kalbir

Nielsen people meters and writer's strike messed up 1988. That year was a write off for most shows.

Hotel was The Love Boat on land but a little soapier.

Once again, I totally agree. It was so wrong to root for Roger/Holly because of their past, yet it was so right to root for them. Even when they were not together, there was always something brewing between them. MG herself said that she and MZ connected right away as actors and clearly the writers and the audience saw that connection as well. I still think the best description for Roger/Holly was the anti-supercouple.

100% this. Holly was a big part of the early 1990s golden era.

Abby has been a waste of space for like 14 years now.

If my math is correct, by the time of the final episode, GL's longest running cast members without a departure were Tina Sloan (26 years) and Frank Dicopolous (22 years).

MTS and Ed Scott were married in October 1985. 1986 Y&R moved past All My Children for #2 and that same year was the EP change from H. Wesley Kenney to Ed Scott. I'm not sure of the exact date though. To save digging in the ratings thread, here's Y&R's 1980s rating rise. 1983: CBS's highest-rated daytime drama, and #4 behind the ABC big three. 1984: Moved past One Life to Live for #3. 1986: Moved past All My Children for #2. 1988: Tied General Hospital for #1. 1989: Moved past General Hospital for #1.

Ed Scott becoming EP overlaps w/ Cricket eating the show. 1987 and 1988 MTS was the #2 female after LLB.

Ed Scott has always given me s--- disturber vibes and I don't find it a coincidence that all the backstage drama at Y&R began when he became EP. I also believe Ed Scott played a part in the departures of Brenda Dickson, Eileen Davidson, and Terry Lester. In Victoria Rowell's "novels", it's pretty clear that the soap opera producer is based on Ed Scott. Surprisingly, Eric Braeden wrote positively of Ed Scott in his book. When Ed Scott first became EP, he ended all the action/adventure elements and Y&R became more corporate. Yes, Y&R reached #1 during Ed Scott's original run, but he got credit for the groundwork that was laid by H. Wesley Kenney.

@Taoboi Hahaha, I love it. Thanks for the mention 🤗

@vetsoapfan Which did the most damage to GL? Douglas Marland departure. Gail Kobe/Pamela Long chasing all the 1980s trends. Writer turnover during Joe Willmore run. Killing off Maureen Bauer. Nancy Curlee departure. To me killing off Maureen Bauer felt like the beginning of the end and Nancy Curlee departure felt like the end. The P&G shows were not in a good place creatively in June 1994 (Nancy Curlee departure from GL was three months earlier, Douglas Marland material was done at As the World Turns, Another World had been limping along for 15 years) when OJ began and I feel they were effectively over in the aftermath of OJ. In the 1990s ratings thread we can see that by the end of 1995 the P&G shows are the bottom tier (Bell shows and Days were the top and ABC big three were the middle).

@titan1978 Seasons 5 and 6 were Knots Landing best seasons. The final 10 episodes of season 6 were the peak of the series for me.

Robert Calhoun/Douglas Marland run at As the World Turns was September 1985 to October 1988. It took about a year for As the World Turns to show growth but even with the ratings increase that started Fall 1986, As the World Turns was jockeying for position in the Top 5 with the ABC big three and supercouple Days. I don't believe that supercouple Days was a better show than Robert Calhoun/Douglas Marland As the World Turns and Robert Calhoun GL despite the ratings showing otherwise. Robert Calhoun run at GL did not see a ratings increase which to me is unfortunate. Since his groundwork got the ratings up for a year from July 1991, then I think if Robert Calhoun had stayed for another year he would have gotten the ratings up too.

Yes, JFP got the ratings up in her first year, but to me she was coasting off the groundwork laid during Robert Calhoun's run. It also helped that the ABC big three were tanking at various times during that year and Days was in their post-supercouple/pre-Reilly mess era.

Robert Calhoun run was June 1989 to July 1991. Recall that SOD named GL Most Improved Show of 1989 and to me it was thanks to Robert Calhoun. It still disappoints me that the ratings during Robert Calhoun's run did not reflect the quality of the show. I'd go as far as to say that Robert Calhoun was GL's last good EP and he was the only good EP they had in the final 25 years.

So Paul has lost both his children. I don't count rewrite son Dylan as he's been wiped from the canon.

@Taoboi @BoldRestless @soapfan770 You are killing me 🤣 We really shouldn't be giving Josh Griffith ideas though.

This month is Michelle Stafford 30th anniversary. Wonder what will be in store for that.

You're welcome @Khan and I totally agree w/ you re MSW/GG.

@Khan Text from the Chicago Tribune article.

@Khan I take it you weren't a fan of Melrose Place?

To think if Marcia Cross had a longer run on Knots Landing, we might not have gotten Dr. Kimberly Shaw of Melrose Place.

Today (September 30) is the 40th anniversary of Murder, She Wrote. Good reads for the anniversary: Column: On its 40th anniversary, "Murder, She Wrote" remains the best (chicagotribune.com) Murder She Wrote Turns 40 | Opinion | yesweekly.com

Days has had so much loss in the last 30 years. An entire generation with the heads of all the main families (Macdonald Carey, Frances Reid, Joseph Mascolo, Frank Parker, Peggy McCay, John Aniston) and now losses in the subsequent generations (John Clarke, Bill Hayes, Drake Hogestyn). I'd like to think that to Days fans there's some comfort in knowing they are all upstairs together and are sharing memories of their time working with each other.

@Maxim I haven't watched regularly since 1999, so that's why my list stops at 1997. IMDb has a list that might not be complete though The Bold and the Beautiful (TV Series 1987– ) - Filming & production - IMDb