The Doctors

[Soaplovers]

 

The first two or three years of the Pollock's tenure is quite good.. but by 1974, they start running out of steam.

[Khan]

More like, they start running out of psychos.

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But seriously, I couldn't make it all the way through the Pollocks' stuff, because their stories were so plot-driven that (IMO) it made the characters exasperating to watch.

[Chris B]

The Pollocks were very plot driven with Dynasty and The Colbys (although not as much) so that doesn’t surprise me. Knowing them from those shows and knowing how different The Doctors is, it’ll be interesting to see how this works. 

 

Now a question for those watching the current episodes, any early thoughts on Jada Rowland as Carolee? I’ve seen one or two episodes with her and visually she seems fine, but more like a traditional heroine. Carolee Campbell was a unique find so that doesn’t surprise me, but she seems like she’ll be fine. I do commend Carolee Campbell for creating such a unique and interesting character from a day player role. Because the show was canceled in the 80s she doesn’t get the credit she deserves for being a daytime great. I especially love her now that her mom has been introduced. They should’ve brought her mom back later, unless they killed her off. I’m not sure how she’s written off. 

 

ETA: 

 

Theyve wrapped up the story of Julie’s death and seem to be setting up their new stories, namely Althea’s return. I was happy to see her go despite Virginia Vestoff’s fantastic performances, but just a few episodes in and I’m sick of her again. No flashbacks yet, but the majority of her scenes are fantasies or dream sequences which bore me to death. It does nothing to move the story forward or make me look forward to her return to Madison. I wish they had cast an actor to work with her in the out of town scenes so we could learn her perspective on things in a more organic way than this. 

 

So far these Pollocks are getting a side eye from me. 

Edited September 21, 2018 by Chris B

[Soaplovers]

 

Jada hasn't done much yet as Carolee...she's basically been catatonic with a brief second where she called out Steve's name.  She does resemble Carolee Campbell..but she has a more fragile aura than CC ever had.  I dont think we will be getting sarcasm or one liners anymore once she comes out of her current mental state.

 

Oh I forgot Althea's return in late 1970 had lots of flashbacks and wait till her therapy sessions during that period.  

[victoria foxton]

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[robbwolff]

Carolee's mom Emma is still alive. I think she's written out in late 1972/early 1973. I was so disappointed as I adored the character (she reminded me so much of my late mother). From what I've read, Emma does show up in late 1976. She also returns in 1977 or 1978 for a wedding.

[RavenWhitney]

I've just started watching the July 1976 episodes. Wow

- Maggie DePriest was ahead of her time.  The show was so well written. The script writers were outstanding: Lanie Bertram, Anne Howard Bailey and Lee Zlottoff (who went on to nighttime fame). 

 

- The acting is so fierce with the exception of Billy, Greta, Wendy and Iverson.  Paul, Anne, Mona, Maggie, Steve wow.  Love those actors.

 

- Gene Lasko was a great director. Norman Hall was senior director but his episodes are sometimes sloppy.

 

- When does Marland take over?  I can't believe Depreist didn't last; probably network execs fiddling.

 

- Score productions music is awful.  Some of the sets were nicely done; but the nurses station is so cheap.

 

- Is Toni Carorlee's daughter?  Weren't the actresses near the same age?  How did they write Carolee off? When does Jada start airing?

 

- Did Cenedella or Depreist create the Dancy family?

Edited September 22, 2018 by RavenWhitney

[MichaelGL]

Toni is not Carolee's daughter. However, Toni's half-brother, Billy, is Carolee's stepson from a previous marriage to Dan Allison.  Carolee took Billy in as her own after Dan's death, and it was around that time that Billy's actual parentage was revealed that he was the love child of Toni's mother and a man she ran off with. Toni's mother Barbara gave the child to Dan Allison and his first wife to raise as their own. Dan's wife died, and he then married Carolee. 

Jada has already started airing in a few scenes. Carolee was written off originally as leaving town during a rough patch in her marriage to Steve (which in some instances was fueled by a scheming Ann). I tuned out for much of this so I can't really give more detail other than that. As for the actresses ages, after some research it does appear that the show de-aged Carolee a bit by recasting the role with Rowland.

Cenedella created Jerry and Joan if I'm correct. DePriest expanded the family to include Nola, Lew, Sara, and Virginia. 

Marland is slated to take over in the fall of 1976. It might be in October that we start seeing his name. 

[Soaplovers]

Cenedella did create Joan and Jerry...but I think it was Depriest that retconned it to make them.siblings..with Jerry trying to explain why he gave a different last name from Joan (turned out he gave the last name of the family their mother Virginia was working for in Switzerland).  I think Jerry was meant to be in only one episode..but he and Penny had great chemistry.  He doesn't appear again after his introduction episode for almost two months.  And it was hinted that Jerry and Joan were connected as Cenedella was leaving..but it wasnt revealed until weeks into depriests stint what that connection was.

 

I'm hearing Marland comes at the end of September.  She is setting up the next thread quite nicely with the next chapter of the steve/carolee/Ann story with MJ being added...and Matt being indicted with the hospital board preparing to vote he leave his post as chief of staff.

