Thanks again @Maxim . Great clips. Marty and Dorian of course (Dorian walked right into that "money can't buy class" retort - I wonder if one of the other reasons Dorian hates her is because she had to fight for money while Marty was born into it [more of the Viki resentments being transferred]), but also Dorian and Bo/Nora. Robin Strasser and HBS always spark well together.

Robin and Mark Brettschneider had such a tender and believable chemistry.

You're right about the writing being willing to put some of the blame on the women - it's a fine line because soaps can be very misogynist, but I don't think that's happening here (you could argue about Tina though).

2 hours ago, Maxim said:

Great observations @DRW50 ! It's truly fascinating to me that it took such a long time, almost a year... before anyone spoke to Marty the way Dorian does. Without trying to feel sorry for her or being insincerely kind or looking down on her with condescension. It's as if someone finally respects Marty in a twisted perverse way, because Dorian is the first person to express pure hate and venom towards her, treating her as an actual threat - someone that should be dealt with... and not underestimating her like all those other saintly characters do. I love it. These two remind me of my two cousins - sisters who would constantly bicker because they were so similar and wicked. They couldn't lie to each other, because that shared nature made them guess correctly what the other was doing or plotting all the time. I will quote the show from couple of episodes ago - A witch... always recognizes a witch.

While they were operating on him... she was on her knees in the woods. Probably hearing about his close-call with death... made her want to REALLY FEEL ALIVE. 😁

I really like that idea and I hope they continue it at least for some time. Once again... it reminds me of real life... I appreciate that Malone/Griffith are telling sort of a cautionary story about how harmful unchecked influence can be in a child's life. A bad mother is a mother who puts her children in the presence of people like Cain. And again.. the show does the most unexpected thing - I side with the male - Cord (like I do with Clint these days). I wonder how many men were watching the show back in 1993. Malone era OLTL gives a really strong male point of view... all the time.

P.S. I just uploaded that second clip of the day - it's a collage of scenes, but the most entertaining part is in the middle - Marty and Dorian, of course. @alwaysAMC - I promised to tag you! 😊 Robin is on FIRE in this clip.

Thanks!! Man, Robin's hair in her return era is so big and glamorous haha, I love it!

Malone did intend to bring C.J. back as a gay Marine in 2003-04, along with yet another recast of Tina. The story on paper that they set up background for onscreen was iffy. For convoluted BTS reasons involving massive network interference under a very ambitious and controlling new daytime head exec, it didn't happen and the whole thing sort of faded away.

While C.J. was never seen again after the '90s and became kind of a mythical gay unicorn per all this gossip, the actor playing little C.J. in these years, Tyler Noyes, shocked us all by turning up on the red carpet of the brief OLTL streaming revival on Hulu in 2013, having grown remarkably attractive as an adult. He was there because his sister Amber (who apparently used to hang around on-set with him in the 90s) had a brief, strange role in the Hulu run of OLTL, as Matthew Buchanan's obsessive girlfriend whom he met on Facebook.

Edited 20 hours ago20 hr by Vee

11 hours ago, DRW50 said:

Thanks again @Maxim . Great clips. Marty and Dorian of course (Dorian walked right into that "money can't buy class" retort - I wonder if one of the other reasons Dorian hates her is because she had to fight for money while Marty was born into it [more of the Viki resentments being transferred]), but also Dorian and Bo/Nora. Robin Strasser and HBS always spark well together.

Another great observation. Now that you mention it, it is a plausible undertone. BTW, I know how you notice great background music and I especially like that tune at the end of the "Dorian at Bo's place" scene. It gives me goosebumps.

P.S.

11 hours ago, DRW50 said:

You're right about the writing being willing to put some of the blame on the women - it's a fine line because soaps can be very misogynist, but I don't think that's happening here (you could argue about Tina though).

