Paul Raven

To my way of thinking a show can only be classified as a timeslot hit if it is moved out of a timeslot it is rating well in, and doesn't perform as expected/hoped for in the new timeslot. That discounts a lot of shows that get moved at the end of their lifespan. I would put Hotel in that category along with other examples like Falcon Crest and Trapper John, which after several successful seasons were falling in the ratings and basically moved elsewhere to finish their runs. Had Hotel been moved in Season 3 and bombed then its status as a timeslot hit would be proven. Looking forward to your response!

Fantasy Island Debuted mid season as Love Boat, an instant hit at 10pm Saturday was moved to 9pm with FI inserted at 10. 77/78 season Love Boat #14 Fantasy Island#17 78/79 LB # 17 FI #22 So after 2 seasons of solid ratings ABC decided to try and shore up some of it's 8pm ratings woes and moved Fantasy Island to 8pm Friday. It ranked 53rd with a 19 share behind Diff'rent Strokes #16/37 share and Incredible Hulk. After two showings it was moved back to Sat @10 where it once again won its timeslot. 79/80 LB #23 FI #28 80/91 LB #5 FI #17 81/82 LB 314 FI #30 82/83 LB #9 FI not in Top 30 83/84 LB #17 FI #49 So Fantasy Island was definitely a timeslot hit, always rating respectably but lower than it's Love Boat lead in. And it's brief tryout in a lead in timeslot was a disaster.

For all soaps past and present- what are some of the relationships b/w characters that were played at one point and then seemingly forgotten. For Y&R Nikki and Tessa At one point Nikki took Tessa in and mentored her. But in recent years they have had nothing to do with each other. Lily and Abby They were friends during the Sussman years ,I think. But now never interact. Any others?

There was no reason for Nikki to interact with Sheila. It makes sense to keep some characters/storylines separate as it can become cumbersome to keep all those connections going.

I don't think that would be a surprise to anybody, especially considering the short timeline and the demographics involved. Have they started taping the Peacock episodes yet? They're probably hoping word of mouth will increase the viewership.

Yep.

It really only left the possibility that Alison had come to some harm. Why wouldn't she make some contact with her parents?

Top Television Shows for the 1980-1981 Season 1 Dallas 3 The Dukes of Hazzard 4 The Love Boat 5 Private Benjamin 6 M*A*S*H 7 House Calls 8 The Jeffersons 9 (Tie) The Two of Us 9 (Tie) Little House on the Prairie 10 Alice 11 Real People 12 (Tie) One Day at a Time 12 (Tie) The Greatest American Hero 13 Three's Company 14 Magnum, P.I. 15 (Tie) Too Close for Comfort 15 (Tie) ABC Sunday Movie 16 Diff'rent Strokes 17 Archie Bunker's Place

From SOD Bill Bell interview re working with Lee. "We don't write together per se. We talk a lot",Bill Bell explained when asked how he and wife Lee collaborate. "Lee is a pipeline and a source for good story material-especially when it comes to social issues-but we don't sit down and write out projected storylines in the formal sense.We just sort of make it up as we go along.Lee is very pivotal to a lot of story and character ideas,but I am the thrust of the show.I do all the daily blocking on B&B,that is I do the outlines for the scriptwriters.I block both shows in the long term sense.And you have to sort of streamline the operation if you're going to be doing the amount of work that we're doing.But there are really no shortcuts in the terms if the thought process.You have to work on something until it feels right.At least I do.I go on my instincts. "A storyline is really a process of trial and error. I've always said that everyone that I work with that there is no such thing as a bad idea,because any idea can be a catalyst to a better idea,it may open the door to something else.so,there aren't disagreements in that sense of tension.Tension stifles people and that is the last thing you want when you are working as a group to create something.Lee and I tend to mesh.Lee plugs into my psyche and we have developed some very memorable stories together.We read each other well.And I think we understand that the key to a partnership,is that,ultimately one person must prevail.it's never the kind of thing where we are at opposite ends of the spectrum and then I prevail.It's usually that I know I am going to be developing the story and I know what feels comfortable and what doesn't. If it doesn't feel comfortable to me,then I don't do it.I can't do it.I would say that I think there should be a separation of responsibility if you want to keep compatibility.If we're both working on the same words or on the same scene on the same scripts,sooner or later you're going to have a difference of opinion.You're bound to.In a working relationship,those differences co-exist. "One exciting aspect of working on a new show-and Y&R-is that my whole family is here.The kids are learning so much about the business(Lauralee plays Cricket on Y&R,Bradley is on B&B's writing team,while Bill Jr is involved in production.)Frankly that is one of the reasons B&B exists.CBS had been after me for ten years to do another show and I felt I had my hands full with Y&R.But I wanted them to see the excitement,to see everything that goes into the making of a serial.so,we're all in it together.People ask me what we do to get away from it.The answer is nothing.We don't want to get away from it.We thrive on it."

