Vee

Yes, but that's why I said around the same time - he came to GL what, 2-3 years later? He's in the same age range! I would not do Ric and Nina again, but I would eventually (probably not immediately, there's still juice in the saga with Willow and Drew) just write Nina out - probably happily at this point. I like Watros and the character's just been through enough lol. Ava doesn't want happiness or a good man. Only her stans want that for her. Ava wants power and trouble. The Liz/Lucky stuff lately has gotten a good response from the audience (even the Liason stans who attack every single day he's on have been quieter, maybe retraining their weaponry on Sasha) so I would stick with it. But we'll never agree on that, which is fair enough. I think it's both. I don't know if it's true FV didn't want him back (since he was also said to have been holding out for Jonathan for years, or maybe that was an excuse he gave) but at this point it wouldn't shock me. I suspect bringing back Lucky became a priority for the network, but it does feel now as though Frank is slow-walking or marginalizing story with Lucky and Liz as much as he can (a la Spencer and Trina) even though the writers came out and called them 'a foundational part of our show'. Either because he didn't want Lucky, or because he resents Jonathan insisting on Lucky and Liz or just preferring 'his' stars. It's idiotic treatment, but of a piece with how little Genie has been seen in the last year. Though that could also have to do with a family tragedy.

He was a soap heartthrob at around the same time as Richard Dean Anderson (and William Moses), he's fine. And no, Zimmer is not suited for that part and Colleen Zenk is frankly a tired choice at this point. Especially after that Y&R stint. Woof.

I could and would recast both Liz's parents tomorrow (I'd even try to get Robert Newman as Jeff on a recurring basis, because why not?). They could drive a lot of story with that relationship, especially with her mother as a domineering schemer at the hospital and in that family.

This I didn't know about (either part, but particularly a meltdown?). It's too bad, he was great on each show. Though that he had an attitude to match many of his characters does not surprise me.

I've said it (too many times) before, but one of the worst parts was when they would break out the old existing studio sets while using the new handheld cameras. You could tell places like "Main Street" or wherever were totally fake in that lighting, that these were in no way outdoor locations and that the surfaces were weirdly shiny. It was like being inside an Applebee's or a theme park. Zimmer wrote in her book about how they had to struggle to maneuver around the cameras in any sets as well for blocking. When they couldn't get a shot or workable sound, which was apparently often, they would just do some of what was mentioned above - cut to anything, anywhere and overdub it. Like the infamous sequence with Jeffrey's voice over the American flag, a pond, some flowers, whatever. Just ridiculous. Don't get me started on Wheeler's office doubling as both the church and Cross Creek or something. It looked ridiculous, like kids filming in the break room at their parents' office. It was so embarrassing. And the 'convenience store' I think was some closet.

I agree. Elizabeth's story of setting aside her dreams after getting pregnant very young by the wrong guy, and then still building a wonderful life and career, is very relatable and is something that strikes to the heart of the genre and its audience for me. Which is why I only grew truly interested in the character after she became a mother. Though I also think Becky and Jonathan still have it (much moreso as weathered adults for me than as a teen couple, when I found them too sweet together) and they should be A-story. While it's sadly common for Becky and Liz, it's inconceivable to me that JJ especially is being relegated to the B-tier atm. In any event, they should be central.

GH should be doing an abortion rights story, as I have said many times before. Not necessarily with Sasha's baby but with some unexpected pregnancy, any pregnancy. It would be topical for the times and very appropriate for the show. But even before the last election, I can't remember the last time GH said the word 'abortion' onscreen or ever dared allow a character to consider pursuing it. Which is pathetic of Frank and co.

The Times article is lovely, and important. Thanks for providing it.

You can junk a lot of the show after about 2002, frankly. There's good stuff off and on in the later years (including Angie and Jesse's return being worth it simply for the actors), but I sure wouldn't start there.

I think he was also committed to the show and characters reexamining Sonny (despite some of the clumsy execution), but we saw what happened there. And I think his occasional use of Trina and the Black cast indicated an interest, given his own BTS history and that Tabyana had probably her best scenes all of last year in one of his first weeks at Spencer's grave (and then very little after). But really, I think his run was strangled in its crib very deliberately. It's too bad.

