DramatistDreamer

It’s sad how programming on network television has devolved over time. This is not exactly the same but remember weekend afternoon programming? I remember when Saturday and Sunday afternoons you might have sports like tennis and figure skating- it seemed like there was always something to watch. Then by the early 00s, many Sunday afternoons, I’d see “interstitial’ programming which usually seemed to consist of these weird Byron Allen produced filler shows.

The tipsy turvy world of “Truth” Social. Trump’s media stock plunges after posting a big loss for 2023

Because the show couldn’t be bothered to write any stories that paid actual attention to the show’s history. They threw almost every aspect in the bin.

Has anyone interviewed either? I would love to hear their perspectives on what the Writers Room was like for them. Did they face any pressures to write (or not write) certain stories and perspectives? We’ve heard and read interviews done with Black actors, many of whom have discussed issues they had experienced with various soaps. I am curious if these writers encountered any issues writing for Generations ?

Agreed. The soap had talent to spare but the writing left a lot to be desired. So many missed opportunities. And everyone who makes the point that the soap seemed to become more entertaining towards the end is right, because it was indeed a case of “too little too late”. I look forward to seeing what this upcoming soap has in store.

On Generations?? Yikes! Well, at least the NAACP is playing a part in this upcoming series because…bruh!😳 Wait @Khan, were they always there? Like from the beginning? Or did they slot in towards the end?

Oh, you should have been here in this thread at the time, we were all talking about this back then!

Currently, I am reading a script and 1619, so perhaps when I have finished those, I will set aside some time to read. I think it’s obvious that there were no Black writers writing for Generations. And like you, I sincerely doubt that this will be an issue with the forthcoming serial.

While reading his NYT obituary, it said that Louis Gossett Jr. had co-written a song with Richie Havens called Handsome Johnny.

And it shows, believe me. For all intents and purposes, the Marshall family was a family who just happened to be Black. It seemed that this was the approach taken, no specificity whatsoever, which was a big error in judgment, imo. It aired on NBC- perhaps someone should have called Debbie Allen to go and fix the show, lent some cultural traditions to the Marshalls.

Something that we’ve all been discussing in this thread.

Looks like Grigor was getting a pep talk.

Ah, thank you. Like @Soapsuds, I knew it was a Masters. In my case I mixed up the tournament venue. In any case, I hope he can keep it going.

R.I.P. to Emmy, Oscar and Golden Globe winning actor Louis Gossett Jr. https://www.msn.com/en-us/movies/news/louis-gossett-jr-1st-black-man-to-win-supporting-actor-oscar-dies-at-87/ar-BB1kKuqZ?OCID=ansmsnnews11

I’m always rooting for the ‘Lost Boys’ to win something big. Grigor has won IW previously, right? It would be tough but if he could get Miami maybe a title might spur him on to capture an even bigger title this year. Keep the faith, Grigor.

Once again, I am here for the comments and y’all are cracking me up.🤣

To be honest, specificity is key in writing characters and stories that resonate. In the earliest days of the daytime soaps, characters were drawn very clearly: reverend, lawyer, doctor, secretary, housewife, nurse, teacher. It resonated because people could identify with either being one or knowing someone who fit into this profile. When soaps became more flashy and the prototypes became even higher on the socio-economic spectrum: Scion of a wealthy oil family, owner and operator of a publishing house, head creative director of a famous family run design house, owner of a family owned and operated boutique. There’s a reason why the Abbott family were introduced as Genoa City’s first family of cosmetics— it is a specific thing. Many viewers were either consumers of cosmetics or knew someone who was, so that was an entry point into the family’s story. Even in the case of the “management consulting firm”, as ATWT had in mogul Lucinda Walsh, the products and companies that they did business with were specific—real estate and construction, clothing manufacturing and in house design. My concern is that, if it’s not specific enough, then you get something like the current iteration of Newman Enterprises where no one can keep track of what they currently do as an “enterprise” and it just becomes ridiculous and inauthentic. The ice cream business on Generations could have worked, tbh, if there had been more writing that delved more into the history of African Americans and ice cream and the connection to the Marshall (wow, I can’t believe I remember their surname 😂). There actually is a very rich history with the creation of the dessert and even the invention of the ice cream scoop to Black people. Had the show had the Marshall patriarch talk about this, maybe with his unfocused playboy son, it would have strengthened the aspect of why this family went into the ice cream business. I hate to say this but, perhaps this is the function of not having a Black HW. Sometimes it’s not all about aesthetics.

Maybe if this were 1984, but in 2024, I would not be interested in watching that. Of course, I would expect that it wouldn’t solely be rich people on this soap but so far, the only core family that we’ve heard about is said to be affluent and powerful and I don’t see why they should have to acquire their means by way of sheer luck. The thought crossed my mind that the NAACP would end up calling for a boycott of a show they used to be a part of. Whew.😅

I know we’re all spitballing ideas and putting in our 2 cents but I think it’s important to keep in mind the actual premise of the series based on what was pitched. The pitch presents the premise that this family is already powerful, affluent and living in a gated community. That’s undoubtedly what both the NAACP and likely even P&G signed onto and are expecting. The idea of making a Black family the only family on daytime television whom would acquire their wealth, not through their own ingenuity or hard work but through the luck of the lottery— that’s very far from the original pitch. The NAACP, as well as P&G would have rights to withdraw from the partnership.

^^Complications from a fall, an unfortunate post script to what was no doubt a once promising career and life of public service that went awry along the way.

They were both on my list of wishful castings that I posted a few pages ago. I don’t know how involved P&G would be involved in the production process of the actual series but in the old days of PGP, they built this entire universe of talent in front of, as well as behind the camera and these actors would often go back and forth between their soaps. Think of all the actors who went from EON to ATWT and AW to GL and ATWT. Writers, directors and editors too.

Good. Let those “journalists” continue to peddle their missives about crazy Trump, his sycophants and wackadoodle cult followers since that is more their speed anyway. Whatever happened to waiting a few years after an administration tenure ends and getting some perspective before writing a book? I don’t think these hacks like to write about Democrats anyway. Any books they wrote about Hillary were usually through the lens about her husband’s indiscretions (annd Hillary wrote far more interesting books about herself than they did) and the best-selling books about Obama were written by…Obama. Maybe these navel gazing journos ought to start writing books about each other…it would be perfect for them.

Only time will truly tell but with the involvement of the NAACP, I think, chances are the metrics will reflect the centering of Black women as viewers and consumers.

Reading the actual details of how it happened and the cargo ship lost power before striking the bridge and causing the bridge’s collapse. Wow. I do wonder about the state of the bridge and its resiliency (or lack thereof). When I get the chance to read more in depth, maybe it will be more clear.

You’re welcome.☺️