9 minutes ago, Franko said:

Yeah, that's another problem I have -- just bring back Calliope. If I remember right from her 1992 appearance, she was a New York-based talk show host.

Yup, I think this was the consensus we reached, that nobody (maybe not even Deidre) took this seriously, it was all just an example of demonstrating the value of the star.

Perhaps it was a fictional write up of Calliope/Arleen Sorkin?  I can believe maybe they wanted Calliope but weren't sure they could get her?

This all seems so bare bones and silly I can't take it too seriously.   Again, if Deidre wasn't the full on lead of Days for the entire 90's this project might have made sense.  

1 hour ago, carolineg said:

I always thought it would be a wacky Calliope like friend.  Which would work?  The bible didn't ever sound that great to me.  I think you could make Marlena a lead on a different show, but why would you?  She was already the lead on the mothership.  It seemed weird to give her a random love interest as well.  I can understand the underlying thought of moving Marlena to an entirely different place with baby Belle when her own life fell apart.  It just seems redundant.  Why take your main star off the main show.  It seems strictly vanity to keep Deidre happy.

Here's the Soap Weekly articles I had already scanned in my files regarding Manhattan Lives:

SOW 2/11/92

 

SOW 2/25/92:

 

SOW 3/3/92:

 

SOW 3/31/92:

 

SOW 5/12/92:

 

SOW 7/14/92:

 

SOW 7/21/92:

 

SOW 1/12/93:

 

SOW 3/23/93:

 

SOW 3/30/93:

 

SOW 4/13/93:

 

SOW 1/4/94:

5 hours ago, Franko said:

The description of P.T. as similar to Bette Midler in Beaches came from the SOD article describing Manhattan Lives, and ever since I've read it, I've been unable to let it go.

Sorry, @Franko.  I couldn't remember which poster had said it before.  Thanks for the reminder, though.

3 hours ago, carolineg said:

I always thought it would be a wacky Calliope like friend.  Which would work?  The bible didn't ever sound that great to me.  I think you could make Marlena a lead on a different show, but why would you?  She was already the lead on the mothership.  It seemed weird to give her a random love interest as well.  I can understand the underlying thought of moving Marlena to an entirely different place with baby Belle when her own life fell apart.  It just seems redundant.  Why take your main star off the main show.  It seems strictly vanity to keep Deidre happy.

I agree.  On the other hand, I think "Manhattan Lives" had a much better chance of making it than that other spinoff featuring Tommy Horton in Hawaii ("Pacific Lives"?).

12-4-91 Day 16 Not a jerk. (12-31-23) No idea who is playing Stefano but their accent is horrible! John finally acknowledges that he is not Roman. Roman looks forward to putting his family back together, beginning with Marlena as his wife. She has a funny expression on her face as he expresses this.

12-5-91 Day 17 Not a jerk. (1-4-24) Marlena expresses to John that she loves him & he says she doesn't & that he is not the man she fell in love with. He asks her if she can say that she does not love the other guy. She can't say that. He knew she couldn't. She tells Roman that she loves him. And that it feels very very good for him to hold her this way. But that she needs some time. Does he understand? He says he does. He says he is not going to push her. He's waited 7 years so he guesses he can wait longer.

Imagine being stuck with TM’s Carrie on the spinoff. Yuck.

8 hours ago, Khan said:

Sorry, @Franko.  I couldn't remember which poster had said it before.  Thanks for the reminder, though.

I agree.  On the other hand, I think "Manhattan Lives" had a much better chance of making it than that other spinoff featuring Tommy Horton in Hawaii ("Pacific Lives"?).

It makes me curious how far along this pilot or bible got.  Two head writers were working on it, but you only get the vaguest of details.   Were they going to kill off Roman? Lol.  And the concept of Marlena being a Midwesterner in the big city seems silly.  Marlena's one of the more sophisticated Days characters.  Would she be that out of place? 

For some reason I thought the spinoff was to take place after the affair, which doesn't seem to be the case.  I agree it sounds better than Pacific Lives, but I think it would have hurt the main show.  At the time Days was already veering heavily into the Carly Manning hour, I could only imagine what would have happened without Marlena, Roman, or Carrie around. 

