Another World

[Contessa Donatella]

Agree. 

[Khan]

Me neither.  She might not have been as visionary as Douglas Marland or Agnes Nixon, but I didn't think she was a total hack either.  I'd probably put her in the same category as Lorraine Broderick and the Cullitons.

[j swift]

Agreed, in fact, I would go as far as saying it is an 'ideas vs. execution' issue.  The concept was good, but the casting, and other issues beyond the control of the writing, were poor.

Edited March 1 by j swift

[DRW50]

That and Steve and Rachel were never seen as a supercouple by fans. The idea of him thinking he's still in love with Alice but being drawn to Rachel is compelling, but that wasn't really their history. I know Lemay said he played with a Steve/Rachel attraction more, and you could say Steve had some desire or fondness for Rachel, but she wasn't the woman who had been treated as his soulmate.

I do get that the opening was badly out of date by 1996, similar to the tour of Llanview opening in 1992. I will give JFP credit for actually using the cast in her opening, unlike that soft porn muzak opening Gottlieb brought to OLTL. However, I think the style of that opening has ended up seeming much more dated in the long run than the 87-96 version, which isn't really that far off from something of today with Instagram filters or other little tricks.

[j swift]

It is interesting how the foreshadowing of Blackhawk, and Quinn discussing her boss, was so similar to the introduction of Adam on AMC.  Prior to Adam's arrival, people in Pine Valley were intrigued about this rich guy moving to town, and Ross was hyping up his arrival.  And then it turned out that he was using an alias and had history with significant members of the community.  But, Adam stuck (for a variety of reasons) and Steve was killed off.

[Mona Kane Croft]

I too liked the casting of David Canary as Steve. But he didn't work as Steve for two reasons:  1. The writing was so bad.  And 2. Canary needed more direction on how to catch Steve's personality and essence.  For example, Canary played Steve as loud and outgoing, often with a big smile on his face, but Steve's personality had always been brooding, quiet, and borderline sad.  I would never have expected Canary to imitate George Reinholt, but Canary should have been coached on Steve's basic personality style.  In my opinion, Canary played Steve like an entirely new character.   Having said all that -- no one will ever convince me that David Canary was not capable of playing Steve Frame.  Canary had the acting skills, but he simply needed more direction and (of course) better writing.  

I will also take a risk and admit that I actually enjoyed Linda Borgeson as Alice.  This will seem like heresy to some, but I believe Borgeson's appearance and acting style was closer to Jacquie Courtney's than any of the other Alice recasts including Susan Harney.  And I believe Borgeson was certainly the best of the Alice recasts.  I am aware many fans believe she was the worst.  But again -- with better writing, and had TPTB stuck with her, I believe Borgeson would have been accepted as Alice, and Canary as Steve.

Edited March 1 by Mona Kane Croft

[j swift]

I forget more than I recall of Another World, but that image of Reinhart's shadow that dissolved into David Canary's face for his first episode will always be memorable.  I still think it was such a creative way to clue the audience about Steve's return. 

Edited March 1 by j swift

[Contessa Donatella]

Question for anyone who knows & who will reply. Is this episode up on YT? I have a collection of clips showing recast reveals & stunts & I'd like to add this one. 

[Mona Kane Croft]

Wow, I do not remember that scene at all.  Did they actually use Reinholt's photo or something?  I need to see if I can find that on youtube.  

[Xanthe]

Probably at about 38 minutes in on this episode. The scene cuts from Mac and Alice dancing holding a white rose to "Edward Black"'s silhouette as he holds a white rose.

 

 

[Contessa Donatella]

Thank you & bless you! 

[Franko]

"Because of the horrible situation that happened earlier today, we even debated about closing The Lucky Lady for tonight. But Jessica Simpson is not only a remarkable performer ..."

[j swift]

It's the nonsensical lyrics for me, dog.  If you're going to play six stanzas over and over, at least give them some meaning.

You are my way to another world (huh? Why is that a good thing?)
You are the one who lets me fly so high (ok, metaphorically, love sets her free)
You are the rain when my spirits run dry (isn't raining on a parade a bad thing?)
You give my life a hope that's real (not very self-reliant, if one needs others for any sense of hope)
'Cause when I'm with you
You take away to another world (not a better world, not a magical world, just another world)

Although no soap theme lyric will ever be worse than Guiding Light's - Everybody wants truth, everybody wants hope, everybody clings to sex like soap on a rope

[Mona Kane Croft]

Wow, the way they expanded the Cory house set was amazing.  And characters kept walking from room to room while the camera followed them. Great work, really!  The dining room had been shown previously, but never in this way, with the entire set opened up with long shots.  That's the kind of stuff Paul Rauch was very good at orchestrating. I was watching during this era, but I don't remember all that new set work.

I do find it interesting they still did not show the front door or the staircase.   Before Rauch left AW, they did begin to show the front door.  And I believe the stairs were first seen during the Alma Rudder storyline. But the stairs were there one day and gone the next, as I recall.  Was the Alma Rudder lunacy before or after Steve Frame returned? 

Edited March 2 by Mona Kane Croft

[Xanthe]

Steve returned in October 1981 and Alma showed up in June 1982. Steve died (and Rachel was blinded) in February 1983 and Alma was murdered in May 1983. So Steve was still alive and around when the torment of Blaine started.