Sunset Beach Discussion Thread

[dm.]

Yup, it was my first too. An amazing soap opera. Half the soaps these days are not even as near as interesting.

[Cat]

I loved both Santa Barbara and Sunset Beach and, while there were some similarities in terms of Guza having worked on both shows, the SB thing and the fact that they shot on the same NBC studio space, that was where the similarities ended, IMO. I always found both shows different and judged them as such. SuBe had the Spelling imprint all over it!

[althea-davis]

SuBe was brilliance. Pure brilliance in my mind. I admit to be a worshipper of all things Aaron Spelling (not romantically of course). I even love his kids and they are universally hated - well just Tori I think.

The best thing about Aaron was that he was so pro-soap. Such a supporter of daytime and primetime soaps. I loved that. Man was a genuis in my mind; puts the JFPs and the Frons of the world to horrible shame.

I would pay heavy coinage to get SuBe on DVD in the States. May Aaron spelling and his amazing soap SUNSET BEACH rest in peace.

*sorry if I sound fangirly but this was MY show - the only soap I really got to see from the beginning besides Passions (and that's hardly worth mentioning )*

[foxhunter]

this was the kind of show that i loved to tell people about. it was a daily melrose place. okay, maybe more like 90210 since randy spelling SUCKED. yes, many of the stories were clunkers. but at least the writers had vision. they pulled out all the stops for the viewer. the serial killer storyline was good but shockwave was awesome. they sank a cruise ship! i was hooked after gabi's rape trial. they set it up as a classic he said she said scenario but added a twist. it should have aired on the WB. NBC is the worst daytime network, no daytime show other than DAYS ever mattered to them. looking back, the show was goofy at times. what soaps aren't. i was heart broken when they took it off the air. it was like a friend had moved away. i used to sample three soaps a week. i just don't watch soaps anymore. they are so stupid now and even worse, they're boring. perhaps the writers are monkeys,

or, maybe i liked the show because everyone on it was hot in same way. well, except for randy spelling.

[Cat]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh, Randy Spelling. He was soooooooooo bad.

TGAS (The Great Aaron Spelling -- and that's not me being snarky, he really was the Master) tried to shoehorn poor Randy on a bunch of his teen soaps. I remember him on Malibu Shores having far too much screentime. I think they even tried to suggest that the lovely Charisma Carpenter's character had an unspoken attraction to Pipsqueak's character. Ridic!

And then was the Summer o' 90210. While Brenda was in Paris and Kelly & Dylan were having an affair (Team Brenda!), Randy Spelling showed up interacting with Brandon who was a lifeguard at the Country Club.

And then he landed SuBe. As Gregory and Olivia's son. Only without the cunning or the looks of either.

And don't get me wrong, I actually liked Tori Spelling as Donna on 90210, especially when she got to play comedy. Plus "Donna Martin Graduates" will live in my memory forever. Aaaron Spelling = GENIUS.

And whoever mentioned Gabi's trial -- you are so right on. Priscilla Garita was robbed a nomination for her work during that storyline. I got chills when she broke down on the stand. Thereafter, Gabi became my favorite character. Wonder what PG is doing now?

[dm.]

She took a three-year break after her short stint on "Passions" and is currently filming movies.

I'm still sad that so many talented actors from SUBE didn't show up on other shows... or at least that they aren't currently active on any soap. Garita had a short temp. on PSSN and nothing else, Buxton also had quite a short role on B&B and was scrapped from it in 2005 when Tylo returned, and even Sherri Saum, Clive Robertson, Sam Behrens, Tracy Melchior, Gordon Thomson and others aren't doing anything notable.

[althea-davis]

It makes me wonder if so many of the awesome actors of SuBe are out of work, what will become of some of the clunky Passions actors?

[dm.]

If anyone is interested, dailymotion has most of episodes from 1 to 226 posted on their sites.

Oh how much I miss that show!

[KMan101]

NBC should of kept AW and SuBe. Ugh. I hate NBC.

[Cat]

I miss the show, too. It would be 11 years old this year, can you believe it?

I especially wish Sarah Buxton, Priscilla Garita, Clive Robertson and Sam Behrens were back on Daytime. SB and PG, in particular, would make great female leads.

[dm.]

Shawn Batten, Christina Chambers, Nick Stabile, Sherri Saum, Dominique Jennings, Nick Kiriazis, Gordon Thomson, Leigh-Taylor Young... all good actors, all NOT on daytime...

Even Kathleen Noone, Kam Heskin and Tracey Melchior should find more permanent jobs, aside from their momentary appearances on PSSN & B&B.

[Ben]

I tolerated Randy Spelling. The first year, he was dire. The sets were better actors that he was. Then he got a hair cut and things didn't seem so bad. Does anyone remember that awful rapping phase Sean went through?

You know, I really hadn't realized how much of a Spelling fan I actually am. I used to watch, Melrose Place, Charmed, Charlie's Angels, Dynasty... my mind's gone blank. Every show had his unique signature, which cried out 'I'm produced by Aaron Spelling!' No other show could emulate that magic.

Gabi's rape trial was awesome. It really brought PG and the character in to their own. That sinister twist, was one that I didn't see coming. That was one of the best things about the show; it had these break out moments, yet it would constantly be over looked. How the hell they didn't get an Emmy nom for Shockwave is anyone's guess. The amount that went into producing such a high class stunt - all the debris for the earthquake, capsizing the ship etc. - everything that went in to make it as real as possible should have garnered them a nomination. No other daytime quake has ever measured up, IMO.

Well Sarah Buxton did a stint on Days, before heading into Prime time. She had a baby in a year or so ago, and hasn't been seen since. Sherri Saum did Beggars & Choosers, then OLTL, followed by Rescue Me, and is currently doing a couple of movies which are in production.

I always thought Sam Behrens would go on to do other things, but he's been MIA for ages. Nick Kiriazis was another who I thought would do well. He did star on that show alongside Hank Cheyne - I forget what it's called. I'd love to see them in a major role, as well as Dominique Jennings and Lisa Coles. I'd say Eddie Cibrian has been the most successful actor to leave BEACH and go on to doing a whole host of other shows - He's a regular working actor.

Edited July 9, 2008 by Ben

[Sylph]

See, I watched all these to. To think to how many writers Charmed was a starting point... Unbelievable. The only one I cannot stand is Krista Vernoff, who runs Grey's Anatomy.

[Cat]

Nick Kiriazis... raowlllllll. What a sinful waste not seeing his dog collar on my TV screen.

Gordon Thomson aka Adam Carrington aka the best recast Mason Capwell can do no wrong. But AJ was horribly underwritten. Except for those moments when he seemed to be crushing on his son, Cole.

Dominique Jennings could have easily played Drucilla's evil half-sister, should Y&R have been that way inclined.

[Ben]

Why?

I have to say, I struggle to get into Grey's. I don't no what it is, their's just something about it that doesn't make me want to tune in.

Dreamy Nick... Maybe he's a little picky about the roles that he chooses? He made the hottest priest ever.

Gordon Thomson used to get bad press over here. The continuity announcer, John Darvell nicknamed him the horse whisperer. He would constantly get dissed about his bad acting (all in jest of course); it was open season during the earthquake, when debris were out acting poor ol' AJ.