Santa Barbara Discussion Thread

[1974mdp]

I believe the Dobsons actually lived in Santa Barbara at one point before the show, and that's how they knew Dame Judith Anderson, who also lived there.

I've been to Santa Barbara numerous times on day trips from Los Angeles. The city is surprisingly small. It feels like a mix of old money and college students from the university. LOTS of college kids.

Interesting tidbits...

There are no drive thrus. They're banned.

No super tall buildings. I think it's three or four floors max.

Signage for businesses is very small as there are maximums on the size allowed.

It has one main commercial street...State Street.

Red tile roofs are mandated for many buildings.

 

It is a very beautiful and picturesque city for sure.

[Ryan Mason]

I live in LA now as well (I'm from Chicago and lived there when the series aired) and I love any excuse to get to Santa Barbara for the day! Every detail of the town is picturesque...like the court records office looks like you're going to get handed your documents by a Disney character or something and even the 99 Cent Store is about the quaintest-looking one you could imagine! It was so cool to finally get to see the actual place.

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[Contessa Donatella]

Hey, I am not a regular poster here so if y'all have seen this, sorry,  if I'm duplicating. Because of a stunt DAYS just pulled with an actor changing from one role to another in adjacent scenes, we got off onto other such stunts, ... 

DAYS 1 Bo to another Bo

DAYS 1 Jack to another Jack

And, now an Australian in my forum has made me aware of a different International version of the change from Terry Lester/Mason to Gordon Thomson/Mason ... 

Watch all the way through to see the second, different version. 

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

[Beach Climber]

I recall this and it was pretty notable when it happened. In Santa Barbara’s case, I think what caused the abrupt change was that they didn’t realize Terry Lester’s contract expired and he left the show since he wasn’t told about a renewal. They had to scramble to find a new Mason and have him pick up the storyline immediately. The first time Mason was recast (Terry Lester and Gordon Thompson were Mason’s #2 and 3), they did write him off for a few months before bringing on a new actor. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Thanks for that info. I'm a real stick in the mud. Lane Davies IS Mason to me. Also Robin Wright IS Kelly to me. I'm not that way about other shows, recasts in general, just stubborn about Santa Barbara!! 

I am now hot on the trail of the Masquerade ball switch where Robert Kelker Kelly was revealed to be Bo. DAYS

Anyway, the Int'l version of Gordon Thompson coming up off the floor when Terry Lester was knocked down is pretty clever. 

[chrisml]

It's interesting how viewers can watch the same material and have a different reaction. Carrington Garland is my Kelly. Not taking away from Robin Wright, but I gravitated more towards Garland. I never had a favourite Mason. They were all good actors, and at one point, they all had nonsense storylines to get through. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Yes, it is ... interesting. 

[I Am A Swede]

I find that perfectly natural. We (the viewers) are all different people so of course we all react differently to what we see on screen. What I do find "interesting" though is how some can't seem to grasp that concept, and act as if their opinion is the right one and everyone who disagrees with them are wrong and must be made to change their mind.

Edited October 19, 2023 by I Am A Swede

[Contessa Donatella]

I was flabbergasted once when this guy quit my soap forum because he said it would bother him knowing that we didn't agree about Jill Farren Phelps about one thing. Of course, if just knowing it was actually going to bother him, then, he did the right thing to quit, but, gee, there's a reason for many different ice cream flavors. We don't all like vanilla. I find variety to really be the spice of life, as that old corny saying goes. 

[Beach Climber]

I think each actress played a completely different version of Kelly. Your preferences almost depended on which of her you liked the most. 

[j swift]

I don't care for the wishy-washy early Kelly.  It was difficult to get a take on the character because sometimes she would stick up for herself and be strong, and other times she would be so passive.  It didn't help that she was written as completely oblivious to Peter's motives until it was literally thrown in her face.  And, her other pairings with Dylan and Nick were uninspired. 

The less said about Jeffrey the better, as well as Kimberly McArthur (and TJ)

On the other hand, I really enjoy the Kelly/Robert/Quinn story.  In retrospect, it is so clever to play into the here-to-fore untold sibling rivalry with Eden, as a correlate to Quinn's relationship with Robert.  They were both second best, and it helped define Kelly in contrast to her siblings.  Prior stories could have been arbitrarily played by either Eden or Kelly, until the Barr twins helps flesh out the character's motives.  Then, the Dobsons returns and Kelly reverts back to being just another pretty face.

Ultimately, Eileen get saddled with the unpopular pairing with Cruz, and she doesn't really settle in until she hooks up with Connor, but arguably by that point Kelly had turned into Ashley Abbott 2.0 (although thankfully not Kristen Dimera 2.0)

So, for me, the actress is only one variable because Kelly was usually a character who only captured my interest when she was paired with specific partners and written by specific teams.

Edited October 19, 2023 by j swift

[Contessa Donatella]

Aha! Now I could see ED's Kelly as one Kristen but it would only be Kristen Blake 1.0 the social worker with the heavy caseload &  possibly too much concern for her cases in that "heart of gold" character way. 

[Carlos Abad]

If you visit the many different Santa Barbara fansites, only Robin Wright was really loved as Kelly. She was the one and only and great Kelly for most of the fans. Most of the fans do not care about Kimberly, Carrington or Eileen. They only loved Robin Wright in this role.

[Liberty City]

To me, Carrington Garland did so much more for the role of Kelly Capwell than Robin Wright would have been if she remained in the role. She is, by far, my favourite Kelly Capwell.

[j swift]

I've always rebelled against group-think when it comes to fandom, as I have no interest in expressing an opinion only for the purpose of consensus.  Therefore, I've never cared that "everyone" hated John Conboy or those who say that Paul Rauch's stomping out the cigar was the "most offensive thing ever on TV."

Luckily, we each have our own memories, and the distance of time, to come to our own conclusions.

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Edited October 20, 2023 by j swift