On 4/11/2021 at 10:10 PM, JarrodMFiresofLove said:

Hey everyone...I was wondering about the show's pre-emptions. Has this been discussed before?

 

Jason47's site lists the pre-emptions for Days of Our Lives in the 1980s. 

 

Can we assume that every time Days was pre-empted (due to holiday, sports, inaugurations, etc.) the other NBC soaps were also pre-empted....including Another World, Santa Barbara and Search for Tomorrow?

It varied. Some preemptions were daylong, others affected only the later two soaps (and sometimes only SB).

 

According to Jason47's site, these were the times DOOL was preempted when SEARCH was on NBC.

Thu. 11/24/83     NFL FOOTBALL: PITTSBURGH VS. DETROIT (Thanksgiving)

Mon. 1/2/84        TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE & FIESTA BOWL: OHIO ST. VS. PITTSBURGH (New Year's)

Tue. 8/21/84       GERALDINE FERRARO PRESS CONFERENCE ABOUT FINANCES

Tue. 1/1/85         TOURNAMENT OF ROSES PARADE & FIESTA BOWL: MIAMI VS. UCLA (New Year's)

Mon. 1/21/85      PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN INAUGURATION DAY

Thu. 11/28/85     NFL FOOTBALL: NEW YORK JETS VS. DETROIT (Thanksgiving)

Wed. 1/1/86        FIESTA BOWL: MICHIGAN VS. NEBRASKA (New Year's)

Tue. 1/28/86      CHALLENGER SPACE SHUTTLE EXPLOSION

Fri. 7/4/86          WIMBLEDON TENNIS SEMIFINALS

 

The Another World Homepage doesn't have listings for every day, but using the site/Google News, and cross-referencing with the DAYS and SANTA BARBARA sites, I confirmed preemptions for:

Thursday, Nov. 24, 1983 (Thanksgiving)

Monday, Jan. 2, 1984 (New Year's)

(The Ferraro conference on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1984 reportedly lasted between 1-2 hours. I'm unsure if it began at 12 or 1 p.m.)

Monday, Jan. 1, 1985 (New Year's)

Monday, Jan. 21, 1985 (Reagan)

Thursday, July 4, 1985 (Wimbledon)

Friday, July 5, 1985 (Wimbledon)

Thursday, Nov. 28, 1985 (Thanksgiving)

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1986 (New Year's)

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 1986 (Challenger)

Thursday, July 3, 1986 (for Wimbledon)

Friday, July 4, 1986 (Wimbledon)

(Possibly Monday, Dec. 8, for Iran Contra Hearings)

 

According to the SANTA BARBARA site, there were preemptions:

Thursday, Nov. 22, 1984 (Thanksgiving)

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 1985 (New Year's)

Monday, Jan. 21, 1985 (Reagan)

Thursday, July 4, 1985 (Wimbledon)

Friday, July 5, 1985 (Wimbledon)

Wednesday, Oct. 9, 1985 (Baseball playoffs)

Monday, Oct. 14, 1985 (Baseball playoffs)

Wednesday, Oct. 16, 1985 (Baseball playoffs) 

Thursday, Nov. 28, 1985 (Thanksgiving)

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1986 (New Year's)

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 1986 (Challenger)

Thursday, July 3, 1986 (Wimbledon)

Friday, July 4, 1986 (Wimbledon)

Thursday, July 17, 1986 (Daytime Emmys)

Thursday, Nov. 27, 1986 (Thanksgiving)

Monday, Dec. 8, 1986 (Iran Contra Hearings)

 

Looking at all these dates, I see SEARCH had scheduled/likely preemptions on

Thursday, Nov. 24, 1983 (Thanksgiving)

Monday, Jan. 2, 1984 (New Year's)

(Possibly on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1984)

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 1985 (New Year's)

Monday, Jan. 21, 1985 (Reagan)

Thursday, Nov. 28, 1985 (Thanksgiving)

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1986 (New Year's)

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 1986 (Challenger)

(Possibly on Friday, July 4, 1986)

 

Of Note:

Only ABC aired soaps on Thanksgiving 1983, "New Year's" 1984, New Year's 1985, Thanksgiving 1985 and New Year's 1986.

