DRW50

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cnd6d7y11nwo

Not entirely shocked at some of the celebrities (Sharon Stone, Stephen Fry, Liam Neeson) rallying around Spacey, but it is still disappointing.

2 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

Ha, and if a completely new writing team does happen, it will still probably be filled with friends of FV or upping people already writing for the show. 

I wonder what Dena is doing these days...

(sarcasm aside, I genuinely do not know)

I wonder how much Korte has written the stories all by herself this whole time, with Mulcahey mostly just writing certain angles or scenes. 

Regarding The Gates - looking at the track record of soaps in the last 30+ years, it's not much to hope for. The only thing I want to believe is TPTB will be patient with ratings and that they will trust Michele Val Jean. And I know that's a lot to ask, but it's all we have.

11 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

The GH cast is top-heavy and bogged down with a huge number of irrelevant and/or burned out characters who need to be pruned away, pronto. I've entertained myself more than once by taking cast lists of the various soaps and crossing out the names of all the characters whom I feel could/should be shown the door.

I think GH has long had some weaker actors compared to other soaps, but the difference in earlier years was the structure could support them. You haven't had that structure which was a part of keeping GH going up to the '90s. I don't think most of the younger cast are any more dull or wooden than, say, Jon Hensley (as I saw him mentioned) was for years and years when he was younger, but current GH is not close to what ATWT was in the mid/late '80s and early '90s, so the likes of Dex or Joss stand out more.

29 minutes ago, Vee said:

That too, especially with Tracy. And her burgeoning relationship with Stella.

There were almost always decent or good scenes sprinkled into the show when I looked in on it occasionally before this. I'm sure there will be again. But this was the first time I'd watched daily in years with the exception of last February's Spencer/Trina Ice Princess adventure, which was silly but fun. For most of the time since 2015 I've only kept up with the show in intermittent clips or the very occasional spate of episodes here and there if something or someone caught my interest. Unless something massive changes at this show, that's what I'll be going back to.

There were moments which were pleasant surprises, like Bobbie's funeral, and even that they finally did try with Trina and Spencer, but I mostly wish it didn't have to feel like an anomaly. 

To be honest I'm not sure I remember ever thinking of Korte as a standout writer even with decades on the show.

I do appreciate what we had with Stella. I know some fans feel some of her scenes should have gone to Portia, but I'll take any Vernee Watson I can get.

8 minutes ago, Vee said:

I think she's been a mix for awhile now really, but the writing for her was much more intelligent and nuanced since the writers' change.

The glimmers of stuff that felt a lot like PM to me - the really wonderful series of scenes about Marshall's misdiagnosis; Trina's long series of monologue segments at Spencer's gravesite; Drew and Nina's business/political canoodling and possibly this Ross Marler-esque political setup for Drew Q - and just the enhanced focus on families and connectivity and character really stood out, as well as righting the scales re: Sonny however clumsily it was done at times. Maxie especially improved tremendously. But there was also a ton of random mess. You can't tell me PM was invested in the Home and Heart/QVC 'Let's Pay For My Daytime Friends' Insurance' Showcase stuff.

The tender material with Gregory feels like it might have been more from Mulcahey. 

I had forgotten Lane Davies was coming back. I guess they will just stick Finn with Alexis, but hopefully they can' find something worthwhile for Lane. Or at least not make him use a Colonel Sanders accent like MEK.

I think what's most disappointing is now you won't even be able to look forward to those glimmers of quality or wondering what might be. Now you are just going to be shocked if there's one scene that doesn't feel lifeless or agenda-laden.

8 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

You didn't think the scene between Nina & Ava wasn't top notch writing for both actresses?!!! Well, I did. 

I was talking about the general treatment of the character. Frank and company apparently didn't see that as the right scene, whether we did or not.

2 minutes ago, dragonflies said:

Well given it was Van Etten pitched the Heather's hip poisoning her story, I don't hold out much hope, they seem to want to redeem her lol 

The only part of the story that could be interesting is the consequences for Laura, but it mostly seems like a way to keep a plot device psycho on the show, or an actress they like.

