Who’s got a voice that you like that wouldn’t be considered typical? Somebody with a characteristic that instantly recognizable? Not necessarily the best or strongest singer, but their voice pulls you in? For me it’s Pam from Total and T-Boz. Not the strongest vocalists, but I love what they bring to a song. They both carried their groups imo.
What say you, good people?
So you’ve got a 20 hour flight, and have access to 5 of these “classic” albums- which one from each artist are you choosing for the long haul?
B’day or 4
Blond or Channel Orange
Brown Sugar or Voodoo
Songs in A Minor or The Diary of Alicia Keys
Passion, Pain, & Pleasure or Ready
First off, this isn’t to bash anyone or make comparisons- it’s just a fun little thread to fight boredom. BUT who, through the years, has always caught your eye? Either striking beauty or rugged handsomeness? And you don’t have to like the character to find them aesthetically pleasing. Here are some of mine. ^^^
I admit, I was late to the game for this one (only about a year or so, though). Survivor was too “pop” for my liking and with the girls’ solo ventures, I didn’t expect much from this able. Quiet as kept “Lose My Breath” was kinda weak for the lead single (production carried it) and “Soldier” was ok, but felt PR because of the features- Wayne and Tip were dominating at that time, so synergy, I guess. The singles were decent but they really kept the jewels hidden on the album. My top 3 tracks:
-“If”: no notes
-“Love”: Kelly really rode the beat here and we don’t talk about it enough
-“Is She the Reason”- what can be said that already hasn’t been?
What’s that one album for you guys?
While S1E9 will forever stay in my head, here’s where she had my heart.
That’s it. That’s the post.
Was it a specific character? Storyline? Actor/actress?
We all probably came to soaps from watching with family (we were an ABC household), but what caused you to invest and watch for years?
For me, it was Hayley Vaughn. That dark goth emo look had me so bewildered at age 5. I grew up with the show but never paid attention until then. What was it for you guys?
Take away all the money, power, and resources: which of these dastardly gentlemen is coming out on top?
For the folks who watched any and all of the soaps, what are some pairings in your head you’d always wanted to see or would be fun to watch?
Erica and Victor always come to mind. They’re so dynamic and strong-willed and would eventually implode but they’d be a hoot to watch. Him being domineering and her being headstrong would be must see tv.
A few others:
Sharon (Y&R) and Jax (GH): damsel/poor girl and hero/billionaire complex
Adam (AMC) and Ashley (Y&R): kind of an Adam/Dixie, Victor/Ashley redux, but without the pesky soulmates. They’d be an actual power couple
Jake (AW) and Alexis (GH): a neurotic lawyer and a stable guy? Imagine the possibilities
Marlena (DAYS) and Bo (OLTL): seems boring on the surface, but introduce cheating, back from the dead exes, secret kids, and lack of work-life balance 😂
Brooke (B&B) and Sonny (GH): just for the drama- her family not approving, Brooke possibly sleeping with Jason and/or Michael, late in life pregnancy (I know Brooke went through menopause, but it’s in my head lol), they could be a train wreck and I’d hate watch
What are some character names that just scream “soap”? Not necessarily the character, but the names that make the old trope that soap opera character names were funny or dramatic. A few examples:
Ava Rescott
Ridge Forrester
Asa Buchanan
Silver Kane
Celeste Perrault
Nora Hanen Gannon Buchanan
Sydney Chase
Frisco Jones
Alastair Crane
Stefano DiMera
Drucilla winters
Gabrielle Medina
Anna Devane
Calliope Jones
I’m a 90s kids so I’m missing PLENTY but what are some that are dark and alluring or light and funny?
Who are you choosing?
Sharon, for all her faults, has always been my girl. And I surprisingly like her current frenemies relationship with Phyllis, but does that save her?
Victoria is royalty in Genoa City and should be the female lead, but are her storylines that impactful that you remember them a year later? Would she really be missed?
Phyllis is a messy busybody who keeps everyone on their toes. She’s lively, unpredictable, and always the center of attention. But has her star burned out?
Who’d you sacrifice to bring back our girl Druscilla?
*I really wouldn’t bring Dru back. I’m sure her character would be ruined 😆
Who’s a character you’d normally HATE but the actor/actress was so good in the role you turned into a fan??
•Ava: no need to elaborate on this one. As vile as she was in the beginning, MW kept me rooting for her
•Ric: he’s done so many foul things that I can’t even count them. RH just turns on the charm and ups the ante whenever need be
•Annie: I absolutely loved how deceptive, chaotic, and historic CW made Annie. She could be a lion or a lamb and I’ve been a fan ever since
•Todd: ugh. Todd was a disgusting piece of crap, but dammit if RH didn’t give him layers
•Victoria: bratty, entitled, dramatic, annoying- perfect description of Vic, but HT brought a frailty to her. And the rest is soap history
•Greenlee: I hated her in such a GOOD way. She was just what the show needed when she debuted. RB was perfect for the role
When was the time a fan favorite was unfavorably changed for the sake of a plot? Not only that, but it was so drastic (and/or stupid) that it completely turned you off the character or you pretend that it doesn’t exist?
