Jump to content

Wisner Washam interview


Recommended Posts

  • Members

I didn't even remember that Tim was still there by 1997. LOL

I admit I loved 1997, but I know the general fan reaction online was it was too dark, and maybe you're right. We had some lighter moments--like Kelsey and Kevin's friendship, etc, but yeah...

I can't even remember what happened in 2005/2006 for sure (Oh wait that was the unabortion and Greg in the coffin, wasn't it...)-- but I still say Passanate's year is the worse--with Rayfield's half year up there...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 208
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

I dunno, but I think if it had ended with that thanksgiving scene it woulda been too pat an ending for such a massive issue. I thought the Kevin stuff was great--and much more subtle than the "Mr D" stuff a year before (though I did largely like that).

There was just so much else going on which I think took too much of a toll, with the last straw perhaps being Jim Thomasen tormenting Laura. I don't think AMC is a show which can sustain that type of darkness, and some of the darkness that year, while not as collectively dark as McTavish's years of hell, I thought were much more...I don't know how to say it...invasive, and harrowing, and hard to get out of your head, than McTavish's psychos and overdone crap.

That was one of the reasons I was somewhat relieved when McTavish returned

McTavish did seem to, at first, want to make things more fun, which was probably a smart movie. Of course I think ratings just sunk even more under her (understandably so...) (funny that she made Jim Thomasen into one of those psychos as you mention).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I think DePriest moved over to OLTL from AMC pretty quickly, but I'm not sure if she was HW right away. She may have initially been AHW under Schnessel... but I'm just surmising. There was so much change-over between Schnessel and Malone, I'm surprised it's even in order (and it does seem to be). I think DePriest was HW longer than two months, as well... but not too much longer. She was demoted to AHW after Leah Laiman showed up, so her name still would have been there - just not as HW.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The fact that they'd demote her under a hack like Leah Laiman is shocking to me (sorry, I have absolutely no love for Laiman) though I admit I'm not quite sure whose was what writing in that era either. The writing in general was pretty awful, it seems. (it's interesting, when Rauch came to OLTL he was hiored, apparently, to bring his realism and style he had with AW in the 70s to the show--but Rauch had other plans, wanting to do what GH was doing but on an even grander scale. After Schnessel's writing finally started to cause the ratings to drop, I guess Rauch briefly tried to go back to social issues and more "realistic" writing--for the most part--but for a variety of reasons it didn't really work...)

At any rate, it does seem that for a brief time ABC had DePriest as their kinda "soap doctor", for whatever reason.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Me too--it was like they suddenly tried to take her out of Erica's orbit (with Del, Anton, etc) when there still was a lot more story there. I used to always take the SMG stuff with a grain of salt, but after hearing how she behaved the last little while on Buffy, I believe a lot more of it. It's too bad as I loved her on AMC (and on Buffy, of course).

Well said--and that's why I often stick up for McTavish, even though I don't think I'm blind to the awfulness she has done. (I do disagree with the yes woman/man thing, though, I think there's a reason she got along with Frons, with JFP, etc, and that's why, though I do get what you're saying about her wanting to be in control). But anyway, that's why I do--because frankly much of her time has given me my happiest years as a soap opera fanatic--like 1992/1993 (I know Nixon was HW when Janet in the well happened but wasn't that credited to McTavish? I remember it being pimped when they were talking about her success in a SOD article).

Confused--you mean from 2007 till now? Or back in the 90s? CUz as much of a mess as lots of that recent era was, I admit I don't see all that much JER influence...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

When Jim Thomasen kidnapped Edmund (as Edmund had dirt on him) and chained him in a viaduct, Eva LaRue returned for a day or two as an image of Maria appeared to help Edmund keep focused and alive. She would file her nails once or twice and talk to him about Maddie and Sam and her love for him and so on.

He was hanging out with "Oyster Cracker", played by Chip from Kate & Allie (who went on to traumatize many 80s sitcom fans further with his stint on Oz), and he hit the roof when he realized Janet and Trevor were dating. I think I had it wrong though, I think he locked himself in a deep freeze and framed Janet for it.

The Dillon stories, as iffy as some of them were, helped me enjoy AMC in some of those lean years. It's never been entirely the same for me since that awful awful exit the family was given a few years later (not to mention what McTavish did to them when she returned in 2003).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The Dhillons were really the last example I think we had of a fairly normal, relatable, middle class family unit on the show--something the show used to have in spades (it's funny to call any family with Janet in it normal...) I was never a HUGE fan but I did miss them when they left (though that's not McT's fault, she seemed to like to write for them--I'm still not sure why Nixon and Passanante wrote them out--that was the whole Candy Cane killer story right? I always forget the details).

