If you refer to the Dar Salaam Bible storyline which I referred to as 'disturbing' (and I was very restrained in my characterization), then I agree things really went south from there. Yes, it was action packed with video shots on different locations, hot pursuits, twists and turns, mistaken identities what have you...it had almost the entire cast involved some way or another, but I think it drained the show's resources and seriously backfired in terms of viewing figures around late 83' and the first quarter of 84'.
It was also a time when we saw early departures of major characters who were there from the beginning and that was clearly an ominous sign. I don't think the idea to introduce the extended Carpenter family was particularly engaging, although the Peter-Courtney-Vaughn triangle was intersting up to a point. The Vanessa storyline was captivating, but its conclusion unforgivable, just like Jeff's miraculous healing through divine intervention wasn't something I could accept as a dramatic vehicle for a soap. I knew very well I was watching a Christian soap with clear subliminal and not so subliminal messages and indoctrinations. I had no problem with the premise, more with the execution at times.
I can think of many more underlining stories that bored me during the last year: I didn't like Nancy's lawsuit against Ben with Dan Meyers as the new shady lawyer, the marriage scheme, Miriam falling for Jeremy of all people as a parable for something... I know what the purpose was, but it was still unacceptable to me. And then we had Ben getting national recognition and media attention, leaving the clinic for the Bedford institute without knowing he's a pawn in Brian and Vanessa's deadly schemes. The campus fake shooting story was not one I particularly warmed up to. The paternity/pregnancy story seemed like an unecessary complication to get Dan and Gil's characters some 'action' after a long lull. I did like Tina's addition to the show from the moment she walked in, although her connection to John seemed completely random. She eas a hoot...up to the point where things got more serious. If I had to watch those episodes again, which I probably won't, I don't think my mind would change about how I feel about those stories. There is more to unpack here, but that's for another occasion.
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YTG ·
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