Rituals

[Goldensoaps]

WOW!!!! Catalina Creel....I also love that soap / telenovela "CUNA DE LOBOS"...Nowadays, they are making a new remake of this GREAT series...in the role of Catalina Creel is the same actress who was Wilma in the original series....

[dc11786]

Jones had also played a heroine on "Lovers & Friends." To an extent, I think Christina may have been meant as a mother figure to the Chapin clan. She was BFFs with Katherine Chapin and consoled Brady when his mother died. Later, Christina decided she wanted to make house with Patrick in a very different way. I think someone realized Pflug wasn't going to play the "Alexis" role in the show and decided to soften Taylor and beef up Christina. I've seen very little mentioned about the story once Tina Louise takes over the role of Taylor. She seems to be a placeholder for C.J. as she plots to get rid of Carter from the family fold. If Pflug had stayed, I'm guessing Taylor and Logan's romance would have been featured more.

"Rituals" is an oddity because SOD did cover it. Maybe the cable networks weren't willing to provide the information? Mary Ann Cooper or Lydia Hirsch did cover "Another Life" in their column. I've come across weekly synopses for AL a couple of times. A lot of those columnists covered the more obscure soaps, but, for some reason, I don't think they were always printed in the individual papers for the sake of space. I've never seen

"The Catlins" listed in weekly synopses, but I wish it were.

Goldensoaps, you have the last episode of "Rituals," correct? Did Diandra's baby have a name? Was Michelle's parentage talked about in the final episode?

I love "Cuna de Lobos"! I've only seen the edited compliation that Televisa put out a few years back which is only a small portion of the story (10 hours or so) but it absolutely brilliant. I wish someone would reair it with subtitles. Someone was posting the entire series on youtube without the subtitles and I caught a few episodes. I think it ended in the 30s or 40s though before a lot of the more juicy stuff.

I was excited about the remake initially, but I don't like how it will be a weekly series. That's disappointing. Rebecca Jones (Vilma/Catalina) is a strong actress but I'm not sure anyone can replace Maria Rubio in that role. Jones made Vilma vulnerable and sympathetic, which was a hard challenge given Vilma's role in the drama. It's probably the best baby swap storyline in soaps.

[Goldensoaps]

Yes, I have a part of the last episode in an old VHS tape, I will watch it again and I will try to answer your questions. Due to my job, I am not at home now, and I will be there during the weekend, and I will be able to answer your questions!

And about CUNA DE LOBOS; I think in a TELENOVELAS FORUM you can download it entire, but in Spanish. I remember that it was a soap of 20 minutes, with a very good plot and Maria Rubio was really great!!!

I also know that the show was famous in France and Italy

[Paul Raven]

March 26 SOD Late Breaking News

With Ray Goldstone replacing Gene Palumbo as Ritual's headwriter,there are sure to be storyline and cast changes in the offing...

Petet Haskell has left SFT to join Rituals and his family in California.He is playing Carson Fields.

[DRW50]

Thanks for finding that. I wonder what ideas Goldstone had? What other stuff had he written for?

[Goldensoaps]

Hi DC , I have watched again the last scenes of the last episode of Rituals, and the baby hasn't got a name, they only say baby girl. And CJ tells Sarah the truth about her lost daughter, and he tells her that her daughter is Michelle. Sarah is happy and wishes to see her. They meet and mother and daughter hug. Sarah tells Michelle that her father is Patrick Chapin.

[dc11786]

WHAT!!!!!!

Thank you for this. What a messy family tree!

[dc11786]

Upon additional consideration, I find this very suspicious. I'm not dating you, Goldensoaps, but rather if this was the story truth. Michelle had bedded both Carter and Jeff. Carter and Michelle shared a father; Jeff was Carter's son. I know Christina was involved in this plot. If the show had continued, I wonder if Sarah's illegitimate child would have turned out to be antoher character. I wonder if Christina manipulated the situation to make Sarah look bad because she had allowed her own daughter to sleep with her half-brother and half-nephew.

