As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

 

That's what gets me about the "contemporary" ATWT in that other than a few new characters like James and Margo, the show feels so incredibly sluggish to me, and without any of the nuance shown in earlier years. That 1967 episode, while also pretty sluggish, has so many more layers than anything involving pornstache Brad. 

 

I feel like Marland and the producers he worked with decided the only Hughes history worth paving over was Kim and Bob, and that was mostly just if it could impact their kids (like Sabrina coming in for Frannie's storyline). Other than continuing to have Penny make occasional appearances in the first few years of his run, along with Amy, that history was left to fade. Even Don mostly faded after 1986, aside from the Ryder story after Marland's passing.

[Manny]

After checking files further, I can see there is only first half of 1957. The following years are then more like a recap of important stories, not like this daily recap. But if someone is interested, I can share what I have.

 

ATWT 1957 Storyline

Source for January 2 to April 19, 1957 ATWT synopses:

• *TV Guide, Volume 5, issues 1-15 (Dec. 29, 1956-Jan. 4, 1957 issue through April 13-19, 1957 issue).

Note: As the World Turns was preempted on Tuesday, January 1.

193.                 Jan.2: Dr. Snyder talks to Claire about love.

194.                 Jan 3: Edie meets Jim for a celebration.

195.                 Jan 4: Penny and Ellen are disturbed

196.                 Jan. 7: Don tells Janice that he'll live on campus.

197.                 Jan. 8: Janice confides in Edith.

198.                 Jan. 9: Dr. Snyder discovers what's wrong with Claire.

199.                 Jan. 10: Ellen has dinner at the Hughes's'.

200.                 Jan. 11: Janice tells Don her decision.

201.                 Jan. 14: Claire makes Ellen uncomfortable.

202.                 Jan. 15: Don shows Chris the ring Janice returned.

203.                 Jan. 16: Claire and Dr. Snyder make some progress.

204.                 Jan. 17: Edith refuses the date Chris arranged.

205.                 Jan. 18: Claire forces Ellen into a trip to California.

Note: As the World Turns was preempted on Monday, January 21 for President Eisenhower's inauguration.

