Guiding Light Cast Round Up 54

This is the fifty-fourth in an irregular feature where we will report updates on what cast members of Guiding Light are doing now. I’m playing catch up on some soap magazine news. So as a reminder you can buy back issues:
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/11/27/faq-back-issues

John Wesley Shipp (Kelly Nelson part of my beloved Kelly and Morgan) did a three episode stint during season 2 of the MTV series Teen Wolf. He played Mr. Lahey. There is a full description of the character in the Q and A in the October 29, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Tina Sloan (Lillian Raines) has shared on Twitter a few classic Guiding Light cast photos again.

• Judi Evans (Beth Raines Spaulding #1) and Sloan http://twitter.com/tinasloan/status/294997723650871296/photo/1
• Kim Zimmer (Reva Shayne Lewis) and Sloan http://twitter.com/tinasloan/status/294997105712439298/photo/1/large
• Mark Derwin (A.C. Mallet #1) and Sloan http://twitter.com/tinasloan/status/294996888225189889/photo/1
• Terrell Anthony (Rusty Shayne) and Sloan https://twitter.com/tinasloan/status/294274511124176896/photo/1
• Beth Chamberlain (Beth Raines Spaulding #2) and Sloan in costume for San Cristobel ball
  https://twitter.com/tinasloan/status/294271939625754624/photo/1

Judi Evans (Beth Raines Spaulding #1) was in the mockumentary Ron and Laura Take Back America (2012). This is the trailer, spot Evans at about 1:35 into the trailer.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A9PgJ8YKXws
Evans also has an upcoming appearance on The Mentalist. Some Like It Blonde ‏@TheTeamJudi tweeted the airdate “Feb. 17th. The Episode is “Red in Tooth and Claw.” Read the press release here:”
http://www.spoilertv.com/2013/01/the-mentalist-episode-514-red-in-tooth.html

Jerry verDorn (Ross Marler) is interviewed in the Oct. 29, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest. Among other things verDorn points out that his son Jake was recently married at the same Lake Mohawk Club that was the scene of the Vanilly-Lillibuzz wedding in the lead up to the finale (verDorn had said in a previous interview that he has a home on the lake). verDorn: “…we have some tacos and margaritas once every three months: me, Michael O’Leary (Rick Bauer #5), Grant Aleksander (Phillip Spaulding #2), Justin Deas (Buzz Cooper) and one of our directors [not specified]….”

Jane Elliot (Carrie Marler) was featured in a soaps most beautiful women interview round up in the October 29, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Harley Jane Kozak (Annabelle Simms Reardon, part of my beloved Tony and Annabelle) celebrated her birthday January 28th. Her last film credit on IMDB is the short Vipers in the Grass from 2010.

@SethroOnTheTV found this nice short interview with Karla Mosley (Christina Boudreau, part of one of the last really great new couples with Remy) and her real life fiance.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCsiQaYe2EI

Ricky Paull Goldin (Gus Aitoro) put on a Hurricane Sandy Fundraiser with All My Children co-star Alicia Minshew. See a photo in the Jan. 28, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth. Goldin is also featured in a Q &A in the same issue (complete with photo) when it talks about his role on The Young and the Restless from 1999-2000 where he played businessman cum stalker/kidnapper obsessed with Victoria Newman until his character, Gary Dawson, was hauled off the mental hospital.
http://soapoperadigest.com/content/join-ricky-paull-goldin-his-premiere
Guiding Light ‏@Guiding_Light tweeted “HEY EVERYONE!!! Let’s CHAT with @rickygoldin on TWITTER on Feb 13 at 9 PM est! Let’s blow this thing UP!!! :D”
Goldin himself tweeted: “Want to find out what I’m up to?? Tune in to Spontaneous Construction #SpoCo starting 8 PM February 15 on @HGTV” He included a photo: https://twitter.com/rickygoldin/status/294179568535887872/photo/1
Goldin posted a video preview to Spontaneous Construction:
http://www.whosay.com/rickypaullgoldin/videos/283512

Hayden Panettiere (Lizzie Spaulding #2, the little girl who returned from Arizona, killed Carl Stevens, and fought cancer) was featured in a how to do her Emmy hairstyle updo in the Oct. 29, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Lawrence Saint-Victor (Remy Boudreau one of the last really good couples in the final years of Guiding Light) was interviewed on his soap past and his new The Bold and the Beautiful role in the Jan. 14, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest. Within the interview Saint-Victor also mentioned Renee Brunson who had been in the Guiding Light wardrobe department was now in wardrobe on The Bold and the Beautiful.

