dc11786

I believe it was Eric Peters and his roommate. Someone once posted here or on another board (maybe danfling's or Steve Frame's old board) about how when Stanley Kamel played Eric he was seen living in a one bedroom apartment that both Eric and his roommate would enter and exit from a various points.

Randolph Mantooth and James Horan, Alex #1 and Clay #1 respectively, were both on the show from 1989 - 1990. Based on the way the story was structured, the real Alex had to return eventually. Mantooth's contract may have been up in Spring 1989 around the time of the South America story and this was used as a negotiations tactic, but I don't know that for sure. Mantooth left of his own accord in early / spring 1990 with Robert Dubac replacing him. This was around the time of the merry go round of head writers and producers. I don't think Dubac was well received as Alex, and that may be why they paired Alex and Egypt and had them leave town in spring 1991. By that time, Ava was paired with Paul Slavinski (Joseph Breen) and Clay had impregnated Abril Domeq (Marisol Massey) but was casually seeing Carly Rescott (Coleen Quinn), Ava's sister and the mother of Paul's child. Dubac's Alex departed at a time where the show wrote off a bunch of Aldens (Wesley Addy's Cabot was killed off, Chip Albers's Curtis was shipped off to the Persian Gulf, and who knows what happened to Augusta Dabney's Isabelle). Alex's role was minimized by these departures. With that said, there was easy ways to work Alex back into Ava and Paul's story. James Horan's Clay was written out a short while later in the summer of 1991. There was a change in producers and writers so Clay was rested for about six months before they brought back all the Aldens (Celeste Holms' Isabelle arrived in November 1991, Larkin Malloy's Clay arrived in January, and I'm pretty sure the show planned to bring Curtis back in the summer of 1992). Malloy and Holms played the poorly conceived "Clay Sullivan" storyline which I don't think was ever effectively used. Malloy's Clay doesn't work for me in what I've seen. I like Clay brooding and sullen, like Parlato and Horan. Malloy seems more misunderstood. To be fair, Malloy was brought back on the cusp of a writer's change (Mary Ryan Munisteri to Addie Walsh). Munisteri is not a writer many have fond memories of from across her soap experience, but I think the material from her period that has popped up has ranged from slightly below average to stunning. For instance, her interpretation of Isabelle Alden as a snobby aristocrat is vast departure from Augusta Dabney's stoic but motherly matriarch. In the fall of 1992, Malloy went out on a medical leave and Dennis Parlato took over temporarily. When Malloy was set to return, he was fired and Parlato continued in the role until the show was cancelled. I believe Parlato played the gaslighting of Stacey Forbes and was then paired with Gwyn, Deborah, Stephanie, and Tess in no particular order. The daily summaries I read of the Cradle Foundation story, where Clay was secretly hiding his father and was blackmailed into marriage by Deborah Brewster, is probably my favorite story Parlato's Clay was involved in. There are also some good bits of Clay and Alex (upon Mantooth's return) when Alex decides to impersonate Clay in order to trap Dante Partou, Tess' villainous ex-husband. I'm not sure if Alex and Clay interacted much after that arc. Parlato's Clay seemed more villainous like Horan, but I think that was more of a change in story direction (and writers and producers) rather than writing. Randolph Mantooth returned in September 1993 right around the time Agnes Nixon took over from Millee Taggert. Alex was reintroduced during a storm by running into Dinahlee Mayberry, who was Ava's friend. Dinahlee and Alex didn't overlap during Robert Dubac's run (Dubac left in March/April 1991 and Dinahlee first appeared in August 1991). I don't know if the intention was to use Dinahlee as a third wheel to Alex and Ava, but Alex was clearly brought back to give Ava a stronger love interest (she had been with Leo Burnell and Jeremy Hunter, but there didn't seem much place to go with either even though Peluso and Leclerc had decent chemistry).

