YMMV / Santa Barbara

• Ensemble Dark Horse: Several.
  • Cruz Castillo became one quickly, accounting for A. Martinez excellent acting.
  • Mason Capwell was one too, to the point that they recasted the character when Lane Davies left the show, something they didn't do with fellow Ensemble Darkhorses Cruz and Eden.
  • Eden Capwell was almost telegraphed, given her iconic entrance into the show and the intense acting from Marcy Walker.
  • Julia Wainwright was adored by the audience, to the point that she was one of the few non-Capwell characters to survive the entire series since her introduction in 1985.
• Fair for Its Day: This was one of the shows from The '80s' to tackle social commentary and hard subject matter, quite gracefully for its time.
  • Lindsay Smith was a gay (or possibly bisexual) man whose role impacted the plot. While not seen as entirely normal by several characters, he's treated with respect and is one of the more decent characters on the show. Also, he was the only one who truly knew his lover, C.C. Capwell.
  • Hispanic characters were present right from the start of the show; while some typical stereotypes applied (they were religious and humble), they were treated with normalcy and as an integral part of the show. By the second year, the Andrade family was mostly forgotten, but Cruz Castillo had become a main part of the cast.
  • Tying with this, Cruz had a relationship with the Capwell's eldest daughter, Eden. This was treated quite tactfully, highlighting the cultural differences between the two of them and their backgrounds and families.
• Retroactive Recognition: Lots of the cast would later become important characters on other soaps, but one of them is specially notable: Leonardo DiCaprio played a small part in a flashback scene (as a Young Mason Capwell).
• Signature Scene: Obviously, the death scene everyone remembers of this show and that defines perfectly its tone and spectacularity ─that is, when, during a storm, several characters start arguing on the rooftop of the Capwell hotel and the letter C of its sign falls over, crushing poor, pregnant Mary Duvall on its way.

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