Another World

[NothinButAttitude]

So what natural disaster do you all feel would've worked best? What characters should've been killed off to reset the show?

[watson71]

I would have played out a Towering Inferno scenario trying to keep the storylines from 1998 in tact:

In Fall 1998, Frame Harding architect Roy Bingham (now played by John Amos) returns to Bay City for the dedication of the Lumina Foundation Tower which he designed for owner "Jordan Stark-" whose face has yet to be seen. At 100 stories, it is Bay City's tallest building. Shortly after Bingham's return, an electrical short starts an undetected fire on the 64th floor while Bingham accuses the building's electrical engineer, Zak Wilder, of cutting corners. Stark insists the building is up to current safety standards.

Besides returning for the dedication, Bingham has personal business in Bay City. Bingham has received information from Etta Mae Burrell that his son by Irene Montgomery (played in flashbacks by Petronia Paley) named Tyrone is currently residing in Bay City.

During the high-profile dedication ceremony and costume party, public relations chief Margaret Allen orders all the tower's lights to be turned on to impress the attending guests and dignitaries. The lighting overloads the electrical system and Bingham orders it shut off. Smoke is seen on the 64th floor and the Bay City Fire Department is summoned to the Lumina Tower. Two new BCFD recruits, Cameron Sinclair and Sergei Radzinsky, are part of the first fire unit to arrive on the scene.

Bingham and Margaret Allen go to the 64th floor but fail to prevent a security guard opening a door, leading to a flash fire which burns Allen, whose injuries later prove fatal. Meanwhile hundreds of guests are at a celebration dinner upstairs on the top floor which is a promenade room awaiting the arrival of the mysterious "Jordan Stark". Wilder admits to Bingham that he cut corners to stay under budget.

Bingham reports the fire to a dismissive Stark (wearing a masked costume), who refuses to order an evacuation. The fire department quickly arrives to tackle the blaze, which quickly escalates to a multiple alam fire. BCPD Police Chief Joe Carlino forces Bingham to evacuate the party guests in the Promenade Room on the top floor, directing them to express elevators. Party guests Josie Sinclair, Amanda Cory, Gary Sinclair, and his brother, BCFD recruit Cameron, are stuck on an elevator when Josie goes into labor- hiding the fact that the baby she is about to deliver is Cameron's child not Gary's.

At the party, a sentimental Felicia Gallant falls off the wagon thinking about her past loves Zane, Lucas, and John and best pal Wallingford. She rushes off to her suite in the Lumina Tower only to pass out and to later be rescued by BCFD recruit Sergei Radzinsky.

By this point, the electrical wiring is causing fires to break out all over the Lumina Tower while a full-scale evacuation is underway. Bingham, aided by Bay City Mayor Grant Harrison, directs the elevator evacuation from the Promenade Room until the fire spreads and renders the express elevators unsafe. Not heeding Bingham's directions, one last group takes an elevator to the ground, but are killed when it stops on the fire's floor. The fire traps Vicky McKinnon and her mentally unbalanced sister, Marley Love, in a suite where Marley blames Vicky for her facial disfigurement in a hospital fire earlier that year. Vicky's husband, Jake McKinnon, frantically searches for Vicky. Jake is forced to rescue both battling sisters.

Chief Carlino and Radzinsky rescue Felicia from her suite; however, they are halted by a collapsed stairwell. They must make a perilous climb down the collapsed stairs but fire forces them up to the Promenade Room. With fire suppression efforts rapidly becoming ineffective, the building loses all electrical power.

Meanwhile, Rachel Hutchins has disappeared from the Promenade Room, only to find herself looking for the mysterious "Jordan Stark." When she is confronted by Stark, she rips off his mask and is startled to find that Stark is really Steve Frame (George Reinholt). He explains that he his helicopter never crashed in Australia. He was placed in a witness protection program because of his business dealings with Carl Hutchins. Hutchins had sent "Edward Black/Steve Frame" (David Canary) to Bay City to infiltrate the Cory Family and dig up dirt on Mac Cory. Steve informs Rachel that her current husband, Carl, caused the car accident that killed Edward Black and blinded her.

A rooftop rescue begins, but it results in disaster as guests rush the helicopter, causing it to crash amongst high winds, setting the roof ablaze and rendering further rooftop rescues impossible. Naval rescue teams attach a breeches buoy to the adjacent Cory Publishing Building and rescue a number of guests. The BCFD along with Bingham rigs a gravity brake on the external scenic elevator allowing people, including the mayor's wife, Cindy Harrison, and other guests one trip down to street level. An explosion leaves the elevator cab hanging by a single cable at the 80th floor, where Cindy falls to her death after a glass panel breaks off in the explosion. A helicopter with a winch and some cable saves the rest of the passengers in the elevator.

Wilder arrogantly tells Carlino that he and the others will use the breeches buoy next, and Carlino punches him. As fire reaches the Promenade Room and Wilder forces his way onto the buoy, leading to a struggle with Carlino. Both are killed by an explosion as the breeches buoy comes undone.

Bingham comes up with a plan to explode the million-gallon water tanks atop the Lumina Tower in an effort to extinguish the fire. Knowing it could result in his death, Bingham sets C-4 on the six water tanks on the roof. He returns to the Promenade Room, where the remaining guests tie themselves to heavy objects. Many party-goers survive as thousands of gallons of water rush through the building, eventually extinguishing the flames. Some, including Josie's baby, perish.

On the ground, the citizens of Bay City try to regroup themselves for they learn once again that they do not live in this world alone, but in a thousand other worlds as mystery surrounds the return of Steve Frame, heartbreak surrounds Josie and her one night stand with Cameron, choices surround Jake as he must decide between two sisters, romance surrounds Felicia as Sergei helps her rebuild her life, survival surrounds Paulina after Joe's death, and shock surrounds Grant as Cindy will still haunt him from the great beyond.