Susan Douglas Rubes (Katherine Roberts Lang Grant Holden, Meta Bauer’s step-daughter through reporter Joe Roberts, her dead by car crash caused an uproar among fans) was the only actress to play Kathy Roberts, according to Soap Central from radio only, December 27, 1950 to June 27, 1952; radio & television, June 30, 1952 to June 29, 1956; television only, July 2, 1956 to March 31, 1958. She went on to a long career across many mediums, and passed away Jan. 23, 2013 in Toronto, Canada. Thanks to itsonlythesoaps ‏@itsonlythesoaps for the heads up.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/arts/story/2013/01/24/susan-douglas-rubes-obit.html

Photos from the 9th Annual Daytime Stars and Strikes (formerly the Bloss Bowling event) featuring many Guiding Light cast members are featured in the Oct. 29, 2012 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Cassie Layne Winslow and her son Will are featured in the 5 year flashback (complete with story summary and photo) in the Jan. 28, 2013 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

Andrea Evans (Patty Williams on The Young and the Restless) reflects on her relationship with recently passed former Guiding Light Executive Producer Paul Rauch for four pages in the Jan. 14, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Victor Miller, who wrote many of the Friday the 13th series of horror movie scripts, also is credited as writing for Guiding Light during 1995-1996 and also has writing credits for One Life to Live, Another World, General Hospital, and All My Children.

Kassie DePaiva (Chelsea Reardon, Nola and Maureen’s little sister) is heading up the all soap star line up of the web series Tainted Dreams. See reports on the full line up in the Jan. 14, 2013 issue of Soap Opera Digest.

Tom Pelphrey (Jonathan Randall, Reva’s last sudden son) and Ron Raines (Alan Spaulding #3) attended Chaplin: The Musical together on Broadway. See a photo and more details in the November 5, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth.

The November 5, 2012 issue of CBS Soaps in Depth counted down the scariest CBS stories ever (complete with photos). Guiding Light captured spots 6 and 4 with the Marian (psycho Brent Lawrence dressed as a woman to continue his reign of terror) and Reva versus Reva (when Dolly the clone aka Cleva held Reva hostage).

Click on the Posted in “GL Cast Update” category below for more posts about keeping up with the Springfielders.

Springfield Christmas

And we bring to an end the oversized and extended Christmas in Springfield Week. Each year I add informational posts and an episode guide to the Christmas episodes of Guiding Light that I have found. Enjoy! And remember to check back next year. Take a trip with me to Christmas in Springfield through the years. On each post find a description, classic quotes, and my comments followed by the links to the video on YouTube.

Episodes:

Christmas Highlights Video –
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/christmas-week-2012-starts

1981 – Year of Great Couples, Hope-Alan, Morgan-Kelly, Carrie-Ross, Justin-Jackie, Tony-Annabelle, Mike Bauer sings
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/christmas-eve-1981

1982 – Beginnings of Company and LTA, Mike Bauer sings
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/20/christmas-eve-1982

1983 – Four Musketeers Christmas in New York City (Updated 2012)
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/15/christmas-1983-update

1984 – Mid-December Holiday Party at the Bauers right after Barbados story finale, Beth is at Blind School, Little Billy Lewis is born
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/21/christmas-dec-12-1984

1985 – Happy time at the Raines household with Lillian’s sister and niece, Claire has lost interest in Michelle and is letting Maureen do most of the work while Claire complains
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/16/christmas-1985

1986 – Dorrie’s Normal Christmas – 1st Christmas in Springfield for Dorrie and Dinah
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/12/22/dorries-normal-christmas-1986