1 minute ago, Khan said:

My hunch: Nathan Varni (or someone else at the network level) decided a change was needed and went to PM, given his reputation, with the promise of being allowed to write the kind of material he wanted.  Frank Valentini, however, had other ideas.

That and firing Howarth. I wonder if there was any clashing over plans to get rid of the other pet (Easton).

1 minute ago, Vee said:

I guess it's time to trot out Megan Ward's terrible acting as Ghost Connie (sorry, I loved her in the 2000s but every appearance she's made since in this role has been dreadfully bad) to make Ava cry and weep and do penance for her natural self once again so they can reset the character to 'kind of nice and friendly with everyone, actually.'

I really have been out of the loop. I didn't even know that was a thing. 

They probably deserve Broadway legend Kelly Sullivan.

Ava is one of many characters on this show where it just seems like she exists for the sake of a few thrown together scenes to appease her Twitter fans rather than actually going anywhere. I guess that's the future of the show, for worse or worse. 

1 minute ago, Soapsuds said:

It's on life support until ABC pulls the plug. It might come soon if The Gates blasts GH out of the water come January.

I think the days of soaps being that level of competition to each other, or anyone else, are long gone, although if it gives ABC an excuse to pull the plug and put on GMA Part 394 they might try. Ideally I would have thought that they brought Mulcahey in and made some other changes, like dumping Howarth, because they knew they had to shape up with a new soap on the way, but clearly that isn't the case. 

Good a writer as Mulcahey is (even if not necessarily as headwriter), he alone was never going to be enough to genuinely fix the show. I guess that will never happen, but if it does, it's going to take a big turnover. Not Korte, Von Etten, or other grinding mediocrities waiting out the clock.

1 minute ago, dragonflies said:

This show has no hope as long as Frank continues to run it(into the ground)

The show is locked into the same lose-lose position as Goutman at ATWT and Wheeler at GL - Frank is not going to improve the show, he is incapable, but he is also likely the only reason the show is still on.

8 minutes ago, Khan said:

Yeah, for me, that was another, earlier sign (earlier than Van Etten's name showing up again) that something was amiss.  Since I don't have to be polite anymore about it, I'll just say that I thought that idea (the poisoned hip) was junk from the beginning and smacked of the kind of idiotic bullshit that Van Etten would come up with.

And not just him showing up, but the claims that he was fired and suddenly we got "oops he was there all along," like he was kept in a glass case marked Frankmergency. I wonder if Mulcahey was being undermined from the start as Frank didn't want him, like what Paul Rauch may have done to Claire Labine at GL. 

4 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

And it's obvious that Jason's return has been a big flop and no fault of PM.

People are tired of Jason.

Absolutely. I know some fans were disappointed because he wasn't thrown back at Sam and Liz, but even if he had been, that ship has sailed. You can't rely on 20-25 year old memories. And the future scene the show could have built up, like Trina or Cam, the show has no interest in. 

Maybe they can dredge up more relatives for Carly and hope they luck into finding wonderful actors as that is seemingly the only path the show has these days.

1 minute ago, Vee said:

FV clearly never was behind this hire or losing his trained writers, which is why Van Etten is back. The show was much improved but also deeply schizophrenic and stuck in the mire. Now Frank gets to keep control and reset. Sad, predictable but I don't have to watch it.

I can't pretend I was watching regularly, but I did have more interest in the show again, after ignoring it (more out of apathy than any rage) for most of the last decade, but the analyses and interest from you and others in this thread did help capture my interest again. It could never last, but it was a nice dream. 

3 minutes ago, Faulkner said:

A nice experiment that was probably doomed from the get-go. You really can’t go home again. 

This is why we need a Michael Logan. A soap journalist attached to a powerful brand who isn’t scared of pissing off TPTB. We need a Patrick Mulcahey exit interview, STAT.

It never can be said enough about the long-term rot in the genre due to the likes of DC becoming the mainstay for "journalism," and before that, Corday and others clamping down on the soap magazines.

