19 hours ago, Xanthe said:

That's peculiar to me because one of the things that I liked about Cali's Paulina was that even when Jake was blackmailing her she wasn't submissive. She wasn't afraid to tell him off and she worked to keep control and improve her position as much as possible. And of course she did shoot him. But if she was unhappy backstage and the producers were unable or unwilling to make her happy then I guess it was the best thing for Cali to leave.  

But I think Cali could see where this storyline was heading - that Paulina and Jake would eventually fall in love and be a couple (which is what happened when Judi Evans took over) - Probably in Cali's mind, falling in love with your abuser (someone you shot!) is being a victim with no self-esteem. It is like an abused wife, who keeps coming back for more abuse. 

1 hour ago, TheyStartedOnSoaps said:

But I think Cali could see where this storyline was heading - that Paulina and Jake would eventually fall in love and be a couple (which is what happened when Judi Evans took over) - Probably in Cali's mind, falling in love with your abuser (someone you shot!) is being a victim with no self-esteem. It is like an abused wife, who keeps coming back for more abuse. 

I was always Team Jake & Paulina. Also was Team Vicky & Ryan. Never Joe & Paulina. 

Tom Eplin wore out his welcome for me long before he got shot so I would have killed him off.   I also have never been a fan of the rapist as romantic lead. Both of my 2PM soaps fell victim to that b.s. and ruined the shows for me. I think way too much time and effort was spent on Jake to diminishing results throughout the years.  I am probably in the minority in that, but that's ok.

As for Cali Timmins, I think the show lost a wonderful performer. I don't think Judi Evans was a good replacement. She would have been a better Nancy.

On 7/7/2025 at 6:55 PM, Tisy-Lish said:

The Cory Publishing anniversary episodes were taping less than week after Watson died.  And it was more an event, less a storyline (similar to ATWT 30th anniversary week in 1986).  Of course there would have been a huge focus on Douglass Watson.  But I've never believed the 25th anniversary week was the "big storyline" Swajeski had planned for Mac.  Especially after I read the interview I mentioned in an earlier post.   

And regarding the mention on AWHP that indicates Cory Publishing began in 1964 -- that information is retcon to go along with what was said on the show at the time of the 25th anniversary week.  Eddie makes clear that whenever there is a lack of continuity with historical facts, he always leans toward the most recent revision, not the historical.  And I can understand why he does that.   

But when Mac moved his company headquarters from NYC to Bay City in 1975 (Lemay's Cory origin story), Mac talked frequently about how he had inherited Cory Publishing from his father, and even implied it was started by an even earlier generation of Corys. Mac was not a self-made man. The Cory's had been old-money New Yorkers. So the idea that Cory Publishing was literally started in 1964 is rather silly.  For example, Iris would have been an adult with a young son in 1964. And how old would Mac have been in 1964?  At least mid-40s, I'd suggest.   

Not attempting to argue here.  Just pointing out some issues with continuity regarding Cory Publishing 25th anniversary taking place in 1989.  To a detail-oriented person, it just doesn't add-up.   Or course, we are all free to believe whatever we wish.    

But since when has a soap ever been paying attention to details such as dates, births, even names of family members that suddenly change?  We see some characters in kindergarten and then two years later they are walking up the isle getting married.  Yeah, I thought about it myself that it should have been said the Cory Publishing was an older company but it was clearly to focus on the show's 25th anniversary.  We see history lost on these shows all the time and us fans are the ones who notice the mishaps.  I don't think the show really pondered on the thought that Cory Publishing should be older than 25 years.  They just wanted to focus on the anniversary and recap the past and why focus on a company that is maybe 50 years old if they wanted to emphasize on the 25th anniversary of the show. 

27 minutes ago, denzo30 said:

But since when has a soap ever been paying attention to details such as dates, births, even names of family members that suddenly change?  We see some characters in kindergarten and then two years later they are walking up the isle getting married.  Yeah, I thought about it myself that it should have been said the Cory Publishing was an older company but it was clearly to focus on the show's 25th anniversary.  We see history lost on these shows all the time and us fans are the ones who notice the mishaps.  I don't think the show really pondered on the thought that Cory Publishing should be older than 25 years.  They just wanted to focus on the anniversary and recap the past and why focus on a company that is maybe 50 years old if they wanted to emphasize on the 25th anniversary of the show. 

