But Neilsen, by it's own admission, does not include TIVO viewers who might save the show for a weekend marathon.
I don't know about daytime shows because I've never seen that specifically stated, but DVR viewing has been measured for primetime since January of 2006 (though the numbers come out separately) and is factored in so long as shows are viewed within 7 days of their actual airing. (Some primetime shows even tout their online viewing.)
One possible explanation for the change in plotting could have to do with the availability of David Henesy, who went to live with his dad during this period. Tad is in Boston through much of 1840 though he was originally to have been a major character.
Very true. There are several topics on the forum that discuss how the unavailability of David Henesy necessitated that the writers make last minute changes to what they had originally planned for Tad in 1840, And such last minute changes happen all the time on all the soaps. Writers can plan ahead all they want - but when real life intervenes, there's not much to do but rework the story with what you've still got available to you.
As much as some may complain about the reworking between 1970 and 1840, though, that pales in comparison to the reworking between 1967 and 1795. And in that case the fact that Joshua made up his own history can certainly explain away the written accounts, but it most certainly doesn't explain away Barnabas' version of events. But as I was saying just the other day, soaps rewrite their history all the time. It's not usually as blatant as it was between 1967 and 1795 because the rewriting usually takes place years after the fact - but it's a tried and true practice.
(Of course, another tried and true soap practice is eventually having enemies fall in love, which relates directly to Barnabas' declaration of love for Angelique. But we've discussed that soap practice at length in a few different topics on the forum, so I won't go into it again here. No doubt a search should bring those topics up.
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It wasn't so much Quentin's release from the room that kick started his haunting because he was already communicating with the "children" before they found the room. I believe that what started his haunting was Amy's arrival, same as for Hallie.
Exactly.
I think the idea of a ghost room is endlessly fascinating.
Yes, that was one of the more inventive parts of the Summer of '70.