Paul Raven

Dark Shadows 2hr Pt 1 ranked 30th 14.6/23 Pt 2 2hr ranked 28th 13.1/21 First hour long ep #61 7.5/14

Has Bryton gone recurring? Hard to tell as Y&R seems to have most actors on a 1 appearance per week guarantee. Maybe he will be seen more in coming months. Is Holden there for Lily? She needs a new romance. But who will Damian be linked with ? Phyllis?

The Kennicotts were Mary, Dan,Betsy, Katie. Each succeeding sibling arrived after the previous one departed. Or did Dan and Betsy overlap? If not, none of the siblings appeared at the same time. Is that the only soap family where that happened?

Spelling had a guarantee at one point -maybe 75-85? -from ABC that at least one of his shows would be scheduled each season, and as we can see that was mutually beneficial for both sides for a long time. But there were flops along the way in those hit years San Pedro Beach Bums 1977 Friends 1979 BAD Cats 1980 Strike Force 1981 Aloha Paradise 1981

Looking back at the Corrington's stint, I think their lack of experience writing soaps shows through. They came in like gangbusters with the Sentells, the Adamson sisters etc. This proposal must have excited the execs and sure enough it played out well onscreen. But once their initial stories played out after the first year or so, what came next seemed uninspired. They didn't seem to have long term plans in place.

It was also the beginning of the end of Aaron Spellings ABC 'Dynasty' Love Boat, Dynasty and Hotel began to falter and his new offerings like The Colbys, Hollywood Beat, Life with Lucy were all duds. The halcyon days of Charlie's Angels, Vegas, Hart to Hart, Fantasy Island etc were but a dim memory.

i'm hoping those extra 20 characters will be servants, secretaries, co- workers etc to give the feel of a real community/universe. and some of them can step up to more important roles if need be, as things progress. Seeing that foyer in the Dupree house, compared to the tiny spaces we see in other soap 'mansions', puts them to shame. Everything looks so promising at this stage. Let's hope they hit the ground running.

Before shite went down, Doug Davidson could have been a Jeff recast.

I think it is supposed to be Eileen/Lisa. This is early 1980 and Brad and Lisa were circling each other at that time. That story was dropped and Lisa was back to the Grant/Joyce triangle.

Leslie in her blonde 'Pris' persona? Who is to the right of Brad in the ATWT section? Is it supposed to be Annie?

Dee Stewart ?

Gary Garver -what a sleaze. Almost felt sorry for poor Brenda having to laugh along at his smutty 'jokes'. "I made a film called 'Welcome To My Home" Just classic Brenda along with a bunch of other nonsense. I want to know how she has supported herself all these years?

After Lin Bolen left NBC daytime lacked direction. Madeliene David/Michael Brockman wrought havoc. Lovers and Friends yanked after 13 weeks. For Richer/For Poorer a dismal failure. Days and TD plummeting . 90 min AW. Spinning off the misguided Texas from an ailing AW. Constant headwriter changes. They never really recovered from that era.

Colleen's potential was wasted on a cartoon character involved in an awful retcon story. There is/was no need for Claire.

Enough of the anniversary episodes. Every 10 years is enough.

Interesting to see how this all slots into the canvas. I hope they don't go with takeovers, buyouts and hiring/firing. Enough with the godawful business stories.

That was the premiere of the mini series. The series began March 10 1980

His real name was Terry Johnson. There was obit posted elsewhere-that of some random man named Dan Fling.

August 79 Dorian’s old flame, Matt McAllister returns with Pat’s sister Maggie on his arm in order to make Dorian jealous.

Neither of Marland's retcon children stories was worth it in the end. Scott and Sabrina just faded away. As for Chuckie, just do a switched at birth story (a hospital mix up, no sinister motive necessary) and have him he and Lisa have to adjust to the situation. He would want to know about his Dad. Ellen, Lisa, Bob, David,Nancy were all around from that time so they would have a point of view. One of 'Chuckie's' adoptive parents could be around and resentful b/c their natural son died. Tom was driving when Chuckie died. Another angle that wasn't explored then. Lot's of story possibilities.

Bryna Laub

Irna created Kim as a fiercely independent woman and having a child didn't fit that profile. Her sister Jennifer had 2 children and was seen as the more traditional woman. Interesting that later on Jennifer resisted having another child. I could see the reasoning however. Like many women she felt that she had done the mom thing and now with her children grown she wanted to devote time to herself and her interests/ambitions. The Dan debacle began in 1966 when 8 year old down was suddenly early 20's played by an older actor. The Dobsons and subsequent writers kept making the mistake of not balancing and replenishing the core and favoring too many new characters. Let's not even mention killing off Chuckie Shea. Years of story thrown away in a few weeks.

The Willows was a Ralph Ellis/Eugenie Hunt story. They took over from the Soderbergs in late 78. On the outs with Grant, Lisa takes a trio and winds up an Inn called The Willows, run by Bennett Hadley. It was Gothic type story with Lisa delving into the mystery of Bennett's dead wife and the possibility he killed her. Doug Marland wrapped that story up.

Looking at the garage scene I notice they put these huge bumper protectors over the rear bumper to make space b/w them where Barbara/Joyce could stand so that she wasn't actually being squashed up against the wall. Did the car slip into reverse b/c Joyce didn't select Park properly in her frazzled state? I was trying to work out the make/model of the car to see if it was actually something Joyce and Don might be driving that fitted their status. So often they have characters driving something unsuitable. I guess they figure housewives won't notice or care.

I don't know that actors 'having fun' should be a consideration when it comes to writing story. Marlena has been written with Leo more than members of her own family.