Cat

What I find fascinating is that not so long ago both Iceland and Ireland were praised as these magnificent economies where every endeavour flourishes. Fast forward and here we are. Almost always under those shiny surfaces some kind of sea monster appears. Greece was a bit different, everyone knew it borrowed heavily, people spent the borrowed money and no one returned it.

Actually -- deep breath -- Ireland's economy WAS doing well and its government were fiscally prudent. The issue is with Ireland's banks that put money in property. The government bailed them out rather than let them collapse.

Basically, the Euro zone NEED to be seen to be doing something about supporting the euro currency. The entire euro project is under tremendous pressure to fail. They needed Ireland more than Ireland needed them and so that's why they insisted that Ireland take the bailout package. In terms of meeting their borrowing obligations, the Irish were/are not at the brink of default the way Greece was 6-8 months ago.

OMG, thanks, you guys! You truly are the best. I was sad about this last night but then I check into SON this morning and find this amazing news! It's already made my day.

Well, I've hit a wall. Or, rather, I am approaching the end of the consecutive episodes that have been posted on line. 7/1/1992 seems to be the last one. I am saving it for viewing tomorrow. Apart from that, I am sort of devastated, you guys!

I want to know who is Jenna's father -- is it Carl? I want to see Lorna finally get accepted into Felicia and Lucas's family. I want to see Marley fall for Byron (of course, that'll never happen). I want to see Vicky and Ryan reunited, Justine show up (c'mon, Spencer keeps mentioning his "dead wife" so you know she's alive somewhere). Most of all, I want to see Jake & Paulina continue on their journey, although I don't know if I want to see them break up and Jake move onto Vicky. That, for me, sort of negates all the evolution of character and amazing build-up of 1991-1992.

Oh, well, hopefully other AW clips on YT are still available for me to put the pieces together.

I remember the last year as being uneven but some stories had potential. I wanted to see more of Marley recovering from her breakdown, and more of Cindy and David Halliday, among others. Cass/Lila/Anne O'Donnell could have been interesting too. At the time I felt like "Who Killed Grant?" was kind of dull, or possibly pointless, as Grant had gotten away with so much already.

Didn't JFP consider firing Judi Evans? I thought something said she wasn't sure of whether to get rid of Alice Barrett, Anna Stuart, or Judi Evans.

I think Malone's writing also made a mess of the character, along with that story where the house was burnt down and so on. I did like the story where she ran off to Chicago.

AW's very low period of mid/late 98 did have those very good scenes where Jake and Marley talked about her rape. I wish I could see those again.

There is actually a *great* scene between Jake & JB's Marley from the final week of December 1991 where they talk about the rape. It is during Marley's wedding shower and is a very satisfying scene in the sense that it was long overdue. That is when I really started appreciating Buchanan's version of Marley.

And thusly soaps lost their relevance -- and their target audience.

What on earth where the TV execs thinking?

I pick a pack of episodes from Feb. 1992 offered by Telenext productions on Youtube... Thoughts:

Jake/Paulina: She was engaged to Grant but you could see she had a yearning for Jake and vice versa. You could just see the chemistry oozing when you saw them together. I forgot how fiesty she used to be before they turned her into a pill junkie years later.

Marley/Dennis: Strangely I liked the two together.. I remember the buildup to them being a couple was good but once they were together, nothing really happened. However, I will say that I liked JB better as Marley then Vicky. JB played Vicky as an unlikeable bitch while AH always played Vicky with a soft side lurking beneath that tough exterior.

Lorna: Love her!! Felicia and Lorna are snarking at each other and we all know what ended up happening there down the road

Grant: I was surprised that he was actually kind of nice! Plus, he was getting along with Ryan! I figured Grant went all out mean when MP took over... when did Grant fully embrace the dark side?

