1 hour ago, BetterForgotten said:

I wish some of that storyline could be posted somewhere (the DAYS archive exists, so it’s available). GL told the same story with Meta on radio years before, and those radio episodes are every bit, if not more, gripping than anything I’ve ever seen on television. 

DAYS seemed to have bad luck with recasts and those characters delved into almost irrelevance after popular actresses left. Flannery and Alexander in particular went on to more notable roles in daytime that seemed to erase their previous success on DAYS from public consciousness. 

Last year an unknown new poster posted some of that story of one week in particular of DAYS. Stupidly I did not download it when it was there & yes, you guessed it, all of that new poster's uploads were taken down. 

One bad move was replacing Asian Blair with Caucasian Blair. If the show EVER returns they should fix that error. 

Asian Blair and a Asian version of Starr would've been nice in the shows original run. 

4 hours ago, Vee said:

Though again, she did keep going back and kept her hand heavily in at several times. So clearly Agnes had some fondness for it. I suspect of its original creatives she's the only one who did.

It's timeslot against Y&R and the constant change or writer and producers pretty much doomed the show, but then again, how many TV shows last 12 years? That in itself was a HUGE accomplishment.

4 minutes ago, 1974mdp said:

It's timeslot against Y&R and the constant change or writer and producers pretty much doomed the show, but then again, how many TV shows last 12 years? That in itself was a HUGE accomplishment.

And it’s lucky it even got those 12 years under the radar at that. 

5 hours ago, Khan said:

Agnes Nixon gave us the inside scoop on why she left SEARCH FOR TOMORROW after the first thirteen weeks, but zip on LOVING.  Between that, Douglas Marland's decision to leave in '85 and have his name removed as co-creator, and Patrick Mulcahey's somewhat cryptic statements about the show on social media, something tells me LOVING was not a very pleasant experience for anyone involved.

I'd agree.  I've long suspected that the network, knowing about Erica and Maria's rivalry, forced the storyline on Lorraine Broderick, who attempted to root Erica's choice to steal Maria's baby in her own issues with daddy Eric.  Unfortunately, I don't think there was any way to justify her doing that; and in fact, I'd argue that it might've damaged Erica and diminished her somewhat in AMC's final years.

A number of the actors seemed to have good experiences (Randolph Mantooth in particular), but I remember a lot of the early cast apparently having some horror stories on those videos that have been long taken off Youtube. 

I remember Agnes Nixon having to do damage control with the story and sending comments to Marlena de la Croix or others in the soap press insisting the story was essentially about a lesson Erica would have to learn.

The groundwork, with Erica having a miscarriage, then immediately afterward learning that Dimitri was having a baby with his sister-in-law (a woman she loathed and who always saw herself as better than Erica), had some believability for me. I remember being impressed by Susan's work in the miscarriage scenes, which all felt very raw. And she ultimately did the right thing and went to jail.

I think the biggest mistake was, after the Bianca anorexia story, trying to go back to the old Erica stories with Mike Roy's return and her cheating on Jack with him. It was a jarring shift, and considering the talent involved, not at all well done, which meant they had regressed Erica for nothing.

2 hours ago, Marco Dane said:

From watching Niki in the 80's to watching her in the 90's. Do you really think that was "Niki". She seemed more subdued and softer than the wild 90's version of her. I always said its two Niki's on OLTL..

They took most of her layers to give to the other alters. The character just became more and more grotesque, other than when they had the vision of her help Tess give birth to a stillborn baby, or whatever the [!@#$%^&*] that was.

2 hours ago, DRW50 said:

A number of the actors seemed to have good experiences (Randolph Mantooth in particular), but I remember a lot of the early cast apparently having some horror stories on those videos that have been long taken off Youtube. 

I remember Agnes Nixon having to do damage control with the story and sending comments to Marlena de la Croix or others in the soap press insisting the story was essentially about a lesson Erica would have to learn.

The groundwork, with Erica having a miscarriage, then immediately afterward learning that Dimitri was having a baby with his sister-in-law (a woman she loathed and who always saw herself as better than Erica), had some believability for me. I remember being impressed by Susan's work in the miscarriage scenes, which all felt very raw. And she ultimately did the right thing and went to jail.

