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Lifetime's VC Andrews Movies Topic (Flowers In The Attic, The Dollangangers, The Casteels, etc) - General Discussion


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4 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I haven't seen it either. I guess I have to turn over my VC Andrews badge. 

YASSS!

Such a wasted opportunity for Fanny, who was walking trouble, but you'd want on your side. I have a feeling if it had been up to Luke, Annie would still be held prisoner in Farthy. 

Fanny calling Tony "loco" and kicking ass are the main reasons to read TGoP as the rest, even Heaven and Logan's death, are a damn snoozefest.

It really was. Fanny finally came through, rescued and killed Tony's ass. It was her big moment. They should have put that in the movie. The rest of the book was boring. I wasn't surprised that Logan's the reason Heaven's dead. Of course he would be responsible. 

4 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Now, that would have been a great twist and helped provide another piece of the puzzle as to why Olivia became The Grandmother.

It makes sense that he would. Joel left on good terms with Olivia.  Amos sin and devil crap wouldn't work for Joel despite him being gay. She got him out of that horrible place he was tortured and had been all for Joel to leave with Harry. Stealing the letters Olivia would just assume that Joel didn't want to talk to her and blame herself because she didn't do anything when Malcolm sent him to that horrible place or for Harry. 

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Back to MSA: Do we really want to watch the reveal that Arden was the boy who watched Audrina be gang-raped, Arden cheating with Vera, Arden having sex with Audrina on her empty grave?

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Although Arden was the woooorrrrsssttt.

Yes, we do want to see that. We just also want to see it end with Arden die a horrible violent death or Sylvia throwing him down the steps along with Damian.  

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7 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

I'm still amazed the crap they put out as "sequels" for Dollenganger and My Sweet Audrina. There was so much left for sequels and prequals to Flowers in the Attic. There was the potential for Cathy's grandchildren to be messed up after SOY especially if Bart had any. It would have been great to read about what happened with the First Corrine and also previous Foxworths. Malcolm wouldn't be the only psycho/crazy one of the family. But instead went with crap, especially with Cory being still alive. There's no way. Cory's murder is what finally got Christopher to realized they had to get out of there. It's what made Cathy want revenge on her mother and grandmother. It's why poor Carrie was so messed up and in the end deciding to commit suicide the same way, and get Cathy to finally go after Corrine and Olivia. 

I would like to read about Corrine during the FITA time to see what happened outside the room. Or what happened to the first Corrine, but the prequel about Cory just seemed horrible to me.  I remember being in the grocery store and saw the book.  I picked it up and looked through it and then my brain kicked in and I knew there was no way I wanted to read it.  Cory's death was the turning point in FITA.  

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To piggyback onto other posts, I think it would have been a great plot twist to have had JA send Olivia a telegram that Joel was dead/missing and sent Joel a letter reportedly from Olivia that was all about hell and brimstone and being a big fat sinner.  JA was already isolating Olivia, so it's not like she would have been chatting up Nella about it.  That would also lead into Joel's reappearance later on and why his personality was so markedly different.  As far as he knew, his mother completely abandoned him after shaming him about his lifestyle.   

I was very disappointed in My Sweet Audrina (the movie).  The book was so gloriously trashy.  I think if they had done a multi-part series (and with The Origins writers) they could have made it work.

I think the Cutler series was fairly decent but after that, I just didn't care for Neiderman's Andrews books.  I did read SOY and GOS and thoroughly enjoyed them both.  I haven't read the books that were supposedly Chris' diary because Cathy never mentioned that Chris kept a diary, not even in passing, and it seems like after 3 years of living together in one room, plus the attic, she would have noticed.   Never mind the logistics about how some girl years later would find the diary, having somehow survived the FH fire and years of exposure to the elements.  Honestly, if Neiderman wants to retcon and make Chris keep a diary, then just write the diary from Chris's point of view at that time.   And I never even thought about reading a book in which Cory survives.  That's ridiculous.  So even if Corrine managed to sneak him out by dumping him at a hospital (I think that's what the synopsis was), she was just going to let him be taken by another family?  And lie to Chris, Cathy and Carrie and let them mourn and believe Cory was dead?  And leave them to wither away in the attic?  Just no.   Of course this completely ignores that fact that in POTW Cathy not only went back to the attic but explored elsewhere and found the odor and Cory in a trunk.  From what I've read via other reviews, supposedly it was a dead animal but I would think Cathy would be able to tell the difference between a dead animal and a dead human body (I would also assume that if Cory had been left in a trunk in FH, he basically would have mummified, so again, you'd know it wasn't an animal.)  