Olivia: I actually liked this character. What I think soaps fail to do now is make all parties in a triangle likable. Olivia is pregnant and pretending the baby is Sam's. You can see she still loves Sam but that she knows deep down that he's with Amanda. What I gathered in the seven episodes I viewed so far is that she still is optimistic and dreamer. Plus, she isn't focused just on getting a man... she has career goals as a dancer and is trying to figure out how to balance that with the upcoming baby. I also liked the interplay with Sam/Amanda. A part of me wishes that the baby was Sam's because it would have been interesting to see how all three of them would react to one another especially with a baby in the middle. Finally, I forgot that Jenna and Jake were friends with Olivia (another problem with modern day soaps...lack of friendships)

Valentine Day Ball: This proved how soaps used to be the medium to watch to see a party in full-swing. Extras, bigger sets, and some great action to propel the plot forward. You had Lorna throwing a tantrum with Rachel/Felicia trying to kick her out, you had Paulina/Vicky coming in the same dress (every woman's nightmare) and fighting to the death, and you had Jamie chasing after a mysterious red-head (I think that was Kelsey, right?)

Iris: Last and certainly not least! She was awesome! I know some of you preferred BM in the role but I only identified with CD in the part. She had the regal, dismissive essence that BM bought to the part but she was different then BM's Iris. I just loved her and it was a shame they never thought to keep Spencer/Iris together longer then they did.

Thus ends my overall thoughts of Feb 1992 episodes that I happened to catch!

Get out of my head!

So much WORD to your post, I watched February 1992 not so long ago and I had the same exact reactions as you. Lorna!

Especially Jensen Buchanan's Marley, which I find more balanced, nuanced and three dimensional than the one-note Vicky who reminds me just a little of Laura Wright's Carly on GH (though of course I can't stomach LW's version of Carly, whereas JB's Vicky does have redeeming features, including her relationship with Donna and, despite everything, her undying love for Ryan).

And that Valentine Ball was THE AWESOME. Since watching AW regularly, I really miss these little things, like the fancy balls with crowds of extras, outrageous evening gowns, fights, revelations and (usually) a dance between a couple who have feelings for each other but haven't quite come out and admitted them yet. I also miss the use of (then) current musical hits which really showed that the soaps had more money to burn back then. And the fight between Paulina dn Vicky was choreographed so well. I loved that they showed up in the same dress, and Vicky told Paulina she looked like trash in hers, and Paulina eyed Vicky's smaller decollatage and said "Well, at least I fill it out properly."

I'm not sure I like Dennis all that much. The actor comes across as a bit of a himbo and SO not Iris's son who was supposed to have been raised in Europe. I do think Marley needs somebody different from Jamie who was incredibly straight-laced -- though I do like the fact that Jamie is somebody who tries to live by his own high standards. He's a decent guy, if very judgmental.

I miss Olivia already, and I'm sad that they never pursued a story between her and her physiotherapist. They were sparky together. They should have put her with Jamie -- if only to piss off Sam and Amanda in the heart of the Cory household.

Carmen Duncan. What can I say? I never saw Beverlee McKinsey, and I'm sure I would be impressed by her command of the role. I love the divas! However, CD's Iris balances the bitch with the warm and vulnerable so beautifully that she has become one of my favorites.

I've already bored everybody here with my overwelming love for Jake & Paulina under Donna Swajewski's tenure. Needless to say, I love the romance and yearning and how the show took its time to really establish the relationship. Evans and Eplin melt the screen with just a look. I am absolutely convinced by the show's implication that J&P are the loves of each other's lives. I'm sad to learn that fiesty Paulina was watered down in later news as her earthy warmth and newly found backbone are what I love about the character. I also like her big-sister relationship with Hannah.

When did soaps decide that strong-willed, well-rounded women and three-dimensional characterization was no longer the way to go? When they decided that romance and sensuality was expendable? I rarely recognize myself as a thirty-something woman in the female soap characters of today, who seem to crave victimization in some weird way... and yet these early 90s AW women, with their big hair, huge earrings and shoulder pads, in the days before spray tans and thinification and breast implants, listening to Mariah Carey, Boyz 2 Men (dear lord!) etc., it's spooky how much more relatable they are to me. Perhaps I am behind the times!

