Mitch

Lilith was apt to send people decapitated heads....(God how I loved her..) however, in this case the scene was even more OTT then that. Duncan goes on a rescue mission (cause, you know, why involve the cops???) and finds Lilith in her tent..deep in the jungle (of course) he demands to know where Shannon was and she pulls out the shrunken head.. Duncan, never the best actor..screams in fury and runs out of the tent..only to have to dodge the natives blowing poison darts at him...(they worship Lilith as their queen dontcha know...) My sister and I still laugh about the scene..(especially since we HATED Shannon.) Now Lilith and her shenanigans were a nice relief from Marland's usual dull overly talky material featuring drab depressed people talking to each other...if only she came back as often as James to perk up the dullards in Oakdale.

Yea, Shannon was fun when she first came on..and Marland wrote her close to a kooky Nola way..(without the angst..) The Duncan storyline was first played for laughs...or more lighthearted..which is how they should have kept both of them...getting involved in mysteries, breaking up and making up...It was later that she became like the rest of the show, too serious, dark, too earnestly boring, (and I hated her then..) but Duncan did do with the utterly boring "Jess" storyline...

Yea, everyone was right..it is 1985,,I was making myself older as I remember watching this in college. The dead body was tied to Shannon being a jewel thief but Marland tied that up...(werent there thugs holding Kim hostage in the Hughes living room) She found the body in "the woods behind her house" Chris and Nancy were in Oakdale during the Costume Ball which was Lisa opening the Yacht Club..I remember her coming in on a boat dressed like Marie Anteniette and Chris and Nancy and George and Martha Washington and being judges of the costumes...a fun goofy bunch of episodes and I wish Marland had kept some of that slightly campy soap fun..

Growing up as a little kid and LOVING DS..( I was jealous of David who to live at Collinwood with vamps and witches and ghosts and secret rooms) I was excited to find the two movies and then found them a little depressing..they lacked...believe it or not, the warmth of DS soap. I know they were made to be "horror movies" but they were cold and distant...Collinwood always seemed.."homey" lol. Its kind of like the Twin Peaks return...it lacked the hominess that made the original so interesting and odd...a warm town with odd ball characters but where all these horrible weird things are still happening.

I think the date on this is wrong...(not that its a big deal) but its has to be 1984 right before the transition to Marland..Bob and Kim got married in the spring.. Stewart and Marcy get married in the fall and shipped off, the intro of Shannon..Lisa opening the yacht club..God, I can't believe I remember this stuff. I didnt remember Craig moving into Bob's ugly old set...and how many rooms did Kim's house have, with the two of them, Frannie, Andy and Nancy and Chris living there?

Actually, I don't think we ever saw Todd, but James blackmailed her as Todd was a teacher who was gay..or did gay porn. That was pretty intense for the early 80s and while it was a plot point, it was a rare "real" moment during the Dobsons run...and helped Karen get a bit more depth. Dano was terrible as Cynthia..just not the right role for her (would have been funny if they had made her more Felicia like, in stark contrast to boring Ellen, and she could have hung around with Lisa who would have loved to bug Ellen) but the audience knew she was not meant to be long term as David would get back to Ellen. Burke....I mean, they just had the broads chasing him for the fortune but anyone in their right mind would have been after him!!!

I can't believe that Marland never brought her back for a short term stint as she was James' sister...(he even brought Greta back and I don't think most people knew who she was) and her contentious relationship with John. She was probably not Marland's cup of tea as while she was a social climbing "bad girl" it was played for laughs (none of her schemes ever worked..) and Marland was not great with humor. ..(okay so it was the Dobsons so Ariel verged on camp..0

I never got why they kept Buzz and put the longest running vet, and the patriarch of SF, Ross on recurring. At that point Blake and Ross were the only old style intact family...(three kids all by the same parents) and they had Dinah and Sebastian to cause trouble. I would have had them move into the Bauer house and have them the center of things. What was up the TPTB ass about that annoying Cooper family?

LOL..I didn't have time to search all his episodes!!! Marland had all his male characters talking like they just came out of "Male Sensitivity Training" ( I forgot..remember all those guys beating on drums and crying in the woods in real life..weird!!!) They never had sex, they "made love" they loved "honesty" they had no sense of humor...they went Casey's bachelo party in suits and ties, and stood around listening to Lyla wail her boring song, and missed their wives...etc. Which was weird..Pam Long and her successors wrote more realistic guys then Marland did.

