World Turns for a buck!

[Saving ATWT]

[EricMontreal22]

Khan said the same, but I totally agree. Being a huge theatre fag, I really think that's why I fell in love with soaps--especially the New York ones, for their connections and similarities to the stage--well that and the serial aspect which I love.

I think moving to Toronto actually wouldn't be that off putting to many of the actors--it's not a huge commute and it's not like there's no other acting opportunities there.

[SFK]

Recently, we've gotten into the original Degrassi and I've wanted to visit Toronto. But I could definitely see a soap taping up there, actually, I wish a new original serial would start up there. Another option I've been thinking about lately with OLTL's questionable future is Stamford, CT. This past year, Jerry Springer and Maury have relocated to this NY urban-burb, not far from where I live. I think it's a very viable alternative to L.A., Canada, or Peapack.

[EricMontreal22]

HAHA I grew up with Degrassi (I actually grew up as a kid with the original quite dire Kids of Degrassi Street). It's funny how Canadian tv in the 70s and 80s always had a sorta dingy look and a weird acting style--Beachcombers and Littlest Hobos were the other shows I grew up with from Canada and at least Degrassi is still watchable now--they really aren't. Thankfully we've improved a lot since then lol. I always wonder if Americans are aware of how much of their tv and movies are filmed in Canada--mainly Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal (when I lived in Montreal, *three* times I was paid to not park my car in front of my apartment while they filmed three seperate films where our street was meant to be New York). But also of course elsewhere (Brokeback Mt in Alberta, etc).\

[SFK]

I never watched Degrassi during its original run (it ran on PBS here in the states when I was in late elementary/middle school) but I always remembered the face of the girl I now know is Lucy. : You Canadians are a LOT less conservative than us Americans, so much of the stuff in Degrassi would have never gotten by on our networks. As odd as it may seem, I really wish that the soaps would borrow more from a show like Degrassi, a soap for all intents and purposes, but it did and continues to do so well in its 30 minute weekly format. We could surely work in at least one daytime show like that on one of the big four.

[EricMontreal22]

Yeah I think some of it was controverial when PBS showed it (or maybe they didn't even show it all)--of course the new Degrassi had similar probs over a sex or abortion or something (can you tell I don't watch?) episode being skipped in the US.

Canadian tv (and society) is a lot less conservative at least about sex, etc, less so with violence. But technically our tv rules are closer to the UK--after a certain time (9pm I believe) you can get away with light nudity and swearing here.

[JackPeyton]

degrassi <3

i think its funny how the parents group tries to get degressi pulled from american tv and the network refuses.

[SFK]

Yeah, we couldn't believe they showed little Joey Jeremiah's butt (on more than one occasion) and then there's the finale movie where they drop s- and f-bombs, like, when did this air?? But for all of the stilted line delivery and heavy-handedness, it's downright addictive. I love it.

[Saving ATWT]

I actually think that a certain lack of 'realism' is to blame for the death of soaps. After watching a show like Sex in the City, how does Kim on ATWT calling Susan 'cookie' and saying 'listen here, tootie' measure up? I'm not calling for F bombs and nudity every day; however, I think network soaps are seen as a little bit old fashioned. Can you imagine a serial like Days on HBO--Hope would have done some HOT nude scenes and I'd love to see a full frontal of BO. The same goes for Howarth on World Turns. Imagine what these shows could do on cable. I actually support the restrictions the FCC places on the broadcast networks. They are on public airwaves so we need to be careful regarding objectional content.

Maybe the future of the serial really is cable? My main worry is that the death of the serial is written in blood 'cause these shows are so impossible to repeat. There is no way for a show like World Turns to enter a real seconmd run that would make anyone any cash. I know AW has been on SoapNet but that really doesn't count: Filler.

Eric, didn't know you are into theatre. Does Toronto have much in the way of shows?