Their chemistry really leaps off the screen, teplin. I know I sound silly talking about it, but after being starved of any pairing with even an iota of chemistry on soaps currently, I can't believe how much Tom Eplin and Judi Evans have together (although the rumor mill suggests that they hated each other. Not if the fact Eplin keeps slipping her tongue is any indication! Sorry to be crude, but it's obvious he was doing that to tease Evans). I had forgotten that this kind of chemistry is what soaps used to actively cultivate.

I don't plan on checking out Jake & Vicky the Redux. Perhaps if Anne Heche had still been playing Vicky, I could imagine the chemistry between her and Tom Eplin... but after seeing J&P, what a pity TIIC caved into backstage agendas.

LOL, can anybody say Misery? I guess it was bound to happen, given that Felicia is a romance novelist/runs Brava/presents Breakfast with Felicia which apparently has "an audience of millions." Felicia = Oprah!

I have been watching THE best episode of AW that I have ever seen -- 5/25/1992. Lorna goes to see her sick grandmother to confirm her parentage. I just have no words to describe how much Alicia Coppola impresses me. Whether she's covering her grandmother with kisses or sparring with Carl, this character was Fierce with a capital F.

And then we have Jake & Paulina... finally. I am in love with this couple. This episode invested so much in their confrontation and eventual admiting that they loved each other. I honestly believe that the day the soaps decided to pare down/eradicate proper love scenes was the day the death knell sounded on Daytime's fate. Those scenes are not just swooningly swoonsome, sensual, romantic and tender, they established this couple's identity as a twosome. That love scene will always be referred to as that moment when they knew they couldn't live without each other, etc.

That is great to hear about PMV. I'm sorry he had such a tough time after he left the show, but I'm glad he's married with a family and, hopefully, doing something he truly loves.

As a person, I certainly never heard/read a bad word said against him by his co-stars.

Wow. Glad I missed that! At least Carl Hutchins had a sense of humor.

And poor Donna. I just adore Anna Stuart and her version of Donna as this ultra-feminine society diva. She could have played her as a complete Alexis-style bitch but there is something kind and innocent about her, too. She can be spoiled but never evil and vicious.

I should check out Philece Sampler's Donna.

I don't know any of the history of the Love family. What happened? I assumed Donna's daddy didn't want her with the stable boy and sent him away then did something with one of the twins (Vicky) that Donna gave birth to. But that is supposition.

OK, so I've skipped ahead a teeny bit -- I'm in April 1992. Though I would actively counsel Carl to watch all of autumn 1991 if he can as I found it good. It was just January and February I had a problem with as there was a lot of Vicky and Grant and, like I said, Mark Pinter's Grant skeeves me the f*ck out. Also I am not 100% enamoured of the Harrisons and they have tended to dominate the odd week here and there. However, there was a ball (on Feb 14th, I think -- a date burned on every soap writer's brain back in the day) and Paulina and Vicky have THE most awesome catfight. Sigh. So much soapy fun.

Swajewski is playing the Jake-Paulina SL so damn well. The marriage, the romantic sparring, the fall-out. Every beat is played and she is taking her sweet time because she knows the audience (well, me) is hooked to this burgeoning love story. I have embedded the 4/14/1992 episode here, but I just want you guys to watch the first 1 minute 47 of the episode. Because it oozes longing and gives me goosebumps. At one point he brushes his nose against her ear and it's like, DAMN. Soaps just do not invest in details like that anymore.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An74nmHFS4I

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=An74nmHFS4I

Oh, and they're shooting another music video, with Jenna (in TLC knee-pads) dancing in a barn. It has to be seen to be believed.

Is it me or is David Hedison not all that good?

It's not you. He's a ham who learnt his craft at the Charlton Heston School of TV Acting. I mean, I love his voice but, I lot like Kyle Brown, he sounds like he listens to himself speaking. Does that make any sense? It's all slightly self-important and theatrical. Though not theatrical in the same way Linda Dano, Stephen Schnetzer or Victoria Wyndham are. I love their delivery.

Carl, I always get worried that I'm going to unwittingly unleash a whole bunch of spoilers which will spoil your enjoyment of the show! Or bitch too much and turn you off it. And I don't want to do that.

I'm just noting my impressions as they come because this show is new to me and I am watching episodes for the very first time.

