I"m not surprised that "Passions" is going at all, and from what I've heard, "Guiding Light" is hanging on by a thread, soon to end its run. Perhaps the soap opera genre really is nearing the end of its life. After all, these "serials" started out on radio. Maybe they just can't sustain a life of their own anymore.

Someone mentioned "All My Children." I have watched that since its inception. However, it's been maddening lately with some of its "out-there"storylines, such as Josh Madden being this miracle baby of Susan Lucci's character, Erica, and her first husband, Jeff. Way back when, Erica was the first character on a soap opera to have a legal abortion. Oh, but turns out now, years and years later, her evil gyno, Greg Madden, absconded with the fetus, implanted it into his own wife -- and voila! -- baby Josh (now a hunk of a man, by the way), biological son of Erica and Jeff. I mean, puh-leeze!

As far as Liz goes and her giving up a baby to be raised in an orphanage, I consider that plausible BECAUSE of her stature in the community. Assuming she had an affair and got pregnant, she would avoid disgrace and scandal by doing that. Of course, it really is just an assumption.

I probably should have made that clearer this time around.

Worldvision owns the original DS episodes, but DCP has the Intellectual Property rights to DS. Like Darren and I have said, that means any deals to syndicate the original eps have to go through Worldvision. However, any deal to make a new DS or license any sort of merchandising has to go through DCP.

There are actually several topics on the forum that explain all this. 

Thanks for the clarification. It makes sense now to me. I'm still hoping here, though.

Well, I emailed Jim Pierson about this possible outlet for DS (the original), and his response wasn't particularly encouraging. He said that, more and more, vintage TV shows, those prior to the 1970s, aren't being shown, not even on TVLand for the most part. He said that DVD has basically replaced the airing of these vintage shows. However, he said it couldn't hurt for fans to get in touch with NBC/Universal to request DS be shown on Chiller.

I have to disagree here, Buzz. I think Jason did know more than he cared to reveal. After all, he was a friend of Paul Stoddard's (birds of a feather!). Paul would have confided in him about Vicki's relation to the family, if there was one (I'm of the opinion she was Liz's daughter, but that's been debated to death). Anyway, it would be just like the vindictive, spiteful Jason to tease her with this knowledge and leave her hanging.

Thanks, Midnite. I'm keeping my fingers crossed on this one.

I keep trying, in vain so far, to get a good look at what's on the very top of the box - it almost looks like Arabic script, but that seems unlikely.

I've been puzzling over that myself -- what kind of script was that. I suppose they deliberately didn't show it so as not to destroy the "mystery" of it.

Did I see the Petofi box, or just the box I keep mistaking for the Petofi box?

Great catch, Magnus -- yes, that is the Petofi box, and it will be popping up pretty often in all sorts of places before it officially becomes the repository for his hand. It's kind of like that awfully ugly, "traveling" afghan that wound up all over the place!