IMDb lists Jasmin Paul as Amber. I think that is right. I don’t know about replacing Sussman Morina. I think she struggled a bit with plotting, but created very strong characters. I think pairing her with someone who had a stronger sense of plotting the day to day episodes would have improved the show, but there were times that the show was excellent. If they had replaced Sussman Morina, I cannot imagine who NBC would have brought in during the early 1990s. Who would you have liked to see? The moments Sally gets it, the show soars. I was rewatching some of the March 1990 episodes I’ve acquired, and the story is quite good. The canvas is constantly interacting. In the episodes I watched, Doreen has been shot at Johnny’s Hideaway during a conversation with her friend, Daniel. Daniel manages to save Doreen and deliver her baby, but his involvement threatens to reveal his true identity. Also, when Daniel returns home to Maya and Adam for dinner, Adam learns that Doreen has been shot and delivered the baby, his child. We see Martin dealing with Doreen’s condition, Martin holding the baby for the first time, and Martin confronting Adam when he arrives at the hospital and sees his daughter in the nursery. Later, an emotional Adam calls Sam at Kyle’s place after the couple has made love for the first time. Sam rushes to Adam, who admits he is afraid he will never see his daughter if Doreen dies. Daniel worries that Doreen will recall his involvement and that questions will arise. Ruth learns of Doreen’s accident in the paper and rushes to her side. Doreen and Ruth, who have been fighting because Doreen alerted the press about the racial attacks against the Marshalls, reconcile when Ruth realizes she could have lost her best friend. It’s a tender moment that I fear we might have lost if Sally had left. I also watched some episodes from November/December 1990, and they weren’t as good. Jordan and Sam have married in Jamaica, Peter Whitmore is back in Chicago not doing a whole lot, and Eric Royal has been released from prison. The Sam / Jordan / Kyle triangle has taken an odd turn. Jordan’s backstory has become more elaborate and the character works a bit better in the romantic triangle. Jordan’s father, a Chicago gangster, had a mistress who he impregnated and abandoned. It was the gangster daddy who set Jordan up in the hotel business in Las Vegas where Jordan created his brand. Jordan’s father is also the man who Peter Whitmore testified against. It creates a rather rich conflict between Sam and Jordan, who both have serious Daddy issues but who would also be odds as the Taylor family still wants to kill Peter. The real loser in the triangle is Kyle who is sidelined as a bit of pariah for thinking that Jordan is a fraud for the Ming vase story. In the spring episodes, Kyle is a cunning cop who is intrigued by complicated cases, but instead of finding further evidence of Jordan’s guilt, Kyle is offscreen while Sam tries to track down the stolen art. I don’t begrudge Sam, but I think it would work better if Kyle and Sam were both investigating Jordan separately and sparred over their dueling agendas. I don’t hate Chantal and Eric, but their story lacks any real conflict at the moment. It is nice seeing an African American couple receiving the same supercouple treatment that couples like Sam and Kyle received, but the story is weaker. From what I’ve seen, Eric’s trial was a bit lame, and Debbi Morgan seems unsure how to play, or the writers seem unsure how to write, Chantal. There are definitely hints that Chantal feels inferior to all the other women in playboy Eric’s life, but given where the story is heading with Peter and Ruth, it would be nice to see more of that relationship affect her own with Eric. Eric is given an interesting perspective, a young man from modest means who was able to rise above and avoid gang life because of his involvement in sports. Knowing where this is heading, it’s all right, but if I didn’t, I’m not sure how I would feel. I will say the best thing I saw in the December episodes was another reunion between Doreen and Ruth. This is only several months after Ruth has learned that Danielle is her grandchild, and she and Doreen have been on the outs because of the deception. When Danielle nearly chokes with a babysitter, Ruth rushes over. Doreen and Ruth reconcile and Ruth makes some comments about being empathetic about the lies Doreen told regarding her child, which is pointed in terms of the long story. There is also some minor bickering between Maya and Doreen when Maya convinces Adam to let her move in now that Sam has married Jordan and moved into the Winston. There is also the lingering question of whether or not Eric will be allowed to return to the Rifles. A good chunk of time is spent on Reginald and Jordan’s scheme to keep the Ming vase hidden, while Sam is determined to learn whether or not Jordan is lying to her.

This person's channel has fourteen episodes from December 1990/January 1991. I can never remember if it is in this thread or not, but it probably is since the episodes are so old. The show does have long stretches of weak episodes. What I've seen of November 1989 through March 1990 is pretty solid, but even in March things start to fall apart. I would like to see the conclusion of the Daniel Reubens story, but I wasn't thrilled that the show went recast crazy by dumping Sharon Brown, George Shannon, and Pat Tallman. The final months aren't bad, but who knows how things would have turned out.

