Paul Raven

I would say overall - no. Penny/Jeff were the 'young love' couple who went through various traumas- a murder trial, parental interference, a quickie first marriage before finally getting together. Mike/Leslie were older, each having been through other marriages. Leslie had been married to Ed's brother. Mike had a child etc Both marriages were ended by the death of one of them. So yes, there were destined to be together, but the history was different.

@DRW50 I kind of agree, but a recast might be worth atry. If it didn't work out, Kathleen could have quickly been written out. I always though Susan Scannell might have worked as Kathleen http://www.anotherworldhomepage.com/ffat98.jpg

Killing off Kathleen was dumb. Cass could have returned solo and revealed he and Kathleen were having problems. Maybe her career had taken off and he felt neglected. Kathleen puts off returning, Cass decides to go and see her, only to find another man at her apartment. Concluding Kathleen has moved on, a dejected Cass has a fling with another woman. A recast Kathleen returns and the Winthrops try and put things back together. Minimum of 6 months story material.

I prefer when things are switched up depending on the storytelling. I don't mind if one day stretches over several episodes if there is stuff going on. Conversely if one episode deals with day and then we move on, fine also. One thing soaps hardly do is show weekends, when everyone actually has the time to be at home, visiting restaurants, other character homes etc. Also OK if we get the sense that a few days might have passed since the previous episode. As for changes mid episode-if the show is depicting late at night and after an ad break it's earlyish the next day, that's fine also. When a day drags on because of sets/costuming budget issues then it's tedious. Y&R has characters visiting venues often twice in a day for no good reason. The scenes could have taken place the next day.

Mike Bauer, Leah Bauer. Nick Newman.

SOW interview with Ellen Wheeler Guiding Light's new regime — i.e., executive producer Ellen Wheeler and head writer David Kreizman — held a press conference July 1 to share their plans to put the spring back in Springfield's step. Here are the highlights: QUESTION: Ellen, why did you hire David? WHEELER: Well, look how cute he is (laughs). No, I had been here before [as a director and a producer] and Dave had been a breakdown writer. When you got one of Dave's breakdowns you were always so excited. Just the fact that it said his name, you would say, "Oh, my goodness, this is going to be a great breakdown." What made it a great breakdown was that he understood the show so well and could write from such a place of character, history and story. I always gravitated to his breakdowns. So I felt we had some of the same sensibility of how we saw soap opera, storytelling in general, but certainly how we saw this show. So when it became a discussion, Dave was the first person...really the only person on my list. KREIZMAN: I've been around for a long time, so everybody knew me. It wasn't like they were dragging me from the streets. I started as an intern here when I was in college. I fell in love with the medium, how fast it moves, and how you may have one show and you don't love it but you have another one coming the next day. Also, how long you have to tell stories and develop characters. QUESTION: What are some of the biggest changes you guys are going to be making in Springfield? KREIZMAN: We want to focus on the core families. We wanted the show to be like what GUIDING LIGHT was in its heyday. A lot of people say GUIDING LIGHT was at its best when it was telling story with heart, based on the character and the families. WHEELER: The families...it really comes back to that. I was looking at the headshots of the cast up in my office this morning and realized each row is a family unit. As I was looking at it I was going, "Wow, that's great. I can look up at that board and the top row has this story and the next row down has this story. We have a story in place for each family." QUESTION: When did you realize you had to make a change? Did the ratings hit a certain low point? WHEELER: No, no it wasn't anything that made me say, "Oh, I have to make the change." It was a feeling that I had that I wanted someone who had a very similar feeling, similar approach to doing soap operas, and I knew I had that in Dave. I think all of us thought that that was going to be the best thing for the show — [having] two people who were looking at a show from the same position and wanting to achieve the same things. It makes everyone below you feel that symbiotic thing, and they want to work together too. QUESTION: Ellen, how is this different from AS THE WORLD TURNS, where you directed? WHEELER: I'm the boss. QUESTION: David, would you ever write Ellen into the show, and Ellen, would you let him? WHEELER (cutting David off and smiling): No!

Has Abby had any recent scenes with Chance- her last hubby? Something along the lines of her informing Chance she was remarrying and them wishing each other well? That marriage seems like it never happened. And what about Aunt Mamie? Why wouldn't she be there? She was all about family at one point. Or did Mamie get a farewell scene?

