As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[juppiter]

Rose was likable during the initial Lily/Rose storyline when she was a refreshing reminder of all the ridiculous thing Lily had been doing the past 15 years without ever getting called out on -- for example, "Your mother got me a beautiful necklace and she kept apologizing, 'I know you don't like presents.' Ya don't like presents? What's the matter with you?" And it was fun to see Martha Byrne get to play a role completely different from Lily.

After the initial Lily/Rose storyline, however, Rose got increasingly obnoxious and I disliked how she became the main Martha Byrne character at the exclusion of Lily, and Lily was only ever allowed to appear wearing brown (truly the 21st century's version of the "Marley wig.") When Rose was killed I was thrilled, and I found it to be two years overdue.

[Quent]

I loved that first year of the dual roles, where Martha truly earned her Emmy. Watching Rose play Lily was fun, as Rose tried to digest the details of the Princess' life. I remember her running into Abigail, thinking to herself "Okay, I KNOW I'm not old enough to have a daughter that age!" My favorite scene was when Holden learned the woman he was sleeping with was not Lily. Rose reverted back to her Jersey ways, and a disgusted Holden screamed at her "Is that REALLY what you sound like?"

It's funny how some dual roles can be tremendous (ATWT's Lily/Rose, Frannie/Sabrina, AMC's Adam/Stuart) and some are just dreadful (B&B's Amber/April, AW's Rachel/Justine. ATWT's Gwen/Cleo).

[juppiter]

Haha, I am in the 1% of viewers that loved the Gwen/Cleo storyline. Jennifer Landon was hilarious as Cleo. I actually loved 2007 ATWT, with the never-ending diet pills saga, Emily becoming a prostitute for fun, and the Gwen/Cleo debacle with the hugely underrated Elena Goode causing trouble wherever she went as Jade. I even liked that ridiculous Branson remote. 2007 ATWT was pure trash TV, really brainless slop, but I ate it up and appreciated it for what it was. 2008 was an awful year though lol.

I'm with you on Amber/April though, that was terrible.

[soapfan770]

It was really dumb but it was sort of a "so bad its good" tale especially since Jade finally transformed into an evil bitch until Cleo turned the tables. Plus I don't think it was suppose to be taken seriously like a lot of the total crap that aired in 2008, especially the Z twins in 2009.

Two casting questions I have I hope some one could answer: During the K.C. Collier tenure as HW(in between the Dobsons) did Maeve McGuire and Greg Pentecost(best known as Tony the Tuna) play a married couple on the show for a brief time before both were dropped? Or maybe it was the Tom King tenure, I don't know ATWT obviously had big problems in between the Dobsons' first and second stints.

Second question I have was Damian ever temporarily recasted? I read somewhere that a person had a ATWT episode where a guy playing Damian had dark and curly hair. Then again this describes Paolo Seganti's hair in the summer of 1995 so I don't know for sure.

Edited September 27, 2011 by soapfan770

[Paul Raven]

SOD synopsis from Sept 80.The Dobsons were now in full swing.

Edited September 27, 2011 by Paul Raven

[DRW50]

I never knew the exact circumstances of her death. That's a horrible way to die, especially since her death provided story mostly for a very weak character (Brad). I wish they hadn't killed her off. The show didn't exactly have a ton of dynamic younger ladies at this point, and she had ties to such core characters.

[Mitch]

Bad way to die, especially since it was just a set up to get Annie and Brad together the dull adjiunct to the Dee/John storyline, which was good on its own and could have caused tons of story and drama for the Stewarts without the dumbass Dee being in love with Brad and the rape storyline, which was just a rip off of the Dobson's previous Rita/Ed/Holly/Roger storyline. It is funny to read the other characters calling Brad a ladies man and womanizer when he looks like such a schlep. They couldnt have found a hotter guy?

I think they got rid of Melinda to focus on their own new "vixen," the under written and totally under acted Cricket. As you said, Melinda had ties to the all core, Babs, Bob, Kim and Lisa...imagine Melinda going after Tom after Babs dumped him, causing angst for both Lisa and Kim (and this was before the "kiddo," days but would have loved to seen the start of Kim taking kicking ass and taking names.)

Reading this you could see what the Dobson were going for but the really dull "teen," triangle of that particularly dull Betsy, Eric and Cricket, was supposed to get the demos going?

[P.J.]

Melinda's is the first death I have a clear memory of. It probably wasn't....but the way I remember it, it really looked like they shot it at a lake.

Duh...just looked at the picture in the article. It obviously was shot on location.

Edited September 27, 2011 by P.J.

[soapfan770]

It didn't help that as the anecdote goes that Ariane Munker/Ariana Chase ran off the show after being caught up in the feuding between CZP and Jacqueline Schultz.

How did people like Veleka Gray in the role of Lyra? Gray is a fascinating actress to me for all of her roles (especially her later Y&R work).

[Mitch]

I think they were handling it well, two troupers who had a very good career for a very long time (at least World Turns ended with them firmly installed as the patriarch and matriarch of Oakdale.) They really do interact and seem so very Bob and Kimish don't they??? Damn Hayes NEVER ages!!!

[P.J.]

I don't think many people would remember her in the role. I know I was surprised to find out Anne Sward didn't originate the role.

[Mitch]

I liked her as the original Lyla. Much stronger and "pushier," then Sward, who I thought was as interesting as watching paint dry (never understood how they kept her around that long.) Harder to believe that she would be pushed around by John, but also easier to believe as a former good time girl floozy, then Sward.

That era interests me, still can't figure out how Dee went from screwing this Ian guy, he dies, John helps/manipulates her, and in that same amount of time Brad and she somehow fall in love??? Would love to see the digests running up to that time.

[DRW50]

Here's one from April 22, 1980.

Edited September 28, 2011 by CarlD2

[Paul Raven]

This was early in the Dobson's run,where they were wrapping up old stories Doug/Marcia,Ian and Dee and moving into their own-burning down the bookstore,intro of Nick,return of Joyce etc

Do we know who played Claudia and Raymond?

Just did some checking and found that Tom Everett and Mary McDonnell played Raymond and Claudia Colfax.Both have long resumes and are still working today.

Edited September 28, 2011 by Paul Raven

[DRW50]

It looks like Mary McDonnell, later known for Dances With Wolves, BSG, etc. played a Claudia Colfax in 1980. Tom Everett played a Ray Colfax.

No matter how many times I read about the Ian stuff it seems a little tacky to me, something that was effectively parodied on Dynasty with Cecil Colby. I guess I'd have to actually watch it to get a better judge.

Edited September 28, 2011 by CarlD2