The "World" stops turning very soon...

[bowkinkaid]

SPOILER ALERT
Just HAVE to say that killing off Reid is the singularly most inept writing on a soap I have ever experienced. I gave up on Nuke after their first lame celibate year but picked it up again having been alerted by AfterElton to Reid's arrival. In the wake of the demise of `Kish' a few months back, watching updates this weekend of all the happy loving straight folks with sunset endings while the gay couple get death & tragedy reaffirms for me how fundamentally cowardly/ homophobic the sponsor company and their writers truly are. Kudos to Eric Sheffer Stevens & Van Hansis for imbuing the shit they were handed with so much engaging dignity. Thank God for Christian & Oliver's wedding joy this weekend on Verboten Liebe to offset the ATWT shame... - and once again unflinching European soaps show up North American soaps !

Couldn't agree with you more, as much as I love Van and Eric I'm not gonna watch these last few episodes, that's how much its pissed me off. In my mind the show ended when Reid said he loved Luke.

 

[ronboy]

Couldn't agree with you more, as much as I love Van and Eric I'm not gonna watch these last few episodes, that's how much its pissed me off. In my mind the show ended when Reid said he loved Luke.

Then again, you probably do not have 46 years invested in the show like I have. I didn't just start watching "ATWT" for the gay character scenes like many did. I've been watching it all my life, and to me, it's like a death in the family, twice over. Last year, I had to lose "Guiding Light." This year it's "As the World Turns." These shows were a part of my life. I have good memories of watching them with my late mother. Losing them is like losing another link to my mother's memory. I am realistic enough to know that all things must change. But that doesn't make it any less of an emotional experience for me and millions of others who have years invested in these shows.

I respect your decision for tuning out of the show. Please respect mine for tuning in...

 

[WILYUM]

Then again, you probably do not have 46 years invested in the show like I have. I didn't just start watching "ATWT" for the gay character scenes like many did. I've been watching it all my life, and to me, it's like a death in the family, twice over. Last year, I had to lose "Guiding Light." This year it's "As the World Turns." These shows were a part of my life. I have good memories of watching them with my late mother. Losing them is like losing another link to my mother's memory. I am realistic enough to know that all things must change. But that doesn't make it any less of an emotional experience for me and millions of others who have years invested in these shows.

I respect your decision for tuning out of the show. Please respect mine for tuning in...

I feel the same,I'm 39 and these people and the towns feel like home or people that I know.

 

[ronboy]

So now we are down to the last five episodes....

I had to keep that tissue handy throughout today's episode.

We said farewell to Reid today, and learned about his uncle, who, it turns out, was actually a decent guy. Played by veteran character actor James Rebhorn (formerly the evil Bradley Raines on Guiding Light, and the bad guy on many TV shows and movies), Reid's uncle allowed Luke to make the funeral arrangements.

Chris learned that he had Reid's heart from Katie. After pissing and moaning about it, he made his peace with it.

John gave Lucinda a tongue lashing about her relationship with Lily, as only he can. And he told Margo that he is planning to stay in Oakdale, which pleased her.

ATWT is pre-empted on Friday for tennis coverage (you're all heart, CBS!)

So here we go folks...the final five episodes.....

 

[p3jedi]

I gave up watching ATWT when Rose D'Angelo (the best character the show EVER had, IMHO) was killed off.

 

[bowkinkaid]

Then again, you probably do not have 46 years invested in the show like I have. I didn't just start watching "ATWT" for the gay character scenes like many did. I've been watching it all my life, and to me, it's like a death in the family, twice over. Last year, I had to lose "Guiding Light." This year it's "As the World Turns." These shows were a part of my life. I have good memories of watching them with my late mother. Losing them is like losing another link to my mother's memory. I am realistic enough to know that all things must change. But that doesn't make it any less of an emotional experience for me and millions of others who have years invested in these shows.

I respect your decision for tuning out of the show. Please respect mine for tuning in...