NOVEMBER 1969 Monday, November 3: Sandra realizes that Dave could make trouble for Bill Ferguson. Martha’s anxiety over Bill’s relationship with Sandra prompts her to write Sandy a letter. Tuesday, November 4: Ann attempts to uncover Sandra’s feelings for Bill. Mike relates some rather unexpected news to Tom. Dave presents Bill with an ultimatum. Wednesday, November 5: Bill is faced with a weighty decision regarding professional ethics. Sandra finds herself confused by Martha’s recent invitation. Thursday, November 6: Bill confronts Tom with his problem. Sandra’s visit doesn’t seem to placate Martha’s mounting worry. Friday, November 7: Bert finds his son Mike is to become a father. Bill rejects Martha’s insinuations of a personal relationship existing between he and Sandra. Monday, November 10: Tom is puzzled about how to approach Bill concerning the relationship that should exist between a student and a teacher. After great hesitation, Bert reveals the truth about Mike and Dawn to Alice. Tuesday, November 11: Jennifer becomes miffed over her and Chet’s apparent lack of togetherness. Sandra tells Ann of her lunch with Martha. Wednesday, November 12: Red presents Dave Martin’s case to Tom. Martha is faced with the fact that she may have spoiled her marriage. Thursday, November 13: Sandra confides her relationship to Dave with Bill. Ann attempts to reassure Martha that she has nothing to fear about Sandra, but should seek to cement her marital ties. Friday, November 14: Tom notices that Red may be taking a personal interest in Ann. Tom surprises Ann with a proposal. Monday, November 17: As unexpected development in Mike’s life draws Tom and Ann closer to him. Jennifer is afraid that Chet will be forced to withdraw from medicine. Tuesday, November 18: George makes several inferences about Bill to Martha. Martha, however, is not insensitive to George’s mounting envy of Bill. Wednesday, November 19: Bill becomes infuriated by George Townley’s insinuating remarks. Henry feels that Bill should confine his student relationships. Thursday, November 20: Tom learns of Dawn’s death. Jennifer tells Chet of her undisclosed visit to Professor Mitchell. Tom makes an attempt to contact his son, Jimmy. Friday, November 21: Ann tells Tom of Red’s suspicion of Bill. Bill becomes aroused by Sandy’s expression of adoration. DECEMBER 1969 Monday, December 22: Martha reflects on the past of Christmas with her father. Henry is pleased by Martha’s renewed understanding and acceptance of Sandra. Tuesday, December 23: Though the shadows of loss and sorrow linger, Tom looks to the future for himself and his son, Jimmy. George Townley finds himself wanting to know Sandra better. Wednesday, December 24: Red tells Anna bout his life in an effort to win her confidence. Martha is elated by the Christmas gift she receives from Bill. Thursday, December 25: A Christmas Day of Joy, of living, of belief, and remembrance is shared by Tom and Ann, Bill and Martha, and Sandra and Jimmy. Friday, December 26: Sandra makes an overt attempt at being friendly with Dave. Jennifer is adamant about Chet’s remaining in medical school and becoming a doctor. Sandra begins to realize there is but little hope for a deeper relationship with Bill. JANUARY 1970 Monday, January 19: Ann senses Jim’s dislike for Marian, but tries to overlook it. Martha’s long suppressed suspicions prove to be correct. Tuesday, January 20: Martha represses her need to expose Bill, despite her inner turmoil. Red seeks to protect Ann from any possible repercussions resulting from her recent decision. Wednesday, January 21: Unsure of what decision to make, Chet goes to see Prof. Mitchell. Martha finds it necessary to circumvent the truth to protect herself and Bill. Thursday, January 22: Ann receives a letter from Sandra’s mother. With the threat of possible scandal, Tom decides to alert Bill. Friday, January 23: Jim does something out of impulse that he cannot explain. Unknown to Bill, he is seen leaving Sandra’s apartment. Monday, January 26: Martha finds that she cannot pinpoint Bill’s feelings for Sandra. Bill’s most recent visit to Sandra’s apartment could prove troublesome for him. Tuesday, January 27: A phone call from Bill creates embarrassment and uncertainty for Martha. Ann attempts to steer Sandra away from a potentially unpleasant situation. Wednesday, January 28: Sandra finds out that Bill was seen leaving her apartment. Tom realizes he can no longer protect Bill if he persists in maintaining his relationship with Sandra. Thursday, January 29: Bill asks Sandra to accompany him on a trip. Jim Boswell and Red Wilson meet for the first time. Friday, January 30: George suspects that something is going on between Sandra and Bill and determines to learn the truth. FEBRUARY 1970 Monday, February 9: Martha wonders if the end of her marriage is drawing near in the face of humiliation and Bill forced to make a choice. Tuesday, February 10: Marion advises Tom to be watchful of Jim. Jim’s feelings for Ann are more than platonic. Wednesday, February 11: Martha seeks to make Bill happy and at ease with himself. Bill and Sandra reach a momentous decision. Thursday, February 12: Martha realizes that she has forced Bill to make a decision about Sandra. Bill is reproachful of George for having upset Martha. Bill makes it clear that he only wants Sandra back. Friday, February 13: George pays a visit to Tom. Martha reconciles herself to the fact that Bill will be honest with her, unaware of Bill’s compelling thoughts of Sandra. Monday, February 16: Bill’s physical anguish over Sandra leads him to point of no return. Dave confides to Red his suspicions of Bill. Tuesday, February 17: Marian knows that any mention of Ann will bring on a reaction from Jim. Jim tells Ann of his love for her. Wednesday, February 18: Marian senses Jim’s overt admiration for Ann and decides to question her. Henry is dubious of Martha’s reasons for wanting a child. Thursday, February 19: Bill learns of Martha’s desire to adopt a child. Ann knows she cannot allow herself the chance to prove her feelings to Jim. Friday, February 20: Stu Pierce arrives at Bancroft to start a law practice. Martha makes a point of having Sandra meet her brother Stu. MARCH 1970 Monday, March 16: Tom and Bill disagree over bill’s attitude toward marriage and solidarity. Martha asks where she stands in Bill’s life. Tuesday, March 17: Bill reassures Martha that he wants to maintain their marriage. Jim becomes irate when he finds Red at Ann’s apartment. Wednesday, March 18: George informs Marian of the campus gossip circulated about Bill and Sandra. Red advises Henry to intervene in the unsavory situation fostered by Bill. Dave pushes Sandra to the breaking point. Thursday, March 19: Marian and Tom discuss her recent conversation with George Townley. Bill withdraws as a candidate for chairman of Bancroft’s English department. Friday, March 20: Sandra tells Stu her views on living. George leaves no stone unturned in his interview at the adoption agency. Friday, March 27: Colleen Gray’s last episode as Ann Boyd. Monday, March 30: Gail Kobe assumes the role of Ann Boyd. APRIL 1970 MAY 1970 Monday, May 25: Stu sets out to persuade Sandra not to visit Bill in jail. George betrays a confidence when he tells Red about Jim Boswell. Tuesday, May 26: The assistant district attorney seeks to make a deal with Howard to obtain a murder confession from Bill. Martha knows that despite everything she will more than likely have to appear in Bill’s defense at the trial. Wednesday, May 27: Martha agrees to appear as a character witness for Bill. Howard presents in court his opening statement for the defense. Thursday, May 28: Ann goes to Tom with Jennifer and Chet’s problem. Bill is stirred by a ray of hope when he learns Martha will testify on his behalf. Friday, May 29: Stu tells Henry and Martha of his intentions to marry Sandra. Martha shares her disturbance over Stu’s recent decision with Ann. May 1970: Peter Ratray (Stu), Susannah Darrows (Sandra), Paul Lukather (Bill), Richard Eastham (Red), Eric James (Jim), Robert Hogan (assistant DA), Mark Miller (Howard), Susan Brown (Martha), Nancy Stephens (Jennifer), Gary Pillar (Chet), David Lewis (Henry), Lesley Woods (Isabel), Ed Gilbert (Lt. Rutkowski), Marion Brash (Marian), Nigel McKeard (George), Rusty Lane (Judge). JUNE 1970 JULY 1970 Monday, July 6: Martha cannot bring herself to accept Sandra, despite her love for Stu. Bill takes a badgering from the district attorney when he fails to explain his reasons for lying. Tuesday, July 7: Tom’s anxiety over his son Jim begins to ease. Jennifer is not reassured by Chet’s promise to return to medical school. Martha goes to visit Ann. Wednesday, July 8: Sandra discusses her mother’s unstable life with Howard. Ann shows concern over Sandra’s health. Red seeks to use Marion as a go-between with Tom. Thursday, July 9: Marion forced a bitter argument with Tom. Tom goes to visit bill in jail. To the surprise of the court and the district attorney, Howard petitions to introduce new evidence in Bill’s trial Friday, July 10: Townley’s subpoenaed by defense. A dramatic and revealing scene erupts when Emily Woodhue, the city librarian takes the stand. Monday, July 13: George Townley confesses, and Bill is released. Tuesday, July 28: Ann gives Howard her answer.