I guess they assumed they would get more of a boost from Jason's return then they did, and Mulcahey was the scapegoat. 

We all pretty much knew this wasn't going to work out, we knew Frank and ABC were not going to ever take a risk on anything beyond the bare minimum, but I'm disappointed there was not more time given. 

And we can't even say they were kowtowing to fans because most of the fan anger I saw on Twitter was often toward Korte, who will still get to write whatever Carly and Joss centered material she wants.

I really don't know if I believe the ratings will go up any even if they try to pull out the greatest hits - what ARE the greatest hits now anyway? 

1996 episode starts at about 13-14 minutes.

11 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

I thought Vee brought Ross's election up because Mulcahey wrote on that story. If I could just recall what it is I think something about Ross at that time is one of the things he says he is proudest of. 

Checked my notes PM wrote 

Ross's election night dream.

Ed & Ross conversation. 

Now I'm going to YT to see if I can refresh my brain.

That was a Senate campaign. Ross ran for mayor in 2002 or 2003. I think that was the campaign Danny tried to buy for himself, or something - I don't remember.

This Archive channel has a number of Neighbours episodes, along with parts of Home & Away, Flying Doctors, Young Doctors, E Street, and A County Practice.

https://archive.org/details/@flemishdog2

3 minutes ago, Taoboi said:

Oh is that why his FAMILY MATTERS character was trending...?

 

Lord...

Yes. That's how I saw the news, along with some funny FM clips (mainly of Carl looking disappointed).

https://www.politico.com/news/2024/05/15/supreme-court-louisiana-redistricting-00158249

A perusal of Twitter tells me that Darius McCrary (Sandwich King, Y&R) is now on OnlyFans.

7 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

Of the two principle actresses who played the role (there were a couple of short-term fill-ins, as I recall), Victoria Wyndham was more nuanced and subtle. Melinda Fee struck me as too sledge-hammery.

Thanks. That describes anything I've seen of Fee. After seeing a bit of Barbara Stanger's complex Mary on DAYS, Melinda's drag queen version was not a great experience. Still, I can't criticize what I never saw, so I appreciate your perspective.

19 minutes ago, ~bl~ said:

Very cool and thanks for sharing. There may be other things of interest on that channel but on my phone so not able to check.

Thanks. Most of the soap related videos on the channel I've posted here already (they had a Morgan Fairchild interview which was taken down, I think), but there are some other interesting videos.

1 hour ago, vetsoapfan said:

In 1972, Mike was married to Charlotte Waring while he was defending Leslie on charges of murdering Stanley Norris.  Their union ended bitterly, however, because of Charlotte's insecurity and treachery (she was jealous of Leslie and even tried to sabotage Mike's defense strategy by leaking his legal plans to the D.A.)

A low-life former associate of Charlotte's named Flip Malone kidnapped her and ultimately tried to kill her. Mike, forever the hero, had come to rescue her. He jumped between Charlotte and the gun and got shot in the chest. Trying to escape, Flip sped off and died in a car crash. Although she wanted to reconcile with Mike, Charlotte could not win him back. Their marriage was permanently over. Mike recovered from being shot and subsequently married Leslie.

Thanks for the extra detail. I wish we could see some of Charlotte. Which Charlotte did you prefer?

7 minutes ago, Reverend Ruthledge said:

Thanks for sharing! I wonder what year this was? By the fashions, I would say late 70s but he said TGL had only been on 20 years. Even if he was only counting the radio years, that would put this at 1972. 

The references to Mike being shot after winning a big court case seemed fairly recent, so I guess around then (was that 72?).

32 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

Lovin it & sharing it!!! WTG! 

No problem. Any vintage soap morsel is worth watching and sharing.

24 minutes ago, vetsoapfan said:

what a nifty find! Thanks for sharing!

Glad you enjoyed it. Nice to get to hear him talking a bit about how quickly they find out about story twists and about what his character was going through. I wish some of that material was around. Or the GL-themed song he sang in his nightclub act. 

Stewart was written out with so little fanfare in '84 I wonder how many knew just how popular he was.