Actually I've been watching ATWT off and on for 10+ years, way before Luke and Noah came around. I'm just upset with the horrendous ending that Luke and Reid are getting when in my opinion they've been the best thing on the show for awhile.

And I totally respect your decision to keep watching.

 

[ronboy]

Actually I've been watching ATWT off and on for 10+ years, way before Luke and Noah came around. I'm just upset with the horrendous ending that Luke and Reid are getting when in my opinion they've been the best thing on the show for awhile.

And I totally respect your decision to keep watching.

Thanks for your positive comments.....

I agree that the entire Reid and Luke story was bungled royally. If I were writing that show, it would have taken a very different course. They didn't know how to write for Luke and Noah, and they really didn't have a clue with Luke and Reid either...

 

[ronboy]

Some vintage ATWT.....




This is from 1986, when Gregg Marx was playing Tom Hughes, and Hillary B. Smith was playing Margo. This is a preview of a little strife in the supercouple's early marriage, when a jealous Barbara made Tom think that they had slept together (they didn't).

 

[Joshua_me]

These shows were a part of my life. I have good memories of watching them with my late mother. Losing them is like losing another link to my mother's memory. .

I know *exactly* what you mean, ronboy. I have the same memories of watching them with my grandmother.

Silly as it sounds to some, watching ATWT was a way of keeping her memory alive for me... Losing the show is like a sort of nail in her coffin. It's very sad.

Tennis will once again be on today (Monday the 13th) but thankfully it doesn't start until 4pm.

 

[pohbear]

i'll miss luke and the good doctor reid, (rip)
and of course the ever handsome holden. and yes, even paul.
we only started watching when the luke and noah story came on.

 

[Joshua_me]

Loved Carly's little speech at the alter, today. Jack's hair looks SO gray in the sunlight.... *sigh*

I'll miss those Holden boys as well. They were the fuel for many a fantasy for me years ago... Out in that barn, a couple of bales of hay, a - well, you get my drift.

 

[ronboy]

So, now we are left with two episodes...... (at this point, you read at your own risk, no more spoiler alerts...)

Janet is screaming bloody hell at the moment, and soon, little Lorenzo Ciccone Donovan will be Oakdale's newest resident. And you can sure bet those heaving bosoms are going to be a major attraction for that baby! Yup, it was sure good to see John Dixon slip back intro deviousness (if only for a brief moment) to run DNA tests proving that Dusty was the father of Janet's baby.

Parker (Munson) Snyder is going to join the Oakdale PD. Jack wasn't too pleased, but Parker has both Carly's and Margo's blessings. I think Hal would have liked it.... (RIP Benjamin Hendrickson, I still miss you)

Molly made her peace with Holden, and encouraged him to get close to Lily. I never liked her character in the early years. I always thought she was PWT . But, believe it or not, this time, I was cheering for her to marry Holden. Too bad it didn't happen.

Craig was actually starting to show some of his old decency again...I hope that Gabriel sticks around so that father and son can bond. Having Rosanna back in town might just be good for both Craig and Gabriel.

According to what I've read, the finale show will do a "Guiding Light" and end in the near future. The last scene will be Kim and Bob, and I am hoping that it ends on a hopeful note or a positive message to those of us who stood to see the final moments.

It's not only the end of 54 years of As The World Turns, but also the very last soap opera produced by Procter & Gamble, the company the pretty much invented the genre.

Irna Phillips is probably in Heaven bitching and throwing a hissy fit because she didn't like how this ends...

I hope that CBS comes to regret this decision.....

 

[ronboy]

And so it goes.....As The World Turns is now part of broadcast history.

54 years, 5 months, and 15 days...it was a good run.

And there were mostly good things to report......

Bob narrated much of the show, reflecting on his career and the good people of Oakdale.

Jack and Carly are preggers...

Dusty and Janet (and her bosoms) named the baby Lorenzo Dustin Donovan.

Casey and Allison left for school in Carbondale.

