Another World

[Melroser]

Joanna Going is a very talented actress, but I never enjoyed her as Lisa. I'm sure it was more the writing. The on and off psychic gimmick didn't do her any favors and then I thought they intentionally wrote her as being weaker than Vicky. I was always team Vicky, but that's because I love Anne Heche so much! By the time Lisa left the show, I was ready for it. For some reason I just remember the Lisa/Jamie/Vicky triangle lasting way too long. 

(of course in comparison to Taylor/Ridge/Brooke, I guess it wasn't thaaaat long. lol)

[Maxim]

Another World - January 10th 1989

Will the princess wake up?

So, this episode was about 2 things.

1. We had Vicky in the hospital and pretty much the entire town running around like she and her unborn are in grave danger. We had multiple scenes in which characters realized how... Vicky may be a rotten human being, but we LOVE HER. We'll miss her if she dies. LOL. Even Rachel finally accepted her, or at least appeared to accept her.  But we all know Rachel... 

The witnesses to this whole circus were Felicia and Lisa (who felt guilt about the situation). Donna was attention seeking and trying to make the medical emergency about herself as usual, while Michael was focused on finding more news about his daughter's condition. The only thing Donna could ask was "Will the baby be alright" while in contrast Michael asked "Will Victoria be alright"? Donna was looking at Lisa's direction with the usual contempt. 

Couple of sentimental music collages later, Jamie realized he loves Vicky. We, the viewers did not believe it, and neither does Jamie. 

2. The Pilara/Reuben duo got a chance of redemption sort of. For some reason Cass believes he has a good heart, so why not invite him to Nicole's place and leave him alone with everything. What can go wrong? Well, it seemed that for the time being, Reuben is acting like a changed man. Pilara came to visit Reuben and saw herself in one of Nicole's dresses. They didn't steal anything this time. 

Overall - 7/10

Best moment - Nicole-the skeptic vs Cass-the good guy... A dynamic so known to me in my personal life. I am the Nicole-skeptic-type...  always suspicious of everything. And don't like extending a helping hand to undeserving people. Especially people who lie and steal. 

Please register in order to view this content

 

 

 

Edited January 12 by Maxim

[Contessa Donatella]

I think it just seemed like it because they kinda stacked the deck in favor of Vicky. But, you can hardly blame them. The whole world fell in love with Anne Heche.

[chrisml]

It's also hard to enjoy someone who's a perpetual victim and Lisa's backstory was so icky and a majority of her storylines were about her being a victim. When she was strong and stood up for herself, Going was so interesting. Those moments didn't happen too often.

[Maxim]

The episodes with Lisa from 1987, written by MDP were horrible. She was acting like a small child... Like... really really infantile. Going around room to room dressed in princess dresses and tiaras... looking sad and writing in a diary. It was shocking to me, because I did not expect to see Another World written so... melodramatically and over the top. Some people love these kinds of things, but I don't.

Cue Harding Lemay and Donna S... and by late 1988 and early 1989 Lisa appears she has grown 15 yeas in... a year. What a difference a good writer makes! As you said... the scenes where she is strong... are really good. But as @Contessa Donatella said... "The world fell in love with Anne Heche" and Lisa pales in comparison in pretty much every scene. Anne Heche steals the scene every time. Morally I am on Lisa's side, but... I still look forward to see Victoria - more.  

[DRW50]

I think if Joanna Going had stayed, the writing would have been more balanced. Vicky tends to scrap with a number of women and the writing is generous toward them, even when the actresses aren't the strongest. The issue here is not only was Joanna Going...going, but there was so much more story in a baby between Vicky and Jamie as well as Vicky sleeping with her sister's husband. 

If the writing had been better and Jamie had been cast more strongly in these years, I think there was so much more with Vicky and Jamie as a couple that they could have done. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Margaret DePriest imo was a very limited writer. People today talk about GH's Chris Van Etten & how he writes the same thing over & over. Well, that was exactly what MDP did & she did it the same at several shows. I do not understand why she was hired time & again. At AW in a very vulnerable time she wrote not one, but two separate serial killers!! Her imagination was impoverished. The only time she was at all different was if she was paired with a stronger writer.

[robbwolff]

In all fairness to DePriest, from my read of the information on the Another World Home Page, she inherited one of the 1996 serial killer storylines from Craig Carlson and Tom King. Carlson and King penned the hospital serial killer story, which wrapped in March 1996. In April, they started the next serial killer storyline with the murder of Blair Baker. DePriest didn't arrive until May. Personally, I felt that DePriest's stint as head writer of The Doctors in 1976 was quite good. NBC must have seen value in DePriest as the network toyed with green-lighting her own soap sometime around 1983 or so. Variety had reported on the possible DePriest-created soap, which was titled Deadline (its setting was a newspaper).

[Contessa Donatella]

Thanks for that clarification & perspective. Still she did the Sin Stalker  earlier & then Fax Neuman later. And, also she did serial killers at other shows. No matter how far we might bend over to be fair, the violence against women is an unmistakable theme & the misogyny in her work, routinely present, cannot be mistaken. 

