Another World Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

Marley. Vicky, Vicky. Marley. Marley, Vicky.

[j swift]

not so fast, there's one incorrect answer

[AbcNbc247]

Is number 4 really Marley? 

[j swift]

I tried to do Abel and Leo, but there aren't enough thumbnails.  Cass versus Rex would've been given away by the air dates.  And, Justine versus Rachel is way too obvious.

[Contessa Donatella]

Hmm, so do we know why they changed it? His name is Krystal (with a K) 

[Xanthe]

I think Cass was impulsively putting a more glamorous flair on the name and persona. I can't remember whether he made a direct association with Krystle Carrington of Dynasty fame, but I know the K made me think of her (although of course Krystal Lake did not style herself like Linda Evans). The difference in spelling might also have served to try to make it less obvious that the name was copied from a nearby town.

[Xanthe]

Somehow this reminded me that when Kathleen first arrived, Cass was paying her to show up places in a blonde wig and pretend to be Cecile in order to draw out someone who might know something that would help him find Cecile again. Of course Julie Osburn is perceptibly taller than Nancy Frangione so other than the blonde wig I'm not sure how realistic the impersonation was supposed to be.

Please register in order to view this content

 

 

[Contessa Donatella]

Great theories! Here's one more. It might have been that a writer liked the sound of saying Krystal with a K. Was Sam Radcliffe writing at this point? I know he is credited with some of the comedic stuff and it was him & Gary Tomlin together who created Carolyn the gorilla. So I am wondering if he dubbed Cass's drag persona thus.

[Sapounopera]

At least soaps were still trying to keep up with the times. It is an upgrade from the two previous openings. Of course I would never have changed the late 70s intro and music. So classy and sophisticated. The other day I was watching the 1981 episode that was posted a few days ago and the 1981 intro felt so out of place with the elegant vibe of the show. 

[Xanthe]

I wish that when they had done the 1987 update they had tried to integrate the rainbow circle of interlocking rings and that typeface. I really didn't care for that torn paper effect in the cursive Another World. The thing I didn't mind about the later versions of that opening was how strongly the colours popped in the little vignettes and that most of the clips were from scenes within the show rather than staged poses. I did enjoy being reminded of John and Sharlene in the barn, for example.

[Contessa Donatella]

Specifically I love that pic of John & Sharlene in the barn. And, I see it & other images from that opening used as highlights in many posts about the show. 

[NothinButAttitude]

Maybe it is just me but I feel like Another World is one of the few soaps where I enjoyed all their intros. The only other ones that fit into that category are Y&R, Love of Life, Edge of Night, and Search for Tomorrow (yes, I know many people hated that 80s Billy Chinnock song, "Somewhere in the Night," but I liked it). 

[j swift]

I had completely forgotten that Wallingford was initially introduced during the Royal Dunning saga as an informant for Cecile. The David Thatcher/Royal Dunning storyline feels like it's underappreciated to me. It's my favorite kind of soap mystery because the focus wasn't just on finding the solution, but on the romance and intrigue of those attempting to unravel the puzzle. The entire town got swept into it, and it propelled other storylines forward by unveiling secrets like Donna's hidden past of giving birth to twins.

They really softened Wallingford's character, transitioning him from a mysterious figure to an endearing buddy. It's amusing how soap operas of that era often portrayed certain characters as asexual, even though they were clearly gay coded. I mean, Wallingford, essentially a window dresser who idolized Felicia, the town's most flamboyant drag queen, was never portrayed as seeking intimacy or bemoaning the absence of a partner.

A final reflection for now: I don't have any specific gripes with Ms. Phelps's direction for the show. However, when Donna and Felicia started donning gray Armani suits, it seemed to mark the end of a distinct era. Generally speaking, I believe that when soap operas moved away from showcasing aspirational wealth and stories about class disparities, they also stripped away some of the fantasy elements of the show. By disregarding the realities of social mobility and allowing characters of all statuses to mix freely, we began to lose the larger-than-life divas and charming elites that made life in a soap town so captivating. I mean, once Cass Winthrop felt compelled to pursue a “real job” as an attorney, it was evident he'd never embody the delightful scoundrel he once was.

Edited March 6, 2024 by j swift

[Xanthe]

That isn't strictly true -- I had refreshed my memory about some of these details when we discussed how Harding Lemay might or might not have written for Wally if Brent Collins had still been alive. Wallingford was always a supporting player but he definitely had more hints of romance in his life than, say, Bridget.

He had been engaged to a woman in the past but never married.

He dated a woman called Jeannie at one point. I am not sure whether it is Jeannie who came to Wallingford's memorial in Tops (at about 33 minutes in):

Please register in order to view this content

 

 

In early 1985 when Zane came on the scene, Wallingford started to gear up to approach Felicia romantically but silently backed off when he realized that she was romantically interested in Zane.

 

[Xanthe]

Here's a creepy thing I had forgotten about the Sin Stalker: Dr Glaser had apparently been obsessed with Lisa for years because her mother had been one of his patients and most of what they talked about in therapy was Lisa's virginity for some reason. So Dr Glaser had been patiently waiting for Lisa and somehow ensured that she would move to Bay City to be with her aunt in 1987 so that he could marry her as soon as he had murdered enough filthy sluts to be worthy of her. And probably he had also killed Lisa's parents.

https://youtu.be/bAAA7t2PRno?si=5rna4EMMl6O1VSem