DramatistDreamer

You're welcome Khan :)

Ironically, I was just asked about the EC vs PV and I cited this as one of the reasons why EC should not take priority over the PV.

Interesting insights from an Asian American journalist whose reporting took her on a journey through four countries. She talks about the country with the most thorough protocols (Taiwan) as well as the countries that had uneven or lax protocols for dealing with COVID-19. Three Months, Two Continents and Four Stints in Quarantine: How Different Govt's Handled the Pandemic

ICYMI, this seems highly noteworthy. This pandemic seems to be accelerating certain trends.

I will say one thing about Sheffer's maiden year, it bailed the show out of what had been a deep malaise in the previous year. Just about anything where a story had some movement to it was likely to be a vast improvement over what had been taking place in the previous two years. My problem with the content of his writing is the lack of respect for the show's history and it's characters that was glaringly obvious. One of the things that dramatic writers are usually taught, especially when practicing to write for serial drama (or even comedy) is not to venture too far out from the "universe" of the show. I hate to use the word "rules" but call it what you must. Even in science fiction there is a certain universe and to venture too far outside of that is to undermine everything that came before. I think that was one of my biggest frustrations with his writing is that tendency to undermine just about everything that had preceded it. I mean, I guess if you'd only started to watch the show a few years before, who cares, right? But if you'd been following the characters a good fifteen years or so, it was like watching the history of a town being torn to pieces. And to hear a HW joke that because it's only a soap, he could just write crazy sh*t, that just makes it entirely worse. Also, tbh, from the time Sheffer gave his Emmy speech, you could tell the complex about 'writing down' for soaps had shown itself. Many took it to be a kind of "aww shucks" unguarded moment (where he accidentally gleefully gushes about always wanting to write for AMC, then quickly interjects "Oh crap".) but it seemed to be a Freudian slip that he should've been writing for the more high-profile soap. As a screenwriter, if he was going to deign to write for a soap, he likely would've preferred to write for the more high-profile, more buzzed about soap. It's great that at least he had a great relationship with his brother, (some people don't have good personal relationships with anyone). Sheffer was likely more complex than any of us will ever know. Most writers are. One person who always comes to mind is one of my favorites, Liz's ex, Paddy Chayefsky. He could be a brilliant writer and was said to be a gregarious spirit but he was also known to be vastly controlling in terms of his writing (by the way, most writers have a tendency to be, if they care about their work, that is). Chayefsky was notorious for slowing down productions if his vision clashed with a director's or producer's vision (and it often did). Many recognized how brilliant his writing could be (he would've outshined and in-form Sorkin by every measure in dialogue, and it wouldn't have even been close) but many didn't want to work with him because he was seen as difficult. Just an anecdote but don't trust a writer who is not somewhat controlling of his or her work, they don't care.

It is scary even when you live in a proactive state but Mississippi, I can only imagine. I am going to keep good thoughts for your mom, sister and family that they maintain good health and safety. Hopefully the community will look out for each other and be considerate of one another. I am so glad to hear this. As for the WFH and remote work news. Twitter is already allowing all their employees to work from home and it looks like the Nielsen company will be making a similar offer to their employees as well. I suspect that many companies might be seeing it as cost-effective and productivity hasn't gone down, so it's becoming more of an attractive option, especially with companies located in high-density cities.

Hm. I heard that Murray was on her way and missed it? No word on Bernie's absence but isn't he known for missing votes?

It's disappeared from trending topics. COVID-19 hearings are the focus, which is I'm sure, exactly what the bots and right-wingers DID NOT want.

Cowardly couldn't bully or whine his way out of the questioning, so he turned, tail tucked between his legs and ran.

That is fantastic news about Kathryn Hays and Don Hastings!

Hazel Aden was truly the Susie Rivera of her Degrassi generation, right down to the lack of an exit storyline. If you don't know who Susie Rivera is/was, look her up, lol. The actress who played Teri, reminds me of a young Lauren Graham in this video, for some reason. Good, interesting conversation. Thanks for posting that video @Forever8

Bots. Yesterday, someone noted that the hashtag got started in the middle of the night U.S. time, which was afternoon Russian time. There are people who are trying to counteract the misinformation and provocations but in doing so, they are keeping the hashtag going unfortunately. At this point, that is counterproductive. They should just let that hashtag die.

I came across some SNL clips just now and was struck by this one, which is poignant but also made me chuckle.

Honestly, I had no idea where to put this, and understandably, there is no May Y&R thread so here is as good as any place since Y&R gets a mention in this SNL skit.

The NRCC has been contacting people out of desperation. I know someone who is a recently naturalized U.S. citizen (who lives in a very blue state) who complained of being contacted by this organization (she hung up on them). She was suspicious but didn't know who they were until she told me the telephone number, although I'd already suspected they were Republicans but I looked it up for confirmation. I bet the GOP is calling regions that they never in a million years believed they'd be calling out of desperation.

Because of series like Unsung, at least Ms. Betty Wright was able to see some measure of appreciation while she was still alive. Still, in this day and age, 66 seems like entirely too early to leave this earth. This must surely be a painful Mother's Day for her children. I hope it was a peaceful passage. R.I.P.

If she had won those Daytime Emmys in the previous decade or two, her ticket for primetime would've been written but at that point (2006-), daytime soaps were starting to hit their nadir.