Jump to content

As The World Turns Discussion Thread


edgeofnik

Recommended Posts

  • Members

That's a fascinating insight. Reminds me of (and of course these are younger people and a different situation entirely) Tina Fey, who joined SNL as a writer in 1997 and rose to headwriter before leaving in 2006, giving interviews upbraiding newer writers when she would come back to host in the late '10s. She was critical because they no longer followed the format of staying at the offices all week, day and night, instead going home at night and returning the next day. Never mind that this was instituted partially  because one of the longtime writers had started having anxiety attacks and was told by doctors that his lifestyle and diet at the show was going to kill him...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 17.1k
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • DRW50

    2974

  • DramatistDreamer

    1958

  • Soapsuds

    1718

  • P.J.

    823

Top Posters In This Topic

Posted Images

  • Members

Wow - I'm surprised at all the criticisms of Marland. Other than the misfire of the Caroline Crawford murder mystery, I thought the show was very good in 91/92. The Aaron storyline, Holden's amnesia, Angel's crisis, Connor's takeover of Walsh, Margo's rape, Scott's arrival, Tonio's end, Ellie and Kirk's marriage, the healing of Kim and Bob's marriage, Jessica and Duncan's relationship all were riveting.  While many of the stories were indeed sad and dramatic -- that's what soap operas are!  And the ratings for this period seem to validate that Marland knew what he was doing -- ATWT was in the top 4 shows for both 91 and 92.  1993 began very promisingly with the introduction of the Grimaldis, Royce and Neal's secret relationship to Lucinda, and Martha Byrne's return. I did not have the sense that Marland was getting tired of the show or that he was looking for an exit.  And with the strong ratings, I don't think that P&G was thinking of replacing him.  Unfortunately,  Marland's death derailed the show.  Which brings me to my final point: the show never recovered from his death.  Marland's 9 years were ATWT's high water mark. I'm sad that we never got to see what he may have come up with for 1993 and beyond.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

When I talk about him wanting out it isn't a criticism of him as much as various articles and pieces I've read here over the years as he did, IIRC, have another soap in the works he had been trying to sell (wasn't it based in Detroit or centered on a blue-collar family or something).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

@victoria foxton @DramatistDreamer @soapfan770 @Mitch64 @Vee @Soapsuds @Paul Raven

 

Please register in order to view this content

I believe some or all of this may have been on Youtube before, but I don't know if it has ever been fully complete, or in such pristine quality.

Nice to see some of Chris and Nancy, Chris and Tom, and Nancy still blurring the line between her harder earlier self and softer later self. Lovely scene with Nancy and Ellen too, and Betsy and Kim. You get a lot of heart that early '80s ATWT can lack.

I always forget Scott Defrietas had started by this point. 

Edited by DRW50
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Personally, I think Marland was a great writer. Was he perfect? No one is perfect, but he wrote some storylines that still have relevance today. He wrote real conversations between characters in situations that had relatable aspects even when those situations stretched into the bizarre, and when the actors were truly well cast, the dialogue could really ring true and truly profound. I am just going to go on ahead and say this: I think that sexuality had an impact on how Marland’s work was promoted (or rather, not promoted) by the network and the production company P&G, similar to the way that Irna Phillips found her ambitions thwarted by P&G because of her gender.

In terms of criticism, what soap writer didn’t have misfires? In regards to those misfires, I find myself extending grace because one, writing is not easy, especially for writers like Marland who tended to juggle multiple stories in various stages of progression over long story arcs that spanned a lengthy period of time and two, we don’t know exactly how many stories suffered from interference from either the executives at P&G and/or the executives at the “Tiffany Network” both of which had to have been among the two most conservative entities that ever produced entertainment television. I try to keep these factors in mind whenever I analyze any master soap writer. Otherwise, it’s just being b*tchy for no reason, lol.

 I feel like I have said this before, on some level.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Yes. Any criticisms I have of Marland (and I am pretty happy with his  ATWT run - most of mine would extend toward his GL work, if I had any) are with awareness that he was an incredibly talented writer whose work generally holds up extremely well. I know that these threads can  easily come off as people being bitchy and catty and cliquey, but I don't believe that is the case here. 

