All: Favorite Mother/Daughter Relationships

[DeeeDee]

AMC Mimi/Danielle, Mary/Greenlee

B&B Sally/Macy

OLTL Nora/Rachel, Roxy/Natalie

RH Maeve/Mary, Maeve/Siobhan

[Bright Eyes]

Days: Addy/Julie

'Enders: Carol/Bianca

[MoTheGreat]

Y&R- Dru/DavettaLily, Tracey/Colleen LF & AL, Ashley/younger Abby

B&B Sally/Macy, Viki/Jessica

OLTL Nora/Rachel

ATWT Lucinda/Lily, Iva/Lily, Emma/Meg, Barbara/Jennifer, Jessica/Bonnie, Susan/Emily

[Mr. Vixen]

+1 tp ALL of these.

Especially Bobbie/Carly.

[juniorz1]

I can't believe I left Loving off my list entirely- 2 of my all-time fave mother/daughter duos came from that show!

There was something that was so honest and, quite frankly, significant about the Kate/Ava relationship on Loving. They are hands down, the most realistic portrayal of a middle-to-lower-class mother/daughter relationship I've ever seen on daytime. Though the part of the throughline of it is that Ava aspires to be rich and glamorous ala Erica Kane, it was very different in that Loving made it apparent, at least in the beginning, that those dreams would probably never be realized by Ava. The audience knew it and Kate knew it as well. It wasn't that Kate didn't want to encourage her or want better for her, but that Ava went at it in all the wrong ways. She also knew that women like Gwen, Ann, and even Isabelle could have Ava for breakfast (they could) and Ava and her machinations were no match for the upper class of the town. Ava was idealistic, but also very simple in nature, while the upper crest women were were more calculated and savvy.

Nada Rowland and Roya Megnott were just magnificently cast and executed their characters pitch-perfectly. They were symbiotic for the years I got to enjoy them and while I unabashedly love her, that relationship was severely altered when Lisa Peluso took over. Anyhow, I remember feeling a warmth about the set that they used as the Rescott home, a comfort you didn't feel about any of the other homes or sets on the show. It honestly looked like something out of Mama's Family, but it was the only set on the show that really felt like home. Maybe it was the times (the mid-to-late 80s) but I felt theirs was very honest in its portrayal of what was probably happening in homes all across middle America and likely on both coasts as well.

I'm not sure if AMC originally intended that Erica Kane live out all of her fantasy-world intentions (I suspect they didn't.....until they saw Susan Lucci onscreen), but it was always clear that with Ava, Loving's writers knew she wouldn't. It wasn't necessarily tragic, but it really felt like you were glimpsing into the life of a knowing mother and an impulsive if misguided daughter.

Either way, it was a pitch-perfect match of writing, casting, production, acting, and most of all, attention to detail that made them fascinating and in fact, iconic to me. They should be up there with Mona/Erica and Rachel/Ada. But because it all happened on 'Loving', nobody really noticed or cared.

Kate & Ava, or rather, Nada & Roya, had the goods. And while I LOVED Trisha/Gwen as well (more on them later), Kate/Ava were hot.

Yes. I think there was more to Megnott's Ava than Erica/Tina- I think she's more PSNS's Theresa than Erica- but at the time, Erica/Tina were probably the closest mix.

[DRW50]

I love your description of Ava/Kate. Trisha/Gwen I wish I could see more of - for me it's overshadowed by Gwen being "Trisha" as a serial killer.

Do you think Kate/Ava changed with Lisa Peluso?

What was Kate like with her other kids?

[juniorz1]

Yes, it did, but I don't blame it on acting or writing, but rather, aesthetics and casting. Roya Megnott was attractive but in a very earthy, real way which certainly added to the dynamic of Kate/Ava and Ava herself. When Lisa Peluso came on, it was very jarring at first because here was this beautiful, sophisticated young woman who you suddenly believed could hold her own with the rest of the town pariahs. Even the way they dressed the character was smarter and more regal. With Roya, it was just not that way.

Her clothes were simple, her looks plain, and her portrayal clearly that of a wide-eyed, yet average girl who had aspirations to be more than what she was. She lacked the smarts, savvy, conviction, and frankly, experience to realize to achieve what she truly wanted, she was going to have to work really hard for it. Honestly, there were many times where it seemed that Ava's self-esteem got in the way of doing that and because of her poor self image, she instead chose to try and lie and scheme to get what she wanted. Kate, while not a rich woman, was wise and saw through everything Ava was doing. Oftentimes, it was written all over Kate's face that Ava was a disaster waiting to happen, like a trainwreck she was powerless to stop, however she tried. For me, it was quite compelling.

