AMCHistory

I think what set apart the good HWs from the bad HWs is that they knew how to listen to fans; it is not something that has a clear set of rules or criteria. People may love a certain character, or couple, but if there is no organic story left, it may be time to move on. The integrity of the character has to come first. As you water that integrity down, or stretch the character out, he becomes unrecognizable and isolates the very viewers you once attempted to cater to. I think back to the 1984 departure of Chuck Tyler. Donna and Chuck were a super couple. They had gone through it all, jealousy, psychosis, the loss of a child. They finally had a brief happily ever after, but it could not last. What would that have permitted either Donna or Chuck to do at that very point? Without the 5 year break that we got with RVV's departure, Chuck and Donna probably would have gone down as an overexposed super-couple, instead of a beloved case of kismet.

I think he is a victim of bad styling and poor lighting in that photo. Shapeless light-colored jeans, check. Over-sized blazer, check. Oversized shapeless scard, check. I am sure he stil has a good figure with he crazy Broadway schedule.

Yes, Nader was out the door. AMC used to jump the gun whenever they got bad press online about a character's impending departure. Robin Mattson was saved by a similar uproar. I am happy they grew out of that phase. Not I think ABC should ignore the voice of the customer, but fan bases became so rabid in the early 2000's, if you provided a high credence to their opinions, you would be even more hand-cuffed as a writer than they already are.

Ellabelle, great observations about the Dimtiri/Bianca relationship. I think in both the case of Bianca and Kendall, he just wanted to be a good step-father. In this case, he really was a first-time father. Though he had cared for Anton as a ward, he did not get to grow close to him and spoil him as only a father does. Just like a first time father, he did not know where to set limits in sucumbing to a child's demands. I think that is why he helped Kendall to the extent he did. He did not know at what point he needed to say, "no" until it is too late. With a child, not saying "no" probably results in a temper tantrum and tummy ache from eating too much candy. But with a 25+ year old, especially one as petulant as Kendall Hart, the concequences are much dire. I think also the age that Dimitri was in Bianca's life played a big part in their closeness. Dimitri was there for 7+years of her childhood/adolosecents as 5th parent (I am counting Barbara, Travis, Erica, and Jackson in that number). It is a very formidable time for a child. This is not a man your mother married when you were 16 and you could just get in a car and drive away. She lived in his home for many summers and holidays in a row. When Bianca came back to Pine Valley in 2000 she remarked how much at home she felt at Wildwind, even moreso than at Linden because so much of her childhood was spent in the dark castle. I have such a soft-spot for the non-traditional parental relationships on soaps because I think it an accurate portrayal of real-life. So often, you have the family you were given and the family you found. So was the case in Bianca and Dimitri, Benny and Phoebe, and Myrtle and Kelly/Lincoln.

An Alex/Dimitri/Erica/David story would have been epic, especially with the proven chemistry with the actors in all four pairings (of course Vincent/Finola's was not discovered until her run as Anna). I as a viewer, did not pick-up on hints of this as David/Erica were broken up and she was spending a lot of time with Jackson again. I do remember Erica spending a lot of time at Wildwind again with Dimitri. Dimitri had grown to think of Bianca as his own daughter. Oh Nader, always screwing up people's plans. Watching his Larry King interview made him come off as so unsympathetic. After his DUI, with his own daughter in the car, ABC paid for his rehab. ABC wanted to help him get better. The second time around, of course they are not going to provide the same level of support. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on you. He was lucky Mark Consuelos had the kindness in his heart to pay for his rehab. I cannot believe a man of with a career as long and successful as Nader was broke and could not pay for his own recovery. I wonder what if any relationship Mark has with Michael today. That would be one friendship I would not loose sleep over loosing. My sentiments exactly. He became Mona's co-parent in the 90's.

Remember when Kristina was actually considered a lead actress on GH? She looks fabulous there, what a figure! Watching that montage was so sad because of how well balanced it was. So many old time favourites were still featured. The mob violence was there, but it was not overwhelming. The scenes of the beautiful Bachenlia, and Jax and Brenda on the beach, those were the days.

Like mother like daughter; I always referred to Kendall as the town bicycle. Heck, Jonathan Lavery was in town all but two minutes before he hopped on for a ride.

