4 hours ago, Speed Racer said:

I second that. Yeah, Reverend - who's Julie Bauer? Relations? Her personality? Key story? Etc.

I have the same question re: Ellis Smith and Rose Kransky. Thanks in advance for the info.

I liked Julie mainly because she was a fascinating, unpredictable and sympathetic character. Also, because I'm a psychologist and she was an interesting psychology study. Her story was mainly tragic (GL IS a soap opera, after all. LOL). She had to wear this scarlet A because she got pregnant from Mike Bauer (with Hope) and he had to marry her (this was the mid-60s). She was in love with him but he wasn't in love with her. It was just a sex thing for him. Because he felt trapped in the marriage, he was emotionally neglectful and somewhat abusive to her. She fell out of love with Mike and was the one who eventually felt like the trapped one and wanted to leave the Bauers (she and Mike were living with Bill, Bert and Papa while Mike was going through law school). Just when she was getting ready to leave and live on her own with Hope, Mike raped her and she got pregnant again which made her situation even more unbearable to her. She felt even more trapped which triggered a mental breakdown. She basically went insane. She tried to say the baby was someone else's (someone who she never had sex with). Although this was more of a delusion than an outright lie. She would routinely attack the Bauers. She eventually miscarried and tried to jump out of the hospital room window but was stopped in time. Ironically, at this point, Mike finally saw how badly he had treated her and realized that he did love her but, by then, it was too late. Julie finally got what she wanted, Mike to love her, but by the time he did, she had fallen out of love with him and just wanted away from him. She eventually slipped into psychosis, went catatonic, and Mike had to commit her to a sanitarium. She eventually came out of her catatonic state and seemed to be improving but then had a relapse and committed suicide in the sanitarium. Mike was guilt-ridden for years after.

4 hours ago, Speed Racer said:

I have the same question re: Ellis Smith and Rose Kransky. Thanks in advance for the info.

Well, I wrote synopses for the years 1937-1940 which, if you're interested, are in the radio thread. That would give you a lot of what you'd like to know about the characters I liked. I just liked Ellis because he was cynical and aloof on the outside but, when it came down to it, he would go way out of his way to help people in need. He was enigmatic, which is what I like in characters. I don't like one-dimensional characters. The philosophical debates between Reverend Ruthledge and Ellis were riveting to me. And Rose just had a great redemption arc as she matured. Watching the maturation process with her was fascinating.

This more recent channel has been uploading videos and there were a few videos uploaded from the late January/early Feb 1991 period of the show.

Pam Long had left as head-writer between 12/24/1990 and 2/1/1991.. so we saw a lot of transition in these episodes. They uploaded Josh's last episode from 1/28/1991 for instance.

This episode from 2/1/1991 had some interesting scenes where Harley/Alan Michael were interacting a lot as friends, Blake/Alan Michael interacting as soon to be exes, Faux Roger, Beth/Mindy scenes, Billy/Nadine scenes, Vanessa/HB scenes, and faux Justin Marler is shown.. as well as a lot of Sam/Daniel/Dylan. I assume Dylan/Sam were broken up... but not sure if Daniel/Holly had become a couple yet during this time or if that came later.

It's an interesting time on the show.

1 hour ago, Reverend Ruthledge said:

I liked Julie mainly because she was a fascinating, unpredictable and sympathetic character. Also, because I'm a psychologist and she was an interesting psychology study. Her story was mainly tragic (GL IS a soap opera, after all. LOL). She had to wear this scarlet A because she got pregnant from Mike Bauer (with Hope) and he had to marry her (this was the mid-60s). She was in love with him but he wasn't in love with her. It was just a sex thing for him. Because he felt trapped in the marriage, he was emotionally neglectful and somewhat abusive to her. She fell out of love with Mike and was the one who eventually felt like the trapped one and wanted to leave the Bauers (she and Mike were living with Bill, Bert and Papa while Mike was going through law school). Just when she was getting ready to leave and live on her own with Hope, Mike raped her and she got pregnant again which made her situation even more unbearable to her. She felt even more trapped which triggered a mental breakdown. She basically went insane. She tried to say the baby was someone else's (someone who she never had sex with). Although this was more of a delusion than an outright lie. She would routinely attack the Bauers. She eventually miscarried and tried to jump out of the hospital room window but was stopped in time. Ironically, at this point, Mike finally saw how badly he had treated her and realized that he did love her but, by then, it was too late. Julie finally got what she wanted, Mike to love her, but by the time he did, she had fallen out of love with him and just wanted away from him. She eventually slipped into psychosis, went catatonic, and Mike had to commit her to a sanitarium. She eventually came out of her catatonic state and seemed to be improving but then had a relapse and committed suicide in the sanitarium. Mike was guilt-ridden for years after.

So, the ever condescending, the ever sanctimonious Mike Bauer was a rapist, eh? Figures. That he received Springfield's Man of the Year award circa 1980-ish is thus a remarkable feat. I can only imagine what long-term GL viewers must have thought of that award at the time! That Bert's two sons were a rapist and a drunk, respectively, more than explains Bert's rather humble, grateful persona that I saw when I started watching in the late 1970s. Her daughter-in-law commits suicide? Wow. Were Julie's parents/siblings ever part of the story?

I don't remember Julie's fate ever coming up in Bauer conversation from the late 1970s onward. Heck, there was no serious friction between Mike and Hope ever. Disagreements over Alan, sure, but none over Hope's mother?

Several people here have stated that they would have liked to see Mike and Hope return during the late 1980s - JULIE and the repercussions of her story is THE story that should have been told/revisited. Where the h@ll does Mike get off chastising anyone over their behavior, considering his own? The gall.

I couldn't stand Mike before. Now, it's worse. He and Reva should have been dumped into an active volcano.