I think the biggest mistake was, after the Bianca anorexia story, trying to go back to the old Erica stories with Mike Roy's return and her cheating on Jack with him. It was a jarring shift, and considering the talent involved, not at all well done, which meant they had regressed Erica for nothing.

They took most of her layers to give to the other alters. The character just became more and more grotesque, other than when they had the vision of her help Tess give birth to a stillborn baby, or whatever the [!@#$%^&*] that was.

I can see that. From the 90s Malone days onward Nikki Smith became more of a cartoon, especially in 2001 under Gary Tomlin. I never understood what Nikki Smith's actual motivation was after the '90s. 

I know some of you loath it but I liked the Tess story (under Con Carlivati). Tess had an actual motivation, sperate love in Nash  and stuff to do other than being a random cartoon who wanted to live free.

Bad move by (William J Bell?) killing Cassie. So much storyline and Bill was invested in this child only for her to get killed off in a storyline that did not advance the show in any way. I'm glad that she was brought back as Mariah as stupid as that story was.

Edited November 19, 20241 yr by Planet Soap

Bill Bell did not kill cassie. I think it was another bone headed Jack Smith story-see Katherine/Jill mother/daughter and the Sheila/Phyllis fiasco.

ATWT:

Marland redeeming Josh and pairing him with Meg...while Iva was forced to deal with him being in the family.  She was a victim of abuse..and everyone always told her basically to get over it.  Her marrying nice intelligent Jason and leaving Oakdale was the most healthy Iva did.

GL:

Nancy Curlee was a great writer..but the way she wrote Alexandra in the early 90s was one of the many reasons why McKinsey bailed (JFP also shares blame).  I often wonder had Pam Long not quit..if the writing for Alexandra would have been more nuanced after the Roger/Mindy affair.

 

 

2 minutes ago, Soaplovers said:

GL:

Nancy Curlee was a great writer..but the way she wrote Alexandra in the early 90s was one of the many reasons why McKinsey bailed (JFP also shares blame).  I often wonder had Pam Long not quit..if the writing for Alexandra would have been more nuanced after the Roger/Mindy affair.

McKinsey left when Curlee was on maternity leave in 1992. McKinsey herself said Curlee wrote the character better than the team who were writing while she was on maternity leave:

https://iriswheeler.tripod.com/tvguide19920811.html 

----------

Logan: Word is you've been unhappy with the unsympathetic turn Alexandra has taken.

McKinsey: I was very unhappy.  What they've done with Alexandra during the last six months is close to assassination but I would have continued to play it if I'd been happy. That was not the straw that broke this camel's back.  I've been doing daytime 22 years now.  When you do it as long as I have, you go through a lot of periods where you don't like what they're writing for the characters.  Or you don't like the person you're playing opposite.  Or something, there's always something.  But you're able to keep going for various reasons:  One, you need the money and, two, you like the people you're working with, the family feeling you have there.  But when you get tired, when you find that you just don't have a minute in the week that you can do anything but that show, then those things get bigger.  When you're spending 12 or 13 hours a day there, those things suddenly get huge.  When you're tired, you can't get past the other problems.  But this should be no secret to anybody.  In 1978, I told Procter & Gamble, 'I can put up with a lot.  Bad writing. Bad acting.  Bad working conditions.  But when I'm tired, I get angry.  And when I get angry, you don't want me around.'  I'm very professional.  I behave really well.  And I always do my work really well.  But when I get tired and angry, I begin to behave in a way that is not me.  I'm not proud of it and it shocks people.  I was that tired when we started Texas because Another World had done that to me.

Logan: Quitting was the only solution?

McKinsey:  (Getting a little testy) I'm burnt out and the only solution to that is to stop  -- and stop immediately.  It's like trying to doctor a major wound with a bandaid.  If they had said, 'Well, [McKinsey's favorite head writer] Nancy Curlee is coming back and that'll put Alexandra back to where she used to be,' that would have been wonderful but that wouldn't have fixed it.

-----

 

 

32 minutes ago, Planet Soap said:

I can see that. From the 90s Malone days onward Nikki Smith became more of a cartoon, especially in 2001 under Gary Tomlin. I never understood what Nikki Smith's actual motivation was after the '90s. 