45 minutes ago, carolineg said:

And the concept of Marlena being a Midwesterner in the big city seems silly.  Marlena's one of the more sophisticated Days characters.  Would she be that out of place? 

I agree it sounds better than Pacific Lives, but I think it would have hurt the main show.

I agree on both counts, @carolineg.

I think the only proposed DAYS spinoff, either real or rumored, that had any genuine, dramatic possibilities was the one that was supposed to take place wherever Maggie's family's old farm was located.  A rural-based soap would have been very novel, especially in the '70's (or even today, lol).

8 minutes ago, Khan said:

I agree on both counts, @carolineg.

I think the only proposed DAYS spinoff, either real or rumored, that had any genuine, dramatic possibilities was the one that was supposed to take place wherever Maggie's family's old farm was located.  A rural-based soap would have been very novel, especially in the '70's (or even today, lol).

Interesting.  Do you have more info on that spinoff?

I have to wonder if The Affair was meant to write Marlena off the show for the spinoff. 

1 minute ago, carolineg said:

Interesting.  Do you have more info on that spinoff?

Not really.  I just recall reading about it years ago, on one message board or another. 

Apparently, "Maggie's Farm," as I call it, was one of several DAYS-related spinoff ideas that NBCD was tossing around at that time, on account of DAYS burning up the ratings.  Another idea that TPTB had had was to spin off Doug and Julie, but I don't know how much farther anyone went with any of those proposals beyond just the talking stage.

8 minutes ago, Khan said:

Not really.  I just recall reading about it years ago, on one message board or another. 

Apparently, "Maggie's Farm," as I call it, was one of several DAYS-related spinoff ideas that NBCD was tossing around at that time, on account of DAYS burning up the ratings.  Another idea that TPTB had had was to spin off Doug and Julie, but I don't know how much farther anyone went with any of those proposals beyond just the talking stage.

With the way the 80's shaped up for soaps I wonder if something like Maggie's Farm could last.  Doug and Julie spinning off sounds much more realistic as far as concept.

The other spinoff idea I always thought was interesting was the Aremid one.  I remember reading bits and pieces about it.  I don't know how far along it got though.  It obviously all fell apart when Missy quit.

21 minutes ago, carolineg said:

The other spinoff idea I always thought was interesting was the Aremid one.  I remember reading bits and pieces about it.  I don't know how far along it got though.  It obviously all fell apart when Missy quit

When Missy quit, that sounds so calm, regular, every day kind of thing. When nothing could be further from the reality of the chaos that was temporarily BTS in Salem! 🤔🙄😉🙃☹️😫

Just now, Donna L. Bridges said:

When Missy quit, that sounds so calm, regular, every day kind of thing. When nothing could be further from the reality of the chaos that was temporarily BTS in Salem! 🤔🙄😉🙃☹️😫

I think we all know the story at this point, so I didn't feel like getting into it again.  I know Missy isn't the greatest, but it must be so embarrassing to have the entire (soap) world know your private business.

31 minutes ago, carolineg said:

With the way the 80's shaped up for soaps I wonder if something like Maggie's Farm could last.  Doug and Julie spinning off sounds much more realistic as far as concept.

The other spinoff idea I always thought was interesting was the Aremid one.  I remember reading bits and pieces about it.  I don't know how far along it got though.  It obviously all fell apart when Missy quit.

The actress who played Sarah was supposed to be in the spinoff. I think many of the ideas for Aremid wound up on Passions which also took place in a small New England town.

Just now, carolineg said:

I think we all know the story at this point, so I didn't feel like getting into it again.  I know Missy isn't the greatest, but it must be so embarrassing to have the entire (soap) world know your private business.

I think she’s awesome. I just hope she chooses to return for Abby’s eventual resurrection. JnJ fan for 30+ years and I accept no imitations!!

Just now, carolineg said:

I think we all know the story at this point, so I didn't feel like getting into it again.  I know Missy isn't the greatest, but it must be so embarrassing to have the entire (soap) world know your private business.

Well, if you live in the public eye & you are part of a scandal, those things are not easily erased from the "group mind"! I recall one time when Digest published an article on the most famous scandals. Vincent Irizarry was one who was furious.