Okay here is the patented Bryce Craig puss...moaning over boring Seirra... Bryce's Craig cried more then the girls on the show ever did... And of course, his big sister had to encourage him to get his wussy ass on the plane...he calls his mother to cry, and then its her and Betsy who are worried about him...God now I remember how much I hated his Craig. Did women find him romantic or a big ole puss??

Damn..you made me remember that crappy bunch of storylines!!! Didn't it start out that Antimonious was found in an tomb in Egypt...or was it Mayan..because remember the last shot on a Friday was that Mayan masks glowing red eyes in Marah and Shayne's apartment???(which reminds me, who films something and let it get broadcast if there was no intention of following up on it???) Then it was MAC's father created it and the Spauldings stole it??? But what WAS Antimonious and what did it do???(Oh now I remember the Gay Rave party all the "kids" attended that they freaked out on it???Which then led to the Green's and Aunt Alex of all people running a drug ring? In the middle of the bad writing there was SOMEONE who knew what they were doing in individual scenes. I remember a scene of Rick and Frank talking about how their dad's were never "solid" dads like Ross..which really was the last time anyone admited Ed or Buzz (especially Buzzar) werent the bestest dads on earth and that Ross, NOT Buss should have inherited the mantle of SF Patriarch . I still want to see the infamous lamb scene, if it actually exists. Off topic but at last someone who is a Twin Peaks Return fan....now there was off the wall plotting that actually you could THINK was amounting to something and not thrown at the wall.

I am not saying Bryce isnt a good actor, or even a better actor then Block...perhaps the problem is in his character of Craig more then him. When they first brought him on it was as this kid who wanted money and power..first involved in Dee Stewarts stupid perfume thing that last one month (dont ask) and then as Whit's driver and then lackey. He went after Betsy for her trust fund and then made him just in lurve and possesive of Betsy. Everthing after that, good or evil was about him obsessed with a woman and in LOVE...Byrce has a ...more sensitive quality about him that in Craig made him appear weak or on the verge of tears! That is why I think Block should have played someone else.

I liked Hunt Block very much, he just would have worked better as a different character..he was just playing his GL character..(who should never had been killed off..he and Beth Chamberlin had smoking hot chemistry and the character finally worked as a woman who found out it was okay to not be a golden girl all the time but show some of the edge) The other problem is that with Block' s cocky, annoying persona..a good writer was needed to show some heart underneath, on a daily basis, not just when your kid is killed. Block was sexy as hell you have to admit,he was one soap opera actor who didnt act like an underwear model or uh....trying to act straight. He looked like he really, really liked sex..with women. Bryce's Craig I never liked, as even in his bad boy days, he was weak and kind of sniveling. He was the villain that would not be "this is what I want because I deserve it," but would sneak around and snivel to get it. An interesting character but not a major villain or hero. As someone up thread posted...during the Marland years Craig practically turned into a bad 70s heroine...crying at the drop of a hat, and living for LOVE! No wonder he got along with Lily so well. Lee Bryant's Lyla was just like Swards...boring and useless. Lyla was the Lillian of ATWT which fine, if they had kept her at the desk ala Jesse Brewer...but having romances and a personal life, I just didn't give a damn...and as soon as she put on a sequin dress and started wailing those bad songs...UGGGHH.

Yea...Dolan and Holmes had the sexual chemistry of a dried up apple. That could be okay as they were now middle aged and in a relationship for a long time...but they never exhibited any warmth to each other their kids or the rest of their family. Bob and Kim and John and Lucinda did generate more heat then those two and with Bob and Kim you could see they were best friends and why everyone would go to them with their problems even if Kim was going to kick your ass. Lucinda had warmth with all of her TV family and her allies even if it was different then B & K. Dolan and Holmes...no. I think Colin worked perfect for her time as a rebellious, sometimes annoying and shrill Margo..HBS worked great as a more mellowed Margo who became part of this big family but still retained her independence and feist. (I cannot see Colin's Margo calling Nancy "Gram".) And well, if you didn't have chemistry with Marxx you were dead. He had great sexual, friendship and family chemistry with everyone and it just workd. Holmes was a sour boring grape.

