Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[Marissa Gallant]

If I remember correctly, the Isle of Dr. Moreau is the one where the crazy guy creates weird and creepy human/animal hybrids. (And maybe hunts people?) And The Most Dangerous Game is the one where crazy guy hunts people. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Eden's Rape, SB, Laura's Rape, GH After Eden's extremely violent rape by a man in a mask, in her own home, in her shower, where she almost lost her life to drowning, Eden, was reaching out to other survivors. She told her husband, Cruz, about this couple, Linc & Laurie, lovers on "General Clinic." Their producer "Betty Bonty" was mentioned. Eden brought reality to the table while they brought "Romeo & Juliet." The L&L rape, on the campus disco dance floor, with lights flashing, with Herb Alpert's "Rise" pounding through the speakers, presented the pattern of the emotionally tortured hero raping the woman that he loves out of passion and pain. To be the supercouple demanded of them that they deny the rape. (Her Stories, Levine, 245)

Pt1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4e3drGqi4zk&t=33s

Pt2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_wQJfwH_uA

Santa Barbara's 1st of 3 Consecutive Daytime Emmys for Best Show

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UW9vAa6fTnU

Soap. Color. Hour. July 30 1984 – January 15 1993

created by Bridget and Jerome Dobson. Production Company Dobson Productions. NBC. Executive Producers: Jerome and Bridget Dobson; Jeffrey Hayden; Charles Pratt, Sr.; Mary-Ellis Bunim.

 

Headwriters: Jerome and Bridget Dobson; Anne Howard Bailey.

 

Producers: Steven Kent; Jill Farren Phelps; Leonard Friedlander;

 

Directors: Gordon Rigsby; Norman Hall; Rick Bennewitz; John Sedwick; Gary Bowen; Andrew Weyman; Dennis Steinmetz.

 

(2,137 episodes)

 

The biggest controversy arose in 1987 when NBC took creative control away from the show’s producers, Jerome and Bridget Dobson, who spent three years trying to get it back.

 

(Robin Wright left SANTA BARBARA for an extended period of time to play the lead of “Buttercup” in THE PRINCESS BRIDE. She was chosen by William Goldman, Rob Reiner and Cary Elwes out of thousands of ingenues. NBC penalized her by making her do without money she could have made off of it. She is remembered to this day as “Buttercup” in that cult classic. NBC also made her “pay back” in time she played “Kelly Capwell” more than one for one.)

 