Edited April 13, 20214 yr by Franko

11 hours ago, Franko said:

Looking at all these dates, I see SEARCH had scheduled/likely preemptions on

Thursday, Nov. 24, 1983 (Thanksgiving)

Monday, Jan. 2, 1984 (New Year's)

(Possibly on Tuesday, Aug. 21, 1984)

Tuesday, Jan. 1, 1985 (New Year's)

Monday, Jan. 21, 1985 (Reagan)

Thursday, Nov. 28, 1985 (Thanksgiving)

Wednesday, Jan. 1, 1986 (New Year's)

Tuesday, Jan. 28, 1986 (Challenger)

(Possibly on Friday, July 4, 1986)

 

Of Note:

Only ABC aired soaps on Thanksgiving 1983, "New Year's" 1984, New Year's 1985, Thanksgiving 1985 and New Year's 1986.

Thanks Franko for the detailed reply. The reason I asked is because I wanted to start adding the rest of the episode pages for Search on the IMDb, but wanted to make sure that I factored in the pre-emptions.

 

Currently on the IMDb, there is a page for January 21, 1985, which I assume someone created based on the date given for the episode that was uploaded on AOL. However, January 22, 1985 was listed as a missing episode on AOL and given the next episode number. So what I think happened is there was no broadcast on the 21st due to the Reagan inauguration, and that episode aired on the 22nd instead. If true, then this means that episode really has two different numbers...because we have to jump ahead to the next number to get back on track on the 23rd.

 

When they say there were 9130 episodes on wiki, I doubt there were really 9130 actual episodes since some episodes were probably double-numbered. 

 

I am sure that if I go by the pre-emptions you outlined above, and I add all the episodes pages from September 1985 through December 1986, I will be shy of 9130 due to the occasional double-numbering. It's going to be an imperfect science.

Edited April 13, 20214 yr by JarrodMFiresofLove

It's funny you mentioned this, @JarrodFiresofLove, because prior to the interruption of "new" episodes, I had been thinking about how many more preemptions THE DOCTORS would have from 1980-82.

 

I'm amused that NBC seemed to stagger its holiday preemptions in the '80s. They alternated if new episodes aired on Thanksgiving*, always aired on Christmas** and always took New Year's Day or therabouts off.

*Annual Thanksgiving preemptions of DAYS were common in the '90s.

**In later years, SANTA BARBARA would take both Thanksgiving (1988-1992) and Christmas (1990-1992) off in addition to New Year's Day.

Edited April 13, 20214 yr by Franko

2 hours ago, Franko said:

It's funny you mentioned this, @JarrodFiresofLove, because prior to the interruption of "new" episodes, I had been thinking about how many more preemptions THE DOCTORS would have from 1980-82.

 

I'm amused that NBC seemed to stagger its holiday preemptions in the '80s. They alternated if new episodes aired on Thanksgiving*, always aired on Christmas** and always took New Year's Day or therabouts off.

*Annual Thanksgiving preemptions of DAYS were common in the '90s.

**In later years, SANTA BARBARA would take both Thanksgiving (1988-1992) and Christmas (1990-1992) off in addition to New Year's Day.

Yes, there doesn't seem to be much rhyme or reason with regards to the way the holiday pre-emptions were scheduled by NBC.

 

ALL the soaps were pre-empted the day the Challenger explosion occurred. I remember this vividly because my sister and I were both home sick from school that day with the flu. 

 

We were having some chicken soup, and turned on the TV in anticipation of the first soap we usually watched. The launching of Challenger was on screen. We were watching it live, thinking that as soon as it ended, regular daytime programming would get underway.

 

We were shocked to see it just explode. The whole rest of the morning and afternoon was devoted to replays of the tragedy as well as endless commentary. None of the regular daytime programming took place as a result of this. Everything was pre-empted that day.

@JarrodFiresofLove  @JarrodMFiresofLove Welcome back!

Edited April 13, 20214 yr by victoria foxton

8 minutes ago, victoria foxton said:

@JarrodFiresofLove  @JarrodMFiresofLove Welcome back!

THANKS. 

 

I love the conversations you all have been having.

 

Currently I have been re-watching episodes from July 1985 and have gained a new appreciation of Paul Avila Mayer & Stephanie Braxton's writing. Though I do think they rely too much on triangles (Sarah-Quinn-Wendy, Ryder-TR-Danny) and quadrangles (Liza-Hogan-Sunny-Lloyd). Plus it annoys me they didn't do much with Cagney & Suzi who are no longer in a quadrangle with Warren dead and Justine gone.