Loved Carmen Duncan and Dack Rambo. Dack wasn't the greatest thespian alive but he was HOT and and exuded the same kind of warmth that PMV had as Ryan. You could believe that, even though one was a high-society politician and the other a cop, they came from the same family. The way DR's Grant would eye Iris while she was flirting with him was also kind of hot.

LOL, yeah, Judi is an EPIC cryer. And I mean full-on, make-up running, snot coming out of her nose, heaving sobbing. She also doesn't look soap-pretty when she cries and that is a relief. I'm sick of the Hunter Tylos and Laura Wrights who do the dry-eyed boo-hoo.

LOL, you view Matt the way I view Jake. With a touch of lust!

Cat, I ya, but it's been irking me- Sofia Coppola is the famous director of "Lost in Translation." Alicia Coppola plays Lorna.

And I too LOVE her. Thank GOD they brought her on as Heche was leaving. Lorna was the new Vicky for me. It's part of the reason I never could get into Robin Christopher as an actress until I saw her on OLTL- she was a terrible, inept recast for Coppola as Lorna. I understood the producers thinking, considering her work as Skye, but it just didn't work. IMO, Coppola was downright iconic in the role.

I have no idea what happened with Osburn but for the life of me, I'll never understand why they let her go. She was such a gem as Kathleen & a real bright spot on the show at the time. Was Frankie & Frankie/Cass really that popular?

Oh and by the way, it's 12:06 AM and I'm watching an AW episode on youtube.

***fingers crossed***

Duh! Alicia, of course.

And ITA. She just shines as Lorna. She is so fierce. And she looks like a Native American! I'm still wondering why they are wasting her on that teenybopper Matt when it is so obvious how Woman she is next to his Boy. It's crazy how much chemistry she has been able to spark with the chemistry-free piece of wood masquerading as Jamie. LOL, actually Jamie and his portrayer are totally growing on me now that

he and Marley have split up.

I also love her scenes of confrontation with Felicia. I think I know where this is heading here (!) but thus far they absolutely despise one another.

I'm not sure what to expect from Robin Christopher as Lorna (if I ever get that far). I have always *heard* rather than *seen for myself* Ms. Christopher's apparent brilliance. Right now I can't get past how much I love AC in the role.

You guys -- I've actually seen an episode where Frankie & Cass were not so annoying! It's the 2/12/1992 one which is entirely film noir. Cass plays a private dectective called Cass A. Nova (LOL sheilaforever). It is a great episode. However, they soon returned to Kooky Frankie and her granola life with John and Baby Gregory and Cass pining for her badly-dressed ass. Alice Barrett constantly sounds bunged-up, like she has a permanent cold. Or snorts coke (which I doubt -- though I hear Eplin and Wheeler were into it in the AW bathrooms back in the day).

Frankie just went off on Donna because Donna offered to pay for all of Baby Gregory's private schooling. Frankie thinks Baby Gregory is a free-spirit who will chafe at the restrictions of an expensive private school. I'm like "Baby Gregory is one year old. He can't even speak." But obviously Mother Earth Frankie knows better! If AW were still around today and John took Frankie's advice, poor Gregory would probably be at community college desperately looking for a job in today's economy. Nice work, FF!

On the other hand, they are trying to make Frankie look less crunchy and more Cass's soulmate by having her dress up from time to time and mentioning how much she loves caviar omelettes. OK then.

Jake's backstory is fascinating. We are back in Lassiter for a few episodes. And Paulina and Jake just need to break down and kiss again.

Is it true that there were plans for another AW spin-off in the late eighties, which would be created by Margaret DePriest and focus on the Loves, the Hudsons and the McKinnons? Perhaps that's the reason they turned Donna into a tortured heroine, in order to headline the new soap.

That's the reason they hired Denise Alexander, in order to play the McKinnon matriarch on the new soap. I have no idea what would be left for AW if they took three of the show's prominent families at the time.

I was going to say... what would AW talk about?! I thought AW in the late 80s *was* about the Loves, Hudsons and McKinnons! LOL.

I am in January 1992 now! Woohoo! Today is prob the final day I can check these out so perhaps I should start weaning myself off these.

