Hello readers! I spent this past week preparing for my upcoming blogathon, Cabot Cove-thon! Speaking of Cabot Cove-thon, if you are interested in joining the event, you have two weeks left to sign up! All the information about the blogathon can be found at the link below!
Celebrating 40 Years of ‘Murder, She Wrote’ with the Blogathon; Cabot Cove-thon!
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.
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 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 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”!
Have fun on Miss Scarlet and the Duke!
Sally Silverscreen
Featured references:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Miss_Scarlet_and_The_Duke
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alibi_(TV_channel)
https://eurovisionworld.com/national/serbia/pesma-za-evroviziju-23
https://eurovisionworld.com/national/serbia/pesma-za-evroviziju-24
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eurovision_Song_Contest_2022
‘Team Serbia’ (Miss Scarlet and The Duke season two DVD featurette)
Video: Who is Pesma za Evroviziju’s Stefan “Princ” Zdravković? Check out the interview! by Alesia Michelle
Video: Princ “Cvet sa Istoka” Interview | Pesma za Evroviziju 2023 by wiwibloggs
Video: Stefan Zdravković “Dream on” from SvettRim
Are you a fan of Murder, She Wrote? Do you want to participate in a blogathon that is fun and creative? If you answered yes to these questions, then come join my blogathon, Cabot Cove-thon! The event starts on September 27th, so you still have time to sign up. Plus, there are plenty of topics to choose from! To learn more about Cabot Cove-thon, click on the link below.
Celebrating 40 Years of ‘Murder, She Wrote’ with the Blogathon; Cabot Cove-thon!
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:
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.
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.
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”.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Sources:
https://www.soapcentral.com/as-the-world-turns/ftrees/walsh.php
https://cbsastheworldturns.fandom.com/wiki/Lucinda_Walsh
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karina_Arroyave
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/As_the_World_Turns
https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0037410/?ref_=ttfc_fc_cl_t193
Youtube channels archiving As the World Turns episodes:
Oakdalian
AsTheWorldStillTurns
dodger2829
SchfiftyThreeRetroTV 3
Chuck Snitchler
RetroMike VHS
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.
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.
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”.
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:
Sally Solves a Mystery: Ana Lucia’s Ring
The season eleven finale of When Calls the Heart shows Minnie confronting Elizabeth about Angela’s desire to go to teaching college in Hamilton. Though Minnie is concerned about the distance between Hamilton and Hope Valley, Elizabeth reminds Minnie how Angela still has a few years before she has to make a decision about her future. Minnie then states to Elizabeth how their children’s childhood are precious years. The statement Minnie made in this episode was reminiscent of the “precious years” the show has aired on Hallmark Channel. Time, like childhood, is fleeting. So, the memories made over time are important. As a Heartie, there are so many memories that come to mind as I write this re-cap of season eleven’s finale. Just in this season alone, fans have seen Tom Thornton return, Lily find a home, and Nathan singing a song with Allie. They’ve also witnessed Henry transform into Hope Valley’s Voice of Reason and Lee become the town’s mayor. Throughout When Calls the Heart, a quilt of memories has spread over the story, connecting each character by the thread of friendship. With the chapter of season eleven closing and season twelve’s chapter beginning, it will be exciting to see what new memories will be made on When Calls the Heart!
Season: 11
Episode: 12
Name: Anything for Love
Major story:
Mei and Mike prepare for their upcoming wedding. One surprise is the return of Fiona, who delivers Mei’s dress from the Mercantile. Her arrival is the result of being chosen as Mike’s Best Woman. Before he and Mei get married, Mike claims he is traveling to Benson Hills to share tea with his family. But he actually has other plans. The next day, hours before the wedding, Mike is nowhere to be found. While the men in the wedding party search for the groom, Fiona and the women from the wedding party help Mei get ready for her big day. Eventually, Mike returns to Hope Valley. However, he didn’t come back empty handed. Before the ceremony, several residents of Hope Vally arrive at the café with traditional Chinese drums and gongs. Mike surprises Mei with an engagement ring and the return of her brother, who shares how he ended his shipping contract early. Both the wedding and the reception are a successful time for everyone involved.
Minor stories:
Elizabeth and Nathan want to go on a picnic, hoping to spend some more time together. When Jack Jr. overhears the idea of a picnic, Nathan and Elizabeth decide to invite Jack Jr. and Allie. Over the course of the episode, Elizabeth and Nathan tell their children about their new relationship. While Allie is supportive, Jack Jr. likes the thought of seeing Allie and Nathan more often. One evening, Nathan and Elizabeth share one secret to each other. Elizabeth tells Nathan how she didn’t want to like Nathan at first because she was still missing Jack. Nathan reveals he almost took an inspector job because of Elizabeth. At the end of the episode, a Mountie with a higher ranking approaches Elizabeth and Nathan. Originally, this Mountie wanted to speak with Nathan in private. But after Elizabeth expresses interest in what the Mountie has to say, the Mountie shares how his news relates to Jack Thornton.
