This year, I was introduced to the television show, Miss Scarlet and The Duke, a mystery program airing as part of the PBS Masterpiece collection. While I have enjoyed watching the show, I believe it’s missing one person; Stefan “Princ” Zdravković. For those who don’t know, Stefan “Princ” Zdravković is a musical artist who tried to represent Serbia’s delegation of Eurovision by competing in the delegation’s national contest, Pesma za Evroviziju (also known as PZE). The more I watched Miss Scarlet and The Duke, the more I saw how Stefan “Princ” Zdravković could appear on the show. Therefore, I am presenting four key reasons why he should appear on Miss Scarlet and The Duke! Before I share my reasons, I want to give a reminder how any decisions about whether Stefan “Princ” Zdravković appears on the show are up to Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team and Stefan “Princ” Zdravković himself, who I will be referring to as “Princ” throughout this editorial. Though I am aware the show is changing its name to Miss Scarlet from season five and onward, I will continue to call the program Miss Scarlet and The Duke in this article.
Pictures of Stefan “Princ” Zdravković found in the videos, ‘Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023’ and ‘PRINC – Cvet sa Istoka (INTERVIEW) // Pesma za Evroviziju 2023 // Serbia Eurovision 2023’ by the Youtube channels, wiwibloggs and eurovoxx. Images of Miss Scarlet and the Duke found on IMDB and created by Element 8 Entertainment, A+E Studios, 87 Films, Alibi Channel, and Public Broadcasting Service (PBS)
Recruiting Local Talent
Since season two, Miss Scarlet and The Duke has filmed in Serbia. This decision has caused the show’s creative team to build their story’s world from scratch. According to the Executive Producer, Patty Lenahan Ishimoto, “Basically what ended up happening was we just built London. Anything that we couldn’t find, we built”. The decision to film in Serbia has also provided opportunities for Serbians to get involved with the program, either in front of the camera or behind it. Princ is from Serbia, specifically from Vranje. If he were to appear on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, he would receive an opportunity to, essentially, work within his own backyard. If any episodes were filmed on location, such as (for example) a part of the story taking place around Vranje’s White Bridge, Princ may also work in an environment he’s familiar with.
Miss Scarlet and The Duke will soon embark on its fifth season. During the show’s four-year lifespan, a fanbase from both the U.K. and the U.S. has been garnered, with the show providing reasons for the audience to return. But Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team are not the only ones with built-in enthusiasm. When Princ competed in PZE last March, he not only qualified for PZE’s Final, he ended up receiving second place. Princ even received more televote points than Luke Black, the artist who was chosen to represent Serbia at Eurovision. To put Princ’s score into perspective, he acquired a higher score at last year’s PZE Final than Konstrakta did at this year’s PZE Final. For those who don’t know, Konstrakta represented Serbia at Eurovision in 2022. She qualified for Eurovision’s Grand Final, where she received fifth place. Going into 2024’s edition of PZE, Konstrakta had more name-recognition and built-in enthusiasm than Princ did in 2023. In his interview with the Youtube channel, Wiwibloggs, Princ said “I’m probably more famous in Bulgaria, actually, right now”. But, as I previously mentioned, Princ’s score in the PZE Final was higher than Konstrakta’s. He also obtained more televote points than Konstrakta, not only in PZE’s Final, but in the contest’s Semi-Finals as well. These numbers present an example of how there are people, including myself, who would be enthusiastic if Princ appeared on Miss Scarlet and The Duke.
In this chart of the PZE Final scores from 2023 and 2024, I highlight each competitor’s televote points, which were received from the audience. Also highlighted are Princ’s and Konstrakta’s overall scores in the PZE Final. PZE scores found on the website, Eurovision World.
This chart highlights the televote scores from Princ’s and Konstrakta’s semi-finals in PZE. Semi-Final scores found on the website, Eurovision World.
Work With What You’ve Got
In Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s second episode from season two, ‘The Black Moth’, William ‘The Duke’ Wellington, one of the show’s protagonists, tells Eliza Scarlet, the show’s other protagonist, to “use what you have to your advantage” in order to stand out as London’s only female detective. William’s advice could also be given to Princ if he appeared on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as he possesses skills, talents, and attributes that would work in his favor. Like I have mentioned in this editorial, Princ is a musical artist. He not only has versatile singing vocals, he is also a talented guitarist. Perhaps he could perform a song in an episode or create a song for the show. Princ is also a marital artist with a black belt in karate. Marital arts have, so far, not been incorporated onto Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as fist-fighting and boxing have been the only fighting styles included in the show’s action scenes. Featuring martial arts in Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s story would bring something new to the show’s table as well as provide Princ with material to work with, as he would master the fight choreography. Miss Scarlet and The Duke establishes a world where characters with tattoos exist. When examining a specific tattoo in the first season’s second episode, ‘The Woman in Red’, Eliza says about the tattoo “It gave insight to a person’s past. Perhaps a badge of belonging like to the Navy or a quiet rebellion hidden on one’s body for one’s eyes only”. Princ has several tattoos on his arms, including one on his left forearm that appears to be a series of pine/Christmas trees. The inclusion of, at least, one of Princ’s tattoos in the show’s story could be used to serve a character’s backstory or symbolize a MacGuffin/clue. However, this specific idea is dependent on if Princ is comfortable with his real-life tattoos being incorporated onto the show.
In this photo, I point out the tattoo I referenced in this editorial. Photo found in the video, ‘Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023’ by Youtube channel, wiwibloggs
Steps Toward Eurovision
In some of his interviews, Princ has expressed a desire to compete in Eurovision. He said in his interview with Youtuber, Alesia Michelle, “I actually visualized myself winning Eurovision as a kid”. While you’re reading my editorial, you’re probably wondering, “If Princ wants to go to Eurovision, why would he spend his time working on Miss Scarlet and The Duke? What does one have to do with the other?” Miss Scarlet and The Duke broadcasts on Alibi, a U.K. channel owned by BBC Studios. BBC is the official broadcaster of the U.K. delegation of Eurovision. Princ is affiliated with the Serbian delegation of Eurovision through his participation in PZE. If he still desires to compete in Eurovision, Princ could use these connections, as well as his experience appearing on Miss Scarlet and The Duke, as a networking opportunity to get one step closer to Eurovision. This could be achieved by either finding people who could lead him in the right direction toward the song contest or by meeting people who could become vital members of his technical/artistic team. For example, Princ could collaborate with someone from Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s cinematography department to create a music video or figure out the most optimal camera angles for a live performance. Another example is Princ could receive advice from the show’s wardrobe department to achieve the most photogenic appearance for not only a live performance, but for other Eurovision related events, such as the Turquoise Carpet.
I’ve made it a habit on 18 Cinema Lane to try to give more underrated people, characters, films, and topics their “standing ovation” because, according to Auggie from Wonder, “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. But, as I said in April, in order for a “standing ovation” to take place, the person in question has to want it. Based on what I’ve observed, Princ is working toward that “standing ovation”. He’s even willing to deal with rejection and disappointment to make that “standing ovation” a reality. Princ could receive his “standing ovation” by appearing on Miss Scarlet and The Duke. It’s a situation where those involved with the program, including the fans, would benefit as well. In his interview with Alesia Michelle, when asked if he knew any of the fellow competitors of 2023’s PZE, Princ replied “So I think that, uh, supporting each other is very important”. Through this editorial, I’m hoping someone, either from Miss Scarlet and The Duke’s creative team or even a Eurovision delegation, recognizes Princ’s talent as well as his potential for success and provides him with the support to not only make his dreams come true, but to also finally give Princ his “standing ovation”!
Imagine: You’ve been introduced to an actor while watching a popular television show. Impressed by their performance, you go to IMDB and look through their filmography. There, you discover this actor starred on a now defunct soap opera. You know soap operas aren’t as accessible as traditional tv shows due to the frequent release of episodes. So, you do the next best thing: go to the internet to learn more about the character the actor portrayed on the soap opera. But this proves to be trickier than you expected. Whichever website you go to, there is barely any information available. In fact, there’s so little information, it seems like this character doesn’t exist. You know this character does exist, as the character’s name and list of their episodes is featured on the actor’s IMDB filmography. So, why is it near impossible to learn more about the character in question?
