KMan101

I was wondering. I don't follow the ratings closely anymore. The show is far more palatable without Meghan McCain, I'm back watching regularly. I guess folks 'hate-watch'/watch during a combative political/election season ... interesting they're in the dumps. I wonder if people are just ... tired. It's been a rough 4-5 years ... I think people are looking for more of an escape and less 'debate hot topics'. But just a thought. Also, I assume, a large amount of the population aren't being 'seen' on the panel at the moment so I guess they aren't watching. And while I love the current panel, I feel like it's also a bit ... tired too. The more I talk out loud, the more I can see why ratings are down. Also wanted to add I'm enjoying seeing past co-hosts come back to the table. Sherri Shepherd fit right in like it was nothing. It felt like a test to me but I doubt she needs The View money at this point. Meghan is also bitching about the work environment. It seems only a select few have an issue working on the show. They want everyone around them to bend and cater but give nothing back. Sometimes the problem IS YOU. I will agree with her the show needs stronger leadership. It's clearly gone to [!@#$%^&*] without Barbara behind the scenes cracking the whip. But at the end of the day, Meghan seems like she's not a very happy person and I wish she'd look deeper into herself.

Definitely. Very plot driven. lol yep. The show is kinda bouncing around stories a lot lately. My interest is starting to wane a bit.

I think BritBox has Corrie, Emmerdale and EastEnders but I could be wrong. I've never tried to subscribe to it. Do any of the "official" subscription based services have a 'full library' of these shows? Or is it just 'recent years' starting with like 2010? lol There's a blog out there with lots of old episodes of the UK soaps, but you'd have to download them from FileFactory. It's a great source though. I was honestly shocked some local PBS affiliates were still showing EastEnders. I know for many of them it was still getting eyeballs it seems. Why keep airing it if it wasn't? I think a Florida affiliate was showing episodes earlier this year. I'll have to check if they still are.

I kinda like Meena too. It's a bit paint by the numbers psycho but the actress is good IMO. I also like David and Victoria. Those three and Kim keep me interested. I tend to stick to their clips and not the whole show at the moment. I'm more into older Emmerdale at the moment. But my soap watching the last few weeks has been spotty LOL. You've listed a lot of the problems. The show feels so heavy. Some stories interest me but when you add it all together ... Also feels a little empty on the 'vet' side of the canvas though. Lots of long running Dingles (Marlon doesn't bother me) ... lol "whenever they realise that the actress is still on a payroll" I LOL'd but seems accurate. I notice this on the other shows too it's like "whoops forgot about them, here they are" ...

This. Britt, original flavor, would have been FIRE as chief of staff. I can excuse some of it away as Britt mellowing and suffering from a medical condition but still ... I agree on Laura Wright. She can really deliver on certain types of reactions and certain things she excels at. I can see why some are tired of her. It's a lot of yelling. But she's never phoned it in on GH. And exactly on the 'drama' and lack of. We have Ava needling Carly and getting under her skin but then we get zero drama out of Sonny and Jason. It's so bizarre. They're so afraid to 'go there' with this trio. And yet everyone but the Facebook pearl clutchers are begging for the show to 'go there'. Mathison's body is crazy well defined. I was shocked. Good for him! Same. I hope it is as well. I don't understand wishing cancellation on any of the soaps no matter how bad they get. But ABC doesn't seem to give a [!@#$%^&*] about GH (IMO). It literally COULD go tomorrow. They waste a lot of time for a show that shouldn't be wasting time. I do feel there's a slight push by them to watch the show on Hulu. Yeah. He's got way too many kids and future grandkids ... I'm all for big families but when nobody else is popping them out except Maxie (of all people) ...

Same. I rarely venture out of my usual spots LOL. Off-topic I can't ever jump into ... but agreed. I love SoapSuds and his humor and I feel like I can joke back and forth with him in silly ways and it's never serious. I mean, to Toups ... is it about the shirtless men? I will say there are times I roll my eyes as much as I love the eye candy. I'm just being honest. Sometimes there's a time for it and sometimes there isn't, but that's just me. I'll never not be upset seeing a hot guy with his shirt off nearly naked. Ever. And I won't be a dick about it. I guess I am now but I'm really not trying to be. Just being honest as I see it. I mean, it is what it is. I really don't mind but I do think some do and maybe SoapSuds doesn't always 'read the room' but it's not hard to scroll on by and carry on ... Where's the energy from Toups on the trolls? I love ya Toups but can we get this board under control? Focusing on SoapsSuds is counterproductive. DON'T LEAVE SOAPSUDS!