By many  accounts Marland was not a shrinking violet...I think he'd be fine with the discussions. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Having participated in numerous workshops where my work and everybody else’s work can be picked apart at any time during the process, you have to be able to handle critiques and discussion of your work and as long as it’s coming from a genuine place, I don’t see a problem with it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Yes as I've been watching through it I don't  recognize most of it either. I think those early scenes with Betsy and Steve at their cabin fooled me, as they had the same scenes about 500 times. I would have remembered the delightful scene where Ellen asks if Nancy could believe  Lisa reunited them with their grandson, and  Nancy deadpans that she absolutely can believe it. Feels like a line @Mitch64 would write  here...

This old nanny of Stewart's (I'm guessing she  is a baddie  at heart) and her cod English accent is amusing. 

The return of Nancy and Chris truly does add so much warmth to the canvas. So much of this episode is devoid of plot and is just people chilling at the Hughes home and it is wonderful. Sad that it took so long for this to happen but I'm really glad the usual spiteful figures at P&G or at the show let it happen. 

Edited by DRW50
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Agreed!

Director Bruce Barry recently said how much harder writers and directors worked in the heyday of soaps. Writers and directors cared more about their craft back in the day. They worked long hours to produce the best soap possible.

All that tension probably didn't help Marland either. He wanted ever script perfect.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a nice treat to see Nancy and Chris. Also loved the warm family feeling. You would never see scenes of people chilling out at the Hughes. During Sheffer and Jean Passanante. I loved the song playing when Heather and Tucker broke up. Andy calling Kim toots was cute.

Edited by victoria foxton
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

A man that can truly entertain me not only once but twice with his writing has to be good. 

I didn't need a guy shirtless or a gay couple for some good soap drama/writing. Marland had me hooked with his storytelling.

Thank you for posting it!

Please register in order to view this content

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

From WLS: Friday, September 18, 2009
Coming Soon:
Irna Phillips' Unpublished Autobiography
Doug Moe has published a revealed article in the Wisconsin State Journal about the GUIDING LIGHT finale which includes an interview with Irna Phillips' son, Tom, and the revelation that her unpublished autobiography is in the works.
One of the best stories Tom Phillips remembers about his mother concerned her answer to the question of why she never got married. Irna Phillips adopted Tom in 1941 and his sister a year later.
"Why the hell should I get married?" Irna said. "If I want to get in a fight, I will call those buffoons in Cincinnati."
The buffoons in question were the sponsors for the radio and television soap operas she created and wrote.
GUIDING LIGHT going dark today has sparked renewed interest in Phillips, and as it happens, an abundance of her papers are stored at the Wisconsin Historical Society in Madison. There are scripts from GUIDING LIGHT and other shows she wrote, as well as correspondence with colleagues, listeners, viewers and advertisers.
Not in Madison yet, but coming soon, is Phillips' unpublished autobiography. Tom discovered it earlier this year in a box after his sister died in Los Angeles. He's read it, and after his wife and kids read it, he plans to send it here. Irna Phillips attended graduate school in speech at UW-Madison in the 1920s, as did Tom - in American history - in the 1960s.
According to Tom, the autobiography reveals his mother's thought process when creating GUIDING LIGHT more than seven decades ago.
Earlier she had created the first soap, PAINTED DREAMS, a feel-good drama about an Irish-American mom imparting homespun wisdom to her daughter.
In her autobiography, Phillips wrote, "I cannot pinpoint when the transition occurred, but somehow along the way I had made up my mind that any writing I did in the future would be based on reality and not fantasy."

What is the latest date anyone has seen news of this manuscript?