I love Lisa Peluso, always will, but I would have never believed her nor do I think she would have been cast as Roya Megnott's Ava. The show was a sinking ship in 1988, Peluso was a glamorous name star, and they were at a point where Marland & Nixon (I believe) were there in name only. The production team obviously wanted to keep the show on the air, so they brought in the gorgeous Peluso and changed course with the character. She was still a schemer, yes, but much of her blue-blooded background was lost in the translation with Peluso playing the part.

I don't believe Kate ever had any other kids, at least on screen. Ally (Laura Sisk [Wright]) came later, but she was Kate's niece, not her daughter.

I'm actually sort of glad that Loving wasn't airing in the city I was living in 94-95 (St Louis) because that storyline never sullied their relationship for me. They were a nice and I believe intentional contrast with Kate/Ava- both mother/daughter relationships began in 1984. Trisha was beautiful and sweet with a hint of naivete, while Gwyneth was upper-crust, edgy and hoity-toity in many ways. It was almost like a total role reversal with them- I always felt Gwyn admired Trisha far more than the other way around. Gwyn had this desperation about her, whether it be in her marriage to Clay or concealing illegitimate child Rick Stewart, that Trisha lacked, baggage that she didn't have to carry. Clearly, Gwyn never wanted any of that for her daughter, but Trisha just had a natural sense about her that Gwyn really didn't have to worry.

I remember during the culmination Jeff Hartman/Trisha/Trucker story the guilt that Gwyn felt having pushed Jeff & Trisha together in the first place. I can't remember if it was still Tudor or if Elizabeth Savage played part of the arc, but after finding out about Jeff poisoning and kidnapping Trisha, Gwyn understood her role. I vaguely remember Trisha confronting her about it, but the details escape me.

Anyhow, Trisha was always my favorite character on the show and the Gwyn/Trisha relationship a focal point for me because of it. However, unlike Megnott's Ava, I was more enthralled with Trisha's couplings (first with Steve, then with Trucker) than her relationship with Gwyn.

When I read about the serial killer story and Gwyn being revealed as the culprit, it was all very plausible to me because of how much Gwyn loved and aspired to be like her daughter. Her pain would have been palatable, Gwyn was always a desperate woman, and it wouldn't have been a far leap for Trisha's "death" to cause Gwyn to go off the deep end and murder all those people. I'm just glad I didn't have to witness it (save Stacey, waited years for that sanctamonious bitch to die )

[DRW50]

Thanks for telling me more about Gwyn/Trisha. I wish I could see more of them together. Trisha doesn't seem like the heroine I'd be interested in but I haven't seen a lot of her. So you weren't fan of Stacey then?

I think one or two of Kate's kids besides Ava were on the show. Carly, and a son?

[Carolyn1980]

RIP Roya Megnot : (

Died way too young. (Perry Stephens from Loving also died pretty young).

[Cheap21]

I didnt even know Ava was a recast role until this thread. Ava began and ended with Lisa Peluso for me and I wasnt aware other actresses played her. As a recast, how did fans like her? I personally loved her but dont know how she measures up to the ones who came before her

[Carolyn1980]

I really liked Peluso as Ava. She was very popular. In fact, when Peluso was working everyday for almost two years, she negotiated a two-month-long vacation when she re-signed with the show in 1990. During that time, ABC got Megnot to play Ava again, but they made it clear to audiences it was only temporary--Peluso was too popular by then to go back.

[DRW50]

Did Roya want to leave the role? If not then I feel awful for her if they brought her back as a temp replacement and made sure people knew it was only temporary.

[Cheap21]

How did they make sure the audience knew? Was there a disclaimer/announcement when she returned?

Not surprised Peluso went on to become majroly popular. She owned the role. She was so dynamic and fierce as Ava and was truly one of the show's best talents and assets. Its a shame she isnt in daytime today bc she could bring so much to whatever role she played. I really wanted AMC to bring her on as Hillary this year. Its a role, I could actually see her take over and mix it up with Knight, Luner, Morgan and Williams

[Carolyn1980]

Roya left on her own, but two years later, when roles were not forthcoming, I'm sure she would have gladly returned on a permanent basis.

Every day she was on, the announcer said "the role of Ava is temporarily being played by Roya Megnot."

By the third or fourth week of her temporary return, the announcer began adding, "Lisa Peluso will return to play Ava very soon."

[Cheap21]

dang, that sounds kinda tacky and unnecesary, but at the same time funny