Another reason why I'm watching daytime soaps less and less-preposterous plots that insult the intelligence of the viewer
Charles I couldn't agree w/you more! I was RABID about GH and Guiding Light when I was a kid, started watching GL in '76 right through to the late 80's early 90's I guess. Would switch between GH and GL back then, no VCR''s waaahh! I also was really into ATWT for a while in high school and AMC, OLTL, RH, Loving/The City and Capitol too.
But like you, I got tired of basically being talked down to w/the more and more ridiculous plots and straying from established canon! On GL for example, they decided in the early 80's that the character of Mike Bauer was a former fighter pilot since the actor portraying him, Don Stewart, had been himself. 'Mike Bauer' never served ONE DAY in the military if you look over the show's history! If they wanted to have the character fly a plane for dramatics and the actor was willing and able to fly said plane, then have the character take flying lessons for god's sake! Sheesh! Don't say he's an ex military guy when clearly he wasn't.
Anyway, I'm straying too far off topic so I'll come back to DS, LOL! Yes, DS is over the top, far-fetched, preposterous (sp?), campy at times and strays from established canon too (pre-1795 story to 1795 and post-1795 story), but it's *DS*! We KNOW the very concept of the show is a little silly and unbelievable. I like what Jonathan said in one interview (Casting Shadows I think it was) where he said there was a time when he had to say a line about going back in time, I think to save Vickie, and he was trying to figure out how, as an actor, he was going to 'sell' to the audience this preposterous idea of not only going back through time, but how VITAL it was that he/Barnabas do it. He decided to put into his mind how hard it was in Barnabas' time to travel say to the Far East and how dangerous and long a trip would be. He sort of compared the two so that he, in his mind, could make it believable for us.
One more stray OT, I have become ADDICTED to YouTube and have watched many wonderful scenes from the 70's and 80's of GL and other soaps. I highly reccommend cousins checking out YouTube for your favorite old soaps. There's lots of DS stuff on there too, like most, if not all, of the DS Addicts wonderful music videos!
And of course, my FAVE DS-themed video "Brokeback Shadows"!