1 hour ago, alwaysAMC said:

The clone's personality is just too inconsistent for me. At times, she's very strong and determined, but then other times she's weak and scared when confronted. One day she's nice and saintly, but another day she can be a villain who doesn't care if the real Reva dies or if Marah is safe. I guess she's probably just snapping due to the stress of it all. 

 

The concept of Dolly had real potential, but the execution felt like a first draft; especially when it came to her physical and psychological development. Choosing cloning over the usual soap tropes like a long-lost twin or doppelgänger was a bold move, and it cleverly sidestepped the need for a dual-role performance from the actress. Still, I remember watching it unfold and wondering how the writers would build believable chemistry between Josh and a rapidly aging child.  Imagine if Reva and Josh got stuck raising the clone as a third (fourth?) child?  A girl who was created with an Electra complex, being raised by her rival/Mother.

The real issue was the lack of internal logic. They never defined the rules of Dolly’s development. Was she destined to fall for Josh simply because she carried Reva’s DNA? That seems implausible. A more compelling story might have explored whether a woman with Reva’s genetic makeup, but raised in Springfield under less traumatic conditions, would still gravitate toward Josh. That would’ve opened the door to a deeper exploration of nature versus nurture.

Instead, the show leaned on the idea that DNA could replicate not just physical traits, but emotional patterns and romantic destiny. That unresolved premise—equating genetic cloning with emotional inevitability—was the weakest link in an otherwise intriguing setup.

It is ironic that even given this unique story-telling oppertunity, GL still defaulted to the idea that biology is destiny, just like how they treat adoption and long-lost children.

Edited October 27Oct 27 by j swift

40 minutes ago, j swift said:

 

The concept of Dolly had real potential, but the execution felt like a first draft; especially when it came to her physical and psychological development. Choosing cloning over the usual soap tropes like a long-lost twin or doppelgänger was a bold move, and it cleverly sidestepped the need for a dual-role performance from the actress. Still, I remember watching it unfold and wondering how the writers would build believable chemistry between Josh and a rapidly aging child.  Imagine if Reva and Josh got stuck raising the clone as a third (fourth?) child?  A girl who was created with an Electra complex, being raised by her rival/Mother.

The real issue was the lack of internal logic. They never defined the rules of Dolly’s development. Was she destined to fall for Josh simply because she carried Reva’s DNA? That seems implausible. A more compelling story might have explored whether a woman with Reva’s genetic makeup, but raised in Springfield under less traumatic conditions, would still gravitate toward Josh. That would’ve opened the door to a deeper exploration of nature versus nurture.

Instead, the show leaned on the idea that DNA could replicate not just physical traits, but emotional patterns and romantic destiny. That unresolved premise—equating genetic cloning with emotional inevitability—was the weakest link in an otherwise intriguing setup.

It is ironic that even given this unique story-telling oppertunity, GL still defaulted to the idea that biology is destiny, just like how they treat adoption and long-lost children.

This makes a ton of sense and I agree. That was one of my problems from the beginning. They did try and briefly touch on this, but largely ignored it. They hypnotized the clone for a while and Josh would feed her stories and memories from the past (which was silly), but you can only tell someone something. They tried to use that as a way to explain why she would fall for Josh, but it didn't work for me.

I think Dolly was acting so off because she was being fed all of these stories and memories of Reva so she felt pressured to live up to this individual so she buckled under the pressure.

So wait, did they officially name her Dolly, or maybe I haven't gotten to that part yet?  This entire period from March to June '97, so far, hasn't mentioned that name. Or maybe the public just gave her that name considering Dolly the sheep had happened around that time?

59 minutes ago, alwaysAMC said:

They hypnotized the clone for a while and Josh would feed her stories and memories from the past (which was silly)

I would call it sick. The clone was still a sentient being; trying to turn her into someone else...yuck.

It's the kind of thing villains usually do on soap operas. That they had their de facto hero doing it...🤮

That clone storyline belongs in the dumpster fire of soap history. Maybe it wasn't the worst of all time, but it was definitely a contender. 

2 hours ago, DeeVee said:

I would call it sick. The clone was still a sentient being; trying to turn her into someone else...yuck.

It's the kind of thing villains usually do on soap operas. That they had their de facto hero doing it...🤮

That clone storyline belongs in the dumpster fire of soap history. Maybe it wasn't the worst of all time, but it was definitely a contender. 

If the clone story ain’t on the top 3 or at least top 5 of the worst than I can’t take anyone who is a soap opera lover serious tbh lol

@DeeVee what Josh did to the clone was what they call "grooming" these days.  She was young and impressionable with this older, creepy guy telling her that they are soulmates.

11 hours ago, DeeVee said:

 

I think the reason their wedding was so crummy is because they weren't Marland's characters. Kelly and Morgan had that big wedding at Laurel Falls shot on location. (Morgan's vintage gown was gorgeous). The only other wedding that any effort was put into during his tenure that I can remember was Ross and Carrie's. Carrie being his pet character that's no surprise. 

eeek. Poor Elvera. She was a pretty girl. There she is just lost under a monstrosity and a hairdo from hell.

I'm not sure it's fair to blame Marland. He had just taken over. Weddings just weren't the big production until Luke and Laura. Ross and Carrie's wedding is dull as dirt. Even Morgan and Kelly's (while the scenery is beautiful to look at) is people wandering around the woods. 

22 minutes ago, P.J. said:

Even Morgan and Kelly's [...] is people wandering around the woods. 

If ever a description of someone's wedding summed up the subsequent marriage....

2 hours ago, Spoon said:

what Josh did to the clone was what they call "grooming" these days.  She was young and impressionable with this older, creepy guy telling her that they are soulmates.