All of the networks movie nights in the Top 30. By seasons end the ABC Sunday and Wednesday movies finished out of the Top 30. ABC struggling. Despite Bewitched in the Top 10 they couldn't build a competitive night around it. That Girl followed Bewitched, which finished the season #11, but Marlo didn't make the Top 30. Competition from CBS Movie and second half of Ironside on NBC was too strong. NBC had the same issue with Bonanza, a Top 5 show, but follow up High Chapparal was nowhere to be seen.

I'm hoping they keep the show grounded in the sense that we don't get billionaires running amok, characters who are well known enough to be known to the public, but then have that aspect ignored when it suits the plot. I'm interested in how the show will present so many different occupations amongst the cast.

C David Colson was popular as Tom in the 70's and played out the Tom/Carol/Natalie story.Judging by pics he came across as a little more 'alpha' than earlier Toms. Maybe that mix of masculinity and sensitivity that Don Hastings had. The ages of the various actors who played Tom as an adult Peter Galman 24 in 1969 C David Colson 33 in 1974 Tom Tammi 34 in 1979 Justin Deas 32 in 1980 Gregg Marx 29 in 1984 Scott Holmes 35 in 1987 Tom was born in 1961.

It's so much easier just to have larger than life villains with no real motivations to come in and wreak havoc. They just like being EVIL...ha,ha, ha!! You could drive several trucks through the holes in the manipulation of Sharon plotline.

Awww...an old soap tradition revived. Actors on the P&G soaps BITD used to get these gift packs also.

Well it makes sense not to criticize. Just professional really. I'm sure most actors realize the stress of headwriting a show I'm sure the same holds for writers who are told to write for particular characters, who they don't like. If they had their way, those characters would be gone. But they don't criticize the actor or character publicly.

Love Is a Many Splendored Thing Top 5. This must have been its peak period. Considering the ATWT lead in, those ratings were understandable. This is when Irna Phillips departed and the ATWT ratings softened, finally being beaten out of #1 soap spot by GH and DOOL. That led to LIAMST dropping as well.

Yes, Abby was always a bit too generic. The Chance/Abby marriage was just tossed aside and the build up to Devon/Abby was hardly wrought with angst. I think they intend to use her as a supporting character.

As far as I know DD was made recurring, which he agreed to and worked on that basis. When a few months went by and he was not scheduled, he spoke out and things soured. Y&R asked him back but he refused.

The staging of the car accident etc was well done but I was questioning that Sharon and Phyllis would both be driving older model SUVs. These gals would surely be tooling around in the latest models. Jess Walton sold her scenes, even if we question her motives for selling chancellor to Victor. Enjoyed Audra throwing shade at the blushing bride with a fact check on marriage and divorce in GC.

That could be the Y&R branding...

I wonder if there will be a mention of Steve's son Spenser or any other children/grandchildren he may have. Maybe Stephen was asked back for Alice's funeral or the 50th anniversary.

Hopefully their stays will be short and those 2 cartoon villains can be written off for good.

When I saw the topic I guessed MO. There was no story for her marrying Dulvon. So now she will join Mariah, Lauren etc as a talk to and turn up at various events. Devon can be in work/family related stuff that Abby doesn't have to be a part of. Another character that was SORASED too soon.

Victor of course lived at Hope's farm for several months. The original Williams set was quite elaborate.In addition to the living room, we also saw a dining room and kitchen. The Prentiss lakehouse where Vanessa,Lorie, Lucas and Lance all resided became home to the Laurence family during their short time in GC. Where has Nikki lived over the years? The Ranch of course-she moved several husbands there. The Penthouse. Did she live with Katherine at one point? Did she and Greg have an apartment?

Hopefully Josh can lift his game. I found the Jill/Esther interaction was a bit mean on Jill's part. I thought they had moved on from that. Jill still could have had a go at Esther but in a more teasing way. Glad Esther brushed it off.

Re location filming the UK soaps and Neighbours have a street, square and cul de sac to use as a meeting place for characters whereas BTG doesn't seem to have that central gathering place. So maybe we will see characters outside workplaces, an outdoor area of a restaurant or a terrace of a home etc. Depends how easily it can be accomplished. Hopefully it will be a regular thing. It would also be nice if we saw more than one room of a house eg bedrooms, a den, dining room etc.

Ok but I was impressed overall with the gowns chosen for the wedding. Ashley looked great and Victoria looked the best she has in ages(no straggly hair). Still think Traci needs a glow up and Claire's dress was blah to me.