KMan101

Adrienne could have 'picked up the mantle' from Hope/Jennifer but instead we have this Adrienne/Bonnie hybrid mess that even Ron has lost interest in. Sigh.

Just now, AlexElizabeth said:

I like Allie but yeah, they've sure made her boring. It's all I could think about during her scenes yesterday. This is a girl in her early-mid 20s, and her biggest concerns are putting her kid to bed and what to make Tripp for dinner (while he's on the couch sewing). This is the best we can do with Sami's daughter?

Allie and Tripp are only interesting when Johnny and Chanel are in scenes with them.

I keep circling back around to "Ron just isn't emotionally invested". He gets "high" on an idea and plays it out but then the characters suffer afterwards. It's simplifying the issue but I'm noticing it way more than I have in the past with him. Effort has to be made.

Script writers usually 'save the day' but I do think they could spice up some of the characters a bit on their own.

I mean, didn't Albert Alarr tell Judi to play her more like Adrienne? LOLz. He's such a weak producer IMO. I know they love him but yeah ...

I thought Judi and Wally were done on DAYS for a while but I guess not? I'm confused on their status for sure. It feels like a case of "we like Wally and Judi" when there's really no need for Justin or Bonnie. I love them both too but unless you make her Adrienne ... who cares? They're very ancillary. It could be better if they tried or wanted to try. They don't and aren't so why keep them hanging around?

Let Craig and Nancy recur like Justin and Bonnie do.

Kate is sooo much more recognizable and likable to me when she's with Philip and Lucas and even Mumbles Mouth Roman. It just works so much better. I love Lauren Koslow but Kate's been lost for a long time and so many terrible plots and 'romances'. She's needed a 'reset' and this feels like a good start. Quieter time for her is not a bad thing.

22 minutes ago, AlexElizabeth said:

If the show wants to keep Judi Evans around, I say they need to just make her Adrienne already. I don't care what stupid explanation they come up with. Just say that Bonnie is somehow Adrienne.

Bonnie is so watered down and played out that she's not in the slightest bit entertaining anymore. Justin just looks stupid being with her. I have no idea why Bonnie is still on the show.

Say she's Adrienne and use that as a way to get Sonny and Will back in Salem.

38 minutes ago, AbcNbc247 said:

Ugghhh

When’s Sonny (or any of Justin’s sons for that matter) gonna come back and get their father away from this nonsense with Bonnie? 

Agreed on Sydney. It’s time for one of Sami’s kids to be just like her lol 

I feel like there should be no question that Sydney is a hellion like Sami. Allie had potential (not saying she should have been like Sami, that wouldn't work for me, but she had some fire to her) but man she's so boring now.

Tripp and Allie don't have to be so damn boring. It's a lazy choice because they just aren't that interested in them.

It also doesn't feel like the show is any rush to bring on Will and Sonny regularly so that's kinda why I lean on dumping Justin/Adrienne-Bonnie. Free up the room to write in other people to recur. Just seems like they don't want to pull the trigger on the story or bring on Will/Sonny so they're just "here to be here". 

They COULD have Justin take on more of a paternal role towards Brady and Philip, like they have Ned becoming Edward Jr. on GH. But they rarely use him with them. So if effort isn't going to be made ...

7 minutes ago, Faulkner said:

The tea on Tamron has not been good.

 

Yeah, not good ...

Pluto has some decent channels. Not for everyone but if you want something on in the background and don't pay for cable services it can fill a void.

I feel like we get bones thrown at us and they never tend to go anywhere ...

8 hours ago, Liberty City said:

Exactly. These three rule daytime talk show. However, the behind-the-scenes drama of Tamron Hall's show is not cute.

I guess I need to get on Google. I feel like I'm probably aware of the drama BTS on Tamron's show but it's not ringing a bell. I know they've had a few producers ... having a shaky BTS could definitely lead the show to end prematurely, if you will.

