Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[Wendy]

In short? Nothing. It wasn't even mentioned, IIRC.

[Lex S]

Dang, I mean, I have always known the show became unrecognizable in its last couple of years. I am going to have to suspend a lot of my past history knowledge and use all my will power to sit through the whole run this time around!

Is there ANYTHING I should be looking forward to it if I loved 1984-1989? Anything of redeemng value that gave a glimmer of hope? I am prepared for all the subsequent recasts and all new characters added later.  I saw extracts from the later episodes and was kinda intrigued by the new detective guy circa 1992. Was that any good?

What was your favorite (least hated?) story arc from 1990-1993? 

Edited August 8, 2021 by Lex S
Adding

[Soaplovers]

Flame and Quinn conning the Capwells.

[Marissa Gallant]

I can't answer that because I was gone by then. The dinner at the Capwells where Mason turns on CC and Eden is fighting her Lisa personna seems interesting. I've seen the scenes. I don't know all of the people in that scene though.

Brick and Jane moved to wherever she came from (South Carolina, Georgia?)

[Beach Climber]

There were some stories I enjoyed in the 90s. It was only the final year where I struggle to come up with something with the exception of Mason and Julia battling for the judgeship and trying to have another kid. I liked everything involving Robert and Quinn in the 90s. Flame and Angela were good additions to the canvas as well. Refocusing on the Lockridges. 

[Lex S]

 

From the scenes I have seen with nuWarren, he seemed a lot older than J.A.N. would have been had he remained in the role (I think he was already a star on Baywatch at that point). I just remembered Jack Wagner on B&B as Nick Morone who was married to Bridget at the time which gave off a certain ick vibe, so when I retroactively watched some of his scenes as nuWarren on SB, I was just not buying it. Again, I am reiterating what someone else stated here - they should have thrown all their money at Louise Sorel to remain as Augusta. I think I read that she hated the fact they turned Augusta into an alcoholic. 

Interestingly, SB was sold to a lot of foreign stations, it is known to have had a huge following in Germany, France, Italy, Russia, many former Eastern European countries. I believe the only other US soap that was as popular was / is B&B.

 

I have always wondered that SB must have made some additional money that other domestic soaps that weren't shown overseas didn't make. And wondered if that money could have gone towards beefing up the show to avoid cancellation. But maybe all these foreign contracts were made through New World and not NBC? Of course, the 3 to 4:00 p.m. time slot is problematic and many syndicates pretty much had dropped it by then kind of like how they did it with GL later on. I hate the fact that the 4 to 5:00 p.m. hour wasn't used very well by many syndicates. I just know for a fact that I would have never tuned into local news until at least 5:00. I don't remember now but was the 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. hour basically the Oprah hour starting in the late '80s?

Edited August 9, 2021 by Lex S
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[Marissa Gallant]

More Lockridges is a very good thing.

[Wendy]

I think I have made my dissatisfaction with Kelly's recasting with Eileen Davidson very clear. However, in the last year or so, ED's Kelly and Charles Grant's (a.k.a. Evan Bates [Frame], Another World) FBI character (originally brought on in connection to Cruz, investigating...something!), Connor McCabe, did have potential.

Of course, the fact that Connor was not Cruz and Cruz was no longer involved with ED's Kelly made it an improvement right there.

Edited August 9, 2021 by Wendy

[Lex S]

OK! The detective I was speaking of was Connor McCabe who was quite prominently featured in SB's final months. I think he was sent from Washington DC to investigate the murder of whoever the person was who abused BJ. I might sneak in a few later episodes just to see what I'll be looking at as the sun sets on Santa Barbara, so to speak

Edited August 9, 2021 by Lex S
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[Marissa Gallant]

My affiliate was one of the ones that had dropped SB by that point.

For now, I'm only at Winter of 86, so I've got GREAT stuff coming very soon. I don't need to worry about the end yet. I mean, JA has only been CC for 30 episodes. He just confessed to Mary that he can't get Sophia out of his mind. And the Lockridges are still living in their own house! I'm on the edge of greatness. 

[Soaplovers]

I do think Connor McCabe and Eileen's Kelly had potential and chemistry.  I suspect had the show been renewed, they would have been the focus of the show.

The last week or so of the show quickly tied things up.  I strongly suspect that Lily/Rafe/Lisa/Ted would have been done, plus Angela/CC/Sophia.  And I think Jodie/Reese/Micah would have continued....with Kelly and Connor being developed.

 

[Liberty City]

He left with Jane and Johnny.

[Wendy]

I recall that (now-defunct) Soap Opera Weekly had fans write in how they'd end the show, and one fan said Connor would come face to face with all of Kelly's past loves (viewer obviously had a sense of humor!) and Connor would still decide to take his chances, so it seems like at least some of the audience did respond positively to the pairing.

Like I said, I preferred CG as Kelly, but Connor/ED's Kelly really did have potential. A shame the show ended before it could be totally realized.

[Marissa Gallant]

I just watched the episodes with CC and Sophia on the ferry. They are so fun. OMG that airhorn is just hysterical! And she's right CC, you stubborn ass- you wuv her!

And then they throw in Mason and Gina. Every comment that Mason made was really just him saying what the viewers at home were saying. And oh yeah, why is everyone so down on Mason? I love his sassy, sarcastic self! And why does he want a real wedding and honeymoon? Because he desperately WANTS someone to love.

Brick is just so contrary. To Sophia, I don't want to know you better. Fifteen minutes later, that's my mother on that ferry!

[amybrickwallace]

Interestingly enough, she and Mark Arnold worked together again YEARS after SB. He mentioned it in an Alan Locher chat. I will look for it and post it here when I find it.

I do, too. A is always a great interview subject.

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