A few random observations:

Grant (as played by Mark Pinter) comes across as so sinister and manipulative. There was a point where he confronted Paulina about her past and he was borderline emotionally abusive. I am not likeing him at all, don't understand how Spencer could ever have idiolized this cold, nasty individual, don't understand why Paulina moons over him or why Vicky is so loyal and possessive of him.

Sam and Amanda have a love montage every. Single. DAY. All they do is shag. Not that I'm complaining as I miss these love scenes from our soaps today! And AW seems to have specialized in building up its romantic pairings, drawing out the romantic tension and choreographing superlative love scenes. HOWEVA! The Samanda stuff seems forced. Like I said, they seem to be at it all the time. As a couple, I find them a bit meh. Amanda comes across as a bit of a smug bimbo whenever she confronts Olivia. I'm curious about Amanda's affair with some guy when she first married Grant. Where they a hot couple? Why did it end? Why did Amanda start sniffing around Sam again?

It is a blessed relief to have Carl off the show for a little while. He certainly hammed his ass off in the Hallowe'en scenes.

Constance Ford is just... awesomeness.

And so is Carmen Duncan as Iris.

And so is Sofia Coppola as Lorna. She's so clever and defensive and she swings that long curtain of black hair about like a witch. I really like her character -- and her name!

Even wearing dresses and business suits and big jewelery, Paulina comes across as a girl from the wrong side of the tracks playing dress-up. That's a good thing because that is exactly what she is. Her hair has been looking fab lately.

Anyone else think that The Days of the Week's Violet McKay and Mojo were *heavily* influenced by a certain AW pair?:

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Right down to the condo.

Violet=Iris

McKay=McKinsey

OMG, is that SNL? Is that John Candy as Jack Harrington and John Belushi as Rocco? Rick MOranis as Clay Collins and the dad from American Pie as Dr. Eliot Sabian?

That is an amazing piece of satire. It is uncanny how just like a 70s soap it was. Whoever wrote it must have been a major AW fan because the whole thing is done with love and attention.

I admit, I skipped over a lot of July and August because the Taylor stuf draaaaagged. I jumped right into early September and really do not regret it. SLs seemed to renew and pick up steam.

Awesome, awesome episode, including a great scene between Jake and Marley. This character Jake... one minute I hate him, the next I feel sorry for him. It's been a while since I have gotten so invested in a show.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeDwxXeY19o

I love Carmen Duncan, even in that random work-out gear. Her voice, her entire demeanour is exquisite!

So, is this the last day we can watch AW episodes in full? I am so sad. And SO addicted. I love the variety on this show and how the friendships and rivalries are as important as the romances. Sure, I could stand to see a little less of John and Frankie. But that is a small complaint on a canvas as rich and full as 1991 Another World.

Currently in December 91. Jake just did THE most abominable thing. And Vicky threw Marley a baby shower. How funny that I like Jensen Buchanan in scenes with herself as Vicky/Marley or with Anna Stuart and groups of other women. But when she's with Mark Pinter or Paul Michael Valley, it just does not chime as well for me.

LOL! Although the roomates thing is probably just that - roomies (CLB seems to prefer small, shifty-eyed younger dudes!). I think what threw me off is RPG's preference for eyeliner during his Dean Frame days.

I think I know what it is about Frankie that bothers me -- or perhaps the writing for Frankie. Or perhaps even the actress, Alice Barett. I think it's because she is not nearly as funny as she seems to think she is. Most of her stuff is played for kooky laughs but I don't think I have laughed once at any of her shtick. It's all a little heavy-handed. It is a real contrast with Cass and Felicia's urbane wit, Iris's fabulously bitchy asides and Donna's feather-light delusions/self-deprecation.

Must be my mistake, sheilaforever. I guess I still have that Jossip rumor involving RPG and Rick Hearst stuck in my sub-conscious!