18 hours ago, AlexElizabeth said:

I enjoyed the Portia/Ava scenes today. I love that they have a bond because of Trina, but Portia is wary now that she's seen some of the Cassadine craziness. Portia's point of view is totally understandable and reasonable, too. Her not wanting Trina anywhere near Spencer will make for good conflict when Sprina inevitably get closer. 

I like the Portia/Ava dynamic. I'm so here for the Cassadine/Robinson angst. LOL. Portia should absolutely have issues with Spencer and Trina. The show just needs to embrace that it's OK to have conflict. You know. Drama ...

3 minutes ago, Faulkner said:

Joyce Guy is so Zen while Vernee is such a firecracker. I’d love to see how they’d play off each other’s energy.

Right? They're so different I'd love to see it. 

21 hours ago, Faulkner said:

OMG, that’s something I didn’t know I needed but now I’m OBSESSED with the thought.  

lol right? Stella and Phyllis are soooo different I would love to see it.

8 hours ago, Liberty City said:

Part of me wishes Phyllis is either related to Curtis, Portia or Shawn. And create a major back story there, expanding on Phyllis' back story that she [might have] kept secret from the dearly departed Lenny.

The hospital and Quartermaines should be one of the front-burning pushes of this soap. It's time.

This. ESPECIALLY on the Quartermaines and Hospital. I feel like the show had a bit of a formula with how the show felt and it's all be washed away. You often saw the Q's/Hospital no matter what. The hospital had a go-to staff we saw regularly mixed with vets. The Quartermaines need a schemer to shake them up. Austin ain't it. He could have been once upon a time.  

I miss Lenny. I would have kept him. It really felt unnecessary to kill him. 

I wouldn't mind Phyllis having a connection to Shawn somehow. I feel like Stella fills the 'connected to Curtis/Trina/Portia' role. Phyllis gives off the same vibe as Shawn - level headed, calm and gives you the shirt off their back but don't [!@#$%^&*] with them LOL. I could see them related. I need to remind myself of Shawn's backstory though.

They did a great job with it, IMO.

I enjoyed the 'twist' ... if you will. LOL. Heeeeeey Corn Maze ....

3 hours ago, Faulkner said:

I think it’s a huge problem with the show. The newer professional dancers haven’t been properly introduced. In the past, we had the two episodes a week, which gave them more space to do more professionals-only dance performances, etc. I almost feel like they should cut the cast to 10 or fewer due to the fewer episodes. It would feel less rushed. 

Interestingly, DWTS beat The Voice on Monday in the demo and tied with 9-1-1 for tops on the night. The Voice tends to wane after the blind auditions, but still. 

I feel the Voice is growing tired. It's an aging show at this point. It happens to them all. I've always argued you can't run two seasons a year for months at a time for these types of shows. It has to be 'event' television. These are no longer 'event television'. 

I agree on cutting the pairs down to 10 if they're sticking to this 'format' they have now. Otherwise it's going to continue being a mess. 4 judges also doesn't work as much as I'd like it too (TBH, I doubt they 'replace' Len if he sits out again or leaves so I can see just having 3 again). Something's gotta give.

The 'packages' are also becoming more forced IMO.

They really haven't done a proper job introducing us to the newer pros. Keo totally faded out. Gleb has struggled (though he's just so quiet as a person anyway). Lindsay and Witney they seem to take or leave. 

I just felt more of an investment in these people once upon a time. The pandemic restrictions certainly haven't helped (but are necessary of course) with the feel of the show. People around the stage this season helps with that. 

6 hours ago, koos said:

Can she at least watch Eileen for a few minutes? Her delivery is awful. She always seems clammy and breathy. Kristen is not a stereotypical TV mental institution bipolar woman, but that's how she plays her. I've said it before, but she's good on prime time... her approach surely should be more malleable.

I agree.

Honestly I like her Susan. LOL. It's her Kristen that needs work. I'm not saying she has to 'copy' Eileen but Eileen just has the entire 'vibe' of Kristen down pat. Stacy's Kristen feels so different.

