Dane Taylor was involved in the black market while in Vietnam and also is interested in the jade pieces Liza and Travis Sentell own. Sylvie studied Liza´s jade inscription. Cissie Mitchell makes sure she shows up at a restaurant where Lee Sentell is dining alone. Sunny Adamson catches Cissie merrily dining with Lee. When Sunny sees the twosome she is openly agitated, but Lee blames Sunny for being too busy to ever spend time with him. On their way back to Henderson, Zack Anders and Wendy Wilkins are involved in a car accident. Lost in the woods, Zack is unable to find way out for them and returns to Wendy, who is seriously ill from an insect bite. Stephanie Wyatt tells the police she thinks Sylvie Descartes may have kidnapped Wendy and Zach. The cops grilled Sylvie about the missing young people. Ted Adamson helped Martin Tourneur manage Brian Emerson´s career. Both men publically announced they are backing Brianś boxing career. October 12, 1981 - October 16, 1981: Lee Sentell and Cissie Mitchell went to bed together. Travis Sentell swore Martin Tourneur to secrecy about a top secret project, code-named Goliath, that is in the works at Tourneur Instruments. Dane Taylor makes a mysterious call. Unbenownst to Travis and his wife Liza Sentell, Dane is a spy who´s following their activities. In the woods, Wendy Wilkins has knee trouble again and feels dizzy with a fever. Stephanie Wyatt tells Kathy Taper and Trip Bergman she thinks Sylvie Descartes and Zach Anders are kidnappers. Wendy calls Stephanie saying she´s fine, and Zack returns to the Inn. Stephanie is relieved when Zach and Wendy return, but Stephanie disapproves of the couple. Brian Emerson receives boxing coaching from Kid Granite. Sylvie tries to explain the delay in getting the jade to her boss. October 19, 1981 - October 23, 1981: (Ellie Bergman departs. Chastain most definitely would be credited by this point despite this supposedly happening during the strike) Ellie Bergman dumped her husband Stu Bergman and split with Armand, the Henderson Inn´s chef. News of Ellie´s decision depresses Stu. The mysterious Mr. Woo informed Travis Sentell that his father, Rusty Sentell, may be alive in Hong Kong. Travis and Liza head to Hong Kong to follow the lead. Lee Sentell joined Travis' secret agricultural project. Zach Anders agreed to help Sylvie Descartes. When Sylvie hears that Travis and Liza are heading to Hong Kong, they follow. Sylvie wants the jade. Jo Tourneur disapproved of Suzi Wyatt and Brian Emerson´s romance. Martin Tourneur and Ted Adamson hire Kid Granite to be Brian´s trainer. Sunny Adamson´s uncertainy about her future with Lee has Lee upset, but gives Cissie Mitchell hope. Wendy Wilkins wants to leave home. Zack asks her to think twice about it and promises if he has to leave town he´ll be back for her. October 26, 1981 - October 30, 1981: Sylvie Descartes and Zach Anders followed Liza and Travis Sentell to Hong Kong, where Sunny Adamson did a story on Travis´ search for his father. Hired by Sylvie to get the jade, a stranger mugs Liza and Travis, but does not get the goods. Sylvie´s boss monitored Liza and Travis. Wendy Wilkins is upset by Zack´s sudden disappearance. Lee Sentell and Sunny parted company. Martin Tourneur and Trip Bergman helped Stu Bergman shake the blues over losing his wife Ellie. Stephanie Wyatt and Martin Tourneur are disappointed because they are given little opportunity to see Brian train for the big fight. November 2, 1981 - November 6, 1981: In Hong Kong, Sylvie Descartes and Zach Anders abduct Travis Sentell. Sylvie´s henchmen kill Mr. Woo. Liza Sentell manages to escape from Sylvie and flees to a Chinese theatre where she receives a call from Sylvie, who demands the jade. Travis snatches teh phone and tells Liza not to listen to the demands, but is kidnapped by another couple who were hired to find the jade. Sunny Adamson discovers that Dane Taylor is also interested in the jade. Stephanie Wyatt discovers the drowned corpse of Sylvie´s enemy. Brian Emerson to fight Mad Dog Evans in a three-round bout. Duke, one of the fight fixers from Oklahoma, comes to Henderson and Wendy Wilkins tells him Brian is at the gym. Ted Adamson fixes the fight for Brian. Dane Taylor arrives in Hong Kong and tries to rescue both Liza and Travis. Dane nixes Sunny Adamson´s pleas to call the cops. Stu Bergman attempts a youthful image. Stephanie Wyatt and Kathy Taper discover Hemmings´ body in the lake and the investigation hangs around