17 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

Nola 1995-1997 was a Nola that had traveled with her husband, been cheated on by him, and had to return to Springfield with her tail between her legs so she was more sad and morose.  Even if her stalking was due to desperation at trying to escape her new existence... Buzz Cooper was not the type of guy that she gone for in her younger years nor would provide her with the excitement and mystery she still craved.

God no...she would never go after Buzz...I could see her being a sparring partner with him..both of them growing up in the same blue collar neighborhood (there never seems to be middle class in SF...only attributed to the Bauers and Markers and if real life doctors and lawyers are not considered..middle..middle class) and both of them wanting to escape their humdrum life.  Both of them came home and actually were good with being with family (in the early return of Nola she was trying to mentor Bridget and protect Matt from her nemises) and both were involved with running a small business, that would have been a bit of competition...(I always thought Company was more of a bar but...) so they would compete and Nola could be the one woman in town who would tell him to shut his big trap. I could see her being involved the the storyline of Jenna being preggers with one man kids but passing that off as another mirrors her own experience...and being protective of Buzz even as he annoys her...but being interested in him? No!

McTavish made Nola bitter, but at least she still had some zip and sass...Rauch double down on the depressing and tried to make her a sad sack, plain spoiler to the beautiful and glam Jenna, as he liked Fiona (which we all know was about to change...) I just remember them dressing her in old robes and she had a kitchenette in her boarding house room (they had to get rid of the Reardon kitchen for some reason) and it made no sense...Henry gave her one from her will which they said she was "set for life" and if she divorced Quint she would still have money.  God help any middle aged woman but Reva coming into her own in Rauch world. 

At least Wheeler gave us back a sassy Nola with a heart, (who dissed the Coopers) even if it was just a few scenes.

19 hours ago, P.J. said:

 

1. I don't think anyone liked Nola's story. Viewers who hadn't watched her first run wouldn't have understood why she had been so adored. Viewers who knew her were let down on multiple levels--no Quint, no kids, and a depressing story. I don't even think she spars with Vanessa that much, and newer viewers wouldn't have understood that dynamic either, or how much Vanessa had changed since those days.

2. I think I recall Dinah/Hart/Cassie dividing the viewers. Dinah and Hart had been through a lot and just kind of thrown away for the flavor of the month Cassie. I'm not sure anyone really saw Hart as a prize, but Bridget had been a fan favorite, and pushed along into the role of also-ran for Dinah/Hart. Then presto, in walks a leggy blonde and Hart can't drop Dinah fast enough. Being pre-internet, I'm not sure it qualified as a fan war, but it was probably was for GL. And Cassie and LW were kind of a flashpoint for fans. Dinah/Hart fans resented her, Danny/Michelle fans hated her so much that GL scrapped some kind of story for Danny/Cassie (LW and PAS had worked together on Loving/The City) and then Richard/Cassie fans became loud and vocal. (or obnoxious, depending on your POV)

3. I just remember how bad-boy wannabe Jesse was. God, what a horrible actor. 

I only saw a few clips of Nola prior to her return in the 90s.  I thought Lisa Brown was a fabulous actress and the show (as usual) wasted it. Nola came in with no major storyline, so they never knew what to do with her.

19 hours ago, kalbir said:

I rushed home from school for the Acapulco episodes. It was a turning point in Roger/Holly relationship for them to confront their past. MZ should have gotten a Lead Actor nomination for those episodes.

Another key moment in Roger/Holly relationship is when Roger showed up at Holly's house and admitted that he still loved her. I think that was in late 1991 or early 1992, I can't for the life of me remember the exact time.

I remember doing the same exact thing - rushing home from school and rewinding the VCR recording to watch these scenes! They were riveting. The chemistry between those two just radiated through the TV screen.

Annette

Appreciate all the responses and thoughts!  I can't say I'm surprised by the answers LOL. 

@P.J. - surprisingly I find the actor playing Jesse to be pretty good for his role. He's so handsome too, I've already forgotten about that sweet Zachary haha.

I love learning the history about Nola and her passion for old time movies from her time in the 80s, so thank you! It actually helps me enjoy the storyline better now since that part originally seemed to be odd to me (where she would fantasize about Buzz and her in movie roles).

I gotta say, I enjoy watching Dinah stew and getting some much-deserved torture from this storyline with Cassie/Hart.

https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/34470/cynthia-watros-general-hospital-guiding-light-annie-dutton/

Some real praise for Robert Newman...and more reserved praise for Kim. 

I didn't know that the pill story started due to Cynthia ad-libbing that she had a headache.

2 hours ago, DRW50 said:

https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/34470/cynthia-watros-general-hospital-guiding-light-annie-dutton/

Some real praise for Robert Newman...and more reserved praise for Kim. 

I didn't know that the pill story started due to Cynthia ad-libbing that she had a headache.

They didn't have a plan on how to make her crazy so Reva could reclaim Joshua? Quelle suprise.

4 hours ago, DRW50 said:

https://www.remindmagazine.com/article/34470/cynthia-watros-general-hospital-guiding-light-annie-dutton/

Some real praise for Robert Newman...and more reserved praise for Kim. 

