KMan101

4 hours ago, Faulkner said:

They so want those viral moments.

I don’t even understand why BAG and Sharna would *want* to dance together. Talk about potentially putting a strain on a new-ish relationship.

Maybe BAG wants to brag a bit, considering his ex Megan Fox is all loved up on Machine Gun Kelly everywhere you look.

I both understand and don't understand pairing Sharna and Brian. I like Brian but honestly I think Sharna could do better

And yup. They want those viral moments. When you think about it, a lot of shows seem driven by the desire to have 'viral moments'

26 minutes ago, Faulkner said:

Which is also telling, yeah, because DWTS has traditionally had an older audience. Even the reliable senior-citizen crowd is bailing, and they’re losing the younger ad demos they’ve been so doggedly pursuing.

Yep. 

My Mom loved DWTS. She watches The Voice now. Not even joking lol. I've never cared much for The Voice for whatever reason. It's interesting because I thought my Mom wouldn't like Tyra when she hosted America's Got Talent, but she did (Tyra was much better there IIRC) but yeah dumping Tom was a HUGE mistake. 

I believe ABC saw "an old white guy" hosting and Tyra was an appealing replacement. It just hasn't worked.

Now NBC has got him. NBC always picks up Fox and ABC personality's that are discarded. LOL

They have nothing to replace it with LOL. They could get even worse results ... but yeah The Talk feels dead to me. It has for a while. They tried salvaging it with male co-hosts. The idea wasn't bad but the audience just isn't there. 

I know people appreciated the anti-View aspect of The Talk but fluff and constantly losing co-hosts doesn't get you viewers. I thought it was a stupid idea way back when it replaced ATWT. And it's gotten further from it's original idea.

Terry 'Rocky' is really Tom Cotton

1 minute ago, Vee said:

It's all Frank IMO, and some of his writers have def fallen down on the ball though I think the current HW team might (or might not) be capable of more solo.

Again. THIS. I noticed an improvement when Dan came onboard. I question Van Etten.

5 minutes ago, Vee said:

Nadia Bjorlin, JKJ, Madison, Beemer, etc. do not need the unemployment line bc this show just brings them back every 6-9 months.

Madison has never been a lead actress and never will be so her being in the Possession is out, and I doubt you can recast Belle at this point sadly. The character has been a nonentity for the better part of 15 years.

I love Madison but yeah, she's not a lead actress and they aren't going to write her as one. And yep, the character has been a nonentity for so long ...

Just now, Soapsuds said:

. Nope!  She's easily replaceable with a BETTER actress.

They've had numerous opportunities in between her firings. Would you bother recasting a character they treat like, as Vee said, a nonentity? 

32 minutes ago, FrenchBug82 said:

I feel Days is starting to do the B&B thing where they play stories by cycles of episodes instead of balancing the stories. We get one or two stories dominating non-stop for a week and then a different story dominating the next week instead of them being played concurrently or a balance of A-story front-burner and a couple of B stories moving on the sides.

That's what it feels like too.

I'd really like more mixing of the cast (it was great seeing Kayla in the Brady Pub on Friday and then later at the hospital ... mix it up!) but it seems almost impossible at times with how they schedule, plan and tape things.

Just now, Liberty City said:

Martha Madison is magic as Belle and I continue to be happy seeing her on my screen.

I love her

38 minutes ago, AlexElizabeth said:

Right? This will probably end up being like Chase/Michael/Willow where Chase just instantly forgave everyone and everyone got along and there were no consequences. So boring. 

Can't wait for Carly and Nina to 'face off'. Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz. 

4 minutes ago, FrenchBug82 said:

It can't be that they rushed the end of the story because of the poor response to Jarly because the show is taped, what?, six weeks in advance?
And they were not trying to sell us Jarly as real six weeks ago (which is another thing that is appalling about the way this is being wrapped up).
I don't know what the story is behind the obvious interference and what Frank V's motives would be but this is completely irrational. 

Besides I don't see how the audience hating Jarly justifies not giving us proper dramatics when Sonny comes home even if they decided to not have them have sex. There was plenty of conflict and complications to be had even without the "Are Jarly in love" aspect. We were speculating about it long before they tried to tell us these two were developing feelings for each other. Just Sonny thinking they might have would be enough

It's all so odd. It's like Frank is trying to cater all the bases and we end up with no drama. That's definitely simplifying things but still. Just how it comes across. 

And as you said, the selling of Jarly started late in the game and was rushed, without any real conflict. Yet, this coupling and the drama surrounding them and Sonny returning writes itself. So ....

It's all so odd. And such a letdown.

4 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

Why are they even on the show? Are they on recurring? They should be. Days needs to trim its cast. Philip needs to go. He's been a total disaster in his return. I'd get rid of Gabi too and I'd put Rafe on recurring. 

So many need to go. Better writing for many of them would help but I don't have the patience anymore.

I agree to an extent. Why are they there? If you aren't going to write for them or use them ... I love seeing them, personally, over many others, but there's no effort to write them as their own characters really, if that makes sense. I think as legacy characters they SHOULD be there, but they're written as forgettable.