[JackPeyton]

on the next generation they always tried to pull the good episodes - paiges rape (where you dont even see the rape. you see a guy hold her down, her say no and beg him to stop, then get quiet, cry, and look out the window before anything happens), marcos gay bashing, manny abortion (where again, you dont see much of anything. i believe the episode ended where she went to the clinic to get it), the school shooting, etc...

[EricMontreal22]

Well there WAS some complaining about the sudden swearing in the finale movie lol--but more jsut cuz it was so out of character with the series. Ugh i had a crush on Joey when I was like 10--and his band Zit Remedy or something? I swear everyone at my school could sing their awful Everybody Wants Something song.

Yes cuz Americans are silly about such things--you know a kid will see it and they'll decide to go out and do it or something Sigh

I don'tget how they thought they could pull it in a series that's essentiallya serial and no one would notice.

[EricMontreal22]

The thing is they've tried that--Doug Marland had his racy Showtime show A New Day in Eden (not to be confused with the Playboy Channel 90s soap Eden whose writers infamously were then hired by ATWT) and I'm DIEING to see some of it but it wasn't exactly a huge hit despite being essentially a soap with more of the elements you mention--light nudity, etc. They've tried a number of times--I do agree in a way soaps have to get a bit more realistic but honestly I don't think this is really an issue (though remember when briefly network tv was showing male asses? On primetime shows liek Once And Again and of couse NYPD Blues but ATWT, or was it GL and Y&R too of course Nipplegate made that all likely to never happen again.

Yeah I was a theatre major, used to a do a lot of acting as well as musical theatre. Toronto has a great theatre scene though it's a bit more underground (except for a few big shows) than say Broadway. But I'm by Vancouver on the West Coast right now

[Saving ATWT]

I've always wanted to see Vancouver! Anyway, I remember the time frame you are talking about when World Turns went sexy: Molly was topless a lot. If I remember correctly, all of the CBS shows went a little bit over the top. I remember a sex scene on Y&R with Jess Walton in the 90's and it was almost gross. It had to do with some affair she was having on John. These were efforts to make the genre more adult but were more like half-efforts. I am curious what World Turns would be like if it had the freedom of, say, some of the shows on HBO. I've always wanted to see Marland's Showtime work. Under him, ATWT was the most conservative show on daytime. People sight Hank, his gay character, but even that felt a little bit square.

Overall, soaps were sexier in the 80's and 90's--what happened?

[Mitch]

Oh dear God, no, not Howarth, please I have a hard enough time looking at the man's face, much less seeing his junk fly across my screen. I really dont want to see anyone showing it all, even the Mike actor. I like a little left to the old imagination. I guess also most soap actors today look like Chippendales' dancers or gay porn stars (Cameron Matheison) that it is kinda freakey (though one wonders if Matheison has a fake tan line or not...do you suppose even his yang is orange???)

[Saving ATWT]

If his yang is orange keep that thing away from me! He should have hit the nude beach.

With that said, What I was trying to say that maybe today's daytime soaps seem a bit unsophisticated to people used to programs like Sex in the City. The language is very different, the topic of sex and sexuality is handled rather differently and there is also the issue of nudity. I actually disliked Sex in the City; however, the show did well while daytime is loosing viewers.

For the record, I think Howarth is really nice looking. I know no one else likes him and can't figure out why. I know he replaced a popular actor; but that was years ago and not his fault. Also, I'm diggin' the Ryan/Stewart family these days. In fact, with the proper writing, they could be a great part of the show. Fairwinds is a big place and I'd love to see maybe Hunter move back in. I liked his interactions with both Paul and Emily. I'd like to see the character of Susan maybe do something like break her leg and need to move in for a spell. I'd like to see another gathering place on ATWT aside from the farm.

Question: Is Fairwinds that old caste from Scotland that Duncan dragged over the pond? I am asking here 'cause they don't seem to like history questions/subjects in the ATWT thread. Mick, I figured you might know.