The early episodes are very heavy in exposition. There are still some interesting moments, but, as you've said, very little happens, and what does happen has only smaller implications. For example, the affair between Sam Whitmore and Rob Donnelly is a bizarre situation. Sam is struggling to pass biology so she sleeps with her professor Rob so she can steal the final exam. When Rob learns what she has done, he fails her so she retaliates by claiming sexual harassment. Rob isn't interacting with any of the other main characters except for some tense moments between him and Adam. Because Sam can't tell her family about the situation, the whole story is in a bit of a bubble. During this story, there is a great scene where Sam has to see the university psychologist as part of her sexual harassment claim. In the session, there are hints that Sam is deeply disturbed by her father's abandonment and some of her other motivation is explored. It's a really well done scene, but a great scene doesn't make a great story. The impact is lacking all over the place. This all would have worked better if Rob was friends with the McCallums and Rob was hiding his affair with Laura's kid sister. Similarly, look at these episodes. This back and forth between Martin and Henry about the South Side plant has no real meat to it. What is the impact of this? It would have been more meaningful if the show featured some have nots living on the South Side, working at the plant who would have lost their jobs over this. People from the neighborhood who knew Doreen back when she was Doreen Walker singing at Johnny's. The show signed Myles Thoroughgood to a contract as Wally, the ice cream shop scoop boy who had been running with gangs before Henry gave him a job. Wally's family or neighbors could have worked at the factory. This would have given Wally something to do. Stuff is starting to happen in June / July, but not all of it good. In July, the Doreen story picks up with Doreen and Adam meeting at the menswear store where they begin their secret rendezvous. By August, Martin has learned of the affair, had Adam thrown in jail on drug charges, and Doreen takes an overdose. In September, Martin throws the anniversary party where Doreen and Adam realize who the other person is (both were unaware of each other's true identities) and Doreen learns she is pregnant. Also in the summer, you have Sam meddling in Jason and Monique's relationship through her modeling work. At the end of the summer, Sam sets herself up to be raped so that Jason can play her savior. Jessica and J.D.'s relationship peters out when Jessica learns J.D. needs her money to finance his new album and Jessica goes on a bender with Rob Donnelly. Rebecca loses out on the partnership, then gets offered the partnership, and then declines the offer. By the time November rolls around, that's when things really start to move: Jason is 'murdered,' Kyle and Sam meet, Ruth buys the Whitmore house from Rob, Helen Mullin appears, everyone starts working at the Winston, Adam is trying to figure out Maya's mystery, etc.

Thanks for replying. Do you know when and how Matt and Liz were written out? Or were they always around in just a limited role?

BakerSq, I always love reading your insights on "The Young Marrieds." I have a question. How did you come across the information about Jim Elwards' feelings about the show? Did he donate his papers somewhere?

