DRW50

14 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

We've just had a misunderstanding. I think it is criminal that Dan & Chris didn't write Trina's grief. She wasn't on for 3 consecutive weeks. And, even if they didn't write her mourning, she didn't just disappear! There was a great deal they could have written for her. Now, last week PM/EK had her back onscreen, 3 days, with Joss, with Stella, again with Joss & finally at graveside. So, what I was saying is if they are looking for more than that, then, it is more than she's been given, in general. 4 scenes over 2-3 days is substantial & FINALLY the new team had Trina back! I was literally told D&C had no idea what to write for her in the absence of Spencer. I have contempt for thinking like that, so impoverished is their imaginations, thought processes, ... I don't really have words for what I think of that. Sorry I wasn't clear before. 

This is a nitpick but technically I don't believe we have supercouples anymore. But that is a whole 'nother discussion. And, it doesn't take anything away from my considerable Sprina fandom.

It's fine, don't worry about it.

I do appreciate the handful of strong scenes with Stella and at the grave - not with Joss as I don't believe having Trina call herself a bitch for not holding Joss' hand is done in service to the character, just as her returning to try to prop Joss/Dex this week is in service to her (as some of her fans said on Twitter, she barely even knows Dex, yet she has to act like they are close friends). I do think that PM would write more for Trina if he could. Unfortunately, I think that Frank and ABC do not see that as worthwhile, similar to Mulcahey's GL run where JFP and P&G never let David or Gilly be too prominent or in pairings with white characters. 

I am not saying that being paired with a white character should be treated the ideal. I'm just saying the show saw it as the ideal and saw black characters as unworthy. As we likely have on GH now. 

I don't think that Trina and Spencer were a supercouple compared to L&L, or any of the big GH couples for a few decades after, but I do think they were the most talked about couple on the show since Patrick and Robin. All in spite of the show's best efforts.

21 minutes ago, Contessa Donatella said:

If you mean more than last week, that would be more than she ever had. 

I'd have to respectfully disagree there. Compared to what many would have had in that position, one half of a supercouple dying, it felt like the bare minimum. I guess I could praise the show for at least doing that...

20 minutes ago, Vee said:

I'm going to wait and see on Trina. I think a lot of what is going on there now is typical FV guarantee shuffling and her mourning period getting caught up in the HW change. I'd be very surprised if PM doesn't end up making good use of her, if he has any control. But we'll see. Her grave scenes were very good.

I'm sure PM would want to do more, but, for the reasons you've mentioned, I don't think Frank will go very far. GH has never had a history of being interested in black women anyway - I think the most successful subversion was Mary Mae, who could fill a matriarchal role without seeming solely like a matriarchal character due to Rosalind Cash. 

5 minutes ago, Vee said:

I (and I think several other posters) would argue the show has made a lot of strides in terms of dialogue, character work, family connectivity and some more even-handedness re: the mob over the last month-plus. The issue right now is necessary cast cuts, bigger changes and new stories. Whether these things materialize remains to be seen. I do think TA got her most prominent and strong scenes in quite some time at Spencer's gravesite with a very good monologue across several segments a few days back.

I think you will get an improvement on what came before - I wouldn't question that. I just think the fans who want real changes, like moving away from Carly/Jason/Sonny being the center of the universe, aren't likely to get them. If they were big fans of GH around 1998-2000, then this vision may ultimately appeal to them, even if I don't think Carly will ever work the same way as she did back then (although I don't believe the show even really wanted her to become as prominent as she did at the time). 

Fans who are, for instance, clamoring for more Trina are also likely to be let down.

Thanks for the promo.

I have to admit it's a bit distracting hearing Logan verging on Burgess Meredith.

5 hours ago, ranger1rg said:

I'll be honest. I see some improvement in GH since PM and EK started, but I really expected more.

Am I expecting too much? I don't know. I still do a lot of eye-rolling at scenes and characters behaving as if they were written by Chris and Dan.

I'm not going anywhere, but I also can't pretend I'm excited to watch every day.

I think with the leads GH has, Valentini's issues, and as others have mentioned, the incredibly fear-based nature of the show when it comes to diversity or avoiding the status quo, you are never going to get a huge leap forward. 

12 minutes ago, Planet Soap said:

Sean Kenan & Laura Wright as well as Billy Warlock & SJB had some toxic sexual energy the level of Alan & Monica. That would have been a more entertaining pairing than Carly and Drew and the poor attempt at Carly & Jason in 2021. It's amazing that a pairing that had so much behind it to work just fell flat.

On paper the Britt story could have worked. Jason finally having a non-Sam romantic lead, only to have to marry Carly. Too bad the writing sucked. 

I never really thought Billy and Sarah had any chemistry, although that wasn't helped by the show telling us 50000 times that they were the new Alan and Monica. The problem was that Guza had (to me anyway) such blatant contempt for Alan and Monica, so when we kept hearing this, how was I meant to react? Were we meant to hope for a future of Carly and AJ repeating "this is my house/I gave it to you" every time they were onscreen?