1987 – Johnny Bauer is dying, Meredith Reade comes to terms with her mother’s death and her reaction to Rick
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/17/christmas-1987

1988 – Turning Points Christmas – Many characters face a turning point, Sonni/Solita mess, Harley & Phillip are friends
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/12/23/turning-points-christmas-1988

1989 – Beth Raines is really alive (1st time), Truth of Dylan’s paternity comes out
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/19/christmas-1989

1990 – A Very Spaulding Christmas – Back from the dead Phillip celebrates with Beth, newborn Lizzie & rest of family
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/12/24/very-spaulding-christmas-1990

1992 – First Bloss Christmas – Also, Bridget pregnant in an attic, Harlet come to an understanding, and Lillian writes a fatal thank you letter (Updated 2012)
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/29/christmas-1992-update

1994 – H. B. Lewis tells a grown up story of Christmas, Roger crashes Bauer Christmas to try to convince Holly he was set up (he was by Alexandra), Jenna calls home to tell Vanessa Coop was born
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/21/christmas-1994

1995 – Memories of Christmas Past – A clip show of highlights Christmas and not
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/12/26/memories-of-christmas-past-1995

1996 – Alan’s betrayal has Amanda in a California jail to be rescued by Roger, Nick McHenry makes a final appearance trying to convince Alex to go back to Europe with them
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/23/christmas-1996

1997 – Michelle is blind, Buzz has amnesia, Dart breaks up over Cassie, 1960s Ed is back
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/22/christmas-1997

1998 – See the Springfield Mall decorated for Christmas, See soap opera style present wrapping, Plus Blen have a nice Christmas, Ross starts to move on with India, Daisy is stirring up trouble, Annie/Terri is drugging Josh, RJ Jessup is born
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/23/christmas-1998

1999 – Buzz tells a Christmas story with miracles for Manny and Bloss, Clarissa Marler is born, plus a formerly paralyzed Selena walks
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/24/christmas-1999

2000 – Jim LeMay is killed in fire started by Christmas Tree, Manny apart while Michelle pregnant with Robbie
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2011/12/25/christmas-2000

2002 – Magical Blizzard, Danny tries to woo back Michelle after playing dead, Tony Santos makes progress winning over his future father-in-law Josh Lewis
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/24/christmas-2002

2003 – Too Many Santas and Bloss Christmas Wedding
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2010/12/27/many-santas-christmas-2003

2007 – Will’s psycho starts to show as he pushes James off stage to get lead in play, he pushes Edmund off balcony, and locks everyone in the Springfield Mall
https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/28/christmas-2007

Christmas Ornaments:

https://glmanny.wordpress.com/2012/12/25/lighthouse-collection-21

Christmas 2007

I don’t have a full episode for 2007, but Christmas celebrations and preparations went on for a lot of the month and I have a good representation of what was going on around Springfield.

That being said, as a word of warning, 2008 was probably the worst year of Guiding Light. While there were always bright spots and couples and the cast was still stellar so many stupid decisions and lost opportunities, pacing problems and budget cuts that always seemed to show on screen producing a product that was so bad that I actually started watching less and if you haven’t figured out by now I was pretty big fan. And most of those problems were already present by December 2007. Watch anyway it makes the comeback the show made in 2009 all the more impressive.

Dinah Marler and A.C. Mallet are a definite bright spot until they are broken up in favor of Marina-Mallet (come on did anybody like them, anybody? – one of the lost opportunities I mentioned). Two broken who souls who were better together, smart, sexy and playful, there is a nice example of them in this. After Dinah was shot saving Mallet’s life, she tried to push him away not wanting to be a burden financially or emotionally. However, now she’s better. Speaking of which Marina Cooper is currently dating charming crook Cyrus Foley who was just starting a campaign that would ultimately have him vying for Reva’s Slut of Springfield title.