[Contessa Donatella]

One other thing about MDP & that is she is one of those writers who does not watch the show. And, to me, whether that stems from a lack of curiosity, or a disdain for your colleagues, or even ego or hubris, to me it is a cardinal sin. 

[Maxim]

Her tenure at GH is as equally... not my cup of tea. I had tried and tried and TRIED getting in these 1981 episodes... and Lo and behold... I find out who head-wrote them... the same person who made me scared to watch 1987 AW. Melodrama, cringe dialogue. Ugh. And I know who she is btw, I've seen her act in The Doctors... I just remembered this. And she was wonderful as an actress. Let me get a clip of this, I have this episode. This is her playing Mrs. Berger in the December 7th 1967 episode. Just a clip. 

Please register in order to view this content

 

 

[Xanthe]

It may have been paced badly as well, possibly due to the strike. I had forgotten that first Vicky claimed to be pregnant before she was really pregnant. But I had expected the triangle to go on for longer and was surprised that Lisa was written out.

If I recall correctly the audience did not know that Vicky had slept with Jake until she started worrying that he could be the father. If that's the case I don't feel that was fair play.

[Maxim]

Another World - January 11th 1989!

A deal with the Devil 

What an episode! What should I start with!

First off, Mary is BACK! My favorite character! And her cheerful mood after spending the Holidays with the ex-hooker M.J... is completely shattered by Vince's news about the restaurant. Mary has to face the consequences of her empathy and good heart. This always happens to people like us... who offer a helping hand to those who don't deserve it. She of course hurried to work and instead of dealing with her own heartache, tried to help John Hudson work through his trauma. This helped her realize how much she loves and cherishes her husband Vince. The parallels she saw in John's feelings towards Sharlene... made her go back home and kiss her husband, tell him she loves him. 

John had a realization of sorts too and went to see Sharlene, probably to tell her that his previous attitude towards her and their relationship was changed and that he was Sorry. But the moment he came at Sharlene's door, she was already on her way out - Necklace gate continues as Sharlene is trying to do everything in her power to replace the necklace - she has seen an ad in the newspaper about the same necklace. And told her brother Jason that she'll do ANYTHING to get it. She will offer everything she has. Will she? @Xanthe - I thought of your post! About the Maupassant inspiration - I love it. 

But before that... I almost forgot! The Frames got a visit by Iris Wheeler, who once again tries to spread her disease. Her recent plan is to offer Josie the position of her receptionist. Josie, naive as she is, was happy to accept, but Sharlene... had a few warning words for Iris before accepting the offer. Iris then welcomed innocent little Josie into her coven and told her, ominously... to not ever change... looking down... and up... like she is seeing herself from decades ago. The Frames signed a deal with the Devil. 

And last, but not least... Iris continued her quest to Michael's heart, this time visiting him in the hospital. She is like a vulture, circling around her potential pray, waiting for a weak moment. And that moment came when Michael got emotional and started crying... Iris was there to offer a helping... hand. But she wants to offer something else too. 

Overall - 10/10 

Please register in order to view this content

Top moment - Sharlene warns Iris!

Please register in order to view this content

 

 

 

Edited January 13 by Maxim

[Maxim]

Another World - January 12th 1989

Self-respect has no price.

In Mary's house, Pilara came to say her version of the story... and returned Mary's candlestick in a moment... that honestly made me tear-up. Mostly because of Mary's reaction to it. She is still certain that Pilara is a good human being. Oh, Mary, Mary. Empathy will be your downfall. 

When Cass revealed to the McKinnons he had accepted to be Reuben's defense... Vince stormed out and Mary verbally slapped him with one sentence - "He beats her." That stunned Cass... who just now realized he may have made a mistake.

In the other part of town, Sharlene was trying to buy the expensive necklace from a jeweler that had something ugly on his mind. Seeing how desperate Sharlene is, he offered to give her the necklace... in return for a sexual favor. Sharlene... ice-cold declined and left with her dignity and self-respect intact.  Go Sharlene! She is becoming my other favorite character.

Then... in her darkest moment... she found light and safe haven in John's hands.  She told him about the lost jewel and he shared details of his trauma  - the two bonded even more. As he was leaving, he turned back... to kiss her. 

Ah! This is love. 

Please register in order to view this content

Overall - 11/10! One of the best episodes so far!

Favorite moment - there are so many of them. I would like to start with this cute little moment that made both me and my husband laugh. Felicia's reaction to her turning 40 soon. Girl, I feel like screaming too, because in a few weeks I turn 30!

Please register in order to view this content

Edited January 14 by Maxim

[VelekaCarruthers]

MDP never head wrote GH. Monty hired her as her assistant and she wrote scripts under Pat Falken Smith from 79 - 81.  Pat took her over to Days in 81 and trained her for six months on the show before Pat left and she became HW for 2.5 years.  Interesting that Monty hired her as an assistant after MDP had an established writing career.  Here are GH 79 credits with MDP listed as assistant.  

Edited January 14 by VelekaCarruthers