Kaleidoscope

1997 was an interesting time in the history of GL. In previous entries for this blog, I've described various points as " transition periods" for the show and it now occurs to me that, the ever-changing soap animal being what it is, virtually any era of the show can be described as a "transition period." Maybe it's just easier to apply the term to periods for which the transition was difficult or conspicuous.

Barbara Esensten and James Harmon Brown held the headwriting reins at GL from 1997 to 2000. This was between writing THE CITY into its cancelation and writing PORT CHARLES into its cancelation-- not the most inspiring track record in the world, but not automatically cause for damnation.

Kaleidoscope, taken from December of 1997, falls within this period and is marked by an off-putting lack of gray areas in the characters (the proof in the Esensten/Brown pudding!). You'll see "bad guys" Annie, Dinah, and Beth costumed in tight black clothing. You'll see "good guys" Harley, Reva, Blake, and Cassie perpetrating all manner of affronts against the "bad guys" just because they can and because the writing tells us that we're supposed to root for the appointed "white hats," regardless what heinous acts they commit (What Harley does to Nola toward the end of this set had my blood boiling!).

Kaleidoscope is so named because of its changing focus. It presents a nearly panoramic view of the Springfield of 1997. The featured storylines are Jenna's pregnancy by Jeffrey Morgan and it's effect on Nola's pursuit of amnesiac Buzz; Harley's out of control jealousy and insecurity over newly returned Beth's connection to Phillip; Dinah's frantic attempts to hold onto waffling, fickle Hart; and Annie's pursuit of a new life to replace the one that Reva destroyed.

I especially like the look that this clipset provides at Annie. Cynthia Watros provides delight upon delight as we remember Annie separately from her more famous and angst-filled moments and see more of the day-to-day Annie that Watros made into a constant source of comedic pleasure. The way Watros leaps into a scene (or even a small moment) and devours it whole with a greedy and very Annie-like voracity is quite stunning and very simply Annie!

Kaleidoscope segues nicely into two clipsets which I put up prior to the inception of this blog and I include them here to provide viewers with a continuation of the stories.

Kaleidoscope--

clip 1a (previously posted) , clip 1 , clip 2 , clip 3 , clip 4 , clip 5 , clip 6

clip 7 , clip 8 , clip 9 , clip 10 , clip 11 , clip 12 , clip 13 , clip 14

____________________________________________________

Severance--

(this comes right out of Kaleidoscope and takes Phillip, Beth, Harley, and Annie from Christmas to New Year's)

clip 1 , clip 2 , clip 3 , clip 4 , clip 5 , clip 6 , clip 7 , clip 8

Alan & Annie's wedding day--

(from January of 1998: Reva, Cassie, and Harley decide it might be fun to destroy another wedding. Remember these are the "good guys"!)

clip 1 , clip 2 , clip 3 , clip 4 , clip 5

That's all for now. Be here next week for trip back to 1986 and wedding of Reva and Kyle!

---ivnkplng