Yes, those were the cringiest parts of the clone story, when Bethany Joy Lenz played teen Reva clone. But she got a permanent job out of it, impressing the soap critics and TPTB so much they cast her later as Michelle. Still, it was really gross to sit through it.

1 hour ago, P.J. said:

Weddings just weren't the big production until Luke and Laura. Ross and Carrie's wedding is dull as dirt. Even Morgan and Kelly's (while the scenery is beautiful to look at) is people wandering around the woods. 

Weddings on GL were mostly dull because they were just...weddings. They rarely had much drama going on, until I think Kyle and Reva's aborted wedding. (Kurt and Mindy had an insanely fancy wedding, but it didn't have much drama). Then in the 1990s they had big sh!t going down at some weddings, like Josh and Annie's and later Alan and Annie's. (Oh, and let's not forget the masked Roger swinging on a rope into Phillip and Blake's wedding, LOL).

It took a lot of soaps a long time to realize that fans wanted big, dramatic weddings for their favorites. The writers were like, let's just get them married. Even though the Luke & Laura wedding was a ratings bonanza, that's one lesson it took them some time to learn.

1 hour ago, P.J. said:

eeek. Poor Elvera. She was a pretty girl. There she is just lost under a monstrosity and a hairdo from hell.

IKR? It makes Mormon wedding dresses look immodest in comparison. I have never seen a wedding gown with that high a neck and sleeves that long before or since. It was like they were covering up the heartbreak of psoriasis.

1 hour ago, Khan said:

If ever a description of someone's wedding summed up the subsequent marriage....

LOL, so true.

When she was on the Locher Room, Kristen Vigard (Morgan) said it was taped like a year before it aired because all the locations scenes they shot at "Laurel Falls" were done during a 3-day period. Which is why they had to keep her on the show until the wedding aired. Then they almost immediately dumped her afterwards.

But I did like her dress. Which she said she almost ruined by stepping on it and ripping it because they had to climb up a very steep hill. I guess they didn't want to waste all that effort and that's why they showed everyone wandering around so much. 😂

Edited October 28Oct 28 by DeeVee

It is super gross, especially considering the clone's sharing DNA with Marah and Shane, and the whole destiny-thing. And the waste of Dolly not being used later to harvest organs when they needed them within the family.

If Michael Burke showed up with a baby, and Josh was so dumb to think he could clone a grown woman, at least that could've been played for laughs.  For example, if Dr. Burke was conning Josh, and pawing off a baby he claimed was Reva, but it was actually some random kid, that could've paid off.  But, the growth thing was such a silly plot device, and so poorly explained.  How did she magically learn to toilet train, and read, simply because she aged faster?  She would still need to be trained in basic skills.  And it would be physically painful for your head to grow that rapidly. 

The choice by KZ to play her as a child-like adult was questionable.  Because it was never explained if she was intelligent, without the benefit of a formal education, or if she was not intelligent because of her rapid aging.  Again, if she was Reva's clone, then she had the capacity for at least average intellect.  So, why was she portrayed as cognitively delayed?

But, my cultural blind spot is SVU, so anytime I see Mariska Hargitay, I also associate her with being married to Peter Hermann, the guy who cloned Reva.  His charm in interactions with Josh carried a lot of the weight in that storyline.  He was very forgivable.  

And, I have to stick up for Morgan's wedding gown.  Lacey dresses were the height of fashion for cool chicks who didn't want big taffeta gowns.  And the sex appeal was that even though the arms and neck were covered, the skin is visible under the lace.  So when a woman moves, the lace creates different shadows.  The whole baby's breath in the hair, Victorian gown, and minimal makeup was very on trend for a girl like Morgan (see IRL examples like Brooke Shields at the Grammy's and Margo Kidder at the Oscars).  Personally, I think it holds up better than a huge poof like Mindy's wedding gowns.

Edited October 28Oct 28 by j swift

10 minutes ago, j swift said:

But, my cultural blindspot is SVU, so anytime I see Mariska Hargitay, I also associate her with being married to Peter Hermann, the guy who cloned Reva.

Whaaaaat? I had no idea that's who played the clone doctor! I thought he was some rando who was never seen or heard from again, trying in vain to wipe that stain off his resume. 😅

yup

 

45 minutes ago, DeeVee said:

When she was on the Locher Room, Kristen Vigard (Morgan) said it was taped like a year before it aired because all the locations scenes they shot at "Laurel Falls" were done during a 3-day period. Which is why they had to keep her on the show until the wedding aired. Then they almost immediately dumped her afterwards.

Oh I never watched her Locher Room. No wonder they replaced her so quickly afterward. They should have just killed Morgan off instead of recasting, as Vigard WAS the character, although Jennifer Cooke improved once Marland left.

I tend to prefer weddings with no drama as I think soaps have gone too far in the other direction (although now some have gone back to more low-key weddings).

You've probably already seen this but there's a brief clip of Mike and Hope during her wedding. 

I see there's also a clip of Peggy and Roger marrying. If that episode still survives I wish we could see it (although maybe it was from Zaslow's own collection, as the late '70s material on the Roger VHS tape was).

 

13 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

You've probably already seen this but there's a brief clip of Mike and Hope during her wedding. 

No, I have not seen it. Thanks! 

Ugh, little Christina being at Alan and Hope's wedding adds another layer of ick to Alan and Blake's hook-up years later.

15 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I see there's also a clip of Peggy and Roger marrying. If that episode still survives I wish we could see it (although maybe it was from Zaslow's own collection, as the late '70s material on the Roger VHS tape was).

I saw their wedding. Maybe not when it first aired, but definitely in a flashback, possibly after Roger was married to Holly. I think Fran Meyers was pregnant at the time and had to hold a huge bouquet in front of her to hide her belly.