31 replies to this topic

[Khan]

Inspired by one comment I made in the "Plan to Save DAYS 2013" thread, I pose this question to y'all: to the best of your recollection, has there ever been a story on a soap opera that, for whatever reason -- be it a change in the HW'ing and/or EP'ing seat, or a change in actors, or even just a change dictated by viewer antipathy and/or dissatisfaction -- went from bad to good, or even good to great?

Edited by Khan, 02 January 2013 - 12:14 AM.

[CarlD2]

GL - Annie's pathetic neuroses over Josh and Reva became riveting when Paul Rauch, the interim writing team (sorry my mind is blanking), and then B&E revved her way up into insanity. 

[MrQuartermaine]

GH- Edward Quartermaine NOT being killed off in the Port Charles Hotel Fire.

GH- Audrey Hardy NOT being diagnosed with Alzheimer's in 1995.

Edited by MrQuartermaine, 02 January 2013 - 12:18 AM.

[Khan]

See, Carl, I'd almost agree with you, except for two things:

 

1) I felt it was wrong how Annie had to go psycho in order for the triangle with her, Josh and Reva to be interesting.

 

2) B&E especially took Annie, who'd had an average and "normal" background, and retroactively wrote her as someone who'd been off the proverbial beam all along.  

[CarlD2]

See, Carl, I'd almost agree with you, except for two things:

 

1) I felt it was wrong how Annie had to go psycho in order for the triangle with her, Josh and Reva to be interesting.

 

2) B&E especially took Annie, who'd had an average and "normal" background, and retroactively wrote her as someone who'd been off the proverbial beam all along.  

 

That's true, but CW was such a weird actress I had a tough time believing Annie was ever normal anyway. 

[Soaplovers]

See, Carl, I'd almost agree with you, except for two things:

 

1) I felt it was wrong how Annie had to go psycho in order for the triangle with her, Josh and Reva to be interesting.

 

2) B&E especially took Annie, who'd had an average and "normal" background, and retroactively wrote her as someone who'd been off the proverbial beam all along.  

Co sign on #1!

 

I remember at the time the triangle was going on that Kim Zimmer remarked that she didnt understand why they had Annie go crazy when the triangle had been an even 50/50 split beforehand.  If I were a soap writer, I would kill to have a triangle that evenly split and would write the hell out of it! 

 

Even if the show wanted Reva/Josh, I would have made Annie eventually realize she was too good for Josh and move on.  That would have been more interesting then turning Annie into a one note psycho.

 

I actually liked Annie in the early months of the show, she seemed like a tortured soul trying to make a new start in a new town.  Plus, she was a nurse.. carrying on a long tradition of featuring a long suffering nurse (Peggy, Katie, and Lillian were featured long suffering nurses... I figured Annie would be next in line to carry the torch.. given early scenes between Lillian/Annie when she first joined the show).

[CarlD2]

I remember at the time the triangle was going on that Kim Zimmer remarked that she didnt understand why they had Annie go crazy when the triangle had been an even 50/50 split beforehand.  If I were a soap writer, I would kill to have a triangle that evenly split and would write the hell out of it! 

 

They wanted lunacy, not a triangle. The ratings were in the toilet. I think the insanity got them a huge increase and saved them from cancellation.

 

I didn't like Reva/Josh (I actually preferred her with Buzz), but I thought the two of them pining for each other while Annie plotted was more compelling than the evenly split triangle.

 

I think it was the material after the trial which began going too far into OTT crap, although even then, I didn't really mind it (I liked the early Cassie story). I only started to dislike it toward the very end, when they dragged in Annie's long lost husband and had her put Reva on the plane, and all the rest.

Edited by CarlD2, 02 January 2013 - 12:52 AM.

[Sindacco]

The Baby Switch on DAYS. After the long, drawn-out mess Langan had made it, Brash and Cwikly ended it really well. Bo and Hope giving up JT to Glen and Barb, and Lexie going crazy kidnapping Zack was really good.

[ghfan89]

Back in 2005, Pratt wanted Michael to be the one who killed AJ, but due to fan uproar, they rewrote it.

[CarlD2]

Back in 2005, Pratt wanted Michael to be the one who killed AJ, but due to fan uproar, they rewrote it.

 

In the long run I wonder if that was better or not. They might have gotten some mileage out of a returning AJ dealing with his unhinged son killing him. I'd normally say that's too much, but considering the stories Michael has had since...

[EnglishTea]

AMC backing off the story of Janet trying to take over Brooke's life, which was additionally ridiculous since RM is probably 5 inches taller than JB.

[CarlD2]

AMC backing off the story of Janet trying to take over Brooke's life, which was additionally ridiculous since RM is probably 5 inches taller than JB.

 

That idea sucked so much.

 

I was also glad AMC rewrote the story of Adam inadvertently causing Liza's miscarriage of his child, although he still ended up having that awful sperm rape story.

[VirginiaHamilton]

OLTL = rewriting TSJ's "Todd" out to be Special Needs Vic, as it served as a vindication of what I've long thought of his shiteous version of Todd Manning - especially after the real one made his triumphant return.