Between 1956 and 2010, As the World Turns followed several families. One of those families was the Walsh family, a collection of some of the wealthier characters on the show. As the title of this article suggests, a character named Bianca eventually joined the Walsh family. But as this article’s introduction suggests, finding information about Bianca was near impossible. On websites like Soap Central and As The World Turns Wiki, Bianca’s name is listed, but she doesn’t have her own page. In an article about Lucinda Walsh from the website, Soap Hub, the only time Bianca is mentioned is when the article states Lucinda took Bianca in. Unfortunately, the article doesn’t explain why Bianca was taken in by Lucinda. Through extensive, thorough research, I was able to learn more about Bianca by discovering many archived episodes of As the World Turns on Youtube! From these episodes, I will try to solve these four interconnected mysteries:
Who is Bianca Marquez Walsh?
What is Bianca’s story?
How is Bianca connected to the Walsh family?
Why did Bianca leave Oakdale?
As the World Turns title card created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS. ‘Who is Bianca Marquez Walsh?: An As the World Turns Mystery’ image created by Sally Silverscreen
B.O. – Before Oakdale
As the World Turns is primarily set in the Illinois town of Oakdale. But there were times when the story took place in locations beyond the borders of the show’s fictional town. One of these locations was a Central American country called Montega. Some of the show’s characters were from Montega, including Bianca. Her story begins in Montega, with her parents working as servants for a man named Antonio Reyes. Growing up, Bianca grew close to Antonio’s wife, Sierra. She was allowed to play with Sierra’s dolls and even turned to Sierra when her kitten was hurt. As years went on, a war broke out. Since Antonio and Sierra fought in the early days of the war, they were seen by fellow Montegans, including Bianca, as heroes. With the war raging on, Bianca lost her family, even her brother, Pedro, who fought in the war alongside Sierra. Antonio’s reputation and Bianca’s loss of family created the perfect storm for Bianca to become sponsored by Antonio and join him in the United States in the spring of 1988.
Bianca and Sierra reminiscing over their shared past in Montega. Screenshot from the Youtube channel, Oakdalian. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
1989 – Oakdale Welcomes Bianca
In the previous paragraph, I stated that Bianca came to the United States in the spring of 1988. Wikipedia claims Karina Arroyave, the actress who originally portrayed Bianca, made her debut on As the World Turns in late 1988. However, on Karina’s IMDB filmography, Bianca made her first appearance in 1989. According to As the World Turns’ archived episodes from 1988, Bianca is not featured. In fact, one of the show’s major stories focuses on Lien Hughes’ introduction, as she debuted on As the World Turns on February 2nd, 1988. Based on the available episodes, Bianca’s earliest known appearance took place on July 17th, 1989, the day after Karina’s 20th birthday. However, the first known reference of Bianca happened on May 26th, 1989. In this episode, Lucinda, the matriarch of the Walsh family, learns from Antonio her daughter, Lily, has traveled to Montega to look for her missing sister, Sierra. Antonio starts saying “Bianca had no right to–”, then followed that up with “According to Bianca, Lily said she didn’t have much more to live for. She would sacrifice her own life to find Sierra”. Before making her first known appearance on July 17th, Bianca was referenced again on the July 13th, 1989 episode. In this episode, two employees of a business firm named Emily and Paul talk about a charity ball that will take place that night. Emily asks Paul “Is Bianca looking forward to it?”, with Paul responding “I guess so”. Because Antonio is out of town, Paul wasn’t able to ask his permission to take Bianca to the event, which makes Paul concerned. With the way Bianca is referenced in these aforementioned episodes and even how characters interact with Bianca at the charity ball in the July 17th episode, Bianca’s introduction, as well as her existence, has already been acknowledged. This leads me to believe Bianca’s earliest days in Oakdale either took place off-screen or happened in an unarchived episode.
As I previously stated in this article, Antonio sponsored Bianca, which led her to come to the United States. At the start of her story in the show’s 1989 season, Bianca resided in Antonio’s penthouse apartment. While there, she receives her education from a tutor. Antonio also gives her clothes and a roof over her head. But the longer Bianca stays at Antonio’s apartment, the more she discovers things aren’t as they seem. Antonio repeatedly reminds Bianca not to share the origins of a wedding ring he claims is Sierra’s. When Bianca questions the legitimacy of the ring, Antonio tells her “I know you have doubts about that ring, about whether Sierra is alive. But you have to keep those doubts to yourself. If you were to share them with Craig and Lucinda now, it would be very bad. It would destroy their faith in me and worse yet, their belief that Sierra is alive.” Eventually, Antonio hires multiple security guards and even forbids Bianca from seeing Paul, who became one of her first friends. Antonio justifies these measures by telling Bianca that it’s “for your own protection”. Confused by these protective measures, Bianca asks “I thought we were safe in America”, to which Antonio replies, “It’s not only in Montega that people live in fear”. After a bodyguard named Walters was found dead at Antonio’s apartment building and believing a criminal named James was contacting Antonio, Bianca ran away to the Earl Mitchell Center, where Bianca then resided.
While staying at the Earl Mitchell Center, Bianca appears to be thriving. She’s making friends, such as a young man who is referred to as “Hey You”, and enjoying herself at the Center’s Halloween party. However, a dark storm cloud looms just around the corner. After learning Paul killed James in self- defense, Bianca is questioned by police about Antonio’s connection to James. Even though James never entered Antonio’s apartment, Bianca recalls seeing James’ picture in the pocket of one of Antonio’s security guards. Meanwhile, Antonio claims Bianca’s brother, Pedro, may still be alive. Even though she’s now residing at the Earl Mitchell Center, Bianca still relies on Antonio for any information from Montega, with her claiming, “You’re my only source, Senor Tonio”. Despite Antonio continuously reassuring Bianca Pedro may be living, Lucinda and Craig come to the Center to tell Bianca Pedro actually passed away. This news is later reconfirmed by Sierra when Bianca and Antonio go to Montega to learn of Pedro’s fate.
After sharing the sad news of Pedro’s death with Bianca, Lucinda is troubled by Bianca’s situation. Desperate to help Bianca out, Lucinda decides to adopt her. When Lucinda and her lawyer, Ambrose, propose the idea to Bianca, Bianca at first believes Lucinda wants to adopt her to work in the kitchen at the Walsh house. Lucinda clarifies how she wants to adopt Bianca as her daughter. Initially, Bianca tells Lucinda, “Senora, thank you, I’m so grateful. But I-I’m not worthy to be your daughter. My-My mother was a servant to-to people like you”. But after thinking the decision over, enough convincing from Lucinda, and discovering Antonio was giving her false hope about Pedro, Bianca eventually accepts Lucinda’s adoption offer. By the end of the 1989 season, Bianca is caught in a whirlwind. She not only testifies in Paul’s trial, she also moves into the Walsh house. Bianca then experiences her first Christmas and New Year’s in Oakdale.
Bianca being questioned by Duncan in her first known appearance in the July 17th, 1989 episode. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
1990 – Bianca Joins the Family
Even though Bianca is now a member of the Walsh family and living in the Walsh house, she is still friends with the residents of the Earl Mitchell Center. In fact, Bianca is dating “Hey You” by the end of the 1989 season. At a New Year’s party, “Hey You” suddenly runs away. This decision was caused by “Hey You” spotting a man named Brock, who “Hey You” believes murdered his family in September of 1988. Toward the beginning of the 1990 season, a major story revolves around “Hey You” (who ends up being identified as Bruce Dreyfuss) and Brock’s murder case. Because of her relationship with “Hey You”/Bruce, Bianca testifies in court. While volunteering at the Earl Mitchell Center, Bianca learns from a counselor named Frannie “Hey You”/Bruce is going back to his hometown in South Bend, Indiana. When Bianca wonders how difficult it would be for “Hey You”/Bruce to return home after everyone there knows about his past, Frannie reminds Bianca, “sometimes the only way that you can go on with your life is to face up to the things that are hardest for you”. In one of their final on-screen moments together, Bianca reminds “Hey You”/Bruce how he’s been kind to her and how she believes in him.