While GusH wasn’t one of my favorite couples (I never completely got over him trying to destroy Danny or the way they decided my beloved Phillip had turned devil incarnate when he was only mentally ill), but they definitely had chemistry and a great give and take and a solid relationship. So fans were shocked how what was probably the most solid nuclear family on screen at the time (Gus was an incredible father to Zach and Jude) disintegrated over basically some old remembered feelings and a mistake. Harley basically handed Gus over to Natalia on a silver platter and they are having their first Christmas together and Harley, Zach and Jude are soldiering on alone. However, if that wasn’t enough on Gus’ plate, Olivia has decided she is falling in love with Gus and in sympathy for Olivia’s failing heart condition and with some genuine attraction they also seem to be heading toward couplehood. Meanwhile Gus and Natalia’s son Rafe is involved with one of the very few de-SORASed characters in soap history Daisy-Susan LeMay Cooper. This was the year Daisy got pregnant and had an abortion before telling him which had thrown a major wrench in their relationship. Lizzie had lost Jonathan who first returned to Tammy, and then she believes both Jonathan and their daughter Sarah were killed in a car crash. Although the audience knows they are fine, Lizzie still thinks her daughter is dead.

Remember the Christmas where they were trying to get Johnny Bauer to be the new Guiding Light? An even worst effort at similar end was when Josh suddenly decided 1. He wanted to be married to his wife’s sister. 2. He wanted to be a minister. The resulting Crash likewise surprised and horrified many fans. Will was the son that Cassie and Richard adopted after she miscarried their child. While Edmund was trying to win Cassie he back he stirred up trouble over the custody, expecting that he could swoop in and fix it playing the hero instead Richard’s half-brother Alonzo quite rightfully wanted his son and sole heir back to learn his princely duties. Unfortunately Will cracked and he’d actually killed his father when he wouldn’t let him return to Cassie even if no one knows that yet. Cassie was racked with guilt which Will ruthlessly exploited to get to do whatever he wanted. Sadly Will is dangerous, in fact murderous as Springfield will soon discover (although he does contribute to the break up of Josh and Cassie so he’s got that going for him). (Seamus Davey-Fitzpatrick, the child actor who also appeared in a contemporary production of The Omen, was incredibly creepy and really is one of those bright points I mentioned, Will was a star turn.)

Cassie in a sort of fit decided to punish Alan for his role in Tammy’s death, by switching the  paternity test on Beth’s unborn baby (which is soon due). Beth had made the final decision to leave Alan behind and divorce him and marry Rick Bauer with whom she’d be having a hot affair (months squashed into a single “Inside the Light” episode) based on the results of the test. However, Alan hasn’t given up on having back Beth and the baby whether he’s the biological father or not. In fact, it looked for awhile that she might flip again and go back to him, but Doris Wolfe intervened and blackmailed Alan into marrying her instead. (Beth Chamberlain offered the best explanation I’ve heard of Beth Raines Spaulding’s behavior during this time, she said basically to Beth if you took Alan and added Rick, you’d basically get Phillip and that’s what all her crazy waffling is about – Phillip was believed dead and really hiding out of the country developing the infection that would ultimately almost kill him in 2009 at this time). Cassie argued repeatedly as she slowly told more people that Alan didn’t deserve another child and as he basically ignored her and she was almost never shown on screen after he got joint custody, point Cassie on that one. Most people don’t know about this secret yet and although it is an unfortunately common occurrence in Springfield, as in any soap town, Cassie actually fears she will be sent to jail because of it.

Note: The Will clips have an extraordinarily loud sound track. You may need to adjust it down.

December 4, 2007

Will’s Christmas Pageant

Cassie is fussing with Will’s costume while he is prepping for the lead in the play.

Hands opening.

Cassie discovers from Beth that James had to drop out of the lead role because he fell of the stage.

Reva confronts Edmund who admits they both know Cassie’s secret.

Reva, Edmund, Cassie, and Josh discuss what’s going to happen to Edmund.

My Comments: I somehow totally missed that the kid Will pushed was James. They kept referring to him pushing a kid, I don’t think they mention it’s James very much.

(Part 1)

Reva was watching over Edmund waiting for transfer of him back to San Cristobel.

Edmund figures out that Will pushed James off the stage to get what he wants, the starring role. Edmund demonstrates why he needs psychiatric help.