I did read the first book in the series about Malcolm's mother Corrine and I was thoroughly disappointed.  Most importantly because Neiderman absolutely demolished the character of Garland, which I am NOT here for.  But the story itself was boring and pointless.  There was definitely potential going back to the OG Corrine and Malcolm but it was frittered away.

I think the Andrews estate needs to consider some new blood because Neiderman is turning out something like 3-4 books a year, which is insane.  They just feel like cash grabs, riding on the tail of V.C. Andrews instead of doing her legacy justice.  

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16 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

It really was. Fanny finally came through, rescued and killed Tony's ass. It was her big moment. They should have put that in the movie. The rest of the book was boring. I wasn't surprised that Logan's the reason Heaven's dead. Of course he would be responsible. 

This was the only book in the Casteel series I had read, and I did love that Fanny went and got her niece and kicked Tony's ass. Fanny did not PLAY.

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1 hour ago, psychoticstate said:

I think the Andrews estate needs to consider some new blood because Neiderman is turning out something like 3-4 books a year, which is insane.  They just feel like cash grabs, riding on the tail of V.C. Andrews instead of doing her legacy justice.  

Not that I have any love for Neiderman, but I have to wonder if his books are even being written by him anymore. They are just so laughably bad (or the descriptions are) - I stopped reading with the Melody series and never did finish those books.

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On 8/4/2022 at 5:23 AM, Lisa418722 said:

I would like to read about Corrine during the FITA time to see what happened outside the room. Or what happened to the first Corrine, but the prequel about Cory just seemed horrible to me.  I remember being in the grocery store and saw the book.  I picked it up and looked through it and then my brain kicked in and I knew there was no way I wanted to read it.  Cory's death was the turning point in FITA.  

So do I. I want to see her transformation from the woman who really did love her kids to murdering them. How does that happen? In GOS Malcolm thoroughly spoiled Corrine but that doesn't really explain how she got there. Her reaction in PITW when she mistakes Christopher for her dead husband was to try to defend that she wouldn't really try to kill their kids. Up until that moment she was trying to save her skin against Cathy's questions and her marriage to Bart. In that second she really thought that was her dead husband and he knew what she did to their children.

18 hours ago, psychoticstate said:

To piggyback onto other posts, I think it would have been a great plot twist to have had JA send Olivia a telegram that Joel was dead/missing and sent Joel a letter reportedly from Olivia that was all about hell and brimstone and being a big fat sinner.  JA was already isolating Olivia, so it's not like she would have been chatting up Nella about it.  That would also lead into Joel's reappearance later on and why his personality was so markedly different.  As far as he knew, his mother completely abandoned him after shaming him about his lifestyle.   

 That would have been a great way to explain why everyone thought he was dead. Olivia didn't seem close to any of Nella's family after she left. Olivia knew about her career but Nella didn't seem to know how religious Olivia came. It would have made it harder for Nella's attempts to break through to work. Especially if Olivia was blamed herself for Joel's death which she probably would. Thinking if she had stood up to Malcolm or something that Joel was still be alive. 

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I was very disappointed in My Sweet Audrina (the movie).  The book was so gloriously trashy.  I think if they had done a multi-part series (and with The Origins writers) they could have made it work.

So was I. Which was surprising that it was perfect for Lifetime. They live for trashy and My Sweet Audrina was perfect for them. That and the Landry series.  I wish they would let those who worked on FITA the Origin redo all the other VC Andrew movies. They would be awesome.

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I think the Cutler series was fairly decent but after that, I just didn't care for Neiderman's Andrews books.  I did read SOY and GOS and thoroughly enjoyed them both.  I haven't read the books that were supposedly Chris' diary because Cathy never mentioned that Chris kept a diary, not even in passing, and it seems like after 3 years of living together in one room, plus the attic, she would have noticed.   Never mind the logistics about how some girl years later would find the diary, having somehow survived the FH fire and years of exposure to the elements.  Honestly, if Neiderman wants to retcon and make Chris keep a diary, then just write the diary from Chris's point of view at that time.   And I never even thought about reading a book in which Cory survives.  That's ridiculous.  So even if Corrine managed to sneak him out by dumping him at a hospital (I think that's what the synopsis was), she was just going to let him be taken by another family?  And lie to Chris, Cathy and Carrie and let them mourn and believe Cory was dead?  And leave them to wither away in the attic?  Just no.   Of course this completely ignores that fact that in POTW Cathy not only went back to the attic but explored elsewhere and found the odor and Cory in a trunk.  From what I've read via other reviews, supposedly it was a dead animal but I would think Cathy would be able to tell the difference between a dead animal and a dead human body (I would also assume that if Cory had been left in a trunk in FH, he basically would have mummified, so again, you'd know it wasn't an animal.)  