There was an occasion while the Dobsons were being locked out of the studio when they won their first (of three consecutive Daytime Emmys for Best Show) and Bridget made it to the podium and began a gracious acceptance speech, while Jill Farren Phelps stood to her left looking glum. That’s because she was the Interim Executive Producer and was thinking she should have been making that speech. Contrary to years of rumor, it was *not* a knock down- drag-out fight. It was just some decent “oneupmanship”. (The Dobsons had previously had a spectacularly successful writing career on GENERAL HOSPITAL in the early 1970s. Bridget was the daughter of Frank and Doris Hursley, creators of the show. After maintaining good ratings on that show the Dobsons were snatched up by Procter & Gamble to spruce up GUIDING LIGHT. (While at GL, they conceived of and wrote the Marital Rape by Roger of Holly. ) They worked wonders on that show for 5 years, then created miracles on AS THE WORLD TURNS, becoming the most sought after team of writers in daytime television.) Set in Santa Barbara, where the Dobsons used to live (except when they lived in Atlanta, Georgia) the drama traced the lives and loves of 4 families: the blue-blood Lockridges, the powerful Capwells, the middle-class Perkins, and the Andrades, a low-income Hispanic family. The serial opened with a party in 1979 where Channing Capwell, Jr. was murdered after an argument with his sister Kelly’s fiance` Joe Perkins. The scene jumped forward to an engagement party for Kelly and the opportunist Peter Flint in 1984 where it was learned that Joe Perkins, Capwell’s alleged killer, had been set free. The release caused havoc among the seaside community, particularly for Kelly Capwell, who was torn between Joe and her memory of Channing’s death. The show was taped in new $12 million production facilities in Burbank. In its premiere week the glamorous new soap about Beautiful Blonde People ran opposite ratings-grabbing Olympic games; with its first episode only receiving a 4.2 rating and 13 share. The Dobsons soon found their footing with two dazzling anti-heroes: Lionel Lockridge, whose roguish charm was exceeded only by his penchant for mischief, and the envious, cryptic Mason Capwell, whose ironic self-knowledge provided the city with a one-man greek chorus, commenting dryly on all the drawing-room intrigue. By 1987, this delicious black comedy had become a cult hit and the slowly rising ratings began to reflect that status. SANTA BARBARA was superbly romantic in its star-crossed love story of the WASPy Eden and the Hispanic Cruz. In a great erotic fast dance, Eden shook her blonde mane like a stoned-out Lady Godiva. It certainly was dramatic (the death of Mason’s “salvation,” Mary Duvall, proved to be an extremely unpopular event with viewers–probably the biggest boo-boo in the Dobsons’ career). “There is a slight bit of perversity in us. That’s me. That’s my husband. We’re ambivalent people. We always strive for purity and always miss.” There was the long-running romance of blonde Eden, a TV news anchor, and her dark handsome lover, lawman Cruz Castillo. He stayed with Eden until they wed in 1988. Also fascinating was Mason, a lush who felt his dad did not love him but who came up with plenty of comments on the goings-on around him, including his own troubled relationships with ex-nun Mary Duvall.) The manner of Mary’s death–a “C” from the rooftop of the Capwell hotel fell and crushed her–struck some viewers as blackly funny and some as an example of poor taste, and prompted many to speculate on its possible significance.) In 1988 the emergence of some weird alternate personalities. Among the latter was Mason’s other personality Sonny Sprockett, whom his girlfriend attorney Julia Wainwright, found living in Las Vegas, and Bunny Tigliatti, a transvestite involved with the mob who rented all of Gina’s rooms when Gina made the former Lockridge mansion into a bed-and-breakfast. Dr. Zack Kelton was the “Video Rapist” who attacked several women including Eden. Mason and Julia had some ups and downs due to his personality problems. (Their portrayers, Nancy Lynn Grahn and Lane Davies dated & were said to have broken up over disagreements about Mason & Julia.) Julia dated environmentalist Dash Nichols. The love between Julia and Mason and between Eden and Cruz was about the only constant. In 1990 the Dobsons having regained control of the show, returned to make sense of the mess. NBC kicked the Dobsons out again early 1992 as it became the lowest rated soap. In October 1992 NBC announced its cancellation despite its continuing international popularity. The show aired in 48 countries. The final shot was of executive producer Paul Rauch stepping into the spotlight on a bare soundstage and rubbing out his cigarette butt.

[chrisml]

Has there been another soap with so many shifts in storylines and lack of long-term story? I've been watching the show, and it feels like every two/three months that storylines end or fizzle out and then the show starts from scratch. Certain characters stay, but there is always a turnover in cast. The show's writers & producers are unable to sustain anything for more than three months. I am thinking (as an example) of the Laura/Michael storyline. It was a major storyline for weeks and then it just sputtered to an ending of sorts. It feels like SB is full of those sorts of thing. I thought it might have been intentional at first, but it really plays like the writers and execs have no idea where they are going from month to month with the storylines. 

[j swift]

It's an interesting example because the plot also did nothing to advance the character(s).  For example, how interesting would it have been for Michael to reflect on his relationships with Laura and Julia and come to the realization that he was using his position in order "rescue" women in crisis and make them adore him?  Instead, he goes on to another relationship with a woman who has a complicated past with men, and again tries to be her savior, even though he's left the church.  Laura is villainized and goes mad, while nobody seems tried to assign blame or guilt onto Michael.

[Marissa Gallant]

Not sure if this counts, but Don Craig went to mail his taxes and disappeared forever. I think several soaps dropped stories that didn't work, but most of them took more time with wll stories. SB stories were often FAST. And if you missed an episode, a story might be done forever and never referred to again. There was also a total disregard for established history. In such a short show, that was difficult. 