My Comments: Josh: “Are you coming?” Reva: “Who me? I never miss church.” Uncontrollable laughter. The sad part is like Richard, I think Edmund does have a lot of good in him. He’s just really, really messed up and needs help. Edmund was right. He was a better husband for Cassie than Josh was. Jeffery lied – what a shock! It’s Jeffery that was evil.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpLb4Lglgt0 (Part 2)

December 5, 2007

Josh and Will prep for the Christmas pageant

Jeffery is potting to murder Edmund for a crime he knows he didn’t commit and Edmund is still the bad guy.

Hands Opening

Everyone comes to the church.  (5:00 Josh’s church)

Pageant starts.

My Comments: I really like Reva’s dress there. So Josh does all this fussing with his robes and then takes them off? RJ so knows that something is wrong with Will. I do appreciate them bringing back A Rev. Ruthledge although they could have done more and not wasted time on this Josh is trying to be a minister stuff. Boy that director sure tried to upstage the kids on stage. Squat woman!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bMPt1s-Dqak (Part 3)

Pageant ends with Will Winslow getting a star curtain.

Edmund, Josh, and Cassie find out that Edmund is going to be tried for Alonzo’s death in a rigged trial.

Josh hesitates, but decides he can be OK with basically agreeing to hush up Edmund’s murder.

Edmund escapes from Jeffery and returns to the church.

Will finds Edmund, but when Edmund sounds like he might go after Cassie, Will takes steps to protect her.

Will pushes Edmund from the balcony.

My Comments: No, Josh, Jeffery NEVER knows what’s he’s doing. I want my federal tax dollars back that were used to train him. Yes, Josh, you never should have involved Jeffery. I think Cassie truly did have a bond with Edmund she didn’t know about this until it was too late.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9mez0cr6Ruc (Part 4)

December 19, 2007

Dinah and Mallet attempt a Christmas reconciliation at the police station.

Dinah comes down to the police station to try to make up with Mallet.

Natalia and Gus Aitoro, Rafe Aitoro and Susan Daisy LeMay Cooper, Cyrus and Marina Cooper, Harley Jude and Zach, all decorate their own Christmas trees in the way they are grouped.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sbSibtyT97g (Part 1)

Dinah and Mallet make love and then decide they have to end their marriage.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKjQ3hoUICc (Part 2 )

December 20, 2007

Will ran away when Josh had him painting chairs at the church. Josh talks to Cassie about it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gvXrBLgqnPw (Part 1)

Buzz and Doris scenes around his mayor win at Company.

My Comments: I really liked it when Doris and Buzz were friends. Sorry that dissolved when the truth about the election came out. Superintendent Chalmers? In Springfield? Is that a Simpsons reference?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DXYhhuwTu-I (Part 2)

December 21, 2007

Cyrus Foley comes to Doris Wolfe for help clearing Marina’s name over corruption charges she faced over his activities.

Doris and Buzz discuss the election and his administration.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDU-anqJxC4 (Part 1)

December 24, 2007

Daisy, Lizzie, and Ashlee hang out and catch up while trapped in the mall. Josh reads the Christmas story (not entirely sure if this is pre or post lock in, my guess is post because traditionally this is near the end of the episode, but not sure.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFaQpKD9nxo (Part 1)

As part of his campaign to get Cassie to himself and break up Josh and Cassie, Will got Josh, Cassie, RJ, and Beth and Alan, Gus and Olivia locked in the mall.

My Comments: Springfield Mall must have the absolutely worst security measures ever. Nice shot of Olivia and Gus by the champagne bottle. Nice shout out that Gus had delivered Jude. He should also be trained in emergency response like that as a cop. Ava and Emma were a great nontraditional sister set.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rewixwwUpWk (Part 2 )

San Cristobel

I sometimes describe places that are in Springfield. I try to illustrate them with appropriate clips.

San Cristobel – San Cristobel was first mentioned when Josh and Reva were getting ready to re-marry and they were looking for places to honeymoon. It was soon brought up again by Danny who mentioned to Michelle that the Santos family kept a house down there. Soon it was a centerpiece of the major summer storyline. It worked well for that, but then they tried to keep it around as a regular location. This caused a semi-permanent split in the cast as the writers desperately sought to have cast interaction when they supposedly were 1000s of miles apart. Eventually the entire country basically fell off the face of the earth, but except for Manny’s get away spot where they could just constantly make love, I don’t think anyone missed any of it.