A 1993 promo featuring one of the blink and you missed him Curtis Aldens as well as a bit of the Faison crossover.

Labine was still shopping around "Union Place" in some form or another at least a year before she passed. I heard her and Kate Mulgrew speak at an event benefiting a theatre group Claire was involved with in Connecticut. When Claire was asked about "Union Place," Claire gave some details, but admitted she couldn't say much but that a mutual friend was helping. When Mulgrew asked who, Claire stated it was "OD," who I assumed was Rosie O'Donnell.

Those episodes are from late June 1989, not August. I think they give a good glimpse of early "Generations." There are so many side characters featured in these episodes. We get to see Chris Mendoza (the lawyer at the firm with Rebecca), Billie and Amber (the leather and lace models), Joel (Martin's slimy business associate), and Lloyd (the British lawyer dining with Rebecca). Carl, as you probably know, the actor playing Lloyd Bradfield is Ronald Allen, he appeared on the British soap "Crossroads" as David Hunter. Billie, the model featured in the photoshoot with Sam, is Pat Tallman, who would return in the winter as Christy Russell, a cop often paired with Kyle Masters on assignments. Tallman is a lot of fun in both her roles. Joel Resnick is played by Rick Lohman, who I believe was one of the Tom Bergmans or Gary Waltons on "Search for Tomorrow." The exchange between him and Jonelle Allen's Doreen is fun, but the sort of whitewash Joel and later give him a C-romance with Laura McCallum, Monique's mom after the show writes off Trevor McCallum. The Sam / Monique / Jason stuff is weak overall. Kelly Rutherford is still rather green as Sam and, as I recall, Sam's motivation for going after Jason seemed to arise suddenly. They are clearly playing the resentment that Sam feels toward Monique (Monique and grandma Rebecca were incredibly close while Sam and Rebecca were always more combative). There is definitely some nice groundwork for a smaller climax (Rebecca losing out on the partnership) with Sam's comments about not being disappointed. There was definitely an attempt to parallel Sam not graduating from school with Rebecca not being made partner at the law firm. The show still seems to be hinting at the Sam / Adam angle, which is fascinating, but I don't get the sense that Kristoff St. John is playing that subtext. There were some scenes, I believe, where it was stated, or implied, that Adam had an unrequited love for Sam. The Doreen material is great. If I remember correctly, this is really Doreen's first set of meaty scenes. The dinner party was fine, and there is a great conversation between Doreen and Henry where Doreen first talks about growing up on the South Side. The tension in the Ruth / Doreen scene is great. Doreen and Ruth's relationship is one of the best elements of the show. There are some great scenes from about a month later where Ruth is accepted into the Women's Arts Council where Ruth defends herself against a snobby and bigoted Mary Gardner. Jonelle Allen does a great job playing a supporting role in those scenes. Ruth and Doreen are also a great pair during the racism storyline. I hope some of that pops up online because the material is really strong. It was nice to see these again. Thanks.

I don't think Chris' last name was McKee. Amy remarried after Chris died. Bruce McKee was her second husband. Bruce's daughter was Jenny McKee. I think Jackie was probably a misprint in some publication. I've seen an episode of "First Love" when I visited the Paley Center years ago. In the episode, Amy is dealing with Jenny while Bruce is out of town. Jenny was a mischievous hellion of about ten. She and Amy did not get along. I believe in the episode I saw Jenny chased after her little dog in the rain. The episode was dated November 1955. Also in that episode, Matthew James had just arrived in town and was renting a room from Leona.

I've read Enid Allen and David Allen were brother and sister. Robert Mandan was introduced into the story in August, 1958, when Provo and Pickard, the writers, were looking to give Enid someone to share her thoughts and schemes with. The original triangle pitted Liz Fraser and her glamourous big city fiancé Bruce Crawford against her small town doctor childhood sweetheart 'Buck' Weaver. I think Enid pursued Bruce and married him, not David. The audience really liked Mandan and Provo and Pickard expanded David's role as a temporary obstacle in Liz's pursuit of happiness. The triangle eventually became Liz, Buck, and David, and Liz and David ended up marrying in February, 1960. I'm confused on exactly who Lyddy was married to. Wesley Hyatt's "Encyclopedia of Daytime Television" states that Lyddy and Lance are expecting a child together as the series closes. Lance Patterson was an English professor who appeared on the show, but it appears that David Daniels left the series many months before the show's conclusion. I think he aired in 1960-early 1961. An article from October, 1961, states he appeared on the show for eight months. In another article, Lyddy is credited as "Lyddy Curtiss" in the fall of 1961. To add further complication, the Radio-TV Mirror reported, at one point, that the actor playing Don Curtiss was looking to leave the show. So maybe Lyddy was married to both? Or maybe Hyatt got it wrong? Dr. Enoch Andrews only appeared in 1958. The actor playing the role died in the fall of 1958. Later, Pickard and Provo discussed the struggle of finding elderly actors to fill a lot of the roles on a television series. I'm not sure how the Judge was related to the other Tompkins if they were related at all. I don't remember how the Corellis were related.