The Cutlers was pretty good. It feels like he was trying follow VC Andrews template. Dawn was good character, her kidnapping that turned out to be the Culters giving the baby to the Longchamps and Lillian was a great villain. Malcolm wished he could have controlled his children the way Lillian controlled her son. I loved Charlotte especially how she took out Emily. It was easy to see where he got most of the characters from previous books. Laura Sue was half Corrine and half Jillian. It was all about her but she really didn't do much. Clara Sue could have been a good villain but she was mostly just annoying. She hated Dawn long before she knew they were related without really a reason. I think she was suppose to be Fanny but Andrew doesn't seem to understand Fanny's issues with Heaven or that deep down Fanny did love her.  

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I did read the first book in the series about Malcolm's mother Corrine and I was thoroughly disappointed.  Most importantly because Neiderman absolutely demolished the character of Garland, which I am NOT here for.  But the story itself was boring and pointless.  There was definitely potential going back to the OG Corrine and Malcolm but it was frittered away.

Yes, that's disappointing. There was so much potential. So many questions. Malcolm's really the only source we have on the First Corrine but he obviously is not very reliable. I can't see Garland abusive. Turning his son over to be raised by people who ended up being abusive or warped Malcolm's mind. I can see that. I can see Malcolm just warped his own mind. I could buy Garland being absent or not a good husband or started out good became absent as Corrine got older. Maybe Corrine was a shitty person and her leaving was a good thing. I've always been curious about the First Corrine and Garland. There was so much to work without destroying Garland. 

17 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

This was the only book in the Casteel series I had read, and I did love that Fanny went and got her niece and kicked Tony's ass. Fanny did not PLAY.

That's my favorite part of the book. I loved that Fanny finally got her moment and that it was rescuing Heaven's daughter. Deep down Fanny really did love her sister. 

17 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

Not that I have any love for Neiderman, but I have to wonder if his books are even being written by him anymore. They are just so laughably bad (or the descriptions are) - I stopped reading with the Melody series and never did finish those books.

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I think the Andrews estate needs to consider some new blood because Neiderman is turning out something like 3-4 books a year, which is insane.  They just feel like cash grabs, riding on the tail of V.C. Andrews instead of doing her legacy justice.  

I think the Landry series was Andrew's best work. It was really good. While he still used the VC Andrew template the characters were fresh. Ruby was a great character I love her relationship with her grandmother and later her father. I loved Giselle, she was a spoiled brat but also smart. I feel so bad for Ruby and Paul when they realize they are siblings. The fall out from that actually made more sense then Christopher-Corrine ending up together. They knew each other all their lives, they were falling in love when it came out. I like that they try to ignore it but Ruby eventually can't. It's so sad. Paul was always there for her. Twin switches! Setting in New Orleans was perfect. 

It's really sad that his writing went down hill from there. Logan series was okay. I liked Melody but the rest was just okay. Another Olivia who was really, really watered down. Even though we got a book from her point of view it didn't explain anything. There nothing to feel sorry for Oliva about. She married a man despite being in love with someone else.  Was it suppose be a Scarlett-Ashley thing? I don't. I really liked Samuel and Belinda, were either really crazy? Who knows.  The fourth book being from Laura's point of view was interesting but ended up pointless except for making Cary as creepy as Philip.

Each series just got more of the same and more boring. I made it all the way to Willow before finally giving up. I do sometimes wonder how he did so well with the Landry series and none of the others? How did to go downhill so fast? There was potential in the following series. Was Landry all he had? If it was then I wish he had decided to hand it off to someone else.

I agree they need to find a new writer. I also think the Andrews family or who ever is in charge of VC Andrews needs to go too. Originally they were never going visit any of the original books. I was torn on because there was a lot left for the Dollengangers and MSA. I'm not so sure about Casteel unless it was a book about Tony's and Troy's parents. But I worried that any sequel or prequel would end up being terrible. Which they were. But I also liked VC Andrews original books not being touch. For years they swore they would never change their minds. Until the FITA lifetime movie came out and did so well. They saw dollar signs. Both need to be changed.  

Edited by andromeda331
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These quotes from the article sound especially promising:

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I really do hope that there's a lot of blurred lines. Who's wrong? Is it Olivia? And why? And also, what about Corrine? I think that it's really easy to point to Olivia as the villain, but Corrine, I think, has a lot of secrets and motivations that are questionable . . . there's a lot we don't know about Corrine still. And I think that would be a really interesting place to explore in the future.

