GL on DVD!

[Soapsuds]

After watching these classic episodes of GL...it's just tragic what GL became under Ellen Wheeler...shame on everyone involved ...P&G included. This soap was a top 4 show for many years....it's a shame it was watered down post 91.....to its demise.

[Soapsuds]

A question...When did the opening after the falling leaves one premiere?? Also what was the closing suppose to be?? I have always been curious about that closing. Usually it was a lighthouse except the leaves opening and closing...and the GL bigger letter opening with different endings... white a la Y&R or the blue and orange background.

[KMan101]

Most soaps became watered down in the late 90s and especially the 00s, when soaps started largely ignoring their past unless they were desperate for a ratings boost, ending or on the rare occasion had a writer who wanted to honor it (bad writing aside). I think that's what caused the decline of soaps. Watering down storylines, tighter budgets (meaning less cast and less ability to better integrate the cast, though I think writing is just as much to blame as contract restrictions, etc), constant producer and writer upheaval and recycling writers who just plain sucked.

Anyway ...

Watching the episode where everyone is learning about Jackie's death. I love Chris Bernau as Alan and can't even fathom this Alan being played by Ron Raines. Wow. No disrespect to Ron Raines (who I never had an issue with) but what was casting thinking in 1994? Also it is so wonderful seeing Charita Bauer. She has such a presence. Man. Seeing more of Bert has me realizing what a hole she left and how I think that although GL had some good years after he death, the show was seriously lacking that strong matriarch. I don't think Maureen Bauer, as well liked as she was, was right to fill the void (too young and zapped any storyline she could have had, minus the affair which led to her demise, of course). They should have brought back Meta sooner than they did and transitioned her, though I can see why, without Bert, writers never bothered to bring Mike back, thus never getting Hope back, though they both should have been back the numerous times the show tried to cast an Alan-Michael that worked. They missed the boat not playing up A-M's Bauer/Spaulding ties. Mike could have transitioned into the patriarch (like Maureen, I don't see Ed really filling that role either in the overall scope of things), with Hope caught between the Bauers and the Spauldings.

I also apologize in advance for asking what will probably be very redundant questions pertaining to the history. While I'm overall familiar with the storylines, minor details and characters and even some storylines I definitely won't be familiar with.

Back to the episode .... some thoughts. I didn't really like Vanessa throwing herself at someone like Tony Reardon. Seems like such an odd pair. And I know Tony was well liked, but I haven't seen anything about him I've liked. I've never been a big fan of the "eyyyy" dudes who have this 'tude about them. LOL. Maybe with a better actor the role would have worked better (at least for me)? And like I thought, I adore Quint and Nola. Man. If I had witnessed their '90s return, I probably would have been really unhappy. Another HUGE missed opportunity for GL. Wasn't 96-97 when Mike Bauer last returned and we had them trying to bring back Nola. It's too bad they didn't want Mike back long-term and the writing for Nola was so bad. Another couple of 'what could have beens'.

I also very much dislike the disco opening. OMG. Wow. One of the campiest things I think I've ever witnessed. It's very dated LOL. I love all the campy shots. Soaps were SOOOO cheesy back in the 70s and 80s (like most shows in general). I miss that.

[KMan101]

Also why was Sara written out? I think she would have served very well as the anchor of the show.

[Soapsuds]

Chris Bernau was very hard to replace as Alan. No one actually could...Ron Raines was good for a couple of years and then his Alan became too cartoonish partly the writing and his acting. Daniel Pilon was just no words for him...lol.....bad recast.

Just watching the life saviors opening from 2002 and hadnt realized what a great opening it was.

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As in Reva's mom?? She was killed off just to bring awful Laura Wright on...ugh....instead they showed have kept Sara and brought back Roxie.

[Soapsuds]

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[KMan101]

No, not Reva's mother, Dr. Sara McIntyre.

But on that note ... I agree, Reva's mother shouldn't have been written out in favor of Cassie (why was that the case, anyway?) and yeah, Roxie should have been brought on instead.

[Soapsuds]

It was to give Kim Zimmer a storyline and have a sister of hers on the canvas...it sucked..all they had to do was bring back Roxie...Roxie had fire....Cassie was a boring piece of [!@#$%^&*]

[KMan101]

Skipped around a bit and have started watching the 2002 episode where Alex brings Mindy and India back to town and involves Beth, Harley and Blake in the vote. I loved how Mindy said "she had to come" and Alex quipped that no one held a gun to her head. I appreciated that nod about their past relationship. The writers could have easily ignored it. And I really loved Joan Collins as Alex. I think she fit well and I loved bitchy, controlling (yet not disliked) Alexandra. That's how she should have been and while I love Marj Dusay, the writers over the years never seemed interested in writing her as more than a day player, which is a shame.

[P.J.]

I've never heard a reason for writing Sara McIntyre out...but given the times and the switch in head writers after Marland, my guess is she was a victim of the youth movement and the fact she had no family on the show.

As for Sarah Shayne, I don't think she ever returned full time after Reva "died" going off the bridge. And that was years before Cassie was retconned.

[DRW50]

We never saw Sarah after Reva's return from the dead. We heard that she kicked Hawk out because of gambling, but that was it. A year later, we saw her when she died - a friend of mine got a good laugh out of those "Find him for me, Reva," scenes (although the joke was on viewers when that was quickly gender retconned).

Kim Zimmer was not thrilled with that decision and it was a stupid decision all around, especially since they brought her back as a ghost, twice.

Milette Alexander/Sara was fired because of her age.

[rcsnj]

KMAN - The curly-haired woman was the soon-to-be-murdered Diane Ballard. The blonde was Trudy Wilson.

P.J. - Sara did have family on the show. Her son Tim was still on the canvas, then played by Nigel Reed. I believe Sara and Tim were both written out around December 1982.

[Mitch]

It was really weird to not bring back Sara after Reva's resurrection, they must have had their post resurrection reunion off camera. I would have rather had her back instead of bumbling cartoonish Hawk (and while he and "Quennie," Marj's Alex had funny scenes, especially the car ride to Goshen, they were both cartoon's by that time, compare that to the Bev Alex scene when Hawk comes over to her house, "Can I get you anything?" "Yes, .....a steak!" Alex turns to the maid, "See if we have any leftover raccoon from dinner for Mr. Shayne,"

Cassie could have been a good character if she was some white trash bitch who would have butt heads with Reva...kind of like Reva and Vanessa did in the day. But they had them be "sisters," way too fast, and of course, LW took E & B out drinking all the time so she became the show's romantic heroine.

[DRW50]

It was very strange to me that Sarah would continue to live in Italy, alone, when her Reva was back again, and she had two other children in the States. I guess they could have said she was dying and trying to keep this from everyone, but I don't even think they said that.

[P.J.]

I meant she never had that network of family on the show. She married Adam and adopted Tim, but no parents or siblings.

Wiki says Gail Kobe fired her in June of 1983, when Alexander came in expecting to sign a new contract.