Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[Marissa Gallant]

Oh- Lionel WOULD DEFINITELY have problems mailing a sarcophagus to his home.

Alas, no big hats allowed. However, veils are fine. And everyone has to wear a mask now, so no problem there. However I prefer a reboot with a Sophia being all, "Yeah. I'm the widow of CC. Bite me, Gina."

[Marissa Gallant]

I'm also certain that most of these women sit around the house wearing ballgowns. 

[Marissa Gallant]

What was your LEAST favorite storyline? 

[Marissa Gallant]

I hate Gina. Except I secretly love Gina. I enjoy that she is sensitive, and does draw the line at some things. Except, she doesn't and makes Kelly run away for months. So, I go back to hating her. Then she's all vulnerable again. And Robin Mattson seems so nice. So, I don't know how I feel about her.

Victoria, on the other hand, I can not dredge up any sympathy for her. Her husband ignores her, but when he legitimately tries, she screeches at him. Which just makes him regret trying. The cocaine story just has me wanting to smack her hyper self. CALM DOWN WOMAN. The she's screeching again. I did enjoy the few scenes where she and Mason quoted Shakespeare at each other. That was nice because I will never see Lane doing a full play. But as for Tori, nope. Do not care what happens. 

And Sophia could stop shrieking too. 

[amybrickwallace]

How about huge sunglasses and an N95?

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[Marissa Gallant]

Maybe they wear the N95 UNDER the veil! And ballgowns in the living room. 

[Beach Climber]

While I’m in the middle of this rewatch, I recall Lane Davies’ old interviews about he didn’t want his want his character boxed in as a husband and family guy and preferred the scheming. I might have gotten it if his pairings were happy and drama free but they were angst ridden and his relationships with Mary and Julia grounded the character.
 

I thought his issues with CC and times he lashed out at his family made him look petty and more and more immature as he got older and if that had been the main focus of his character, I would have quickly lost interest in him. When the Dobsons came back in the 90s and the reverted Mason back to his old ways while GT was playing him, I was pretty annoyed by him most of the time. 

[j swift]

My first reaction in reading this was that Lane wanted his character to be more like Keith.  He is saying that he wanted to be more of a lovable schemer (like Keith) with a pairing more akin to Keith and Gina.

But, I think Mason had a much richer backstory of maternal neglect which informed his future relationships.  In part, he was attracted to Mary and Julia because they provided the motherly love that he was missing as a child.  Mason didn't need to be further indulged, as CC did in order quiet his demands and avoid his depression.  He needed someone to chide him for envying his step-family rather than embracing them.  He needed someone to start a family with in order to care for a child in the ways that he wished he had been.  When he avoided those desires and pursued women like Gina, Sasha, or Tori, he found that he was unable to provide the stability they needed which plunged him further into depression and alcohol.

I guess what I'm saying is that some actors never learn to appreciate what they've got.

[Marissa Gallant]

I understand Lane's feelings. Happily married is death on a soap. He wanted to remain a lead character, not get shoved to the back like Brick. And he wanted something "fun to play". And scheming is always fun. I think Good Writers could have done this. But I also feel that with the constant shifting of who was in charge on the show, I doubt it would have been done. 

I do agree that there were levels to Mason. I clearly remember his dejection the first year when he was trying to find Pamela and couldn't. I wish they had REALLY explored that when Marj Dusay came on board. (Not SF, getting rid of her was a wise decision.) Instead, she was just immediately on a pedestal. I would have enjoyed at least ONE scene where Mason said, "Yes, as a child. But you could have picked up a phone and returned my call when I was leaving my number everywhere for you."

I also don't lump Tori into the same category as Gina. I think he really wanted to try with her. But she was psycho. And Julia was there, level headed and not psycho, and the mother of his child. Then Tori went full on addle brained addict and it became easier to make the decision. 

[j swift]

I don't recall whether there was any rivalry between Mason and Jeffrey, because Pamela had an obvious preference for Jeffrey.  I mean she never tried to kill Julia because she was jealous of Mason's attention.  And yet, Mason yearned for Pamela to need him, he even bought her a house.

[Marissa Gallant]

I don't believe they ever delved into that either. It sortbof just went from What do you mean I have a brother? To Oh, okay that's what you mean. That said, Mason was close to Eden- this is established. And Mason found out about Jeffrey during the Eden diedcin a plane explosion/phone calls say Eden isn't dead storyline. And also at the exact same time, Mason was figuring out just how awful Tori really was AND Julia was wonderful and having his baby. So- the dude did have a lot on his plate at that point in his life. 

I had never even thought of it, but Mason is desperate for Pamela's attention. And I just don't feel like she cares. Of course, I also think that to her, killing Kelly would also hurt CC, which seems to be more important to her than any of her children. She can blame CC all she wants for abandoning Mason. But she simply gave Elena away. This is not a kind, loving nurturing woman. 

[Marissa Gallant]

Man, oh MAN! I really wish that they had gone with a natural Lionel/Sophia affair instead of TJ/Sophia.  It would have kept Nicholas Coster on the show, and been a better triangle. No one was rooting for TJ and Sophia. 

[pdm1974]

I often wonder why they never went there with Lionel and Sophia. That could have been a long-term traingle.

[Joseph]

who knows this show used to lose so many great opportunities and Actors, but then which doesn't

[Marissa Gallant]

I think they wanted a short term separation between them. And it would have been harder to come back from her sleeping with Lionel. And, he was gone by then.

Really though, these peoples lives are messier than a soup sandwich. Good grief!