I am sure it played differently but that synopsis was almost like a parody of a soap...those NAMES!!!

Would have loved it if our show had been innovative enough to do a nice middle aged coming out story and combine with GL tradition by making them a tentpole couple who everyone comes to with their problems. I don't think I could handle a romantic scene between those two though..but really, we never saw a romantic scene between Nancy and Chris Hughes, we just knew they loved each other..good enough for me! GA would have played it well, as Phillip being jealous, not sexually but as usual with Phillip not being the center of attention, especially Rick's attention! A funny scene of Harley coming over to talk to Rick and then Frank comes out shirtless..."Uh, what the hell is going on!!"

She never had a good thing to say about ATWT..not that she dissed it, she just wouldn't talk about it. She probably was embarrassed but it should have been for her performance..it was all jittery, stuttering (it made Fulton look calm) and running hands through her hair..watching clips now of her she looks like a "nerve patient." She, as most young actors are, was better with vets like Hays and Forsythe and Bruder...but once she was with the Steve or Craig actors she is jittery and jumpy and damn annoying.

FD basically played himself... a nice guy, family man, maybe not too "deep" but solid. Agree he was fine as supporting but when they had him try to act ..as in cry, etc, it was embarrassing. When they made him a private eye and then a cop it was ridiculous...Frank didn't have two brain cells to rub together. He was like Rick..a mensch..sweet guys who took care of everyone else...(woulda been funny if they made those two a gay couple..living in the Bauer house, helping all the morons who made stupid decisions..but Frankie D would be too uptight to play that and Oleary woulda made it all a bad joke..) The thing is, soaps need characters like Frank and Rick who arent having constant drama but who could still have air time. Derwin had one thing that vaulted him into leading man territory is that he was sexy as hell. I never thought guys like Frank with highlights and feathered hair were hot no matter how tight the t-shirt. Mallet looked like he just rolled out of bed...sexy. I know different people were playing them but Mallet and Mindy should have come back to town and had a Harley/Mallet/Mindy/Rick thing...(maybe Mallet saved Mindy from some bad characters she made a biz deal with and they got together.

I totally agree with you and it so weird that ATWT had such a rich history with tons of kids and grandkids that could have been brought back in the fold and gotten hot stories going with the vets supporting. Especially since our vets were all so vital and colorful and varied and played by the same people we grew up with. None of them were sweater knitting grannies..can you see Bob and Kim butting heads with John and Lucinda, who of course would be butting heads with Lisa, who would do things in her own way which would conflict against Bob and Kim's ideas...("Well of course I knew Hope secretly opened that S/M shop on Main Street, I gave her the loan, the girl has a business head on her!That old Lucy has an account there didn't you know! I didn't tell you as I was too busy fighting with Adam's new boyfriend who I think is QUITE the hussy gold digger, and I of all people should KNOW!") Instead we got the two you mentioned and then Pelphery wasted as Faux James with a youth serum!

I think John was always needed...but I think that all the vets (and I know this is not popular and I love my vets) should have been supporting at this time...not that they disappear or only come out for weddings, but they have seen it all and done it all, good bad and the middle. They should have been constantly involved in the younger people's lives (i.e Lisa should have always been in Carly's orbit) but they didn't need to be front burner. I think GL's biggest problem was that it would not let Josh and Reva and Alan etc be supporting...they just kept repeating the same boring beats over and over. I would have loved and I have no idea why they didn't do this, but hook John and Lucinda up again, and they could have been the shady versions of Bob and Kim..cackling at everyone' s mistakes and stupid soap opera decisions. John and Lisa shared grandkids...why the hell did they ever have not have scenes fighting over their direction, etc? Though if you watched during the Dobson's time I think we all had enough of John Dixon..until Marland came along and gave the show balance.

Was Nels James' lackey, who I swear, was madly in love with him? I wouldnt say I was a FAN..but..he was funny! I would have loved to see Nancy react to Miranda! "No Nancy I do not know where Zee BIG SPOON is you speak of..constantly...Merde...why are all ze people's eating at our house all ze time????"