As I said, everyone is free to believe whatever they choose to believe.  But it seems to me, you are just making excuses for bad writing. Why in the world would anyone do that?   And please don't  tell me, "it's just a soap."  Many many soap operas have had superb writing, and writing that respected the history of the show(s).   

 

AW fans have discussed similarities between characters written by Agnes Nixon on Another World, and somewhat similar characters she created for All My Children.  Some long-term AW fans have suggested that AMC's Phoebe Tyler was an exaggerated version of Audra Lindley's interpretation of Liz Matthews.  

Well, I learned something interesting today.  Phoebe Tyler's first husband was named Matthews.  So Phoebe's name was Phoebe English Matthews Tyler Wallingford.  Isn't that a strange choice for Nixon to make, especially with all the fan comparisons between Liz and Phoebe?  In a BIZARRO world, it would almost be like Liz moving to Pine Valley and marrying Charles Tyler, then becoming an alcoholic and...      

I'm not suggesting any of this is literal.  But after being such a successful head-writer on Another World, I doubt it was a coincidence that (just a few years later) Agnes Nixon used the name Matthews for a major character on AMC.  

Makes me wonder if Nixon ever pursued Audra Lindley to play Phoebe.  Hmm.   

Edited July 13Jul 13 by Tisy-Lish

2 minutes ago, Tisy-Lish said:

AW fans have discussed similarities between characters written by Agnes Nixon on Another World, and somewhat similar characters she created for All My Children.  Some long-term AW fans have suggested that AMC's Phoebe Tyler was an exaggerated version of Audra Lindley's interpretation of Liz Matthews.  

Well, I learned something interesting today.  Phoebe Tyler's first husband was named Matthews.  So Phoebe's name was Phoebe English Matthews Tyler Wallingford.  Isn't that a strange choice for Nixon to make, especially with all the fan comparisons between Liz and Phoebe?  In a BIZARRO world, it almost would be like Liz moving to Pine Valley and marrying Charles Tyler, then becoming an alcoholic and...      

I'm not suggesting any of this is literal.  But after being such a successful head-writer on Another World, I doubt it was a coincidence that (just a few years later) Agnes Nixon used the name Matthews on AMC.  

Okay, so I'm not sure I know the chronology but she is said to have written the bible for AMC at one point & to have shown it to someone at either P&G or NBC,  but I think NBC. And, then, she 'put it in a drawer' and time passed & only later, did she take it out & give it another try. IIRC from her book she even says that her husband Bob urged her to take it out & give it another shot.

Was Phoebe an original character? I'm thinking that she was. 

 

2 hours ago, Tisy-Lish said:

AW fans have discussed similarities between characters written by Agnes Nixon on Another World, and somewhat similar characters she created for All My Children.  Some long-term AW fans have suggested that AMC's Phoebe Tyler was an exaggerated version of Audra Lindley's interpretation of Liz Matthews.  

Well, I learned something interesting today.  Phoebe Tyler's first husband was named Matthews.  So Phoebe's name was Phoebe English Matthews Tyler Wallingford.  Isn't that a strange choice for Nixon to make, especially with all the fan comparisons between Liz and Phoebe?  In a BIZARRO world, it would almost be like Liz moving to Pine Valley and marrying Charles Tyler, then becoming an alcoholic and...      

I'm not suggesting any of this is literal.  But after being such a successful head-writer on Another World, I doubt it was a coincidence that (just a few years later) Agnes Nixon used the name Matthews for a major character on AMC.  

Makes me wonder if Nixon ever pursued Audra Lindley to play Phoebe.  Hmm.   