Despite her heartbreak toward the beginning of the 1990 season, things are looking up for Bianca. She hosted her first party at the Walsh house and found a friend in Lien Hughes. Bianca has also started applying for classes at Oakdale High School. Before taking the school’s placement exam, Bianca reconnects with a fellow new student named Courtney. The two met the night before at a restaurant called “The Cellar”. For the remainder of Bianca’s time on the show, she and Courtney are friends. However, their differences slowly but surely cause them to grow apart over time. In the May 1st, 1990 episode, Bianca and Courtney go to “The Cellar” on a school night. Bianca doesn’t think they should stay long not only because it’s a school night, but also because Lucinda doesn’t know where Bianca is. Courtney tells Bianca she worries too much and reminds her she aced her placement exam. In this same episode, Courtney and Bianca talk about Paul, who happens to be at “The Cellar”. When Courtney comments how Paul doesn’t act like he has money, Bianca asks her, “Oh yeah, well what is someone with money supposed to act like”? Courtney responds by telling her friend, “if you got it, flaunt it”.
Among the archived episodes of As the World Turns, Bianca’s age is never explicitly stated. But based on Bianca and Courtney going prom dress shopping in the May 17th, 1990 episode and based on a tutor named Mrs. McClausky commenting how Courtney and Bianca will be freshman at Oakdale University next fall, it is assumed Bianca is either 17 or 18 years old. Between her high school graduation and her acceptance into Oakdale University, Bianca works as a waitress alongside Courtney at Oakdale’s Yacht Club. During her time working at the Yacht Club, Bianca learns of Courtney’s other priority besides money: Andy, a student at Oakdale University. Courtney becomes so obsessed with Andy, she even plans on taking a photography class at college, with photography conveniently being Andy’s special interest. But Courtney isn’t the only young lady with a special man in her life. Starting in the August 31st, 1990 episode, Bianca goes on dates with a young man named Zach. The only known information about Zach is that, according the Bianca, Zach is a gentleman. Beyond school, falling in love with Zach, and developing a newfound social life, Bianca finds a new passion: singing. By the end of the 1990 season, Bianca is performing in her choir’s Christmas concert, as revealed in the December 18th, 1990 episode.
Consistent threads in Bianca’s story in the 1990 season are Bianca adjusting to her new life in America and Bianca reminiscing about her past life in Montega. While at the Yacht Club in the June 20th, 1990 episode, Paul reflects on how, in the previous season, Antonio wouldn’t let Bianca out of his sight. Paul’s statement also references how Bianca used to appear nervous and even afraid of Antonio whenever near him, as noted by multiple characters. At Lily’s surprise birthday party in the August 21st, 1990 episode, Courtney expresses her envy for Andy and his supportive family, as Courtney’s parents passed away when she and her brother, Sean, were younger. This envy prompts Bianca to tell Courtney, “I think you’re very lucky to have Sean, Courtney. I-I really miss my brother”. Sadly, Courtney’s priority for money overshadows her self-awareness as Courtney tells Bianca, “Well sorry, but, um, you’re lucky. Here, look at this place you live”. After Bianca’s date with Zach in the aforementioned August 31st, 1990 episode, Lucinda confesses she wishes she knew Bianca sooner, as she feels she missed out on watching Bianca grow up and spending time with her. Bianca reassures Lucinda by telling her, “I mean, you know, this time that-that I’ve been here, that I’ve spent with you has been very special to me and I feel as if I’ve lived with you, like, for an eternity”. Lucinda says to Bianca “but I want the heartache to be behind you” and vows to help make Bianca’s dreams come true. Bianca then replies “My-My dreams have already come true”.
A magazine clipping adversing As the World Turns. Based on Karina’s long hair and Heather Rattray portraying Lily Walsh, this image appears to promote the 1990 season. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
1991 – Changing Faces
It seems like the longer Bianca stayed on As the World Turns, the less involved she became in the show’s stories. The first time Bianca is referenced in the 1991 season is when, in the March 25th, 1991 episode, Lucinda says she’s on her way home to see Bianca. Because the March 25th, 1991 episode is partially archived, it’s unknown what Bianca’s role in the story was. This is also the case for the March 27th, 1991 episode, an episode IMDB claims Karina starred on. This claim is supported by Karina’s name appearing in the episode’s credits. According to the available episodes from this season, Bianca’s first appearance in 1991 was in the April 3rd, 1991 episode, when Bianca shares with Lucinda how she found out Antonio died. During a heart-to-heart conversation, Lucinda and Bianca talk about how Antonio was a complicated man. One moment, he was supporting Montega during their tumultuous years and the next, he was guilty of several crimes. But Bianca and Lucinda can agree on one thing. While consoling her daughter, Lucinda says to Bianca, “Best thing about Tonio, the greatest thing he ever did was to be good to you when you first came to this country.”
During her job at the Yacht Club, Bianca learns from Lily and Holden that three of Lucinda’s employees, Kirk, Evan, and Connor, staged a takeover of Walsh Enterprises, kicking Lucinda out of her own company. Disgusted by these employees’ behavior, especially from Kirk (who helped Bianca get her waitress job), Bianca quits working at the Yacht Club and goes to work at the clothing store, Fashions, instead. After the June 28th, 1991 episode, Bianca and Courtney grow further apart. This is also the last time Bianca is present on the show until November 1991, when she attends Lily and Holden’s wedding as a bridesmaid. But this time, Bianca is portrayed by a different actress named Christine Langer. The events surrounding Holden and Lily’s wedding reveal Bianca became friends with a woman named Tess. Because of the huge gap in time between late June to early November of 1991, it’s unknown how Bianca became friends with Tess or even when Christine made her debut on As the World Turns. With these November episodes being the only available evidence Bianca was re-cast, it is likely Christine’s debut took place sometime during the second half of 1991. It’s also known that Bianca did not appear in 1991’s Christmas episode. Not only was her name not listed in the credits, no explanation was provided for her lack of appearance.
Bianca telling Lucinda she loves her in the April 3rd, 1991 episode. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
Christine Langer portraying Bianca in the November 1991 episodes. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
1992 – Dreaming of Montega
IMDB claims Bianca appeared in four episodes from 1992: on January 21st, February 21st, October 2nd, and December 24th. But based on the available archived episodes from Youtube, Bianca only appears in two of these episodes. It should also be noted that Karina reprised her role as Bianca in the 1992 season. In the February 21st, 1992 episode, Bianca shares with Lucinda an incident that took place at an event the night before, where Andy punched Courtney’s date, Evan, in the face. Later, at Oakdale University, Bianca crosses paths with Courtney. While Courtney and Bianca are still friendly to each other, this scene reveals Bianca is now friends with two women named Simone and Meredith. Another important note is how Bianca is now being acknowledged in As the World Turns’ credits as Bianca Marquez Walsh, when her name was listed as Bianca Marquez until this point.
The October 2nd, 1992 episode is the first and only time Bianca expressed any interest in leaving Oakdale since becoming a member of the Walsh family. During the 1992 season, Bianca became friends with Inez, a pregnant Montegan woman who’d like to have her baby in Montega. Bianca wants to return to Montega to help Inez with the arrival of her child. But this return doesn’t happen due to Lucinda disapproving of the idea. Not only does Lucinda remind Bianca of the upcoming school term, Lucinda tells her daughter “I need you, you got to be my stalwart with Lily when she gets back from Zurich”. Though Lucinda’s reasoning seems selfish, it was actually a blessing in disguise for Bianca. This is because Bob and Dr. Stewart, the doctors who traveled to Montega with Inez, were kidnapped by Antonio, who had been alive until that point. The reason Antonio kidnapped Dr. Stweart and Bob is because he needed appendicitis surgery, which he received. Antonio later tried to kidnap Sabrina, a woman he developed a past romantic relationship with. This plan is thwarted by a resident of Oakdale named Duncan who tripped Antonio, causing him to hit his head. Antonio ended up dying due to his head injury.
Bianca telling Dr. Stewart she can’t go to Montega in the October 2nd, 1992 episode. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
1993 and 1994 – The Departure of Bianca Marquez Walsh
1993 was the final year As the World Turns’ head writer, Douglas Marland, wrote for the show. This is due to Douglas passing away earlier that year. At the end of the May 5th, 1993 episode, a commemorative montage highlighted some of the most memorable moments during Douglas’ time writing for As the World Turns. But throughout this montage, Bianca is nowhere to be found. In fact, she only appeared in four episodes in 1993. When it comes to Bianca’s story, the only new development is that she is now a junior at Oakdale University. But for the most part, Bianca is simply responding to other character’s stories. Whether sharing her thoughts on Lucinda and John possibly getting back together (despite John and Lucinda recently getting divorced) or being happy for Lily in her new relationship with a man named Damien, Bianca is not as involved in the show’s stories like toward the beginning of her time on the show. Even when a new character named Royce joins the Walsh family, Bianca still has little to do in Oakdale. Sure, she receives a Christmas ornament from Royce in the 1993 Christmas episode. Bianca also attends a New Year’s party with Lucinda, where she asks Lucinda about Royce’s search for his twin brother. For Karina Arroyave’s last year portraying Bianca, however, this departure was pretty underwhelming.
