Jump to content

ATWT: September 2010 Discussion Thread


Recommended Posts

  • Members

jf7m0k.jpg

As The World Turns:

April 2, 1956 - September 17, 2010

"As the world turns,

we know the bleakness of winter,

the promise of spring,

the fullness of summer

and the harvest of autumn—

the cycle of life is complete."

-Irna Phillips

Set in the fictional town of Oakdale, Illinois, "As The World Turns" debuted on April 2, 1956, at 1:30 pm EST. On December 8, 2009, CBS announced that "As the World Turns" was cancelled. The show taped its final scenes (episode #13,858) on June 23, 2010 and its final episode will air on CBS on September 17, 2010.

This is a time that no daytime fan ever wants to see: the end of a beloved serial. But alas, the time has come. This month, we bid adieu to the cherished soap opera that has been a part of our lives, our homes, and our hearts for 54 years.

Please join us in the last (ever) live discussion thread for "As The World Turns" as we wander through the streets of Oakdale one last time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 364
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

Great start to the thread.

I guess this should go in the other one but even though I didn't care for some of the episode memorializing Nancy (if you have to end on Katie why is it a "poor me" moment that isn't even about Nancy but about all the many Katie crises?), I was surprised and happy they mentioned Susan. When I had that crazy idea about Nancy hosting a charity event for the show's finale and mentioning the various P&G soap towns, I based it on Susan, as that story, Susan's death, was one of the founding elements of ATWT and Nancy's character. It sucks that Penny wasn't mentioned or brought back, or Don, but I'm glad they remembered Susan. Between that and some of the references to her being a teacher, and her marriage to Mac, it was a much more rounded episode for Nancy than I might have expected.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Ah, the Mac stuff, I know it shouldn't be ignored, but, I really, really, hated Mac. He was like a dirty old man...(and in dirty I mean not clean) who smelled of cigarettes and you had really bad coffee breath! I was always grossed out that he had his paws on Nancy.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I know it is a sin to hate a "relevant," storyline, especially one penned by Marland but I thought it was misguided and out of place on ATWT. First of all, my grandmother had a case of dementia, and it wasnt pretty, so I can just imagine what full blown Alzheimers would be like and to have to watch that after living it..no thank you. Plus, Marland's edgy stories all had nice, neat wrap ups. Margo didn't get HIV from her rape (if you can all that nice and neat, but you know what I mean..) Casey's assisted death storyline..oh, look there is a tape recorder under the bed that is just so happens to be found at the nick of time. Oh, so Lyla forgives Margo, etc, etc. There was no turning back to the Alzheimers story and felt that the only thing to do was indeed "kill," Dan, I for one did not think they were ever going to show Nancy changing Mac's diaper, and that, if they were truly being "relevant," and telling an honest story, is where it would have had to go with Mac's so quickly slipping away.

I don't think soaps should be a total fantasy, but I do think that it is, especially ATWT, a "safe," world where good will prevail, the bad will be punished or will see the light and turn themselves around, and old people, like Nancy and Chris, etc, happily pass away in their sleep, safe in the knowlege that their extended family and friends are right outside the door.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I see what you mean. I remember at the time Mac died some criticized ATWT for taking the easy way out. I was kind of surprised that the story went on as long as it did -- he was diagnosed in late 1992 and then passed away of a heart attack in mid-1996. I think that Alzheimer's stories were especially prevalent at that time -- I remember Picket Fences and Sisters doing them in those few years. Picket Fences I think had some of the stuff you mentioned, like the judge (or was it the mayor?) wearing a diaper and he also turned his office into a play area with a rocking horse. Sisters was also very over the top and then turned it into an assisted suicide story.

Not to go off topic even more, but the Sisters story was full of P&G soap actors. Philip Sterling had been on GL for years and I think I read that Swoosie Kurtz was on ATWT, although I don't now who her character was.

I thought ATWT did a decent job wrapping up the story, in, as you mention, their own sedate manner, showing the burden put on Nancy, and the scene where she and Mac danced together and then she learned he had passed away. As awful as that time on ATWT was and as dumb as some of the stories were (wasn't Nancy supposed to be swindled out of her money -- another story they did on Sisters around that time...), Black and Stern did write for most of the vets.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I like how the show has refocued on the Hughes family in these final weeks with nearly a Snyder to be seen. It was smart to send Meg and Emma off to the Mental Hospital in that it allows for the show to return to pre-Marland core roots. I've always had this feeling that the Syder Family was meant to be the new Hughes' but it never worked very well. The last few episodes made me wonder what ATWT would have been like if the show had focused on Andy, Chris and Frannie along with their families and children. The problem with World Turns has always been too many new characters and families with not enough focus on history and pre-existing characters.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

^^^no, obviously the last twenty five years have been a bust. The Snyders were just on last week. Although that drama revolved mostly around the Ciccones.

As much as I miss Andy, in some way I'm grateful he hasn't been recast as many times as Tom or Chris. Or even Paul.

Shoutout to Dusty for that awesome first post. I still can't believe this is it.

Bob's scene about finding Nancy made me tear up.

The rest of the Katie show? BLECH. GAWD, even Luke now has to support her and tell her how damned BRAVE, STRONG and SPECIAL she is. Makes me want to hurl.

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.



×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

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