San Cristobel was an island nation, a principality somewhere in the Caribbean Sea. During it’s initial summer of existence a large part of the cast was taken down to Puerto Rico to do a series of location shots. When San Cristobel looks like a real island, it’s really Puerto Rico. I think that’s where the name comes from because San Cristobel is the name of a fort that’s now a major tourist attraction on the island.

San Cristobel is a small and picturesque country. Still there is a lot of variation within its geography, it ranges from beaches to mountains with a more or less permanent snow pack. Although it  is fairly densely populated, there are still areas wild enough to hide a guerrilla army. It’s economy is based on tourism and is very unstable. The area is also prone to violent earthquakes.

Although it had been a stable principality with a royal family for at least decades, its people were hotblooded and readily came close to the point of being willing to overthrow the government. The twisted nature of the royal family’s family tree caused a lot of the problem. Richard Winslow inherited the title of Crown Prince from his father. He had a younger brother Edmund and married an amnesiac American woman who turned out to be Reva Shayne and then later married her half-sister Cassie. (As Mannyacs sighed in relief and made an allegiance of necessity with Rassie fans, anything to keep Cassie’s claws out of Danny as Laura Wright wanted.) However, it was revealed through a long unspooling of story that Richard and Edmund’s father had an affair. The product of which was Richard. The father wanted to favor this child of his mistress over that with his wife so he told his wife that his child with her died and replaced it with the mistress’ child (who was Richard). The child with the wife was thought dead and a baby coffin was even buried, but later it turned out it had instead been put up for adoption. When Richard discovered this, as he was born on the wrong side of the blankets, he was no longer morally or legally heir to the throne. He realized his brother, make that half-brother, Edmund was too unstable to rule. That led Richard to overturn the government and declare a republic and then run for President. He won, but many people wanted a return to the monarchy. Some fought with Edmund to reclaim the country. When the child of the old Crown Prince and his wife was discovered to really be alive and in a local fishing village, the people reunited behind him, restoring the monarchy.  This effectively cut all Springfield ties there except Richard, Edmund, Olivia, and (Richard and Reva’s child) Jonathan who all eventually more or less permanently moved to Springfield. (I know, but trust me that is the short version.) At that point San Cristobel more or less vanished, although the former Santos summer house was purchased by the Spauldings and still made one or two guest appearances (for example Jizzie “honeymooned” there) and there were occasional shout outs to the country mostly having to do with the custody of Cassie and Richard’s adopted child Will and Edmund’s temporary incarceration.

Danny brings Michelle into the Santos vacation home in San Cristobel.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4N36e2u9xA&feature=related

Manny meet Jeva at a restaurant in San Cristobel just after 5:00 see Puerto Rico standing in as San Cristobel when Josh and Reva are arrested
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vfgZbBagdfY&feature=PlayList&p=F6D180793863A590&index=78

More of the Santos vacation home during the Reva Rescue Ranger storyline (again this is Puerto Rico when they are outside)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5huKcWRO9ag&feature=related

Bauer BBQ 2008

Rick and Jude Bauer, BBQ 2008

If it wasn’t the intention of TPTB to zero out the central Bauer family, they did a pretty dang smash up job of doing exactly that anyway. This was the second year in a row where the Bauer BBQ wasn’t even held at the Bauer House. Maybe that’s why Rick seems so out of it in his planning in 2009? Maybe he was out of practice?

Anyway during the Bauer BBQ in 2007, Beth (who thought she was pregnant with Rick’s child via their pretty hot affair while he was married to Mel – wish they hadn’t rushed through so much of it in one “Inside the Light” episode) impulsively married Rick. Their marriage fell apart over two big problems. 1. Rick had found out that Beth’s daughter, the future Peyton Spaulding, wasn’t his (Cassie changed the paternity results to keep the child away from Alan, partly from revenge for Tammy and partly because she believed Alan was a danger to it) and didn’t tell Beth. 2. Beth really never got over Phillip. Rick was never enough. Beth wanted Phillip & the closest she could get was adding Rick & Alan (which when you think about it would be pretty darn close to Phillip) so she waffles back and forth trying to have both for quite awhile. Her next attempt at romance would be with a young writer who made her feel secure, Coop Cooper (anybody else still sensing the not really over Phillip yet pattern in that?).

