Nancy dies, and John returns
It has been one of the most dramatic weeks we have seen in a long time in Oakdale and my thoughts throughout all of this -- it's almost over. Nancy Hughes dies then the truth about Chris's illness hits the family. I have to say this was such a great acting week for Kathryn Hays as Kim and Terri Columbino as Katie. This is the type of storytelling I think we have been asking for as we get to the last three weeks of shows.
The Death of Nancy Hughes
I've read that Helen Wagner did not want a major fuss on the show when she passed away, so the death of Nancy Hughes was not an elaborate as it could have been. I think that it was done well. It was very heartfelt and you could see the emotion of the actors as they spoke of Nancy. I especially enjoyed the clips shown -- I have seen many clips from the past over the years and some were new to me. It was great to see a lot of the love between Nancy and Chris.
As I watched this, it was heartbreaking to know that holiday celebrations that were so big for the Hughes family were things that have been dropped in the last few years. To hear mentions of Susan -- the daughter that Nancy lost -- and her second husband, Dan McCloskey, was nice. I think Lucinda put it best when she looked at Nancy's picture and made a remark along the lines of "why now?" signifying in some ways "why leave us so close to the end of the show?"
I think there should have been some mention of other Hughes family members who could not be there: her other children, Donald and Penny; her grandchildren; great-grandchildren; or even some her best friends like Ellen Stewart. Have they been notified?
The Return of John Dixon
John Dixon roared back into town and it seemed as if he had never left. To have John back in these last few weeks as he is there to doctor on Chris, be there for Kim and Bob, and rekindle things with Lucinda will be a fitting ending for a character sorely missed. Dr John, like Dr. Reid Oliver, creates drama just by being in any scene.
As I think about John Dixon, he got around town with the ladies: Kim, Barbara, Lisa, Susan, Emma, Carly, and Lucinda, to name a few; most of those ladies were at the candlelight ceremony.
If the show were not ending, it would have been a good story if John and Reid were discovered to be long-lost father and son. To watch these two together, the similarities were definitely there.
Chris Needs a Heart
No sooner had his grandmother been buried, the truth of illness is revealed, which adds even more sadness for the Hughes family. Kim is so devastated that she could lose her son, and Katie is unable to handle the fact that she could lose another loved one so soon after Brad and Nancy. The drama of this situation hit hard while I watched his family deal with the possibility of losing him -- those scenes of them trying to revive him hit too close to home for me right now.
Watching Katie struggle with her loss issues and Kim doing what she does best by being straight with her were some of the best dramatic scenes in a long while. To see Kathryn Hays bring it in that Kim way: the strong mother who doesn't mince words was worth saving and watching again and again.
Dr. Reid Oliver
Dr. Oliver has come so far from the brash guy he was when he first came to town; now he sincerely cares about the people he once battled with. I have enjoyed watching his growth as a character without him losing his edge. I was happy hear him profess his love to Luke.
I am sure the softening of character has come from him being roommates with Katie and getting romantically closer to Luke. I hate that he is being sacrificed at the end; why couldn't the heart come from an insignificant character like Blackie or Gabriel?
From the previews, it looks like Katie and Chris will have a happy ending, so why couldn't Luke and Reid? Even in Chris's sickly state, he and Katie were able to consummate their relationship, and Luke and Reid have not.
Let's see what some readers have to say:
Dorothy said, "I have watched the show from the beginning when I would go to my grandma's and we had to be quiet so that Mom and grandma could watch the show. I have watched it faithfully for the past 57 years. I love the show and will miss it terribly. I am glad to see the storyline to be about the family coming together in the end. That is what this story has always been about. Don't need all the hoopla; just everyone coming together to end the story as the family it always has been. I will miss the show terribly."
Sher said, "I am saddened by the end of ATWT. I started watching it when Lily was sneaking off to the stables to see Holden. I remember going to school and Holden and Lily begin the talk of the lunch table. (As well as Morgan and Kelly on GL) I wish the original Lily was back -- but the current one is holding her own. I would love to see characters like James S, and Betsy and Steve -- the characters I remember really caring about return. But thanks ATWT for making me and all my friends wish we were Lily."
Sandra said, "I am mourning the loss of ATWT already. I think Jack and Carly would be great as a modern day Hart to Hart show. I am glad that I will at least get to see Maura on Y&R."
Diane said, "It is beyond sad that ATWT is ending after a long, and for many, many years, successful run. The "end times" have been an insult to the viewers. The writers (I use the term loosely) have pummeled us with ridiculous, inane stories and unbelievable character development for the last year or more. We deserved and do deserve better. ATWT has an excellent core cast....we did not need the likes of Liberty and Gabriel. The gifted actors/actresses were short-changed with bizarre stories and incredibly bad dialogue. Congratulations, you inept crew of "scribblers", you killed a great Soap and paved the way for another inane, boring reality show or talk show."
Deb said, "I'm just so sad that ATWT is going off the air; and I can't imagine what it will be like when I come home from work and don't have the tape to watch. I've watched ATWT for 35 years or so....my mother started watching before I did...around 1960; for so many years we enjoyed discussing it together. I will not watch any other soaps--ATWT is the only one I have ever watched, in part because of the connection with my mother. I will miss ATWT -- it's still hard to believe that it's almost over."
Betty said, "Words will never be able to truly describe the horrible nightmare on which I am witnessing that is the end of As the World Turns. It saddens me everyday that the people in charge and the writers chose to ignore the VERY people who watched, supported and held vigils for this show and made it what it was (back in the day). WHY must we have our last days filled with pathetic storylines about
people that have been in town merely minutes? Helen Wagner was the glue that held us together and for her memory, along with the memory of the families of Oakdale be misplaced for a stupid and bitter drunk or some idiotic Mobster threatening people is BEYOND me! We found out just a few months ago that it will end and we are not focusing on what made ATWT the best. After Doug Marland died, we lost any connection to our past. Without a past, we can have no future and we are left with sad and pathetic storylines instead of giving is what we want and that is the Hughes, Snyders, Stewarts and all of the people that gave us a life we lived to watch. I will miss ATWT as I grew up watching it with my Mother and it is another reminder that she is gone when the world stops turning. RIP As the World Turns, you were the highlight of my day.
Finally, it's just two more weeks and Oakdale will be no more. This week brought the drama that kept me watching for all these years. With all of the lead time, I am still not ready to give up this show -- as many other people have written to me; it will indeed leave a void in my life too. I will also miss being able to give my thoughts in this column and receive comments from readers who are as passionate about the show as I am. Let's hope the last two weeks are done in a way that most characters are given a proper farewell.
That's all I have for now.
Reggie Jackson
Two Scoops is an opinion column. The views expressed are not designed to be indicative of the opinions of Soap Central or its advertisers. The Two Scoops section allows our Scoop staff to discuss what might happen and what has happened, and to share their opinions on all of it. They stand by their opinions and do not expect others to share the same point of view.