I guess if Justin is gone like I heard, we need a lawyer so they'll use Belle I guess. Shawn should be in Rafe's spot. Rafe should be dead.

2 minutes ago, Vee said:

IMO Frank has been micromanaging this show for his own vision since RC was fired. They clicked together in sync, whether the work was good or bad, but I think with Frank solo, having consumed all that hype from soap bloggers and Twitter folk that they were the saviors of ABC soaps and the last guardian of the history, it emboldened him to try to become Jill Farren Phelps - creating the show himself with his favorite folks, adding in bits and pieces of OLTL, etc. at any opportunity.

Frank couldn't stand Dena Higley at OLTL but serviced her vision as an EP in those years because it was necessary. Now he's running the show.

This.

You can see it with Frank. He's so deliberately tone deaf. I can see the man shaking his head not understanding why people 'dont get his vision'. He really believes in his head he's producing a great soap. 

6 minutes ago, ChitHappens said:

Rushed and lazy I probably could have dealt with, but absolutely no payoff for the viewers who endured this?  That's just downright cruel.  The wedding fizzed, the wedding night fizzled and now Sonny is back pretending he's content when I know deep down, even his dumb ass has to know that Jarly in his bedroom with Champaign and the lights dimmed means something.  Is he going to gaslight them?  

I repeat, GH is a soapless soap!  Prank Valentini begs viewers to return only to kick them in the teeth!  We are all Charlie to his Lucy!  

Frank is the joke that has yet to deliver a punchline.  

"We are the Charlie to his Lucy"

Perfectly sums it up

But many of us have seen Frank being the problem for years and years and years (I'd argue even back when he was the OLTL 'savior' I saw the same issues). 

9 months of Sonny in Nixon Falls. Rushed Jason and Carly into marriage after spending weeks/months building up Jason and Britt (because Jason needs someone when Carson reunite ....) ... 

Such a letdown. But I expected to be. I was really hoping they'd get this right since it's the 'stars of the show' but nope.

2 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

Oh God no!  MM would suck! I can't stand the actress.

You can have Charity Rhamer back then  

5 minutes ago, pdm1974 said:

I think the devil taking over Belle (after Doug) before Marlena would have be a nice twist. I can see Marlena totally sacrificing herself if it was her daughter's life.

Well, Marlena would probably sacrifice herself for almost anyone but yeah, Belle would have made a lot of sense. It's unfortunate that she's written like an extra. Shawn and Belle deserve better treatment as younger leads. I imagine if Ron tried to have Belle possessed someone would say "who? why?" LOL and that's sad to me.

1 minute ago, FrenchBug82 said:

This is an absolute disgrace. I defended this story for a year because I thought they payoff would be spectacular. I was wrong. If this is as far as it goes this was a limp noodle.

And there is no question in my mind that this is a shift driven by something else than the writers. No way was this the plan all along. This feels rushed and lazy.

 

 

 

Frank has shown his ass in the last two months I feel ... just about everyone has noticed the interference. Something many of us talk about but it seems to get brushed aside.

1 minute ago, Vee said:

Rushed, lazy and anticlimactic has been this show's MO for years.

Yep. Remember the Jean and Shelly years? Lord. This is gold compared to the Oscar, Drew and Kim years.

1 minute ago, Faulkner said:

The ratings have not been fabulous, I think.

I’m not able to watch today but this sounds awful.

No they haven't been. I don't put as much stock in Nielsen ratings anymore but they do still show a trend. And it isn't good.

And lol at Alan Sarapa the Twitter soap know it all. I mean all of us on here have been screaming interference. I'm just glad he's speaking about it because no one seems to be listening and they want to blame the writers (many believe Frank is a soap savior)

11 minutes ago, AlexElizabeth said:

Right? This will probably end up being like Chase/Michael/Willow where Chase just instantly forgave everyone and everyone got along and there were no consequences. So boring. 

Yep. That's what I feared but I kept hearing "wait" "Sonny will be pissed" (even Mo was teasing "SONNY IS BACK") But all that means is Carson reunited and Jason being their bitch again. I would LOVE to be wrong. 

It sucks because the story was there. The writers get it but the end result sucks because Frank is seemingly afraid of any real drama (I also argue he panicked after the show busted up all the failed couples and islanded Sonny in Nixon Falls and stans were bitching on social media like you wouldn't believe - some STILL talk about Julian and how his death is why the show sucks - seriously). He has to stop catering and pushing his own agendas and let the writers write. 

I believe they're capable because of what they've done but there's been a clear shift. I do think some fault lies with them but if you're told what to write ...

And not that I see ABC actually giving a damn and firing Frank, I'd rather not see the writers get scapegoated like they were the last few times. 

1 minute ago, titan1978 said:

We should have had the film stuff bringing it up again while Doug was having his medical issues for at least a couple of weeks before everything converged.  Marlena should have had conversations with the twins about what happened to her, not just John.  If anything, that would make more organic sense as to why now- she started opening that door in her mind again.  It could still have been faster than Reilly, but not it all happened in two episodes fast.