the red scarf on his neck. November 9, 1981 - November 13, 1981 : Liza Sentell frees herself from her jade-hungry captors. Sylvie Descartes, who drugged Travis Sentell, is threatened by her rivals. Travis escapes his kidnapper, but is later recapture and taken on a Chinese junk. Liza Sentell gets jade from the bank and tries to contact Sylvie. Brian Emerson wins his first fight, unaware Ted Adamson engineered his victory. Duke shows up and hits Brian in the head. Hospitalized, Brian is told by Kid Granite he is a good fighter, but not a champion, and Granite resigns as his manager. Trip Bergman investigates the the drowning of Sylvie´s enemy, whose connection to Sylvie is yet unknown. Sylvie summoned Liza. November 16, 1981 - November 20, 1981: (In early November, it is announced that Don Chastain was released both from his writing and acting roles. It would be safe to say that ¨Jackson Chase¨ has taken over by this week) Kid Granite convinced Brian Emerson to trade in his boxing gloves. Sunny Adamson was arrested for suspicion of robbing the jade from a museum. Dane Taylor´s boss ordered him to get the jade. Liza has not yet caught up with her husband Travis Sentell, Sylvie Descartes, and Zach Anders, but has found the the other half of the jade inscription. As the bomb ticks away, Liza is able to get the jade out of the safe, but Sylvie discovers a piece of the jade is missing - hence she cannot figure out the code. Sylvie tells Liza that Travis is dead. In Henderson, Martin Tourneur beleives that Hemmings´ and Mignon´s murders are connected. Wendy Wilkins is still upset becasue Zach has disappeared. Stephanie Wyatt promoted a match between her daughter Wendy and Trip Bergman. Brian Emerson recuperates in the hospital after his beating from Duke. Dr. Max Taper left Henderson. November 23, 1981 - November 27, 1981: Sylvie Descartes grabs the jade and held Liza Sentell hostage. A jade expert informed Sylvie that the jade is still incomplete. Sylvie lied to Liza saying that her husband Travis Sentell is dead. Dane Taylor rescues Travis before the ship blows up. Travis learns Dane doesn know where Liza is. Sylvie threatens to kill Liza. Released by the police after questioning concerning the jade theft, Sunny Adamson is given a source who can provide code to the jade´s secret message. Brian Emerson is heartbroken, with no job, no fighting career, and no money. He doesn´t know where to turn until Suzi Wyatt comes around. Jo Tourneur and her niece Suzi sparred over Suzi´s boyfriend, Brian. Stephanie Wyatt and her daughter Wendy Wilkins bonded over becoming losers at love. November 30, 1981 - December 4, 1981: After Dane Taylor rescued Travis Sentell, the two men took off in pursuit of Travis´ wife Liza Sentell. Sylvie Descartes lifted the missing part of the jade from a museum and goes to the fort tower. Escaping from prison, Sunny Adamson also learned the riddle of the jade and goes looking for Sylvie, who is with her accomplice Zach Anders. Martin Tourneur learns Zach killed somebody. Wendy Wilkins, Zach´s girlfirend, is stunned by the news and will talk to no one. Martin concluded that Billings was connect with Sylvie. Brian Emerson cooled his relationship with Suzi Wyatt because he feels like a failure. December 7, 1981 - December 11, 1981: Sylvie Descartes and Zach Anders discover an empty carton and a cannister of film instead of the treatsure. An angry Sylvie vows to kill them all and point a gun at Liza Sentell, but Zach steps in and takes the fatal bullet. After Zack´s death, Sylvie continues to prepare to kill everyone else, when suddenly a shot rings out from behind and Sylvie is exterminated by an unseen sniper. Dane Taylor rushes to the film cannister and seemingly destroys the film. Dane helped Travis Sentell rescue Travis´ wife Liza Sentell, then split under orders from his bosses. Mysterious criminals knew that Dane grabbed the microfilm that Sylvie sought. At the hospital, Travis wonders what Dane is doing. Dane takes the film, which he hasn really destroyed, and looks thought it, but learns almost all of the frames were destroyed. Travis discovered Sylvie´s organization lured him to Hong Kong on the pretext that his father was alive. Stephanie Wyatt tries to console her daughter Wendy WIlkins ove Zack´s death. December 14, 1981 - December 18, 1981: (Ralph Ellis and Eugenie Hunt depart in December 1982 around this time. Suspecitng they may have started this week or the one after. Next week, there is