As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[Soapsuds]

 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

[Soapsuds]

@DramatistDreamer

 

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[DramatistDreamer]

That message from Melanie is so thoughtful. Thanks for sharing this @Soapsuds. It’s so funny that Kim Johnston Ulrich was also there alongside Melanie because I always imagined that if they were going to bring back Betsy in the final years of the series, Johnston Ulrich likely would have made a great Betsy recast. I can only imagine how great their scenes could have been with Melanie and Kim playing off each other.

[vetsoapfan]

Wagner was very vocal, and made her displeasure about being sidelined quite clear, back in the early 1980s when she was off contract for a few years. During the 2000s, however, I don't recall her making any public comments about how little Nancy was being used. Maybe she felt that her current position on the canvas was tenuous, and she did not not to rock the boat too much.

Eileen Fulton, on the other hand, was a different story, and not shy at all about showing her resentment about Lisa's diminished capacity on the show. When being asked in a filmed, one-on-one interview about the various writers on ATWT, she offered a clipped and obviously irritated, "I have nothing to say!" when Sheffer was brought up. 

In a panel discussion, when Jean Passanante was discussing writing for the soap, Fulton snarked, "You left ME out of it!" Passanante was clearly startled and didn't know how to reply, but the conversation quickly moved on and the tense moment passed.

OMG, I had never heard anything like that before. Go, Frances Reid!!!! Woohoo! Give him hell!

 

[Franko]

That would have been an interesting (and first of its kind?) situation, since Kim played Betsy's rival, Diana, during the Meg Ryan years.

[DramatistDreamer]

ATWT had brought back actors to play different characters years apart, but those were minor characters with limited story arcs. I think that if Kim had been brought back to play a different role, even for a somewhat prominent character, it could well have worked due to the passage of time since Diana had been on the canvas and the fact that no McColls were left in Oakdale. If they could bring back Christian LeBlanc, who once played her onscreen brother Kirk back as Michael Baldwin on the show, they could also bring her back as a different character too. 

[DRW50]

The last time I remember any statements from her along these lines was when she was interviewed around 1998 or 1999 (whenever the yacht sinking was), which was also around the time of the priceless scene where Penny exclaimed "who ARE these people?" to Ellen. I think even by that point she may have been more guarded.

[vetsoapfan]

As the years went on, it was clear TPTB on many soaps did not respect their vets as much as they once did. I think savvy veteran performers knew it was in their best interest to be discreet in their public statements.

(That comment by Penny was hilarious, and echoed what many viewers were thinking, I'm sure!)

[DRW50]

I agree. I suppose Liz Hubbard and Helen Wagner also knew what it was like to be out of the show and back in (even if that never stopped Eileen - although she was generous when at the Paley Center goodbye to ATWT she thanked Goutman for keeping her on).

It was priceless. I still wonder how they snuck that in. And she said it in the middle of godawful screeching from Molly, who was shoved down the throats of viewers at that time.

[adrnyc]

Molly, Katie, Henry, Carly, Jack, Rose, Lily, Holden, Roseanna, Craig, Mike, Simon...my favorite ATWT characters. I mean love, love LOVED them. Couldn't get enough. For me, Katie was one of the stars of the show. As was Molly. People who hated them...I'm assuming you were people who watched in the 60s, 70s?  Maybe 80s? I know a lot of people hate the Snyder family and don't consider it a "core" family. Although by the end of the series, it had been 25 years so I think one could argue they were the definition of a core family.

Now, other favorite characters, from my original aughts watch include Lisa, Bob, Kim, Lucinda, John, Jessica, Nancy, Susan. So, even as a "new viewer" at the time, I had great respect for the vets yet also loved all of the above mentioned characters, whom I'm only just now realizing from starting to watch the 80s in 2017 and am now up to March '00, are new characters or recast characters.

I realize now that I began watching ATWT at a time of great change for the series (even though Lily/Holden/Lucinda had been on the show for 15 years at that point and Jack/Carly/Molly had been on the show for 4-5 years at that point.) I can see why people who'd been watching it from WAY back when might have despised many of these new characters. But, with all of their Emmy wins during Sheffer's reign, it can be argued that he absolutely took a somewhat dying show (Leah Laiman?! Ugh) and revitalized it. 

Some posters have mentioned it was darker in tone. And I know I've read on here that many people don't like the Marland years for the same reason...it became dark by '89-'90 and remained that way until his death. 

It's just fascinating to me. Any show that is on the air for 54 years is going to have various "eras" that are beloved and hated by different factions of fandom. (Any Doctor Who fans out there? Talk about a divided fandom through it's original 60s-80s run and the 14 years of the new series.)

I think it's great that are these different eras. There's something for everyone to love. And instead of focusing on the eras one hates about the show; it's probably healthier to just focus on and watch the eras one loves. 

[Vee]

I first turned on ATWT in the late '90s. I saw Molly and Carly and their identical Indigo Girls haircuts caterwauling at each other like twins and I turned it off for another 2-5 years. YMMV.

I suspect a lot of people here didn't start watching when you think they did. Nonetheless, they're allowed to critique the show they love. Which you've been told before.

Edited March 7, 2024 by Vee

[adrnyc]

This is one of my dislikes as well. Roger Howarth as Paul I just could never get used to through the, what, 6 years that he was Paul? I'd so loved the Paul from '02-'04 (I think were his 2 years - can't remember the actors name) that I just couldn't accept that recast. But that's about the only recast I couldn't accept.

And I will never be a fan of Passanante - which is hard because she's a friend of a friend and I know her. (Not well. But she's a lovely human being.) Alan Locher did an interview with her a year or so ago where, hearing her explain what she was dealing with from the higher ups, the network, P&G, the budget cuts, how she couldn't do half the things she wanted to, I do have a greater appreciation for her and what it must've taken to make things work for all the different voices wanting different things.

I agree that people should be allowed to critique. But there's a line that gets crossed between critiquing and just spewing hatred. And, I don't need anyone to "tell" me anything. I don't know who you think you are to feel the need to school me but I assure you, I don't need any such thing. I've been trying very hard to keep things civil. Please extend me the same courtesy. 

[Vee]

Nobody here is doing that. As you've been told before. I realize this is your new kinder, gentler revamp, but people and your post history have a long memory. So keep workshopping it and in the meantime let people talk about what they want to talk about. You're the one assuming everyone here was watching since the Nixon administration.

For example: I'm sure Jean Passanante is a nice person. I have long heard she is an exceptional breakdown writer. Many actors credit her with some of their greatest day to day material on certain soaps. That said, I watched her AMC run as HW. It was terrible. Her dreadful ATWT, GH, Y&R, OLTL etc. HW stints have all borne that impression out for me. Whatever the circumstances and BTS issues, some people are simply not suited for the big chair and bad is bad. And that's okay to say.

Edited March 7, 2024 by Vee

[adrnyc]

You're correct. It's also okay for me to say differently, yes? I've told you this many times before. At this point, I'm going to put you on ignore and I suggest you do the same. We don't need to see each other's posts. Which will be a shame because I love reading your Knots Landing recaps.