As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I agree. Writing out Dan may have bought them some more time. The real fault lies in aging them so quickly and then killing off Paul. I think that de-aging Dan could have worked, as Susan and Kim were both vibrant (and Susan was on the way out anyway), but I can see why they made the choice they did. The problem is the choices the show made afterward. Considering how youth-obsessed soaps were in the early '80s, we're lucky they kept Kim through those five years of misuse/underuse.

It's definitely something I never expected to see. I'm trying to hold back on my greediness and remember this may be it and just enjoy something that is so precious.

I can see it. She also reminds me of Judith Chapman. Sadly we've never seen any of her ATWT work. 

@Mitch64 I forgot to say there's a line in this that felt like it was written just for you (the one where Lisa says Nancy would never talk about someone behind their back...but Lisa would).

 

[SoapDope]

Scott turned out to be kind of a nothing burger. I agree with your assessment of them wanting Lisa to be child free. ATWT during the 70's and early went crazy killing off characters left and right when they no longer wanted to write for them.

Chuckie could have went away for a several years and come back being a cool bad ass with elements of his father Dr. Michael Shea. Instead of Margo getting knocked up by Hal, Chuckie would have done the deed and the brothers would come to blows.

[Paul Raven]

Neither of Marland's retcon children stories was worth it in the end.

Scott and Sabrina just faded away.

As for Chuckie, just do a switched at birth story (a hospital mix up, no sinister motive necessary) and have him he and Lisa have to adjust to the situation. He would want to know about his Dad.

Ellen, Lisa, Bob, David,Nancy were all around from that time so they would have a point of view.

One of 'Chuckie's' adoptive parents could be around and resentful b/c their natural son died.

Tom was driving when Chuckie died. Another angle that wasn't explored then.

Lot's of story possibilities.

[Vee]

It would've been very, very easy to recast Frannie/Sabrina at any point in the last 20 or so years. They didn't do it because they didn't care.

[DRW50]

I know there was a claim Marland was going to recast Frannie if he'd lived. There was still a lot left with the character if they had cared. Sabrina was never up to much as a character but if they'd brought her in later on rich and bitter, clashing with the Hughes family values, it could have worked.

 

[P.J.]

I couldn't disagree more about the Sabrina story. It drove story for years. Just because Sabrina wasn't in Oakdale doesn't make the story a failure.

Scott could've driven story for years. That got derailed by Joe Breen's health. God knows Lisa could've used another son on the canvas. Scott Holmes was a drip in the role.

[DRW50]

If they had to do the Miranda story (goodness knows why), he would have made more sense than Bob did. He had a history of women the family found unsuitable and he might have been drawn into a whirlwind romance, unaware she was a drug lord, had a tedious daughter, etc.

I have a feeling even if Joe hadn't left, Scott would not have amounted to much because of all the turnover at the time. 

The Sabrina story definitely gave a lot of good material for the first year or so. It might seem worse in hindsight because of how little they managed to do with Sabrina compared to, say, Stuart on AMC or Vicky on AW (other doppelgangers brought into story).

[P.J.]

Valid point re: Scott. But Breen was a very good and popular actor. I think ATWT would've at least tried to keep him happy.

I think a lot of Mary Ellen Stuart, but she was no Julianne Moore. I don't think she could've handled a dual role. 

[DRW50]

I think they were right to cast separate actresses post-Moore. I just wish they'd cast a bit better for Sabrina.

[Soapsuds]

I checked the ratings for this week and it was #2 with a 7.8 rating 32 share.  YR was #1 with a 7.9. Viewers tuned in.

Edited February 3 by Soapsuds

[MarlandFan]

I agree - the idea of Scott had amazing potential: (Conflicts with Tom, a growing attraction to Margo, friction with Lisa, potential villain of the show, etc.)  But from the get-go, Scott was written as a 30-something loser.  Yes, he had his law degree and a cultured upbringing, but he did nothing with them. No career, no girlfriend/fiancee/wife, a difficult relationship with his father.  Yes, some of those problems could be attributed to his lack of a mother and yes it created friction between him and Lisa -- but it wasn't interesting to watch.  He was a whiner/complainer and was absolutely aimless in life.  Joseph Breen had been a powerful actor on GL but he fizzled on ATWT.  His relationship with Lucinda had promise, but Breen and Hubbard had no chemistry - and the relationship ended as quickly as it began.  Then 1993 started and his relationship with Neal began -- and ended fast because of her murder.  And Breen was ill, then replaced. And then Marland died.  And Scott was written off (I don't even think Breen got a goodbye scene).  I actually enjoyed the second iteration of Scott played by Doug Wirt. He was a bit of a con-man, a self-centered playboy.  He had more edge -- which makes sense for a guy who led a privileged life and lived most of his life away at boarding school/university.  THAT version of Scott was interesting.

[Mitch64]

It too bad during the Dobsons time they had Shea faked his death and his kids...(would have to come up with a semi plausible explanation on how) and came back years later.  He arranges for a car crash with Lisa so she finds the teen age Chuckie..Lisa, not knowing it is her own kid, takes him under her wing and has him move in with her, to silently torture her (he was raised to hate her..) and meanwhile begins to romance Betsy (all part of Sheas plan to torture the Ellen and her family) but he starts to actually fall for her much to his father's dismay.  Meanwhile, Shea in disguise begins to romance Kim (everyone in town wants to know who Kim's mystery man is) and Bob is wary of this guy. Joyce finds out who he really is and blackmails him and they are a match made in hell for everyone in town.  The end result is that Lisa would find out who was who and then to actually save herself and  Kim (Bob saves Kim, and as he goes back to get Lisa hears a gunshot) does finally shoot and kill Shea. 

A lot of hand waving would have to go into this, but it would save us from Nick, Steve and Miranda and bring back a character who would have a complicated relationship with Lisa, Bob and Kim going forward. 

I agree and think Wert was sexy in the role. I think that Marland did just not write good villains (they were all cartoons if they were actual villains like James and Toni) and just made his characters (as I said time and time again) sometimes too politely boring...Sabrina should have been a slut who finds out she actaully has rich parents but still resents them, and Scott should have been a selfish man ho who eventually slightly reforms like his mama. But instead we get very very plain and dull Sabrina and a whiny Scott. 

[Contessa Donatella]

One of my favorite of my own edits is "Stunt: Recast Reveal: ATWT: Two Scott Eldridges" & in it Neal is on a date & making out with one Scott & then the other Scott. 

A post from Twi/X about the shoddy treatment he received from P&G: 

 

 

As The World Turns

 

@CBSATWT

On #WorldAIDSDay we reflect upon the firing of Joseph Breen. After news broke in the National Enquirer that Breen had AIDS, the show fired him and then put in an emergency recast. Breen played Lisa’s son Scott.

[Contessa Donatella]

Now, I do that the reverse of the way you did.

Hunt Block, okay

Jeffrey Meek, ugh no

[Mona Kane Croft]

Who was the emergency recast for Scott when Breen was suddenly fired?  I was watching every day at that time, and I don't remember at all.  I do remember the later recast (Doug Wert), when Scott returned to Oakdale after a couple of years away.