The budget issue might be true, but the rating decline wasn't any different than it had been in the previous years. Labine and early Lucky Gold managed to hit in the 3.3 - 3.6 range in the summer of 2001. Gold fell under 3.0 in March 2002 and the show never went back. During the summer of 2002, the show averaged in the 2.6 - 2.8 range. Probably as a result of Gold's poor stories, Taggert and Culliton were initially mostly landing in 2.5 to 2.6 range. There last weeks they jumped into the 2.7 - 2.8 range, but we'll never know if they would have been able to maintain that. Conboy and Weston did have an initial drop, but they managed to rebound to the 2.6 - 2.8 range for most of the summer of 2003. The remainder of their run was in the 2.4 - 2.6 range. After Conboy departed, the show dipped, Weston and Wheeler's work mainly fell in the 2.2 - 2.4 range with the occasional dip above and below. Yet, Wheeler and Kriezman were able to get back to the 2.4 - 2.6 range for a bit in the winter of 2004/2005, the show falls back into the 2.2-2.4 range fairly quickly only to settle at 2.3 in the fall of 2004.

My post was misleading. In my scattered train of thought, I was trying to explain that I had know for a while that "Santa Barbara" was going to do an AIDS storyline because there is a research folder listed on the inventory for the Dobsons papers at the University of Wisconsin. This is why I thought they might have considered an AIDS storyline for Lindsay. Later, I read an interview by a "Santa Barbara" fan in which Bridget Dobson explained that the AIDS storyline was intended for Mother Isabel because they had to write the storyline. I would love to visit some of the archives that have soap collections, but none are near me. The real shame regarding Lindsay Smith was that the actor, Joel Bailey, is/was married to Gina Gallego. It would have been neat to see husband and wife interact as people both haunted by the love of the same man. I also think it might have been interesting to have had Mason involved with Lindsay on a professional basis given the history between the two men. Does the show ever really explore how Peter Flint learned about Lindsay and Channing, Jr.? Was it because of the diary? I also fanwanked a scenario where Antonio Fiore/Peter Flint had a fling with Channing, Jr. during his hustler days and used all the information about C.C.'s golden boy to win over C.C. Since we are speaking of AIDS, it's a shame that Joel Crothers died. I watched the episodes right after he went on medical leave where Jeff Pomerantz plays the law associate of Jack Lee who incites some jealousy from Cruz when he works with Eden. I think I read somewhere the plan was to pair Jack and Eden, but that Crothers got sick so they brought on Kirk instead. There are moments I find Eden intriguing. The idea of Eden as a replacement Channing, Jr., does sort of fascinate me. I know it's hated, but I sort of appreciate the Eden channels Channing, Jr. storyline. It's messy as hell, but it goes back to a lot of the show's pre-history that I find so damn rich and colorful. There are more subtle hints at the Eden / Channing Jr. stuff in the later 1985 / 1986 episodes. At one point, Eden goes on about wanting to give C.C. a grandchild because of the mess with Channing, Jr. being revealed as an outsider. The rival company wars would have been intriguing. Does the show end up doing anything with Armanti Industries? I do love how the show has Sophia create all these different identities (Suzanne Carlyle, Dominic, Countess Armanti, etc.) It really plays into who she is at heart (an actress), which I would have used to have someone (mainly Eden) constantly question how much Sophia really loved them. Was she truly a loving mother? Or was she just playing the role of one? Someone like Mason should have been commenting on that. Lily was the product of a rape when Gina was thirteen years old. I don't think anyone knew about Lily prior to her arrival with the exception of Phyllis Blake, Gina's mother who told her the baby had died at birth. I don't think the rape was written into the show until later. By that, I mean I don't think Gina mentioned it in 1984/1985 when Summer brought up the experience with Hank Judson. I believe Gina discussed her rape later after the Lilly's departure when relating to one of the show's other women who had been raped, maybe Hayley? I don't know the timing of it all, but was the show planning on Lilly being Gina's daughter from the start? In the episodes I've seen, there is a lot of talk about the resemblance between Lilly and Gina. Lynn Clark and Robin Matson do share similar features, but I wonder if the Lilly / Gina connection wasn't a result of them hiring an actress who looked like Mattson rather than it being planned from the beginning. In the little I've caught of her, Lilly was an interesting post-Mary choice. The false prophet trying to lead Mason to the light after losing his faith completely with Mary, not that he was a man of religion to begin with. I could easily see Mason being drawn to this type of person, and I could easily see conflict between Gina and Mason and Lilly given their tangled histories. Another missed opportunity. I think she was simply deSORASED in the 1990s. Hopefully, someone with a better history of SB can give you a clearer insight.

