Generations Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

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[KateW]

This past Thursday (March 27) was the 25th anniversary of the premiere of Generations.

NBC aired Generations at 12:30 pm ET, taking the time slot from Scrabble, which was moved to 10 am and replaced Sale of the Century. This would bring NBC's daytime lineup to four dramas (Generations, Days of our Lives, Another World, Santa Barbara) and four game shows (Scrabble, Classic Concentration, Wheel of Fortune, Win Lose or Draw).

[DRW50]

Thanks for letting us know. It's a shame it didn't last a little longer.

[Khan]

IMO, GENERATIONS had some potential -- not a lot, but enough -- but I feel like its' creator and HW, Sally Sussman (now Morina), got in its' way. She had plenty of good ideas, but not enough talent and expertise to execute them properly. To me, it says a lot that I enjoyed the show more when Jorn Winther was installed as senior EP.

Edited March 30, 2014 by Khan

[amybrickwallace]

This show was only in production for less than two years - talk about not getting a fair shake, but when you factor in the Persian Gulf coverage that was (rightfully so) pre-empting it, there's no way it could have built an audience. What were ratings like when compared to the ratings of today? Were they atrocious even by early 90s standards?

[beebs]

From what I've seen, they'd be getting comparable ratings to today's soaps. Though in 1990, that would have put them in last place by about a full ratings point behind their closest competitor, Loving, which was sitting at around 3.5 at the time. For that era, really lousy numbers.

[John]

whendid Jorn take over as EP was it before Dorthy Lyman came on

[Khan]

IIRC, yes. In fact, I think it was Winther who brought Dorothy Lyman (as well as Robert Gentry, Debbi Morgan, Linda Gibboney, and maybe a few other former AMC'ers) to the show.

[amybrickwallace]

Thanks!!!

[dc11786]

Dorothy Lyman first appeared in December 1990 so Jorn Winter definitely hired her. From what I've seen, I think she was miscast, but I have a feeling that will be an unpopular opinion. I also have a bit of trouble with Ron Harper as Peter Whitmore.

I have a couple of scripts from late in the show's run and seen the episodes floatmeal posted. I think "Generations" had some very fascinating characters, a rich backstory, but often poor storylines. Jessica Gardner and Doreen Jackson were both well-developed women with tons of layers and very little storyline at the end of the show. There was a really well written scene I've read where Jessica is at the bar of the Hale hotel right after Peter Whitmore has returned to town and she is flirting with him. For some reason, it stands out to me mainly because it seemed to highlight Jessica's loneliness. While the Doreen/Maya catfight is legendary, Jonelle Allen could have used a fiercer opponent and a better conquest than Kristoff St. John. I think had they been able to keep Richard Roundtree around, they could have done more, but instead Doreen spends the final episodes vying with Ruth to sing at the Music Box and ending up in bed with Henry Marshall.

I liked some of the couples (Kyle/Sam and Chantal/Eric) and thought Peter Whitmore's return had the potential to really wreck havoc across the canvas, but the show seems like they are trying to shoehorn elements from the NBC soaps into a show that was developed for CBS.

[John]

Dorothy Lyman was only on the last two months. Was Pat Crowley fired for DL?

[amybrickwallace]

Speaking of Doreen, Jonelle Allen was a guest star in the second season of Barney Miller, where she played one of two female beat cops in trouble for throwing the detective's drug bust off track. It's hilarious when she starts sobbing into Inspector Luger's arms, wailing, "We don't want to go to Staten Island!!!!" LOL!!

[DRW50]

12 minutes of a summer (?) 1990 episode, featuring Debbi Morgan, Randy Brooks, Robert Gentry, Linda Gibboney, Kelly Rutherford, etc.

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[amybrickwallace]

This was Linda Gibboney's swan song to daytime, wasn't it?

[DRW50]

I think so, yes.

I'm happy to see you here again. I was wondering a few days ago if you still posted here.