Classic Primetime Miniseries - Trashy or Classy?

[j swift]

Without turning this into a Roots discussion, although all threads get diverted at some point, I think there are issues that matter in terms of presenting the story as fact versus fiction.

First, Alex Haley lied not only about the oldest generations of his family, but also about the stories of his own grandparents.  He did not complete the research that he described, and borrowed stories from other families.  If he had been honest about the idea that the book was historical fiction, it would have been fine.  However, the controversy arose in part because he did not credit those people who actually had completed scholarly work on the subject.  And the fictionalization allowed feeble-minded conspiracy theorists fodder to say that slavery was less popular than written about in the book.

Second, personally, I've always felt that by only portraying slave owners are vicious cruel people, it excuses the majority from guilt.  It is an excuse for White people watching to think, that we would not have been involved in the slave trade because some people don't have a propensity for physical assault.  Whereas the reality was that it was much more systemic which has led to the economic disparity we see today.  All slave owners weren't wealthy vile men, some were middle class and lacked the morals to understand that slavery is wrong.  In fact, I think it is far more frightening to depict relatable farmers owning people like they owned animals, than allowing a modern day audience an excuse for why they have no culpability for systemic racism.

Edited December 4, 2023 by j swift

[Khan]

Oh, I *loved* watching "Poor Little Rich Girl: The Barbara Hutton Story" as a kid.  I still think it's some of the best work Farrah Fawcett ever did (critics be damned, lol).

Sidney Sheldon ALWAYS gave good miniseries.  Judith Krantz, too.

"Deceptions" played like the recipe for a perfectly trashy '80's miniseries.  Take one Stefanie Powers and one Barry Bostwick, add 2-3 internationally famous co-stars (Jeremy Brett!  Gina Lollabrigida!) and an eccentric "comic relief" (Brenda Vaccaro!); throw in a precocious child or two (Jeremy Miller, Fairuza Balk); stir in a preposterous story with a forbidden love element (OMG, the bad twin sister's gonna sleep with the good twin sister's husband!); also, toss in enough jewels and furs to make the characters on DYNASTY look like bums in comparison; simmer for four hours over two nights; and voila!  Just the thing you need to help you forget how much the Reagan administration and Moral Majority are [!@#$%^&*] you over.

Sigh.  I miss the '80's.

[Soaplovers]

Lifetime has gotten better with their V.C Andrew's adaptations...now making them limited series

[j swift]

Good to see that we have all the greats of American literature covered, Judith Krantz, Colleen McCullough, Jackie Collins, Danielle Steel, and Barbara Taylor-Bradford.

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While they have been trashy, miniseries were a celebration of female authors. (reminder: the term trashy is purely subjective)

[Paul Raven]

Scruples had significance as the first hit miniseries of the 80's, the first based on a woman author's 'sex and shopping' genre. 

Up until then those old standbys Harold Robbins '79 Park Avenue' and Arthur Hailey 'Wheels' 'The Moneychangers' had been the source for those more 'salacious' entries in the genre.

[j swift]

@Paul Raven as noted in a prior discussion, the staying power of Scruples was as amazing as the miscasting of Lindsey Wagner.  There's the 1980 version mentioned in your post, then a 1981 TV movie on ABC, a 2012 ABC pilot, and the daytime version developed by John Conboy.  It is the Spider-Man of trashy novels in terms of how many times the origin story has been remade.

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Edited December 4, 2023 by j swift

[Paul Raven]

@j swiftYes, Scruples had significance from that aspect also. One point to correct is that NBC's daytime Scruples (which came very close to making it to air) did not have John Conboy involved as he was working on Capitol at the time.

Doris Quinlan was the EP mentioned.

Her follow up Princess Daisy was aired on NBC but Mistral's Daughter, I'll Take Manhattan,Till We Meet Again and Dazzle all aired on CBS.

Her 1990 novels never got the mini series treatment. She was an 80's lady.

Edited December 4, 2023 by Paul Raven

[kalbir]

Judith Krantz recycled actors in her miniseries.

Lindsay Wagner - Scruples, Princess Daisy

Barry Bostwick - Scruples, I'll Take Manhattan, Till We Meet Again

Stacy Keach - Princess Daisy, Mistral's Daughter

Robert Urich - Princess Daisy, Mistral's Daughter

[Franko]

You know what's the thing I love about Deceptions? It was a deception. Wealthy, "bad" Stefanie Powers just needed the love of good man Barry Bostwick to embrace the middle class lifestyle of "good" Stefanie Powers. A lifestyle that good Stefanie was more than happy to give up ... which meant she had to be punished. Talk about encouraging your audience not to dream too high!

I was saying this to friends about a week ago, one of the biggest disadvantages to Hollywood Wives the movie is that the mystery sustained throughout the book (that Deke & Buddy are identical twins) obviously has to be solved early on. I am curious how a Hollywood Husbands miniseries circa 1987 (Jackie even had a character unmistakably based on Sister Dearest!), or Hollywood Kids ~1996 (which I remember having an obvious Tori Spelling analogue) would have done.

[j swift]

I laughed at the LA Times review of Hollywood Wives, so I cut out the good parts.

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Edited December 5, 2023 by j swift

[Khan]

"And if watching Suzanne Somers and Anthony Hopkins give into their lust for each other as he chokes her is your thing - well, just come and knock on OUR door, Clarice, 'cuz this miniseries has been waiting for you!"

[Franko]

I'm going to be a nerd and point out that at least one plot element is shared by Wheels and Hollywood Wives. Do you know what it is?

[Khan]

Sex?

[Franko]

Well, if you insist ...

(No, that's not it.)

[Paul Raven]

Deceptions aired in  May 85 and was based on a Judith Michael novel. Pt 1 ranked #4 for the week Sunday 9-11 beating Crazy Like Fox/trapper John on CBS and rerun of Indianpolis 500 on ABC.

Part 2 was #2 for the week airing the following night. Despite that success I don't think any more Michael novels were adapted for TV