Like Nelson Branco, I'd been holding off critiquing One Life to Live's recently-wrapped visit to 1968. But, while I've been distracted by the unfolding political drama of the past week, Nelson beat me to the punch, saying pretty much everything I had planned to here - you know what they say about great minds and all...

This passage, in particular, resonated:

Parts of this storyline reminded me of Mad Men - a time when women were second-class citizens and when capitalism was just hitting its stride. My favourite part of this storyline was the brave parallels between the Vietnam and Iraq wars. I thought I'd never see the day when the subtext of a soap opera storyline was about parents sending their children off to slaughter for a war that is only about money and power - and not national security nor justice.

The only thing I would have added is kudos to the attention OLTL's writers paid to the details of the times: the pre-remote control television that had to warm up; the incorporation of the 1968 Republican convention; the striking juxtaposition of newspaper headlines when the story came to a close; and, of course, the music. All of which more than compensated for the admittedly cheesy production values others have carped about. Who cares about minimal special effects when you have the Rolling Stones?

As for the complaints about how long this story dragged on: what was it, six weeks? Please! On my show, As the World Turns, a storyline should only last six weeks - hell, six days would be an improvement. Of late, it's more like two, maybe three. More on that later...