Oh, absolutely, they can be. What impresses me is how much they invest in showing the male point of view. I've heard many times guys say that soaps are for women and that they don't tell stories for men... But OLTL absolutely does. It makes us root for a father to keep his child (Kevin), a husband to survive his wife's affair with dignity (Clint), a father to save his children from the mother's bad influences (Cord) and I can go on and on. And they give us scene after scene where we hear their struggle. Any man can start watching and recognize himself and his inner battles on screen. They don't lack female POVs either. I can probably write a 50 page essay on the women of OLTL. I've never watched a show with more compelling and unique female characters. I think that's why I keep watching.

7 hours ago, Vee said:

Malone did intend to bring C.J. back as a gay Marine in 2003-04, along with yet another recast of Tina. The story on paper that they set up background for onscreen was iffy. For convoluted BTS reasons involving massive network interference under a very ambitious and controlling new daytime head exec, it didn't happen and the whole thing sort of faded away.

While C.J. was never seen again after the '90s and became kind of a mythical gay unicorn per all this gossip, the actor playing little C.J. in these years, Tyler Noyes, shocked us all by turning up on the red carpet of the brief OLTL streaming revival on Hulu in 2013, having grown remarkably attractive as an adult. He was there because his sister Amber (who apparently used to hang around on-set with him in the 90s) had a brief, strange role in the Hulu run of OLTL, as Matthew Buchanan's obsessive girlfriend whom he met on Facebook.

That's fascinating. Thanks for sharing. I wonder if I'll ever get to that second Malone era. I've heard mixed things about it. Gay C.J. could have been interesting. With a mother like Tina and Cord as a father... especially.

10 hours ago, alwaysAMC said:

Thanks!! Man, Robin's hair in her return era is so big and glamorous haha, I love it!

Yes!!! I was meaning to write this, so I'm so happy you said it. Robin's hair is soooo gorgeous.The moment she steps into a room and turns, it dominates the whole room. I've always had a thing for this exact type of curls and big hair and she is giving me everything. I hope they don't cut it short anytime soon or straighten it, because I'll cry.

Up to March 18th, 1993

🦩

"Cheeseburger and some French fries, please!"

🔷

Mamma mia, here I go again! My, my, how can I resist you?

🔷

Jason has turned to the dark side, y'all. The Emperor of Llanview (Dorian Lord) has successfully lured him into staying in town. Those sessions on her knees in the woods did the trick. They always do! Now, Jason has almost fully embraced his role as Dorian's pet/gigolo. And what better way to make it public... than to head straight to the heart of Llanview society - The Buchanan Palace, where he got served by none other than his ex-fiancee - Leanne Demerest. Oh man, how I LOOOOVED witnessing the karma twisting Leanne's facial expressions. She used and USED Jason to the point of no return... - it's so satisfying to see her squirm a bit. I particularly enjoyed the moment when Jason ordered more food - a burger and some fries. It felt so brutal and real. One day you're risking your life for someone, doing the unthinkable for them... and the next day - you're just ordering a snack as if you don't even know them. Deep down, we all know he still loves her, but that’s not what matters to me. What does matter is how suddenly and drastically personal relationships can shift. It reminded me of an ex-boyfriend I had in my early 20s. We had such a passionate, close relationship, we became like one entity at one point... and after the breakup... I remember him walking by on the sidewalk, him with his friends... me with mine... and we didn’t even acknowledge each other after a brief glance. It felt like two strangers had crossed paths with their eyes meeting for a second and that was it. “Life's a pitch, as the old woman said. She couldn't pronounce her "b"s.”

🔷

The Society Slut is back. Sort of. She's still in Paris, gaslighting her children - Jessie and Joey... convincing them that life will be better with their parents divorced. This lady has some serious gall! When Joey innocently asked - Is Sloan Carpenter going to be our dad now, are you planning to marry him? Buchanina squirmed and denied any plans of a marriage with the general. But just when she was deceiving her kids... and fooling herself... she spotted a familiar silhouette - the back of a man who looked like Sloan. And when he turned around, revealing to be some French guy... she realized she couldn't run from it. She has to be with him or she'll be destined to find signs of him in everyone around her. Sort of like an emotional plague. Sweetheart - we all knew you chose him, the moment you let him ejaculate inside while your husband was waiting on the other side of the door. Spare us the theatrics and go chase your general... and then mess up his life by cheating on him too. Meanwhile, back in the USA, Lindsay and Clint were getting closer. But this time, Kevin noticed and tried to step in. What a cock-block. Just when your dad is starting to loosen up, you have to grill him about Viki! The snake Lindsay sensed she was being blocked... and excused herself from the table, before more damage could be done. Things are heating up!