I know some of you loath it but I liked the Tess story (under Con Carlivati). Tess had an actual motivation, sperate love in Nash  and stuff to do other than being a random cartoon who wanted to live free.

Under Malone she was just there to party. Then she became a supervillain under Tomlin. 

I thought Tess was cartoonish under Ron, especially when they brought in the very silly Bess element, but I haven't gone back to watch.

Edited November 20, 20241 yr by DRW50

22 hours ago, Vee said:

I remember the truly bizarre rumors Michael Nouri was going to be the supposedly dead kingpin Manuel Santi on OLTL in 2004, again supposedly opposite Viki. Never happened. I always did want to see him on daytime, but by the time he showed up as Caleb Cortlandt he was, as others have said, just another in the rotating series of notches on Erica's bedpost where they would stuntcast someone they knew wouldn't succeed before inevitably moving her back to Jack. It was a waste of talent.

Catching up on this thread this evening and found this interesting…I don’t recall Nouri being considered at all for OLTL but instead Nouri was cast on Y&R in 2004 as the unscrupulous Chancellor Industries CEO Elliot Hampton who was briefly engaged to Jill in early 2005.
 

Now 20 years later Nouri’s character is long forgotten but that story of Jill and Nouri’s Elliot did provide the catalyst of Y&R finally making Chancellor Industries relevant again after like 25 years. It also gave way to the false retcon narrative of “St Katherine the very successful businesswoman!” @YRfan23

4 hours ago, Planet Soap said:

I know some of you loath it but I liked the Tess story (under Con Carlivati). Tess had an actual motivation, sperate love in Nash  and stuff to do other than being a random cartoon who wanted to live free.

That was Dena Higley.

I hated Tess and always will.

28 minutes ago, Vee said:

That was Dena Higley.

I hated Tess and always will.

 

4 hours ago, Planet Soap said:

I can see that. From the 90s Malone days onward Nikki Smith became more of a cartoon, especially in 2001 under Gary Tomlin. I never understood what Nikki Smith's actual motivation was after the '90s. 

I know some of you loath it but I liked the Tess story (under Con Carlivati). Tess had an actual motivation, sperate love in Nash  and stuff to do other than being a random cartoon who wanted to live free.

Bad move by (William J Bell?) killing Cassie. So much storyline and Bill was invested in this child only for her to get killed off in a storyline that did not advance the show in any way. I'm glad that she was brought back as Mariah as stupid as that story was.

Yikes. I meant to type "(under Ron Carlivati?)" Wasn't sure if he was the one one who wrote it but thank you for giving me the answer. 

I would give a thumbs down to Bill Bell's return of Carl William's story.

Suddenly, it was revealed that Carl had mysteriously disappeared, when there was not an inkling of that onscreen. Sure we hadn't seen him, but it was assumed he was still around. It didn't matter much in the story as Mary was just there as a supporting character.

And this wasn't 20 years ago we last saw Carl-more like 6 or so. 

Then we find out Carl has amnesia and a new life with another woman. Cue much trauma and heartache, until there wasn't. Carl went on with his new life and Mary went back to interfering mama.

No mention of Carl again.

What would have worked better, had Carl returned to the canvas and it was revealed that he took himself off to a country cabin for short trips. Paul could acknowledge that his Dad needed that break from a mundane life with an increasingly naggy Mary.

Then we find out he has met another woman out of town and they live together when he goes on those trips.

This could all be revealed and the various viewpoints examined.

Far more realistic than the hoary old amnesia angle.

On 11/18/2024 at 7:06 PM, soapfan770 said:

Bell at Y&R. I’ll start here with a couple more of his misses not yet mentioned…

-Overkill of too much Cricket, especially 1988-91 or so.

-Blade/Rick story being the answer to Marlena’s possession. 

-The Audrey North that went south. Seriously still befuddles me to this day like what was the point?

Y&R thrived for the most part from 1983 to 1998, except for Cricket eating the show from second half of 1986 to end of 1989 and going off-track second half of 1994 through first half of 1997 (Summer 1994 frat party, Fall 1994 to Spring 1996 Nick/Sharon eat the show, lull from Fall 1996 through first half of 1997).

I never thought of Blade/Rick as being a response to Reilly Days. I always figured it was the frat party that was to get the younger audience away from Reilly Days.