[NothinButAttitude]

^

I loved reading your story suggestion. I just wish that Cindy would've lived and Sergei would've died. I couldn't stand him with Felicia in the final months of AW. I did enjoy reading that Joe was killed. Just wish that Paulina would've ended back up with Jake.

I loved too how you somewhat centered the Burrells and Tyrone in the center of the saga too.

This is a story I would've loved.

[Melroser]

Probably the only realistic natural disaster for Michigan would be a blizzard so I like the idea of a major fire instead. I'd set it a little different though:

I'd have Rachel gather her whole family at the Cory Mansion for a surprise event. Everyone would be there: Amanda and Cameron, Matthew, Paulina and Joe, invite Vicky and Jake because of Steven, as well as Felicia and Sergi, Cass and Lila (because of Matthew's son). After they've all arrived and are anticipating what the surprise could be Rachel makes an announcement that she is remarrying/renewing her vows to Carl and out walks Carl. The family is divided on whether to support this or not so there is bickering among each other for a bit.

Those gathered separate into other parts of the mansion i.e. Rachel goes upstairs with Amanda, Paulina, Felicia to change into a wedding dress and get ready. Carl and Jake can be arguing about something in another room. Vicky could be in the library or something with Cass and Lila and so on. Then the camera shows someone intentionally setting a fire in the mansion with the intention of stopping the wedding only it gets out of control before anyone realizes there even is a fire. Different groups of people are separated around the mansion and Amanda could be with Joe and have flashbacks of being at Grant's when she was in that fire. Paulina could have flashbacks of the fire she had while passed out on pills and alcohol causing both of them to panic. Jake would be worried about both Vicky and Paulina somewhere else in the house as Rachel worries about Carl, Cass worries about Felicia. They could add in a flashback here and there to show their love/friendships for each other.

As word spreads around town through the media others talk about the Cory family and hope everyone is alright.

I'd probably kill off Joe doing something heroic to protect Amanda leaving her to feel guilty and cause strife between her and Paulina. I'd have Cass injured in the hospital for a while where they aren't sure if he will make it or not (which he would) but Lila and Vicky would be constantly checking in on him as they had been trapped together. This would cause a mini-truce for the two women for a bit (but not long) .I never liked Sergi either so he could be another casualty which Felicia could feel guilty about bringing him, along with Cass' injury, causes her to relapse and drink again.

This could be spread out for an entire sweeps month if done right by the time the fire is stopped, people are pulled from the rubble, and we find out if everyone survives at the hospital.

[watson71]

A fire in the Cory mansion is a good idea as well.

Anyone remember during May 1987 Rachel gave Mac a birthday party at the Cory mansion, and everyone in Bay City was at the party. The lights went out during a thunderstorm, and the Sin Stalker was in the mansion and trying to kill characters.

I wish this episode would show up on YouTube.

[Melroser]

I forgot to add that I would have it turn out that it was Amanda that had set the fire as she has always had her issues with Carl and after her mother wouldn't listen to her pleas of not marrying the man she wanted to stop the wedding. With the deaths of Joe and Sergi, the injuries to Cass and others, this would put Amanda on the outs with her family, Felicia, Cass as they all turn on her. I'd love to have seen Amanda become a total vixen type character while Cameron stood by her side.

It would be a way to mix things up.

Just thinking about these characters again makes me so sad. I wish this show was still playing out so badly!

Edited June 6, 2015 by Melroser

[TimWil]

Wouldn't it be great if Netflix financed a limited run, say 100 episodes, of AW and ATWT combined? I know it's been brought up before. What was our title for it...As Another World Turns?

[NothinButAttitude]

I'm stingy so I wouldn't want the two shows to mesh together. I'd rather them be two separate thirty minute shows anyways. Crossovers welcomed but I don't know if I'd want them together.

[Melroser]

I'm still p*ssed at ATWT for killing off Jake and Vicky. I always loved them on AW and in my mind they are still in Bay City. Maybe not "happily ever after" but at least there.

I'd like Netflix to do a "next generation" type thing with AW. Ali Fowler, Steven Frame, Dante Carlino, Matthew and Lila's child (I forgot the name). They would be the next in line from the Cory's and could be quarreling over at Cory Publishing. Wouldn't have to have a lot of characters or sets if it were kept primarily at Cory Publishing. I'd throw in Steven's brother, Kirkland, as well.

There then could be "appearances" by former AW-ers like Sandi Ferguson, Matthew Crane, Judi Evans, Lisa Peluso, etc without them having to commit and as non-regulars could keep costs down.

[amybrickwallace]

Jasmine Cory - that's the name of Lila's daughter with Matt.

[Melroser]

Oh yeah...thanks!

[amybrickwallace]

Sure - she was the one born in the elevator at the Lumina Ball.

[watson71]

After re-watching the Alma Rudder episode from May 1983, I have a question that someone may be able to answer- Does anyone have any idea why AW was the only P & G soap at the time not giving an on-air credit to TPTB at P & G? There is no supervising producer / executive in charge of production (Edward Trach) as of this episode. All the other P & G shows had the supervising producer / executive in charge of production credit as far back as the 70s. Any idea why AW was the lone holdout and when did AW start including them in the credits? It seems odd that a large corporation like P & G would not make these on-air credits mandatory for TPTB.

[amybrickwallace]

That's weird - I didn't even notice!!

[teplin]

Charles Keating's photo was flashed on screen during last night's "In Memoriam" segment of the Tony Awards. Unfortunately, it was just after the director switched to a camera angle that made the screen very difficult to see.