NothinButAttitude

I am just speechless. So what is the show replacing in the lineup is the question?!

I don't even wanna give light to Marcus. I just think he's utter trash. Michael and Juanita, come grab your loser son.

When Guerdy called her a soldier and a mascot, I screamed!

Coming on Thursday at 8 PM instead of tonight at 9 PM. Instead they are showing Erika's lame spinoff about her stiff dancing and doing karaoke in Vegas. 😑 But Kiki and Guerdy are delivering already at the start. I loved Guerdy taking Lisa and Lardsa to task.

The Carmen Mesta arc was more comical than it was suspenseful. VR/Dru kept me laughing throughout this story. I miss my girl!

I knew they were going to find some type of way to make Katie a Hughes in the end when Nancy's funeral became more about Katie than anyone else. I still bothers me that Goutman didn't pull the stick out of his a** and simply bring back Penny and Don for that one episode. I HATED Nancy's funeral episode. It was a disservice to Helen Wagner if you ask me. I did not care to see Katie sulk about being a widow and now losing Nancy. I wanted to see the Hughes grieve over Nancy. It's weird to me b/c I always say that ATWT (besides AW's handling of Doug Watson and Connie Ford's passings) is the one soap that has one of the best dedication episodes to a veteran actor in the genre and that was the death of Don MacLaughlin. We saw a full-circle moment of life and death as they celebrated Chris' life, the announcement of Kim and Bob's baby, and the celebration of Christina. When it came to the many actors that played Chris, I did enjoy Dylan Bruce as Chris; however, I feel that the material he got was pure trash. I just grew to accept Rick/Michael O'Leary for what he provided. I never put much stock in Rick. This is why I hated that they wrote Michelle off. And as much as I am a MANNY fan, that pairing wrote her into a corner too soon. I could've did without Rick, but the only reason I wanted him to stick around was for them to SORAS Leah, so that she could give him h*ll alongside Blake's kids for his part in Ross' death.

I do think that at the end when Daniel Cosgrove (my least favorite rendition) occupied the role they were finally starting to put in the role of lead, but I also think that was partly because he was latched to Katie--a pairing I loathed. I just had a hard time with Chris ever wanting to be with Katie after she accused him of stalking her during the Endicott arc. I don't even really remember her being remorseful and giving him a proper apology.

That's the problem. I never understood how a writer could take the position and not learn the history. Or at least ask someone about the history. Yes, Sheffer got the show out of slump, but as we both agree, he handled many of the vets poorly. It hurts my heart to hear that Helen Wagner had to plead with him to give her more airtime and he dismissed her. That does not sit well with me. I wondering if other writers tried to challenge him or just opted not to, to stay employed. And that is embarrassing that Hogan didn't know Margo was John's daughter. That probably makes sense as to why he wrote Larry Bryggman off the show, which was a criminal act in itself. I do think that Hogan was trying to keep up with GH (I know he was obsessed with GH), which was he successful at, but it alienated so many loyal, long-term fans in the process. I beg to differ. Bob and Kim were reduced to talk-to characters. They were only really brought out the mothballs for holiday episodes or when Christopher was in peril. And Christopher did not really stay a mainstay; he was cast aside once his arcs with Abigail and Allison ended. Chris should've been the lead of the show from that time to the end. Not Craig. Not Jack. Not Holden. Lisa was a surrogate to Bonnie at times and would get in the mix of Barbara's antics, but she barely did anything too. Yes, he did do right by Lucinda as he kept her busy, but that was at the extension of her being a foil to Craig or tagging along behind Lily/Rose. All the vets on this show were still viable characters that should've been deeply involved in story. Any WOAK story, Kim should've been involved. Any hospital story, Bob should've been involved. Lisa should've been heavily involved in the BRO stories with Carly and Babs. The last huge vets story I remember is the Rick Dekker story (the original one), but that was more about Allison than anyone else.

Maybe it is just me but I feel like Another World is one of the few soaps where I enjoyed all their intros. The only other ones that fit into that category are Y&R, Love of Life, Edge of Night, and Search for Tomorrow (yes, I know many people hated that 80s Billy Chinnock song, "Somewhere in the Night," but I liked it).

I like Sheffer, but he had many flaws. I did not know that Helen Wagner asked him for more appearances and he ignored her. That was a trash move for him to cast her aside. He didn't handle the likes of Kim, Bob, Nancy, and Lisa real well. Honestly, he suffered with the Hughes for the most part. Carly was my favorite, but he overdosed her at times. RE: Paul--When they did a RETCON on Emily's embryo story with Larry, which was gross by the way, they should've cast the younger that played Emily's son as one of Annie & Jeff's quads or a son of Stewart. Again, the history is there. I don't know why any writer wouldn't use it. I feel like it kills them to read up on the show's history, which for me has been fun.

No, I didn't think you were commending JP at all! I just felt she was no better than Sheffer. But at the end of the day, it could be all because Goutman didn't want to display the vets. I am not stunned to hear that fans didn't take to Penny at all. Even my late grandmother, when she used to go on and on about the show, would talk about how she loved Jeff and Penny and how much of a big deal they were. Some characters are just hard to recast--literally untouchable. I guess. But I think once Paul found out the truth of Dan/Liz, that would've provided tons of drama going forward. But I mean it worked out for the show in the long haul. I do think they tried to rectify it in later years by Stewart his son.

