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Nora In a Nutshell
Article from soapoperadigest.com
By Naomi Rabinowitz
1992
Attorney Nora arrived in Llanview after enduring much drama
in Chicago: She and her ex-husband, Hank, also a lawyer, were estranged because
she got full custody of their daughter, Rachel, after their divorce. Over time,
Nora, Hank and Bo became friends, but when Hank arrived, he and Nora butted
heads. Upon coming to Llanview, Nora helped Bo search for the hit-and-run driver
who had killed his wife, Sarah. For a while, Nora thought she might have been
responsible, but a drunk driver was guilty of the crime. Bo and Nora soon got
engaged. "When Nora came on, she was a broad character," recalls Smith. "She was
a ballbuster ... she and Bo did not get along. Bo softened her. It's time that
she get back into that. She is much softer than she used to be, and that makes
her wishy-washy. I want more hardness."
1993-94
Nora defended Todd and his frat brothers in Marty Saybrooke's rape trial,
working against Hank. When she learned that they were indeed guilty, she threw
the trial. That year, Nora suffered a brain tumor and went temporarily blind.
During that time, Todd tried to get revenge by attempting to rape her. Nora hit
him over the head with a lamp, and she was eventually rescued by Bo. "It's time
to start seeing the heroic elements in the characters," Smith opines. "When Nora
had the brain tumor ... realizing that she went blind ... the court case ...
these were heroic moments. Even in that court case, she thought that she was so
good, she overlooked the fact that these guys had done it. Then, she tried to
correct it and couldn't. There were heroic moments. I'd like to see that again."
1995
At Hank and Sheila's wedding, R.J. revealed that he had slept with Nora while
she was still married to Hank! Still, R.J. helped Hank and Nora stage an
intervention for Rachel, who was battling a drug problem. Bo and Nora eventually
tied the knot in a rock 'n' roll wedding — with Little Richard officiating. "Bo
and Nora were great - we were together for years, but they didn't really write
us," sighs Smith. "They wrote the badge, they wrote the lawyer, but they didn't
really write us together. It wasn't as exciting as it could've been." Still,
"working with Bob Woods [Bo] has always been wonderful," she praises.
1998-99
Bo and Nora's marriage was in trouble when Nora's assistant, Georgie, developed
an obsession with him. Georgie was eventually killed by Nora's daughter, Rachel.
Bo's son, Drew, was then killed. Wanting to give Bo a reason to live, Nora slept
with former colleague Sam (since she believed that Bo was infertile). Bo learned
the truth when Sam's ex-wife — and Nora's archrival — Lindsay, drunkenly
announced the truth. Bo then moved out. "I've seen some posts from fans who
think Bo and Nora are past their prime," acknowledges Smith. "When they broke us
up, it was really good story in the beginning, with Georgie. Then, it got kind
of twisted and turned.
2000
Nora gave birth to Matthew, believing that he was Sam's
son. When it was learned that Bo wasn't infertile, Lindsay, who was now dating
him, paid a lab tech to switch the DNA test results so everyone would continue
to think that Sam was the boy's pop. Nora announced the truth at Lindsay and
Bo's nuptials. Soon after, she was in a train wreck and was rescued by Dr. Colin
MacIver. Lindsay paid Colin, who was her brother-in-law, to kidnap Nora and give
her a memory-erasing drug. "[Her memory] kept coming back; the drugs ebbed,"
Smith explains. "I'm not sure now how much of her memory she has. But I don't
want to ever remember the cabana [where Nora slept with Sam]. I'm gonna play it
that she doesn't remember that [laughs]. I'd like to see more stories
where the things at stake are real and count, and people understand them. They
encounter them more in everyday life more than bizarre, mind-erasing drugs."
2001
Nora eventually killed Colin in self-defense. His twin
brother, Troy, then came to town. Nora and Sam broke up, and she formed a
relationship with Troy. Meanwhile, Lindsay was sent to a mental institution. "I
love Ty Treadway [Troy/Colin]," praises Smith. "I was so happy when they
brought him back."
2002
Troy kept a secret from Nora - that he may have driven
ex-wife Joanna to her death. To keep Lindsay quiet about it, he slept with her.
Nora ended things when she caught them together. Troy went insane and was sent
away. "They bring back that handsome man and make him crazy," sighs Smith. "I
love Lindsay and Nora's rivalry," she adds. "But [when it's revitalized], I'd
like to bring it about in a different way. They had Nora go down to her level.
They had her really get desperate and scrape the bottom. I'd rather see two
smart, independent women, still moved by what motivates them - desperation, fear
or whatever - but to deal with each other on a much more intelligent and
socially conscious level ... sort of where they took Dorian and Viki. In the
arena where everything was not illegal, but not so moral or ethical ... nothing
to be proved. Where people were smart. That gives you longevity. Once you do
something illegal, it's just a ticking time bomb until you get caught."
2003-04
Lindsay accidentally killed Sam. Nora and Bo then learned
the truth — that Matthew was Bo's son. As they tried to bond as a family, Nora
began dating D.A. Daniel Colson. However, Matthew is doing whatever it takes to
reunite his folks. "Nora is all about her son," she explains. "I know in one of
the soap magazines, they did a poll, and 75 percent wanted Bo and Nora back
together. The Bo/Nora fans are rabid. There are also the Troy/Nora fans. There
was a huge T/N contingent; they were very verbal. The Toras. Bo and Nora is Bora.
They haven't really come up with one for Daniel/Nora because they're not sure
what he is and who he is. They just kind of like us together because it's very
relaxed. We're having a nice, relaxing time. We're not rushing anything, they're
not rushing anything, which is great."
