As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[DRW50]

That's a fun clip. Before Goutman lost interest, Lucinda early in her return was able to plot and have some sparring moments with various characters, like John or Jake McKinnon. 

[DRW50]

Vintage Spintage, who has been putting up some of these great episodes lately, is asking for donations at the top of their videos. I don't think most of us have the money, but if anybody does, their cash app is  $LB1597

[DramatistDreamer]

FWIW, most soap operas wrote their male characters as being pretty self-righteous, especially when it came to their romantic relationships with the women in their lives. Unless the men themselves were diabolical, having the man being the "sober" one in the relationship seemed to be a soap staple.

This is why early Kirk and Iva was so interesting.

I don't care what soap you're talking about, unless it was a Bonnie and Clyde scenario (in which one or both are sure to be brought down and off the canvas), you rarely, if ever had a viable, equally scheming couple. Not going to happen on daytime soaps. If they are, they're sure to get killed off.

[DRW50]

 

Yes. The man becomes a prick (Roger of Roger/Delia on RH) or the woman becomes a suffering ingenue in need of salvation (Jenna of Roger/Jenna on GL). One of the only exceptions I can think of is Keith and Gina on Santa Barbara, and Keith was only around for a few years.

[DramatistDreamer]

One aspect that I have definitely gotten out of these reunions is that it appeared that keeping his actors happy was just as important to Marland as servicing the storylines. It's an admirable way to work, though, personally when I have worked with actors, facilitating the story has always come first.

[DRW50]

 

Sorry to push more but what were some of the examples given? I haven't watched a lot of these.

 

I know Marland was close to Lisa Brown and Colleen Zenk so I wonder if that held any sway.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

In the reunions, Hillary Bailey Smith, Gregg Marx and Scott Bryce all said that Marland offered to either hold their storylines in place, so that they didn't have to decide right away whether they wanted to return. I think Scott was really the only one who took him up on the offer. Gregg admitted that it was a rare offer that he didn't appreciate at the time, especially since "Tom" was held in place for almost, what a year, before the character was recast? Martha, Michael Swan and Margaret Reed also had nice things to say about Marland. Most of the actors mentioned having been to his home and seeing that he had photos of all the actors framed and mounted. I think HBS specifically pointed the photos anecdote

 

 

Edited November 9, 2020 by DramatistDreamer
Ah, the edit button is in the wrong place. I keep hitting the Quote button by accident.

[DRW50]

Thanks. That was very generous of him. I guess the offer to Hillary must have been when she almost left in 1988, as by 1989 they had the Casey story set up that Margo had to be a part of. 

[Forever8]

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[DramatistDreamer]

Lots of coming and goings in '89. 

Craig and Lily had such an easy going rapport. Such a shame it was destroyed in the end. Seems quite clear that the set up for Beau and Nella to leave is in the making.

Whoa, at the way Ellie describes her feelings for Brock! Iva says she used to feel the same about Tad Channing, which is a good use of storyline history. I had to go giggle though because by the time Channing landed in Oakdale, Iva basically couldn't stand his guts.

[Soaplovers]

I noticed Duke had the same attitude toward Lily (princess) that Holden did.  Was the show testing them before Martha decided to quit?

[DramatistDreamer]

 

It would be interesting to find out who Michael Louden screen tested with, sadly he is no longer around to answer that question but maybe someone else can. Back then, I am not sure if there was an actual "conscious coupling" of characters. From what I read of ATWT at that time, characters were written to interactbwith a bevy of other characters, leaving plenty of room for surprises in terms of who sparked. In terms of Lily and Duke, I think it was more a function of Duke and Lily being in the same age group. Meg pretty much referred to Lily in the same derisive manner, except Duke, characteristic of his personality, was prone to making taunts, while Meg was prone to spite.

 

By the standard of today's soaps though, Duke and Lily would've been on the courtship fast-track to engagement.

Edited November 10, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[Soapsuds]

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[DramatistDreamer]

 

The scene is in this episode, which I wish were better video quality.

 

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL4OXGaue5zhru43ZP4Q4SR7_DGuR3wk5Q

Edited November 11, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[gimmetoo]

Seeing these episodes reminds me how rich the show's acting was at that time -- loved seeing vets Kathryn Hayes, Marie Masters and Larry Bryggman front and center.  And Melanie Smith, Michael David Morrison, Scotty D and Susan Marie Snyder -- they owned those roles and made you root hard for their characters.