I definitely feel that this created a long term problem. From the beginning, the network had it's hands in it aaying We don't like this. We don't like that. Lower costs. Lower costs. Lower costs. It felt like as soon as the show found its groove, someone else decided it needed a change. I was a die hard fan at the beginning but the complete destruction of history chased me away. It wasn't my fun quippy show anymore. Toss in the fact that the Lockridges were gone, and so was I. I'm eonjoying reliving it, but I'm still dragging myself through 88 and its so very difficult to keep going.

[DRW50]

 

[chrisml]

It's true that shows often dropped characters or stories. Perhaps, it's not as obvious with other soaps because they had long-term characters or storylines going on as well.  SB was only on for nearly nine years, and the constant storylines changes seemed to happen all the time. I've lost count of the number of characters who come on strong, and then disappear or just fizzle out (Sandra the psychic is another big example). I think you're right that it was the constant interference. It's sad to me watching the show now because there was so much potential, but as you point out, the show would find the groove and then big changes would happen.

[Keri]

I agree with the comments about SB dropping stuff, but Sandra was awful. And that stuff with her getting off while C/E were having sex was so gross. I ff-ed through most of her scenes.

I thought she was a terrible character. Maybe one of the worst.

[Marissa Gallant]

I'm currently reading Nicolas Coster's memoire. Such an interesting read!

[Liberty City]

I think, in my view point (based on how far I've watched), it comes from the ability to create a story, and being unable to flesh it out completely.

[chrisml]

I agree Sandra didn't really work, but even within that story, it didn't seem like they knew why she was there. What was the point of bringing her on? For SB's tenure (and I have not gotten to Long's time), it feels as if someone has an idea and brings on a character and/or story, but no one determines if there is an end game. The show often feels like the storylines were written based on a whim or who the exec producer was not happy with at any given moment.

[Contessa Donatella]

I don't remember CC being very self-reflective. Mason, yes. CC no. Of course, Mason thought too much. And, he thought specifically about CC too much. I just can't believe that Lane & Nancy dated & nobody found it out at that time. And, I think it's downright childish that Lane & Nancy broke up because of disagreements they had about what they wanted to happen to their characters!

[Marissa Gallant]

Well, no CC is not self reflective. I just think maybe he should have been. Of course, there would have been a lot less drama if he had. 

I think there was probably more to the Lane and Nancy decline than just arguing over characters. However, people who are unhappy at work sometimes bring that home to their partners. And it's hard to escape when your partner is also in your face at work. But I wasn't there. And I'm certainly not LD or NLG's confidant. 

[j swift]

I mean it is interesting to look back within a modern context.  Mason gave CC all kinds of crap about being a bad guy.  Meanwhile, he was a single father of five kids, in the 1970s, in Santa Barbara, with one maid, who didn't live on-site.  And, (until the Greg retcon), it seems as if CC had no significant romantic relationships the whole time that he was raising his kids.

Talk about a sacrafice

Then, Sofia comes waltzing back in costume with a fake mustache, and the kids not only universally forgive her, but they all take her side whenever she blamed CC for their marital problems.

I've always wondered if Sophia or CC thought of naming their first born Channing Jr, considering that Mason was a child at the time?  Did Pamela not like the name Channing?  It is just so odd to name your second born as a Junior.

Edited May 6, 2022 by j swift

[Wendy]

Much different show, but the "junior or everything after" deal with a not first-born son also happened on ER with Carter's family. His grandfather was John Carter, Sr., his father Jack was John Carter II (played by Michael Gross, who did resemble TV son Noah Wyle, so great casting there!), and Carter was John Carter III.

BUT Carter mentioned deciding to become a doctor because his OLDER brother, Bobby, died of leukemia as a child (causing his parents' divorce). Like you, I'd think Bobby should have been John Carter III, instead. Shrug.

To connect this to Santa Barbara, Scott Jaeck, who played Cain, played Dr. Flint, head of radiology, in a recurring role in the first couple seasons.