206.                 Jan. 22: Claire decides to take a trip.

207.                 Jan. 23: No episode information available.

208.                 Jan. 24: Claire wonders about her decision.

209.                 Jan. 25: Penny and Ellen receive a surprise.

210.                 Jan. 28: Edith has a talk with Chris.

211.                 Jan. 29: Ellen and Judge Lowell discuss Edith.

212.                 Jan. 30: Jeff tells Ellen the truth.

213.                 Jan. 31: Penny asks her aunt a question.

214.                 Feb. 1: Edith pays a visit to Jim's office.

215.                 Feb. 4: Ellen overhears a conversation between Jim and Edie.

216.                 Feb. 5: Ellen tells her father a lie.

217.                 Feb. 6: No episode information available.

218.                 Feb. 7: Jeff and Penny have an argument.

219.                 Feb. 8: Ellen gets angry with her father.

220.                 Feb. 11: Penny wonders why Ellen is so angry.

221.                 Feb. 12: Ellen tells her father what she overheard.

222.                 Feb. 13: Ellen makes an unfortunate decision.

223.                 Feb. 14: Ellen tells Penny about her aunt.

224.                 Feb. 15: Penny's life is filled with confusion.

225.                 Feb. 18: Jim talks to his father about Ellen.

226.                 Feb. 19: The Lowell's and Hugheses reach an incorrect conclusion about Ellen's health.

227.                 Feb. 20: Jim discovers his daughter's hate.

228.                 Feb. 21: Claire has a serious talk with Jim.

229.                 Feb. 22: Penny is alienated from her family.

230.                 Feb. 25: Edie learns what's troubling Penny.

231.                 Feb. 26: Chris tells Edith that their brother, John, will be released from jail very soon.

232.                 Feb. 27: Claire is on the road to recovery.

233.                 Feb. 28: Edith and Jim talk about their future.

234.                 March 1: Janice Turner returns from Florida.

235.                 March 4: Ellen decides to get even with Don.

236.                 March 5: Ellen makes plans to go away.

237.                 March 6: Claire begins to understand her illness.

238.                 March 7: Ellen and Penny make up.

239.                 March 8: Penny has an argument with Aunt Edith.

240.                 March 11: Penny has an argument with her mother.

241.                 March 12: Chris and Nancy have a disagreement.

242.                 March 13: Claire has a talk with Dr. Snyder.

243.                 March 14: Edith pays a visit to the Lowells.

244.                 March 15: Claire talks openly about the divorce.

245.                 March 18: Edith tells Jim she is leaving.

246.                 March 19: Edith causes more trouble for the Hughes family.

247.                 March 20: Jim asks Dr. Snyder some questions.

248.                 March 21: Claire can't get Ellen to believe her.

249.                 March 22: Claire tells Jim she wants a divorce.

250.                 March 25: Ellen tries to rule her family.

251.                 March 26: Edith's anger brings a terrible reaction from Judge Lowell.

252.                 March 27: Chris learns Edith is responsible for Judge Lowell's illness.

253.                 March 28: Jim learns Edith's part in his father's illness.

254.                 March 29: Claire refuses to allow Judge Lowell to interfere.

255.                 April 1: No episode information available.

256.                 April 2: Nancy doesn't want another problem.

257.                 April 3: Jim and his father reach a new understanding.

258.                 April 4: Janice Turner has some good news.

259.                 April 5: The Hugheses' anniversary causes a quarrel.

260.                 April 8: Edith and Chris worry about their brother.

261.                 April 9: Janice Turner has doubts about her forthcoming marriage.

262.                 April 10: Grandpa tries to reconcile Edith and Penny.

263.                 April 11: Chris is concerned about John's threats.

264.                 April 12: Ellen uses her grandfather in an attempt to keep the family together.

265.                 April 15: Janice tells Carl about her misgivings.

266.                 April 16: Janice makes her wedding plans.

267.                 April 17: Edith comes to Jim for help.

268.                 April 18: Ellen schemes against her parents.

269.                 April 19: John Hughes is headed for trouble.

In the intervening months, Janice Turner married Carl Whipple and left Oakdale, and Jim Lowell went on a vacation to Florida to wait out his divorce from Claire. During that vacation, Jim died in a boating accident.

Penny Hughes graduated from high school that June and continued to date Jeff Baker, despite Nancy's objections.

[All My Shadows]

 

CHRISTINA. HUGHES!!!!

 

Mary Ellison Hughes was pregnant with a daughter in 1986, and she would have been PERFECT to bring to the canvas in the early/mid 2000s. Ryder could have also returned at this time, and the Hughes family would have had a little more dimension again. I don't know why, but when soaps start off with (or introduce) siblings, they eventually follow one sibling's family while letting the others fade off. ATWT did it relatively early with John and Edith and then again with Don and Penny. Even with the Snyders, they only cared about Holden after a while.

[Soapsuds]

I liked Iva especially the early version.  Holden was hot

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. I loved Meg but hated the rest of the Snyders. Ellie and Seth were so damn dull. I liked scolding mama bear Emma.

 

oops and I forgot Caleb...I couldn't stand him until Graham Winton took over.

Edited June 18, 2020 by Soapsuds

[Bill Bauer]

 

I actually never really liked any of the Snyders except Iva. Emma was ok though a bit annoying at times. You're right that Seth was dull and he was also very self-righteous. Meg was whiney and snide. Holden could be ok at times but was generally too shallow and opportunistic. Caleb and Ellie were the worst and both completely insufferable to me. I don't even consider Jack a real Snyder. Just a character they tacked the last name on to. But he was a dolt. 

 

 

You're right. ATWT continued that pattern with focusing on Tom and his family and letting Frannie and Sabrina fall by the wayside. GL did the same with focusing on Bill's family with Meta and Trudy fading away, then Ed's family and Mike and Hilary fading away (well, Mike fading away and Hilary blowing up), then Michelle leaving the show with her family and the focus being on Rick. Well, what little focus the Bauers had on them towards the end. What little there was, Rick had it. 

[Bill Bauer]

 

 

 

Thank you for sharing, Manny!

[John]

TY Manny

[Mitch]

Pauline Kael likened watching soaps as if the characters are interacting "under water." Which describes Dobsons ATWT.

[DRW50]

 

That's a great description (although it also tells me why she didn't watch certain soaps - Edge of Night was never like that). 

[Manny]

 

You are welcome!

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[victoria foxton]

 

I rewatched the July 1, 1980 episode. Where the big fancy ball takes place. And Margo make her first appearance. The show looks so drab and old fashion. While GH from that era looked so modern. I also didn't like the dark lighting.  Pornstache Pervy Brad and Dee made googly eyes at each other. Dobs ATWT was meh. While their GL was awesome. Bridget stated in the interview that ATWT went to number one. Which is clearly a lie. 

 

 

Edited June 18, 2020 by victoria foxton

[Mitch]

Agreed.  TPTB thought getting rid of Nancy and Chris and gutting the core would make them "modern"  It was the bad sets, lighting and slow pace which made the show so dated, not the actors or characters.

[DramatistDreamer]

No offense to the actor who played Brad Hollister but his look unsettles me.  It was not so much Tom Selleck in Magnum P.I. and more, stranger in the alley in Times Square after midnight.

[juppiter]

 

So good. Thanks for posting.

[SoapDope]

 

The actor who played Brad also was in the first Friday The 13th released in 1980 with Kevin Bacon. Kevin was on Guiding Light at this time.

 

The 70's and 80's was a big time for men to have mustaches. Tom Selleck (Magnum P.I.), John Beck (Flamingo Road & Dallas), Lee Horsley (Matt Houston), Alex Trebek (Jeopardy), John Oates (Hall & Oates), Same Elliott (Movie Star), Burt Reynolds (Movie Star), John Stossel (20/20), Geraldo (Anchor & Talk show Host) etc etc....Baby Boomer guys were able to pull off that look, but younger generations (Gen X, Millennials, and Z) for the most can't make it work.