Or did the show's final writers not have a clear sense of the show's history.

This is truly a mind boggling plot twist.

BTW, Goldensoaps, Sarah did end up shot after her scenes C.J. and Michelle, correct? From what I've learned, the shooting of Sarah was intended to be the 'season finale' for "Rituals." The writers originally left things a bit up in the air in case the show was picked up. Once the show was dead in the water, I assume they tacked on Christina's monologue about the fates of the characters.

[Goldensoaps]

Not exactly, after the meeting between mother and daughter, CJ wins the elections for governor and he has received some anonymous threatens, Christine is really happy for the elections and she accidentally discovers a wedding ring and she thinks CJ is going to propose her. Then, Carter informs detective Gates he is going to marry Lisa. The doctors informs Diandra her baby girl has a problem with a blood disease. Sarah, Diandra and Mike talk with the doctor and they discover the only person can save the baby is the father...and Sarah then discovers that the real father is Mike! Then Christina talks with Carter and jokes about his next wedding with an ex-prostitute, Lisa, her own sister. Later, Christine goes to see CJ, and he wants to give her a present....she is really happy, she is waiting for the ring and then he gives her a necklace because he wants her to work in his governor's office!!!! Christina is shocked!!! Then she discovers CJ wants to marry Sarah. The baby girl is saved and Diandra thanks Mike for his blood! They talk about Tom, and he doesn't know the truth. And they decide to keep shut. Then, CJ proposes to Sarah she accepts, the door opens and it appears a rifle (gun),and both of them receive shots...Then we can listen angelical music in a church, we can see a nun with a candle....she is Christina.....eight years later!!!!!!!! And she tells what has happened with the destiny of all the people of the city....

Edited February 5, 2011 by Goldensoaps

[DRW50]

October 23, 1984 Digest. First recap.

[DRW50]

This issue also says that Mike and Lacey will be married on October 19 and 20.

[DRW50]

January 15, 1985 Digest.

This issue also says Bob Hamilton, of Bare Essence, has been brought in as a story consultant, and that the focus would shift back to the college.

[DRW50]

November 6 and 20, 1984 Digests.

[dc11786]

I find Palumbo's material for 'Rituals' rather frivolous at times. The Bernhardt / Patty / Taylor stuff seems awful, and then the couple stayed on the show.

Taylor squashing the Logan / Julia pair during the Cannon Ball convinces me that Palumbo planned to reveal Julia was Logan's daughter.

I'm still confused about Christina / Sara sister connection. Noel and Jeff are cousins who are dating. Without the uproar, I cannot imagine them as the pre-cursor to Jammy. There must be something we don't know liek Sara or Christina was adopted. I am curious about the fall of Christina / Carter's marriage. It sounds rather sordid, in a good way, unlike the Eddie / Suzie backstory.

I'm not sure where Palumbo intended to go with Rebecca / Dakota connection, but it seemed to be something since they talked about Rebecca on several occassions. I wonder if the plan was reveal Cherry / Dakota were Haddons / Chapins before they decided to go the Carter route.

Carl, SOD said Mike and Lacey would be married on October 20 and 21, but the marriage never happened. The January 15th synopsis you posted discusses Mike / Lacey's wedding, which happened around Thanksgiving. This Diandra / Mike ONS thread played out until the end with Diandra having Mike's baby in the final episode. I can see how this would cause conflict in the Gallagher family, but Mike / Lacey's story is so convoluted.

The show never really focused on the college again. I think Bob Hamilton's big contribution was Mike's stalker story with Nancy or whoever the young student was, but his work may have been trunucated. In an article about a 'Rituals' Christmas party, it was mentioned everyone was celebrating that 'Rituals' had been renewed an additional six months. The original order was for six months worth of episodes. Palumbo was ousted in the renewal. I think his successor was Ann Marcus' brother who started the whole C.J. / Carter angle which dominated the show until its final days.

[DRW50]

January 29, February 12, and February 26 Digest recaps.