2 hours ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Having Trina be the love doctor today was kinda sad. 

#Trex should be a thing. Have Trina show Dex what it’s like to date an actual human being for once… at least until Spencer comes back lol 

The show would just make her a hate figure ruining Joss' happiness.

1 hour ago, P.J. said:

I'm not disagreeing, athough I thought Ed split those duties. Or maybe would have, if Peter Simon hadn't been so ...Peter Simon.

If we were talking about the 84-85 turnover, Peter had left during that period.

2 hours ago, Mona Kane Croft said:

I definitely wish this show the best, and I plan to watch it.  But I understand it will probably be a 60-minute soap, which concerns me a bit.  I think 30-minutes would be a better decision.  It has always been difficult to get a new soap opera started.  And there really have been no soaps that premiered in the 60-minute format that were ultimately successful.  It think it would be wise to premiere the show at 30-minutes, then a couple of years later -- if the ratings are high -- expand it to 60-minutes.  Or maybe just leave it at 30-minutes.  

I too wish we could have had a 30 minute soap, or potentially two 30 minute soaps. I suppose that's too cost-prohibitive, and a 60 minute soap makes more sense financially, but I genuinely am not sure if a public now trained to watch ass-shaking on tiktok for 10 seconds can watch a 60 minute soap.

2 hours ago, DramatistDreamer said:

And with the way time flies, it really won’t be that long. 
 

I know we’re pretty much all excited and it’s been fun proposing our casting hopes and dreams and ideas and such but I hope people will remember that this is MVJ’s vision and I hope people will allow her to kick off this series her way. We will all have our respective opinions, like we always do and I expect at some point, we will feel free to express them, that’s the fun of this board. But I hope that she'll at least get the honeymoon period that most HWs and especially show creators get when launching something brand new.

IOW, let that Black woman write her show!

I'm going to be as positive and supportive as I can be, unless MVJ decides to do her own version of the Passions Princess Diana moment, because this role is so groundbreaking and Michele has such a long history in the industry worthy of respect. It's also been so long since we have had a soap that isn't choked on decades of malaise, we have to have a whole new approach to this show.

1 hour ago, Khan said:

I agree.  I, myself, don't have any hopes and dreams for this show beyond just wishing the best for it and everyone attached to it.  (Although, a new title would be nice, lol).

Considering that when I told someone about the show earlier today, they asked me why the show was called "The Gays," I tend to agree. 

(if anyone does want to start a soap called "The Gays," [not you, Ryan Murphy], I'll support it)

7 minutes ago, P.J. said:

In some respects, the changeover is almost as dramatic as when Bill Bell switched the focus of Y&R from the Foster/Brooks  to the Newman/Abbotts. 

It didn't strike me at the time, but on GL's last episode, Maeve Kinkead is the actor who'd been there the longest (aside from the cameos by Maureen Garrett and Lisa Brown).

It's probably even more dramatic, as you at least had Jeanne Cooper for continuity. 

I've said this so many times now, but much as I adore Ross Marler and Jerry ver Dorn, in no logical soap world is a 5-year character the elder statesman of a 45 year old show.

On 4/13/2024 at 6:53 AM, te. said:

Nothing against Guiding Light or As The World Turns, but I don't think either really has a huge interesting premise to appeal beyond their original fanbase that would make them worth rebooting over just creating a new show. The reason why many people point towards Edge of Night or something like Dark Shadows is because both shows have an instantly recognizeable point of view beyond just being a soap. Guiding Light might have an up there because it's well-known as one of the longest running shows and the oldest long-running soap, but it'd like end up doing "meh" like the Law & Order reboot.

I love Dark Shadows, but that was revived multiple times and just didn't work. 

I can't argue with you, and to be honest I don't expect either show to return, but I do think the basic core of each show along with their longevity and history could still work today. I think GL in particular had something special - there was always a streak of instability and wildness alongside the tradition. It's America, essentially. When I listen to radio episodes from 1950, Meta's neuroses and her toxic relationships hold up just as well today as they did at the time. 

So many loathsome, hateful people there - Ken Klippenstein and Ryan Grim possibly the worst. Someone said it's like Gawker's ending all over again, especially the delusion.

Speaking of loathsome, hateful people, here is the NYT platforming one of the scummiest grifters and liars around. I would say I'm shocked, but that paper would clone Hitler if it got them another book deal.

On 4/3/2024 at 10:15 PM, Vee said:

I have a lot of fondness for Brooke Bundy as a horror fan, remembering her in a couple of the Nightmare on Elm Street sequels as Patricia Arquette's bitchy showbiz mom (who keeps nagging her even after getting decapitated by Freddy Krueger). But I can never get past that memory in my head as I watch her, lol. I've always wanted to see more of the popular Valerie Starrett, who it seems got pushed out in a power play by the new EP pre-Monty. It's sobering to realize the Taylors were a beloved tentpole couple for a lot of years before the Heather saga just annihilates them in the end. And Diana goes out like a pathetic, deluded and desperate woman. But it's very gripping story - a domestic gaslighting tragedy.