Absolutely. I love Vaughan too but Eric is recastable. Just get Dan Wells. The fans would eat it up. Done. Eric should really be around for this story 100%. A part of me wonders if they didn't want to recast both EJ and Eric around the same time but ... the DAYS go on ... With Eric around and Shawn being given Rafe's spot at the PD, you DON'T NEED RAFE. Siiiiigh. EDIT: Hell, give some of Rafe's airtime to Lucas. Done.

The UK soaps seem to have fallen into the same rut as the US soaps where they just constantly swap producers and writers. I agree stronger producers are needed for sure. It's clearly lacking.

I would love if they went in that direction. I think they often miss the boat with Jackie, honestly. So much is there to dig into ... that's why I feel like it was a mistake to ignore Andy. But then make her never having kids a thing. She's a mess but never actually deals with it ... lol If we're going to be serious they could do it with Jackie. And Darlene's love triangles are not interesting. I know Sara wants to be 'the star' but Darlene doesn't even feel like the same character at times. They do need better writers because the potential is there. Holy crap. Prayers for her. I wish her the best in her recovery.

Yep and we'll get the usual Ava/EJ 'badness' and none of it will matter in the end. It does write itself with Sami coming back. I imagine it plays into that but who knows? I feel like we have Rafe because we can't/don't have Eric and I'm so bitter over it.

It's just getting started boo there's months of the Devil to come. You were never going to be interested LOL 😛 but we'll see how it goes I'm too afraid to get behind EJ and Nicole. I feel like they want us to root for Rafe and Nicole but we're all stanning EJole. I'm already itching for Sami and Eric (I feel like it's Greg or nothing for the show, so the Eric ship has sailed it feels like) to come back and lose their minds over EJole together. They need to give Ryan more writing power. Ron has always needed a solid CO-HW to reel him in. I think it's obvious who he's forced to write for.

You'd think with Carly on every day every week we'd get more Bobbie but nope. LOL. I really think they miss the boat so many times in using the vets in ways that make sense. But then Frank would have to pay them so gotta pay for the pets. I agree. I don't buy Britt as COS. And she lacks the fire she once had. I get why they're trying to make her a more 'regular' character but it's like they can't decide on a direction. Maura West is fabulous. I loved Ava getting in Carly's head. MORE OF THIS! I feel like we get like one day of good writing and the rest is such a mess ... I also think it's quite obvious directions were shifted in storylines and they rushed to get Cameron Mathison and Charles Shaughnessy on-screen. The flow has been awful. I used to be able to say they at least still play out a story but yeah not so much. Frank needs to stop micromanaging and trust the writers. But he can't. He has his own agendas. Tell me there wasn't a Frank mandate to see more of "Dr. GH" and 'redeem' Peter. Hilarious how the writers say 'Liz is the heart and soul' and yet we never see her. And she still doesn't have a perspective. Why is she not more involved in Cam, which would involve her more with Jason and Carly, etc? It makes no sense. It's gotta be deliberate. Oh goody, she gets to play nursemaid to Valentin. How riveting. But of course it's likely about Peter so ... of course we see her. I love Bonnie Burroughs and Gladys but they really need to do more with her. Sasha and Blando are such wastes of airtime. They really need to go. Hallmark & GAC Family are waiting. Though I'd rather watch them than Michael and Wallow.

I agree. It was a solid recasting. Noah is needed. Nick is waaaaaaay past his frat boy days. Noah needs to pick up the torch. But they keep making poor romantic choices for him. Tessa ain't it. I understand why Noah would side-eye Sally but frankly she should be pursuing him (though Adam makes more sense and I think it works better but still). You know? I liked Adamson but he read older. Unfortunately, Griffith sucks and can't write for anyone really so it's hard to get invested. Look at Summer and Kyle. Ana. He has no interest.

Yeah, it just isn't working (and wasn't going to). They just refuse to see it despite even some Howarth stans saying so on social media lol. It really just isn't working. The Stanco stans want Franco, not Austin. And the rest of us don't want either. So ... time for a decision to be made that Frank clearly doesn't want to make.

A smart get. Now I'm interested. I completely forgot Isabella Gomez was the teacher in the reboot. I'll be checking this out. The original was a bit underrated.

Desperate. Perfectly sums up the state of the show at the moment. It lacks a solid direction badly.