 

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

    • They didn't need to have some slutty gay dude as their representation. Just a 'normal' guy getting involved with another guy or two (or three). Just like the straight characters. Thinking about it, they missed the boat by not having a few other single charcters at the beginning. Maybe Naomi or Ashley could be shown meeting Derek/Jacob and  we could follow their romance. Too many characters were coupled up at the start. As a tattoo hater I was surprised to see Tomas so inked. Don't find it attractive or sexy. I'm surprised an actor would do that as it's definitely a statement and may not be appropriate for some roles. Suppose they can cover if necessary. I didn't buy Kat being all girly and then paying off Darius to get into Eva's room. Way too cliche. She should have just come along when the housekeeping was leaving and breezed in saying it was her room. And her smug looks in the hotel room and 'Now I've got you!!' talks to herself at Orphey Gene's...no.  
    • Omg I was so annoyed. Like girl calm down. Coming on way too strong. Omg I forgot about this

      Please register in order to view this content

    • I thought it got stale before Jocks death lol. His death picked things back up for me.
    • 1976 Pt 5 Tony is summoned to the reading of the will in the Llanfair library,as he’s a principal in the will. He tells Joe there’s not a chance of coming to terms with Dorian, as he is sure she brought about Victor’s death by torturing him emotionally when he was her helpless prisoner after his stroke. Ironically, Chapin hand delivers to Viki a letter her father wrote before his stroke, praising Dorian and asking Viki to befriend and support his widow when he was no longer there. Viki feels a responsibility to her father’s wishes and vows to try with Dorian. Victor’s will leaves the expected amounts to members of his family and staff, with the lion’s share of his stock and property going to Dorian. Victor’s will explains that his son Tony expressed the desire that he not be “bought from the grave,” and, in keeping with his son’s wishes, the only bequest to him is the knowledge of his father’s love and respect. Tony is deeply moved. Dorian’s first attempt to use her new power is the recommendation of Peter as head of the Merideth Lord Wolek hospital wing, claiming that naming Larry would be virtual nepotism. Peter, who has devoted considerable time and effort to helping Jenny get over Tim’s death with gentle, affectionate support, is happy at this suggestion, but Jenny points out Dorian is merely using him to hurt Larry. Viki disregards Dorian’s ingenuous assurances that she’s not trying to wield her new power but is merely putting Peter up for consideration for a future opportunity, if not this one, and tells her she won’t be able to fulfill her father’s desire that they be friends unless Dorian stops interfering. Larry, fully understanding Dorian’s personal motives, warns her he’s going to fight for the appointment no matter what. Realizing that she has made a tactical error, Dorian announces that she won’t even attend the board meeting but will give her proxy to Jim. She admits to Matt McAllister, still her confidant, that this was humiliating, but it was a necessary protective tactic. Dorian manages to win her next round at Joe’s office when, after he praises her decision to yield on appointing Peter, she expresses concern for Viki “at a time like this.” Joe, of course, jumps on her words, and Dorian, pretending great distress at having mentioned something she shouldn’t have, is “forced” to explain that she knew about the congenital heart condition Megan had and that any child of Joe’s is likely to inherit it. She overheard the doctors discussing it at the time of the accident, she continues, and naturally assumed that Joe already knew.  Joe arranges a meeting at home with Viki and asks her how she could live a lie like this; how she could go through their lives as if everything were fine while every moment was a lie. He is further upset when, in trying to explain that it was out of her love for him that she kept the truth from him, she mentions that Jim and Larry also know but Cathy still hasn’t been told. Viki tells Joe that Dorian deliberately told him this way to hurt their marriage, and she is very upset when he starts toward the door, pleading that they have always talked things out in the past. Joe coolly points out that she didn’t do that when she learned about Megan and continues out the door.  A tearful Viki is shaken and when Joe later returns, having spent several hours in a bar drinking only soft drinks,she breaks down, crying that she was convinced he’d left her. Joe assures her they can get through this despite everything, because their relation is based on love and mutual respect. 
    • If you think about it, DALLAS and DYNASTY grew stale right about the same time, even if the ratings were slow to reflect that.  FC and KL, on the other hand, tried to stay fresh, but KL was way more successful at it, I think, than FC.  (That [!@#$%^&*] with The Thirteen does not hold up well, lol).