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And I hope that we get to keep exploring our world that we started out with this mini-series, because I think there are a lot of questions like: What happened to Joel and Harry? What happened to Nella and her family? And there's a lot of questions that exist in "Flowers in the Attic" because the entire book takes place through the lens of the kids in the attic. You don't know what's happening downstairs.

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You have no idea what's happening with Olivia, with Corrine, with Malcolm. You don't even know how Malcolm actually died. There's a lot of room for stories there to be explored hopefully in the future.

Keeping everything crossed we get more about the series from the lens of Olivia and Corinne.

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I was very disappointed in My Sweet Audrina (the movie).  The book was so gloriously trashy.  I think if they had done a multi-part series (and with The Origins writers) they could have made it work.

It was trashy, but not in a typical trashy way, I think. The story itself -- with or without tawdriness -- was crazy and unique and kind of brilliant! 

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I discussed this in the Bridgerton forum, but Hannah Dodd (Corinne) is going to be in the next Season of Bridgerton as Francesca (a barely seen sibling).

They have put her in an awful wig per the promotional photos, but she is still a beauty. Glad to see her get more work, I liked what she did in the mini series. If she shines Bridgerton will be a great opportunity for her. Article here.

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10 hours ago, Scarlett45 said:

I discussed this in the Bridgerton forum, but Hannah Dodd (Corinne) is going to be in the next Season of Bridgerton as Francesca (a barely seen sibling).

They have put her in an awful wig per the promotional photos, but she is still a beauty. Glad to see her get more work, I liked what she did in the mini series. If she shines Bridgerton will be a great opportunity for her. Article here.

It's going to be so weird at first to see Hannah on that show.  I wonder how long it will take not to see her as Corrine. 

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13 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

It's going to be so weird at first to see Hannah on that show.  I wonder how long it will take not to see her as Corrine. 

Could they find a role for Christoher/Callum Kerr?

I mean, he certainly can bring the pretty.

38049938-10249217-Acting_Callum_played_P

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On 8/12/2022 at 1:33 PM, CountryGirl said:

Could they find a role for Christoher/Callum Kerr?

I mean, he certainly can bring the pretty.

38049938-10249217-Acting_Callum_played_P

He’s got a similar face shape to Johnathan Bailey (Anthony on Bridgerton). Maybe he could play a cousin?

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Thanks @Scarlett45 for inviting me to this fourm! I've never read the books, but I'm seen the movies, inclulding the orginal Flowers in the Attic with Louise Fletcher as Olivia. I saw the prequel, and man...so much to unpack.

I do hope we see more films, I would love for them to explore more of Joel and Harry and Nella and her family--even Corrine and Christopher. 

Edited by sereion
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10 hours ago, sereion said:

Thanks @Scarlett45 for inviting me to this fourm! I've never read the books, but I'm seen the movies, inclulding the orginal Flowers in the Attic with Louise Fletcher as Olivia. I saw the prequel, and man...so much to unpack.

I do hope we see more films, I would love for them to explore more of Joel and Harry and Nella and her family--even Corrine and Christopher. 

Glad you have you! We are a passionate little group. 
 

Yes we want more films! I like the one every week for a month, makes a real “event”. 

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On 8/4/2022 at 2:37 PM, psychoticstate said:

I did read the first book in the series about Malcolm's mother Corrine and I was thoroughly disappointed.  Most importantly because Neiderman absolutely demolished the character of Garland, which I am NOT here for.  But the story itself was boring and pointless.  There was definitely potential going back to the OG Corrine and Malcolm but it was frittered away.

I didn’t know this was a thing! How come I never hear about these new books. 

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23 hours ago, sereion said:

Thanks @Scarlett45 for inviting me to this fourm! I've never read the books, but I'm seen the movies, inclulding the orginal Flowers in the Attic with Louise Fletcher as Olivia. I saw the prequel, and man...so much to unpack.

I do hope we see more films, I would love for them to explore more of Joel and Harry and Nella and her family--even Corrine and Christopher. 

I actually rewatched the 1987 film over the weekend. I remember writing a paper nitpicking all the changes in junior high. I wonder if I still have it. 🤔

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I had the urge to read FITA again this weekend. In the very first chapter, Cathy stated that their babysitter keep saying Chris and Corrine look more like brother and sister than husband and wife. An unintended foreshadowing? I still don't know if revealing they were half brother and sister in Garden of Shadows was planned out by V.C Andrews or if it was just made up by the ghostwriter.

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4 minutes ago, Snow Apple said:

I had the urge to read FITA again this weekend. In the very first chapter, Cathy stated that their babysitter keep saying Chris and Corrine look more like brother and sister than husband and wife. An unintended foreshadowing? I still don't know if revealing they were half brother and sister in Garden of Shadows was planned out by V.C Andrews or if it was just made up by the ghostwriter.