I'm pretty sure that the tunnel explosion was in April, 1985. I remember looking it up because I know Victor Bevine (Hank) was also on "The Catlins," which ended in May 1985. There was most likely a period of time where he, and his cast mate David Haskell, appeared on both series at once. As I've said, I've been bouncing around and mainly focusing on Channing material and whatever else catches my fancy at the moment. The reveal about Channing and Lindsay is very well done. A lot of under the surface writing with Lindsay, who claims he is straight and seeing someone, but then seems to admit that he was hurt that he was spurned by Channing. I thought Cruz's response to it all was actually really refreshing; not really placing any judgement on the relationship, but focused on learning what role Lindsay played in the drama. Lindsay fascinates me. I realize he is only a bit player, but I wish they had revisited him. The Dobsons have donated their papers to the University of Wisconsin, and, among their SB papers, was a bit of information about AIDS. Bridget Dobson states that NBC (Brian Frons, in particular) wanted them to write an AIDS storyline into the show as part of the network's agreement to air the series. The Dobsons didn't want to do it, but, to appease Frons, they planned a storyline where Mother Isabel, Mary Duvall's superior at the convent, would succumb to the disease. Dobson said she thought it was the least threatening way to handle it. NBC eventually caved, and I'm not even sure the show even hinted at the story. I sort of wish they pushed the envelope and had Lindsay Smith return to town in 1986 with the disease. Rejected by friends and family, Sophia would offer to take him into the Capwell mansion during his final days. I think it would allow Sophia the chance to learn more about Channing, a young man she had believed was her son. On the other hand, they could have just kept Lindsay around in a recurring role without his sexuality being a major issue until they wanted it to be one. Regarding the Capwell sisters, I don't feel they are well developed. I really liked when the East coast Capwells arrived in time for Mason and Santana's aborted wedding. Initially, both Madeline and Courtney seemed so fun and carefree. Even when Madeline showed herself to be an uptight socialite, the characterization at least provided the show with a relevant level of snobbery that was needed in a world of haves and have nots. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how you bring on John Considine as Grant Capwell for a handful of episodes only to quickly write him out. The only thing I can surmise is that the show wanted to do something with Grant and Augusta, but Louise Sorel left. Yet, with this show, squandered opportunities were plentiful so its entirely possible that Grant was always intended to be a blimp on the radar. In what I've seen, Kelly is very generic. Robin Wright is strong, but the writing doesn't really doesn't give her any shades. The pregnancy ploy during the standoff with Peter Flint is interesting, but I couldn't help but wonder if it wouldn't have been more interesting to actually go there. C.C. was determined to have a grandchild and having Kelly having Peter's baby, and passing it off Joe's, may have given some more layers to Kelly. Eden's relationship with Sophia fascinated me. The level of vitriol that Eden uses to attack Sophia when she is masquerading as the Suzanne Carlyle, the reporter, is shocking when compared to the level of compassion Eden feels for Sophia when Sophia is unmasked as the killer. Eden begging Sophia not to leave them and revert to her damaged psyche is a really well done sequence. I thought Cruz's decision about whether or not to turn in Sophia provided Eden and Cruz a real natural conflict highlighting a lot of Eden and Cruz's flaws (Eden raised entitled and above any rules beyond her own and Cruz being honest to a fault without often considering the impact those laws would have on others). I didn't know Santana and Gina had a history prior to Gina's arrival in Santa Barbara. The relationship between Santana and Gina should have driven story for years. I really love Ava Lazar's Santana. Not always the strongest actress, but strong enough to not laugh during the sequence when Paul Burke as C.C. believes Santana is in love for him for him, not because she is trying to locate her son. Santana was such a wonderful character with a rich backstory. The potential of an ongoing quad between Mason, Santana, C.C., and Gina intrigues me. I wonder how Sophia was suppose to play into this, at least originally. I imagine she was suppose to be a spoiler to both this story as well as Lionel and Augusta.

It's funny. Reading about the Carly / Paul / Ava story, it never seemed all that interesting. A lot of common plot devices (sisterly rivalry, mobsters, paralysis, a long lost child, etc.), but the story is so well done. For example, that scene with Kate and Carly talking about life after Paul where Carly admits her interest in Clay Alden. This was really well done. Kate easily could have focused on just how evil Clay was and the entire history between Clay and Ava, which would have been relevant. Instead, Kate's concern was about Carly moving on so quickly especially after saying she dreamed, up until recently, about Paul dumping Ava to be with her. And how honest was the moment where Kate apologized to Carly for letting her be the child Kate thought could take care of themselves? The relationships are just so rich. It would have been easily to play up the rivalry between Ava and Carly. Instead, Ava and Carly have a more layered dynamic. That scene from the end of the first episode with Reggie Rabbit could have easily been silly, but, it was meaningful, especially in the next episode where Paul tells Ava he'll give up his lifestyle to be with her. You could see Ava thinking back to the promise she made her sister, while only moments earlier being thrilled that she could have that happily ever after. I also loved the Dane / Clay / Gwyn scenes even if I'm not overly thrilled with Elizabeth Savage as Gwyn. Dane playing Clay in that scene was brilliantly done. Gwyn and Dane are an interesting couple. I wasn't completely clear about what was happening with Dane and Jack, but that's a dynamic I'm interested in. Unfortunately, I don't think it is something that is ever really developed or utilized enough as well it could be. Here's an August 1992 episode. It's incomplete, but it's interesting because some of this material I believe has been online (the haunted house storyline). It's nice to see what the canvas looked like at this time post-Addie Walsh, pre-Taggert/Guza when Haidee Granger was leading the way. Such another shift tonally in an alternate direction. Beware. This is certainly not "Loving" of 1991.

