As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

I do wonder how far in advance they planned Angel's backstory. Wasn't her abortion (by Caleb - or so Caleb thought) already written in in 1988?

[P.J.]

Knowing Marland planned everything a year in advance, I'm sure something was sketched out about Caleb and Angel's relationship. But Caleb and Angel both came on during the writer's strike (June and Aug of 88 according to SOC) so whether the abortion was truly Marland's creation, I don't know. The strike didn't end until August.

Edited August 6, 2013 by P.J.

[DRW50]

1983 episode. Still with Brian #1. I guess this is close to before Eileen left.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkXGc0FeiKQ

[DRW50]

Another one, before the one above.

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[DRW50]

Looks like there have been five put up today. I don't want to keep linking, but you can find them at the channel.

[Mitch]

That episode doesn't age well. A couple of things stand out...the sets look terrible, the lighting is really bad..the clothes were terrible even for the time frame (what is with that dress of Betsy') Meg Ryan's acting is freakin annoying with her jittery, bouncing around and her arms flying out...the Whit actor is miscast, what the hell was with the song over Margo's memories of Tom..its like its a 1972 folk song and deosnt go with the montage... Fulton looks frumpy..and has no feist in this scene and what is with Lisa being friends with Ellen???? AH is looking smoking HOT in this, Scott Bryce looks almost the same, Margaret Colin was really pretty and the line "James leaving you is like getting off a plane in Tahiti" is a really stupid insult! LOL and I can remember this episode and watching it and liking it so I guess its just the time.

[DRW50]

Meg Ryan always seems to be playing a teenager with a mood imbalance. Throwing herself around her apartment door made me laugh a little.

The Margo/Tom montage just sort of makes me laugh, because it goes on and on and on throughout the episode and sounds like country pop (I guess this was still around the Urban Cowboy era).

Colin is such an odd fit for ATWT, compared to most of their leading ladies over the years. I guess she must have seemed like a breath of fresh air.

[DRW50]

This is from 1968 or 1969.

[DRW50]

This is from 1965.

[Mitch]

LOL on the Betsy thing, she also seems mildly retarded here. Can't remember why she married Craig, it wasnt like he came from a good, rich Oakdale family. Would have made more sense if it was one of poor farm cousins of the Hughes. Then you have the pressure to marry a Hughes (to explain why this nitwit would get married when she was still in college to anyone) and he would be marrying her for her trust fund.

Both Colin and Deas were odd fits for ATWT. I just can't see either one of them in scenes with Nancy and Chris like HBS and Marx...(can you imagine Colin's strident Margo saying"Gram," to Nancy Hughes?????) Weird.

[edgeofnik]

Three castings I just never warmed up to on ATWT - MR (don't get me started), FR (with that stupid brown leather thing on his wrist) and JD (he did NOT look like the son of Lisa and Bob in any way - from looks, to how he held himself, etc) I just never got how these three were part of the early 80s success of the show. Frankly, I was glad when all three were gone. When you had actors like CB and Kim Ulrich (Diana) propping up MR & FR, it was awful to watch.

[Mitch]

Yea, Dea was a real weird casting for Tom..short, quirky, hairy, loud. I think they were trying to be "hip," I don't even rememeber that many scenes with Lisa and Bob with Deas, (would love to hear what they thought of him and would love to hear what quirky JD thought of Fulton..who would give an interview to a broom...) and don't remember any scenes at all of he and his grandparents. ATWT was so weird during that time its amazing that after Bunim left that they were able to go back in time and almost act like the years of the Dobsons up to when they left existed.

As for Runyeon...I always hated him and I thought I was the only one who noticed that weird leather strap. I never thought he was attractive, he was so odd looking in the face and his body was weird, tall and skinny...when they would have him do those speedo scenes for days on end....WTF? And Ryan...she played Betsy as funcitonally retarded with body control issues but no one in Oakdale mentioned it...

[P.J.]

Bets married Craig because Nick begged her to stay away from Steve on his deathbed.

Aww...I loved Ryan's Betsy at the time. It's 30 years of spazzy Meg Ryan that's worn on me. Though to be honest the last movie I really liked her in was Addicted to Love.

[Mitch]

Yea, I know that he begged her to stay away from Steve...but he didn't beg her to to get married..uh Bets, how about a career???

I remember college break rooms and everyone yelling at Betsy...She was really hard to root for. Loved Diana McColl except I didnt want her with that sleaze Steve.

I think its funny that Marland and Company fixed Runyeons ego!

[P.J.]

Well, I have no doubt Craig talked her into marrying him...naïve girls are easily manipulated after all.