As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DramatistDreamer]

Even if Aaron and Lucy were destined to be together, it would've been a good idea if writers had kept them apart, built up their characters as separate individuals, perhaps paired each actor with a more dynamic, more experienced actor, then only put Aaron and Lucy in each other's orbit on occasion until each actor had more experience, improved and then try to build something.

 

Unfortunately, neither actor was on long enough to do this and the writers weren't patient or skilled enough to write a slow-simmering relationship to pull this off anyway.

 

The way Aaron and Lucy were written, the writing for them was so week that each couldn't even stand on their own and be interesting enough as individual characters.

 

 

ATWT of 30 years ago was a lot more bold and frank with topics than the ATWT of the last 15 years of its life on air.

 

Just a few weeks ago we were all discussing the Susan/Dan open marriage storyline from the 70s and digging into the episodes that are on offer on You Tube, I was struck by scenes where Sierra attempted to talk to Tonio about how her fantasizing about Craig during sex with her husband was taking a toll on their sense of intimacy while Tonio squirmed with discomfort and tried to change the subject.  An exasperated Lucinda would also mention the same thing to Craig, accusing him of being in bed between Sierra and Tonio.  

 

So interesting how much bolder and willing to take risks ATWT was back then.  I guess when the ad $$$ started to dwindle, shows became more risk averse and then started writing less interesting, less thought-provoking but "safe" stories.

Edited March 27, 2018 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

Holden in the 80's was a stud.  He was a total hunk. He seemed as dumb as rocks but hard as a rock....LOL

[adrnyc]

 

I so agree with you! Now that I'm re-watching a few of the soaps of my youth, as well as soaps I've never seen, they absolutely were more bold back then. If anyone watches soaps today, are there any thought-provoking storylines on American soaps? Didn't I read that there is a transgender character on B&B?  Other than that, I don't hear anything or see headlines about soaps pushing boundaries these days. (Although I don't pay much attention. I know more of what's happening on Emmerdale and Neighbours than I do Days of Our Lives and General Hospital - and a friend of mine writes for that show. I'm a bad friend.)

[All My Shadows]

So lovely to see some Agim Kaba stuff via his insta! I really enjoyed Aaron, especially in his second run. Like they did with virtually everyone and everything else at the time, of course ATWT ignored any real potential he could have had in favor of retelling the same stories over and over again. I remember really wanting them to pair him with wannabe schemer Jade to help put some conflict in the Snyder/Walsh family circle, but it never happened.

[adrnyc]

Jade was one of those characters that I absolutely could not stand. I flitted in and out of ATWT at that point, I remember. I did watch the serial killer storyline of '06 and I was convinced (read: hoped) that she would was the killer! (Of course, the writers very cleverly pushed me in that direction all the while making me think I had come up with it on my own.)  I know many people didn't like Janet and her daughter (can't come up with the name right now) but I enjoyed them. Jade and Gwen were the two characters that drove me from the show. I came back in full for its last 2 years.

[P.J.]

Janet's daughter was Liberty. Couldn't stand Janet, was okay with Liberty no. 1, except for the fact Parker had to become obsessed with her, and hated when Liberty no. 2 became the reason Jack had to stay married to her bitch of a mother.

 

Jade didn't really bother me. I wish they'd had her stir up more trouble around town, actually, and not keep her in Luke's gay-sphere. And Luke bothered me more than Gwen, Liberty and Jade put together. He was literally the new Lily. RME.

[juppiter]

I loved the first Jade. I thought she had potential to be a Sami Brady type, but they dropped the ball and she had horrible storylines. I remember absolutely nothing about the second Jade. 

[juppiter]

 

The problem was that soaps, and ATWT in particular, were too conservative to honestly do a gay storyline. 

 

If I’d been writing it, Luke and his daddy issues would have had a hot and torrid affair with Lucinda’s husband Brian (was that his name? Laurence Lau’s character.) it would have been a great storyline, with characters conflicted over whether they were homophobic or just angry at Luke for being a home wrecker. In any case, it was unrealistic for Luke to just shut Brian down immediately.... Laurence Lau is a good looking guy. The average twink would have at least considered it.

[DramatistDreamer]

Funnily enough, a few years ago, I think that All My Children 2.0, in particular (the version that streamed on HULU via TOLN) really tried to push the boundaries.  

I compare their sex trafficking story to the one on The Young and the Restless and it is like the difference between chess and marbles from a toy chest. 

The stakes in the AMC  2.0 story were so much higher than that in the Y&R story.  One reason was because in the AMC 2.0 story, it involved a character that was well-known and pretty much a legacy character-- at least in the sense that she was child of a well-beloved character, which got the audience to care. 

Meanwhile Y&R decided to outsource their story to a marginal character that was introduced just for the sake of the sex-trafficking storyline (and soon vanished when it was over) and was connected to a newbie character that most people cared little for, to begin with.

 

Speaking of AMC 2.0.

There was a highly provocative scene involving oral sex involving two legacy characters, Colby and Pete, that got a lot of the old guard's knickers in a twist.  The camera stayed mostly on Pete's face as he grunted and his eyes rolled back in his head while Colby (mostly off-camera, except for her hands sometimes reaching toward Pete's torso) exhorted him to talk about computer code.  It's a scene you have to see to believe!

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Edited April 1, 2018 by DramatistDreamer

[Khan]

 

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.

 

 

Thanks, but no thanks.  (Yeah, I know, I'm a prude, lol.)

 

Meanwhile, I give AMC 2.0 props for daring to tell a sex trafficking story w/ Cassandra.  I only wish it had been told better.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

It could've been worse, did you see Y&R's sex trafficking story?

[Khan]

 

Bits and pieces.  But, like you said, it was a tough story to watch, given that it involved characters we had had little-to-no investment in.

Edited April 2, 2018 by Khan

[Soapsuds]

The guy gets better with age. He must be taken some youth pills....

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  I think it would've been better had LL character been involved with Susan or Babs(one of Lucinda's old rivals) and Luke comes in and gets carried away with LL character. Susan or Babs goes all batty and Lucinda is there for Luke. I couldn't see Luke doing that to Lucinda no matter how hot Laurence Lau is....LOL

[BetterForgotten]

Did anyone see this interview Christopher Goutman did with Nelson Aspen in 2013? He basically takes no responsibility for ATWT's demise (said it had been happening since B&B took ATWT's timeslot), and said ATWT did not have the same passionate audience as other soaps to keep it alive in another incarnation...

 

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[mango]

I don't know whether to laugh or cry when hearing those words come out of his mouth. Look in the mirror, sir.