Meanwhile, lol, I told all the Stacy stans to chill when it came out Eileen would be Kristen in Beyond Salem. 

I'm glad Kristen is around for the possession 2.0. (though I'd prefer Eileen's Kristen for this, sorry not sorry) I assume this isn't a drive by? 

Less crying, more scheming and less breathy psycho eyes

And sorry but I'll just never buy Kristen so madly in love with Brady Black. Eileen's Kristen would have laughed at him and taken Rachel and run.

And Eileen's Kristen has a far better wardrobe. I think more effort could be taken on Stacy's Kristen but they seem to want her to be this version of weepy, crying, madly in love with Brady and only goes psycho for plot purposes when Ron needs to write her out ...

On 10/13/2021 at 11:57 AM, Mitch said:

I haven't watched a soap since GL and ATWT went off the air, and its actually pretty entertaining..just to see the old pros go at..see really bad soap action...Mardevil hitting Julie with a hospital tray had me yelling at the TV like the old days and just the pure and utter soap campiness of it all (I never really watched Days so unlike a clone invading Springfield, this is fun.)  The rest of the show really sucks.

Catching up on the thread and nailed it. 

The rest of the cast feel like extras that are on to give them something to do. So many just treading water. Very boring. Some of it could be so much better.

On 10/13/2021 at 3:36 PM, FrenchBug82 said:

I mean, if he wants to write a soap that doesn't take itself very seriously, fine, I am open to it.
But there are ways to do it and there are *ways*. He can do it without being lame and/or disrespecting the audience and the character.
Beyond Salem was fluffy, silly and funny and still managed to celebrate the characters and respect the audience and tell an acceptable story.
So it is not like he can't wink at the audience and STILL do something decent soap-wise.
But on the main show I am not feeling a vision or a sense of purpose or tone or inspiration from the show as of late. It is meandering with a couple of headline-grabbing ideas that could work if he didn't play them as cheaply (narrative-wise, not budget-wise).
When he was writing OLTL or GH, I didn't love all he did, far from it, but I had a sense of what he was trying to do with the shows. I am very confused what his DOOL is supposed to be conveying to the audience.
Which brings it back to what you said: he doesn't seem to actually like the show he is writing for. 

That's where I'm at with Ron on DAYS at this point. He gets it but he also doesn't get it.

I think he does like the show he's writing for; he's just not emotionally invested, which can be a good thing at times, but also bad and we see that lack of investment. Ron needs someone like Sheri Anderson around again. 

I'm down for Ryan Quan and Lorraine Broderick to take over. Paging Ken Corday on the golf course ...

On 10/13/2021 at 7:15 PM, titan1978 said:

I wouldn’t say he doesn’t like it.  But he also is not at all reverent to it.  Which under strong creative teams can bring a show to new heights- look at what Lemay accomplished with AW, Monty with GH, and even Reilly with DAYS the longer he was there.  Ron is not that talented though.

He grew up a fan of the Monty era GH.  That fandom was present in his writing- the good and the bad.  He had a lot of history at OLTL- and as outlandish as he could be, you could still see his reverence.

He didn’t have any emotional connection with DAYS when he took the job.  He also is writing a show where he will never get any instant gratification from the audience, even trolling them, because of how far ahead the show is.

 

THIS

22 hours ago, AlexElizabeth said:

I tuned in today thinking there was going to be follow up to EJ and Nicole's kiss. Instead I was treated to Bonnie in jail and the devil bitmoji. They teased me with Johnny being on, but he disappeared 10 minutes into the episode.

Bonnie crying to Gwen in jail is painful. Who cares?!

I too wish we were seeing Doug in Bayview. I did like the last scene with all the John/Marlena flashbacks.

Yeah I'm really struggling with the show LOL. You can feel a total lack of interest from Ron in so many of the characters. Like with Will and Jack his interest wanes because he isn't emotionally invested to continue writing for them. I feel like he is, somewhat, with Doug/Julie and Marlena/John. He clearly likes Alison Sweeney/Sami.