After Jeanette’s arrest, Lucas’ approval is declining. Lucas loses confidence in his ability to be a good Governor. Wanting to help Lucas in his time of need, Lee comes up with a solution to replace the cancelled hotel. At the Queen of Hearts Hotel, Rosemary and Lee share the idea of creating a national park. This idea came from wanting to give Goldy and her generation a legacy of their own. Despite the national park providing fewer job opportunities and less revenue than the hotel would have, Lucas is open to the idea. In fact, Lucas invites Lee to come to Capital City to work on this national park project.
During Fiona’s visit to Hope Valley, she reconnects with Faith and Mei. She shares her experience with the Suffragette Movement in Nashville. Because the movement is still looking for more women, especially those that are doctors, Fiona invites Faith to join her in Tennessee. At the wedding reception, Faith tells Fiona she’d love to come to Nashville with her friend. However, Lily has become her purpose for staying in Hope Valley.
Some thoughts to consider:
What are your thoughts on this season finale? What is your wish for the twelfth season? Let me know in the comment section!
Have fun in Hope Valley!
Sally Silverscreen
Have you signed up for my Murder, She Wrote themed blogathon, Cabot Cove-thon? If not, there’s still time to join the event! There’s also plenty of topics left to write about! Click on the link below if you want to learn more about Cabot Cove-thon.
Celebrating 40 Years of ‘Murder, She Wrote’ with the Blogathon; Cabot Cove-thon!
To help Lily feel more at home in Hope Valley, Minnie gives Lily Cooper’s lantern from when he was younger. This golden lantern is covered in stars, lighting up the ceiling with bright star-shaped images. When we think about stars, the idea of a collection of stars existing in the night sky usually comes to mind. Within that collection, the stars come together to make the sky brighter. The aforementioned idea could also be applied to the residents of Hope Valley. Each character is a star, shining in their own right. But when they either come together for a special occasion or work together to solve a problem, the town as a whole becomes a brighter place. Characters coming back to the show after an extended period of time are like shooting stars. Their return is so memorable, they captivate the audience’s attention.
Season: 11
Episode: 11
Name: Run to You
Major story:
Bill and Nathan recruit Lee, Henry, and even Mike to not only protect Lucas, but Hope Valley as well. They agree to guard the town from outside, waiting for Casimir Shaw to show up. Jeanette returns to Hope Valley to warn Lucas of Casimir’s arrival. However, in one scene, Jeanette is shown shining her compact in the sun, signaling Casimir himself. Frustrated by the lack of information, Rosemary wants to know what’s going on in town. But she’s not the only curious person. Randall, Rosemary’s rival reporter, also wants answers. His quest for answers is fueled by his family being threatened by his source. After Randall shares this information with Rosemary, they discover Randall’s source and Jeanette possess the same handwriting. Rosemary goes to the Queen of Hearts Hotel to share this news with Lucas, only to fall into Jeanette’s trap and become a hostage. Elizabeth also becomes a hostage because she went to the hotel looking for Rosemary. During this situation, Rosemary realizes Jeanette and Casimir are the same person. She confronts Jeanette with this realization. Meanwhile, outside of Hope Valley, Randall shares his and Rosemary’s findings with Bill, Nathan, and Lucas. The men return to Hope Valley in order to rescue Rosemary and Elizabeth. At first, there is a struggle at the hotel that causes Bill to get hurt. But after Lucas talks Jeanette into turning herself over to authorities and Elizabeth gets away by jumping into a pile of hay with Nathan, the situation de-escalates. Multiple Mounties arrive to take Jeanette to jail.
Minor stories:
One day, Lily shares with Faith how, when she lived with her grandmother, she and Dora used to look at the stars from her bedroom window. Faith is suddenly reminded how Lily’s room window at The Café doesn’t have a good view of the sky. In order to solve this problem, as well as helping Lily feel more at home, Minnie offers Cooper’s lantern that was referenced in this re-cap’s introduction. Joseph even provides an electric bulb for the lantern. Later in the episode, when Faith is reading a story to Lily, the lantern works as intended. Meanwhile, Mei receives a letter from her brother. The letter reveals Mei’s brother will be in Cape Fullerton. Originally, Mike and Mei plan to meet Mei’s brother in an out-of-town trip. Instead, Mike suggests having Mei’s brother come to Hope Valley. Mike suggests this because he wants to marry Mei. He shares his feelings to Mei in an official wedding proposal. Mei accepts the proposal, despite not receiving a ring.