 

My theory on why Depriest was replaced was because the viewership for the Doctors skewed older..and someone posted on Twitter an article from summer of 1976 where viewers werent too keen on these changes.  

 

I do have a feeling had Depriest stayed on that she probably would have resolved the Joan Dancy story by November sweeps with the Carolee story taking over next.  And I'm guessing that Nola/Matt were being set up as a possible barrier to Matt/Maggie...that got changed by Marland.

[MichaelGL]

Speaking of Nola, KH has great chemistry with AA's Mike. She would've been a great spoiler for Toni and Mike, who I am kind of over at this point. 

Edited September 22, 2018 by MichaelGL

[Paul Raven]

I guess that DePriest was fired due to failure to get the ratings up.For the 74-75 season TD had a 9.0 rating but for 75-76 it was down to a 7.3

It's lead in Days had also dropped.

I guess viewers were accustomed to seeing Matt, Maggie, Steve, Carolee, Althea.

Now there was an influx of Dancys, Carolee was gone, Nick returned briefly and Althea was involved with the awful Scott.

Plus a recast Mike and the sidelining of Toni...

And OLTL moved opposite TD in mid 76 so now it was competing with 2 soaps.

[robbwolff]

Marland started in September 1976. His first episode airs on Retro this Tuesday from what I read.

[victoria foxton]

 On the Sept 16, 1976 (9-24-18)  episode Virginia revealed that Luke is Lew's name. On the Sept 17, 1976  (9-24-18) episode during the hospital board meeting Mona mentioned the towns name Madison. I think this is the first time the name of the New England town the soap is set in is mentioned.  

 

Edited September 24, 2018 by victoria foxton

[~bl~]

It is the second time Madison is mentioned. There was a scene years earlier where Mike is bouncing a ball and he says Mike is from Madison. 

[Soaplovers]

I guess today's episodes on Retro were Depriest's final episodes as head-writer.  I'll miss her as head-writer and it is a shame that she wasn't given another couple of months before being given the axe since she'd done so much in her 7 month stint to liven up the show.

 

Good:

 

Putting Matt/Maggie back in the center with the Joan Dancy story.

Restoring MJ's personality and placing her firmly in the Steve/Ann orbit, while Carolee is slowly coming out of her catonic state.

 

Finishing the Conrad story at last.  I give Depriest credit for trying to make Scott/Wendy work.. but she saw nothing was working and instantly ended the story with Scott killing himself (which actually makes sense considering the way the actor choose to play the character).  Eleanor seemed to be up Depriest's alley and you can tell she enjoyed writing for her.

 

Creating Dr. Paul Summers.. and having a credible backstory and motivation for not liking Matt Powers.  Plus, kudos to tying him to Ann from before both came to Hope Memorial.  The back and forth between Paul/Ann was entertaining.

 

The Dancys.  Finally.. we have our answer as to who created what.  Depriest created the backstory, and almost all of the Dancy's (Marland brings on the father, but she had created the backstory, as well as, given him the name Barney).  I will be interested to see how Marland will write the Dancy's vs Depriest.  

 

Undecided

 

Paul/Stacy is an interesting pairing... and I think @EricMontreal22... this pairing is as close as we will ever get to getting a sense of what Where the heart Is was all about.

 

Penny... I miss her snarky retorts and being dismissive of Althea.  Pairing her with Jerry has softened her too much (no wonder Julia Duffy quits months into the future).

 

Nick/Althea.. Depriest got them much better than the Pollock's did... but wasn't sure what the point was to teasing viewers of them again.. unless it was a way to give them closure at last.

 

Bad:

 

Toni, Toni, Toni... wasted and hardly shown during this 7 month stint except as a stepford wife for Mike.  There was one good scene in July 1976 where she and MJ talked about Alan.  Other than that, she wasn't written for at all.

 

Rico was wasted, but I can understand why he couldn't stay in town with Stacy... that girl is a restraining order waiting to happen.

 

Overall, I loved Depriest's writing on the show and I think she fit the show better than  Cendella and the Pollocks (circa 1973 to 1975)... @vetsoapfan... I liked her stint.  While she isn't on the level of Rita Lakin, but she was loads better than Cenedella and later Pollocks.

 

So I'm bracing myself for Marland.  I really don't like his writing at all, but I will keep an open mind.  Except, I have a feeling he will be dragging out the Joan Dancy and Carolee stories.. when it looks as if Depriest was aiming for a November resolution for at least one of them (perhaps Carolee being reunited with her family, but Ann's part not being revealed until later.).  And the show seemed to give hints that Stacy would be taking the fall with Paul getting off scott free (he has done nothing as of yet, to implicate himself).

 

Today's 2nd episode was a good cliff hanger Friday episode (9/17/1976)... with Matt heading to learn what the board has decided while Paul is sitting in Matt's chair with a look of glee on his face.. while Carolee is coming out of her catonic state.  A perfect place for Marland to pick up.