mention of Project Sunburst, which drags out for most of Hunt-Ellis´ run) Dane Taylor admits to Travis Sentell he´s a counterespionage agent. Dane believes Travis can help him with the damaged film. On a postcard, Travis spots the name Sentell and a blurry figure, feeling it may be his father. Dane decides to quit the government post but changes his mind when Bones is murdered just before he is going to reveal the secret of the film. Travis discovers that Sylvie murdered his mother Mignon Sentell and carried his father´s picture on microfilm. Ted Adamson was intrigued by Travis´ top-secret company project. Ted offers Brian Emerson a job at his company. Cissie Mitchell is jealous over Lee Sentell´s concern about Sunny Adamson. Travis tells Sunny the only story with the jade is that Sylvie and Zack were after treasure, but Sunny doesn´t believe him. Sunny correctly sensed that Travis is keeping mum about Dane´s purpose in going to Hong Kong. December 21, 1981 - December 25, 1981: Bones, Dane Taylor´s boss, was snuffed out by his enemies before he could tell Dane of his discovery of the film, but says something that Travis Sentell stated told him the answer. The criminals tailed Dane. After they returned from Hong Kong, Sunny Adamson grilled Travis about his secret project, Operation Sunburst, which is still going strong. Sunny also investigates Dane Taylor. A renowned scientist Kent Benson arrives on teh scene. Kent´s name was also on the microfilm. When Sunny discovers Lee Sentell is involved in the project she becomes friendly toward him. Cissie decides not to crowd Lee, but is delighted when Lee opts to spend Christmas with her and the baby. Travis wants nothing to do with Dane. December 28, 1981 - January 1, 1982: Dane Taylor learns Bones called Washingotn the day he was murdered. Dane resists handing film to Clark until he gets the information about the film. Wendy Wilkins still unable to get over Zack Anders' death. Cissie Mitchell is uspet when she goes to Lee Sentell´s apartment and finds Sunny Adamson there. Sunny surprised when her editor says an investigation into Dane´s past shows he is a vocal coach and musician, nothing more.

I remember following the development of "111 Gramercy Park." IIRC, the show was in development during late 2001 for the fall 2002 pilots. ABC, or possibly CBS, ordered the script, but it was very late in the development period so that it had to be filmed til 2002/2003. I remember being very interested because it had initially been described as an "upstairs/downstairs" style show and the casting included a lot of interesting names to me. I was disappointed it wasn't picked up, and was very upset to learn that Jonathan Brandeis, who appeared in the pilot, had taken his own life in November, 2003. I didn't even know that they had developed another version of "Gramercy Park" until after the pilot season was over. Watching both, I think each has strengths. Elizabeth Mitchell/Paul Blackburn play a better version of that couple than the pair in the original. Meanwhile, Joanna Going's version of the soon to be ex-wife was much more appealing that Megan Dodd's character. I remember Samaire Armstrong being an intriguing performer from "The O.C." and thinking she and Seth Gable would work well as twins on "Dirty, Sexy Money." I like how we get the twist at the end that the manipulative nanny is using a different name in both. I liked the actress who played the vixen in GP when she appeared in "Coyote Ugly," but I think playing Tatu's "All The Things She Said" during the reveal is just a great moment highlighted by a song that just captures a moment in time for me. The wealthy family in each led by the older patriarch works for me in both versions. I think the family dynamic in the original had potential, but both women would have to be developed more. The father-son conflict was great. In the second pilot, Gina Torres just shines whereas the father and son (played by one of Rory Gilmore's love interests) seem to fall off a bit. Watching the mother character run off in the second version was an interesting choice, but I almost prefer the original plotline. I also liked Camila Guaty in a very short lived sitcom from around this time on the WB called "The Help" from Ron Leavitt. I think she was a more effective lead, but I was less impressed with Travis Schultz. Also, that isn't Conchetta Tomei playing Schultz's grandmother is it? It sounds like her a little bit, but I don't imagine it is her.