I imagine they wrote Doug into Bayview with 'no visitors' because Bill Hayes can't continue to carry the story and they can tell it through Julie. But I would like followup. We probably get it next month lol. 

Ron's decent at paying homage to the past (subjective) and he digs into history other's wouldn't touch, but he definitely lacks the emotional investment to craft interesting new stories for the cast that he has. He's definitely struggling. But then he does something like Beyond Salem so I feel like 'on paper' he works but he needs a stronger producer and a strong co-hw more emotionally invested in the show. He focuses on one or two main stories that have a beginning, middle and end and the rest meanders.

Yeah. I actually think they've made smart choices for 'The Talk' but nobody is interested at this point anymore. Startling to realize it's been on for 10/11 years. Lord. Time truly flies yet some things still feel like yesterday. 

I have no idea what's interesting folks on Y&R that ratings are going up. Habit? Left on after the news? lol

Literally nothing happens

I loved Mal for dumping Chelsea, Kevin and Chloe. Chloe has always been an afterthought, which is a shame.

He definitely got a LOT wrong. He was smart in building up the younger crowd, who Griffith then had 'no story for'. Sigh.

I also could have done without the JT is an abuser but it's really not his fault after burying him alive. Yikes. 

Lily/Hillary was so something they pull off on the UK soaps. It's something soaps should do more often, frankly (the writing for it reeked and the optics of firing Morgan were awful so it was never going to work). They don't have 'the guts' to pull off killing someone (and we never believe it anyway), or doing a darker storyline.

I appreciated on some level the attempt at a more UK style soap mixed with US but it really couldn't work with Y&R. I'd love more of a shift on our US soaps but like I said, GH probably would have worked better, as long as he had a good head writer. But he also gives me 'Male JFP vibes' so I've always been mixed on Mal.

2 minutes ago, Liberty City said:

I think his plate was just too full at the end of the day.

Yep it was, agreed

1 hour ago, Liberty City said:

yay! They're showing the Mal Young era of The Young and the Restless. Some drama actually happening.

Agreed. Some actual drama is nice. I appreciated some of what he tried to do, other stuff not so much. I feel like of the four US soaps, GH would have been a better fit.

1 minute ago, Faulkner said:

Right! Totally forgot. One Aussie for another.

lol I totally did too until you mentioned her and then it hit me

7 minutes ago, I Am A Swede said:

That's exactly who I was thinking of. I know it isn't fair to compare, since this movie is obviously going to be more behind-the-scenes than re-enactments of the show, but Debra did such a great job portraying Lucy on "Will & Grace".

Exactly. I'm not saying get Messing (as Faulkner said below, NK gets them attention), but get someone who more embodies the role. But I guess they're going for a different kind of movie so I'm willing to give them some leeway on the iffy casting of literally everyone. We'll see.

12 minutes ago, Faulkner said:

Yeah, someone like Debra Messing probably wouldn’t secure international investors (or Oscar buzz), but NK would. I’ve heard other people suggest Cate Blanchett.

Yes to Cate Blanchett. She was attached at first but then replaced by Kidman. Seriously.

https://www.indiewire.com/2021/01/nicole-kidman-replacing-cate-blanchett-sorkin-being-the-ricardos-1234608713/

I forgot Lucie Arnaz was involved. I like she takes care/control of her parents image but I do question this one.

There was definitely some 'flack' online about Kidman taking on the role.

I feel like the show has lost it's direction a bit .... 

Sigh. How far this show has fallen.

The show's lack of budget is hurting. They did slightly better with 'GREASE Night' (felt very UK Strictly of a choice but I liked it - something different). Shout out to 80 year old Frankie Avalon. He's aged so well and sounded amazing. Kudos to him!