I really like Maggie, too. I’ve been dipping into “Santa Barbara” a bit lately. I do love a lot of the 1984 episodes, but I understand why people say 1985 was the start of a stronger show. Suzanne Marshall is very engaging in her role. Her introduction during the standoff at the Perkins house was interesting. I thought it was clever to transition Warren from Elizabeth Peale to Maggie by having them in the same hospital room. I was a bit underwhelmed by Maggie’s explanation of becoming a cop though I thought the explanation was interesting, in theory, but I wanted more exploration of Maggie’s life prior to appearing on the scene. I haven’t been watching anywhere in order so maybe there is hope that she does go further into her pre-SB life. It’s funny, but not having seen much of Jed Allan as C.C. I struggle to see him handling the revelation about Channing, Jr.’s murder. I’ve come to appreciate what Charles Bateman has brought to the role, a tyrant haunted by the past. I’m hoping that Allan is able to capture some of those qualities. Similarly, I find Linda Gibboney’s Gina a fascinating neurotic, a victim who seems unable to rise above the circumstances she has been given. I snickered at the scene where Mason and Gina are discussing her pregnancy ploy and how Mason blackmails Gina into taking dictation for him. The scenes in the tunnel with Hank Judson are heartbreaking especially as they haven’t ignored the Summer connection. The writing for Gina must evolve at some point. In the performances I’ve seen, Mattson always seems to be playing Gina as constantly scheming. You can always see the wheels turning in Gina’s head (why the other characters don’t see it is a mystery to me). I think it’s a testament to Louise that Augusta survived the initial purge because, as you say, Augusta doesn’t always seem to have much to do or many to talk to. The banter between Sorel and Coster, and moreso Sorel and Dame Judith Anderson, is gold, but Augusta’s world seems so small. I do love that they included her in the big Channing, Jr., murder reveal scenes. Her perspective gave the fallout some real tension and some stakes that would have been desperately missing if she wasn’t present. There are also some wonderful earlier scenes where Augusta and C.C. are watching Sophia and Lionel through the mirror in the Capwell suite (what a wonderful plot device that was). I love that they let Augusta’s mind go to the worse possible place (that Lionel and Sophia have been carrying on for years during Sophia’s years away). The reveal about Channing’s murder happens in May 31 and June 1, 1985 episodes. When I was watching them, I went back to see if they fell during sweeps. Even though they resolve Channing’s murder, there are still lots of secrets about Channing that haven’t been revealed yet by that point. The Lindsay / Channing secret isn’t revealed to C.C. until August and neither is the paternity secret. Surprisingly, both seem to happen in the same week. The baby switch secret isn’t revealed until December 1985 / January 1986.

That's Floy Dean with Charles Grodin.

I'm pretty sure the actress in the top row is Nina Hart, who played Meredith. I'm throwing this out there, but could it be Fran Carlon, as Susan's mom Julia?

Lemay was hired in January 1988 to return to "Another World." The rumors have always said that Lemay submitted a bible before the strike so it's possible it was Lemay.

Looking at summaries, Elan was involved in the story from January 1984 until August 1984 when her mother reclaimed her. This would be the tail end of Rod Arrants, who I believe departed in June 1984. Wendy briefly tried to be her foster mother as well.

Shout! is releasing another round of episodes on March 31. I was expecting this. Hopefully, they will continue to release more episodes.

The pilot for "Good and Evil" is bizarre. Harris developed the show in the early 1980s with two brothers instead of two sisters. She tweaked the script for ABC. I love Susan Harris, but she has a habit of recycling pieces. In this case, I didn't find it effective. The bit with Genny in the lab talking to her late husband was a less emotional version of a scene she had with Betty White on "The Golden Girls" where Rose tells Charlie she is selling the house and moving to Miami. Similarly, I felt Denise's monologue about being unloved as a child was a less sensitive take on Elaine's confession to Danny where she talked her sister's death and what led to her being bad on "Soap." Having a laugh track going while Marian Seldes is telling Teri Garr they didn't invite her to family holidays because they didn't like her was foolish. To be fair, I feel like "Good and Evil" really needed an hour long pilot to be done well. Seth Green's David appears without any lines in the family dinner. With that said, I have seen the other episodes of "Good and Evil" and some of it is very well done even though it seems to me Harris has left the show. The Ginny / Eric / Charlotte story moves a bit too quickly, but, for my money, the real story worth watching is between Seth Green's David and William Shockley's Sonny. I know they recycled a bit of the show on "The Golden Girls." Lane appeared as the lawyer during Dorothy and Stan's slum lord case, Marius Weyers played the jewel thief during Blanche's Moonlight Madness party, and the bar where Sonny and David hang out was later used for the Rusty Anchor on "The Golden Girls." I was really shocked to see the Tate mansion used for the Sandler home. Speaking of 1990s serial comedies that deserved more time, "Grand" could have played out a bit longer. I even find some of the self-contained second season episodes highly enjoyable.

I recently read Meg Mundy and the show couldn't reach agreement regarding her contract. I believe Jon Michael Reed reported this.