DaytimeFan

I think some of that comes with age. She seemed to avoid admitting that she had a lot of enemies in the Dynasty cast for decades and only in the last 5 or 10 years has she been really candid. I think once the CW rebooted Dynasty Joan knew she'd never play Alexis again, and could afford to be frank, since the likelihood of ever working with the cast again was over. She's been quite specific about who she was friendly with: John James, Diahann Carroll, Catherine Oxenberg, Emma Samms, and Jack Coleman top the list. I think she's been hurt over the years about some of Michael Nader's rather harmless comments which is sad because he has always seemed to adore her and grateful that she was instrumental in his casting. This. A million times this. There is a scene from Dynasty that's cited in the Biography episode of Joan Collins. In the scene Alexis shouts "I want my independence and I want a lover and I want a partner and I don't want to be suffocated by you!" I think that line perfectly encapsulated how Alexis viewed relationships. If anyone tried to control her or she perceived them as suffocating her, she was out of there.

I hope she's well and that the break is her choice. Maggie is one of those characters I would not want to lose.

OLTL, ATWT and GL are the soaps that come to mind for me. Although I have appreciated specific performances in each of them, I never connected to the shows as a whole and never developed any sense of attachment to their communities.

I think Y&R experienced such little turnover for so many years that it was a closed shop and after Bill Bell died, anyone new was going to be treated like an outsider because those who were from the Bell era probably saw every new cast member as an unwelcome interloper. She was awful on Y&R (but has been wonderful on DAYS)...

THIS. I’d say we are right around 1997/1998 - the GL/Annie and DAYS/Kristen storylines can still generate some heat, and most of our beloved vets are still on contract at GH...but AW is about to be cancelled and the tide is turning. There is no doubt the zeitgeist is moving on from Housewives and I’d be working hard on new programming if I was at that network.

This is the clip. It is a treat to watch all these years later. Both Jeanne and Jess are using the cue cards in this particular clip, but Jeanne used them all the time. It's also great to see the sets of the Newman Ranch and the Chancellor Mansion - interesting that they both appeared to be built 'square' - as in all right angles, which is more akin to shooting on location in an actual home, rather than the visual trickery of sets where the walls are all askew.

Heather is much, much tougher than Lisa. Lisa is one of those women whose mouth writes cheques that her ass can’t cash. Not a great episode for Mary. Lots of getting caught up in dishonesty. Meredith did nothing all episode. Jen and Whitney were along for the ride.

Christine is good TV in the sense that she's loathsome, at least on Bling Empire. That particular season would have been much better off with her than Carlton and/or Joyce (although I don't think Joyce got a fair shake)...BH has such a weird dynamic - even back then - I don't know how well Christine would have fared with the likes of Erotica Lame, Teddi, Rinna etc.

So pleased for you - stay safe and well!

O.M.G.

Whoever would have thought that Mary. M. Cosby. would be the MVP of Part 1 of the reunion? She did not break a sweat and took no prisoners. She seemed to be coming into it with zero alliances and just her own opinions. That comment to Jen was one of the most forthright ways to take someone down by outright rejecting them. I haven't liked Lisa from the start and this part of the reunion solidified why. She hates Heather because good 'ol lollipop chicken drumstick loving Heather is a breakout favourite while Lisa has been shown to be the bitch that she is. "Roll the footage!" should only be used when the footage you're rolling doesn't directly contradict the point you're trying to make. Heather is a serious opponent for someone like Lisa whose used to steamrolling people. Meredith looked great. Whitney was ready for a fight and Lisa was on the defensive with her as well. Lisa will come out of this reunion looking worse than Jen the lunatic.

Such a shame - Cady was wonderful as Jennifer and breathed new life into the character.

This is the Modern Hippocratic Oath. Laurent is living it, especially the bold: I swear to fulfill, to the best of my ability and judgment, this covenant: I will respect the hard-won scientific gains of those physicians in whose steps I walk, and gladly share such knowledge as is mine with those who are to follow. I will apply, for the benefit of the sick, all measures [that] are required, avoiding those twin traps of overtreatment and therapeutic nihilism. I will remember that there is art to medicine as well as science, and that warmth, sympathy, and understanding may outweigh the surgeon's knife or the chemist's drug. I will not be ashamed to say "I know not," nor will I fail to call in my colleagues when the skills of another are needed for a patient's recovery. I will respect the privacy of my patients, for their problems are not disclosed to me that the world may know. Most especially must I tread with care in matters of life and death. If it is given me to save a life, all thanks. But it may also be within my power to take a life; this awesome responsibility must be faced with great humbleness and awareness of my own frailty. Above all, I must not play at God. I will remember that I do not treat a fever chart, a cancerous growth, but a sick human being, whose illness may affect the person's family and economic stability. My responsibility includes these related problems, if I am to care adequately for the sick. I will prevent disease whenever I can, for prevention is preferable to cure. I will remember that I remain a member of society, with special obligations to all my fellow human beings, those sound of mind and body as well as the infirm. If I do not violate this oath, may I enjoy life and art, respected while I live and remembered with affection thereafter. May I always act so as to preserve the finest traditions of my calling and may I long experience the joy of healing those who seek my help.