.. and thanks to the latest SOD, I have a picture of them from that time (though the quality was sub-par): I remember it was Brooke who had spotted Dimitri in London in 1999. Everyone thought he was at Vadzel, but Brooke insisted she spotted him jumping into a a cab. Of course, Brooke's placing Dimitri in London helped to corroborate Alex Marick's claim to be the latest Countess Andrassy.

See I could not see Nick and Erica romantically linked after his pretty consistent appearances in 1993-95. He no longer played the role of lover for Erica, but moreso that of her Father. Mona called on Nick to help her with parental based crisis with Erica. Gone with the romantic sparks that got him so much trouble back in 1978 (plug for my old banner): Then again, perhaps it could be argued that that is all Erica was looking for in a man: someone to fill the void left by her father.

I'd love to know that too. I do not recall many people having bad things to say about him outside of Kate Collins. Obviously, Susan Keith got over her negative opinions if she married the man.

Depending on who you ask, this assertion may still be true.

I am still reveling in my Kate Collins love this weekend: Good call, I would not be surprised. Kate and Susan very recognizable into the early 90's.

I have a cute shot of Bar/Tad too: Too bad this pairing was ended so abruptly. Barbara ended up with Travis/Tom and Tad with Dixie.

Eric Roberts was so gorgeous.

I so agree. I have only seen Stringfield's portrayal on YouTube, but is night and day which one was superior in the characterization. Sherry also stayed close to Michael Zaslow, and was in his daughter's wedding.

He is very critical of Courtney in novel for her acting abilities and inability to memorize lines. This was obviously something that she carried with her to OLTL as Bob Woods once mentioned you could never shake her hand because she had the script written between her fingers. I noticed he goes on that Alice was played by a more capable actress who could act what he wrote, but did not go on about her by name. Figuring that Courtney was extremely popular, I could not forsee the recast having been well accepted. It was to my relief that one of my favorite actresses, Susan Sullivan, is portrayed in a very good light in the novel.

Which character's dismissals do you think were the most damaging?

I always thought that she looked the same age as her daughter on GL, Elizabeth Keifer!

I thought that photo was very flattering of Kate. To me it shows off how beautiful her features are still and that they had to do-up her frumpiness as Janet in her latter runs.

OMG, I agree 100% with this. The Donna/Natalie relationship was so special to me. I loved that these two women, outcast by so many in Pine Valley and so different in upbringing, found their way to each other. Candice and Kate were so authentic together. Did they fight from time to time? Of course. But it never got nasty; Donna always had Natalie's back when no one else did.

Which photo? Kate did look a little rounder in the face at the end of her run as Natalie.

I am happy she is still working. She was just so amazing on Ryan's.

The book was so fascinating, and I agree, the end was the hardest part to get through. He is very unapologetic in his portrayal of some of the stars. Like the actress that played Mary Mathews! My gosh, you would have thought her to be the devil incarnate based on how he eviscerates her character.

Adam/Erica marriage 1 was a business decision. Adam offered Erica the staring role in "Raising Kane," the movie about her life, contingent on the marriage. Of course, in classic Adam fashion, he never intended on going through with the promise. Marriage 2 (which really was an extension of marriage 1) was equally sterile, with Erica trying to protect Bianca. Trevor was a definite factor in the Adam/Natalie marriage. The crux of it was Adam's ploy to build some capital after loosing most of what he had to Brooke. Natalie was a rich woman again after she inherited the Mason estate from her ailing patient. Also, together, they would have enough shares to try and take Enchantment out from under Erica. I loved how much Natalie abhorred Adam, but there was a definite chemistry that kept that kept me tuning in.

Palmer... maybe. There was a relationship there. I think she realized that it was not love after the marriage. She cared for him after he was shot by Adam's thugs, and they had built a sincere rapport. Let's remember, Palmer was quiet the charmer when wanted to be. That was how he married so many women half his age. I also do not think that great couples have to be in love. Take Adam and Erica for example. Erica had nothing but contempt for Adam in both her runs as Mrs. Chandler. I find both tenures especially memorable. Dim/Natalie, I always wondered why they went there. Kate and Michael got a lot of press for the pairing. I wonder when the role of the Count was created, if he was meant solely for Natalie, but the last minute casting of Michael Nader changed the direction of the story so that they could pair the high-profile star with the show's highest-profile star. Nader's casting was so last minute, he shot three weeks worth of scenes on an expedited schedule!