I didn't know that the pill story started due to Cynthia ad-libbing that she had a headache.

I thought they said she and Kim Zimmer was best buds or whatever...

That whole storyline was OTT to me.  I just couldn't care. 

@P.J. It was dragged on for so long, IMO. 

Edited August 31Aug 31 by MLH

On 8/29/2025 at 10:04 AM, Mitch64 said:

At least Wheeler gave us back a sassy Nola with a heart, (who dissed the Coopers) even if it was just a few scenes.

I give Wheeler a lot of credit for getting Lisa back as I know she and Michael Tylo both felt so burned by the show. And I give Lisa credit for returning, even though she had to change in a car and whatever else. I imagine she's the one who threw in the line about Quint and also that gorgeous look back at Company before she left. 

On 8/29/2025 at 6:31 PM, alwaysAMC said:

Appreciate all the responses and thoughts!  I can't say I'm surprised by the answers LOL. 

@P.J. - surprisingly I find the actor playing Jesse to be pretty good for his role. He's so handsome too, I've already forgotten about that sweet Zachary haha.

I love learning the history about Nola and her passion for old time movies from her time in the 80s, so thank you! It actually helps me enjoy the storyline better now since that part originally seemed to be odd to me (where she would fantasize about Buzz and her in movie roles).

I gotta say, I enjoy watching Dinah stew and getting some much-deserved torture from this storyline with Cassie/Hart.

I don't think much of Jesse at first but I do like him more after a year or so when he shift stories a bit.

On paper, it should have made sense to see Nola grasping again, but the results were very sad. The fantasy scene at least allows us to see Lisa Brown's dancing skills but that's the best I can say.

She also had a fantasy in 1995 or 1996 where she was in a Western, shooting an extra who was meant to represent Quint. Just miserable.

1 hour ago, DRW50 said:

I give Wheeler a lot of credit for getting Lisa back

I recall Ellen Wheeler saying that she would bring back characters for the final weeks that viewers really wanted to see and I'm thinking if that was the case why did she wait until the end?

Wouldn't it make sense to bring them back before that? Maybe when the show is struggling and could use the boost?

Never understand some of the dumb decisions made...

10 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

I recall Ellen Wheeler saying that she would bring back characters for the final weeks that viewers really wanted to see and I'm thinking if that was the case why did she wait until the end?

Wouldn't it make sense to bring them back before that? Maybe when the show is struggling and could use the boost?

Never understand some of the dumb decisions made...

I wonder how many only agreed to return because they knew the show was ending. 

5 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I wonder how many only agreed to return because they knew the show was ending. 

Good point.

8 hours ago, DRW50 said:

I give Wheeler a lot of credit for getting Lisa back as I know she and Michael Tylo both felt so burned by the show. And I give Lisa credit for returning, even though she had to change in a car and whatever else. I imagine she's the one who threw in the line about Quint and also that gorgeous look back at Company before she left. 

Oh, I'm sure it's Lisa's impulse to blow a kiss to the set of the Reardon kitchen. I don't think any of those writers knew who the [!@#$%^&*] the Reardons were, aside from dumbass **** . I'm not sure I give Wheeler any credit for people coming back---I think a lot of actors felt connected to the show and their castmates. I think it's Maeve who said Lisa came back because she was still there. And Jerry said he wanted to, but couldn't.

6 hours ago, Paul Raven said:

I recall Ellen Wheeler saying that she would bring back characters for the final weeks that viewers really wanted to see and I'm thinking if that was the case why did she wait until the end?

Wouldn't it make sense to bring them back before that? Maybe when the show is struggling and could use the boost?

Never understand some of the dumb decisions made...

they just didn't have the budget. How they got Grant back before they knew they were canceled was nigh on miraculous. 

I wish they had ended the extraneous stories and concentrated the stories down. A lot of the younger characters could've gotten their happy wrap up and blown town early instead of hanging around to the last day.

I was just glad to see Ed, Holly, Bridget and Nola even in those unbelievable conditions. I'm pretty sure Ed and Holly had their romantic exit with one of them living in an underground storage room. Maureen Garrett's comments about it after were mortifying but unsurprising.

Lisa Brown seemed to be the one who was just taking the whole insane situation the most in stride, given what appeared to be several casual improv's on her part.

Edited August 31Aug 31 by Vee

9 hours ago, P.J. said:

Oh, I'm sure it's Lisa's impulse to blow a kiss to the set of the Reardon kitchen. I don't think any of those writers knew who the [!@#$%^&*] the Reardons were, aside from dumbass **** . I'm not sure I give Wheeler any credit for people coming back---I think a lot of actors felt connected to the show and their castmates. I think it's Maeve who said Lisa came back because she was still there. And Jerry said he wanted to, but couldn't.

I have to give her some credit because many times producers just don't bother with any major returns, or only a handful, because their ego means it's their show and everyone is only interested in their stories. She could have done more, but she did much more than many I could name.

Edited August 31Aug 31 by DRW50