Bundy is so twitchy and flighty even in the LSD episodes that you'd think she is the one having a breakdown. I too wish more of Starrett was around. I can see why fans seemingly did not accept her replacement.

Thank you as always @slick jones

3 hours ago, Xanthe said:

I think they thought Amanda was taking up that space and Nancy would be superfluous, especially after Paulina was introduced. But I think there could have been room for Nancy as well if Amanda had had a properly defined character. 

It does feel like Judi's Paulina replaced Nancy - even Nancy could have played out most of the Paulina/Jake romance that Judi played.

Jane Cameron makes Nancy a very spiky, unique character compared to what is on the page. This is something most of the ingenues on AW did not have after her. I can imagine her having some real clashes with Anne Heche's Vicky.

6 hours ago, NothinButAttitude said:

If CBS was to cancel the show, the most logical P&G soap to revive would be EON. It can be made procedural. And as I said in another thread, you can either pick up with Timmy Faraday and John Victor as the protagonists, do a modern interpretation with a new, young Mike Karr, or just keep the name and theme but a whole new cast of characters. 

I'd love to see them bring EON back. I didn't think of it because I didn't know if it would just be called "copaganda" in today's climate but with a few tweaks the potential is there. For me, of the CBS soaps, EON, ATWT or GL could all make sense as revivals. 

8 hours ago, ranger1rg said:

If a 30-minute soap patterns itself after BOLD with its stories and pacing, I'll pass.

There were many 30 minute soaps much better than B&B. Even at its best B&B was never that good.

5 minutes ago, NothinButAttitude said:

Oooo! That is a perfect way to view what all has gone down. The show that killed my precious ATWT and the man who killed all of daytime (don't know if that's appropriate to say but my apologies) kicking the bucket. Pure karma.

CBS, go ahead and make me happy by canceling Let's Make a Deal! We can bring back ATWT & GL as 30-minute soaps. 

As I've never met anyone who watched LMAD I would be glad to see it replaced by a soap and seeing the old P&G soaps again (I'd even take Search). I keep having to remind myself we're still not even fully sure about The Gates getting on rather than just another talk show or game show or repeats.

Can't believe it's been so long. I still roll my eyes at Brad Pitt being mentioned as an AW name. I suppose they knew what would get eyeballs.

I don't watch Locher too often but I may to see Richard Bekins. Richard's work holds up so well. I wish they had gotten him back in the show's later years. (I also think he was genuinely more attractive than the piece of ass Jamies they cast after him, although Yates and Todd weren't shabby).

Where is that "it's happening" Ron Paul gif, or should we not jinx it?

Suck it, Les Moonves, whatever billion dollar hideaway you're in as I type this.

22 minutes ago, John said:

It was more balanced when Wendy Riche was EP

But Guza's 2002 return he also got a prod credit and thats when it started

I didn't feel like it was that balanced then either, and I also thought the show was dull as hell from about '99 on, but I am probably an outlier.

I may be biased, but I don't think Maurice can do any better. I didn't think he was very good when he came back in the late '90s. I would hear about what a great actor he was meant to be but I never saw it. When I go back to his earlier work, the charisma is there, and certainly he was capable of stronger work (as shown in Stone's death), but even then, I don't see a good actor. I think Maurice was a good-looking guy with star power and that carried him a long way. That can be enough, especially on soaps. It's not with Sonny because he's such an overexposed, repulsive, pathetic manchild of a non-character.

14 minutes ago, John said:

The issue is that even when GH is balanced, major stories still go to Sonny, Carly & Jason first & that needs to change. They all need to be back burned for a bit so folks like Laura, Tracy, Elizabeth, Trina can be front and center.

Remember when Soaps had A,B & C stories. Characters in A would go to C Then those in C to B and B to A & rotate like that. That rotation is missing. 

I think Guza ruined this when he came back in the late '90s. I never felt like I stopped seeing Jason, and when I didn't see Jason, I was hearing about Jason. It was usually either that, Sonny, Luke the noble rapist, or some other side story with Brenda or the Cassadines (which would usually end up with Jason or Luke). Or filler like teen romances or Ned/Alexis/Jax/Chloe that he clearly had no interest in.

6 hours ago, j swift said:

It's a funny thing, because 20somethings living in an apartment complex starting their careers is sexy, but 60somethings doing the same thing is called Assisted Living and seems far less appealing.

I mean, I am certain that they're all well-preserved, but it will take a lot of exposition to explain why they're still tied to a rental they lived in three decades ago.

I think there's drama in people in their 60s or older who are in a community - you could probably make a riveting show based off all the drama that happens in The Villages - but I'm not sure how many of these characters will wear well so many years later. Most of them didn't even manage to last for the length of the original run.

Thrilled to know Maree will be there. I really wish they would have Marie on the show in a semi-regular capacity while they still can.