Though Karina’s last year portraying Bianca was 1993, 1994 was the final year Bianca appeared on As the World Turns. Like in 1991, Bianca was portrayed by Christine Langer. But similar to the 1993 season, Bianca was given little to do within the show’s stories. Once again, the only update about Bianca is how she’s still in school. She does learn from Craig that the phone system in Montega is “temporarily permanently out of order”. However, there is no explanation provided for Bianca leaving Oakdale. As the curtain closed on Bianca Marquez Walsh’s story, this tale ended on a whimper.
One of Karina’s last scenes portraying Bianca in the December 30th, 1993 episodes. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
One of the few known scenes of Christine Langer portraying Bianca in the 1994 season. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
When trying to solve the mystery of why Bianca left Oakdale, there are two ways of looking at this mystery: from a story-telling perspective and from a production perspective. Based on the story-telling perspective, Bianca has made her wishes known all along. Before learning of Pedro’s fate at the Earl Mitchell Center, Bianca tells Lucinda and Craig she wants to go back to Montega after the war. She says “Thank you, but I-I want to go back. And I want to be a part of the rebuilding, just like Sierra was”. As I mentioned earlier in this article, Bianca wanted to return to Montega to help her friend, Inez. However, from a production perspective, Bianca Marquez Walsh was too wholesome for As the World Turns. Soap operas are not known for being “family oriented” content. These types of programs are also designed to keep their audience invested in the stories for as long as realistically possible. When there’s a character on the show that doesn’t feed into a story’s intrigue, it is difficult for that character to get or remain involved in any of the featured stories. This not only does a disservice to the character in question, it also does a disservice to the actor or actress portraying that character.
From the archived episodes of As the World Turns, Bianca Marquez Walsh appeared in an estimated total of sixty-eight episodes over the course of five years. Without these episodes, this mystery would not be partially solved. This article would not exist at all. But the more episodes I watched and the more I learned about Bianca, my article took on a different purpose besides solving the mystery of who Bianca Marquez Walsh is. Through this article, a purpose to preserve Bianca’s story and prevent it from becoming lost to time was born. The story of Bianca Marquez Walsh is an important one. A reason is for its recognition of international adoption as well as the adoption of teenagers during a time when those subjects weren’t widely discussed as they are today. Another reason is for the lessons to be learned from Bianca’s story. At the very beginning of Bianca’s journey, she had been through so much in a short amount of time. Once she got to Oakdale, there were people who let her down, such as Antonio Reyes. But the way she responded to all of this was out of peace and hope. Instead of living in fear of Antonio, Bianca chose family, as she stood up for Lucinda when she needed her daughter the most. Instead of remaining sad over what she had lost, Bianca focused on what she had gained, as she grew to become a student at Oakdale University. And instead of being angry at what Montega had gone through, Bianca chose peace, as she desired to make her country a better place than how it was given to her. In the book, Wonder, the protagonist, Auggie, stated “Everyone in the world should get a standing ovation at least once in their life because we all overcometh the world”. From the way I see it, Bianca Marquez Walsh did, indeed, overcometh the world, even as it turned.
Bianca telling Lucinda her dreams have already come true in the August 31st, 1990 episode. As the World Turns was created by Procter & Gamble Productions (PGP) and CBS
Last April, I started my annual series, Sally Solves a Mystery. For the first entry in the series, I wrote about Ana Lucia from Lost, questioning why she wears a ring on her wedding ring finger despite not being engaged or married. When I published my article, the mystery was unsolved. But I now have an update about an aspect of Ana Lucia’s ring! In that aforementioned article, I described the ring itself and questioned if the designs on the ring was a production error or an intentional creative decision. Upon further reflection, I believe the ring boasting different designs was an intentional decision from the show’s creative team.
Lost title card image created by Bad Robot, Touchstone Television, and ABC Signature. ‘Ana Lucia’s Ring: A Lost Mystery’ image created by Sally Silverscreen
In the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana Lucia’s ring bears the image of a butterfly. The wings of the butterfly appear black. According to the websites, Symbols and Meanings and Color Meanings, black butterflies symbolize death. The butterfly design on Ana Lucia’s ring was shown prior to Ana Lucia dying at the end of “Two of the Road”. Therefore, the ring is foreshadowing what was to come later in that episode.
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Two for the Road”
Ana Lucia’s ring showcases what appears to be a cursive V in the episode, “Collision”. However, it would make more sense if this design was a Roman numeral five. In my Sally Solves a Mystery article, I talked about how Ana Lucia is typically associated with the number three. Five times three equals fifteen, one of the “Lost numbers”.
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Collision”
As of the publication of this update, there are no explanations why Ana Lucia’s ring would boast different designs in the first place. The mystery of why Ana Lucia wears a ring on her wedding ring finger is still unsolved. But this update emphasizes how that ring is purposefully on Ana Lucia’s wedding ring finger. In the special feature segment, “Mysteries, Theories, and Conspiracies” from the Lost season two DVD, one of the show’s writers, Christina M. Kim said, “Things do happen for a reason. And there is this sort of force that’s in play that connects all our characters together”. Perhaps I was correct in my original speculation about Ana Lucia’s ring or could her ring have been connected to one of the show’s bigger mysteries?
To read the full articles from Symbols and Meanings, Color Meanings, or my original Sally Solves a Mystery article, you can visit these links:
There are two reasons why I chose Network for my first review of Comparing with the Critics. The first reason is how the movie is an appropriate title for The 6th Golden Boy Blogathon: A William Holden Celebration, hosted by Virginie and Emily from The Wonderful World of Cinema and The Flapper Dame. Network appearing on Gene Siskel’s and Roger Ebert’s list of the top five films from 1976 is the second reason. When I looked through William Holden’s IMDB filmography in preparation for the blogathon, I remembered how Ebert and Siskel liked Network. In fact, it was one of the few films they agreed on. I was aware of Network prior to the Comparing with the Critics series because I had heard it was adapted into a stage play. Toward the beginning of the ‘Best Films of 1976’ episode, Siskel proclaimed how “1976 was a pretty lousy year for movies”. I can’t speak on the cinematic year of 1976 as a whole. But based on my thoughts on Network, this movie would fit Siskel’s argument about the state of 1976 when it comes to film.
Networkposter created by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM) and United Artists
When it’s his turn to talk about Network, Siskel says “I think she’s gonna win an Oscar for this picture”, referring to Faye Dunaway’s performance in the film. Siskel got his wish when Faye did win the Best Actress award at the 49th Academy Awards. While I can’t compare her portrayal of Diana Christensen to the other performances that were nominated that year, I can comment on how interesting some of Faye’s interactions were with William Holden’s character, Max Schumacher. While having dinner one evening, Diana asks Max a series of questions, in order to learn more about her co-worker. The more personal the questions become, the more reserved Max appears. This reserved demeanor is consistently carried by William throughout the movie, using emotion more subtly. When Max does become more emotional, it happens at certain moments, such as when he’s recalling a story about his first broadcasting job. Meanwhile, Diana expresses her emotions more openly. She’s more honest when it comes to her perspective, believing no subject is off limits. The pairing of Max and Diana, portrayed by William and Faye, represents the “old school” and “new school” mentality of the world of broadcast television. It also represents “old” and “new” Hollywood.
Some of Hallmark’s movies have pulled back the curtain on certain industries. One great example, Cooking with Love, shows a behind-the-scenes look at how to create a television show. As you’re reading this editorial, you’re probably wondering what a film such as Cooking with Love has to do with Network. Similar to the 2018 aforementioned production, the 1976 film explores the behind-the-scenes operations of network television. Network shows the various steps that are needed to make network television run as smoothly as possible. The movie also addresses how television programs are brought to the screen. During a typical work day, Diana was presented with a set of tv pilots. Hearing the premise of these pilots makes her realize how similar they all sound. This revelation inspires Diana to create a program that is drastically different. While talking about Network, Siskel shares how “I also like movies that deal with what’s really going on in the world”. Because the movie, more often than not, grounds itself in reality, the realistic presentation of network television’s behind-the-scenes are insightful and even educational for the audience.