Oh - Reverend - thanks for the write-up! LOL.

4 minutes ago, Speed Racer said:

So, the ever condescending, the ever sanctimonious Mike Bauer was a rapist, eh? Figures. That he received Springfield's Man of the Year award circa 1980-ish is thus a remarkable feat. I can only imagine what long-term GL viewers must have thought of that award at the time! That Bert's two sons were a rapist and a drunk, respectively, more than explains Bert's rather humble, grateful persona that I saw when I started watching in the late 1970s. Her daughter-in-law commits suicide? Wow. Were Julie's parents/siblings ever part of the story?

I don't remember Julie's fate ever coming up in Bauer conversation from the late 1970s onward. Heck, there was no serious friction between Mike and Hope ever. Disagreements over Alan, sure, but none over Hope's mother?

Several people here have stated that they would have liked to see Mike and Hope return during the late 1980s - JULIE and the repercussions of her story is THE story that should have been told/revisited. Where the h@ll does Mike get off chastising anyone over their behavior, considering his own? The gall.

I couldn't stand Mike before. Now, it's worse. He and Reva should have been dumped into an active volcano.

Oh - Reverend - thanks for the write-up! LOL.

Oh- I would have loved to see Ross go after Mike on legal charges (for fraud committed off-screen in 1985?), and have Ross prevail. Another missed opportunity!

Mike and Roger have a brief, fictitious interaction, not long before Santo Domingo. Mike enters the room....

Roger: "Ah, Mr. Sanctimony himself! Rapist Mike Bauer!"

Mike: "Unlike you, Roger, I wasn't married to Julie when I raped her. Besides, Hope was conceived out of love. Retroactively, sure, but love just the same. I grew to love Julie."

Roger: "Oh, I see. Because you didn't violate the holy sacrament of marriage, you are morally superior. But guess what, I loved Holly before I raped her. And after. There was no "retroactive" about it. And guess what? Holly didn't commit suicide.

No matter what has happened between Holly and I, our love for daughter Chrissie remains."

Pretty wild scenario, but more accurate that what we ever saw onscreen.

55 minutes ago, Speed Racer said:

So, the ever condescending, the ever sanctimonious Mike Bauer was a rapist, eh? Figures. That he received Springfield's Man of the Year award circa 1980-ish is thus a remarkable feat. I can only imagine what long-term GL viewers must have thought of that award at the time! That Bert's two sons were a rapist and a drunk, respectively, more than explains Bert's rather humble, grateful persona that I saw when I started watching in the late 1970s. Her daughter-in-law commits suicide? Wow. Were Julie's parents/siblings ever part of the story?

I don't remember Julie's fate ever coming up in Bauer conversation from the late 1970s onward. Heck, there was no serious friction between Mike and Hope ever. Disagreements over Alan, sure, but none over Hope's mother?

Several people here have stated that they would have liked to see Mike and Hope return during the late 1980s - JULIE and the repercussions of her story is THE story that should have been told/revisited. Where the h@ll does Mike get off chastising anyone over their behavior, considering his own? The gall.

I couldn't stand Mike before. Now, it's worse. He and Reva should have been dumped into an active volcano.

Oh - Reverend - thanks for the write-up! LOL.

I felt a few times early 90s they were setting the stage for an AM addiction storyline and I feel like it could’ve been really interesting to explore this assumption that all his issues stem from the Spaulding side of him and he just needs to let his inner Bauer win out. They always hinted at Hope being pretty absent/unengaged with him. It seems he was cursed on both sides really starting with grandparents.

26 minutes ago, GL95 said:

I felt a few times early 90s they were setting the stage for an AM addiction storyline and I feel like it could’ve been really interesting to explore this assumption that all his issues stem from the Spaulding side of him and he just needs to let his inner Bauer win out. They always hinted at Hope being pretty absent/unengaged with him. It seems he was cursed on both sides really starting with grandparents.

Yes, AM was cursed on both sides. At least the Julie story (which I knew nothing about until just now) could very well help explain Hope's absence and her alcoholism, Alan aside. That would've been a solid story to tell in 1986/1987, right before AM returns to town. A drunk Hope should've really laid into her father for what he did...and because throughout her growing years, she never had her mother! Yet here's the ever noble, self-righteous, legal eagle Mike Bauer.

AM's grandma committed suicide? That's some news, right there.

Yet another why, that If AM and Amanda were in Springfield simultaneously for any real length of time, a very strong camaraderie between them would've been a must. As a joint defense mechanism in some ways.

4 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

It's an interesting time on the show.

Yes...it so nice to see people talking to each other and not the stylized dramatic convos of the Rauch era. Mindy and Beth in "normal" clothes to have coffee with your friend. Only Van could agree with you, while belittling you "Yes, I am sure that is right" Dylans a piece of ass and has great chemistry with Little Bill..though I can't believe this mellow guy is Billy and Revas kid.

Who the hell owns runs Company at this point, I seems like people just walk behind the bar and starts serving.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Mitch64

3 hours ago, Speed Racer said:

Yes, AM was cursed on both sides. At least the Julie story (which I knew nothing about until just now) could very well help explain Hope's absence and her alcoholism, Alan aside. That would've been a solid story to tell in 1986/1987, right before AM returns to town. A drunk Hope should've really laid into her father for what he did...and because throughout her growing years, she never had her mother! Yet here's the ever noble, self-righteous, legal eagle Mike Bauer.

AM's grandma committed suicide? That's some news, right there.

Yet another why, that If AM and Amanda were in Springfield simultaneously for any real length of time, a very strong camaraderie between them would've been a must. As a joint defense mechanism in some ways.

It was actually sad when Amanda immediately aligned with Alan in 1995/96 given that it was basically the one time AM chose to trust a new arrival family member though all that was such a cluster.