Noah nearly gave up going to California to stay in Oakdale and comfort Luke. Luke wouldn't hear of it, and insisted that Noah leave. Noah told Luke that he loved him, and it enede with a kiss and a promise on Luke's part to come out to California when he was ready to.....

Barbara dissolved her partnership in BRO with Paul, and Paul with thrilled.

Barbara and Henry, now Oakdale's horniest couple, disco danced!

Lily told Lucinda off and got closer to Holden.

Lucinda accepted John's offer to go to Amsterdam with him. They returned during the last segment, which was supposed to be a month later, and were once again in love. John's going to be interim chief of staff at memorial until Chris Hughes is well enough to assume the duties.

Chris is on the mend with Reid's heart, and proposed to Katie.

Margo and Katie agreed to switch homes. Margo and Tom moved into the smaller, simpler apartment, while Katie and Chris took over their house and prepared for thier future.\

Katie gave Reid's stethoscope to Luke. Luke asked Chris if he could listen to the heart...Chris complied...

Bob packed up his office and prepared to move to Arizona. Kim was by his side, and offered comfort and encouragement.

VERY LAST SPOILER ALERT....... (this is how it ends.....)

Susan is saying goodbye to Bob as Kim enters the office. She leaves, and husband and wife briefly speak. Kim tells Bob she'll wait for him in the car. Bob packs his nameplate into his briefcase, and his narration concludes that life is all about continuing on, and rather than say "goodbye" he would simply say....."Good Night." The Lucite globe on Bob's desk glowed and continued to rotate after Bob shut off the lights and left the office.

That was to contrast Helen Wagner's first spoken words as "Nancy" on April 2, 1956, when she said "Good Morning, Dear" to Chris (Don MacLaughlin).

I've already stated in other parts of this thread why this is a significant loss for me. ATWT will live on, in my memories and remind me of the things that I cherished in my youth, like sharing my love for this show with my late mother...


As The World Turns
April 2, 1956 - September 17, 2010

 

[bbjohn]

Great post, Ronboy. I haven't watched the last ep yet, but have been reading the chat board I lurk at and most posters are at least somewhat pleased with it. One thing many of them dislike, though, is that Lisa--freakin' LISA who helped put the show on the map--was not given any kind of ending. Supposedly Goutman never could stand Eileen Fulton so I guess it's not a total surprise. It's also interesting that Noelle Beck offered to step aside to let Martha Byrne end the run as Lily, but tptb were too resentful of Byrne to let that happen.

 

[Joshua_me]

That was to contrast Helen Wagner's first spoken words as "Nancy" on April 2, 1956, when she said "Good Morning, Dear" to Chris (Don MacLaughlin)

Wow.

I didn't realize that.

While I loved the dancing between Barbara and Henry, I was kind of underwhelmed by the finale.

I thought the writing was a bit sloppy, and that spinning globe on the desk a little cheesy.

And it pains me to say that... ronboy, as I've said before, I have a lot of the same memories that you have... Losing this show makes me feel like I'm losing my grandmother all over again.

I guess I just wanted something a little more.... Something that showed some respect for such a long running, generation-spanning program.

But instead, it felt like an after-thought.

How about filling those last few minutes with the entire cast out of character talking about what the show meant to them ?

Ahh, well. Now on Monday it will be a repeat of "The Price is Right".

Eventually some lousy courtroom show or some talk show nonsense will take it's place.

Sucks, if you ask me.

 

[bbjohn]

There was talk of a VIEW type show featuring Julie Chen. Don't know if that's for sure. Just watched the final ep and found it really touching, but rushed. They should have given them an extra hour today so more story could be told rather than just the short scenes they had. And after Don Hastings said his goodnight and shut off the lights, Nancy's voice should've said a final "goodnight dear." Just MNTBHO.

 

[Limenade]

I wasn't able to watch the final episode "live," but did finally see it on YouTube. Very sad...

But as someone on a Soap board pointed out, ATWT actually died when Doug Marland died in '93. My take would be that the show has been on a painful path to its demise after Marland passed away.