Primetime Soaps

[EricMontreal22]

Well the show was meant to be a contrast between the have nots and the haves (have a TON)--and dealt with issues, etc. It stopped all of that nonsense suddenly with season 2

[EricMontreal22]

I should add to what I said--when I first saw Dynasty it was maybe 6 years ago--someone had the first season online and actually, I really loved it. So count me among those I mentioned being upset or surprised to see so many of the elements dropped. I just thought the common wisdom was seasons 2 and 3, under the Pollocks (who I think then left to do The Colbys?) were the best. (And I've seen season 2 on DVD but not 3 or 4 yet...)

Edited February 25, 2010 by EricMontreal22

[YRBB]

Yes, I guess DYNASTY as we know it was more like Season 2 or 3 (although, you can see some of the elements in Season 3 that overtook after it and destroyed the show). I believe the Bollocks were there until almost the end (THE COLBYS wasn't there until Season 6 of DYNASTY). They only relinquished control during Season 9.... And they were responsible for the brilliance of Season 2 and they UTTER HORRIBLENESS of the rest. :S

Edited February 25, 2010 by YRBB

[YRBB]

Actually, I'm not sure I agree with that exactly... yes, on the surface (a brilliant surface at that) it's about the differences, but in the end it was an exploration--if not condemation--of our society and class, be it upper or lower, and how it ruled and took over our lives. It wasn't piting the one against the other per se, but just exploring both and making subtle commentary on it. Of course, for reasons of plot, you gotta pit the one against the other.

[EricMontreal22]

Bollocks LOL well I think their formula for the show--take all the soap cliches they had used on GH, etc when they wrote there and amp them up--basically burned themselves out by season 3. I was just going by Schemering's book which lists other writers coming in after them.

I can agree with your comments about season 1

[Paul Raven]

Falcon Crest was another show that was slow off the starting blocks and fairly stodgy in Season 1.The arrival of Richard Channing and the move to full on serialization really lifted the show.

I found Season 1 of The Colbys pretty flat but Season 2 really took off.

Does anybody recall 'A Year in the Life' on NBC in 87-88?

It reads a little like Family.

It began as a mini series exploring the death of the mother,which brought back 4 grown children to the family fold.

The series explored the lives of the 3 generations of the Gardner family.

Cast included Richard Kiley,Wendy Phillips,Adam Arkin,David Oliver(Perry AW),Diana Maldaur and Sarah Jessica Parker.

[EricMontreal22]

PR was it any good? Sounds intriguing anyway...

I need to track down the Colbys--just cuz I do

[EricMontreal22]

I said (or from an article I typed out 3 pages back):

"NBC is proceeding cautiously with one show that Miss Brustin called "Semi-serialized." The pilot for the show, "The Covenant," is being shot now, and Miss Brustin described it only as "the story of a family in a very unusual, surprising arena." NBC plans to present theshow as a standard episodic series in the first year, and only if it catcheson will it change to a serialized format in the second year." to which Carl asked:

I mentioned that the show about cops did, and Dark Mansions we were told aired the pilot as a TV movie...

Well now it sounds like this mysterious soap, The Covenant, aired as a primetime movie too (the pilot). I was on an *ahem* gay torrents site, and someone into campy old tv shows posted this request--this MUST be the same program (it's the right year):

I'll let you know if someone manages to upload it as a torrent. Sounds intriguing anyway.

Edited February 25, 2010 by EricMontreal22

[Chris B]

Oh yes the first season of Dynasty is so smart and daring. Blake character was such a bastard. I loved every second of it.

[Paul Raven]

Colbys Season 2 started to come together.Much as I worship the woman,Barbara Stanwyck's character was not missed.Stanwyck herself complained about not being given anything meaty to do.

The original love intersts for Bliss(!) and Monica were Wayne a blind C&W singer,Neil-played by Phillip Brown and Sean played by Charles Van Eman.

They were boring and jettisoned for Season 2.

Instead we got Cash(played by James Houghton-Y&R,KL)for Monica and Kolya for Bliss.Adrian Paul played Kolya and he was hot!(He should have become a bigger star.I thought he would have made a good James Bond.

But Charlton Heston was a drag.

[EricMontreal22]

Well the show was all about Samms anyway--from what I've seen I have to agree about Stanwyck--and I love her too.

[Paul Raven]

Never saw Year in the Life,but it sounds quality.

[DRW50]

The main person I enjoyed when I watched any of The Colbys was Stephanie Beacham. The show made too many casting decisions based on what they saw as "names." Charlton Heston, Ricardo Mantalban, Katharine Ross. Katharine Ross was so dull.

[SFK]

I read years ago that she said re: Rock Hudson, "If the disease hadn't killed him, the scripts would have." oooooohhh...

[SFK]

Katharine Ross and Ali MacGraw might as well be the same person as far as I'm concerned. Undeniably beautiful in their day, but just dishwater dull. I think it's wonderful how all of those Hollywood names got upstaged by Stephanie. And Stephanie read against bigger UK names as well. That was a hard role to cast and they even scouted Australia and South Africa according to an article I have from an old TV Guide. Faye Dunaway and Angie Dickinson both turned it down, and though I could totally see Faye, Angie would not have worked. And I don't think Sable and Alexis would have been cousins had one of those ladies been cast, I think that plot point was an afterthought to really drive home the link as Stephanie was new to most of us. I'd still love to see her in her UK primetime soap Connie.