Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[amybrickwallace]

All this goes down in December 1985. Brick confronts Minx over New Year's Eve. Lionel and Sophia learn the truth in January 1986.

[Marissa Gallant]

That was her thought. But there is also a bit of nature vs nurture happening with Channing. At first, Mr. Wallace was presented as a jerk. He was an alcoholic who just abandoned his wife and child. Brick didn't know where his dad was. And they didn't really seem to have fond memories of him. The show gave him a redemption arc, but original Mr Wallace was a jerk. Perhaps Channing was partially genetics, and CC nurtured the bad nature already there.  I don't know that Brick, with his natural moral fiber would have been that ruthless. 

[j swift]

While the French site's translation is still amusingly over dramatic, I really enjoyed their new thoughtful article about the day of Sophia's disappearance.  It put into perspective all of the information that was derived from the event during SB's history, and where all of the major players were at the time of the event.  I'm so glad that they keep updating the site, it is a great resource that I find myself reading at once a month.

http://santabarbara-online.com/Sophiadeath.htm

[amybrickwallace]

I believe the Wallaces began to reconcile for good at Amy and Brick's wedding. In all their subsequent appearances, they were always seen together.

SB had a real treasure in Dena Dietrich, who played Katie Wallace (Brick's legal mother). She was best known for playing Mother Nature in the Chiffon Margarine commercials in the 1970s.

[Tyro]

Unfortunately, I cannot advise to believe the articles about Sophia on this site. I don't know if this concerns to other characters that Lillian writes about, but a lot of about Sophia, her storyline and her men is fanfiction. 

I assume that she tried to unite the 1984 and 1991 versions in this article, but she had a wrong knowledge of the subject.

The version 1984. Eden was not on the beach and nearby. Marcello wasn't a casual beach runner. He is stalking the Capwell family and, in particular, Sophia. He is obsessed with revenge and takes Sophia away to hurt CC. Lilian doesn't know about it.

Channing never hated Sophia. He didn't part with her ring (which he took away from Lionel because considered him unworthy to wear it).

Ted didn't welcome his mother with open arms. He disowned her almost immediately because he was afraid that her comeback would affect his relationship with Laken.

The version 1991. Eden was not only on the beach, she was on a yacht. Moreover, she was not alone but with Channing. The kids heard Sophia's confessions that Channing is Lionel's son.  Lilian  doesn't write about Channing at all.

 

[amybrickwallace]

Seeing how screwed up the other Capwell kids were (to varying degrees), Brick was probably better off in the circus being raised by Katie Wallace.

[Marissa Gallant]

This is why I do not enjoy the later years, they retconned every story. And I don't like that.

I remember Mother Nature. She was so great in those commercials. Loved her. SB really wasted a great deal of talent. And I wasn't that crazy about Mr Wallace's redemption. I would have liked it if he hadn't gotten back together. Sometimes you have to live with the consequences of your bad decisions. And he should have. 

[j swift]

It make more sense that they were on the yacht, rather than on the beach.  It would be impossible for a little girl to see what was happening on the boat from shore, because a yacht that size would need to be miles from the beach in order to sail.  Although, one does wonder how they boarded the yacht without anyone knowing they were present?

Did Minx's baby switch prove that you can fool Mother Nature?

As for the characterization of the site as fanfic, I think we can forgive anyone for forgetting the details of a plot from almost 40 years ago.  It is still a great collection of magazine stories and character profiles, and I value the entertainment it provides.

Edited October 17, 2021 by j swift

[amybrickwallace]

Touche!!

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[Tyro]

The answer is "no way" 

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If you were impressed by Lionel's encounter with Channing in 1979 and how shocked Lionel was to learn in 1985 that Channing was his son, then everything that was shown in the flashbacks in 1991 doesn't make sense.

The 1984 and 1991 versions are mutually exclusive. The most glaring difference is that in the early version Lionel didn't know that Channing was his son until 1985, in the version'91 he found out about it back in 1969.

It's a matter of choice, the 1984 version or the 1991 version. Many Eden's fans, for example, ignore the 1984 version and believe that in her presence Sophia told Lionel that Channing was his son. I ignore the 1991 version and focus on the original one. They are incompatible.

Yeah, they have a great collection of magazine stories, interviews, photos, critic reviews of that years. Also Nicolas took exclusive interviews with actors in our days. The site has the accurate dates of the characters arrival and leaving. 

It's just not worth referring to this site as expert at  storylines. There are a lot of factual errors.

[Tyro]

I just watched these episodes. The idea to sue Minx belonged to the sensible Amy, although Wallaces were the most affected party. They were innocent and punished for nothing. The only consolation was the wonderful grandson Brandon. By the way, I was thinking about why they were never introduced to each other, Katie would be a wonderful grandmother.

The rest received their existential punishment or benefit, and everyone understood it (Sophia punished Lionel, Minx punished Sophia etc). And although this story was not personal for CC, and both boys were outsiders, he promised to punish Minx for kidnapping and fulfilled it. So it was  neutral CC who  became the instrument of retribution that Minx deserved. Full circle.

[amybrickwallace]

You make great points, but I meant it would have made a great story to have Minx publicly shamed as a baby switcher and have the Lockridge family shunned from decent society. It certainly would have given Warren and Laken material; to see into their psyches. We would see ultimately if Minx felt true remorse for her actions or was only sorry that the cat was out of the bag. What might have been...

[j swift]

To be fair, Brick wasn't biologically related to Brandon.  He was the child of Channing and Santana.  Regardless of being switched at birth, it was still Channing, not Brick, that slept with Santana.

EDIT: I read your post again and realized that Katie would have been related to Brandon because she was Channing's bio Mom - got it.  Although, I don't know if Brandon knew that he was adopted at the time of Brick's wedding, so it may have been confusing.

I agree that Minx should have faced more fallout from the baby switch.  But, I am still left wondering if there was a scene where CC reacted to the whole thing, or was he incapacitated at the time of the revelation?

Edited October 17, 2021 by j swift

[j swift]

Wait, if Lionel didn't know until 1985, then how did Minx know in 1961 when she switched the babies?

Edited October 17, 2021 by j swift

[Tyro]

It would be a revolution in soap storytelling. Soap operas don't describe real life, but reproduce archetypal and mythical plots in the form of real life. All these twins, amnesias, switching of children...
I don't mean that everything that happens in soap operas is based on myths but there's a lot of mythological stuff.

Of course, kidnapping in real life is a criminal offense. But in soap opera switching of children is a repeating mythical element. In the legends this is job of evil spirits, fairies and other unprosecuted creatures 

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 And in SB the changeling baby was taken from a circus family not by chance. It was well done.

Minx performed the function of a fairy (and she would never regret what she had done). If she were tried for this, it would be the overthrow of the myth, as if the laws of real life were applied to a fairy tale. I like it, it could be fresh postmodern solution, but unfortunately, the authors did not think about it. Only Amy started talking, but as I said, Amy looked like a earthly "black sheep" in the fictional world.