I had no idea that Ursula re-appeared in Eterna! It's interesting these over the top OLTL storylines were huge ratings grabbers--but though only a bit earlier, you don't hear people still talking about them the way they did about Reilly's DAYS stuff, they seem kinda forgotten. I wonder if it's because OLTL changed its identity so much, or just further back?

Wasn't Eterna the most expensive soap set ever--or was that VIcki's Heavenly spaceship (a set I personally HATE).

I loved Eterna and the campiness that was late 80s OLTL

As you know I think Rauch's show started to crumble when Peggy left as HW, but I admit that when you watch these clips you do have to give his production work (and the cast) some credit--even if it's true that the show got pretty far from itself (to say the least) and Rauch's attempt to return it more to its roots in 1990 were pretty... awful.

To go back to one of the earlier suggestions - Hollyoaks has recently done a story about a father who, not trusting his teenage son's new girlfriend (who is in her late twenties) tried to set her up, and ended up starting a torrid affair with her. Of course the "actor" who plays the "teenage" son looks about 30.

OLTL almost did the student/teacher thing with that Sky/Starr mess. British soaps have done this much more often - Becca/Justin on Hollyoaks, John/Rosie on Corrie, Kelly and her teacher on Emmerdale.

As you know I think Rauch's show started to crumble when Peggy left as HW, but I admit that when you watch these clips you do have to give his production work (and the cast) some credit--even if it's true that the show got pretty far from itself (to say the least) and Rauch's attempt to return it more to its roots in 1990 were pretty... awful.

I just wish we could see more of that rap story.

At least he hired Valerie Pettiford...but then that was too little too late, in a lot of ways, and every black character but Valerie was jettisoned by Gottlieb for her own new characters. I wish one or two had stayed around. They were mostly pretty good.

I got to meet Valerie when she was doing workshops of Fosse in Vancouver and our musical theatre department got to go behind the scenes. A *really* nice, friendly and funny lady (and a great performer--I guess a bit like so many great Broadway talents who are largely wasted on daytime,particularly ones of colour like Tonya P's last "run" on AMC...)

From SOD Sept 4 1990

OLTL tunes into rap music

This fall OLTL is launching a major storyline with a rap music beat. The ultra contemporary plot will involve several new black characters, including attorney Troy Nichol's rebellious son Kerry, and a young woman with whom he'll become romantically involved. Part of the action will deal with the conflicts that arise when a youngster decides to pursue a full time career as a rap artist.

Casting for all these roles is still in progress and OLTL is hoping to begin telling the story in September. The casting of Rika, the young heroine, is particularly crucial. "We're looking for an actress who can really sing",Head writer Leah Laiman confided. As the storyline develops, Laiman is hoping to have top of the line rap groups guest star on the show. "We wanted to do a black storyline that would be fun and exciting and really involve our audience",she told us,"not just a throwaway plot where you use two token black characters in the backgtound.'.

To make sure their scripts capture the right spirit, Laiman and co-writer Craig Carlson hired Joe wood, a prominent black journalist, to act as story consultant.

Actually, with this storyline, OLTL is really going back to its roots. When the show premiered in 1968, it broke new ground as the first soap to deal seriously with ethnic and social issues.