As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[NothinButAttitude]

Thanks for posting these episodes, Carl! I enjoyed them!

Watching these makes me wish what could've been had ATWT been in a capable writer the final years. For one, John should've never been written off. That's just one character alongside Kim, Nancy, Lisa, Bob, and Lucinda that should have a permanent spot of the show regardless. Everyone else is somewhat expendable.

And poor Patricia Bruder. Watching old episodes always makes me feel bad for her b/c they aged her so much. She was always stuck in the domestic/maternal roles while Kim, Lucinda, and Lisa, her counterparts, went on to still have thrilling stories. I'm guessing because Ellen drove story from the start, no writer (not even the great Marland) knew where to take her. But I hate that excuse. Ellen should've been more than just the overseer of Betsy, Emily, and all the other reckless, younger Stewart women.

Seeing the scene with Annie and Jeff makes me wish that one (if not all) the quads (Maria, Nancy, Lowell, or Gregory) would've been brought back in the final years of the show. They could've helped rejuvenate the Stewart/Lowell clan alongside Allison and Emily.

Also, was this around the time that Eileen left the show and Lisa was recast for awhile? I notice that Whit was still around this time too. Carl, how did you feel about Whit McColl or his kids (Diana, Kirk, & Brian)?

[slick jones]

So that's Laurinda Barrett playing the doctor with David/Craig? Nice catch...I didn't recognize her.

[DRW50]

The only ones who tried to do anything with Ellen were the Dobsons and others in the early 80's. I guess I can see where it wouldn't have been easy, but Pat Bruder was such a good all-around actress and she looked perfectly fine when styled age-appropriately.

Kirk - just sort of there, really. Kirk fit the annoying (but not too annoying) rich brat role, and CLB, while green, had charisma and looks. His loss didn't hurt the show at all, but I do think ATWT missed a trick by not bringing Kirk back in that period when CLB wasn't on Y&R (93-97), even if they already had plenty of that type of man. He could have given Lisa something to do, could have had a rivalry with the recast Scott.

Brian - this more aggressive Brian interests me more than Pinter's later good guy version, who was just sort of stolid. Marland made the right call phasing him out.

Diana - the only real gem in the family. I've enjoyed everything I've seen of Kim's work in the role, she's a classic soap archetype in a decade that really knew how to write these types (Tina Lord, Mindy Lewis, etc.). I think Marland would have enjoyed her. Oh well. I can't say Kim was wrong to go on to try new things, but she left a void.

I didn't until she was talking with David. Then you get her mannerisms/twang.

[Soaplovers]

Diana would have so been written well under Marland... I think some of the stories given to Emily during his tenure could have been played well by Diana...imho

[NothinButAttitude]

Do you think that Diana would've had longevity compared to the rest of her family? And it always boggled my mind how Kim Johnston Ulrich never landed on another soap post Passions. She was always one of the few diamonds on that show.

[LoyaltoAMC]

What was Ellen's last big storyline? The triangle with David and Linda Dano's character? The Dobsons wrote that, right?

[DRW50]

I guess Kim aged out of modern soaps, which is kind of pathetic, as she looks great and did well in her primetime appearances post-Passions. I'm surprised "Cartini" haven't called her.

I think that was Ellen's last big story, yes.

[NothinButAttitude]

I don't think I want her on GH unless she was playing Liz's mother. I'm over him casting soap legends in stupid parental roles for his floppy creations.

Re: Ellen--So her last big story was what 83/84? Jesus. Patricia was a trooper for staying as long as she did and being reduced to supporting for the remainder of her stay. Again, I think that it is criminal that she never got a big 'A' story down the road. I think she deserved one once David left the show and passed away.

Edited April 30, 2015 by Nothin'ButAttitude

[danfling]

The perfect storyline for the character of Ellen would have been that when the character played by Nicolas Coster played (his second character) would have been in a romantic triangle with Ellen and Lisa. With that, much of the Lisa-Ellen longtime fued could have been mentioned and revived.

Betsy von Furstenburg (Lisa #3) has passed away.

[NothinButAttitude]

Eduardo pursuing Lisa and Ellen would've been interesting to watch. But you bringing up this point always used to piss in the final years of the show when it came to the veterans.

Why didn't JP revive Lisa v. Lucinda? Especially since Lisa blamed her for Whit's demise. Also, Lisa wasn't the biggest fan of Lucinda bedding her son, Scott. And that period when they both were pursuing John. These two larger than life females should've always been at odds. Over men. Business. Everything. It was criminal how Liz and Eileen were given nothing the final decade. I would've had a field day with these two if I were head writer. More than I would the younger characters.

Reading up on Lisa's history and seeing clips before my time, Lisa was always interesting when she had a formidable female opponent. Whether it was Penny. Ellen. Joyce. Crazy Hester. Lucinda. Lisa should've always had a female rival, and she should've always remained vibrant and lively. Her being a 'talk-to' for characters like Bonnie, Casey, Maddie, etc. was horrible. Yes, Lisa should've taken lost souls under her wings but she should've still had more to do seeing as she was the original soap vixen/diva.

[Khan]

Unfortunately, as others here have attested, I think Ellen Stewart's marriage to David, as well as the rapid aging of all her children, limited her potential and growth as a character in the end.

[amybrickwallace]

As someone here posted upthread, it would have been great if ATWT had been able to get Gerald Gordon - even in a short-term role - and reteam him with his love interest on The Doctors, Liz Hubbard. There could have been a love triangle with him caught between Lucinda and Lisa. Or - Lucinda could have been torn between a GG character and John Dixon. Better still, a love quadrangle involving all of these four could have been created. Oh, the possibilities!!

[tune_in_tomorrow]

The aging of her children AND grandchildren. Seeing a 50ish Patricia Bruder as the grandmother of a 30ish Lindsay Frost (as Betsy) and 25ish Melanie Smith (as Emily) circa 1987 was jarring to say the least. The generations of the Stewart family were squeezed so much there wasn't any realistic way to use them as a family unit.

[danfling]

Happy Birthday (May 1) to Penny!

I am sure that Bob has sent her flowers since Chris is not able to do so.

[amybrickwallace]

Awww...was that a yearly tradition?