You can tell Tyra got the memo to be more friendly and try to build a rapport with the stars but she's just so bad at it. She does seem a little more comfortable.

Len - lord you HAD ONE JOB LAST NIGHT. Olivia Jade still here irks me to no end. Melanie C. was [!@#$%^&*] robbed. Retire now Len.

Gleb is hot and I like him but I worried about Mel C. going the distance with him. He just doesn't 'stand out' and he doesn't push his partners. 

The show also feels sooooo rushed. The flow is horrible and choppy. They cram too many couples into a two hour show, plus fluff. We barely get rehearsal footage (I'm ok with that as it was overdone in the past but a balance would be nice). The elimination is horribly rushed.

If the goal was to dismantle and kill the show, they're doing a good job. 

What they really want or need to be at this point is an edited show. All of the terrible cuts and flow problems would be solved if they were no longer 'live'. 

I think you can also tell the audience isn't connecting with some of the newer dancers. You have to have the right celebrity partner and dance skill to stand out. Take Daniella and Iman (she's an example of standing out when we don't even know her and winning over the audience). Who is she though? Who is Pasha? Who is Gleb? 

We got to know Val, Cheryl and Derek, etc. We got to know Sasha because he refused to be hidden. Same for Jenna. Brandon is getting there. 

Yeah. Still not sure about this either. I know Kidman can 'transform' herself but all I can think of is Bewitched and how bad that was when I hear she's playing Lucille Ball. LOL. I'm trying to keep an open mind as, of course, this movie is very different than that hot garbage.

I feel like for movies like this they go for a 'star' instead of finding the right actor to embody the person. But who knows, she may surprise us? I like the tone of the promo but I'm just not sure. I think it was more 'highlight the trademark red hair' more than hiding Nicole's face but it could be both. I mean, it's Nicole Kidman playing Lucille Ball. Hence why they probably could have gone for someone else.

21 hours ago, Ponds said:

It could be so much better without Peter/Heinrich!

They're totally punishing us.

5 hours ago, Liberty City said:

Despite Steve Burton's Jason being in the episode, it was solid. How this is not the driving point of the weekly promos is beyond me... instead, ABC wants to prop the tiresome threesome. Everyone was on point, even Kelly Monaco (Sam), who looks puffy and can barely enunciate her words anymore. Is Lindsay Korman-Hartley available?

I always believed when Rebecca Herbst was fired ten years ago she should've crossed over to All My Children, had a romance with Cameron Mathison's Ryan and then skipped town back to Port Charles.

I'd be down for Drew/Liz again. 

I really want Lindsay Hartley on a damn soap again.

The show is so much better when it's not showcasing Sonny/Carly, Blando/Sasha and Michael/Willow.

I'm behind so we now have Curtis's daddy? (I LOVE Curtis and am happy about this but damn, poor Liz can NEVER get parents but EVERYONE else does. LOL)

When are we getting a love triangle between him, Phyllis and Stella? Please?

On 10/17/2021 at 10:16 PM, Liberty City said:

My interest is still tight in there, but it is clear Allan is trying to re-shift things to where she would like them to go, which is likely where Kirkwood wouldn't have taken them.

That feels like a good take on the current show. I'm not totally uninterested but it's definitely a transitional time. I'll hang in there. I need to get caught up.

I'm happy for her success. Truly. And she's so [!@#$%^&*] talented. I love her.

Tamron Hall, Kelly Clarkson and Drew Barrymore having talk shows works more than I ever expected and I'm here for all of them kicking butt.

I think they've done a better job than I expected. It all fits/works better than I thought. A little campy but I'm kinda here for it. It helps feeling like things are climaxing and coming to a head and stories intersect. 

I'm glad they can put in the effort for these stunts. I want effort (not stunts mind you but you know what I mean) all year long (this goes for you too, US soaps).

Interesting. Wonder where it will lead? I feel like they're testing the waters. Classic B&B on YouTube and now this? Someone somewhere realizes there's a streaming audience they're missing out on.