🔷

Little C.J. was running around Llanview telling everyone his name is Cain Junior. Ah! For a second, I thought they were going to pull a Hansel and Gretel on us... when he encountered this weird, creepy grandma who wanted to take him and make him a beggar in New York. Ever since I was a kid... one of my biggest childhood fears was being kidnapped by an older woman... just like the one on the show... so watching this was super creepy for me. Hahaha. Thank goodness Tina and Cord found him. But by then, it was too late. Cain had already made his mark, and there was no turning back for Tina and Cord. Their relationship seemed finished, and Tina ran towards Cain... ready to give herself to the new guy in her life - a con artist and a thief. She chose the dark side too. If there’s a custody battle... I’m definitely on Cord's side.

🔷

And now for the final part of this review... I'm going to discuss Marty and her pursuit of Andrew. She not only kissed him, but she also made him promise to keep it a secret. THAT'S A BIG NO-NO, Reverend. Just as she was leaving their house (after Andrew asked her), Cassie was HOME. She immediately sensed that something was off in the house. Thankfully, she didn't find a used condom, but she did notice something strange. She spoke with Andrew, who lied and insisted that nothing had happened between them. THAT WAS EXACTLY what MARTY wanted. Because just when Cassie went to double-check the story... Marty revealed the kiss and not just that - she mentioned they had a "pact" not to tell her. And OH MY GOD, do you know how that masochist Cassie reacted - she acted like Katerina Ivanovna from The Brothers Karamazov - so proud and so unfazed... she felt pity once again for the girl who kissed her husband. And then she invited her back. I really hope she (Marty) sleeps with him now. Because Cassie has nobody else to blame than herself.

"Fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me,"

Overall -  10/10 - We are back to top form, baby!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Clip of the day

Edited 11 hours ago11 hr by Maxim

4 hours ago, Maxim said:

Up to March 18th, 1993

🦩

"Cheeseburger and some French fries, please!"

🔷

Mamma mia, here I go again! My, my, how can I resist you?

🔷

Jason has turned to the dark side, y'all. The Emperor of Llanview (Dorian Lord) has successfully lured him into staying in town. Those sessions on her knees in the woods did the trick. They always do! Now, Jason has almost fully embraced his role as Dorian's pet/gigolo. And what better way to make it public... than to head straight to the heart of Llanview society - The Buchanan Palace, where he got served by none other than his ex-fiancee - Leanne Demerest. Oh man, how I LOOOOVED witnessing the karma twisting Leanne's facial expressions. She used and USED Jason to the point of no return... - it's so satisfying to see her squirm a bit. I particularly enjoyed the moment when Jason ordered more food - a burger and some fries. It felt so brutal and real. One day you're risking your life for someone, doing the unthinkable for them... and the next day - you're just ordering a snack as if you don't even know them. Deep down, we all know he still loves her, but that’s not what matters to me. What does matter is how suddenly and drastically personal relationships can shift. It reminded me of an ex-boyfriend I had in my early 20s. We had such a passionate, close relationship, we became like one entity at one point... and after the breakup... I remember him walking by on the sidewalk, him with his friends... me with mine... and we didn’t even acknowledge each other after a brief glance. It felt like two strangers had crossed paths with their eyes meeting for a second and that was it. “Life's a pitch, as the old woman said. She couldn't pronounce her "b"s.”