I think the most we know about was Willow/Drew/Nina, which was (in its original form) enough for me. It's still the only really engaging story on the show.

If you want a side of old-fashioned vaudeville this evening: Uncommitted is, predictably, committed to blaming Democrats for this. I'm past caring. You break it, you bought it. Enjoy!

LW was very hot with Sean Blakemore. That got 86'ed the instant Frank and Ron arrived, though those things may not be connected (it may have happened slightly earlier).

The Liz/Lucky scenes today were very good. That they have been relegated to B-players is a sign of just how fucked this show's priorities are.

The only potentially interesting outcome of this needless secret child plot for me is again, if Gio lashes out by going full rich party animal, drinking and drugging and becoming generally hedonistic to cause trouble. And even that is not worth aging up Dante and BLQ so much. I agree with @Darn that all this is a waste of time for Dominic and Alexa, who are both very strong and also good together. But so much of the long story on this show (if any exists at this point) seems to be about largely marking and wasting time. I still think this may all lead to Chase ending up back in black widow Willow's arms again though, and I'm here for it if it gets that himbo off the show.

I don't think Maurice actively killed the breakdown story under Mulcahey - he said at the time he was eager to play it. Then things went sideways. I do think if a show is having to trash key story because the actor is unfit or unwell, and he is still expected to be the center fulcrum of the show in frontburner story, that's a problem. I don't think he has much active power anymore. I do think he is still sometimes vocal, and they give in to his needs because they fear losing the audience and fear for his health. As for today: I like how they didn't even bother to have McKenna do the accent lol. Frank does not care!

Tony could ham it up in the worst ways by the end when he got really indulgent and there was no really good writing left upstairs (behold the immortal clip from The Soup where they spoofed his rendition of Luke's ghost dad - 'come join Daddy in Hell! There are no second takes!'), but he was still very capable when something he was playing wasn't totally embarrassing. He and Jonathan Jackson rewrote their last scenes together in 2015 and it stood out glaringly vs. the rest of Carlivati's show that day - it was the best dialogue the show had had in at least 5 years, if not longer. I think the last time Maurice connected for me was in the big reveal scenes re: A.J.'s murder with Maura and Chad Duell in 2014. And even then he was weak most of the time in that period. Before that, not since Vanessa's exit in 2011.

This right here is why we don't do the blog anymore!

Thank you for reminding me of the right-wing scum cesspool that is Rumble.

Brennan was always DOA. He's a nothing character they elevated when they needed to give LW something to do. Still, Chris McKenna will get some paychecks and he stays very busy as is, so this won't be an issue for his career.

I believe Wikipedia claims she only filled in for one day, but we all know how reliable that can sometimes be.

Homeboy is on tomorrow, so this happened fast.

I think Frons genuinely tried to remake and reignite the ABC soaps when he came in. He brought back popular, well-known writers who were considered emblematic of their shows, which wasn't a bad idea conceptually. Except he then proceeded to either micromanage them according to his own preferences and needs, or let their worst creative excesses play out onscreen - or both. And it only got worse. Frons felt he could rebrand each soap into the image of a popular primetime or cable show - he was very explicit about turning AMC into Sex and the City, GH into The Sopranos, OLTL into Law and Order or something, etc. - and he couldn't. And when he couldn't he instead just kept tripling down. It's only in recent times we've begun to really scratch the surface of some of his preferential treatment (like the horror stories out of 2000s AMC). He only abandoned the soaps when it was them or his job. And ultimately it was both. I think everything post-Frons at ABCD (outside the show) has been largely total disinterest and cruise control with brief flare-ups of executive investment, like around 2013-2015. I do think Varni, who used to be a loudmouth nobody and potentially still is, has a heavier hand than he usually would in typical circumstances because it seems like there's just no one else at the network but Frank and him who cares enough to mind the store. Except when it's time for an anniversary, or when they get a breakout star like Nicholas Chavez.

It's 3 posts above you.

Mesure also appears to have nuked his social media, but that may or may not be a semi-regular occurrence for him long before this.