GH: Classic Thread

[Maxim]

Is 1981 a great year in the show? 

[AMCOLTLLover]

Definitely! My source is getting me the next 170 episodes ready and will get me through until at least February 1982

Heather‘s story was phenomenal! The ice princess story was dragging BUT since May it really became exciting. I also love how balanced the cast is. Not like today where u don’t see some for weeks and then they pop up. 
 

[AMCOLTLLover]

I watched some super couple clips while traveling but damn. I came to the conclusion that Duke Lavery was the most overrated romantic lead ever and the pairing of him and Anna was so-so.. I even blame this whole mob thing for GH to lose #1… 

[carolineg]

More overrated than Sonny and Jason? Lol

I actually don't love Duke/Anna.  I think IB and FH have very good chemistry, but their stories weren't great or at least didn't catch my attention.  I also didn't really get the hype or chemistry when they were re-paired about 10 years.  Sometimes I think you miss some of the magic if you didn't see it in real time (which I assume you didn't?) and I think that might be the case for me here at least.

[Vee]

I've been wandering through eras both well before my time (the Marland '70s, the early/late '80s) and ones I haven't seen in many years, like '96. I was surprised to discover Culliton's name on an episode from early September of '96 - I thought he didn't come in til November or December around the Twist of Fate.

We're the minority here. I think they sizzle together in classic eps but I've always been a Robert/Anna truther, and I just feel like the conflict with Duke's life vs. Anna's work was ultimately unsustainable. But I may be biased since the bulk of my experience with them was sadsack old Duke in the 2010s, where that did prove out although the writing was often terrible.

I think the chemistry and spark could've returned had they let Ian Buchanan have fun onscreen as Duke in 2013-2015, which they didn't; he was just a morose, feeble broken man. But Ian Buchanan is actually one of the suavest and funniest dudes alive - he was absolutely hysterical on David Lynch's Twin Peaks and On the Air. There was no sense of fun in the Duke that returned in the 2010s.

[AMCOLTLLover]

Maybe equally overrated as Sonny and Jason lol

Nah I don’t think that this is it coz I haven’t watched FnF either in real time and they are one of my favorite couples of all time. Their story’s were fire.

Idk what it was but 1987-1989 felt kinda struggling and I was only interested in FnF, Steve,Audrey and a few. But Duke has never been a favorite of mine there. 

Edited February 4, 2024 by AMCOLTLLover

[carolineg]

Culliton starts his GH stint in Aug 96 with Karen Harris.  In Dec 96 he takes over as solo head writer.

I spent years convinced I did like Duke/Anna as a couple because I should and most people do.  I realized I like both actors and their chemistry, but not their story or them actually as a viable couple.  I thought I was missing something, but I just don't think they work because of the different lifestyles like you said.  I also agree they were written terribly in his last return.

I think 1987-1989 is just a rough period for the show.  It doesn't generally interest me either.  True about Frisco/Felicia.  I never watched them in real time and they are quite engaging watching back.  I just feel like sometimes when I watch clips or edits I am missing something if that makes sense?  Like the anticipation of having to wait the next day to see what happens and I lose some scope of how a story played overtime instead of in a few hours.

Edited February 4, 2024 by carolineg

[Vee]

Is it true they worked from Guza's outline/projections til '97? I know Stefan and Katherine wasn't on his books lol.

[Contessa Donatella]

Is there anyone else (besides me) who would love to see RKK back as Stavros? 

[titan1978]

The outlines they used were from Guza’s exit until Culliton takes over on his own without Harris. The writers on the team tried to keep things going as close to what they had planned but eventually Culliton steered everything too far before he left. The next team was even worse. There are possibilities that some stuff carried over though.

The mini story with Jax/Tracy was network dictated to set up her taking over The City.

I have read conflicting reports about Laura’s presumed death, Lesley’s return, and if Guza’s team had planned that and the return when everyone was against Laura. I know as a viewer, what had become kind of messy onscreen goes off the rails not long after Laura’s return.

I know AJ/Carly was not planned by Guza but it was one of the things he loved when he came back. And he certainly decided to keep Elizabeth Webber.

That period has some of my favorite stories/moments. I loved Cheryl, Olivia Jerome, etc. Anna vs Olivia was a great rivalry, and the story with Grant Putnam kidnapping Anna is one of my favorite GH stories. Duke had his moments, and the push/pull was interesting to watch between Anna and his choices with the mob. It would have been even more interesting if that rift eventually caused Anna to take him down.

[Vee]

That's interesting, because they never treated A.J. with much more than disdain once BW was in the role IMO. I did wonder early on as a kid if it was going to end up with them falling in love given the setup, but it never really went there (and should've, at least with Sean Kanan).

[carolineg]

Thanks!  I knew Guza had a lot planned out like Miranda and whatnot, but I am so curious to know what was Guza and what wasn't.  The show definitely starts to go off the rails right around Laura's fake death and when Sonny/Brenda reunite.  

I don't know what it is from the 1987-89 period, but I just can't get into it.  I don't know if I am just not interested in the combo of characters and couples or what.  It seems like I should like it, but every time I start with that era I lose interest.  Any story that is your particular favorite?

Edited February 4, 2024 by carolineg

[titan1978]

I meant the hookup and baby, not them as a couple. Once he decided to put Carly back in Jason’s orbit, it was a way to have constant drama between the brothers.

[titan1978]

Quite a few. I liked Colton’s addition to Lucy’s family, and her constantly scheming to keep Tony. Maree Cheatham as Aunt Charlene.

I was a big fan of the fallout between Anna and Olivia over Duke and the Jerome’s. Anna losing her baby due to Olivia, and Anna going after her. I thought Julian was cute back then, before he came back later as a full on psychopath (both before the return under RC). And I definitely preferred Robert with Cheryl over Katherine. Lucas should have been Robert’s!

My favorite story of Wes Kinney’s EP run was the Snowman story. Grant Putnam kidnaps Anna instead of his first target, Robin, and Duke and Robert go to different lengths to find out what happened and rescue her. The whole thing used to be on YouTube. Robin knows what happened but she is basically catatonic from seeing her beloved Filomena killed and her mother taken. I like that Anna wasn’t reduced to a damsel in distress even in this kind of story. I remembered it fondly as a kid and enjoyed it again on YouTube a couple of years ago.

[carolineg]

Thanks for the recommendations!  I think the Grant Putnam story is what I have seen the most of and was probably the most interesting to me, so maybe I'll give it a go again.