🔷

The Society Slut is back. Sort of. She's still in Paris, gaslighting her children - Jessie and Joey... convincing them that life will be better with their parents divorced. This lady has some serious gall! When Joey innocently asked - Is Sloan Carpenter going to be our dad now, are you planning to marry him? Buchanina squirmed and denied any plans of a marriage with the general. But just when she was deceiving her kids... and fooling herself... she spotted a familiar silhouette - the back of a man who looked like Sloan. And when he turned around, revealing to be some French guy... she realized she couldn't run from it. She has to be with him or she'll be destined to find signs of him in everyone around her. Sort of like an emotional plague. Sweetheart - we all knew you chose him, the moment you let him ejaculate inside while your husband was waiting on the other side of the door. Spare us the theatrics and go chase your general... and then mess up his life by cheating on him too. Meanwhile, back in the USA, Lindsay and Clint were getting closer. But this time, Kevin noticed and tried to step in. What a cock-block. Just when your dad is starting to loosen up, you have to grill him about Viki! The snake Lindsay sensed she was being blocked... and excused herself from the table, before more damage could be done. Things are heating up!

🔷

Little C.J. was running around Llanview telling everyone his name is Cain Junior. Ah! For a second, I thought they were going to pull a Hansel and Gretel on us... when he encountered this weird, creepy grandma who wanted to take him and make him a beggar in New York. Ever since I was a kid... one of my biggest childhood fears was being kidnapped by an older woman... just like the one on the show... so watching this was super creepy for me. Hahaha. Thank goodness Tina and Cord found him. But by then, it was too late. Cain had already made his mark, and there was no turning back for Tina and Cord. Their relationship seemed finished, and Tina ran towards Cain... ready to give herself to the new guy in her life - a con artist and a thief. She chose the dark side too. If there’s a custody battle... I’m definitely on Cord's side.

🔷

And now for the final part of this review... I'm going to discuss Marty and her pursuit of Andrew. She not only kissed him, but she also made him promise to keep it a secret. THAT'S A BIG NO-NO, Reverend. Just as she was leaving their house (after Andrew asked her), Cassie was HOME. She immediately sensed that something was off in the house. Thankfully, she didn't find a used condom, but she did notice something strange. She spoke with Andrew, who lied and insisted that nothing had happened between them. THAT WAS EXACTLY what MARTY wanted. Because just when Cassie went to double-check the story... Marty revealed the kiss and not just that - she mentioned they had a "pact" not to tell her. And OH MY GOD, do you know how that masochist Cassie reacted - she acted like Katerina Ivanovna from The Brothers Karamazov - so proud and so unfazed... she felt pity once again for the girl who kissed her husband. And then she invited her back. I really hope she (Marty) sleeps with him now. Because Cassie has nobody else to blame than herself.

"Fool me once, shame on you. fool me twice, shame on me,"

Overall -  10/10 - We are back to top form, baby!

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 

Clip of the day

Maxim, can you picture Elaine Princi's Dorian in this scene, with a similar type of playful naughty sensuality that RS brings?

Edited 7 hours ago7 hr by yrfan1983

8 minutes ago, yrfan1983 said:

Maxim, can you picture Elaine Princi's Dorian in this scene, with a similar type of playful naughty sensuality that RS brings?

Ah, what an intriguing question. To be honest… No. I can't. And this isn't a jab at Princi - it's a testament to the uniqueness of both actresses. That "playful, naughty" vibe that Strasser exudes... simply can't be duplicated. Princi had her own sensual aura - leaning more towards the melancholic, dramatic end of the spectrum. Her Dorian was a woman walking on the edge of sanity, desperately clinging to Jason, her eyes full of despair. This is entirely consistent with how Malone wrote for her - a troubled woman, burdened by a lifetime of unresolved traumas. A beautiful dark cloud. Strasser’s Dorian, however… even when she’s kneeling in the woods... when they’ve set her up to be as submissive as possible - STILL gives off power. That smile of hers... she uses it like armor. When under attack, she appears unfazed, an early 90s Regina George, and when she responds - it's like she derives genuine pleasure from seeing other people squirm. That’s precisely why I love both so much. That said... if I were truly DARED to choose one... (with a theatrical tear in my left eye) I’d have to say - Strasser. In a bizarre way, it almost feels like I'm cheating on my favorite, but... Strasser just came in and stole my heart. ❤️ That was the last thing I expected to happen. Forgive me, Elaine!

