Another World Discussion Thread

[Paul Raven]

[DRW50]

Nice photo.

In the long run Alicia Coppola made the right decision leaving AW, but I just love her work as Lorna. She was just so dynamic. I miss this on soaps. It's long gone.

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[Paul Raven]

AW gave Felicia a niece,adopted daughter and long lost daughter and none of them lasted the distance,,,

Variety reported in 1980

Daytime soap "Another World" brings about $160,000 per broadcast into the network clear profit coffers. That averages out to about $48,-000,000 a year, and is a major part of NBC's whopping total daytime profits of $90,000,000 for 1979.

That is some serious money and AW was a low rated show.Imagine how much ABC was making at the time.

When did it change?

What were the factors that saw the soaps go from being a cash cow to financial drain?

[denzo30]

HA? that caption is rachel with steve frame. Willis?

[Aback]

I've watched several episodes online over the years. There was a time in 2008 P&G posted entire years of its soaps on YT. I loved it.

There is just something about AW that I really love. I can't put my finger on it.

My question is: what do you think is its identity? What made it different from the other soaps?

[Melroser]

AW is my fave daytime show of all-time. I still miss it to this day and often watch clips or whole eps on Youtube just to feel "comforted".like a long-lost blankey.

I always thought AW was different because it focused on relationships and rarely did the over-the-top plots like other shows: such as an Ice Princess story or Devil possession. (Granted the Lumina story at the end was an exception). Even when AW did their big stories it was grounded with how it really affected characters: Felicia's alcoholism, Frankie's death, Ryan's death. The location shoots back in the day like the Arizona desert with Carl kidnapping Marley, Majorca with Sally/Catlin, and Cecile kidnapping Cass to St. Thomas were focused on couples and relationships as much as plot.

My opinion of course.

[NothinButAttitude]

I think what separated Another World from many other soaps was that it was rooted in normalcy. As aforementioned, they rarely had sensationalized, over-the-top stories. If they did, they typically didn't translate well on this show like they did on other soaps. To me, Another World also had a strong cast, which translated well on TV and their characters relationships. As we were saying in the status area of SON, the bonds on AW were stronger and more important than anything. Furthermore, this show just felt like home. Even when they got ritzy, the show still felt like home--not to farfetched; I could've been part of this community, I could've known these people.

Edited May 25, 2013 by Nothin'ButAttitude

[Aback]

Thanks guys. I get it. That's the reason I warmed up to the show so easily. Reality and terrific cast. Sense of community.

I have another question. What do you think separated AW from GL and ATWT? Being grounded in reality seems a requirement for all P&G soaps.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I know a lot of people (particularly ABC soaps fans) claim that the P&G soaps were formulaic, but honestly, I enjoyed them for different reasons.

Simply put, GL was more of a community soap to me, ATWT was more of a family-oriented soap, and AW I think was best at stringing together characters that would be peripheral to other soaps and making them a foundation for the show that in the end really wasn't about core families, but became more and more about friendships and loose ties.

Edited May 25, 2013 by Y&RWorldTurner

[DRW50]

The P&G soaps were actually very different in tone and format. It's only the people who didn't watch them who would feel otherwise.

I mostly loved and love AW for the amazing acting (best-acted soap ever, to me) and for the strong ties of friendship. I don't think any other soap managed to show just how important and long-lasting friendships can be. AW also had a ton of "good" characters who could be very, very harsh, mean, selfish, and unforgiving. Just like real life. There were few saints on AW.

[Melroser]

Most of AW's female characters could never have been considered all "good" because most of them started out as bad girls: Rachel, Felicia, Vicky, Paulina, Lila, etc.

Every one of these ladies were schemers and "bad girls" in the beginning that later mellowed and became heroines over time. That in itself is more true to real life. People change over time whether it's because of particular personal experiences or just with age and wisdom (we hope wisdom )

Even some of the "good guys", like Jake and Cass, weren't saints in the beginning either.

[denzo30]

I could not disagree more but partially. I understand what you are saying. AW was the absolute best soap during the 70's. character driven and Harding Lemay made it sustainable. Sorry, from 1981-1989 it was horrible and it did all those stupid stories as stated above like possesed people and unreal tactics. The writers and producers were TERRIBLE. in 1988 it calmed down again and became more of a show about the characters and families but I guess it could not hold on to an audience about the core families and about 1991it became stupid again. I really did not watch and keep up with it but I remember some guy with a missing eye and it revolved around a typical days of our lives type story. IN reality, AW was kind of boring but I loved it only for the characters. I watched GH because of intrigue and mystery. AW to me was about Harding Lemays view on the characters. Not really a plot driven show and maybe why it could not invite new people in

[Khan]

One word: Wallingford. No way would that adorable man have belonged on GUIDING LIGHT, AS THE WORLD TURNS, or SEARCH FOR TOMORROW. (Yes, Brent Collins, who portrayed Wallingford, also played Mr. Big on WT. But think about it: on WT, his was the role of eccentric super-villain in an action-adventure tale that, despite its many charms, made about as much sense being on there as cloning and time-travel did on GL. On AW, though, Wallingford was a key member of the "family" that also included Cass, Cecile, and Felicia. He was diminutive, but he also was beloved and treated as part of Bay City society. And therein lies my point.)

[DRW50]

I think that friendship group became the heart of the show, especially as AW rarely introduced successful new core families in its last twenty years on the air.

[NothinButAttitude]

Khan, CarlD2, and any other long time viewer too:

Seeing as you two watched the show longer than I did, and you guys brought up the friendship of Wallingford/Cecile/Cass/Felicia--how did you guys feel about Cecile's return the last time in '96 (I think)? Do you think that they did the character justice or do more harm than good? B/c I've been reading/hearing people express their opinion on this in the past and it's a polarizing topic. Some people were fine with her return while others felt that it was OOC for Cecile, and didn't care for the entire Cecile/Maggie trust fund saga.

Edited May 26, 2013 by Nothin'ButAttitude