As I just wrote about in this editorial, Network explores the behind-the-scenes operations of network television. While I liked this aspect of the movie, there were times when I felt the movie’s creative team expected their audience to know what they were talking about. The mention of “shares” is just one example. The term “shares” was thrown around like confetti on New Year’s Eve. Diana even dreams about creating a show that will earn a certain number of shares. Trying to figure out what this part of network television was, I was confused if the characters were referencing the Stock Market or a program’s viewership. According to Wikipedia, Network is considered a “satirical drama”. I could tell when moments were intended to be satire. But, in my opinion, effective satire is when a story’s creative team knows when to play it straight and when to acknowledge the joke. Network’s creative team played it a little too straight, taking their production too seriously. All of this led to a movie that was pretentious.
In this review’s introduction, I mentioned how Network was one of the few films Ebert and Siskel agreed on. They both stated how comedic Network was. While Ebert called the film “funny”, Siskel said “I laughed a lot at Network”. Comedy, like cinema, is subjective. With that said, the only time I giggled during the film was when Max Schumacher suggests hiring a psychic to report the weather. The story overall was not only dry, it took itself too seriously, as I already mentioned in this review. Network’s first half was a drawn-out search for a resolution to the story’s conflict. The movie’s second half turned into a contest to figure out which character could yell the loudest and angriest. To me, this was a recipe for a headache and not a hilarious two hours. Then again, I don’t find characters yelling and screaming at each other funny.
Comparing with the Critics banner created by me, Sally Silverscreen. TV show title cards created by WTTW National Productions, WTTW, Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), Lifetime Television, Tribune Entertainment, Buena Vista Television, and Disney-ABC Domestic Television
Network was one of the films featured in the ‘Best Films of 1976’ episode of Opening Soon…at a Theater Near You. As stated in this review’s introduction, the movie appeared on Gene Siskel’s and Roger Ebert’s list of the top five films of 1976. If I made a guest appearance on the show, Network would not be on my top five or even top ten films list of that year. In fact, I’d consider the movie as one of the “Dogs of the Year”. Network, for me, was an endurance test that almost made me fall asleep. Taking itself too seriously by expecting too much from the audience and telling a dry, boring story didn’t help Network’s case. Though comedy is subjective, I didn’t find the film very funny. However, there were aspects of the film I liked, such as the acting and the peek behind network television’s curtain. But, like network television itself, there are many parts needed to make a movie work. As I wrap up this review for Comparing with the Critics, I’d like to respond to the film’s overarching quote; I’m bored as heck, and I wish Network used its indoor voice.
When the curtains rose and the golden gates of Hollywood opened for him, Buster Keaton likely had one goal: to make people laugh. After conquering Vaudeville and starring in over a hundred film and television credits, Buster not only made people laugh, he left behind a legacy of humor, joy, and timeless entertainment! So, you probably saw the title of this article and wondered, “What does The Twilight Zone have to do with Buster Keaton”? One of Buster’s many film and television credits was an episode of The Twilight Zone. This is a show I am familiar with, having seen several episodes prior to The 10th Annual Buster Keaton Blogathon (hosted by Lea from Silent-Ology). However, on paper, The Twilight Zone and Buster Keaton seem like a random combination. Buster’s forte was comedy, while The Twilight Zone incorporates elements of science-fiction and horror. But is this episode, “Once Upon a Time”, an example of “opposites attract”? Let’s step into another dimension to find that answer through this review!
As I stated in this review’s introduction, Buster’s forte was comedy. His specific acting forte was physical, “slapstick” performances. The creative team behind this episode paid attention to Buster’s comedic work, as Buster was given plenty of opportunities to showcase his comedy skills! One scene shows Buster’s character, Woodrow Mulligan, trying to hide from a police officer. At first, he walks behind Rollo, a character Woodrow meets in the “future”. When both men turn a corner, Rollo moves behind Woodrow, allowing Woodrow to walk in front of him. As they pass a rack of suit pants, Woodrow not only grabs a pair, Rollo picks Woodrow up so he can put the pants on. No beats were missed during this scene. The writing and delivery of this performance was simple, yet effective when it comes to the comedy!
What I didn’t like about this episode:
The run-time for “Once Upon a Time” is twenty-five minutes. Even though the script told a story that could be wrapped up in a short amount of time, there were parts of the episode that were drawn out. Chase scenes serve one example of moments lasting longer than necessary. When Woodrow first travels to 1962, the Time Helmet becomes misplaced. He spends several minutes trying to get the Helmet back, with the Helmet itself getting destroyed in the chase. Another drawn out scene is when Rollo argues with a man who owns a repair shop. While this argument takes place, Woodrow marvels at the “modern” inventions surrounding him. He also discovers a clothing store near the repair shop. In this part of the story, I found Woodrow’s observations hilarious. But I didn’t find the argument interesting.
Throughout this review, you’ve read references to a Time Helmet and Woodrow traveling to the “future”. That’s because “Once Upon a Time” is a story revolving around time travel! When the episode begins in 1890, Woodrow is disgruntled about the world around him. One of his major issues is how noisy his world is. However, this part of the story is presented as a silent film. After he seeks a quieter time period to travel to, he discovers the “future” (1962) is much noisier than he expected. Through this visual and auditory juxtaposition, the creative team behind this episode addressed how sounds can constitute our lives. If you know anything about The Twilight Zone, not everything is what it seems. Each episode shares a lesson or message with its audience, with the story leading up to that message or lesson. Without spoiling “Once Upon a Time”, the way the events play out provide a lesson that members of the audience can relate to.
The other factors from this episode:
For this part of my review, I will be spoiling “Once Upon a Time”. If you have not seen this episode and are interested in watching it, skip ahead to the second point in this section.
When the Time Helmet is first introduced in the story, Woodrow overhears how the Helmet can allow someone to travel in time for only thirty minutes. This is the conflict Woodrow experiences after he travels to 1962. Because Rollo finds 1890 an appealing time period, he is taken back to 1890 through the Time Helmet when Woodrow is on his way home. Toward the end of the episode, a title card states the story is now taking place one week later. Rollo is still in 1890, adjusting poorly to his new surroundings. If the Time Helmet can allow someone to explore different time periods for only thirty minutes, how has Rollo been able to stay in 1890 for a week?
Like I have mentioned in this review, the parts of the episode taking place in 1890 are presented as a silent film, complete with title cards and an overarching tune. Viewers familiar with Buster Keaton’s filmography will know he is one of the most celebrated actors from the silent film era. This creative choice in presentation was such a nice nod to Buster’s career! It also gave this episode its own distinct identity!
During Woodrow’s time in 1962, Rollo admits he is not only a scientist, he is also an expert on 1890. Yet, Rollo and Woodrow take the Time Helmet to a repair shop to get it fixed. Why didn’t Rollo fix the Helmet himself, especially since he seemed capable of knowing how to repair it? Had Rollo repaired the Helmet himself, there wouldn’t be the need for his argument with the man from the repair shop.
I said in this review’s introduction how I have seen several episodes of The Twilight Zone before. But this was the first time I saw “Once Upon a Time”. What surprised me was how light-hearted the story was compared to other episodes I’ve watched. The Twilight Zone is a show known for dabbling in the strange and even the sad. The best parts of “Once Upon a Time” were Buster’s comedic performances! Every comedy scene was written and delivered well, effectively making me laugh! What didn’t work in this episode were the drawn-out scenes. Even though the story was short, some scenes were just too long. When I reviewed television show episodes, I have stated if that episode would serve as a good introduction to its respective show. In my opinion, “Once Upon a Time” is a good place to start for those who either have never seen The Twilight Zone or who are just getting into the show. The story is strange, but not in an unsettling way. It even contains a happy ending. But if you want to know what that happy ending is, you’ll have to enter The Twilight Zone!