Marty Saybrooke (OLTL) is a prime example. Marty was such a great character in the 90s, but then 2 things happened:
She was recast. Not the worst thing to happen in a normal sense but the show used it to usher in that horrible, offensive “rapemance” storyline. I didn’t hate the character for that but it never sat right with me.
McBain. They had her literally go insane for this man. I get that he was the leading man at that time but to sacrifice Marty at the altar of McBain was pure trash. The fact that she stabbed Kelly was wild and oh so out of character. Pure garbage.
And Honorable Mention to Taylor Hayes on B&B. Once BB took over as head writer in the 2000s, Taylor went from the voice of reason to a screeching harpy. No way would she ever sleep with or pursue a relationship with Eric or Thorne. The fact that they kept giving her Brooke’s leftovers was an insult. Not to mention, modeling Steffy after Brooke (whorish “ambitious) and Hope after Taylor (early Taylor at least) was clear acknowledgment of how great Taylor used to be!
Ava: I’d give Ava about two weeks before she depletes her vodka rations and ventures out into the world. She’s on her 8th life at this point, but I think she’ll survive
Willow: Willow has lived with and possibly been a zombie at one time so she has a slight advantage. Not sure how lucky she’d be in the long run- if she doesn’t have the support to coddle her she’ll be lunch by Day 3.
Trina: If the zombies treat her anything like the show does, she’ll make it: they won’t notice she’s there.
Brooklynn: BLQ would probably take a zombie home by accident, thinking it her husband. 50% survival rating.
Jordan: Jordan would definitely survive- thrive even, as long as mild dud head Curtis is eaten Day 1.
Elizabeth: see Trina
Alexis: Alexis is a fighter. But too neurotic. If Kristina, Sonny, Danny, Scout, Ric, Diane, Valentin, Ned, Jason, her assistant, the doorman, the mailman, her dry cleaner, the landscaper, or Nikolas were turned, she’d probably keep them “safe”. Sorry Molly.
Caroline: Carly’s a scraper. She wouldn’t make it a full day 😂😂😂
Laura: Laura would open a zombie shelter all the while looking past all of Sonny’s crimes. No fear of being bitten cuz I wonder if she has a brain at time 😂😂😂 (I love Laura btw)
Aside from himself, of course. Victor is a hard man to love, but he always has a lady on his arm he realistically doesn’t deserve. But who was his real one true love?
-Nikki seems like the obvious answer, but I’ve NEVER cared for Nikki and even Victor seems to only like her as an ultimate trophy.
-Hope deserved better than Victor and he knew it. I think he loved her enough to make peace with leaving her (and his son) behind.
-I’m not sure if Victor loves Ashley or just wants to have her. While Nikki is a trophy, Ashley is a challenge. HOWEVER, they have the BEST chemistry.
So who’s your pick?
What’s a hot take that would get you kicked out of the soapdom? Here are some of mine:
-Victor Newman hasn’t been relevant since the 90s. I know he has fans and Eric B. is a treasure, but his mumbling got tiresome around the 2000s. In fact, if it wasn’t for Adam he’d have no story
-Passions was a horrible show. I watched initially and tried to invest, but the stories dragged on and on! I once took a break for a few weeks, came back and it was just later that day. And don’t get me started on the writing. It was so stifling to the actors; who knew Whitney, Theresa, Fox, and Ethan could actually act?
-Speaking of acting, for all his faults, Ron Moss is the one true Ridge Forrester
-DAYS is the only soap that still feels like a classic soap. They play into the tropes that we watch for. Even if it does lag at times
-Prime ABC soaps >>>>> NBC/CBS. I didn’t even know what was going on in the 90s but whenever I was home from school, it was AMC, OLTL, and GH on lock!
…which would it be? Legit toss up between season 2 and season 11.
Season 2 had some of the best writing for the show and the perfect mix of comedy and drama. There was also the train derailment, pink mist, the introduction of Mark and Callie, and full on goddess Addison Forbes Montgomery- Shepherd. Even watching again years later, it’s grabs your attention.
Season 11 was decidedly more “dark and gloomy” but the whole season felt intentional. We knew what was coming, but the build up and execution was perfection. We also got exceptional performances from the whole cast, the introduction of Maggie, Samuel Norbert, Kepner 2.0, and the gift of Dr. Nicole Herman.
I honestly can’t pick. What’s a season you guys could watch indefinitely?