I watched a bit more of the tailend of September 1990. Now that the show has moved away from the adventure stories, I find the writing much more engaging, but I would love to see what the ratings looked like as I imagine the action oriented material was more appealing. In the recent set of episodes, Lucy is continuing to fake her pregnancy. I like that she keeps trying to get Alan into bed, but he is already checked out of their marriage (and not necessarily intentionally). He is supporting Monica with Aunt Charlene, who has had a cardiac issue, and he just seems to be a crap husband because he is focused on his career. This doesn't seem like anything new though, is it? As a result, Lucy tries to get inseminated at a sperm bank (but the doctor recognizes Lucy from the society pages). Then, she tries to convince Tony Jones to have a one-night stand (Alan and Bobbie are working on the adoption projecft and Lucy implies that Alan and Bobbie's relationship might be more than professional). Tony rejects her steam room seduction at Body Heat. Eventually, Lucy scores with Larry Ashton's visiting pal, wildlife photographer Gunther, only when she wakes up she learns she didn't bed down with Gunther, but Scott. This would never fly today. In Scott's other relationship, he continues to fight off the constantly hungry Tracy Quartermaine who wants Scott in her bedroom more than in the boardroom. The back and forth between Tracy and Scott is fun. Tracy taking charge at ELQ is also fun to watch and has led to the rather soapy stretch that she just needs her father's former financial advisor Cheryl Stansbury to arrive in town. Cheryl's return in terms of story potential makes sense, but the actual day to day stuff is a bit much. Tracy needs her. When Bobbie decides she needs to work with a non-profit that specializes in adoption for her own work, it is Cheryl who is her contact at the agency. There are also some heavy handed moments between Frisco, Robert, and Lucas where Frisco suggests that Robert should get use to fatherhood. The Robert / Katherine dynamic hasn't been my favorite. Lehman is a fine actress, but Katherine is out of place in this environment. Cheryl appears to be coming back for Robert and they will be connected through the rewrite (it is a rewrite?) that Cheryl believes Lucas is Robert's son. I can't say I am sorry to see this winding down. Cheryl's return really threatens to give Bobbie and Tony a much needed story... which leads to another clue dropped in recent episodes. Frisco is talking about impending fatherhood and I believe Monica mentions that he will end up like his father. Frisco has no intention of being like his father, and alludes to the tension between them. In a few weeks, Frisco and Tony's former stepmother Rita Lloyd-Jones will arrive. I like the drama that is building with the potential of Cheryl coming back and threatening Bobbie's happiness with Lucas and how Tony's former stepmother/lover returning adds another layer of complication to the story. The show is shifting into more domestic stories and I cannot be happier. I feel like Felicia has been pregnant forever, but the show seems to delay handling actresses pregnancies. Jackie Zeman was very pregnant at one point. Lynn Herring is very visibly pregnant while Lucy fakes her six week pregnancy. Kristina Wagner has looked due since about May. It's just very noticeable when they are happening one after another. The Dawn / Decker / Ned stuff is just very run of the mill. It's a lull for them. Dawn has returned to the hospital. She seems to have forgiven Monica and Ned for their past, but won't let Ned off for his recent indiscretion with Wendy. I think Dawn is also unaware that Decker and Wendy also bedded down at one point when Decker was claiming to be Ned Ashton. Charlene's illness has brought the two into the same orbit. It's low level angst. I think Michael Watson is an engaging performer and Jennifer Guthrie is growing on me despite the general whiny attitude Dawn has. Dawn and Decker's lull has allowed Dawn to play a strong supporting role in a development in another story. Dawn returns to Port Charles and learns that her best friend Meg has married Harrison Davis. This should be no surprise to Dawn as Meg has had a crush on Harrison since day 1. Meg holds her own though. Alexia Robinson really comes into her own in September when she is forced to defend her decision to her friend and then later confronts Simone over Tom's threats on Harrison. Robinson and Williams would be driving story for years if they had been white. It's hard to get a sense of Kevin Best's performance as Harrison has a tendency to be so one-note. Though Simone's dialogue suggests Harrison is a cunning and manipulative man, and, while he certainly married Meg for a reason, I don't feel we get a sense of all the inner workings of Harrison from Best. There was a great moment though when Meg confronts Harrison about their marriage and its role in the custody case where Meg knows her part and is okay with it since she loves Harrison. The custody story has been fun to see play out. Meg goes to Audrey to resign from the nursing program because she plans on being a full time wife leading Audrey to warn Meg about the trouble she is in with Harrison. Tom's hostile behavior is increasing, which I can see since the