CarlD, AW must have known what a gem they had in Heche and the critical and fan acclaim for her, hence the big send-off. I continue to marvel at this woman's talent (even in crap movies, she's stands out). What I find most impressive is how she, a victim of atrocious sexual and physical abuse by her father, managed to portray a woman like Vicky who luxuriates and glows with desire for Ryan. Her performance was so visceral and complete, and she really conveyed those emotional, romantic, swept-away moments. Come to think about it, portraying repressed Marley, especially after the rape, must have hit close to home. I guess taking on another person's skin must have been her therapy. Whatever it was, she really impresses me.

LOL, OMG Paulina and notVicky facing off in a bridal shop.

notVicky: See, I really thought Grant had taste... but you know, with some guys, they see trash and it turns them on.

Paulina: You'd better go home, Vicky. You're obviously frustrated because you can't find a wedding dress that'll work miracles and make you look virginal.

notVicky: Now listen here, you little slut. I don't know why Jake married you or why Grant puts up with you. All I know is that you can't stand me because I stand for everything you're never gonna have.

Deck her, Paulina!

OMG, Grant is such a dick! Now I get why they recasted the character. I still wish Dack Rambo were in the role, though -- he was so lovely to look at. Mark Pinter looks sinister.

Vicky is not coming across much better in all this. Vicky and Ryan are each other's true loves, but I can see where this is going here... Grant manipulates the situation, Vicky gets attracted to all the wealth and political spotlight.

Jake and Paulina are driving me crazy -- but in a good way. I had forgotten how effective soaps used to be about dragging out the romantic tension between couples who are hot for each other and don't want to admit it. What makes it funny is the fact that Jake & Paulina are pretending to be newlyweds and have to share a room together.

I am so Team Olivia at the moment, even though Olivia is so obviously in the wrong. Amanda comes across as so smug and trifling. When Olivia accused her of using baby Allie to get Snorific Sam back, I couldn't help but agree. Biggest mystery of all, though, is why Olivia is still moping over that wet blanket Sam and not jumping her physiotherapy guy.

Jenna & Dean = super cheesy but at least they are promoting safe sex. And they are hot together. RPG may annoy the [!@#$%^&*] out of me (and did he really date Yasmine Bleeth? I thought he was gay) but he brings out the best in Alla Korot.

Enjoyable show. We are just three episodes in so it is still early days but ITV have clearly invested a lot in it, so there is much biting witticism (thanks, dame Maggie Smith -- worth the price of admission alone), sumptuous decor, butler rivalry, moments of tenderness, repressed passion (including gay passion) and whatnot. And because it is set in 1913, you know that mega-tragedy is looming.

If it continues in its current vein then I will be glad that ITV ordered more episodes.

I'm on the 11/21/91 episode right now which says that "Kathleen says good-bye to Bay City." Don't know if I want to see this.

Jake and Paulina, just shag already!

I would like Frankie more without her damn posse.

At least they do make some effort not to demonize Kathleen. I liked that scene, mostly Julie Osburn's work in it, where Kathleen prayed for Frankie's health.

I had a big WTF reaction when they went to Sassy's and the waitress mistook Kathleen for Frankie. Really???

The scenes where Jenna and Dean were alone right before the hilarious fake tree fell on them were some of the first with them that I've enjoyed. The moment where they almost kissed and then Dean was mean to her to push her away was great soap, and they had strong chemistry. I really wish Alla Korot had had better roles after AW.

I skipped ahead to an episode from November so I could see Kathleen say goodbye. It was really tough to watch -- she is such a special character, the combo of strength and vulnerability which I love so much. Her last scenes with Cass were so sad. I'm glad they tried to show her moving on with her life. I also liked her goodbye with Felicia. That relationship seemed to be ignored for most of her return.

Are you talking about the Hallowe'en party episode? I loved that scene between her and Cass, though it was all too brief (I also thought her 20s flapper wig was very flattering -- it reminded me of her hair before she left the how the first time). It was so sad the way she said that there was no place for in Bay City anymore.

And I know what you mean about the posse. Dean had a party to see him off to NY and Kathleen showed up (this was just before she was going to leave). Dean was all over Frankie "OMG, are you ok with her being here?!" You invited her, dick! Frankie replied with a heavy sigh that it was ok and Kathleen was leaving town anyway. Dean goes "Oh, that's very big of you, Frankie." BARF!