Again, I am in the minority as I loved the show's finale. Yes, the Carolyn the Gorilla bit was stupid, but those last few minutes with Vicky Wyndham touching the picture frames, ascending up the stairs with Charles Keating, and the final shot of Douglas Watson was chef's kiss for me. I loved the closing theme too. I also miss Another World's freeze frames as the end of the episode too. I feel like they elevated the drama.

It does. But the hospital didn't even play a major role after JFP left, so the intro was quite unnecessary. I just liked theme song as it had hints of the "Take Me Away" theme. I loved the shot of the gyroscope as it brought back the theme of interlocking rings. The shot of the shadowed-out couple was a hint of the kissing couple in the early 80s theme. I never got the visual shots though of them walking around a city. That just did not go with the theme at all.

Again, that had to suck for the fandom who probably pined for those two to be together only to instantly lose the pairing. Did the actress want to leave the role? I know that people have said was rumored that Irna was not a fan of the actress. Is this true?

I know some aren't going to like this but today is the anniversary of the unpopular 1996 intro. I mean I liked it...

Wait?! Liz died the day after marrying Dan?! That is crazy. I bet the fandom was livid about that.

Meh. She didn't do as good as I'd expect a head writer to do though. It still boggles my mind how reduced the vets became by the mid 90s to the end. I'd kill to write for a Kim, Lisa, Bob, or Lucinda over some newbie any day. Maybe that's because I like to dig and research back history. That aside, do you have idea why did they kill Paul Stewart off? I feel like that was a dumb choice and quite premature. I do think though that it was smart and realistic to have him never find out that Dan parented Betsy with Liz. I feel like that was a true nod to reality where we don't always get everything wrapped up so nicely.

Understood. But even then, I am drawn to the female characters even while reading. Ellen was a hot mess (sucks they reduced her to a domestic goddess in her later years). Penny appears to be feisty even though she was clearly the salt-of-the-earth character. Nancy wasn't so sweet... I think I am going to spend the next couple of days trying to find clips on YouTube from that era that I haven't watched. I spend so much time watching GL, AW, and ATWT from the 80s that I don't really pay attention to the black and white clips available. I am just really enjoying myself reading this book. I am going to really sit down and read AW and GL next. I've read sections--really skimmed over the anniversary books but never really took in the content. I have AMC, GH, OLTL, and Y&R anniversary books to delve into too.

Now that you brought that up (re: Emily), it makes sense now.

Your opinion on this was one I wanted to hear the most. I knew Bert was a pistol as I've seen some clips (via WOST and in the early YouTube days before P&G started removing stuff) of her in action. SN: Bringing up WOST, I miss that site so much. Talk about being ahead of your time. I think because most of the clips I've seen of Nancy are from the 80s onwards or when I started watching as a child with my grandma and mom about '92, she was defanged. I've had the anniversary book for awhile, but something told me to just sit and really read it. I just thought Penny had a tumultuous relationship Nancy, which is normal. I just got done reading about Don/Janice the other night. And Don truly seemed to not put up with Nancy's antics and would move away when she infuriated him. I wasn't privy either to Nancy and Chris nearly getting divorced over the Amanda Holmes situation. But reading this book has made me realize that the final years of ATWT could've recaptured the audience if they just tapped into the show's history and recaptured the essence and simplicity of the original years of the show. They should've really tapped into Kim and Bob being the modern day Chris and Nancy and had Kim be a busybody to all her kids (not saying she wasn't). Also, I didn't know John had the hots for Susan back then. I knew about him taking a liking to her in the 80s, but I didn't know that it had predated that time. Now it all makes sense. Just goes to show how Marland tapped into everyone's history and used it properly. I am now up to the part where Kim and Jennifer come into play on the show. They don't really portray Judge Lowell as being controlling in the summaries; however, I have noticed a trend that the Hughes and Stewarts do go to him to fix legal issues and use his power to pull strings. I do find it funny. And he stayed getting his poor daughter-in-law, Claire out of messes. I know Barbara Berjer had a field day playing Claire. She seemed like a hoot. Just reading, she seems like someone I'd be endeared to b/c she was such a tragic heroine.

Question to veterans posters/viewers--Was Nancy truly as much as a judgmental nuisance as the summaries in the 40th anniversary book summarizes? Maybe because I hold Nancy in high regard, I could not picture her being such a thorn in many people's sides. But I guess that is what makes her so complex. I am used to Nancy being comforting, loving, and stern at times to all. I knew she had issues from Penny, but I didn't know she was so cold towards Don at times too. And Claire Lowell is an interesting character to read about too. She literally hated her own grandson, Dan, up until her death. God I wish a lot of these episodes were saved.

I am glad this show is getting the love it deserves. I just hate that Bravo is treating the show like a red-headed stepchild.

I doubt the tides are turning on Potomac. Those post-reunion pictures mean nothing because it all boils down to the edit at the end of the day. I see Bravo either keeping everyone like Jersey or a soft reboot like they are doing Atlanta now.

Part 2 of Miami was good. This has to be the only Bravo show where the poor camera men should not put their cameras down during the break or they'd miss something. These women CLOCKED IN. They were giving drama all over the Bravo studios. I know Andy was tired after them. But one thing I know about this show is that they are similar to OG RHONY--they know how to move on from conflict... except for Larsa when it comes to Guerdy's cancer. Larsa doubling down on her heinous acts are trash. I am ready for part 3 where Lisa and Larsa are taken to task by all the girls again. This show is just chef's kiss. I can't say it enough.