Search For Tomorrow Discussion Thread

[robbwolff]

 

That doesn't sound right to me. It's more like September 1986. The Hendersons didn't arrive until sometime in September, I believe. That's right around the time the story with Matt McCleary started. If it was early May, Robert Reed would still have been around as Lloyd Kendall.

[Franko]

Yup, you're right (and Google News Archive Search confirmed it) -- the episode aired Thursday, Sept. 4, 1986. My mistake. I was so certain when I heard the voiceover promo.

 

The "It Will Excite You" promo also places the action in the fall -- new graphics and a logical reason for Mac and Rachel to be at odds. They would be/were dealing with the fallout of Mitch's return and Matthew knowing who his dad is.

Edited October 23, 2019 by Franko

[NothinButAttitude]

OK. So many questions. 

 

First, thanks @DRW50 for sharing that jewel with us all. 80s SFT is a period that I wish would show up more on YouTube. I know we have all the great episodes from the AOL era, but I wish more episodes after that would pop up. 

 

Having seen Sherry Mathis' Liza, I agree with everyone that this seems out of character for Liza. From what I've seen, I could never imagine Sherry's Liza using a baby to get back at Hogan. It just seems out of character for her. 

 

Also, I had assumed that Hogan/Patti were already together at this point if this episode was around September. So does this mean they basically rushed to put Hogan/Patti together by the time the show ended? 

 

And wasn't Patti a nurse? I thought I read that somewhere. So was she now at the newspaper with Hogan? 

 

And what was the relationship between the McClearys and the Hendersons? I know that Ann Flood's character plays a role in it down the line, but what was gist of the family tension? I am intrigued to find out. 

 

Can I also add that even though the show was on its last legs, it still looked lush in regards to the set. Gosh, it is refreshing to watch a soap where it doesn't look cheap. I hope more clips from '86 pop up. 

[robbwolff]

Interesting. That means it aired the day after the 35th anniversary episode.

[amybrickwallace]

 

I feel bad for poor Louan (who did a great job in various comedic roles after SFT). It seems that the writers just gave up on Liza after Sherry left, leaving Louan with nothing to play but refuse.

[robbwolff]

What was she in post Search? I always felt she was miscast. She was actually front burner for quite some time but the Hogan/Liza pairing never clicked with her in the role. What’s ironic is that Sunny’s character was altered so that she was a spoiler in the Liza/Hogan romance. A year later, Liza became the spoiler in the Hogan/Patti romance.

Edited October 23, 2019 by robbwolff

[amybrickwallace]

She did a lot of episodics, as well as a recurring role on The Secret Life of Alex Mack. My personal favorite role of hers was as Jerry's girlfriend's stepmother who put him on her speed dial in a Seinfeld episode. "Hello, Jerome..."

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Louan eventually left the business, moved to North Carolina and worked as a realtor. She lost her long battle with breast cancer in 2014 at age 58. Here's her filmography per imdb:

 

https://m.imdb.com/name/nm0317276/filmotype/actress?ref_=m_nmfm_1

[victoria foxton]

It's nice to see that she did a lot of other roles after SFT. Louan was a good actress. But i think she was miscast as Liza. Maybe in a different role. She might have worked out. It also didn't help that Liza was character  assassinated by this point. It sad that Louan as her predecessor Sherry Mathis died at a young age of cancer. 

[amybrickwallace]

I forgot to mention that Louan played Mrs. Belding, who gave birth in an elevator on SBTB (how very soapy).

 

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[OzFrog]

So I introduced myself to SFT by watching a few October 1984 episodes on Youtube, and there are a few storylines in play that unfortunately are incomplete as not all episodes are up, so I’m curious as to what happens:

 

* Warren Carter has just faked his death and escaped from jail, and is now hiding out in Brett Hamilton’s house. He has already burned down Martin’s resort, and sent a dead rat to Jo. What eventually happens with this, especially re Warren’s obsession with Suzy and Jonah?

 

* Cagney has just been released from jail but is still under suspicion for the theft of $20K payroll money (was this one of Warren’s schemes?). He and Suzy are currently catching each other in seemingly compromising but ultimately innocent situations, and never seem to get a break. Cagney is being chased by Justine, Suzy by Brett Hamilton, and Stephanie is trying her damn best to keep them apart. When do they eventually come together?

 

* Liza and Kentucky have just stopped Cord Tourneur from bombing a prototype plane because he was hallucinating that he was still in the Vietnam War and everyone was conspiring against him. The chemistry between Liza and Kentucky was SIZZLING HOT!! What ended up happening between them???

[antmunoz]

Random musings about this episode...

 

I don’t remember why Joe Lambie left as Lloyd. He was too young for the part, but Peter Haskell was replaced also for reasons unknown to me—I assumed to make Lloyd a more viable (younger) romantic lead.  Robert Reed was more age-appropriate but no competition for Lambie. Ultimately, we lost the character.  Estelle was the lone Kendall for the last few months of the show.  I know that the McClearys essentially replaces the Kendalls (three hunky sons, not counting married Michael), but it didn’t have to be. 
 

Louan Gideon is fine here. She looks great!  Liza is written terribly out of character, but that started when she became an adulterer, as far as I’m concerned. Sherry Mathis kind of sold that, but even she couldn’t have sold this. I wonder if Liza lost Lloyd’s baby because he was on the way out?  Tying her to the Kendalls long-term would’ve been good story. 
 

Who owned Liberty House?  Embarrassed to admit I don’t recall. I would’ve said Estelle. 
 

Terri Eoff is great here as Suzi, much better than Matt Ashford as Cagney. She would be killed off shortly after this. Man, the body count on that side of Jo’s family:  Doug Martin, Suzi’s father; Eunice Wyatt, Suzi’s mother; John Wyatt, Suzi’s stepfather; Stephanie Wyatt, Suzi’s stepmother...it’s enough to put away the family photos. I’m not even counting Warren Carter, Suzi’s ex, or Sarah Whiting, Jo’s all-of-a-sudden adopted granddaughter. It’s just a lot of death. I know Jo got Patti back during the final year, but Suzi didn’t have to go. 
 

The change of spelling from “Patti” to “Patty” bugged the hell out of me. 
 

I loved William Prince as Judge Henderson.  Tim Loughrin was fine as Jerry; the scene at the fish tank is laughable though. I guess Jerry/Evie/Quinn was going to be the long-term triangle until Quinn got paired with Kat and Evie (kinda, in Jo’s dream) with Cagney at the show’s wrap-up. 

[amybrickwallace]

 

I think Will Patton (Kentucky) wanted to leave, so Liza ended up in a triangle with Sunny and Hogan. He still acts, and has a prolific career as an audiobook narrator.

[Paul Raven]

Yes I recall that Will Patton was recurring and wouldn't commit to a contract.

[amybrickwallace]

 

Which is a shame, because I saw some episodes with him on YouTube and he was great. He had the hot chemistry with Sherry, but he also had charm and quirkiness on his own.

[victoria foxton]

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October 8, 1986 commercials with Search for Tomorrow final segment