As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[edgeofnik]

Happy 57th Birthday ATWT (and, of course, TEON)!

[RogerNewcomb]

Thought you might like these:

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2013/04/happy-57th-anniversary-as-world-turns.html

[DRW50]

Thanks so much for sharing these. I'm especially happy to see Joyce. I never had. It's interesting and surprising to see her this way - I was expecting something more bitchy and diva. I prefer this version though.

Mary McDonnell. Look at that long, straight hair, and the Palin accent.

[jam6242]

Joyce wasn't overtly bitchy. That's why she was so effective. She could fool a lot of people with her innocent act. And definitely not a diva. Loved her!

[edgeofnik]

Thank you! Of course, it makes me miss them (ATWT & TEON) more....

[DRW50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w_nTXunwWlA

Were they testing Paul and Carly at this time?

Tedious Katie. I did enjoy that Dido song.

Edited April 6, 2013 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbSUiMCn8fM

[DRW50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7ATmv5VTzD0

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I8QVVycHe1A

Such embarrassing acting from Roger Howarth.

Edited April 7, 2013 by CarlD2

[DRW50]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtIIttDdqlM

[Vee]

I always thought it was a terrible mistake to replace Scott Holroyd, who was perfect as Paul and did some incredible, searing work when his Paul turned on Barbara. But CBS and ATWT were blinded by the idea of a big get in Roger, and basically blatantly turned the character into Paul Manning overnight. Hallucinations, weird affectations, demon daddy issues - it was all Todd, all right away and it just didn't work. It was a complete sea change and ATWT fans called it what it was, which was bullshit. It was, I think, the beginning of the end of the Sheffer/Goutman marquee soap star reinvention process, which had (IMO) gone so well with actors like Cady McClain and Hunt Block.

It was a shame, too, because I actually thought Roger (as well as Scott Holroyd) had incredible, unexpected chemistry with Martha Byrne's Rose, and Cady McClain. But when they finally got around to pairing Roger and Cady it was basically a vanilla smoothie, story-wise - like Ryan and Greenlee on AMC, before their time. And neither actor was any good at that kind of stuff; at least, Cady wasn't as Rosanna. It also sacrificed the Craig/Rosanna romance, which I loved and which was never the same again.

In the end, though, I think Roger Howarth was just happy to be playing something other than a rapist, and that's why he stayed at ATWT so long. The money was good and he was able to be just another leading man, another contract player without all the sturm und drang of Todd, as after this early stuff his Paul became much more generic and commonplace. His hardcore fans from OLTL cried and called it boring, a waste, but what I don't think they understood is that at ATWT he could be just another part of an ensemble and just have a good time with talented actors. That's why I think he stayed despite all the indignities they put that character through, because it was good for him as a person after the years as polarizing, dark antihero Todd. And that's why I think he came back to ABC a lot more chilled out, happy and willing to play and do good work again. But that's just my totally uninformed take, I don't have a real insight into the man or his mind. That's just how it came off to me.

Edited April 7, 2013 by Vee

[P.J.]

No. This was the only truly non-drama-filled Carjack span. (From their Montana wedding/Sage's birth to Jack's disappearance in June or July when he miraculously crossed the Mississippi river and became AmnesiJack.) It's the start of the Paul/Rosanna thing. Craig has set up Paul and Cabot's adoption blows up, ending the Craig/Ro marriage. If I'm not mistaken, I believe Paul saves Lucy from being raped in February, and Paul teams up with Carly to ghost design Barbara's line in March (as Babs starts going blind), and Lucy (with her little crush on Paul) ends up being stuck with Paul and Carly in a snowstorm somewhere out East.

[P.J.]

I really have never understood the decision to cast Roger as Paul. Paul had survived a lot worse (like thinking he'd actually killed his father) and sending him 'round the bend over Rose's death (or arguably the fact his brother was responsible) when getting free of that screechy ball-buster was (IMO) the narrowest escape of his life, made little sense.

Had they brought him in as ANYONE else (and my favorite what if was Scott Eldredge) I think they'd have been much better served. Scott was virtually a blank slate. And it's not like Doug Wert's comic six-month misstep in the role detracted from Joe Breen's performance. It's not like with ATWT's rich history, they couldn't have found ONE other character to pick from. I could probably name TEN without much effort.

[DRW50]

Thanks, PJ. I was curious as I saw some chemistry there.

I think they just decided Paul = Todd, somehow, and it was a leading role, played by an actor they had little use for, so they went for it. I thought it was an atrocity and one more reason why I was pushed away from the show during this era. It's embarrassing to watch even now. I guess at least someone realized it and made him more palatable, although to me he was never really Paul.

Watching this mess I'm also reminded of what a strong presence Tamara Tunie was.

[P.J.]

Well, TIIC could have been seeing what, if anything, was there. With McClain constantly having one foot out the door, I don't think it's unreasonable to wonder. Also, the scenes between Paul and Lucy felt like that was being felt out too. But I believe List left that summer, and probably told them early she wasn't interested in re-signing.

But sometimes a cigar is just a cigar. It's kind of hard to imagine Sheffer and Goutman breaking their couple pattern---one good, one bad (or at least morally challenged)---to pair up Paul and Carly.

Although the thought of the ensuing Barbara/Carly fireworks make my mouth water.

Who knows what went through those assholio minds.

I guess I do understand why Howarth seemed like a good move. He had one wickedly rabid fanbase. It just never (or rarely) translated into a ratings bump for us. They couldn't (and shouldn't have tried to) retool the show and make Howarth the center.

Edited April 7, 2013 by P.J.

[DRW50]

August 1960 TV Radio Mirror

William Redfield, who in his role on As the World Turns is dying of leukemia, put the producers in a dilemma. Letters poured in asking that his life be saved. But the producers just couldn't get around the plot complication by then. Redfield had to "die." The actor admits that he doesn't mind being "dead," because he can now accept TV offers from Alfred Hitchcock and others.

Redfield played Tim Cole.

Edited April 8, 2013 by CarlD2