Apart from Malcolm and Katherine , all the clips represented current characters. They showed vintage Jack/Phyllis, Nick/Sharon, Lauren/Michael. The first two are obviously thought of as 'destiny' couples. Phyllis got 2 clips... Maybe this is one of several clips. I'm sure that 40 yr character Paul will be absent.

Good topic for us scheduling nerds. I'll start with 'Flo', the Alice spinoff. In it's initial tryout in March 1980 following MASH , it debuted at #1 and stayed strong for the rest of it's 6 episode run, finishing # 7 for the season. CBS believed they had a new comedy hit and moved it to 8pm Monday to lead off the night next season, counterprogramming That's Incredible on ABC and Little House on NBC. It was strike season so debuts were staggered, with Flo debuting in November. It debuted at #13,That's Incredible was #14 and Little House #18. The following week Little House was #11,That's Incredible was #20 and Flo was out of the Top 20, never to return It was shunted off to Saturday night against Love Boat to replace the flop 'Freebie and the Bean' and that was it for Flo

I have been a faithful watcher of most of the international editions but had to give up on Down Under Season 2 as the production was atrocious and the queens rough and not entertaining. France i gave up after about 3 eps and didn't even bother with Canada. Hopefully UK Season 4 will be an improvement.

Poor Mishael. Amanda is a nothing character.Cut her loose from Grandpa Devon for starters

As soon as you see words like fearless and unapologetic you know what you're in for.

Poor misguided fool. Everytime a new character or return is announced, there's that faint hope that a decent story might be taking shape, but it never happens.

Surely not. Robert Newman would have made a better Tucker. As awful as that character was, he does have a place on the canvas, but not as a 50 yr old.

Don't know why at that point they were hurriedly marrying off core characters like Kim, Carol and Bob to unsuitable spouses(Nick, Steve and Miranda). None of those pairings were particularly popular and didn't provide much story. In Carol's case she was a very moral, upright woman and for her to have 3 marriages under her belt so young seemed wrong. Within a few years all those marriages were over, Nick was dead, Miranda disappeared and Steve was re-invented.

i just watched todays ep and fantastic is not the word I would use for that set. Try horrible, ugly and cheap for starters...] i don't see the point of it. And we'll have a staff member walking around , 2 people dancing and that's it as far as extras. But a background tape that is supposed to indicate a huge crowd.

How can you say that a show is not a timeslot hit when it never changed timeslots for most of its run and whern it finally did the ratings plummeted?

Don't know anything about the WTHI role. It just seems odd to me that Gallison would take on a 'nothing' part when he was an in demand actor as witnessed by being cast in the important role on RTPP.

The singer is Shawn Stevens as Zack. He was also on Days as Oliver , one of those teen idols the mags pushed, who didn't really have much success. Yes Cynthis Gibb as Suzi. Not sure about Stu and the club-was that the terrace at Hartford House? Not sure about Liza's reaction. It was all part of the story that involved the location trip on the QE11.

Susan Sarandon SEARCH FOR TOMORROW Sarah Fairbanks 1972-73 Pretty sure her SFT stint was a short term one - she and her brother(?) kidnapped Jo , so maybe only a few weeks in 72. I'm sure someone can verify.

If he he is sticking around, will Lucy follow? Maybe bring back Reed and have Phyllis' grandaughter and Victoria's son as an item. Daniel can come between Billy and Victoria. There is potential there but Griffith always seems to fluck it up.

Queen B doesn't write notes, she has them printed for her.

Peggy, another major character tossed aside. I am sure Fran Myers would have continued, at least in a recurring capacity throughout the 80's. She was considered an honorary member of the Bauer family. Why not SORAS her son Johnny as they did with TJ Werner and have him involved with Morgan etc rather than inventing Kelly Nelson.