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DRW50

By DRW50
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Chris B Mentor

Chris B

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I'm in April 1991 and I have more observations watching most of this first time (I started in late 90s). 

 

- I assumed once Sheila joined that this was the main story on the show. I think as a modern soap viewer you're so used to one big A story that I didn't realize how PACKED the show is with good stories during this time. It's no wonder the ratings were through the roof. This particular story is actually my least favorite so far. It's not bad, but it's more in the beginning stages. Lauren subtlely notices things are off with her baby, but she is too isolated to really focus on. I enjoy Sheila's manipulations, but again not much is happening here.

 

- Heather Tom is a powerful force! She looks so young even from the late 90s and the chemistry this woman has with everybody is insane. When you look at how popular Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott, I feel it was important to cast an actor who can hold their own against them and she does. Her scenes with Eric Braeden are absolutely heartbreaking. I know people love to hate Eric and Victor today, but that man is a force. Also, I love how Ashley and Jack are weaved into this as new spouses and because they're siblings they can bounce off each other nicely. On top of all this you have Nikki with her health issues and so much is happening in just this one story. Lastly, fight me but Brenda Epperson is the best Ashley Abbott and that's that.

 

- Another major story is Olivia/Nathan/Dru and this has been perfect from day one. You can sense that Dru only loves Nathan because he's the first person to care about her and beneath her jealousy, you can see a desire to love Olivia. Throw in Mamie and Neil and you have a full, well rounded story. In addition, you have regular scenes with Dru and John or Brad, Nathan with Paul and Lynn and Olivia with Ashley (among others) so the scenes don't feel isolated or repetitive compared to Elena/Devon now. There's good balance and each "world" on the show feels fleshed out. Mamie in particular is such a fantastic conduit to insight into Dru and Olivia's psyche. Each episode when I see one of these characters my eyes are instantly glued to the screen.

 

- The last true major story at this time is probably Nina shooting David and his fake paralysis. I love how slow this is moving, it feels like it's developing in real time and you truly get into the hurt that Nina feels. Jill, Katherine, John Silva, Cricket and Danny also round this story out nicely. David in his hospital bed paralyzed is still as menacing as ever. And while not a major story, I do enjoy the side bar of John and Jill slowly falling back in love. Did Brenda Dickson have as good chemistry with Jerry Douglas? You totally buy it with Jess Walton and they do a good job of explaining why he'd take a woman like Jill back. Despite her issues you can tell she truly loves him. It's a shame this was never revisited or utilized in John's later years. She should've been developed as the head of the Abbott household.

 

One other thing that needs to be acknowledged is just how good the casting is. You already have strong young talent like Michael Damian, Lauralee Bell and Tricia Cast who all oooze charisma, but then they've added Tonya Lee Williams, Victoria Rowell, Heather Tom, Kimberlin Brown and the late great Kristoff St. John and it is just shocking how good ALL of them are. To bring on so many new characters and all the actors worked is rare for soaps. Usually you'd have to recast at least one of them, or just write them off. It also helps that they've cast good actors and the writing is so respectful for the level of talent they're bringing to the show. I look at so many otherlooked good new actors Y&R has had in recent years and I wonder what could be if someone like Bill Bell wrote for them. 

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YRfan23 Grand Master

YRfan23

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Glad you are enjoying these episodes!

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 I thought April 1991 was kind of slow myself, but as you pointed out, the character interactions and developments definitely keep you glued to the tube (or computer, haha) 

This was kind of a quiet month for Sheila, but something I realize with her, and any character who wasn't necessarily leading the pack on a monthly basis is that when they do appear, Bill Bell made sure to utilize them well, so it feels like it hadn't been that long since they last appeared. compare that to now where characters who don't appear regularly anymore just show up as "talk to's" you don't get that sense when Bill Bell was in charge.Everyone was important. 

All of Daytime today needs to learn a thing or two on how well they cast for the younger actors during this time on Y&R, and especially how to come up with better stories. It's so weird that several teens on today's soaps are exactly Heather Tom's age when she started on Y&R, yet I could never picture them doing the same type of things she did. That goes for the 20 something crowd getting the same type of stories Nina, Cricket and Danny etc... had. 

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