As I said, I'm not suggesting any of this is literal.  And definitely not saying that Nixon based Phoebe on Liz.  But on the other hand, since the AMC bible was written before Nixon wrote for Another World, certainly Agnes learned a lot from her time writing for AW.  So it would make sense that her time at AW had some influence on what finally became AMC on ABC Daytime. And especially her experience writing for actors like Robin Strasser, Audra Lindley, Connie Ford, Judith Barcroft, Michael Ryan, etc.  I'm confident Nixon took much of what she learned from her success at AW, and transferred that wisdom to old/new creation, All My Children.   

Phoebe's last name was Matthews in 1987 when she married Wade after being married to Charles and Langley, not before.

Thanks for that information. I'll assume you are correct.  Another site suggested Phoebe's first husband was named Matthews.  Now I'm wondering if both could be true.  Was Nixon head-writer in 1987?  

Edited July 14Jul 14 by Tisy-Lish

23 minutes ago, Tisy-Lish said:

Thanks for that information. I'll assume you are correct.  Another site suggested Phoebe's first husband was named Matthews.  Now I'm wondering if both could be true.  Was Nixon head-writer in 1987?  

I was always under the impression that Charles was Phoebe's first husband. As Slick said, she was married to the much younger Wade Matthews in the 80s. I think Wisner Washam and Lorraine Broderick were head writers at that time.

10 hours ago, Tisy-Lish said:

Thanks for that information. I'll assume you are correct.  Another site suggested Phoebe's first husband was named Matthews.  Now I'm wondering if both could be true.  Was Nixon head-writer in 1987?  

I don't think we should read too much into the use and reuse of a plain English-sounding name like Matthews. On the Another World side, Lemay made several disparaging remarks about the lack of ethnic diversity in Bay City. We have talked a little bit in this forum about how he wasn't allowed to explicitly identify Sylvie as Jewish. He also mentions that he wanted Elena de Poulignac's maiden name to be Strauss but a producer changed it to Carter. 

I've been faithfully rewatching the 1990 episodes, and I had the exact same reaction now that I had then.

I'm engrossed by the Sharlene/Grant/Taylor/John stuff. I want Sharlene and Grant to get together. Holbrook and Rambo have so much chemistry but I know how that turns out and it saddens me. Alexandra Wilson's Josie is a pain in the backside. Never  liked her and still don't.  Christine Andreas was such a find and while I like nutso Taylor, I wish they could have kept Taylor on as a normal character. I did like when she terrorized Sharlene though. 

Thomas Gibson and Daniel Markel were terrible Sams. For all of his faults, RKK was the right for the role of Sam. They should have just written off the character when he left. Markel is a disaster and he's bringing down Hossack who deserves better.

Still can't stand Tom Eplin's Jake. The Jake stuff would be fine if he actually ended up being killed. Since he won't be, I'm even more annoyed he eats up so much time. Carmen Duncan is electric as Iris. My word she takes over every scene she's in. Can't take my eyes off her. Cali Timmins is my Paulina. 

Anne Heche and Anna Holbrook are carrying this show and they both deserved Emmies for their work. Heche at least got hers.

12 minutes ago, chrisml said:

I've been faithfully rewatching the 1990 episodes, and I had the exact same reaction now that I had then.

I'm engrossed by the Sharlene/Grant/Taylor/John stuff. I want Sharlene and Grant to get together. Holbrook and Rambo have so much chemistry but I know how that turns out and it saddens me. Alexandra Wilson's Josie is a pain in the backside. Never  liked her and still don't.  Christine Andreas was such a find and while I like nutso Taylor, I wish they could have kept Taylor on as a normal character. I did like when she terrorized Sharlene though. 

Thomas Gibson and Daniel Markel were terrible Sams. For all of his faults, RKK was the right for the role of Sam. They should have just written off the character when he left. Markel is a disaster and he's bringing down Hossack who deserves better.

Still can't stand Tom Eplin's Jake. The Jake stuff would be fine if he actually ended up being killed. Since he won't be, I'm even more annoyed he eats up so much time. Carmen Duncan is electric as Iris. My word she takes over every scene she's in. Can't take my eyes off her. Cali Timmins is my Paulina. 

Anne Heche and Anna Holbrook are carrying this show and they both deserved Emmies for their work. Heche at least got hers.

Holbrook got an Emmy later.