Some thoughts to consider:
What are your thoughts on this episode? Are you looking forward to the season finale? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Have fun in Hope Valley!
Sally Silverscreen
While waiting for the arrival of Jeanette, Lucas asks Henry “you ever find yourself asking how you got here”? Henry responds by telling Lucas, “Just about all the time”. Lucas’ question was a very poignant inclusion in this episode. As When Calls the Heart is close to wrapping up their eleventh season and will soon embark on a twelfth season, it can be easy to think about and ask a question similar to Lucas’. Fans of a television show are so invested in what is happening on screen, they may not realize how much time has passed. When that realization dawns on a fan, they might wonder “where has all that time gone”? I guess Lucas’ question is a testament of the longevity of When Calls the Heart. Captivating stories and memorable characters have made each episode feel shorter than an hour.
Season: 11
Episode: 10
Name: What Goes Around
Major stories:
Allie still has her heart set on meeting her father, Dylan. Though she has money for a train ticket, Angela gives Allie more money to afford a hotel room if necessary. At the Jack Thornton School, Elizabeth organizes a day to restock school supplies, with some of her students volunteering to help. But when Allie doesn’t show up, Elizabeth and Nathan become concerned with Allie’s whereabouts. Angela confesses Allie’s plan to Nathan and Elizabeth. Nathan finally realizes why he received a phone call about Grandville prison earlier in the episode. When Elizabeth and Nathan arrive at the prison, they find Allie in tears. Allie tells Nathan Dylan didn’t want to see her. This crushing reality hurts Allie for most of the episode. As she wonders why her own father would reject her, Nathan explains to Allie how Dylan made a mistake by refusing to see his daughter. Nathan also stresses how lucky he has been to have received the opportunity to raise Allie. Toward the end of the episode, Nathan thanks Elizabeth for supporting both him and Allie. Elizabeth tells him how she will always to there for them.
As a last resort, Lucas agrees to meet with Jeanette about her hotel bid. Even though Henry claims everything seems legitimate, Lucas still has his doubts. Similar to his meeting with Montague, Lucas wants to keep this meeting a secret. This secrecy concerns Lee and he turns to Maisie to share these concerns. For the first time, Maisie and Lee agree on something. They come together to create a statement pulling their support for the hotel. After Lucas receives this statement, he regains his memory. Lucas not only remembers Jeanette visiting him the night he got shot, he also remembers a man named Casimir Shaw shooting him. When he confronts Jeanette about these memories, she confesses how Casimir forced her to work with him. Jeanette shares Casimir’s involvement in the hotel bid as well. In response to all this news, Lucas cancels the hotel indefinitely. He also encourages Jeanette to leave Hope Valley in the middle of the night.
Minor stories:
Faith spends one more day with Lily before Dora comes to retrieve her. One of the things they do is have ice cream at the Ice Cream Parlor. Later in the episode, Dora arrives in Hope Valley. Though Lily is excited about her grandmother’s return, she’s also heartbroken about leaving “Auntie Faith”. Seeing how upset Lily is about saying goodbye to Faith, Dora and Faith come to a mutual agreement: Lily will permanently stay with Faith. Dora also agrees to visit Lily from time to time.
At the Queen of Hearts Hotel, Maisie tells Mei how her and Mike’s mother would love to meet Mei. Brother and sister agree for Mei and their mother to meet over dinner in a few days. Despite being put on the spot, Mei accepts the offer. While Mei comes up with a meal plan for the dinner, Mike confesses to Mei how Maisie invited the whole family to meet Mei. Even though she receives unexpected news, Mei still agrees to the dinner. When the dinner finally arrives, Mei not only meets Mike and Maisie’s mother, she also meets Maisie and Mike’s sisters. After all the curve balls during the planning process, the dinner itself is a success.
Some thoughts to consider:
What are your thoughts on this episode? How do you feel about the hotel being indefinitely canceled? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
Have fun in Hope Valley!
Sally Silverscreen
It seems like almost every character is keeping a secret in
this episode of When Calls the Heart. Lucas wants Montague’s hotel bid
to be kept under wraps. Nathan wants to protect Allie from the truth about her
biological father. Faith prolongs telling Lilly about her grandmother’s
recovery. But, sometimes, keeping secrets is not a bad thing in Hope Valley.
Earlier this season, Elizabeth keeps Nathan’s surprise party a secret. In this
episode, Bill has a surprise for Jack Jr. When it comes to keeping secrets on When
Calls the Heart, it depends on the character and the context of their
secret. The secrecy can cause a conflict within an episode’s story or give the
audience a certain perception of a character. What is not a secret is how kept
secrets in a television show adds intrigue and gives viewers a reason to still
watch. When these secrets are finally revealed, it can, sometimes, be
satisfying.