episodes back in Janaury, and it has led to a nasty conflict with Harrison at his and Meg's condo. It seems clear this would be an issue in the custody case, but everything will wrap up quickly next month, which is a shame. The show seems to have pushed Carla, Rico, and Colton's love triangle to the front burner with some major complications. Rico has proposed to Carla, who rejects his offer of marriage, but Rico doesn't accept the rejection. He shows Carla a letter he has written to her mother asking for her hand and proceeds to rape her on the couch of her apartment. The rape scene has some of the cringest dialogue: "I am Rico Chaccone and I take what I want!" The follow up leads to the quiet revelation of Frankie returning, finding Carla, and realizing what has happened. Harring and Fortinero are still very green, but when most of their scenes with Scott Thompson Baker (who is very dry) and John Vargas (who is talented but leans into the over the topness because how else do you play a former police recruit turned bodega owner with ties to the overthrow of a fictional South American country) they are relying on their own abilities. I think both characters have potential, but the writing and the acting need work. The latest adventure plot is one that I actual don't hate because, for once, it centers on General Hospital. President Conmargo of Santa Mauro needs surgery and will be brought to GH to be treated by Tony and Harrison. Conmargo is a dictator with a reputation and there is a large population of refugees from Santa Mauro living in Port Charles. General Stark is a mustache twirling villian. The plan to off Conmargo after getting access to his secret Swiss bank account is foolish, but I can ignore the silly logistics if it is gonna give some people some interesting conflict. What works the most though is this isn't the story dominating the way the adventure plots have in the past. At the same time, I have also been reading the bible for "Rituals" that Gene Palumbo wrote. It is clear that the Santa Mauro/Carla material is in part a rehash of what Palumbo did/intended to do with Diandra on "Rituals." The refugee who takes a position as a maid with the wealthy family while involved with the noble white hero who gets drawn into the conflict involving the political situation in her homeland with the dictator leader and the guerilla group fighting to overthrow the despot. I'll be curious to see if Diandra's lover Carlos will give me any more insight into Rico Chaccone, who both fascinates me and disappoints me.

There has been a history of attempts to develop a Canadian soap opera, but they haven't produced long term results. The ones I can think of off the top of my head: Scarlet Hill: around 1963-1964, this show was launched initially as an anthology series featuring week long stories and some recurring players. I think this format went on for about 26 weeks. Around the summer of 1964, the show shifted to a single continuing story format set in the boarding house run by Kate Russell, with her daughter Ginny, her brother Harry MacClane, and the tenants at Kate's boarding house. I have a week's worth of scripts from this version of the show. The show maintained the practice of having a single write a week's worht of episodes. I haven't viewed the scripts in a while, but I believe the main thrust was on some female character (possibly Ginny) having recently miscarried her baby and the impact it was having on her engagement to one of the tenants, who wasn't the child's father, but had agreed to raise the child as his own. The new format may have run slightly longer than the first, but I don't think so. Moment of Truth: In 1965, this show was produced in Canada and aired both on NBC and I believe the CBC or some other station in Canada. The show was about a college town where Douglas Watson played the central lead. He was a psychiatrist, I believe, and his friends, family, colleagues, and patients made up a bulk of the story. This show ran for under a year. House of Pride: this was developed as a twice a week, thirteen week serial that was suppose to premier in the fall of 1974, before being shifted to January, 1975, before premiering in September, 1974, in a once-a-week format despite being produced as a twice-a-week show. This ran for at least one season of 26 episodes and a second season. I've been doing some research today because of this thread, and this was very intriguing. The storyline followed the expansive Pride family who had branches living throughout Canada. Each branch filmed their story in their respective regional television center and then teh show was edited together. The opening storyline saw the patriarch, Old Dan Pride, passing away and the ensuing fight for the family's ancestral property, the House of Pride of the center. One of the brothers, Ross Pride, a politician, was looking to sell it to land developers. The show had some initial positive reviews despite fears that it would end up like another Canada drama series, "The Whiteoaks of Jalna." What is interesting about my research, in regards to this thread, is the point is made how Canadian television has historically struggled to develop dramas in general. Also, there was a big push for regional television production in each province, which meant that resources were split around