 

I know it may not be a popular opinion, but I am enjoying all the silly circus stuff. Danger at every turn. TR's life in danger every five minutes!

 

I really loved Maureen O'Sullivan's guest role as Lloyd's Grandmere Elaine in the episodes where Lloyd whisked Liza off to France. The sets for the chateau were amazing. This show still had a good budget and a lot of creative aspects in 1985.

2 hours ago, JarrodMFiresofLove said:

THANKS. 

 

I love the conversations you all have been having.

 

Currently I have been re-watching episodes from July 1985 and have gained a new appreciation of Paul Avila Mayer & Stephanie Braxton's writing. Though I do think they rely too much on triangles (Sarah-Quinn-Wendy, Ryder-TR-Danny) and quadrangles (Liza-Hogan-Sunny-Lloyd). Plus it annoys me they didn't do much with Cagney & Suzi who are no longer in a quadrangle with Warren dead and Justine gone.

 

I know it may not be a popular opinion, but I am enjoying all the silly circus stuff. Danger at every turn. TR's life in danger every five minutes!

 

I really loved Maureen O'Sullivan's guest role as Lloyd's Grandmere Elaine in the episodes where Lloyd whisked Liza off to France. The sets for the chateau were amazing. This show still had a good budget and a lot of creative aspects in 1985.

I've seen very little of Avila Mayer/Braxton's run. I do like their character driven approach. TR's therapy session blew me away. I agree with you about Suzy & Cagney. After Warren they became supporting characters. Until Suzy's death by Ella Hobbs. Are the episodes with Maureen O'Sullivan online?

Edited April 13, 20214 yr by victoria foxton

2 minutes ago, victoria foxton said:

I've seen very little of Avila Mayer/Braxton's run. I do like their character driven approach. TR's therapy session blew away. I agree with you about Suzy & Cagney. After Warren they became supporting characters. Until Suzy's death by Ella Hobbs. Are the episodes with Maureen O'Sullivan online?

 

I don't think they're online. A YouTube poster named Chuck Snitchler told me he is going to start posting all the episodes that were on AOL (October 5, 1984 up to January 13, 1986). But it may take him awhile.

 

I bought all these episodes from an online vendor a few years ago. Recently I wanted to revisit how Sherry Matthis handed the role of Liza to Louan Gideon, so I started with July 1, 1985. Sherry Mathis' last appearance is on July 3 and Louan Gideon takes over on July 4. 

 

Currently I am going through all of July 85. I've been adding plot summaries on the IMDb, because the previous person (Skip Eastport) stopped doing them around Sherry's last episode. 

 

The episodes I have are on DVD. I don't know how to digitalize them and put them on YT, but Chuck Snitchler is going to do that with his copies anyway.

 

I think Mayer & Braxton should have given Suzi & Cagney a medical story after their wedding. I would have had Jonah get a disease, like childhood diabetes or leukemia, something serious but treatable. This would have also given Kate and Jo more to do.

 

Back to Maureen O'Sullivan...she plays Lloyd's Grandmere Elaine Descot in two episodes-- 

 

8751 broadcast on Monday July 8, 1985

Lloyd introduces Liza to his Grandmere Elaine Descot, who tells Liza about Lloyd's hardships; the real knife barely misses TR during a circus act; Oscar feigns innocence over the matter; Sunny offers suggestions to a troubled Hogan.

 

8753 broadcast on Wednesday July 10, 1985

Liza wakes up next to Lloyd and envisions Hogan; Sunny surprises Hogan; Stephanie apologizes to Quinn and asks Chase to find a job for him; Suzi and Cagney have finished moving to their own place; Liza tells Grandmere she loves two men.

Would it have been better to have rested the character of Liza for a bit instead of quickly recasting?  Sherry Mathis seemed so identified with the role that anyone stepping in would have struggled..imho.

I was a very casual SFT viewer. I watched the live episode, the flood, and final weeks just because of the hype.

 

My questions are about TR:  Was she kidnapped and then ran away?.  Because it never made sense to me why Lloyd wouldn't recognize her at first sight.  How old was she supposed to be during the circus story (why wasn't she in school)?  Did all of her other siblings share the same parents?  Didn't Estelle live in Europe?  Was she present to raise Lloyd's other kids?  Did any of Lloyd's kids work in his company?

10 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

Would it have been better to have rested the character of Liza for a bit instead of quickly recasting?  Sherry Mathis seemed so identified with the role that anyone stepping in would have struggled..imho.

