Jump to content

As The World Turns Discussion Thread


edgeofnik

Recommended Posts

  • Members

Y&R did do a lot of social issues in the 70's.

 

Chris Brooks was raped. I think it may have been the first non marital rape on daytime TV. The attacker (played by Tony Geary) got off free and told Chris she asked for it.

Jennifer Brooks mastectomy.

Katherine's alcoholism and attempted recovery.

Katherine and Joann's relationship that border lined on being sexual.

Nikki and Casey Reed were sexually abused by their father.

Leslie Brooks mental breakdown and put in a mental hospital.

Sally McGuire's attempted suicide that could have harmed her unborn child.

Jill being a unwed mother and her child declared a bastard in the eyes of society at the time.

Liz Foster respecting her husbands wishes to be taken off life support and her pulling the plug.

Paul and Nikki contracting STD's in the era of free love and disco.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 17.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • DRW50

    2970

  • DramatistDreamer

    1958

  • Soapsuds

    1716

  • P.J.

    823

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

  • Members

Maybe I'm not giving Y&R enough credit, but all of television was changing at the time. It's not like Oakdale was full of Puritans who simply yakked over coffee. Most of what I've read credits Eileen Fulton's Lisa for ATWT's meteoric rise in ratings---and she was a selfish, social climbing bitch. It wasn't by accident that Agnes Nixon created Erica Kane. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Bill Bell co-wrote ATWT in the early 60's and created the character of Lisa in 1960. He wrote for the show till 1966. Irna Phillips had him go to Days to help Ted and Betty Corday with the struggling show. Bill made the show a ratings winner. CBS then approached him in 1972 and he and his wife Lee created Y&R.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

1990 must be one of, if not the darkest years for storylines on ATWT.  Coming off the revelation that a father murdered his son.  Breakups galore, half the town in extensive therapy, Margo has to 'pull the plug' on her stepfather.  The storylines are very well written and highly compelling (it beats the hell out of today's soaps!), don't get me wrong but the pathos is seemingly unrelenting.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

LOL....I understand that the soaps that debuted in the '70's pushed boundaries. But it's not like they reinvented the wheel. Y&R, after all, IS the show that gave us The Hoff. I credit Y&R more with an upswing in production values that made the show more visibly attractive. But can you imagine what social media would say about Bell now?  That he was ripping off his own stuff (inventing Lisa and Y&R's scheming Jill), relied on rape way too much, and cast a bunch of models instead of actors.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I, on the other hand, probably didn't get to see much of 1992.

 

I wonder whether Marland may have had some sense of his own declining health.  In 1990, he seemed to be examining the end of the things.  End of relationships, end of innocence, the end of the notion of rosy colored romance and picket fence family life, the end of life...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

 

 

Oh.  1990 was terrific quality but it just had a very dark tenor in terms of storytelling and the pathos was unrelenting.  

 

1996 was a busy year for me, I'd be surprise if I caught even one episode from that year.

Edited by DramatistDreamer
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Yes, 1990 was the year I stopped watching ATWT on a regular basis and started again with GL, which was just getting going with its "golden years,"   GL was fun and bright and still had serious storylines, while ATWT was dank and depressing and incestuous and just unpleasant. I know Marland was a good writer but he needed someone to pull him in there.

I mean, really, did we need Mack (who I hated ...he always looked like he stank like ciggies and was dirty to me) have Alzheimers? What were you going to do with that Marland....there are some things, like Margos rape and that, that is too real and dark and I don't need to watch it to prove how "adult," and unsoap the show is.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I was watching both GL and ATWT in 1990, come to think of it and GL was superb that year!

