Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[dc11786]

 

My post was misleading. In my scattered train of thought, I was trying to explain that I had know for a while that "Santa Barbara" was going to do an AIDS storyline because there is a research folder listed on the inventory for the Dobsons papers at the University of Wisconsin. This is why I thought they might have considered an AIDS storyline for Lindsay. Later, I read an interview by a "Santa Barbara" fan in which Bridget Dobson explained that the AIDS storyline was intended for Mother Isabel because they had to write the storyline. I would love to visit some of the archives that have soap collections, but none are near me. 

 

The real shame regarding Lindsay Smith was that the actor, Joel Bailey, is/was married to Gina Gallego. It would have been neat to see husband and wife interact as people both haunted by the love of the same man. I also think it might have been interesting to have had Mason involved with Lindsay on a professional basis given the history between the two men. Does the show ever really explore how Peter Flint learned about Lindsay and Channing, Jr.? Was it because of the diary? I also fanwanked a scenario where Antonio Fiore/Peter Flint had a fling with Channing, Jr. during his hustler days and used all the information about C.C.'s golden boy to win over C.C. 

 

Since we are speaking of AIDS, it's a shame that Joel Crothers died. I watched the episodes right after he went on medical leave where Jeff Pomerantz plays the law associate of Jack Lee who incites some jealousy from Cruz when he works with Eden. I think I read somewhere the plan was to pair Jack and Eden, but that Crothers got sick so they brought on Kirk instead.

 

 

There are moments I find Eden intriguing. The idea of Eden as a replacement Channing, Jr., does sort of fascinate me. I know it's hated, but I sort of appreciate the Eden channels Channing, Jr. storyline. It's messy as hell, but it goes back to a lot of the show's pre-history that I find so damn rich and colorful. There are more subtle hints at the Eden / Channing Jr. stuff in the later 1985 / 1986 episodes. At one point, Eden goes on about wanting to give C.C. a grandchild because of the mess with Channing, Jr. being revealed as an outsider. 

 

The rival company wars would have been intriguing. Does the show end up doing anything with Armanti Industries? I do love how the show has Sophia create all these different identities (Suzanne Carlyle, Dominic, Countess Armanti, etc.) It really plays into who she is at heart (an actress), which I would have used to have someone (mainly Eden) constantly question how much Sophia really loved them. Was she truly a loving mother? Or was she just playing the role of one? Someone like Mason should have been commenting on that.

 

 

Lily was the product of a rape when Gina was thirteen years old. I don't think anyone knew about Lily prior to her arrival with the exception of Phyllis Blake, Gina's mother who told her the baby had died at birth. I don't think the rape was written into the show until later. By that, I mean I don't think Gina mentioned it in 1984/1985 when Summer brought up the experience with Hank Judson. I believe Gina discussed her rape later after the Lilly's departure when relating to one of the show's other women who had been raped, maybe Hayley?

 

I don't know the timing of it all, but was the show planning on Lilly being Gina's daughter from the start? In the episodes I've seen, there is a lot of talk about the resemblance between Lilly and Gina. Lynn Clark and Robin Matson do share similar features, but I wonder if the Lilly / Gina connection wasn't a result of them hiring an actress who looked like Mattson rather than it being planned from the beginning. In the little I've caught of her, Lilly was an interesting post-Mary choice. The false prophet trying to lead Mason to the light after losing his faith completely with Mary, not that he was a man of religion to begin with. I could easily see Mason being drawn to this type of person, and I could easily see conflict between Gina and Mason and Lilly given their tangled histories. Another missed opportunity. 

 

I think she was simply deSORASED in the 1990s. Hopefully, someone with a better history of SB can give you a clearer insight. 

[amybrickwallace]

 

In early 1985, Margaret Michaels (briefly) played Santana. Gina Gallego didn't assume the role until the next year, but Lindsay Smith had long since been off the canvas. As far as I know, Gina Gallego and Joel Bailey are still married.

[j swift]

Today's notes from watching the pre-tunnel episodes.  The whole town goes to the State Street Cafe for lunch but the set is so small, the bar is oddly placed and it looks so cheap.  Gina's pusher plays a whole episode in a set that is just a payphone on a wall.  Eden and Gina were fighting in the huge Capwell living/entry room while Cruz was meeting Minx in the Lockridge tiny blue living room so,  Augusta, Laken, Jade, Mason, Lionel, Warren, and Maggie all have to squeeze into the cafe.  In retrospect, one can see all of the lessons learned once they build the Orient Express set and people can move around a little.  Meanwhile, nobody ever goes back to the Beach Bar; even Warren who still has a locker there?

 

Also, I love the Reagan tidbit when Jack Lee is leaving town to "explore Europe for the president" and he is going to "brief him on his next vacation to Santa Barbara" since the Reagan's vacationed so close to the Capwell villa.

Edited January 17, 2018 by j swift

[j swift]

ep187 is so much fun - Minx, Lionel and Augusta are hysterical, Mason is really charming and fun, and they have the Flashdance soundtrack in the background of scenes.   There is an odd amount of voiceover that seems so anachronistic now.

 

However, Marcello is "counseling" Kelly in Bermuda and tells her "You have so much to live for.  Your beauty, your charm and you are a wonderful companion."  I laughed harder than at the Minx scenes.  The only things Kelly has going for her is that she's nice at dinner? 

 

Also, how old is Marcello?  Because at dinner he tells Kelly that she lost his entire family in "the war" which I assume is WWII but it is 1985? [Edit:]  I just read the SB online site that Marcello was 10 in 1944 when his parents were murdered; so he's 50? And he's unusually close to his stepmother whom he met 16 years ago after Channing's murder when he was 34?  Those Countess Armonti Cosmetics are amazing!