the country. This may have been one of the reasons that there were problems with developing a homegrown show. High Hopes: Most people are aware of this one. I think about six months of episodes between April and September 1978 were produced and part of a syndication deal in the United States. The storyline featured a lot of mini-stories with the patients that Dr. Neal Chapman (Bruce Gray) treated including Dorothy Malone playing a mother of a woman who struggled with Malone's remarriage. The more interesting tale involved Neal's daughter, who was actually the illegitimate daughter of the girl's "Aunt" Paula. Paula was looking to reconnect with her former lover, Michael Stewart. Michael was Jessie Chapman's biological father and a well to do businessman. His neurotic wife Norma Stewart was a patient of Neal's after losing her daughter within the past few years. A friendship was developing between Jessie and the Stewart family unaware of the connection. In some of the articles about High Hopes, there is mention how the production facilities weren't really in place for a soap opera in Canada and that they had made one of the characters, Neal's love interest Trudy Bowen, a talk show host with the high hopes of repurposing the set for an actual talk show to justify the costs of the production studio. Country Joy: This obscure entry was on for about two seasons. Different articles suggest that the show was anywhere from 8 to 17 episodes in its first season. Also, I think it may have only played in part of the country in its first run and it aired once a week at night. The second season aired daily between November 17, 1979, and January 4, 1980, or something like that. The thrust of the story was on the second marriage of Dick Brugencate to Joy and the reaction from his mother and two children from his previous marriage. 33 Brompton Place: The next two entries are more steamy. This entry, from 1981 or 1982, was billed as a miniseries when it aired in Canada, though there seems to be hope they could have made it a contiuing series. There were about 5 or 6 episodes and the show was aire din the United States on Showtime under their adult anthology Romance which was a precursor to A New Day in Eden and the next entry... Loving Friends, Perfect Couples: This Lorimar series was produced in Canada and aired on Showtime. I believe there were about 130 episodes, but I don´t know if they all aired in the States or Canada for that matter. This premiered on Showtime in January, 1983, and I think aired similarly in Canada. Mount Royal: In the mid-1980s, this attempt at a Canadian Dallas or Dynasty aired for a single season. it was about a wealthy family headed by Patrick Bauchau and Domini Blythe. The show's only season was more self-contained episodes, but I imagine the show would have been serialized had there been a second season. Foreign Affairs: This was a co-production with the Netherlands and partially filmed in South American. Set in a Canadian embassy in Buenos Aires, the political and sexual intrigue among the staff and their family played out for about 100 or so episodes. This aired around 1991 or so. It was also aired in the States on the Nostalgia channel. Family Passions: Another co-production with a German company, "Family Passions" featured a mix of Canadian, American, and I believe German actors. The show was developed by Jorn Winter and had Roscoe Born, Kin Shriner, and Roberta Biseau among its cast members. It is most notable for having a lesbian storyline and being an early (if not first) acting appearance for Hayden Christianson. The storyline involved with the wealthy Haller family who ran an automobile company with corporate offices in Canada and Germany. I don't know how long this one last but I feel like it was six to nine months. Riverdale: This show aired for about three season in the mid-to-late 90s. I think it was an attempt at a "Coronation Street" style show. It aired two to three times a week. It was set in a surburban community. I believe a single episode is available on YouTube. Paradise Falls: Another steamy nighttime soap. This one was well known for including LGBTQIA+ characers. I think the grandson of the mayor was involved in an affair with another man and he remained a major character for most of the show's run. Metropia: This showed aired on Omni in the early 2000s. It was initially a daily show that aired for 65 episodes in its first season. It was set in a large urban environment (it may have been Toronto). The storylines were also heavy into the sexual conquests of the show's main characters. Most noteable to me was the affair between a South East Asian man and the brother of the woman he was suppose to marry in an arranged marriage. A second season was produced of something like 13 episodes before entering into a rerun cycle and never returning. I'm sure I have forgotten some, but I figured this is a good jumping off point.

I'm pretty sure the clip you've provided is from episode #106. It aired Monday, February, 4, 1985. It does appear it is Clay, not Jeff, who is breaking into the Willows. Here is the cast and set list. Furthermore, the episode description for the date in question: Monday, February 4, 1985 (Episode #106): Lacey and Mike argue. Eddie receives an offer of freedom from Clay. Nancy decides to steal Mike from Lacey.