Underrated social issue stories

[DRW50]

Enid was such a believable character. Everyone knows an Enid. And they never tried to be "clever" and reveal her as the head of a terrorist organization or anything like that.

[Sylph]

Wasn't it Harding Lemay who advised against a cancer storyline because all these older women who watch soaps are scared of death and it will only drive them away?

[Chris B]

I long to one day see the story from Loving where someone becomes addicted to cough syrup. To me that is just the epitome of stupidity and it just cracks me up. Yes it may happen in real life, but who would pitch that story? I'd love to know what actors were involved. In general I think these issues are a good idea to use as long as it serves a bigger dramatic purpose. I don't need a million facts about whatever issue it is, I just want to see how it affects the character, that characters family and friends. I want them to truly go forward with side effects and all that comes with it. I think having one of these stories is a nice balance to the typical soap stories we tend to get.

[DRW50]

I wanted to mention Susan on GL. Not annoying Daisy/Susan, I mean Susan Bates, Nick's wife. The story where Brent Lawrence made Lucy think she was HIV-positive was offensive, but I loved Susan, for me she was Nick's best love interest and I liked how they wrote her as living with AIDS in a manner which wasn't preachy. I also thought it was refreshing that they allowed her to have a happy ending, leaving town with Nick, and they never killed her off.

[Gino24]

I think Isabella's pancreatic cancer story on DAYS during Sheri Anderson's 2nd head writing stint in the early 90s is underrated. A well researched story that had a lot of heart, and the actors involved really delivered some moving performances. I think this is the last time that the show successfully told a social issue story.

[DRW50]

I've never seen that story. I've heard a lot of good things about Isabella though.

What other attempts at social issues have they done since then? I know they did that autism story a few years ago.

[RomeAt50]

Thats right it was the Hubbard house. Based on what I heard about the story Skye went to rescue Cindy from the fire when she heard about what the group had done but ended up in a coma from smoke inhalation. When she woke up she decided to pretend she was still in the coma, I can't remember what the reason for that was. I think it might have had something to do with Tom and Barbara.

[Khan]

Precisely. Skye realized Tom had fallen in love with Barbara, so she pretended she was still comatose in order to hold onto him.

[Adam]

Skye Chandler=Ultimate vixen. Of course I am just referring to the Robin Christopher version. As far as I am concerned that is the only version worth talking about.

[SFK]

Indeed, I had to laugh to myself reading Rome's post, "Oh, that Skye..."

Tell me if you remember this one... now this wasn't one of those big, earth-moving stories or anything, but given my affinity for my grandparents who are 40 year AMC watchers (and for old people in general), I'm reminded of AMC's Willow Lake s/l where Phoebe and Langley, Mona, and Myrtle were duped and swindled out of their money on condos in a new lake front senior's community. Turned out to be swamp land and some crook tried to run off with their money. The seniors kind of banded together and went on a little caper to take this guy down. Anyone remember that? I remember bits and pieces and thought it was really cute, and now at my age with more relatives at that stage in their lives making important financial decisions, I see how relevant it was. I think that was the last time those characters really had a s/l about them, and just them, not as accessory to other characters (one exception being Myrtle's weird Santa Claus thing).

[SFK]

Generally speaking, I'm glad to still get carded at 30, but when the cashier asked me for my i.d. the last time I bought Robitussin... Not to make light of anyone's struggle, but that is just so lame and desperate to me.

[Khan]

I do remember that one! Isn't that when Edmund pretended to be "Eduardo," a gigolo?

[Jonathan]

Yes!

[Paul Raven]

I think the crib death of DJ Craig (DOOL 1979) should rate a mention here.

[LoyaltoAMC]

On the flip side, what do you think have been the most memorable/lauded social-issue storylines of all time? The ones people still remember to this day. For me, broken down by show:

AMC: Cindy/Stuart AIDS storyline; Bianca's coming out; Devon/Lynn Carson lesbian story arc; Mark's drug addiction and intervention; Erica's abortion

OLTL: Billy Douglas coming out; Carla passing for white; Viki/Niki alternate personalities

GH: Stone's death from AIDS; Monica's breast cancer; BJ/Maxie organ donation storyline

Y&R: Phillip's alcoholism; Kay's plastic surgery

ATWT: Margo/Casey mercy killing; Angel Lange incest story; Andy's alcoholism; Margo's rape and subsequent wait for HIV test results

Santa Barbara: Eden's rape

GL: Beth/Bradley (borderline) incest story

AW: Pat's abortion

I'm drawing a blank on some of the other cancelled shows. The Doctors and Ryan's Hope especially must've had some memorable topical stories, but I can't recall any.