Another World Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Just those August 1980 episodes are on Youtube. The others are just through Eddie Drueding (they used to air on AOL years ago).

Edited February 19, 2014 by DRW50

[amybrickwallace]

Ahhhh, I see. Thanks!!

[vote4llama]

thanks. That sounds like a very roller coaster era for the show

[amybrickwallace]

I think it was. AW took a huge hit in the ratings after Beverlee McKinsey left.

[DRW50]

The episodes are often boring and the story goes nowhere. The only bright spots for me are Laura Malone as Blaine (the definition of anti-heroine - forcing herself into an unhappy relationship with a mobster to protect her husband, whom she loves...and cutting him out of her life, divorcing him, making herself become hard and bitter), and Beverly Penberthy as Pat (playing so many beats of loneliness, the slow death of a functioning alcoholic, etc.), and Susan Keith as Cecile (cold and scheming but believably sweet enough to those she isn't targeting), along with the always dependable Ada. I also like her husband Charlie, who was, inexplicably, one of the many characters dumped at the end of the year.

I also have a soft spot for high-pitched worrywart Clarice, but I have a feeling she might have annoyed the hell out of people.

The Kit storyline (the world's drabbest runaway heiress) is such a dull, dull slog, made even worse by her being pursued by three men who look just alike. What a waste of Ray Liotta, who was such a hot piece at this time.

Rachel and Mac's story is very dull as well.

Oh, and there's Tracy, who is married to Russ Matthews, and her manager Jason is fixated on her. Janice Lynde plays the role with humor and spirit and world-weariness, but she's spinning her wheels. And the singing...no comment.

Edited February 19, 2014 by DRW50

[amybrickwallace]

Yeah, the Blaine/Jerry story is really good. Was this the start of changing Blaine gradually from villainess to heroine?

I like Charlie, too. The last time I saw his portrayer, Fred J. Scollay, was in a rerun of L&O where he played a judge. That was probably in the first or second season.

[DRW50]

I think it was the start, yes. Then he eventually raped her (the mobster I mean), although I don't know if that was part of the redemption (I hate rape redemption stories).

[amybrickwallace]

So do I. I think they are disgusting, demeaning and condescending.

[teplin]

AW had some great African-American actors and characters, going all the way back to Micki Grant's Peggy Nolan. Unfortunately, precious few of them were well served by the writers for any length of time. There was a major influx of AA characters in 1982, with powerhouse actors Morgan Freeman (Roy Bingham), then Oscar-nominee Howard Rollins Jr. (Ed Harding) and Michele Shay (Henrietta) joining the already-featured Petronia Paley (Quinn). To the show's credit, these actors and their stories were prominently featured. Unfortunately, the stories were just as dull as the rest of the show at that point -- though Jackee Harry's Lily, debuting in '83, was a force of nature that couldn't be denied. Freeman, Rollins and Shay were gone within two years, Harry lasted a bit longer (and she had become quite popular by the time she left). Paley's Quinn, of course, was murdered. Oh, I almost forgot Joe Morton as Abel and Leo Marsh in there –- another really strong actor whose story just fizzled.

The Lawrences, Edwards', Burrells, Marshall Kramer, Chris Madison and more came later, all played by what I thought were vibrant, appealing African-American actors, but none were given the leading story status of the '82 crowd.

[teplin]

Oh, and Carl, I don't know how many 1980 episodes you've watched, but you've perfectly pinpointed that era's few strengths and many weaknesses. There were some very good performances from Laura Malone, Beverly Penberthy and Susan Keith, but everything else was just so banal -- even the dynamic Wyndham, Watson and Liotta were stuck in snoozeworthy stories, and their performances showed it. Just an awful, awful time, especially coming so soon after LeMay's brilliance.

[teplin]

I forgot to include Robert Christian's Bob Morgan in the group that came to AW in 1982 -- unforgivable because his character was really the protagonist in that group.

I knew the actor had died of AIDS, but I didn't realized his passing came just a month after his last AW scenes aired.

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2011/11/robertchristian.html

[amybrickwallace]

Wasn't Jackee Harry doing both AW and 227 at the same time? Then, when the traveling got to be too much (AW being filmed in NYC and 227 in LA), she sunk roots down permanently on the West Coast?

The wonderful Petronia Paley is still busy acting, primarily on stage these days. Among the productions she starred in was an all African-American presentation of Death of a Salesman, playing Linda Loman to Avery Brooks' (Deep Space Nine) Willy Loman.

[DRW50]

I'm in late October 1980. They are finally building to some things - Jerry's poor, stupid mother is about to get iced (I really like the actress - I had no idea she was just in her mid 30s...). I'm watching these with my mother, which is more fun, as we can MST3K it a little, but a lot of the characters she likes are about to die, and I have to end up telling her that...

I don't know if the guy who played Jerry at this point quit or was fired, but he could have been a good junior younger leading man. I know he (Kevin Conroy) has gone on to a lot of prominent voice work.

I like Deborah Hobart as Amy Holloway. To be honest she's the only one of the Holloways I like at all, which is a shame, as I think Judith McConnell is a superb actress. I enjoy her no-strings-but-there-are-strings-anyway relationship with Jerry, her friendship with Cecile, and her feud with Blaine. I wish they'd kept her around.

Yes, she was. It's a shame they couldn't arrange it for her to pop in for Wallingford's funeral, or the 25th anniversary.

I wish they'd kept Quinn. She could have stayed around for years and years. But I've gone over that before.

[amybrickwallace]

Yes, Kevin Conroy was the voice of Batman in the animated series!! Plus, he was a pretty hot guy. According to AWHP, his final airdate was 12/26/1980. I don't know if he was fired or not, but in any case, he wasn't out of work long. By March of 1981 he was starring in the Broadway production of Lolita (http://ibdb.com/production.php?id=4102).

[Max]

It is interesting that the P&G soaps once featured black actors prominently, because the general perception is that they are the whitest of the bunch. All the time I was watching, it was only token treatment for blacks, with the exception of ATWT's Ben and Jessica.

Edited February 23, 2014 by Max