24 minutes ago, will81 said:

For sure. Reading about her fights with Laura when Mickey was missing, I was like, who is this woman? Not the Alice I grew up with. She seemed much more well rounded and more full as a character and not just Grandma Alice.

I guess people in life tend to mellow as they get older. It would have been more interesting to keep the edge to Alice as an ongoing character trait.  

I've known some older people who become much angrier as they age, for various reasons (it's also what leads to radicalization in some older people), and which soaps rarely delved into. I can see why they did want to focus more on the kinder side of Alice, as Frances played this well and it was a tonic for viewers with all the upheaval on the rest of the canvas starting in the late '70s. Still, I hope we get to see more of this type of material for her in more '60s or '70s episodes that pop up.

11 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I've known some older people who become much angrier as they age, for various reasons (it's also what leads to radicalization in some older people), and which soaps rarely delved into. I can see why they did want to focus more on the kinder side of Alice, as Frances played this well and it was a tonic for viewers with all the upheaval on the rest of the canvas starting in the late '70s. Still, I hope we get to see more of this type of material for her in more '60s or '70s episodes that pop up.

I would love a character that is older and based off someone like Jane Fonda or Joan Baez. Someone who is still out there getting arrested for what they believe in. Even if people do or don't agree with her politics or idealogies, the Jane Fonda's of the world are fascinating to me. 

However I also loved having Grandma Alice on my tv too and I think there is a place for both types of people. Even in the 80's Alice was still mixing it up here and there. 

21 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

I've known some older people who become much angrier as they age, for various reasons (it's also what leads to radicalization in some older people), and which soaps rarely delved into. I can see why they did want to focus more on the kinder side of Alice, as Frances played this well and it was a tonic for viewers with all the upheaval on the rest of the canvas starting in the late '70s. Still, I hope we get to see more of this type of material for her in more '60s or '70s episodes that pop up.

Another factor that I think played a part in this is the fact that soaps doesn't really seem to do a lot of storylines based in generational conflicts anymore, which seemed to be the bread and butter of the 60s/70s. Maybe it's because of what someone said - the conflict between boomers and the generation before it was so big because of the differences in growing up while the following generations have mostly gone on to having more wealth and comfort. So the same conflict just doesn't exist in the same way it did in the 60s when it was literally ingrained in Alice's personality as opposed to some on-going storyline that was set to be resolved at one point.

8 minutes ago, te. said:

Another factor that I think played a part in this is the fact that soaps doesn't really seem to do a lot of storylines based in generational conflicts anymore, which seemed to be the bread and butter of the 60s/70s. Maybe it's because of what someone said - the conflict between boomers and the generation before it was so big because of the differences in growing up while the following generations have mostly gone on to having more wealth and comfort. So the same conflict just doesn't exist in the same way it did in the 60s when it was literally ingrained in Alice's personality as opposed to some on-going storyline that was set to be resolved at one point.

That's very true. It's also down to soaps losing interest in generational dynamics or writing age-appropriate material. That's how you end up with Belle and Marlena, mother and daughter, being written and performed in a way that would at times make you think there is not much difference between them.

Let's face it, Alice probably gave up after the traumas her  kids went through. Her parenting approach was obviously not working. Brother impregnating brother's wife, shootings, breakdowns, amnesia, illegitimate children etc

She decided with the grandkids, she'd just ride the wave and provide the donuts!

It's definitely surprising when you read some of the old recaps and hear how Alice got sometimes. Blaming Mike for Mickey's heart attack and trying to get him banned from visiting Mickey in the hospital, kicking Tom out of their bedroom after Mickey's breakdown, basically cutting Julie out of her life for a while because she thought Doug and Julie had an affair behind Addie's back. 

It did all seem to come from a place of love though, and that stubborn determination to protect her children at all costs.

Alice also encouraged Julie to marry Scott despite knowing Julie wasn’t in love with him, so she wouldn’t be an unmarried mother.

Edited April 9, 20223 yr by jam6242

 

Lisa Trusel and David Wallace interviewed with Darby Hinton (who played Ian Griffith, Melissa's parole officer and the hospital rapist, on Days).  Some 80s flashbacks included in this one. 

 

Edited April 9, 20223 yr by jam6242

36 minutes ago, jam6242 said:

Lisa Trusel and David Wallace interviewed with Darby Hinton (who played Ian Griffith, Melissa's parole officer and the hospital rapist, on Days).  Some 80s flashbacks included in this one. 

 

Glad to see that they're still together

Late to the discussion on Alice and how generation differences are written and portrayed and I'd like to say that anyone in modern TV who doesn't want to touch this stuff is a fool. It's so relatable, whether you only approach it with one-two shades ("Oh, Grandma's so old-fashioned, isn't that hilarious/overbearing?") or a whole bunch ("Oh, Grandma has some regrets about how things went down in her day, or just can't quite feel like a part of today's world, and I don't quite have the skill or patience to get her there, which frustrates me, so I'm going to get mad easily.")

Edited April 9, 20223 yr by Franko

Thank you for finding these interviews. It's a shame they don't ever bring Melissa back now. Not that I'd necessarily want to see how it would go but I'd think Ron Carlivati would find the histories of Mary, Linda, and Brooke to be catnip, and Melissa is tied to all of those. 

It would have been great to keep Melissa around, just as a recurring player to be a friend to Hope and daughter/grandaughter  and maybe have some mini stories along the way, to keep the sense of family and history alive.

I'm sure Lisa would have been happy to work once in a while.

In my ideal soap world, the Hortos would be more prominent but there would also be references and appearances from family members not front burner.I'm sure many actors would be happy to keep appearing.

That would set up the next generations.

If we had have seen Melissa and others throughout the years,then any children she had would have been known to the audience and accepted,rather than pop up children we'd never heard about.

 

 

  

DON CRAIG: "Oh, sure, Marie, I'd be glad to mail a few things for you ..."