As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[TimWil]

I agree, Khan. I forgot when the Keemo story aired on Y&R. For some reason that was deemed a bust. Maybe Marland backed off or CBS/P&G nixed the idea?

[DRW50]

That would have been an interesting story, especially since HBS' exit from the show for large portions of 1988 meant Tom had little to do beyond that ill-advised relationship with an equally story deprived Shannon.

I'm so glad I have had the chance to see more of the late 1986 episodes, to get to see some of the nuances and shapes in Marland's material. He was going from town villain to town villain, with some lulls in between. After Marcia/Doug (although Doug never was a villain - he was a tragic figure, as Frannie repeatedly pointed out), you had Tad Channing (who didn't work for me - I think they made a mistake recasting with a less attractive actor, although Larry Pine did well at the snidely whiplash elements), and as his last story threads are tied up, the impending arrival of James.

The most lasting element of Tad's stories was what he did to Steve and Betsy, and you could see that spiraling further at this point, as Tonio preys on his insecurities about Craig, and as Steve makes stupid mistakes, refuses to acknowledge those mistakes, and then makes even more stupid mistakes. I rarely find "she/he has no money for hospital bills!" stories on soaps to be interesting. Even in this era of ATWT, stories like who will pay for Emma's hospital bills or Elizabeth's hospital bills or how will the farm cope with hospital bills...I just don't care. It's realistic, but soaps aren't realistic in that area, and frankly, I don't want them to be. In the case of Iva's hospital bills though, the drama is fascinating, because the whole thing encompasses the worst of Steve's personality traits - self-righteousness, thoughtlessness, stubbornness, delusional thinking.

I didn't even know Kim was involved in this story, so it was a great surprise to see this episode where she went to try to reason with Steve, before finally just blowing up at him before he stalks off.

One of the other parts of these episodes that interests me is the writing for Meg. While I don't think Meg works that well as a schemer (I find her to be whiny and skirting the edge of one-dimensional - she was much better as a burgeoning heroine in Ashe's last year on the show), I do appreciate the efforts of Marland and Calhoun to make sure she is never too dark or too beyond redemption. Switched blood tests at the hospital make her think she's pregnant, but she didn't switch them herself, it just happened. She wants to elope with Dusty, and does a lot of manipulating to try to make it happen, but when she learns Iva had a bad fall, she rushes to the hospital and gives up her chance to get away.

The downtime for Hughes drama means we get some nice moments like Margo trying to slow down for the rest of her pregnancy (making her miscarriage even more heartbreaking when it happens), Kim managing Tom's campaign, etc. The whole drug story/Tom being threatened by The Falcon is very weak (in the episode above there's a hilarious scene where one of the big drug lords is watching Tom's speech on a bar TV and, to show us he's bad, he not only smokes, but he blows smoke through his nostrils in a dramatic fashion), although I do kind of wish they'd made Earl a villain after all, as Farley Granger does well with the menace.

There's a scene where Kim and Bob and Tom and Margo joke about their active sex lives, and I imagine poor Irna rolling in her grave.

The above episode also has some short, sweet scenes of Lisa flipping out over Kim calling Tom her son, as this just reinforces toa menopausal Lisa that she has been a terrible mother and her life has been a failure while Kim is a great mother, campaign manager, etc. Nancy has to hold her back, almost literally hold her down, and lavish praise on her.

[Khan]

IIRC, Keemo (Philip Moon) arrived in Genoa City in '95, so I think that story came after Tom and Lien's.

I just can't say it enough, for all of his faults (and yes, I'm well aware he had several...okay, many), Douglas Marland was one of the best writers ever to have worked in television. I miss his work dearly to this day.

Edited May 29, 2014 by Khan

[DramatistDreamer]

Lien arrived in '88, I think. Wow, I didn't know that the Keemo storyline happened so late in the 90s.

The more I watch those '86 and '87 ATWT episodes, the more I appreciate the way Marland crafted scenes, dialogue and stories. Was he perfect? No, of course not but compared to today's soap writing...oh my God, what a difference! Actually having the audacity to introduce a new character for a few months before dumping him or her in a triangle? No one on network daytime soaps seems to have the patience to try that anymore let alone pull it off.

Even when he shifted a character's personality, it was done in a gradual manner and built on previous history that when you look back, it made sense and seemed justifiable.

Boy, those were the days!

Edited May 30, 2014 by DramatistDreamer

[DRW50]

Lien arrived around Christmas 1987.

I had no idea Lee Bryant's Lyla was on for almost all of October 1986. Wow. And she's actually getting some meaty material in this episode.

I had to laugh at Dusty bounding into the room in scene after scene, only to be shocked at what he finds each time. Why was he bounding in to see Lyla? A casual viewer would think he was in love with both Lily and Lyla.

I also like that they had Barbara speak about her time in a mental institution, although I'm surprised they didn't mention James' involvement.

Very happy that Iva refused Craig's rebound proposal. Today that never would have happened. They'd be married on the spot.

Edited May 30, 2014 by DRW50

[TimWil]

It was funny hearing Lee Bryant as Lila saying that line about making a "strong pot of coffee." In the movie Airplane she had that funny bit when her character said to herself "Funny. Jim (?) never has a second cup of coffee at home!"

[DRW50]

I'd forgotten she had those lines in Airplane. That's a funny coincidence.

[TimWil]

I'm not certain it was a coincidence, DRW50!

I always thought it was ludicrous for Lyla to be a nurse/chanteuse. And then to end up being an off-screen Mama Rose schlepping Katie to child beauty pageants? Bizarre.

[DRW50]

The whole thing with the beauty pageant was a hideous character assassination designed to make people cry for dead fish Katie.

I didn't have a big problem with Lyla singing, as she got the job because of her son and then she mostly did club dates and cruise ships...although the bit where she almost had a recording contract and had to give it up was kind of stupid. Reminded me of Alice (I did prefer Anne Sward's singing to Linda Lavin's, though).

I thought the line was a coincidence since Bryant was just a temp recast, but you might be right. They could have reworked it.

[Mitch]

God...Lyla was dull as hell and THEN we had to listen to her sing...but still she was better then when Lisa climbed up on the piano, and of course, Chelsea Reardon.

[P.J.]

Let's add Martha Byrne to that list, while we're at it.

[TimWil]

Oh, P.J., I thought her rendition of "I Can't Make You Love Me" was definitive!

Anyone remember exactly what Marcy said in reference to one of Emma's homemade treats? I thought it was something like "If I see another one of Emma's cheese puffs I'll puke!"

[Soaplovers]

Didn't it come out later that Katie was lying about Lyla neglecting her?

[P.J.]

Not that I recall. Katie's lies/embellishments/behavior was excused morning, noon and night...other than her getting smacked down at the Endicott's. (I'm still cheering Mike walked out on her cheating ass, btw. Smartest thing that block of wood ever did.)

[Soapsuds]

I was going to comment on this last night but forgot. I agree with you TimWil...Martha's rendition of I cant make you love me was great! Probably the only song I enjoyed her singing but it was done fabulous. I even loved how much older Martha was made to look. I am glad they had her look more like Heather instead of keeping her look like she did when she first left.