Edited January 18, 2018 by j swift

[amybrickwallace]

 

There's another meta reference about Jack Lee when he tells someone that he should be or is often mistaken for Magnum P.I. In real life, Joel Crothers was often mistaken for Tom Selleck, so that was a fun line.

[j swift]

What I don't understand is why Augusta never references her soon to arrive sister Julia when she meets Jack Lee?  Isn't the whole thing that Julia and Jack dated but he doesn't recall because he's a double?  Wouldn't Augusta know who Julia dated?

[amybrickwallace]

It's been awhile since I've seen the early 1985 episodes, but to my recollection the two sisters were not close when Julia came to town. They hadn't seen each other in years. In fact, Lionel and Warren didn’t even recognize Julia at first because she had been very fat the last time they'd seen her. 😨😂

[j swift]

It is interesting that Lionel Lockridge never got any siblings (I'm not counting Cassandra).  In these episodes Minx is trying to get Lionel to get a job.  So, we establish early on that the Lockridges are not business rivals with the Capwells.  In fact, during the whole tunnel story it seems like the feud is based on being bad neighbors.  I know Lionel slept with his wife but I wonder what other gripes CC has with the Lockridges?  Did Warren play his music too loud by the pool?  Did Brick block the driveway with the car?  Did Minx leave the Christmas lights up too long?  These seem like minor infractions for such a feud.  If Lionel had a sibling who was more of a business rival to CC it may have kept the Lockridges more relevant.

 

I also think it's odd since the Lockridge's don't have a dining room set that they are rarely in the same room.  Laken and Warren seem cordial but they rarely hang out.  In fact, I can't think of an episode where all five Lockridges had a discussion since before the earthquake.  And I know that they disappear for weeks at a time in the next 50 episodes which is such a shame because they bring such lightness to the show.

[amybrickwallace]

Louise Sorel and Nicolas Coster were an inspired acting team. As Augusta and Lionel, they could have you in tears of laughter one moment, and in the next, tears of sadness.

[Wendy]

 

I would think that would be enough to sustain a feud, especially since Sophia and Lionel also had a child from that affair!

[amybrickwallace]

 

Yes, and that child was not the child everyone thought he was!!!

[j swift]

I tried reading the French Santa Barbara site about the history of the Capwell/Lockridge feud but the translation isn't great

 

But well before the love triangle between Lionel Lockridge - Sophia Capwell - C.C. Capwell, another story of impossible love had shaken the small world of Santa Barbara. Because everyone knows that the Capwells and the Lockridges are enemies since generations. Already during the time of Lionel's and C.C.'s parents, namely at the time of Emmett Capwell and Douglas T. McDonald Lockridge, their families were tearing. But at any time is discovered the object of their so tough hatred.

 

I got it but, it may have been easier to read it in the original French.  So tough hatred?

[amybrickwallace]

The gist of the feud is that it ran back a couple of generations. Didn't one of the Capwells try to steal the ship S.S. Amanda Lockridge and/or treasure on board?

[j swift]

I went back to watch the dive sequences with Lionel, Warren, and Summer.  Amanda Lockridge the Ship was carrying paintings from Europe when an argument between Amanda's husband and his rival, (CC's grandfather) broke out near shore and sunk the ship.  In 1984, Lionel and Warren dive for the treasures.  It is assumed that since Channing had some of the coins from the ship, (which Warren stole back on the night of his murder), that Channing Jr and Warren had dove before but were not properly equipped.  Channing Jr had the coins and was using them to prove that Sofia was with Lionel when she disappeared in 1968 (BTW I totally forgot that there was a nine-year period between Sofia's disappearance and Channing's murder).   When Warren and Lionel dive they find some treasures which are displayed at the museum but not the art.

 

However, at some point, someone got into the ship and put the art in the tunnels between the Lockridge and Capwell estates.  Later the art was either replaced with fakes, (or maybe it was always fake?) and causes financial ruin for the Lockridges.

 

[Side note:]

1. I watched Mason confront Lindsay last night.  I thought it was so progressive that the story was that Lindsay had blackmailed Channing and Mason used that issue to manipulate Lindsay.  I appreciated that Mason never threatens to "out" Lindsay.  I also liked seeing that the State Street Bar (which stays open until 1am) is a cafe by day and drug den by night. 

 

2. There is so much more violence than sex on this show!  Marcello grabs Eden, and Gina is assaulted in the tunnels by Hank.  Cruz and Eden seem to be the only ones getting it on, and they haven't woken up together in bed in two weeks! 

 

3. Cruz's yacht is so cool.  Somehow in 1984, there's a wireless computer and the fridge built into the wall.

 

4.  I enjoy the Warren and Mason banter.  This is the one Capwell/Lockridge relationship that really seems as if they grew up together as neighbors.   Mason is always looking for a snack when he visits with Maggie the Cop and Warren and I think it's funny that he expects Maggie to make him coffee or serve a tuna sandwich. 

Edited January 19, 2018 by j swift

[amybrickwallace]

Nic Coster is in real life a certified scuba instructor and did many (if not all) of those underwater scenes. According to his FB page, Nic taught John Allen Nelson what he needed to know for those scenes and gave swimming lessons to others who were not in those scenes, like Todd McKee. 

 

I liked places like La Mesa and the State Street Bar, which were phased out after a couple of years. One thing I never understood was why some of the Lockridges would frequent The Orient Express, Eden's restaurant. Not only was it located in the Capwell Hotel, but why would they give their money/business to a mortal family enemy?