I don't remember anyone on AMC ever being called Oyster Cracker lol but I do remember Tim framing Janet, now--and I completely remember the Edmund thing (though I still don't remember her filing her fingers, LOL)

Thanks

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

They were already phasing the family out anyway. Poor Tim was gone, Trevor and Janet were barely there. James Kiberd left because he refused to take what he saw as an insulting pay cut. I have always wondered if they lowballed so he'd leave.

The story was that an old ex con friend of Janet's was blackmailing her and she refused to take money from anyone (she had one clumsy scene with Erica over this) and then she went nuts and beat Sophie with a candy cane. Then the woman died in a fire at a warehouse and Trevor was blamed and went on the run. Arlene wore a wire to find the real killer and we got a rushed last scene which amounted to, "Hey, Trevor is on the phone. He's not going back to Pine Valley because it's too much for him but he's somewhere else, and so is Tim! Let's go!"

Stories like this were why I couldn't really get behind the whole "AMC is back!" stuff around that time.

I didn't see it as any more ridiculous than Trevor going from crazy mercenary to cuddly Uncle Porkchop :lol:

I always had doubts about them as a couple but for me it was worth it to keep such good actors and interesting characters on the canvas, who had ties to so many people. I also thought there was such potential for Tim and Amanda, both played by very good young actors. Considering the other stories going on in that timeframe I thought there were places for them to go.

Now I guess the only one left is Amanda, who was turned to nothing by Pratt anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

