Help me choose the next soap!

[JROG]

So, which short-lived, possibly crappy, primetime soap should I try next? I've only done SAVANNAH and MODELS, INC.

With the exception of FLAMINGO ROAD, don't feel like starting that one yet.

Provided I can find it, of course!

Please help, darlings!

 

[James from London]

THE YELLOW ROSE!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Yellow-Ros...id=1519853903&sr=1-1&keywords=the+yellow+rose

 

[Alexis]

I loved Paper Dolls but I don't know where you would find it now. The whole thing was online a few years back and I binged it all in a few days. I really thought it was a lot of fun. Central Park West starts fun and then goes terribly wrong as I remember. Pacific Palisades is awful if I recall correctly, even with Joan Collins.
Savannah wasn't as good as I remembered when I rewatched it a few years back on YouTube.

Paper Dolls gets my vote. Love to hear what you think of it too. By the way did you keep watching Sons & Daughters? I stopped around the Christmas holidays and haven't got back into it. I want to though.

 

[Willie Oleson]

Bouquet Of Barbed Wire (I've just ordered the DVD because the second series isn't on YouTube)
It's not trashy but it's very scandalous and emotional.

But I'd watch Peyton Place first. It's the jewel in the crown imho.

 

[Angela Channing]

Return to Eden. I've not seen it since it was first broadcast in the 1980s but I really enjoyed it at the time. I think it's on YouTube now.

 

[Karin Schill]

Titans got my vote.

I recently saw that show myself for the first time as someone had kindly uploaded it to youtube. It was a bit cheesy but better than I had expected and it was a treat to see Victoria Principal act again. Watching it made me wish it had run longer. It really was cancelled prematurely.

Anyway I'd make sure to watch it while it's still available as it might disappear from one day to the next if it hasn't already.

Also it's a shorter show so you should be able to finish it all in a week or two.

Another gem that I can recommend to you if you haven't seen it already is "The Thornbirds". I saw that on DVD some years ago and it's definitely worth a watch.

 

[Michael Torrance]

I agree with @Karin Schill about THE THORN BIRDS, but I got to believe you have already seen it. It is the opposite of crappy--it is what any drama aspires to be in terms of emotion and intensity.

So assuming you have, my vote goes to DIRTY SEXY MONEY. I am not sure where it is available, but it was a decade ago, two seasons, and tons of fun; I actually think it deserved a better fate than it got. Like, I would happily condemn to eternal unemployment all associated with the CW's fauxDYNASTY to give it another shot.

 

[Willie Oleson]

I loved Paper Dolls but I don't know where you would find it now

Oh it's back now.

 

[Soaplover]

I'd say Titans... but the Yellow Rose is on DVD.. and it's an interesting case of a show that starts out serialized then switches mid season to self-contained.

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

I voted for Central Park West. The first 13 episodes are perfection. The retooled episodes that came after were pretty bad but there's enough closure at the end of episode 13 for you to think of it as a single season without having to watch the later episodes.

I'd recommend Pasadena too. The writing is quite sharp and it has a great cast. If it's an 80's soap you're after, I'd choose Paper Dolls. It was a bit cluttered by it's large cast but it had Morgan Fairchild and Lauren Hutton at their 80's best.

 

[tommie]

Gosh, 2000 Malibu Road is only six episodes long and pretty good, honey bunny.

Central Park West's first 13 episodes are amazing, then it sort of goes through a messy retool but if you want an attempt for Dynasty in the 90s those episodes are pretty much it.

Pasadena is also great, it does try to tie everything together at the end of the series, even if it never got to live up to the potential of the pilot.

Paper Dolls is as others mentioned messy. Too many characters if I recall.

Pacific Palisades is sort of bad. It does tie up the loose ends at the of episode 13.

Titans is a mess.

I'd say either Pasadena or CPW.

 

[JROG]

THE YELLOW ROSE!

I'd say Titans... but the Yellow Rose is on DVD.. and it's an interesting case of a show that starts out serialized then switches mid season to self-contained.

Well, I ordered THE YELLOW ROSE on DVD since it was cheap, every comment I've ever seen about it praises it, and I simply must own every primetime soap I can on DVD... That should make it easy to watch it, although I don't know about the going from serialized to self-contained thing. I'll keep an open mind....

 

[JROG]

Another gem that I can recommend to you if you haven't seen it already is "The Thornbirds". I saw that on DVD some years ago and it's definitely worth a watch.

I agree with @Karin Schill about THE THORN BIRDS, but I got to believe you have already seen it. It is the opposite of crappy--it is what any drama aspires to be in terms of emotion and intensity.

So assuming you have, my vote goes to DIRTY SEXY MONEY.

Oh, of course I've seen - and adore - THE THORN BIRDS! Funnily enough, I just did a rewatch of it a few days ago.

DSM I watched when it was initially on but then fell out of it. I should give it another shot.

Bouquet Of Barbed Wire (I've just ordered the DVD because the second series isn't on YouTube)
It's not trashy but it's very scandalous and emotional.

But I'd watch Peyton Place first. It's the jewel in the crown imho.

I've never heard of Bouquet before but a quick search does make it seem intriguing. Second series, though? Wasn't it a mini-series?

I'm definitely still watching PEYTON PLACE (though hardly short-lived). I'm waiting for the volume 3 DVD because, in the greatest coincidence of all time, I've seen on my bootleg copy up to episode 65... and it appears volume 3 picks up right around there! It was fate.

 

[JROG]

Thanks, all, for your help!

CPW seems to be in the lead, but I can't seem to find it online. I wonder if I ever saved it when it was once available. Perhaps the Soap Gods have spoken.

So far, TITANS seems to be the biggest possibility. But, keep voting!

 

[JROG]

And, PAPER DOLLS, since it's so readily available.

 

[Alexis]

And, PAPER DOLLS, since it's so readily available.

Do it... Do it! Morgan Fairchild and Nicollette Sheridan in all their '80s fabulousness!

 

[Willie Oleson]

then it sort of goes through a messy retool but if you want an attempt for Dynasty in the 90s those episodes are pretty much it.

Ironically, it was the first half that really felt like a "a Dynasty for the 90s". The old-school approach of the second half fell flat.

Paper Dolls is not in the same league as the Big Four but it was often laugh out loud funny, and it looked great.

Titans is a total time-waster. It's the only soap I didn't finish.

p.s. when can we expect a new The Colbys episode review?

 

[JROG]

Ironically, it was the first half that really felt like a "a Dynasty for the 90s". The old-school approach of the second half fell flat.

Paper Dolls is not in the same league as the Big Four but it was often laugh out loud funny, and it looked great.

Titans is a total time-waster. It's the only soap I didn't finish.

p.s. when can we expect a new The Colbys episode review?

I've heard similar comments about Paper Dolls and Titans! But I suppose I'll have to watch anyway lol

New THE COLBYS is coming today, as I'm catching up with my reviews

 

[Carrie Fairchild]

Thanks, all, for your help!

CPW seems to be in the lead, but I can't seem to find it online. I wonder if I ever saved it when it was once available. Perhaps the Soap Gods have spoken.

So far, TITANS seems to be the biggest possibility. But, keep voting!

The full series is on Dailymotion. The copy is a rough enough VHS rip but it's the only version available in English.

If you speak German, there's a much clearer copy of episode one on YouTube. Unfortunately they haven't uploaded any further episodes.

 

[JROG]

The full series is on Dailymotion.

Bless! I searched Dailymotion but it didn't come up.