I think the Ghostwriter made it up. Uncle & Niece is still a pretty close relationship, and given that they were peers (compared to a generational difference), it made sense they looked a lot a like. Many people look just like their aunts/uncles at the same age (compared to their parents). 

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18 minutes ago, Scarlett45 said:

I think the Ghostwriter made it up. Uncle & Niece is still a pretty close relationship, and given that they were peers (compared to a generational difference), it made sense they looked a lot a like. Many people look just like their aunts/uncles at the same age (compared to their parents). 

I agree. Because uncle/niece wasn't incestuous enough somehow. 🙄

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6 hours ago, CountryGirl said:

I agree. Because uncle/niece wasn't incestuous enough somehow. 🙄

The brother/sister reveal only demonstrated just how evil Malcolm was. He attacked his stepmother and killed his father when he tried to defend her. Then he repeatedly raped her until she conceived his child. 
 

So now we have a clear picture of whom Malcolm was. That at least fit with what VC Andrews gave us in her original series. 

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On 10/7/2022 at 11:11 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

Speaking of Dawn...Lifetime is tackling the Cutler series.  

Donna Mills as Lillian...this I can see working 

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/joey-mcintyre-donna-mills-fran-170025190.html

On 10/8/2022 at 8:57 AM, CountryGirl said:

Donna Mills as Lillian? NKOTB’s Joey McIntyre as Michael Sutton? I’m in. 

This is SO EXCITING. I cannot wait. I didnt read the Cutler series, but discussing it here with you all is 1/2 the fun! Maybe next summer we will have an air date?

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Yes! The Dawn series was the only one I read in real time as they came out, and my last V.C. Andrews before I deemed myself “too old” for them. I moved onto Anne Rice, Bret Easton Ellis,  and more Stephen King- so you know, different varieties of perversion. 😂

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13 hours ago, KaveDweller said:

I'm excited about Dawn, that was the first VC Andrews book I ever read.

I've only ever seen Brec Bassinger on Stargirl, Dawn is a very different role. But that article doesn't say who will play the brothers/love interest.

I did find another article that shows who will play Dawn's mom Laura..plus the brothers.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/brec-bassinger-donna-mills-lead-173005521.html

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6 hours ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

I did find another article that shows who will play Dawn's mom Laura..plus the brothers.

https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/brec-bassinger-donna-mills-lead-173005521.html

Thanks! They are somehow exactly what I always pictured.

7 hours ago, JAYJAY1979 said:

Look what I found on imdb.com

Not sure if this is legit or some good fan art.

20230416_155012.jpg

I know this thread already knows this but.....

HOLY FUDGEBALLS THAT IS DONNA MILLS!!!!!!!

My love of Donna Mills, V.C. Andrew, and Lifetime have combined into a giant wormhole of guilty pleasure!!!!!!

Edited by qtpye
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Lifetime has shown commercial for upcoming movies with Fran Dresher going into a bedroom with I assume Dawn. I can't find a release date though. I think I'm going to have a hard time with Fran Dresher in the movie. I feel bad. She's a good actress but it just feels weird with her in the movie. I can't wait to see Donna Mills.

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13 hours ago, andromeda331 said:

Lifetime has shown commercial for upcoming movies with Fran Dresher going into a bedroom with I assume Dawn. I can't find a release date though. I think I'm going to have a hard time with Fran Dresher in the movie. I feel bad. She's a good actress but it just feels weird with her in the movie. I can't wait to see Donna Mills.

I think she's playing Dawn's drama teacher in NY..so I think she'll fit.  The non gothic part of the series was Dawn at school with her teacher and best friend

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On 4/16/2023 at 2:56 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

Look what I found on imdb.com

Not sure if this is legit or some good fan art.

20230416_155012.jpg

It looks like lifetime! Can we get an air date??

On 4/16/2023 at 11:25 PM, andromeda331 said:

Lifetime has shown commercial for upcoming movies with Fran Dresher going into a bedroom with I assume Dawn. I can't find a release date though. I think I'm going to have a hard time with Fran Dresher in the movie. I feel bad. She's a good actress but it just feels weird with her in the movie. I can't wait to see Donna Mills.

Oh wow thanks for the info!

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On 5/20/2023 at 8:16 PM, JAYJAY1979 said:

DONNA MILLS!!!!!!

Fran D with a southern accent?????

A buy one gets one free of not one but two brothers falling in love with the milqtoast stupid protagonist!!!!!

All my VC dreams coming true....

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