I'm still salty over AJ being brought back and then killed. So salty. I agree Kanan is becoming a prop for Brad, along with Kimberlin. It's clear he's flying by the seat of his pants with no real long-term plan, IMO.

LOL right? Why not more Ava/Tripp? Why is Ava not all in her son's business? Pushing him in certain directions, etc. So many character opportunities and it's like they just don't care to bother. (I also assume scheduling/guarantees plays a part but I feel like they can do better) Wasn't it though? I was ecstatic. It was up there with Daniel's death for me and Shawn Christian leaving. I also was pretty happy when Scott said FU and EJ was killed like nothing. Dan's revived EJ for me. It's crazy how much I like the character now. Better writing for him helps. Lucas is always wasted. There's initial promise everytime Bryan returns but then nothing except some pop ups. It's such a shame. Like I said, so many missed 'character opportunities'. More Lucas/Johnny vs. EJ would be nice. I love EJ's hatred of Rafe. It warms my heart. If they kept Rafe as a side character who was a snarky cop I could deal. He's not a romantic lead. The character is just a warm body holding a spot on the canvas.

I will say it often feels like Chloe is just ... here to be here so I can understand the feeling of 'played out'. I'd like a little more investment. A POV would help. lol I have too. I'd probably prefer to live with Craig and Nancy too LOL. Imagine the fun and the arguments. I wish they were around. Why not use them ala Justin/Adrienne-Bonnie? Ron should have teenage Parker find out Philip is his bio daddy and then we can bring back Stephanie. Exactly. So many things they could do with her. Joy could be in the music industry. There you go. And they dropped the ball on Chloe/Claire. I can see the burn out on Chloe. The character needed longer than just a year/few months rest here and there. We were so damn close to Rafe gone forever. Siiiigh. Whhhhy do they hate us? LOL Personally I'd rest Brady and bring back Paul

Compared to his PASSIONS days I think Eric's aged VERY VERY nicely. And it helps he has a great personality.

Yeah, JKJ is very gaunt in the face. I have to admit I've wondered. And yeah de-aging could happen with a recast, definitely. But they don't see Eric's Brady or Martha's Belle or Brandon's Shawn as a 'problem' like some on here do. I mean, look at Dan/EJ. It is what it is at this point lol even though the horrible SORASing bothers me

Brady definitely feels played out. He's continuously driven story since Eric debuted, really. That's a long time and a LOT of relationships. LOL. I wouldn't say Chloe is played out. A stronger direction would help. More scenes with Belle and Shawn would help. Bringing on her sister would help. JKJ chews the scenery when Philip has to go all Investigation Discovery angry. The triangle has potential but it's all so flat and boring and feels like Philip doesn't stand a chance. I think JKJ has aged fine. Nadia didn't need the injections. Chloe/Brady/Philip writes itself so it shouldn't be so lackluster or feel like an afterthought. Nobody expects them to de-age anyone. Yep on Kirsten Storms.

Same. Even though I do like him as Brady.

Same Deacon was fun in his original go-around and I did like his brief time on Y&R with Nikki, but overall his returns have been ehhh ... Brad will tire of him like he always does.

Agreed on Sonia. I liked the idea that Rocky was her dad but I also like that he's a Cotton. I think it could still be a complex relationship but who knows. I thought it would be good if he actually WAS her father but was still on the scheme with Dotty. I guess they could but it would probably make it more convoluted than it needs to be. I also hope they don't write Rocky into a corner. I like the actor but I feel like he'd be the 'fall guy'. I liked his relationship with Kathy too. Agreed on the use of Kathy. I'd like a little more perspective from her at times. While they don't seem to know what to do with Sharon (I feel like Dean is trying to infuse her with some Angie energy, personally), I think it's been interesting seeing characters like Sonia, Sharon, Kat and even Janine become more of the 'matriarchs' of the show. It works. I also like Sharon's brother Zack. He's certainly livened Martin up. Martin actually laughing and not raging 24/7 has been so nice. I don't mind Mick and Linda but I also don't really miss them ... Ah. I haven't always closely followed the UK soap news ... lol. I'm not surprised at all she wanted to leave. I assume the pandemic delayed her move so she stayed on the show. I definitely see her back in time. With Tiffany out, Bernadette not written like she can have a love interest ... we have Liam and Keegan and no one to pair them with. I feel like the show forgets about Ash (I did). Looks like they're giving her something to do.