 

GL = making Jonathan and Tammy endgame instead of going full speed with Jonathan and Dinah, as I got my delicious guilty pleasure of a kissing cousins storyline in return.

 

AMC = the entire Project Orpheus finale storyline, as it brought back characters that should've never been killed off in the first place.

 

 

[ChitHappens]

What about stories that changed for the worse?  Can I?

 

Making Luke the accidental killer of Jake as opposed to Carly.  Instead of a really meaty story that pits Jason against Carly, at least for a little while, they went with a worthless addiction story that lasted a week.  Luke self healed and Carly, who was in on the intervention, was granting Luke bar rights in exchange for dirt on Johnny.  Pure waste!  NOTHING good came out of a story that had so much potential! 

[VirginiaHamilton]

What about stories that changed for the worse?  Can I?

 

Making Luke the accidental killer of Jake as opposed to Carly.  Instead of a really meaty story that pits Jason against Carly, at least for a little while, they went with a worthless addiction story that lasted a week.  Luke self healed and Carly, who was in on the intervention, was granting Luke bar rights in exchange for dirt on Johnny.  Pure waste!  NOTHING good came out of a story that had so much potential! 

 

Don't even get me started on that bullshit storyline.  Not that I cared about the plot point that was Liz's love child with the roided goiter, but it pissed me off that TG encouraged showkiller Guza's plan to permanently damage Luke's relationship with Lucky over that bullshit storyline.  In addition to that waste of space character, Ethan, turning out to be Luke's (preferred) son, it was one of the main reasons why I quit watching this show a few years ago.

[ChitHappens]

That's true, but CW was such a weird actress I had a tough time believing Annie was ever normal anyway. 

 

I never got the genius that supposedly was Cynthia Watros.  I liked her well enough, but I didn't see the fuss. 

 

Triangles are not what they used to be where the point of contention is interesting and worth it (unlike a Liam Spencer aka Ethan Crane).  Now, the deck is stacked in favor of the couple the audience is supposed to root for and the wacko makes it so that we can't help but want them to win.  What really happens is that we are turned off to the whole thing and don't care about any of the 3!

[Cheap21]

AMC: Annie's original descent into madness. The original plan was to turn her into a serial killer and write her off but Pratt took over as head writer and so viability in her, and had Ritchie be her only victim and then firmly implanted her into the Chandler fold which did her character wonders


 

 

Back in 2005, Pratt wanted Michael to be the one who killed AJ, but due to fan uproar, they rewrote it.

Thats a story that changed for the worse. They should have stuck with their original plan and moved forward with it. The stuff with the doctor was clearly slapped together and came across as a mess onscreen. Michael as the killer had more potential to be a meatier story with longer reprecussions. This was back when he was played by Chucky, so seeing him as a killer wasnt too far off.

 

 

What about stories that changed for the worse? Can I?

 

Making Luke the accidental killer of Jake as opposed to Carly. Instead of a really meaty story that pits Jason against Carly, at least for a little while, they went with a worthless addiction story that lasted a week. Luke self healed and Carly, who was in on the intervention, was granting Luke bar rights in exchange for dirt on Johnny. Pure waste! NOTHING good came out of a story that had so much potential!

 

 

Did Guza say he was going to make it Carly?

 

 

Edited by Cheap21, 02 January 2013 - 10:43 AM.

[CarlD2]

VH you might enjoy Eastenders - they're currently having a forbidden affair cousin story that is somewhat popular with viewers (Joey and Lauren Branning).

[ChitHappens]

AMC: Annie's original descent into madness. The original plan was to turn her into a serial killer and write her off but Pratt took over as head writer and so viability in her, and had Ritchie be her only victim and then firmly implanted her into the Chandler fold which did her character wonders


 

 

Thats a story that changed for the worse. They should have stuck with their original plan and moved forward with it. The stuff with the doctor was clearly slapped together and came across as a mess onscreen. Michael as the killer had more potential to be a meatier story with longer reprecussions. This was back when he was played by Chucky, so seeing him as a killer wasnt too far off.

 

 

Did Guza say he was going to make it Carly?

[ChitHappens]

AMC: Annie's original descent into madness. The original plan was to turn her into a serial killer and write her off but Pratt took over as head writer and so viability in her, and had Ritchie be her only victim and then firmly implanted her into the Chandler fold which did her character wonders


 

 

Thats a story that changed for the worse. They should have stuck with their original plan and moved forward with it. The stuff with the doctor was clearly slapped together and came across as a mess onscreen. Michael as the killer had more potential to be a meatier story with longer reprecussions. This was back when he was played by Chucky, so seeing him as a killer wasnt too far off.

 

 

Did Guza say he was going to make it Carly?

 

I read in a few places that it was gonna be Carly but TG convinced Guza to make it Luke. 

 

As for Michael being the killer, I completely agree.  The writers should not have backed down when this was the better story.  I didn't see all of that story, but yeah, Chucky was more fitting as the killer. 

Edited by ChitHappens, 02 January 2013 - 11:25 AM.