Lizzie’s comment to Alan about Gus is because while Gus is dead Alan thinks he’s been getting messages from him. He uses his “powers” for good and to raise capital. However, it is later revealed that it was really a medical issue that almost killed him. Alan falling down the basement steps is a further symptom of this illness.

Cash are tiptoeing around each other as they try to get over serious arguments about life decisions Cassie has been making. However, what she really needs is serious counseling over Tammy’s death and what she allowed to happen to Will and how her decisions impacted her sister. Lacking that their marriage never stood a chance. Ironically the true love of Cassie’s life, Richard, denied this very help to his brother Edmund which is why Edmund spent the last 10 years tormenting Springfield.

They threw us a Bauer bone though. I appreciate the call at the beginning from Ed and Rick sending his love to Danny, Michelle, and the kids. They really did do a good job implying Rick spent a lot of his time off camera in California spoiling Robbie and Hope rotten, teaching Robbie magic tricks, and using Hope as an excuse to still do childish things.

Dinah had arranged to take over Spaulding Enterprises and the Spaulding Mansion as part of an elaborate plan to get revenge on Alan and to prove that she wasn’t somebody to be pitied after she recovered from the brain damage she received taking a bullet to save Mallet’s life. She turned it all over to Bill who kicked the Spauldings out even though he was strongly drawn to Lizzie. He was ambitiously trying to run for Governor with his “perfect” family. The day before was Bava’s wedding. Lizzie told him right before the ceremony that the child Ava was carrying wasn’t his. Ava slept with Bill, Remy one time, and visited a fertility clinic. Once the baby is born it is clearly Remy’s.

I don’t remember why the Spauldings are living in Harley’s house, except they were kicked out of the Spaulding Mansion by Dinah Marler and TPTB didn’t want to have to build another set. I don’t remember what the official excuse was. Harley was on the run with Rafe (Gus’s long lost son) after Rafe, in what can only be described as a fit, shot Jeffery O’Neill for blackening his father’s name (which he wasn’t doing). They are currently hiding in Greece.

Watch for a few scenes of Rick actually parenting Jude. Blink and you might miss them. After the years we spent watching Rick yearn for a child to carry on his special relationship with Bert. Did these writers ever, you know, ever actually watch the show? (Shakes head.)

Why would Gus want the Spauldings at the BAUER BBQ? Gus’s relationship with the Bauers was love-hate at best. Danny he eventually settled down to a prickly friendly-ish relationship, but Michelle didn’t like him, Rick hated him, and Meta isn’t there. Phillip would have wanted his family at the BBQ, but I think Gus would have been happier to have them at a Cubs game.

Also, listen to Mallet’s speech which is a good one although I don’t know why he’s the one who’s making it. They really thought Mallet was the person to make that annual speech. Mallet? Really? Even Josh made more sense and Rick was freaking standing RIGHT THERE!

I didn’t catch that the first time. Cassie and Marina both made cherry pies (nobody made Bert’s apple pie this year?) and Mallet totally dissed Marina saying how great Cassie’s was. That was worth watching right there! I got so sick of them trying to push Mallet and his GODDAUGHTER/WIFE Marina down our throats. Next comes Bizzie-Bava tension, Rick and Beth starting to make up, and some pretty darn explicit Lillibuzz.

The complete episode link below is much clearer and has some additional scenes (and includes the phone call from Ed, with a Manny reference), but I left the multi-part version I found first in case the shorter clumps were easier for anyone to watch.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6kDouByDapo (Complete Episode – Digital copy)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DKWC1pUD0Vw&feature=related (Part 1)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsj-9XGsF7g&feature=related (Part 2)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jfRMddgsCHI&feature=related (Part 3)