I would like the pacing to be better. I'd have made some different choices like you stated above.

4 minutes ago, pdm1974 said:

Wow...I totally forgot that MM and BB are on contract until you mentioned it they've been so MIA. I'd rather see them than Chloe/Brady/Phillip Part 75. It'd be interesting to see the characters of Shawn and Belle in a real story for a change. 

I wonder when we'll see SR's Maggie again. I've missed her presence.

LOL I forget they are too! We see so little of them. I'd also rather see them than several other characters. 

Victor shows up soon-ish so I assume we see Maggie this month or next too. 

I will give it a go. From the promos I feel like they've captured the tone and vibe I was hoping for. It looks well cast too. I think hopes are high for this one with ABC. I have to say the comedy lineup on ABC is pretty good. Goldbergs, Wonder Years, Conners ... even Home Economics isn't bad.

3 minutes ago, pdm1974 said:

While I understand why they have the low guarantees now, it does really hurt the momentum of stories. Sometimes I feel that as soon as a story is hitting its stride, we don't see those characters for weeks at a time.  I felt that way about the Gwen story. I really enjoyed it, but then there were HUGE breaks in telling it. It's similar for many characters/stories. I felt Jennifer played by CM was really on fire...and then they abruptly wrote her out....same with Sarah/Xander.

I don't know if reducing the cast is the answer to free up more money to showcase the remaining characters more is an idea. For example, I honestly can't get into Ava/Rafe/Choloe/Brady/Philip at all. Those five actors together must represent a huge part of the acting budget. Brady is the only one I personally would probably keep around, but I think even he needs a break of sorts. His jumping from one woman to the next to the next has gotten old over the years.

It does hurt the momentum. It's a big reason my viewing ebbs and flows and I tend to catch up in between. 

I think it's probably time to dump some characters and move some to recurring. 

I don't really know what would help.

12 minutes ago, ChitHappens said:

Very seldom do I find the need to quote myself but here we are...

We can't have nice things

How soon before everything goes back to the way it was? Zzzzzzz

3 minutes ago, amybrickwallace said:

Yup! Networks never learn.

They really don't

On 9/14/2020 at 8:04 PM, Faulkner said:

I hate Ms. Banks already lol. So phony and self-absorbed.

 

A year later and she still is. She's so fake.

14 hours ago, amybrickwallace said:

The live interviewing issue is so right. You had Erin Andrews, who's spent years as a sideline reporter, and Tom, who brought the warmth - two things that they don't have now.

This. It lacks warmth. Tyra comes off as fake and uninterested. Tom had a charm to him. You believe he cared about the contestants and that he was close to the dancers. It was SUCH a mistake to dump him. I've really lost interest.

The "celebs" also don't really interest me. I find myself caring less and less each season, apart from a few (I have no interest in Lori Loughlin's spoiled daughter; they only went with her because Lori said no, IMO). Lots of Tyra friends ... but that's how she sold herself to them as host. I'd still argue she hasn't really brought any 'big' names.

I think ABC was smart to tie up Derek as a judge, and I LOVE Len is back (he's why I'm trying to watch this season) but the 'rush the judges' thing is annoying. Pacing is a big problem with DWTS lately.

This has become a prime example of "don't fix what isn't broken"

I know it's an annoying hanging story thread (Ron loves them) but I really don't care about Sarah   Gwen and Xander can join her there.

Yeah, I assume the DH's episode guarantee was stockpiled, if you will, and we see them more than we usually do but yeah, there's not the luxury of having characters on 4-5 days a week to play out a story.

Sidenote, I feel the lower guarantees, while I get it, hurt the flow big time on DAYS. Ron could also make better choices but he has a formula that he was trained with on the ABC soaps and he uses it on DAYS.

18 hours ago, edgeofnik said:

While Sweeney could easily carry this story - Sami being possessed wouldn't be shocking or, even, noteworthy since many in Salem already consider her the devil.... 

MarDevil is the right call - she's the show's moral center in so many way.

Except for Kayla or, maybe Chloe, no other longrunning female character really fits. Jennifer or Sarah, if they were around, maybe.

Gabi, Nicole, Kate - no real difference! Abigail - she's like that half the time anyway. 

It's too bad they destroyed Kristen again because if she was post-TJ - almost nun, she could team with John to save Marlena, which would've been an interesting twist and a nod to history.

 

This. It *has* to be Marlena.

3 hours ago, David_Vickers said:

Always thought that'd be a great idea.

As did I way back in the day when he played Stan. He's good. Lots of actors could play Eric though. I love Vaughan but Eric is totally recastable. 

9 minutes ago, Soapsuds said:

It was a good episode. I wish Devil Doug had gone after Julie. Gawd I hate Julie.

I blame the writing and the way Susan Hayes has played her (over the top). The underlying 'Julie is racist' stuff didn't help endear her to anyone. I adore her but I can see why people don't. She played it very well on Friday and reminded me why I love her.

Glad you enjoyed the episode. I haven't seen it yet.