Everything posted by Paul Raven
- BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
-
ALL: General Retro Soap Discussion
Debbie Reynolds son is Todd Fisher .
- Y&R: Old Articles
- BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
-
Ratings from the 1990s
NBC had way too many comedies on the schedule. I think the ideal is 2 comedy block nights -8 shows in total and another hour or 2 elsewhere. Total of 12 at the most.
-
Texas! Discussion Thread
Among the problems with Kin on Texas were that they grabbed him when he left GH reportedly for a huge salary, but didn't have a character or story for him so Jeb was created on the fly. Kin complained that he came in with a heart defect , so was already a week character. The Jeb storyline was there amongst a whole raft of BTS changes in writers and stories and over the months Kin's presence didn't translate into ratings increase. When it was clear the character wasn't working and Kin would not stay beyond the initial one year contract, everybody concerned lost interest.
-
ALL: What are your lost soap media "holy grails" for 2025?
March gifts. Mitch S has added some snippets from ATWT 79 and SFT 79/77 including a brief scene with Stephanie and husband Walter Pace (Jennifer's father) who I have never seen before. Also a grainy B/W BTS of GL 1980 And Tom Lisanti's book on Texas has been released.
-
BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
Just thinking back to Wk 1 and the introduction to some characters. Ashley and Derek were just there talking about her first day at work, and we had no idea how they fit into the canvas. Jacob and Naomi got the sexay intro in the bedroom. Instead maybe the 4 of them should have met for a breakfast to wish Ashley well on the first day. That would have established all 4 of them better. We would have learned their jobs, that they were friends and the connection to the Duprees. Cady seems completely superfluous at this point. As for Martin/Smitty. Every other couple has been allowed varying degrees of affection but not the gays. I'm not buying the 'relationship is tense' excuse. What better way to show that than either spouse attempting to initiate some romance and the other rebuffing them. And that leading to an argument about their unsatisfactory sex life. Instead it's like they dusted off scripts from 'How to Survive A Marriage' from 1974.
- BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
-
Y&R: March 2025 Discussion Thread
Noticing that they seem to be done to about 4 sets per episode and one conversation/meet up can last the whole episode. It's FF material. Hopefully BTG will continue to thrive and they might be forced to up the budget to compete. Who is holding Shaz and Phyl hostage? Wouldn't be surprised at anything Joshie comes up with. I can't believe that CBS/Sony are approving his stories. They are AWFUL.
-
BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
It's going to be interesting to see how things progress now that they have been set up. What's next for Hayley? Will she try and establish a friendship group at the Country Club for example? Or reconnect with Chelsea(or was it Naomi that was her friend?) How will Bill still be in the mix now that he's away from the Duprees? One thing I want to see is the Duprees having a housekeeper and reference (at least) to staff. Please no millionaires who have no servants. Someone who could join the gossip group. If not, at least someone we see occasionally so we know Anita is not scrubbing the bathtub herself! And regular out of the studio shoots.
- One Life to Live Tribute Thread
-
BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
Y&R and B&B were widely criticized for their castings of newbies at the beginning. Y&R actors all improved over time although B&B castings like Ethan Wayne,Clayton Northcross etc were eventually dropped. SO BTG needs to stick with the cast and hope the actors settle into the roles. Some of them look very stiff on camera, not sure of their body language. One thing they've all been stuck with is some clunky dialogue that any actor would struggle with. So if they tone down the expository stuff and the 'you are a wonderful person' thing and go for more natural dialogue that is going to help.
- One Life to Live Tribute Thread
-
BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
Yes, I wonder how they are going to keep Ashley in the story with only her and Shanice working on the floor. How many times can she interact with Ted/Nicole when they don't really work there? And for what purpose? I'm over Kat's wardrobe choices. Hate that cutesy aesthetic. Not really a fan of the character either.
- BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
-
Guiding Light Discussion Thread
Johnny had the Bauer surname but that was it. The only other option for bringing in a new Bauer was giving Mike a son from a time he was away from Selby Flats/Springfield . A ONS type of thing. A pity there was no wriggle room for Charlotte or Leslie to have had a child. I think Leslie and Mike should have had a child before she was killed off. They were searching for story and at least a pregnancy would have been something and posited another Bauer child on the canvas.
- Y&R: March 2025 Discussion Thread
-
Guiding Light Discussion Thread
Gail Kobe was fine on Peyton Place. HB and Bert could have worked IF the writing was there. And all the beats were played. Charita passing and backstage stuff with Don Stewart might give Kobe/Long a pass re the Bauers, but writing out Hope and killing off Hilary are still blotting their copybook.
-
Soap Hoppers: The Soap Actors And Roles Thread
There were 2 Kates before Kay Campbell,right? Which one was in Eric's clip?
-
ALL: With BTG garnering so much attention, should the other networks jump on board the Daytime Train
Huh? So if you're rich rich you must be a criminal?
- BTG: March 2025 Discussion Thread
- Y&R: March 2025 Discussion Thread
-
Guiding Light Discussion Thread
I doubt that anyone at GL in 84 had any knowledge of Pickering and would be interested in hiring him, considering he didn't work out the first time around. Don Stewart seems to have been written out quickly. Do we know the circumstances? I imagine his contract was up and maybe GL offered to renew with fewer guaranteed appearances, meaning Don's income would drop. That seemed to be happening a lot around that time. Maybe Don was insulted and suddenly decided not to renew, thus requiring a quick write out. He could see the writing on the wall that Mike would become a talk to. Another possibility is that GL didn't want to draw attention to Mike leaving and upsetting viewers. Better to have him just fade out.
-
Search For Tomorrow Discussion Thread
It has always been my understanding (and generally accepted) that Larry Haines joined as Stu shortly after the premiere. I think Dec 51 being often stated. However in Irving Vendig's correspondence in July 52 (he was headwriter at the time) it is stated that Ira Cirker will have responsibility for casting certain roles, including Arthur Tate, Janet Bergman and Stu Bergman. In Sept 52 it is requested that Larry Haines be put on contract. From reading that it appears that Larry did not begin until mid 52, recurring at first. Maybe another actor had portrayed Stu before that ? or the character in fact did not appear until mid 52. There is also mention of the Rose Peabody character and a comment that Lee Grant was not playing it the same way as another actress. Lee has always been listed as the first actress in that part but it seems there was someone before her?