GL on DVD!

[DRW50]

I can see why people enjoyed Krista - she had a lot of personality, was believable as a spoiled princess, had easy chemistry with most of those around her. I do have a preference for Simms though - I just hate that they had to saddle her with Nick.

I'd never seen the opening credits sequence in the 8/26 episode. It's gorgeous. What was the stone house at the end of the sequence?

[DRW50]

I know Judi Evans and Grant Aleksander reportedly didn't get along, but Philip and Beth truly were the representation of teen angst - it's easy to get hooked on them. I always wonder how betrayed some viewers felt at the time of their breakup. Watching this I sometimes start remembering how much Judi disliked her time on GL.

I guess this time was the start of defanging Vanessa. I don't really know if she and Quint connect as siblings.

I didn't know Rose Aliao was still on the show at this time. I guess this must have been close to the end for Helena? Did she even have an exit?

[rlj]

You should see their scenes after this especially in the Stables, and yes I felt very betrayed a year later in 84 lol.

I remember in the early time of the 4 Muskateers, they all seem to get along great, even saw them on News programs when they were filing in NY. The last time GA was asked to list his favorite time on GL, the Xmas in NYC was right at the top and he mention JE fondly. Reportedly things went downhill for Judi with regards to her time at GL after she won the EMMY, and also reportedly she didnt get along with VI either. If GA and JE didnt get along, you would never know it by their scenes, because they alwats brung right up til their last scenes when GA left in 84.

I LOVED Helelna and her relationship with Justin. I knew she was out soon because she wasnt n the new Summer 83 opening credits whereas before she was

[DRW50]

I still don't know why they got rid of Justin.

Did Helena have any relationship with Quint and Nola by that point?

[Mitch]

Krista was young, fresh, fun and fiesty and worked unbelievably well with the 4 M's and especially MOL (actually loved them better then P & B...hated they broke them up for yet another freakin' Shayne.) Simms was a more neurotic, sensual Mindy, the kind that yes, you could see getting involved with Roger, and falling in love with the dead ringer of her best friend's lover. Krista would not have worked in those storylines and would have made Rog look like a total lech. Plus, she was too cute and sweet and would have made Bev's Alex look like a total dragon to be mean too.

However, I loved that they brought her back at the end and reunited Rick and Mindy, which should have happened years ago, when they should have been made the go to nice couple in town. Sims I could not see with O'leary's Rick outside of being friends.

Didnt feel betrayed by the break up of P & B. While I never liked Irizzary (especially his Nick) and Lujack that much, it made sense...Beth came off of a trauma, and Phillip was her white knight. The show was smart (and no show in the last 15 years would have done this) to show that Beth grew up and could stand on her own and didnt need a white knight. Unfortunatley, Phillip's narcissim HAD to play that role. Lujack treated her more as a real person and equal (and believe me I would have passed right over Irizzary's Lujack to climb up on Alexanders Phillip, tall, built, rich with a sarcastic sense of humor.) I didnt mind that they reunited them as they both had grown up by then. I hate that they regressed Beth during the Rauch era (regressed, I should say made her a totally different character.)

Helena did get a send off, quickly, she told Justin goodbye and walked out of Cedars. The stone house at the end of the opening is the church Quint and Nola got married in. Helena was still living in Quint's house at that time, but had given up on getting him back and became kind of a "frenemey of Nola's. I remember a funny scene of her answering the phone at mid-day with Nola on the other end. The phone woke her up and Nola is like "Your still in bed?" and Helena is like, "Of course, its like the crack of dawn isnt it." and goes on to tell her " I searched hi and low and no one is home in this masoleum Quint calls a home!" I wish they had kept her on, a a recurring basis, she could have opened a clothing store (with hats of course) or a nightclub, and gossip with Nola (would loved to have seen her reaction to Reva.)

[rlj]

I too have to agree that the Lujack relationship did help Beth grow, and I loved that they remained true to the charcters, especially Phillip who always wanrted Beth until she "died" in 86. so I respect in that aspect, still wanted my couple lol.

Helena became more of a confidant to Vanessa then any dealing with Quint/Nola later in her stay.

[DRW50]

Thanks for all that information. I know Justin left not long after the Phillip reveal so I wasn't sure if he had any more interaction with Helena. Too bad they didn't just leave together. You'd think Long would have wanted to write for her, since Long wrote some crazy characters, like Reva or even India. I guess Helena wasn't her type.

I always thought it was interesting that they never had any stories where Alan or Alex tried to drive Beth away (at least during JE's run on the show), which is what a lot of soaps would have done.

[rlj]

Alan did try to drive Beth away during JE's run. He hated Phillips's relationsjhip with Beth even after he found out what Bradley did to her. Alan was the holder of the gun that bradley represented pointed at Beth.

[P.J.]

Yeah, Alan definitely was Beth's antagonist, going all the way back. CB's Alan was definitely more class-conscience and never approved of his son consorting with a nobody.

Tesearu worked as Mindy because she played a perfect spoiled little princess. Her Mindy never would have betrayed Billy by sleeping with Roger. I grew weary of Simms because her Mindy was a disloyal little slut. I don't even remember her being particularly manipulative or intelligent.

[DRW50]

For some reason I thought Alan was OK with Beth in the first few years. Oh well.

The first year or so of Simms she seemed to have Tesreau stories (the end of Will, then falling for Rick). I thought the affair with Mallet was a turning point in how they wrote for her. I guess looking back Mindy was so pathetic with Roger but I loved that story at the time. I just hated everything with Nick. I felt like he broke her spirit, and Alex's, and Eve's...kind of sad when Eve had to find herself by being with Ed (who was never exactly easy on a woman).

[jam6242]

I loved Krista Tesreau as Mindy! I too thought she played the spoiled princess/daddy's girl perfectly. I even rooted for Mindy over Beth, couldn't believe Beth had all the young men falling for her instead of Mindy.

[Soapsuds]

Sales are going well. I'm seeing if it equals ATWT sales.

[Soaplovers]

Wasn't India similiar to Helena? It sounds like they shared some common characteristics.... sort of like how Jenna was similiar to India.

[Mitch]

Helena WAS similar to India, but I understand that they needed to have someone who could go up against Alex that had a very personal motive. I am surprised that they didnt keep her on as she was the kind of "over the top," character TPTB were pushing for, and they could have used her as someone who knew Alex back in the day.

Ah, I don't see any similarities between Jenna and India, but I never liked Jenna once they pushed her out of trying to bilk Alex and being with Roger, etc. Once they pusher her into that trolls orbit and made them a "twu love," couple..(and we had endless scenes of that stupid ass face cream crap..or whatever it was. ) India was a superior character to Jenna (probably due to the actress.)

It is too bad that FH left GL the first time when she did, as they were chemistry testing her and Josh. Would have been interesting to see how it worked out when Reva came back..(can't imagine FH and Zimmer getting along that well, they both were divas who complained about lack of screen time if they were off for a second. )

[DRW50]

I think Mary Kay Adams was such a distinct actress that she managed to make India one of those strong characters who overcame any writing issues. GL had a lot of those in the 80's.

Jenna very quickly became defined solely by Buzz and there seemed to be no attempt at all to give her anything else to work with.

I think Fiona was good at heartbreak (which a lot of GL's best ladies were expert at) but being heartbroken over a loser like Buzz doesn't work so well.

Most of Fiona's time on GL (the first time - she barely had a story the second time) was so solemn, that it was all drowned out. GL at its best was a show with lots of highs and lows. 93-94 I mostly remember as people yelling, or tripping over their lower lip.