P.S. In those recent scenes with Jason, I caught glimpses of the early-1980s Dorian in her expressions. That woman has that "forever young" thing going on and I don't know how she does it. She is stunning.

2 hours ago, Maxim said:

Ah, what an intriguing question. To be honest… No. I can't. And this isn't a jab at Princi - it's a testament to the uniqueness of both actresses. That "playful, naughty" vibe that Strasser exudes... simply can't be duplicated. Princi had her own sensual aura - leaning more towards the melancholic, dramatic end of the spectrum. Her Dorian was a woman walking on the edge of sanity, desperately clinging to Jason, her eyes full of despair. This is entirely consistent with how Malone wrote for her - a troubled woman, burdened by a lifetime of unresolved traumas. A beautiful dark cloud. Strasser’s Dorian, however… even when she’s kneeling in the woods... when they’ve set her up to be as submissive as possible - STILL gives off power. That smile of hers... she uses it like armor. When under attack, she appears unfazed, an early 90s Regina George, and when she responds - it's like she derives genuine pleasure from seeing other people squirm. That’s precisely why I love both so much. That said... if I were truly DARED to choose one... (with a theatrical tear in my left eye) I’d have to say - Strasser. In a bizarre way, it almost feels like I'm cheating on my favorite, but... Strasser just came in and stole my heart. ❤️ That was the last thing I expected to happen. Forgive me, Elaine!

P.S. In those recent scenes with Jason, I caught glimpses of the early-1980s Dorian in her expressions. That woman has that "forever young" thing going on and I don't know how she does it. She is stunning.

Very interesting! I’m sure Malone knew Strasser vs Princi’s strengths, so perhaps if Elaine was still in the role, he wouldn’t have written this scene to have Dorian be so vibrant and flirty.

Thanks @Maxim .

It's interesting seeing the levels of self-righteousness - Jason going off on Dorian even though he has no real right (although he was right to call her out on just why she went in on Marty), then Leanne taking the moral high ground on Jason when she of all people has no legs to stand on. I assume Leanne/Jason are still meant to be the rooting couple here, but it's difficult to care.

Dorian pointing out Jason's roster of damsels amused me.

I find the Jason/Marty relationship more interesting than his relationship with Leanne because I don't think he loves Marty, he just cares about her and wants her to be better, but not in a way I find heavily patronizing.

I'm glad Dorian asked Jason why he even wanted to be with her if he has such a low opinion of her. At least that led him to say he cared (I wish he'd said a little more but clearly it's a struggle).

"Mixed" would be a very polite word for Malone II. It was largely seen as a disaster. And I say that as someone who found some merit in that almost 2-year period. Malone did still have a real POV and personality to his work. But it had massive, massive issues. All of his classic excesses were let loose with none of the care in the day to day dialogue or upkeep at the production level from the '90s. The heavy micromanaging from the new network regime re: its preferred characters and stories crippled it too, of course.

I can and have written about Malone II too much over the years because Monday through Friday it was just an insane, bewildering experience. It felt like watching a beloved elder relative get addicted to meth. It was also compulsively watchable for that same reason. Watching DAYS and OLTL back to back in that period was truly nuts, because they were not that different. When you find yourself watching Dorian and Blair howling for help in a secret room full of Indiana Jones poison spike traps below Llanfair at 2 PM on a Wednesday afternoon you're kind of through the looking glass.

The Ron Carlivati era near the end of the run (which I think most of the audience would cite as the show's last creative and critical revival) had great highs and massive lows, but that is a whole other gigantic can of worms given how messy he has become. Malone II's madness walked so Ron's current craziness could run.

Edited 22 minutes ago22 min by Vee