And let's not forget that Bo and Hope could board the Fancy Face...a sailboat...and travel to parts unknown. Also, it's conveniently located near the Canadian border for a quick run from the law and is an easy flight to Bermuda and the Caribbean islands.

RHOV S1 can be rewatched endlessly. For me, it is the height of Housewives perfection. Can't blame Garcelle and I was surprised she hung in there for another season once I Am Denise f*cking Richards, Kyle, decided to quit. It seems to be the trend that if a HW doesn't need the show that the BH women go absolutely cannibalistic on the poor woman.

Looks like I get my wish: Lauren Koslow and Linda Dano sharing a scene. Also, Kate and Jake look good in bed together - they have a very easy chemistry.

The interesting thing is how they’ll incorporate Erica - is she still going to be chasing her dreams and having romances or will she become the new Phoebe Tyler? There is no doubt they need her for this show to work - but whether ABC will be brave enough to give a 74 year old woman a marquee role is something I struggle to see them doing.

For years they used some San Francisco skyline buildings amalgamated together for backgrounds out of high rise windows like Marlena’s old penthouse set. Of course, it makes absolutely no sense but Salem’s location never has. Salem is on a river yet has an active harbour and fish market. It’s weather has four distinct seasons. It is a flight away from Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. It has an international airport. The architecture of most original sets is distinctly New England or Colonial. Frankly, Northern California is as credible as the Midwest or New England setting. It’s an inexplicably vague location setting.

I think you've both described Linda Dano's portrayal of Vivian very well. She is doing a fine job navigating a character that's very strongly associated with her originating portrayer. Louise Sorel has coloured Vivian with so many shades that any recast is going to be challenged. LD is opting to underplay her scenes as Vivian - she is playing the nice side of Vivian...the side that is kind to John (remember when she'd call him Forrest?). What she isn't playing, at least so far, is the darker side of Vivian. We'll see if that changes. What I appreciate is that, as a short term recast, LD is filling the role like Gisele Mackenzie or Michael Learned did for Jeanne Cooper on Y&R. It is a very different portrayal as compared to Robin Strasser who appeared to be trying to usurp or outshine Louise Sorel by playing the biggest parts of Vivian, with none of the subtlety. As a result, she was ghastly and very awkward.

Indeed. I have loved every second of SLC. As @Chris B points out, there are parallels to Potomac - in my view these smaller communities make the best settings for RH franchises. This season reminded me of Melbourne and Vancouver (in my view, the finest RH iterations) in that it had strong cast chemistry, a tight storyline arc, and was beautifully produced and embraced its setting.

It is now clear that LVP's overall deal is with NBC/Universal, rather than Bravo itself, so they're going to get their money's worth - I think it expires in 2022.

B&B: the Eric Forrester is based off of Ralph Lauren. His office has a distinctly Polo vibe to it.

Dano was incredibly popular and 'mainstream' in the 1990s so I can see why ABC wanted her - they'd tried to buy the rights to the Felicia Gallant character, but P&G wouldn't sell them. It was ABC executive Angela Shapiro who thought up the 4 soap deal. Louise Sorel has said that Corday paid very, very well in the 1990s. I can only imagine what she thought of the pay when she returned in 2009. Guarantees were and are a thing. It's an effective way for the soaps to budget their talent and it's a way for the actors to not get overworked. I don't know how much the Bell soaps rely on guarantees, mind you, as there were years where certain actors worked heavily and then would be backburned for a year and there's no way that would have balanced out within a guarantee. In the 1990s Jeanne Cooper had some pretty slow years, but she undoubtedly got paid the same. Whether it was in her contract or just a perk but a Lincoln town car picked her up in the morning to go to CBS Television City and drove her home at night. Cycles vary. The 13 week cycle is the most common, but more experienced vets can get 26 week cycles, and some vets didn't have cycles at all. B&B had those fashion show credits in the late 2010s that featured the core 4 of Flannery, McCook, Moss, and Lang at the beginning - but by that point nobody could complain that they were somewhat featured. Y&R would have been a wholly different animal. Can you imagine those egos? Given the number of heavy hitters in that cast perhaps it would be alternated with a "Starring Eric Braeden....with Doug Davidson as Paul Williams and Melody Thomas Scott as Nikki Newman" on one day and a "Starring Peter Bergman...with Jess Walton as Jill Abbott and Jeanne Cooper as Katherine Chancellor" on another?

When Linda Dano came to ABC after the cancellation of AW her contract was a 5 year deal that, in addition to her appearing on all 4 ABC soaps, had a minimum number of appearances on The View each year that Linda used to publicize her QVC and interior design businesses. There is also the issue of special credits. When Deidre Hall returned to DAYS after a short stint in prime time in the 1980s she got a “And Deidre Hall as Marlena Evans” credit. Rosemary Prinz had “Special Guest Star Rosemary Prinz” when she was on AMC.

Bless him, poor little soul. That is a real tragedy.