 

It was a bit jarring to go from 36 year old Sherry Mathis one day to 29 year old Louan Gideon the following day. But I think they had to find a quick replacement because they were in the middle of a huge quadrangle with Liza-Lloyd-Sunny-Hogan. If they had written Liza out for awhile, then the other three main characters would have stood around with nothing to do.

 

Louan Gideon's first two weeks had her working exclusively with Joe Lambie because Lloyd had whisked Liza away on his private jet to Burgundy, France. So in a way, that probably made her transition into the role a bit easier since she wasn't having to interact with the rest of the cast immediately.

9 minutes ago, j swift said:

I was a very casual SFT viewer. I watched the live episode, the flood, and final weeks just because of the hype.

 

My questions are about TR:  Was she kidnapped and then ran away?.  Because it never made sense to me why Lloyd wouldn't recognize her at first sight.  How old was she supposed to be during the circus story (why wasn't she in school)?  Did all of her other siblings share the same parents?  Didn't Estelle live in Europe?  Was she present to raise Lloyd's other kids?  Did any of Lloyd's kids work in his company?

 

The circus story began in late May/early June and ran through the summer. So TR was not supposed to be in school during that time. Ryder's family owned the circus so he probably received most of his "education" on the road. Danny was a bit older than TR and Ryder and I think he was supposed to have just finished high school. TR and Ryder were around 16 and Danny was about 18 at this point.

 

Re: Estelle, there was an episode from June 1985 I watched where the Sentells and Kendalls are in a family therapy session with TR. TR talks about losing people she was close to, such as Travis and a guy named Sailor whose dead body she found. In one of those therapy scenes she mentions losing her mother, implying her mother (Estelle) is dead.

 

So I am not sure if Lloyd had lied about Estelle being dead, or if the writers intended for Estelle to really be dead and then retconned that part later on. When Estelle comes to Henderson in November 1985 she is said to have recently been living in the fictional country of San Marcos, located in the Caribbean. San Marcos is also where Martin Tourneur went to run a casino, when he left Henderson in October 1984.

IIRC, they switched Lizas in the middle of a Search “day”. So it wasn’t like Liza one day woke up with a different face. Instead, Louan Gideon showed up wearing Sherry Mathis’ wardrobe from the previous episode, because both episodes took place on the same day.

20 hours ago, Chris 2 said:

IIRC, they switched Lizas in the middle of a Search “day”. So it wasn’t like Liza one day woke up with a different face. Instead, Louan Gideon showed up wearing Sherry Mathis’ wardrobe from the previous episode, because both episodes took place on the same day.

 

That's correct. Liza (played by Sherry Mathis) received an urgent call from Lloyd (Joe Lambie) who was at the airport and said she was needed at once. Thinking something happened to TR, she left a conversation with Hogan (David Forsyth) and hopped into her Rolls Royce and took off. That was the last time we saw Sherry Mathis on the show. Episode 8748 broadcast on Wednesday July 3, 1985.

 

At the top of the next episode (Episode 8749 broadcast on Thursday July 4, 1985) the action started inside Lloyd's private jet. It was a short time later, however long it took for Liza to drive to the airfield. Liza (now played by Louan Gideon, wearing the same style of clothing that Sherry Mathis wore in the previous episode) arrived and stepped in to the jet, asking Lloyd what was so urgent. He closed the door and told her he was "kidnapping" her. He was whisking her off to Burgundy, France for a little vacation. That's how Louan Gideon started on the show, and she remained until the very last episode a year and a half later.

Some thoughts on the 82/83 episodes. I enjoyed Rusty's reign of terror. It looks like Rusty came on. To  cause havoc and then be killed off. In a splashy murder mystery. I do wish SFT had kept Rusty. As their Palmer Cortlandt/ Asa Buchanan type character. But then again Rusty was much, much darker. I liked Jo slowly falling for him. But glad that nothing came out of it.  Stephanie and Jo don't have much to do. It was interesting to see how Stephanie acquired the TV station. The younger characters dominated too much. But they were a pretty good group. I have often heard that this era sucked. But i found the episodes entertaining. I always liked the late Sherry Mathis. Watching this has made me more of a fan. The scenes right before Rusty's murder were riveting. 

Edited April 15, 20214 yr by victoria foxton

I wonder if there was any attempt to get Meg Bennett back when Sherry Mathis left. Or had that ship sailed (maybe Meg was west coast-based by then).