I asked Gemini to do the following: "Can you help me compose of story for the soap opera Another World? There was a character named Michael Randolph on the show in the 70s. He was going to be made bisexual. Can we compose a story? Another World Homepage and Eight Years in Another World by Harding Lemay are good reference points."
It provided me with...
This is a fascinating piece of television "what if?" history. As you noted, Harding Lemay—the head writer who transformed Another World into a character-driven literary powerhouse—originally intended for Michael Randolph (the son of John and Pat Randolph) to be the first gay or bisexual character in daytime television history.
In his memoir Eight Years in Another World, Lemay recounts how he planned for Michael to return from college and reveal his sexuality, which would have acted as a catalyst for the final collapse of John and Pat’s already strained marriage. However, the sponsor (Procter & Gamble) and the network blocked the move, forcing Lemay to marry Michael off to Molly Ordway and later Karen Campbell.
Below is a "reconstructed" storyline that aligns with Lemay’s 1970s aesthetic: focusing on internal psychological conflict, class dynamics, and the "unspoken" tensions within the Matthews/Randolph clan.
Story Title: The Shadow in the Garden
The Setup: The Return of the Prodigal Son
Michael Randolph returns to Bay City after a long "sabbatical" in Europe following his graduation. To his mother, Pat, he is the golden boy who will finally stabilize the family. To his father, John, he is a rival for Pat's attention and a reminder of John’s own perceived failures as a "man's man."
Michael brings with him a "friend" from his travels—Julian Vane, an enigmatic, sophisticated architecture student. While Michael tells Pat that Julian is just a roommate helping him with his law studies, the tension in the Randolph living room is palpable.
The Conflict: A House Divided
The story wouldn't be a "coming out" in the modern sense; in Lemay’s world, it would be a slow bleed of subtext and growing resentment:
John’s Suspicion: John Randolph, always struggling with his own masculine insecurities and his history of infidelity, begins to sense an "otherness" in his son. He pushes Michael to join his law firm and marry a "suitable" Bay City girl (perhaps a cousin of the Corys). John’s hostility toward Julian isn't just about Michael; it’s about John’s fear that his family legacy is dissolving.
Pat’s Denial: Pat Randolph, ever the emotional anchor (and occasional alcoholic), chooses to see only what she wants. She treats Julian like a second son, ignoring the long silences and the way Michael looks at Julian when he thinks no one is watching.
The Breaking Point: At a high-society party at the Cory Mansion, Michael is cornered by Mac Cory’s daughter, Iris, who tries to manipulate him into a romance for her own social gain. The pressure of the performance causes Michael to snap. He doesn't make a grand announcement; instead, he has a private, devastating confrontation with John in the library.
The "Lemay" Twist
In true Harding Lemay fashion, the "scandal" isn't just the sexuality—it’s the hypocrisy. Michael reveals he knows about John’s past affairs and "double life." He argues that his love for Julian is more honest than the "theatre of marriage" John and Pat have been performing for decades.
The Resolution
The storyline would conclude not with a happy ending, but with a melancholy departure. Recognizing that Bay City is too small for his truth, Michael decides to move to New York City with Julian.
The Fallout: Pat is left shattered, finally forced to look at the cracks in her marriage without Michael there to act as a buffer.
The Final Frame: The story ends with Michael and Julian at the Bay City train station. They don't hold hands—it's 1975, after all—but as the train pulls away, Michael looks back at the skyline of Bay City and realizes he has finally found his own "Another World."
By
NothinButAttitude ·
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