Imagine: you’re re-watching your favorite season of a popular tv show. As you’re watching, one of your favorite characters appears on the screen. But upon this re-watch, you notice something different about this character. It’s a small detail that never crossed your mind before. Because the character in question is your favorite, you’re familiar with their story. This leads you to realize the aforementioned small detail doesn’t make sense with what you know about your favorite character. There are no clarifications included in the season you’re watching. You search the internet for answers, but walk away empty handed. You know this detail was given to your favorite character for a reason. And yet you don’t know what it is.
This is Sally Solves a Mystery, my new series where I will explore television-related topics. Through these editorials, my goal is to solve mysteries that may have been overlooked. I can’t promise I’ll always find the answers by the end of an editorial. But if my writing raises awareness on a given topic, that will be a step in the right direction! To start this series, I will cover a mystery I haven’t seen or heard fans of Lost bring up. Ana Lucia Cortez is a character who was officially introduced in the second season of Lost. Throughout her time on the show, she consistently wears a ring on her wedding ring finger. Yet she admits she isn’t married, and there’s no evidence she was ever engaged. Lost is a television program that is known for piling mysteries onto its plate. However, the mystery of Ana Lucia’s ring has been buried by the show’s other unsolved mysteries. With the help of quotes, screenshots, and examples from Lost, I will address the mystery surrounding this small detail, bringing up theories and questions along the way!
Lost title card image created by Bad Robot, Touchstone Television, and ABC Signature. ‘Ana Lucia’s Ring: A Lost Mystery’ image created by Sally Silverscreen
The Ring in Question
Before getting into any questions or theories related to this mystery, we need to discuss the ring itself. Ana’s ring is a thick, silver band that she consistently wears on her wedding ring finger. Despite its placement, the ring does not appear to be a typical engagement ring, as it doesn’t bear any stones. Upon closer inspection, though, the ring seems to boast different designs in different scenes. In the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana’s ring is visible as she is cleaning a small cut on her head. The ring looks like it has a flat, clear surface, with an etched butterfly design on the side. In “The Other 48 Days”, as some of the dead Tailie passengers are being buried, Ana’s ring continues to present an etched design. But this time, it looks as if it could be a flower or gun’s revolver. The ring showcases a simpler design in “Collision”, while Ana is holding Sayid hostage in the jungle. This design is a curved line, almost looking like the letter V in cursive. Going back to the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana’s ring can, once again, be seen as she is preparing fruit for Ben/Henry. In this scene, the ring bears a more complicated design, featuring an oval surrounded by deep grooves. Two deep lines are visible on the ring’s side, giving the impression raised triangles are included in the overall design. With this said, could the ring bearing different designs simply be a production error or could these differences be intentional?
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Two for the Road”
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “The Other 48 Days”
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Collision”
Screenshot of Ana’s ring taken by Sally Silverscreen. Image from “Two for the Road”
Theory #1: A Flipped Image
Creating a television show is not only a business, it’s a complicated equation involving many different avenues and possibilities. Because television is a visual medium, various film-making techniques need to be considered. One of these techniques is Reverse Motion, where, according to Beverly Boy Productions, “action of the film is shown backwards in a reverse motion scene”. This means a filmed image will be flipped and presented in the opposite direction. Reverse Motion is what led me to believe Ana’s ring was originally filmed on her right hand, with the images flipped to appear the ring was on Ana’s left hand. However, evidence reveals this theory is debunked. The Director of Photography for Lost, Larry Fong, admitted Reverse Motion was utilized on the show. But this technique was specifically used whenever characters were driving in Australia. In the book, Lost: Messages From The Island, Larry talks about filming Australian scenes in Hawaii, saying “That’s not such a big deal on the set but we couldn’t get any cars that had steering wheels on the wrong side for certain scenes so we shot everything and reversed the film”. When discussing filming the show’s pilot episode, specifically the scene where Kate, portrayed by Evangeline Lilly, drives a truck in Australia, Larry says “We had to put jewelry on the other side of her; for the guy who had a fake arm we had to put the fake arm on the other arm. Everybody was so confused but all I did on the video monitor, was flip a switch and it reverses it. It wasn’t that hard and it is funny how the simplest solutions come out”.
While Reverse Motion presented the illusion of characters driving in Australia, this illusion can be broken if an actor or actress has a visible facial marking, tattoo, or birthmark. Michelle Rodriguez, the actress who portrays Ana, broke this illusion in the episode “Two for the Road”. Michelle has what I will call a “freckle”, for the sake of this editorial. This “freckle” can consistently be seen on the left side of Michelle’s face. But in “Two for the Road”, as Ana is driving Christian Shephard to an Australian bar, the “freckle” is on the right side of Michelle’s face. The use of close-ups prevented Ana’s ring from being visible in that scene. Because of the “freckle” and because of Larry admitting to using Reverse Motion, this proves Ana’s ring was always meant to be on her wedding ring finger. Question is, why?
This screenshot serves as just one example of how Michelle’s “freckle” can be consistently seen on the left side of her face. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
In this screenshot, Ana is in Australia, parked outside a bar. Because of Reverse Motion, Michelle’s “freckle” is on the right side of her face. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Theory #2: A Peek into the Past
One of the trademarks of Lost is the use of flashbacks. These flashbacks have explored the backstories of the main characters from the island. On a few occasions, an accessory has opened the door to a specific character’s backstory. Two examples are Jack’s tattoo in the episode, “Stranger in a Strange Land”, and Mr. Eko’s cross necklace in “The 23rd Psalm”. These facts lead me to believe Ana’s ring may have been intended to explore a part of her past. Unclarified quotes said by Ana herself fuel this theory as well. In the episode, “The Whole Truth”, Ana tells Sayid:
“People don’t like me. I tried to get them to most of my life. I guess I just gave up a while back. I mean, I am what I am.”
This quote leaves me with several questions. Who are these “people”, and why don’t they like Ana? What exactly caused her to give up? What does she mean when she says “I am what I am”? While in the Hatch with Ben/Henry in the episode, “Two for the Road”, Ana tells him:
“I’ve been around a lot of killers in my life. You know what surprises me the most about them? How much they love to talk”.
Upon first hearing Ana’s quote, one would assume she’s referring to the criminals she’s arrested in her police career. But notice how she says “I’ve been around a lot of killers”, not “I’ve arrested a lot of killers”. Could any of these “killers” be the reason why Ana knows so much information about the Army knife she and Goodwin encounter in the episode, “The Other 48 Days”? In that episode, Ana wonders how the Army knife in Goodwin’s possession got on the island. While she and Goodwin are examining the knife, Ana is able to correctly identify the knife’s connection to the U.S. Military. She is also able to locate the knife’s tank stamp, as well as estimate how old the knife is. One might automatically assume Ana came across one of these knives while being a police officer in Los Angeles. But if this were the case, why wouldn’t she have mentioned this during her assessment of the knife?
With Ana’s unclarified quotes, knowledge about the Army knife, and police career, I’m speculating Ana’s ring may have revealed she did some undercover police work she might be ashamed of. This would explain why she’s “been around a lot of killers” and why she feels people don’t like her. Her knowledge about the Army knife might be explained if this theory were true. If she did undercover police work, she would have effectively used her experiences to successfully trick characters like Sawyer into giving her what she wants.
This screenshot presents the Army knife Ana knew several important facts about, including where the knife’s tank stamp is located. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Theory #3: A Connection Between Ana and Sawyer
Sawyer is one of Lost’s main characters, consistently appearing in all six seasons of the show. One of his “quirks” is making pop cultural references, especially those from the Western genre. In season two, Sawyer made some pop cultural references to Ana. In fact, out of the six pop cultural references made to Ana throughout the second season, Sawyer gave her four of them. In the episode, “…And Found”, Sawyer asked Ana if she was married, which she responded by saying “No”. It needs to be noted that Sawyer is the only character to ever question Ana’s relationship status. What should also be noted is Sawyer is the first main character Ana crosses paths with before arriving on the island, crashing into Christian’s car door in “Two for the Road”.
As I previously stated, Sawyer makes pop cultural references, including those from the Western genre. Some of these references have related to programs such as Howdy Doody, Mister Ed, and Little House on the Prairie. But what if one of those references was meant to come from The Lone Ranger? In the 1981 movie, The Legend of The Lone Ranger, Tonto explains the importance of silver bullets to The Lone Ranger. During this explanation, Tonto says;
“Silver is pure. It’s been a symbol of justice and purity since The Year of the Sun”.
