Carlivati vs Logan!

[KMan101]

That's what's always confused me. You get people who are fired for clearly not doing the job, yet they're hired with fanfare elsewhere? Why? I understand many behind the scenes see the shows differently, they don't see everything we see when filming in segments, etc. as opposed to the whole show, and I'm sure many of these failed head writers and producers are great people and that plays a factor ("it's who you know") but it just boggles my mind how many get rehired again and again. And by the SAME show (I'm looking at you, Corday. Tomlin and Higley failed before. Yet they were hired again. TWICE)

[ajsp35801]

^^^ now that's what I don't understand. When a writer or producer was fired from a soap then proudly rehired a couple years later. If they needed firing before, they'll need firing again.

[DRW50]

Higley and Tomlin also helped the shows, so I can see why, to a point, they were brought back, even if it's likely more down to Corday feeling comfortable with them. It's someone like Pratt getting hired at Y&R that makes no sense to me...even if the ratings prove me wrong, apparently.

[RavenWhitney]

Ron was given lots of freedom for a long while; he has sucked for a while now other than some isolated plots and episodes. I think Cartini has done a lot of positives and brought GH back on the map. They went totally juvenile though in the last year. I think the young breakdown writers (O'Conner and Van Etten) have teenage mentalities and I think they influence and help Ron shape many of the plots. The script writers are also immature, particularly Sickles. They can't afford to have so many young ones on staff; they need balance. Perhaps Ron needs a sabbatical but don't expect a Nancy Curlee to be hired, or a Lorraine Broderick. The networks will not go for a true creative artist. Ron was given a fair amount of creative license because the new PTB at ABC were desperate and he had come off a super high with the end of OLTL. No new head writer will get that creative freedom and we will get more network plotting based on the demo they desire. I sense that Ron was forced to put Val, Jordan, and the other young ones front and center for the summer. Nu Dylan is great but the whole summer so far is split between Luke/Laura and all the newbies running around.

Also, Days has sucked for more than a year and has driven their ratings into the ground. Ron has completely lost his way only recently and the show is only filmed a few weeks in advance so things can be shifted. We have had to sit through Days and Clyde and a number of super dumb plots because the writers can't go back to tweak.

[DRW50]

The problem is most of what should be shifted is his greatest love. The ratings have been falling for some time, not just recently - it just didn't get to all time lows until recently.

He never should have been left as sole headwriter. He isn't capable and he only cares about his ego, not about writing.

[JONNYSBRO]

I think Ron is burned out. He's been head writer for 3 and half years. There was a time at OLTL he crashed it was right at 3 year mark it wasn't until the end he recouped. GH can easily fix the problem it just needs new head writers.

[cassadine1991]

Now you are making sense

[Susan Hunter]

This is my take. Everyone, especially the soap press, was so happy that Ron managed to keep GH from being cancelled and was bringing back forgotten favorites that they forgave or overlooked some of the problems with his writing. They praised lackluster material, for good reasons, but Ron began to believe his own press. This, in turn, created a monster. Now, I'm not naive enough to think that all of this is Ron's handiwork, soaps are done by committee, but it is the head writer's job to create the overall vision for the show.

My problem with Ron has always been that he has no vision for the show. Most of his GH is just a badly done rehash of the 80s with some Dynasty thrown in. While this may have worked for the 50th anniversary, now it's old and tired and very stale. I don't know what Ron's GH is other than something akin to that old Carol Burnett spoof of soaps As the Stomach Turns. I also find it odd that he focused on the over the top decade, when 90s GH, arguably, produced some of the best soap opera of the entire series run.

I would hate to think that he's burned out after 3 years, but maybe he just needs to figure out his own direction for the show, and stop retelling other writer's stories, badly.

[titan1978]

His first year also had Anna frontburner and the Faison mystery, and the ultimate ratings high during the week Robin stopped Patrick's wedding. In my opinion, everything fell apart after that. Anna was sidelined when Tristan left for a contract, and The OLTL trio returned as some of the worst creations in GH history. The AJ debacle, A terrible story for Michelle Stafford, and stunt casting one bitch after another without a long term story to work with has left the show as a series of scenes and half plots. His first couple of years he had the Robin story to kind of string his writing style along in a way that seemed like it was one big long story. But the truth is KM not being available made the story work.

He is the worst kind of fan. He would rather throw history in your face than have it mean anything. It's like look what I know instead of well written drama that respects the characters and the audience. It's not even good in a campy way.

[Vee]

Robin crashing the wedding was Ron's second year. It was also one of the few wholly good bits in 2013, which is when the wheels really began coming off in the summer due to the OLTL stars returning as new characters.

[John]

The reason GH is on the air is all Frank not Ron

You give frank 5000 and he brings back change. Frank knows how to produce and direct

Ron is way past burnt out

What about bringing Racina back

[OldGHFan]

I disagree. A strong producer can get out a lot from a head writer. Witness Wendy Riche with Bob Guza. Witness Gloria Monty with every head writer she ever had. It's the producer who needs to have the vision for the show. It's the producer who is responsible for the end product. I think GH's low ratings have just as much to do with Frank and they do with Ron. Maybe more so. I say get rid of them both. Otherwise, you will see the same problems.

[dragonflies]

Yeah it's most likely Frank who keeps hiring all these noobs..

[DRW50]

I know some have said Frank is responsible for the consistently poor casting. And the show's editing is also horrific.

[titan1978]

Until Monty though the vision of the show was the HW, and the producer executed that vision. Or worked in partnership. She may have had total control, but GH even in the 1980's heyday was at its best when she had strong writers.

Let's remember for all Frank did right at OLTL and GH, he also was the producer during Higley's terrible run. He is a great director and a competent producer that works hard and takes charge. But he is no visionary and he lacks Riche's class and intelligence. She would never produce emotionally powerful work and think a piece of fluff represents the best of her season, which Frank does every year for the emmys