 

As depressing as ATWT was in '90 (Casey's last days were brutal!), I still think the writing was several cuts above any of today's daytime soaps.  I'd rather watch 1990's episodes than any of the four remaining soaps now.  In fact, I am.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Those years of ATWT were almost like. "Oh see how SERIOUS we are!" I missed the days of Kim's Stalker, and James back from the dead...(the first time) after that, it is as if Marland got caught up in his own reputation. A show should always be fun to watch, and fun does not have to be "dumb."  GL at that time was like "Hey, look, we're a soap and we're proud of it and we care going to trot out every soap convention in the book and write the hell out of it..enjoy!" ATWT was the dour sibling while GL was the fun one....(though the days my friend were numbered.)

Edited by Mitch
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Unfortunately, your content contains terms that we do not allow. Please edit your content to remove the highlighted words below.
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • I also really enjoyed Eva's scenes with Kat today. They have an interesting chemistry. I thought it really did feel a bit like sisters at conflict. Especially with the way that Eva was trying to convince Kat to forgive Ted and them both coming to the conclusion that the man they thought was their father was different wasn't who they really thought he was initially. And the way that Eva broke down when Kat said that she was dead to her was emotional stuff. I really do think that in spite of their conflict/bickering Eva really would have loved to have gained a sister, along with a brother, father, etc... Also, I thought it was interesting how Eva kept saying that she loves Ted and Nicole. That and Leslie mentioning that Kat/Eva are almost twins really does make me wonder if Kat may really be her twin and Nicole's as well. I would gladly welcome that outcome, even if it takes a while for it to come out. At this point Leslie doesn't deserve Eva as a daughter as far as I'm concerned. And I would forward to a storyline where we found out that she's Nicole's second baby girl, and all the complex and ultimately happy feelings that would bring Nicole. Eva/Kat could still have a rivalry, especially if Nicole ended up bonding more with Eva. And then we could get the rest of the family's reaction to that as well.
    • Please register in order to view this content

        What you NOT gonna do to me!
    • Bravo to every single person responsible for today's episode. From the writer on down to Kraft services. Yall I'm getting emotional but I wish my granny was here to have seen this soap since she was the one to introduce me to this medium.    

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Everything is fraught with confusion. Why is Leslie pleading with the Duprees to accept Eva? She's not biological family so what is this? She's the product of an affair with their in-law so Leslie wants them to accept her? I'm getting GOOD TIMES vibes of Leslie and Eva minus the physical abuse.
    • Big fan of today's writing. In particular, I like EJ complexity, crying over Johnny and conspiring at the same is tough to pull off in the same episode, but it goes very far in explaining EJ's motives. I don't hate the idea of Cat and EJ, and I especially appreciate everyone trying to warn her, but she is sticking to the plan. Boy oh boy, when Brandon Beemer wears a shirt that matches his eyes, I get lost in the screen!
    • Yeah, I think that Leslie's speech would have had a bit more of an impact if Ted had been the Dupree's son, with Nicole being the daughter in law they loved like a daughter. But being that he's the son in law, and that Eva (at least not right now) isn't technically a Dupree, it doesn't hold as much weight. They aren't caring much for Ted right now and their feelings could be trickling down to Eva. Though, I do think they have some sympathy for her. I really enjoyed today's show. Loved a stripped, down hurt but still strong in her resolve Nicole. DD continues to shine and shows why she is IMO the heart of the show. I felt her words, and anger at Ted and how she broke down in Kat's arms at the end. She is just wonderful all the way around. I also loved the way that Anita read Leslie. She was spot on about her and how mishandled everything with Ted and Eva. And speaking of Leslie... I immediately thought the same thing once I saw that scene. That what she exhibited was trash behavior. I don't think she's a good mother. In fact, I think she's lousy. Granted, I have missed some episodes, but I haven't really seen her do anything to indicate that she really cares for Eva or her well being. All she's really done is try and manipulate/use Eva for her own agenda since she came to town.   
    • I thought Brandon C was much more believable as Martin today.  Before, I watched an actor trying to portray a character.  Friday and today, I simply felt the character.
    • The way Leslie uses her love shower Eva with and then snatches it away when Eva doesn’t do what she wants is something that should be focused on down the road.    Great end to the episode overall and kudos to the writing and production team for carefully executing all of this. 
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

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