The problem with the actor playing Brad..he was not sexy even in a...70s cheesy sexy way, and he was supposed to be with... Lisa, Dee, Annie and Kim's niece all HOT for him (forgotten note on the actor, he was a dayplayer on GL when Reva first was introduced and he was the owner of the Beauty Salon that Reva had worked in...he was written and played as obviously gay,.though they never mentioned it and the actor was funny and good in it and I can't believe they never brought him back to open a salon in SF and hang out with Reva...she needed a gay bestie who would bring her down a notch...) I think the Dobbies thought that having guys be aholes was sexy and "modern," compared to the overly clean cut and stiff guys that populated Oakdale at the time. The guys on ATWT were all business suit types and they were hard to tell apart but there is a middle ground. I think Brad might have been their idea of a kind of Roger Thorpe character "sexual" and a user of women, but then they brought James on (at first he was a perfect prince so I wonder if they changed things..) They really were invested in the character, trying to tie him to Bob.. (he was the son of Bob's never heard of best friend) etc. I think they were going for a guy who used women (Lisa) but was turned around by the "goodness" of boring Annie but still couldnt stop the sexual attraction of Dee from obsessing him. It was just written sloppy and it made no sense, they needed a really sexy guy to make it work. Yes it was a silver mine. By 1981 Lisa was running a tiny book stand at the hospital, which always seems sad to me. They had Lisa mention that the bookstore "annex" at Memorial was making a profit, so Chris would be happy. And then they burned down the bookstore, and she said she would rebuild but they dropped it. I can see having an excuse to have Lisa at the hospital getting into everyone's business, but they should have redone the original bookstore too and turned into a coffee shop, bookstore as those were just starting to get "hip" then., it would have been a good excuse for people to drop by..etc. The last time the bookstore was mentioned was during the horrible summer of 81 when Annie took it over (there was a funny scene posted here I believe where Lisa hands Annie a lock box of cash and then says.."here are the books there is the cash." Okay writers, you really didnt give a damn did you and Fulton is practically rolling her eyes at it.) "Don was written out when his contract was up and Bob was given the awful Miranda romance." An interesting note was that Wagner blamed Bunim and P & G for McClaughlin's health. She always said the minute he was taken off of contract he got sick and started failing. I know from Hastings and Hays there were comments on Bunim regime so if all these pros broke bad I think she was the JFP of her time.

Yes, there were rumors years before their cancellations that they were under orders to dismantle the shows so that no one was watching and no one cared anymore so there would be no backlash. P & G wanted CBS to be the bad guys so they wittled the shows down until they made no money, or at least an alternative would make more, and CBS said goodbye. As for Lisa, I always thought her happy ending should have been her just being happy with her businesses, her family and her friends. I would love to have had some guy pursue her and she would be "I'm in it for the friendship and sex, but I have had my fill or romance..thanks!" I think Lisa (and Fulton) was at her best when she was on her own being a buttinsky out of her big heart, when she had the McColl kids and all the other young people she took under her wing. She was the anti-Kim, and earth mother in sparkly clothes who wasnt above lying and subterfuge to get a positive outcome for hers. I HATED when Fulton played the dewy eyed romantic and threw back her had swooing..UGH. She was always best bitching at someone or taking care of someone. I thought way back during the Dobsons time that they had brought back Don as Ellen's love interest, back when David came back with amnesia. They brought in a boring non entity doctor for Ellen and it went no where. It would have been fun to see a widowed Don come back with Mary's son and Lisa and Ellen, who were both engaged to him, form a triangle, but the Dobson's HATED the Hughes so there was no way they were going there.

With that actor..how could we tell the difference between dead and alive? Bob taking Luke sputtering head off of Noah's chest..."Son, Noah is dead, he is gone, he lives no more!" Luke "NOOOOO, Noah cant be DEAD..I am going to have SUCH a hissy on this its going to take up SO much screen time of me sputtering and tossing my head around" Chris" Yes Luke, Noah is DEAD, he breathes no more, or has any facial expression..er, he breathes no more."" Lily, "Oh my God, my poor baby, I just heard Noah is DEAD..dead..dead..dead..not asleep mind you but dead." Kim to Luke..."Kiddo, Noah is DEAD! Listen Bub, you need to get out there and get some more action, as Noah has been DEAD for 10 minutes which is a LONG time in Oakdale...Noah is DEAD!"

Chappell would have made a great Amanda. I loved Poser and her Amanda (Thought Cullen was as dull as dishwater. ) but she should have been cast as Vicky Spaulding instead. That list did not include one name...Wheeler herself was considered.