Now, you’re probably wondering, “What does The Lone Ranger have to do with Ana”? The answer lies in her ring. As already mentioned in this editorial, Ana is a police officer. Throughout her time on Lost’s second season, she has tried to seek out justice to varying degrees, such as when, in “The Other 48 Days”, Ana digs a pit and places Nathan in it, believing he kidnapped the children in their Tailie group. Plus, Ana’s ring just so happens to be silver. Could Sawyer have planned on calling Ana “Lone Ranger” or “Silver Bullet”? If “Lone Ranger” was Sawyer’s nickname for Ana, her statements about being alone in the episode, “Collision”, would make sense.
In the episode, “The Long Con”, a series of flashbacks reveal Sawyer sold fake jewelry in an attempt to pull off a con. During one of these flashbacks, he tries to sell chain necklaces to unsuspecting customers. But what if he sold rings at one point? If this were the case, perhaps someone gave Ana her silver ring, purchased from Sawyer. But if Ana knew the ring was fake, why would she keep it, let alone continue to wear it? And if Sawyer did sell that ring, why didn’t he notice it or comment on it? Maybe the ring was purchased from Sawyer as part of an undercover investigation, with Ana keeping the ring as a memento. Perhaps Sawyer didn’t mention the ring because he didn’t realize Ana may have played a role in the investigation.
In a screenshot from “The Long Con”, Sawyer creates prices for fake chain necklaces. Could he have sold rings at one point? Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Ana and the Number Three
4 8 15 16 23 42. This set of numbers has become a staple on Lost. The show’s creative team has incorporated these numbers into the story, from Hurley’s winning lottery ticket to some of the characters’ plane seats. During my investigation, there is one number that kept frequently popping up; the number three. Not one of the aforementioned numbers, the number three has been associated with Ana throughout her time on the show. In fact, I’ve compiled a list of all the times the number three has appeared in Ana’s story.
“Exodus Part 1”
During Jack and Ana’s first interaction together, Jack asks Ana three questions: who Ana is, what her name is, and why she’s drinking Tequila and Tonics at ten to noon
Ana’s ring can be clearly seen three times
Ana’s full name is Ana Lucia Cortez, three names. Ana’s first name not only contains three letters, her first and middle name contains a total of three As
Ana’s first appearance on Lost was in the first season’s twenty third episode
Ana’s seat on Oceanic Flight 815 is 42F. The letter F is comprised of three lines
“Orientation”
Ana’s ring can be clearly seen three times
When Ana enters the pit, three guys from the main camp are stuck there: Sawyer, Michael, and Jin
Ana appears in three scenes total
Ana’s first appearance in season two is the third episode
“Orientation” and “Everybody Hates Hugo”
Ana hurts Sawyer three times: she punches Sawyer in the pit (“Orientation”), she throws a rock at his head (“Everybody Hates Hugo”), and Ana punched Sawyer again after he refused to put down a rock (“Everybody Hates Hugo”)
“Everybody Hates Hugo”
Ana tells Sawyer he has three seconds to drop the rock in his hand
Ana touches the DHARMA shelter door three times; two knocks, one scratch. This action was shown on screen three times
“…And Found”
When splitting into groups to find food, Ana caught fish with Bernard and Jin, a group of three
Ana asks Jin three questions: “You want to help us out over here”?, “You want to eat”?, “Does it look like I speak Korean”?
“Abandoned”
Ana tells Michael “The Others” first took three tail section passengers. This detail was also brought up in “The Other 48 Days”
“The Other 48 Days”
Ana is told three tail end passengers are missing
Ana asks Goodwin three questions as they’re walking up to higher ground: “Why do you think they’re doing this”?, “Don’t you ever wonder why they attack us”?, “Why do you think they take some of us and not the others”?
When answering Ana’s third aforementioned question, Goodwin explains the three qualities that caused the first three Tailie passengers to be kidnapped: athletic, tough, and poses a threat to “The Others”
While investigating the Army knife, Ana brings up three facts about the knife; its U.S. Military connection, its tank stamp location, and its likely age
“Collision”
On Ana’s police badge, the number three is in the six number digits
On the door of Ana’s mom’s office, the number 315 can be seen
While Ana and Mike are riding in the police car, Mike asks Ana three questions; “So that shrink give you any good drugs”?, “D’ya miss me”?, “You want me to go kick his ass for you”?
Ana said on the police dispatch she and Mike were three blocks away for the domestic disturbance call
On Ana and Mike’s domestic disturbance call, they encounter a family of three; a man, woman, and baby
While keeping an eye on Sayid, Ana pops the magazine into her gun three times
When Ana crosses paths with Jason in a parking lot, she told him three things; “Hey”, “Jason”, “I was pregnant”. The third statement consists of three words.
When Ana is holding Sayid hostage in the jungle, she tells Libby “I’m already alone”. During her conversation with Sayid, Ana tells him “I feel dead”. These statements contain three words
“What Kate Did”
Ana asks Jack three questions; “Where’s the tonic”?, “You sure you want to waste that on me”?, “You gonna try to convince me that everyone here doesn’t hate me”?
“The 23rd Psalm”
Ana makes only one appearance in this episode, where the number twenty-three is in the title
“Fire + Water”
Ana’s ring can be clearly seen three times
When Sawyer and Kate spot Ana and Jack leaving the jungle, Sawyer tells Kate “That’s the third time I’ve seen them walking out of the jungle”
“One of Them”
Ana speaks to Sayid three times: “Where’s Jack”?, “There. See”?, “What”?
“The Whole Truth”
Locke tells Ana the man in the Hatch (Ben/Henry) has been down in the Hatch for three days
Ana, Sayid, and Charlie (a group of three) go on a trip to locate Ben’s/Henry’s hot air balloon
“Lockdown”
Ana made three appearances in this episode
During their search for Ben’s/Henry’s hot air balloon, Sayid tells Ana they’ve been searching for the balloon for three hours
“Dave”
When Ana and Sayid are interrogating Ben/Henry, Sayid tells Ben/Henry he has three seconds to answer his question
“S.O.S.”
“Ana spoke to Locke three times; “Hey”, “I pressed your button”, “Where’d you go”? Ana’s question contains three words.
This episode name contains three letters and three periods
“Two for the Road”
Ana was told by her mom Jason’s body was found a little after three in the morning
In Ana’s Australian hotel room, her clock reads 3:51
While Jack is cleaning his medical tools in the Hatch, Ana speaks to him three times; “Hey”!, “You’re back”, “So, The Others. They didn’t show up”?
When Michael is sharing information about The Others, Ana asks him three questions; “What about everyone else they took”?, “Cindy”?, “Did you see any other kids”?
“Dave”, “S.O.S.”, and “Two for the Road”
Ana sits on the Hatch’s couch a total of three times; once in “Dave”, once in “S.O.S.”, and once in “Two for the Road”
As this very long and detailed list shows, Ana is often associated with the number three. In fact, this association doesn’t feel like a coincidence. In the special feature segment, “Mysteries, Theories, and Conspiracies” from the Lost season two DVD, Michelle Rodriguez said the following:
“You know, numbers are interesting. Alchemy could have something to do with it too. I think they use a lot of alchemy in this show too. They hint at it. They hint, you know, stars and signs and masonry. A lot of that symbolism is in there”.
If there truly is symbolism behind Ana’s ring and her connection to the number three, could the ring itself and the number three be linked in some way?
The number three is circled in this screenshot of Ana’s police badge is emphasize its existence. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
The number three is circled in this screenshot of Ana’s mom’s office door to emphasize the number’s existence. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Each character in this screenshot is given a number to emphasize how they make up a group of three. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Different Versions of Ana
Time is an element experimented on in Lost. Not only were flashbacks used to explore characters’ backstories, “flashforwards” predicted how some characters’ futures would turn out and “flashsideways” broke different time barriers. Despite Ana only consistently appearing in the show’s second season, she did appear in an episode from seasons five and six. Based on where the ring is placed on her hand, it seems like there are different versions of Ana. In the episode, “Exodus Part 1”, and throughout the second season, the ring is on Ana’s wedding ring finger. But in the season five episode, “The Lie”, when Ana stops Hurley on the side of the road, she’s not wearing the ring at all. Ana also acknowledges the fact she’s deceased, telling Hurley “What if I were real” and “Oh yeah, Libby says hi”. The season six episode, “What They Died For”, shows the ring back on Ana’s left hand. But this time, it’s on her middle finger. The scene she appears in is part of an alternate universe, showing the characters as if the pilot episode’s plane crash had never happened. These versions of the same character make me wonder if the ring’s purpose evolved from its original intent, showing the differentiation between each version? The fact there seems to be three different versions of Ana highlights the possible connection between the ring and the number three I mentioned in the previous statement.