    • GH 1976 Pt 8 Heather takes advantage of the situation by asking Jeff to come and look at Tommy. She uses sympathy, compassion, and her own feminine wiles, together with his misery and his pills, to lure him into bed. Later, sober, he apologizes. Learning from Pearson that Monica has seen a divorce lawyer, Jeff confronts her, and she insists it’s a lie. Avoiding his attempts to kiss her, she musses her hair and tears her blouse, then rushes to Rick’s, claiming that she can’t stay with that maniac any longer. They wind up in Rick’s bed, and after making love he confesses he always loved her. Rick replies to her question of whether he wants to marry her by saying he has to talk to Jeff. Monica insists that Jeff not bear any pressure from their problems. As she leaves, Rick gives her a key to his apartment. Jeff, having spent the night drinking, misses his surgical assignment, and Steve, informing him that his personal life can’t interfere with his profession, puts him on suspension. Rick can’t persuade Steve to reverse his decision, but Mark, sensing what’s at the heart of Jeff’s problem, convinces Steve to lift Jeff’s suspension and transfer him to Mark’s service. Rick asks for his key back, telling Monica they can’t do anything as long as she’s under Jeff’s roof. So she has a duplicate made and moves into intern’s quarters, explaining that Jeff’s violence drove her out. She tells Jeff she needs privacy to work things out, and tells Rick Jeff wanted her out. Thinking that this is the preliminary to a divorce, Rick tells her she can come to his place. In New York, Leslie’s abortion is delayed by a mix-up in scheduling, and she calls Terri to commiserate. Rick overhears Terri’s conversation and forces the whole story from her. He flies to New York to stop Leslie, feeling responsible for pointing out how evil Cam was, and arrives to find that she has decided she can’t deny her child the right to live. Monica, meanwhile, expecting that Rick will be home, uses her key to let herself into his apartment and is shocked to find Mark there; knowing that Mark was uncomfortable at the hotel, Rick offered Mark use of the apartment in his absence. Monica is upset to learn that Rick is in New York with Leslie, and Mark doesn’t know why. Mark does advise Monica to play fair with Jeff, but she resents his interference. The next day, while covering for Leslie at the clinic, Monica discovers Leslie’s lab test report and jumps to the conclusion that the baby is Rick’s. When Rick and Leslie return, Monica wastes no time in accusing him. He is dismayed to see that she is still as suspicious and possessive as she was before he went to Africa, and points out that her making a duplicate  key proves she hasn’t changed. Terri encourages Leslie to see Rick in a romantic light and then suggests to Rick that Leslie is interested in him. Rick likes this idea and tells Mark he’s growing ‘unwilling to cope with Monica’s unreasonable demands. But Monica immediately recognizes the threat Leslie represents and decides to attack. She goes to Leslie and tells her flatly that she and Rick are having an affair and he’s her exclusive property. Leslie, who realizes she has been falling in love with Rick, is hurt, and Rick is mystified when he feels Leslie pulling away from him. Monica’s big moment comes when she brings Rick a housewarming gift and seduces him into letting her stay overnight. She is in the bedroom when Leslie stops by to apologize for refusing his dates, and makes a dramatic entrance into the living room draped in Rick’s bathrobe. Leslie turns and runs out. Rick later informs her he’s disappointed in her, because she prejudged Monica and him rather than giving him the benefit of the doubt. Heather tries to arrange another tryst with Jeff, but he replies that he still loves his wife. Heather decides there’s only one way to get Jeff to be pregnant with his child. She manages to overhear Monica putting Jeff down by telling him he no longer turns her on and should look for someone he does. Heather goes to Jeff and tells him that she heard Monica and that she is the one he’s looking for. She manages to get him into bed again, and sweetly assures him this is right. She then sets the stage for future meetings. Steve, meanwhile, offers to help Monica and Jeff work out their problems. Jeff is willing, but Monica turns the idea down. Instead, she presses Terri to convince Jeff to end the marriage. Terri now knows that Monica isn’t a good wife for Jeff and promises to try. But Jeff makes it clear to Monica that he still loves her and won’t let her go. She is bitter and upset, as she has already implied to Rick that she will soon be free. Audrey is upset to find that Florence Andrews has been inquiring about Tommy and herself. She goes to Florence’s home and finds she’s away now. Florence has gone down to Mexico to sign a sworn statement that she purchased a false death certificate for Tom, to protect his son after his wrongful conviction. Tom, learning from her that Steve and Audrey are to be married and Steve is planning to adopt Tommy, tells  Florence not to do anything, as there’s still no assurance that he’ll ever get out. But the judge does accept the statement, and, ironically, on the day that Steve  and Audrey are married, Tom is released from prison.
