Generations

There was this big interest for soap operas in late 80's. Generations was the most important one. Newspapers and magazines went crazy when kelly rutherford came Turkey. Still it's very interesting, we Turks never really understood what was the big deal about having focus on African Americans. No one here remembers the series as a breakthrough from the race discrimination perspective. Yes there were Marshals and they were nice people and Adam and Maia were cool but that was all. It was just like any other series. We were really surprised when we learned that the show was somewhat a breakthrough...Anyway I still remember vividly all characters. All girls in Turkey were in love with Kyle Masters and there was this evil guy Reginald. I remember callin people you're so "reginald" even years after the shows ended

People have talked about 'Generations' and its problems over the years. I just wanted to point out the positives. One of them being that it was a major network's first honest attempt to make a soap opera with black characters in the forefront of the story. They were not maids or chauffeurs or domestic servants, but they were in business. The Marshalls had a successful ice cream business that was made with the sweat and blood of a black man, Henry Marshall, despite having a limited education.

Ruth Marshall, Henry's wife, grew up as the daughter of the maid of Rebecca Whitmore. She had a very difficult experience, but she turned that resentment and became an ambitious person. Ruth brought the Whitmore estate, and the problems she faced in doing it, which I thought was a very good storyline, which represented to her that she finally made it big. Vivian, Ruth's mother, was Rebecca's housekeeper who worked for her for years and remained friends ever since. Rebecca's oldest daughter, Laura, wasn't close to Ruth growing up and the feeling seemed mutual.

For me, I liked the way the writers introduced the viewers with voice-overs. Also I like how the characters' backgrounds were shown through the writing. I guess the problem was that people weren't' that excited about a family who owned an ice cream business That would have been more of a plot for a sitcom on primetime than a daytime soap opera. Plus some it its characters could have been more developed in its short run.

All in all, "Generations" is an example of black success on television, even though its overall aim didn't make an impact.

Especially the generations born in 80's learn their born hours according to the Dallas hour.(For example there was one hour to Dallas or Dallas was almost finished..)For that time period that crosses with my childhood the most important soap opera was certainly "Generations" and probably you remember the hot blond in that program was Sam..Men and women everybody was loving Sam at that time period in Turkey.And yes women also love her cause all women were fake blonde and all of them desire to look like Sam..:)I'm sure if you're from 1980 and upper generation and watching Gossip Girl, probably you are giving the same reaction that i gave.. THAT'S Sam! And she's still gorgeous!!!:)Kelly Rutherford who was born in 1968 and has a child, like in "Generations" still beautiful and a woman with style.She's wearing suitable clothes to her age and at the same time she's also natural and elegant.She is showing women how to wear clothes at this program without loosing their femininity especially for the ones at their 40's, wearing 20's clothes. (by Moda Vitrini)

i remember back in 1992, surfing the channels and i saw these African-American characters in a soap opera like setting and sat and watched it thru to the end. i found out the name of the show was called "Generations" on NBC. i was immediately hooked. it was the story of a well-to-do African-American family in the ice-cream business, the Marshalls, who resided on the North Shore of Chicago, i think around Evanston. i couldn't wait for the next day to see this groundbreaking soap with predominantly all African-American characters. i loved it! the plots and story lines were good, and some of the characters from "Generations" have moved on to other things...i.e., Kristoff St. John (Adam Marshall) went to CBS' "Young and the Restless", Vivica Fox gained stardom in movies like "Set it Off", "Why Do Fools Fall In Love", "Soul Food" (the movie); Rick Fits (Martin Jackson) i've seen in commercials, and who was the nemesis of Henry Marshall in the show, and Jonelle Allen (Doreen Jackson) i think went back to Broadway. anyways i was real upset when "Generations" was suddenly snatched off NBC, because it was just getting good. i believe BET tried to pick it up but failed, so i can only hope "Generations" will be put on DVD one day. i remember a part where Maia (Vivica Fox) and Adam (Kris St. John) were in bed together and Adam was singing to her the popular song by After 7 called "Ready or Not"....it was very sexy to me. FYI: Kristoff St. John's dad played in the 1971 version of "Shaft" as one of the militant brothers.

why is it that shows like "Generations" or other positive black shows are kicked off the air and silly shows like "The Parkers", continue with their buffoonery? for the life of me i just cant understand it...and i guess i never will.

I really miss this show! I used to watch this everyday along with Another World and Days of Our Lives. I would come home from school and watch it with my Grandmother. I do not remember a lot about the story lines now, it has been so long since it was taken off air, and I was in jr high when I started watching it) I do, however have 2 autographed pictures of cast members, Robert Torti (who played Det. Kyle Masters) and Kelly Rutherford (Stephanie "Sam" Whitmore). I think I might still have the last episode on VHS somewhere. Anyhow, I am glad to see that I am not the only one who remembers this show. (and a great one it was too!) Looking forward to see more of both Kelly Rutherford and Robert Torti.