This is a screenshot from “Exodus Part 1”. Ana’s ring is circled to emphasize its presence. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Throughout season two, Ana consistently wore the ring on her wedding ring finger. This screenshot from “…And Found” serves as one example. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
This screenshot from “The Lie” shows Ana not wearing the ring at all. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
In this screenshot from “What They Died For”, Ana’s ring is now on her middle finger. The number three is also featured on her police badge. Screenshot taken by Sally Silverscreen.
Lost is one of the most ambitious shows of our time. In fact, some people might argue the show was too ambitious. The mysteries surrounding the island are what intrigued viewers to watch Lost. But limited answers left the audience frustrated and confused. Because the mystery of Ana Lucia’s ring has been overlooked, there hasn’t been a demand for an explanation. Before the publication of this editorial, there was no speculation around the ring itself. With everything said in this article, my current speculation is how Ana’s ring was originally intended to serve as a peek into a part of Ana’s past. In this part, Ana did some undercover police work involving stolen or fake jewelry, with Sawyer a part of the equation. Something happened during the investigation, causing Ana to feel ashamed of the experience. Since Ana died toward the end of the second season, the ring’s purpose evolved to showing the differentiation between different versions of Ana. However, as of this editorial’s publication, this mystery is currently unsolved.
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It feels like every two years, I talk about an episode of Touched by an Angel. First, I reviewed “The Sky Is Falling” in 2019. Then, in 2021, I wrote about the two-part episode, “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”. Now, for The 9th Annual Favourite TV Show Episode Blogathon, I’m going to cover another Touched by an Angel episode! This time, I’ll be talking about 1998’s “Perfect Little Angel”. Based on its synopsis on IMDB, the episode’s story doesn’t seem like it revolves around heavier topics, like “The Sky Is Falling” and “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”. However, the inclusion of a pageant in “Perfect Little Angel” is what intrigued me to want to watch this episode. When a pageant is featured in a scripted movie or television show, it is typically depicted in one of two lights; negatively or as a joke. With Touched by an Angel having something important to say every now and then, I was curious to see what themes and messages would arise from this story. So, let’s get into my review of “Perfect Little Angel” to see if it will win the crown!
In the introduction of this review, I mentioned how pageants in scripted movies or shows are typically depicted in one of two lights; negatively or as a joke. But in “Perfect Little Angel”, the Miss Colorado State Pageant felt like it was taken seriously within the story! The staging of the pageant itself looked very high budget, appearing as if the event was produced by a professional organization. Every actress portraying a contestant was styled beautifully, mirroring the image of real life contestants of the late ‘90s. Even the way the actresses moved across the stage or performed their talent gave the audience the impression they cared about their outcome in the competition. As I’ll mention more in the segment about the episode’s story, the episode was about more than just the pageant, which actually works in the favor of the Miss Colorado State Pageant!
What I didn’t like about this episode:
I know Tess is a head-strong, motherly figure among the angels on the show. But toward the beginning of “Perfect Little Angel”, she came across as pushy. When she first meets Tracy, Tess insists she seek out guidance from a local women’s shelter. She evens looks down on Tracy’s desire to enter the Miss Colorado State Pageant, in an attempt to steer Tracy toward the shelter. After meeting Tracy for the first time, Tess talks with Monica about Tracy’s decision to join the pageant. Tess says Tracy is making things harder for herself. What she said about Tracy kind of sounded like victim-blaming. Fortunately, as the story progresses, Tess becomes more supportive toward Tracy’s ambitions.
Remember when I said the story of “Perfect Little Angel” was about more than just the pageant? Well, that’s because the script prioritized Tracy’s journey to the pageant. At the beginning of the episode, Tracy is down on her luck. Her self-esteem and personal morale are so low, she’s desperate to find an immediate solution. Through her pageant preparations, Tracy learns about honesty, perfection, and having the courage to reach her potential. Because the script focuses on Tracy’s story and the messages and themes that grew from it, the show’s creative team avoided several cliches and tropes associated with on-screen pageants or competitions. As Tracy’s story progresses, there are some surprises, even though I did suspect a few twists and turns along the way. These surprises added depth to the story, giving Tracy opportunities to apply the episode’s lessons to her life.
The other factors from this episode:
At the beginning of the episode, Tracy tells her co-worker, Don, how she has been accepted into a design school in Rhode Island. Because of this acceptance, Tracy claims she needs $20,000 as soon as possible. I’m honestly surprised Don didn’t suggest Tracy seek out scholarships or financial assistance. In fact, that was my first thought when Tracy mentioned the design school acceptance. From what I know about pageants, some pageant organizations offer scholarships or educational opportunities for their finalists. So, I’m also surprised this detail wasn’t included during the Miss Colorado State Pageant.
As Tracy is preparing for the Miss Colorado State Pageant, Tess, Monica, Raphael, and Andrew are given roles in order to help Tracy. Andrew is tasked with finding Tracy’s talent, while Tess assists Tracy with walking on stage and on-stage posture. I know Andrew needed something to do in this episode, even though his true role on this mission is revealed later in the story. But not having Tess find Tracy’s talent, especially since Della Reese is a real-life singer, is, in my opinion, an unusual creative choice. This is because, on some occasions, the show’s creative team has incorporated Della’s musical talents into the show.
When attempting to apply for the pageant, Tracy is told she will need an official sponsor. When the angels agree to help Tracy, they become her official sponsors by giving her the title, “Unauthorized Property #579”. Because the property itself is still under development, it has the potential to house any business, venue, or living space. The angels use this piece of land to represent Tracy herself, how she has so much potential that hasn’t been reached yet. I thought this was a wonderful analogy that emphasized one of the episode’s key themes. It made me think about the idea of reaching potential in a different way!
Since “Perfect Little Angel” was released in the same season as “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”, I’ll post my photo of the season four DVD cover in this review. Screenshot taken by me, Sally Silverscreen.
My overall thoughts:
Touched by an Angel is a show I’ve talked about so infrequently on 18 Cinema Lane. As I’ve said in the introduction, it feels like I write about an episode every two years. Despite this infrequency, I have lucked out, reviewing two episodes I actually liked. For a third time, I have come across another good episode of Touched by an Angel! The primary focus on Tracy’s story allowed the episode’s messages and themes to organically grow within the script. The story had an intriguing progression, providing surprises every so often. Even the pageant itself felt like it was taken seriously, which is much different from how pageants are typically portrayed in scripted movies and tv shows. If I were introducing someone to Touched by an Angel, “Perfect Little Angel” is an episode that would serve as a good starting point. It isn’t as emotionally heavy as episodes like “The Spirit of Liberty Moon”. But it does contain the strengths I’ve come to expect from this show!
Well, another blogathon has come and gone. While the turn-out this time was smaller, it was still a nice event. I was not only introduced to a made-for-tv film, I was also inspired for a future editorial! I even finally got around to writing about Hallmark Hall of Fame’s The Flamingo Rising! To everyone who participated, thank you for joining my World Television Day Blogathon. There will be another blogathon taking place in 2023. But the theme and dates are still pending. In the upcoming months, I will also be introducing a new series. As it’s been said in the Signed, Sealed, Delivered series, however, you have to “trust the timing”…
Created by Sally Silverscreen at Adobe Creative Cloud Express
The day you’ve been waiting for is finally here; the World Television Day Blogathon! Since the dawn of television, this particular medium has become a staple in popular culture. Through this lens, history has been recorded and memories have been made, giving people a way to look back on the past. Television’s broad landscape has provided something for everyone, from cozy mystery shows to beloved musical competitions. In this blogathon, various television related topics will be showcased. Each entry highlights different decades, made-for-tv movies, and shows, illustrating the importance of World Television Day!
Created by Sally Silverscreen at Adobe Creative Cloud Express
Do you like TV? Do you like talking about television? Then you’ll love The World Television Day Blogathon! If you’re interested in joining this fun, exciting event, you still have a month to sign up. All the information about the blogathon can be found at this link:
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