Season: 11
Episode: 9
Name: Truth Be Told
Major stories:
Montague returns to Hope Valley to discuss his hotel bid
with Lucas. During their meeting, Lucas reveals how an acceptance of the bid
equals an acceptance of 50% of the hotel’s profits. When Montague brings up his
desire to receive 60% of the hotel’s profits, Henry denies that request. Meanwhile,
Rosemary and Bill discover Montague’s return to Hope Valley. They even approach
Montague and question his involvement in the mystery surrounding Lucas’ injury.
Montague claims he had nothing to do with shooting Lucas. After learning how
Lucas is strongly considering working with Montague on the hotel, Rosemary
struggles with whether to share this news with Hope Valley. She ultimately decides
to write about Montague and Lucas, despite Lucas wanting to keep Montague’s
hotel bid a secret. When her article is published, Lucas is very upset about
Rosemary sharing his secret with the town, believing she broke his trust. Rosemary
stands by her decision, as she feels the residents of Hope Valley have a right
to know what’s happening in their town. But shortly after Rosemary’s article is
published, Montague is attacked in Hope Valley’s stables. Due to the attack, Montague
receives a concussion and his arm is put in a sling. Montague not only still
denies shooting Lucas, he also refuses to work with Lucas on the hotel,
thinking the project will put his life further into danger.
Allie’s family album makes her curious about her biological
father. This is because there are no pictures of him in this family album. When
Allie asks Nathan about her biological father, Nathan refuses to share any
information about him. Upset by this secrecy, Allie turns to Elizabeth for
advice. Elizabeth tells Allie how her search for her father is up to her, but
she shouldn’t shut Nathan out. Nathan also turns to Elizabeth for advice,
revealing how Allie’s father, Dylan, showed up in Hope Valley back in season
eight. Elizabeth tells Nathan how he should trust his gut as well as know when
the timing is right. Later in the episode, Nathan shares the truth about Dylan
with Allie. This information does not deter Allie’s desire to meet Dylan, as
she believes people can change. Allie is so determined, she learns how to
contact Dylan while volunteering to work the phone board at the Mercantile.
Minor story:
Dora, Lilly’s grandmother, calls Faith to tell her how she
has finally recovered from her medical issues. This means she will retrieve
Lilly in the following days. While Faith is happy Dora has recovered, she is
also sad that Lilly will soon leave Hope Valley. She turns to Joseph because
she doesn’t know how she will share this recent news with Lilly. Joseph
suggests giving Lilly a perfect day in Hope Valley, so Lilly will always
remember the good times she had in this town. Taking Joseph’s advice to heart,
Faith makes this perfect day a reality. From a trip to the hair salon to an
afternoon in the park, Lilly has a smile on her face the entire time. Faith
even shares with Joseph how she plans on asking Dora if she will allow Faith to
stay in Lilly’s life. Later in the episode, Faith comes clean about Dora’s
health with Lilly. Even though Lilly is happy to see her grandmother again, all
she wants is to have another perfect day with Faith and her grandmother.
Some thoughts to consider:
·
When Allie shares her desire to learn about her
father with Angela, Angela tells Allie how Jacob recently called and invited
her family to spend Christmas with him. As soon as Angela said this, I thought
this story could lend itself to a Christmas movie! I know the creative team
behind When Calls the Heart doesn’t create movies in between seasons
anymore. But if Hallmark is looking for ideas for this or a future Christmas
season, I think a Christmas movie about the Canfield family could work,
especially since the movie would already have a built-in audience.
·
I know no character is meant to be everyone’s
cup of tea. But out of all the seasons Lucas has been on When Calls the
Heart, he was his most unlikeable in this episode. While he had his heart
in the right place, he was too narrow-minded and stubborn about his “grand
vision”. It got to the point where, in this episode, his plans seemed
underhanded. As a Heartie, I’d like to see this hotel brought to life in season
twelve. However, I don’t think the hotel is worth losing friends over.
·
In my re-cap’s introduction, I mentioned Bill
having a surprise for Jack Jr. This surprise is a pony, as Jack Jr. has
expressed his wish to ride a horse. When Calls the Heart has a history
of recruiting cute animals to appear on the show. But I can’t help mentioning
how adorable Pal the pony was in this episode! In fact, this pony looked like a
giant stuffed animal.
What are your thoughts on this episode? How
do you think Lucas’ “grand vision” will be resolved? Tell me in the comment
section below!
Have fun in Hope Valley!
Sally Silverscreen
18 Cinema Lane 