After Trevor went on the run (the last time viewers saw Kiberd), they teased a story where Janet was talking to Mirror Janet and going nuts. This was abruptly dropped, as Robin was fired, I believe. Arlene was back in town by this time and she wore a wire to flirt with the man who had actually killed Sophie. He was busted, and Trevor was cleared. Then Janet, who was still clearly very shaky mentally, had the phone call and left for a "happy" ending with Trevor, Tim, and Amanda. Of course even the return of her instability didn't make me think Janet would go on to kill Trevor, but I guess I didn't have enough of an imagination.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I wish there were clips around of the first Trevor. He was so different, I bet most people don't even remember Good Old Trevor was actually a recast. The original didn't last too long, he was the guy that I think was trying to kill Jeremy or working with Marisa, I forget what the story was.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • I feel like the lawsuit storyline was resolved quickly because the show didn’t want to spring for more sets.
    • It's been a while, but we have seen the foyer to Bill and Hayley's house as well as the exterior entrance to their house. The foyer was first seen in the premiere episode when Hayley met Vanessa at the house.
    • There's still a year or two before Larkin arrives. Joel is there already. EON does noticeably youthify, although I think they carry it off. Admittedly I haven't seen most of the Jody stories, which from what people here have said aren't great.
    • I don't mind the actor who plays Brian. He's fine. The problem for me is that Paige seems so wishy wishy. She doesn't seem to have much of a personality at this point so I don't see why Brian would be so besotted with her. She just lurches from one trauma to the next. Granted, it's only been a month, but she's not as vibrant as April or even Deborah who has had minimal screen time by this point.  I do worry about the influence of GH on the show since I'm in fall of 1979 and characters have conversations and there's not the drive to "youthify" the show. However, I think Marceau (sp?) is gone. He was given a rather tame sendoff. How long was the actor on the show? I hope this is not a sign of things to come. I worry the show is setting up a murder mystery around one of my favorite characters and I will be mightily annoyed. I also noticed in recent Search for Tomorrow episodes uploaded to YT that the actors playing Logan and Eliot showed up. I don't watch the show but they were in the screencaps. When does Larkin Malloy show up or has he already left? Joel Crothers hasn't shown up either unless I've blinked and missed him.
    • Dr Linden. She treated Vanessa's drug addiction (although Vanessa seemed to forget that by Henry's suicide attempt) , and she's mentioned during Reva's PPD. Although I can't recall if she's actually shown right off the top of my head. She probably was temporarily shelved when Sonni was a therapist (between her crazy times) And I think Billy sees her after he falls off the wagon after Reva's death.
    • Kinda agree. I have some issues with the sets. Nicole's living room is bland-looks like a display home. Bill and Hayley's is too small and basically hideous. And neither of them have a front door/entrance or staircase. People just appear from the corridor. Those green accents  at Uptown are way too much. Also,Naomi and Vanessa not having an office or a home .
    • Thanks @Paul Raven  That Grainger story always reads like hog-wild melodrama, not very similar to the more subtle stories for Rita in her last few years. I wonder how Lenore played the material.
    • More from 1976 Lynn, apparently making every effort to overcome her alcoholism, accepts a baby-sitting job. However, when the baby starts crying, Lynn begins to get nervous and takes one drink, then another. By the time Bruce and Van arrive home, Lynn is on the floor, ineffectually trying to find the doctor’s number, sure the baby is ill. When the mother arrives; she vows to let everyone know what goes on in the mayor’s house.Bruce insists that Lynn has to go, but Van, learning that Lynn can’t remember drinking the cooking sherry, calls Joe to report Lynn’s blackouts. Joe wants her institutionalized but gives in to Van’ s pleas that Lynn needs loving attention. Eddie has sent some of Felicia’s work to a New |York gallery owner and reports to Charles that Lisa Cooper wants to exhibit Felicia’s work. Charles refuses to tell her this and later admits he feels he has “cowed”her attention because of his being confined to a wheelchair. What Charles doesn’t say is: that he’s plagued with fears she’ll leave him for another man. Felicia is exuberant as she starts painting again. She tells Charles how she feels about it, but, jealous of anyone or anything that takes attention from him, Charles tries to undermine her confidence. Eddie finally professes his love for her. He will be happy to step forward if she will only let Be and admit that they belong together. Charles tries to stop Felicia’s ‘trip to New York by making her doubt her own work, and when that fails, he finds business reasons at his bookshop to keep Di, his ex-wife, who is running it for him, from accompanying her. Felicia finally decides it’s not going to work and tells Eddie they might as well call it off. Instead, he arranges for Lisa Cooper to come to Rosehill. Charles is rude and insulting to Lisa when she arrives at the house to view Felicia’s work, and his derogatory remarks about shady gallery dealings prompt Lisa to tell Eddie that living in such an atmosphere could permanently stunt an artist’s development; if Felicia is subjected to this indefinitely, it’s not even worth Lisa’s while to take her on as a client. Felicia finally decides she can’t be torn apart any longer and must accede to Charles’s demands. She tells Eddie her career is over and she won’t paint any more, breaks down in his arms, crying bitterly, then pulls away, unwilling to acknowledge that her feelings for him are deeper than she dare face. Charles is delighted when she prepares to dispose of her art supplies, insisting everything will be fine once she has accepted that this part of her life is over. But she cannot do it. She promises him that he can set the limits and terms, but she must paint. Arlene discovers that her mother is planning to avoid the surgery she needs, and the accompanying medical bills, by leaving Rosehill and moving in with her sister Dorothy out west. Arlene manages to prevent this by calling her aunt and telling her the truth about Carrie’s condition. Dr. Tom Crawford has been footing the costs of Carrie’s presurgery tests, but Arlene knows that Carrie won’t like this. So she tells Carrie that David Hart, the son of Meg’s late husband, the former mayor, has heard about their plight and forwarded the money as a gesture of friendship, to be repaid when possible. To convince Carrie that she does indeed have the money, Arlene asks Ray to just lend it to her for a few hours, so she can convince Carrie and then immediately return it. Ray instructs her to get dressed for a night on the town and takes her, out implying that the money will be waiting at the end of the evening. When Ian Russell happens to join them, Arlene doesn’t suspect anything is afoot, but when e Ray suddenly leaves, she becomes furious, realizing what he’s done. But she finds Mr: Russell a distinguished and cultured man, and decides there’s no harm in having a drink. After cocktails and stimulating conversation, Ian suggests that they go to his place, and Arlene agrees. But when they get there, Ian matter of factly suggests that they skip the preliminaries and get on with it. Ian is embarrassed and annoyed to discover that Arlene is not a professional call girl and that Ray didn’t explain to her the purpose of their |meeting. He is apologetic and solicitous, until Arlene, explaining why Ray felt he could pull this on her, mentions her sick mother in need of an operation. Ian starts to laugh at this overworked standard line, and a livid Arlene storms out of his apartment. Thinking it over, Ian decides he’s more intrigued with Arlene than he is annoyed at Ray, and calls Ray for her telephone number. But Arlene is not delighted to hear from him, and he has to use a good deal of soothing charm before she agrees to have dinner with him at one of the better local restaurants.During dinner Ian again apologizes for his mistake, and he gives Arlene a diamond pendant as a token of his gratitude for her forgiving him. Ray arrives to interrupt an otherwise enjoyable evening with a business matter, and quietly reminds Arlene that Ian is his customer and she’s not to cut herself in with him. At home, Arlene examines the pendant and is convinced that it’s genuine. She hides it in her dresser drawer, unable to bring herself to show it to her mother.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy