As The World Turns - General Discussion

[yeswedo]

Your favorites, least favorites and in between

[yeswedo]

A place to discuss particular episodes (that do not have specific episode threads), arcs and moments from the show's run. Please remember this isn't a complete catch-all topic -- check out the forum for character topics and other places for show-related talk.

[Bort]

Years ago, a friend of mine moved to Japan and was lamenting that she would miss ATWT so I burned it for her.  Every day.  I had forgotten about it until I was digging around in a closet and found a big ole spindle of discs full of ATWT episodes, dating from September 2004 through November 2006, basically the entire prelude, execution and prologue of the babyswap storyline.  So I decided to watch it.  Good times.

 

I'm currently somewhere around May 2005, Jennifer and Gwen are pregnant, Paul and Emily are about to have an affair.  I'm having fun rewatching this, I remembered the bullet points of what happened but the details had escaped me.  For instance, I know that Mike finally leaves Jennifer but I can't remember why, although I do remember that it's a really stupid reason, considering he stuck with her through her cheating on him with Craig and getting pregnant. I guess I will see...

[Anna Yolei]

The babyswitch of '05 was the last truly good Sl from start to finish that included nearlt every character on the show at the show, and still affected some for years afterwards.

I too forgot why Mike left Jennifer, but with without spoiling anything for you what came after was a complete and total waste of time.

Coincidentally, I got stationed in Japan myself about four months before the show ended and ended up missing the finale. That was four years ago and I've never been able to watch more than ten minutes of that.

[Bort]

It's ok, I've gotten to it now. It was because Jennifer conspired with Dusty to set Craig up with a 5-year restraining order. Yeah, that was stupid. Watching Mike and Jennifer, I've counted several instances where one should have broken up with the other, I really can't figure out why they clung to each other for so long.

Also, 5 years? Nice job on the restraining order, Jen.

Jennifer and Gwen just had their babies and that's where I've stopped for now. I need a break before I get to the infant death and endless crying. I'll hit it this weekend.

One thing I can't remember is when they get rid of Celia and add Maddie. I feel bad saying this, especially since I've seen the actress in stuff since and she's much improved, but Celia is SO BAD. Such flat line delivery, I almost can't stand it.

Edited June 18, 2014 by kariyaki

[Anna Yolei]

The babyswitch of '05 was the last truly good Sl from start to finish that included nearlt every character on the show at the show, and still affected some for years afterwards.

I too forgot why Mike left Jennifer, but with without spoiling anything for you what came after was a complete and total waste of time.

Coincidentally, I got stationed in Japan myself about four months before the show ended and ended up missing the finale. That was four years ago and I've never been able to watch more than ten minutes of that.

[DisneyBoy]

Can someone tell me what the heck caused the showrunners to breakup Luke and Noah?  I started watching their SL on youtube and saw some later clips where one of them is in a wheelchair and the other leaves the show or something....

 

Weren't they hugely popular?  Wouldn't the showrunners have wanted to keep them as part of the core cast after all the positive publicity from their coupling?

[ElleryAnne]

I think their popularity was outweighed by the skittishness of some of the PTB, and skittishness won.

 

In my experience, Luke/Noah were often blamed (unfairly, I think) for the show's falling ratings.  They were popular, at least at first, with younger and newer viewers (I'll include myself there - I'd only started watching around the time Luke came out, and only stayed with the show for about a year).  But  I remember seeing a lot of comments about how long-time viewers were abandoning the show.  I find it hard to believe that most of them were actually quitting on a show they'd watched for years because of one storyline, but I guess I can't say for sure.  I'm of the opinion that the horrible writing and poorly-done plots in general were a bigger part of the reason, along with all of the other problems that soaps were facing as a genre by then.  

 

In any case, the PTB were never able to create a genuine long-term storyline for Luke/Noah or treat them like any other couple.  Instead, they had short-term outlandish stories (Ameera, the Z-twins, etc).  Various factions behind the scenes always seemed to be at war about them - what to show, what not to show, etc.  People were up in arms over every kiss and every almost-kiss, and the story's speed bumps designed to create drama (and keep them apart) eventually had the unintended effect of making a number of fans dislike Noah.  It was a shame, because as a couple they had great chemistry and a lot of potential.  Luke was a wonderful legacy character and Van Hansis played him well.  Jake Silbermann was a bit less seasoned as an actor though very likable IMO, and I thought he did a good job with Noah.  But the writing for them was so bad it was laughable and the PTB support for them was mixed at best.

[tribeca]

My first viewing of this show was when Grandma babysat us.  Thought it was so dumb LOL.  Then ended up loving it myself.   That is until they way they killed off Adam.  It made me very mad at the time and now I can't even really remember the storyline!   Didn't Gwen kill him & his brother helped bury him in the woods?

[GodsBeloved]

My first viewing of this show was when Grandma babysat us.  Thought it was so dumb LOL.  Then ended up loving it myself.   That is until they way they killed off Adam.  It made me very mad at the time and now I can't even really remember the storyline!   Didn't Gwen kill him & his brother helped bury him in the woods?

If I remember correctly, Adam was attacking Gwen and Maddie tried to stop him. She pushed him and he hit his head. Maddie and Gwen thought he was dead and they buried him. He haunted them for a minute before the gang (Maddie, Casey, Gwen and Will) found out he was alive.

[tribeca]

Watching some clips of this show made remember how much I use to love it.   When I stopped watching it Paul & Meg were just getting together.  That was a couple I rooted for so was very disappointed with how that story ended.  Meg went crazy and tried to set up Emily.  Meg had to leave to get help & does not get to raise her daughter.

      Another favorite couple of mine was Carly & Jack.  How funny that Sage (their daughter) was so much like her momma!!   Glad the show ended with CarJack back together.  At least 1 couple I rooted for got together.

[Bort]

I keep seeing Alyssa Diaz (Celia Ortega circa 2005) popping up on stuff. Just recently in an episode of The Last Ship and on The Bridge as well.

[Crs97]

I rooted for Paul and Roseanna. I loved their friendship and slow burn to a relationship, and Paul was only tolerable to me when he was with her.

[janeyjay]

I started watching this show with my nana in the early '70s when I was way too young to really be watching a soap. I miss it to this day -- even from when it was really wasn't all that great. I wonder how Dr. Bob and Kim are doing in retirement...

[Marigny]

This was one of my favorite shows. My favorite scene will forever be Craig's monologue to Bryant's body in the morgue. Heart breaking! I never liked Jennifer after that. 

[Harmony233]

This was one of my favorite shows. My favorite scene will forever be Craig's monologue to Bryant's body in the morgue. Heart breaking! I never liked Jennifer after that. 

ugh it always annoyed the crap out of me how Craig was always blamed for Bryants death.He wasn't a good father but the fact that they whitwashed Jennifers actions in that whole thing pissed me off.Even at Bryants funeral Jenn felt no guilt.Billy felt more guilt than Jenn ever did and aytime Jennifer acused craig of killing Bryant ugh.Loved how in the end Craig ended up with Johnny since Jennifers dying wish was she didn't want him raising him.

[Harmony233]

I've actually been watching some 80s episodes Lily and Holden aren't too bad here truthfully in the last 10 years they was on I was wishing they would break up for good.While the true Lily paternity was interesting.However Lily and Holden were practically releated even if Iva was adopted.people in town actually like Craig lol.

[wonderwoman]

I've always felt that the death of Bryant was a major factor in how disconnected ATWT's storytelling became in the final years. He and Jennifer were related by blood or marriage to virtually every other character: Lucinda was his grandmother, his aunts were Lily and Margo, who was married to Tom, whose stepmother, Kim, was Jennifer's aunt. Had TPTB kept the two together (or at least as the end game), the Hughes, Walsh's and Snyder's would have been connected through Bryant and Jen, and the show would have been the better for it.

My other quarrel with Bryant's death was that there was no long term payoff: Yes, Craig had that great monologue, and Barbara had the burn story. But nothing that reverberated over time.

[Anna Yolei]

Did anyone see Into the Woods yet? Billy Magnussen (the last actor playing Casey) plays Rapunzel' Prince and he was great in his role! I didn't realize he had musical chops like that! But then, looking on Wiki, ATWT was his gig that paid bills in between theatre shows.

[Kindred Spirit]

I've been a fan of Julianne Moore since she was Frannie. I remember being so impressed by her British accent for Sabrina. Rooting for her tonight, and really hoping to be able to think of her as "Oscar winner, Julianne Moore."

[mjt626]

Congrats to Oscar winner Julianne Moore!  I've always appreciated how proud she was of her time on ATWT and how she never looked down on having done soaps.

[Apprentice79]

Yay for Julianne Moore, she just won an oscar...She was always so special as Frannie and Sabrina. The characters were never the same after she left the roles..l....She should have won an oscar for Far from heaven..She is sublime..I am so happy for her...

[wonderwoman]

Here's a link to JM's first ATWT episode: 2 April 1985, the show's 29th anniversary. Near the end of the episode, there's a nice scene between JM and fellow Oscar winner, Marisa Tomei. Also wirth watching: the scenes between Scott Bryce and Elizabeth Hubbard.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=W5N03MbgLqE&list=PL3Ug0CptkHq5R74VFrIga0EBiH5mwMfLm

[ByaNose]

I had watched ATWT when I could before Julianne started. I'm 50 now and even have the same birthday as Meg Ryan. I remember the previous actress who played Frannie, too. I think her name was Terri VandenBosh or something like that. Anyway, I think Meg Ryan had left by the time Julianne started. I really, really remember when she started as Frannie. She made such an impression on me and I had a crush on Marissa Tomei. She was so cute and tiny with the dark hair. I also appreciate that Julianne looks back on ATWT fondly and she even mentioned them during her last acceptance speech. I watched the YouTube clip. It's such a blast from the past. Great memories and even Christian LeBlanc is in it. There was so much talent in that episode alone.

[Rick Kitchen]

Alexandra Chando. ex-Maddie, stars in the pilot for a new series called "Dead People", where she plays a dead woman whose widower had a near-death experience and starts seeing ghosts.

[ulkis]

I was was watching some clips recommended for me on youtube, and I still really like the kid who played Parker. That's probably the only thing I cared about in the last years of the show. I loved how in the last episode Parker wanted to be a cop like his two dads. Too cute.

 

 

I'm watching this clip, which I've never seen. Seems like Jack is acting like a bit of a dick, but I still like the way the two actors/characters interacted.

[Rick Kitchen]

Billy Magnusson is in Bridge of Spies, as Tom Hanks's lawyer character's assistant.

[wonderwoman]

Sad news...

Nathaniel Martson, who played Eddie Silva from 1998-2000, passed away after a car crash left him a quadriplegic.

https://www.facebook.com/permalink.php?story_fbid=1180569175293805&id=496155550401841&fref=nf

[Runningwild]

I'm a huge Tomargo fan and as such not a fan of Eddie at all, but I am very saddened by his passing.

[wonderwoman]

With you on Eddie Silva. But, what a horrible way to die. And his poor family.

Re the show: Frankly, I pretty much gave up after the 40th anniversary in 1996; I still watched, but my heart just wasn't in it.

[janeyjay]

Fell down the rabbit hole of YouTube ATWT episodes. Watched a couple from 1986 today -- the Douglas Cummings mystery was in full blast. John was blackmailing Lucinda because he knew that she was Sierra's mother. Sierra and Craig were engaged. Everyone referred to the new detective with the Oakdale Police Department as Detective Munson. And Lisa was a redhead. It was glorious. I miss this show.

[AndySmith]

Hello Barbara. Memorable and creepy.

 

Edited March 5, 2016 by AndySmith

[wonderwoman]

Seems like the only action on this board is when some one dies...

Meant to post this yesterday. Robert Horton, who played Whit McColl in the mid-80s, one of Lisa's many husbands, passed away.

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/03/15/arts/television/robert-horton-handsome-scout-on-wagon-train-dies-at-91.html?rref=collection%2Fsectioncollection%2Fobituaries&action=click&contentCollection=obituaries&region=rank&module=package&version=highlights&contentPlacement=7&pgtype=sectionfront

[wonderwoman]

A bad week for the actors who played characters married to Lisa. James Douglas, who played Grant Colman, perhaps Lisa's favorite ex-husband, has died.

http://www.rep-am.com/Obituaries/944900.txt

[ByTor]

I also appreciate that Julianne looks back on ATWT fondly and she even mentioned them during her last acceptance speech.

Congrats to Oscar winner Julianne Moore!  I've always appreciated how proud she was of her time on ATWT and how she never looked down on having done soaps.

I always liked that about her, and it always bugs me that Meg Ryan acts as though she never did ATWT. I have the You've Got Mail DVD and the actors' biographies are included in the extras; there is no mention of ATWT in her acting history.

[ByTor]

On November 1, 2015 at 11:16 PM, Rick Kitchen said:

Billy Magnusson is in Bridge of Spies, as Tom Hanks's lawyer character's assistant.

He also played Kato in American Crime Story.  I thought he had his mannerisms down perfectly!

[ESS]

my favs are Jessica Griffin (Tamara Tunie) I love Tomar (Scott & Ellen are my Tom & Margo) I loved Duncan & Jessica too up until 94 which was a mess for them as a couple. I liked Hal as a character and I liked Will & Gwen too. 

[babyhouseman]

Jesse Lee Soffer(Will) is on Chicago PD. 

[wonderwoman]

According to Soap Opera Digest, Trent Dawson is heading to GH for a short-term gig. Wished ATWT had made better use of his talents (hated Henry as a Stenbeck, and despite his and Colleen Zenk's best effort, I never bought Barbara and Henry), but it will be nice to see him again.

 

http://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/atwt-alum-trent-dawson-joins-gh

[yowsah1]

Jake Weary (Luke Snyder) is in the TNT series ANIMAL KINGDOM.

http://daytimeconfidential.com/2016/01/10/as-the-world-turns-jake-weary-in-tnts-animal-kingdom

[babyhouseman]

On The Talk on CBS, they celebrated 30 years of CBS being number one in daytime. Martha Byrne(Lily), Elizabeth Hubbard(Lucinda), Ellen Dolan(Margo), and Colleen Zenk(Barbara) were there. You may recall CZ had oral cancer, but she said she was cancer free. The segment was too short, but it was good to see them and clips.

[ESS]

My first real experience with the show was in 2005 I think it was the baby switch storyline that I came into..I watched it just for Tamara Tunie, [FYI I wanted to desperately watch it earlier, but never got home in time] but then after a while of watching ended up being hooked on some of the other characters and couples. But then stopped watching in like 2007[when Tamara left again], but I watched some later stuff on via youtube [of course when Tamara came back for that one episode in 09 I was so happy for that!]. Though I didn't watch anything prior to 05, I did get caught up on what happened and who was who and all that anyway even though I hadn't watched back then. 

I do have a few favorite stand out storylines and couples that I love, but I too miss the show, but I'm thankful that was to watch the show even if it wasn't for long and I'm also glad that there's episodes on youtube so the show for me isn't totally gone and of course I have episodes that I can watch that I have collected over time as well.

[ihavenoidea]

SOD had an interview with Kelley Menighan this week.  I guess she got nominated for an Emmy for some kind of online soap.  Anyway in it she confirms that she and Jon Hensley have been split (now divorced) since 2013.  They both live in Chicago.  She works in her family business, but is still thinking about acting more in the future.

[wonderwoman]

Catching up on Chicago Med andwas delighted to see Gwen Landon as a guest star in the White Butterfiles episode. Her story involved the police and Jesse Sofer's character from Chicago PD, so I was hoping for a Jen and Will reunion, but alas, not. In all probability,  no one at the show knew about their previous connection. 

[2Jesses1city]

I think the Chicago Med team would have known that Jennifer and Jesse has worked together. I'm sure they had a reunion just not on screen. I was so happy when I saw that Jesse was in the episode!

[wonderwoman]

Gaby Hoffman's on tonight's "Finfing Your Roots." Anthony Herrera (James Stenbeck) was her biological father, and the investigation reveals a great deal about his early life. They showed a few ATWT clips, unfortunately noT "Hello Barbars." But, still worth tracking down.

Edited November 22, 2017 by wonderwoman

[wonderwoman]

another 'world turns reunion on tonight's "mom." steven weber guests as william fichtner's brother. 

[lalafrance]

Just found this. ATWT has been on my mind a lot lately. I was a big fan in the early 80's and got stuck on those characters. I loved Ariel! Weird, right? LOL

[JAYJAY1979]

ATWT, the soap that starting in the 80s created a horrible family in each decade.  The Snyders in the 80s (why that ugly Snyder kitchen survived until the end when the Hughes family had a better set is beyond me), The Kasnoffs in the 90s, and the Ciccone family in the 2000s.

[wonderwoman]

nice to see lien (ming na wen) and adam (mathew morrison) hughes on tonight's tony's

Edited June 11, 2018 by wonderwoman