    • 1976 Pt 12 Final part Laurie agrees with Stuart that Peggy is rushing into marriage to prove that the rape didn’t ruin her life.  She points out that the only way Peg can be sure is to make love with Jack before the wedding. Stuart admits she’s right but points out that he can’t suggest that to Peggy. As the wedding approaches, Peg seems happy that Jack’s become close to the family. However, her happiness is shattered by a nightmare in which her loving bridegroom turns into a leering Ron Becker, forcing her to cancel the wedding. Jack reassures her he’ll wait as long as it takes, and Chris confides that she and Snapper didn’t consummate their marriage on their wedding night because of her own rape experience, but Peggy tells Chris she might never be ready.  Despite her desire to keep Karen as her own daughter, Chris helps a police artist create a sketch of Nancy so it can be printed in the newspaper as part of a search for her. When the attempt proves fruitless, however, Chris asks Greg to file application for permanent custody of the child. Greg points out that adoption is the only way to prevent Ron from returning and claiming the child, and that it will take quite a while. Meanwhile, a nurse in the psychiatric ward sees a resemblance  between the newspaper drawing and her autistic patient, Mrs. Jackson, but since “Fran” doesn’t respond to the name Nancy and no one else sees the similarity, she fears she’s mistaken. Jill is horrified to overhear Kay, when brihging baby Phillip a Christmas gift, telling the child she remembers the night he was conceived. Kay has to then admit to Jill she saw her with Phillip in the bunkhouse that night. Jill is aghast to realize that Kay new the truth all along and put her through such agony in spite of it, denying her baby his father’s name. Lance tells Laurie they’ll marry on Valentine’s Day. He laughs that it’s corny but agrees, secretly wishing it were sooner, as Vanessa has vowed to prevent it. Indeed, Vanessa makes an unprecedented venture out of the house to visit Brad, telling him to rebuff any advance Leslie might make to him, as she’s reaching out to him only from a sense of duty. But Laurie then makes a concerted effort to reach Vanessa. Without being sure why she’s trying so hard, she tries to assure the woman she’s not losing Lance and she, Laurie, will help her find a plastic surgeon somewhere who can help her. Grudgingly, Vanessa seems to be reconsidering her view of Laurie, and Laurie is delighted when Lance offers her a choice between two diamond necklaces, explaining that her preference will be Vanessa’s Christmas gift. Learning from Les about Brad’s blindness, Stuart tells Brad he could have turned Leslie away only out of great love. Knowing that Les is going to see Brad again, Laurie warns him not to bring the baby into their discussion, as Leslie will come back only she’s convinced he loves her, not for the babies sake. Leslie finds Brad disheveled and sloppy, and proceeds to straighten the apartment, stating that she can't respect him if he lets himself go. Realizing that neither Brad nor Les will make the first move, Laurie hurries things along by refusing to help Brad with his grooming, saying he should ask his wife. Then, having learned  that Brad offered Les the use of their piano, Laurie untunes the Brooks' piano forcing Leslie to accept his offer. By refusing to cater to his  blindness, Les manages to get Brad to stop wallowing in pity, and by the time Leslie’s Christmas braille message of her love and her need for him arrives, they are husband and wife again Lance takes Laurie on a business trip on New Year's Eve, and tells her, on board his plane, she won't be  won't be able to call him “Mr. All Talk and No action” after tonight. When Laurie protests that waited this long and will continue to wait until married, Lance delights her by instructing his pilot to land in Las Vegas, where they are married immediately.
    • Yeah, not sure why Jack and Jen didn’t rush to Marlena - or even Carrie - to offer their condolences. A few flashbacks would've been a nice touch too. Instead, we got a whole episode of them talking about Chad and Abby? Come on. On the bright side, I loved Anna’s scenes with Marlena and Carrie - sweet and heartfelt, felt like a real 80s throwback.
    • Martin and Smitty were designed to avoid the stereotype of gay men sleeping around (which to an extent is true). If you recall Martin had a line about them not being open when Chelsea came to talk to him. The producers are walking a very fine line right now and it might not be popular to say but I can understand it. Establishing enough footing to ward off complaints will let them showcase gay characters more openly later.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

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