Contessa Donatella

24 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

But why? For what reason?

Why would a budget-conscious media titan want a show to have an enormous cast?  Look at primetime -- successful and popular dramas trim their casts all the time, either cutting actors or giving them fewer episodes.

I have absolutely no idea. But, I'm sure that they are happy with the budget & the way Frank manages it or they'd be mandating other things. Just because they're conscious of budget doesn't mean there's a problem. Perhaps that is because salaries & benefits for people who work in soaps are so much less than they once were. But, that is only supposition. 

16 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

I'm confused here. So ABC and Disney actually want a bloated cast that costs a lot more and takes a larger portion of the budget?

I doubt they would put it that way but they like the show the size it is. 

2 hours ago, BetterForgotten said:

Frank likes having a bloated cast, so if that doesn’t change, I also think it may be above PM/EK and they just have to “deal” with it. I’ve often heard the hardest part about being a soap opera HW is keeping actor contracts and guarantees in mind, as you have no control over it and it most certainly impacts the show and stories you tell. 

Very insightful, only in this particular case, it's not Frank, it's above Frank, it's either ABC or Disney. They are said to like the show this size. I, like most of you, and apparently Patrick and Frank and all their support people are horrified at this prospect! We want 15 cut! We may get 3. I'm an old P&G fan which means I like larger casts but not this large!!! I honestly do not see how it can be maintained. But we all know about edicts that are handed down from above. 

37 minutes ago, Aragorn said:

Heather and Cyrus paired together must mean that they will be made a couple on the show. They are also doing Coastal Entertainment events together.

You assume far too much. It doesn't mean that at all. But maybe you are joking. If so, 

2 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

The scripts are not stellar yet, but there is so much more detail and care in the words people are saying that it makes it easy to watch even mundane scenes.

The way Brook Lynn and Chase discussed money and their upcoming new life was refreshing for a couple that was kept apart for one stupid misunderstanding after another.

Laura and Anna had an adult conversation about why they have a fondness for Sonny and also why that doesn’t matter as I’ve him being a violent criminal.

Cyrus and Laura also had an adult conversation that was watchable, something I rarely feel about Cyrus. All this poor old victim Cyrus is getting ridiculous though. Yes he went to jail, but he was also a murdering criminal.

YES! I found myself thinking that Sexy Dexy was making sense. HUH?! 

I'm running 2 polls about the new writing. 

4 minutes ago, TEdgeofNight said:

Frank has a rep of keeping his thoughts close and doesn’t share too much. Take with a HUGE grain of salt anyone on here who tries to report Frank’s thoughts and why he won’t allow people back on the show. The board spammer who knows Frank’s innermost plans for GH and would love for everyone to believe that they are in the writers meetings and report every decision Frank makes and why is full of you know what. Come on people. Frank is NOT the telling type. 

Not your usual thing but perhaps you will allow it. Definitely 

1 hour ago, janea4old said:

Vanessa Marcil is doing the GH Fan Club Weekend in August 2024.
It doesn't say if she's doing the "main cast event" or "stroll down memory lane".

https://www.tiktok.com/@officialghfc/photo/7358201585446522158

Vanessa is doing a Zoom with Rena first week of May 2024

https://coastalentertainment.seatengine-sites.com/shows/262163

Just now, janea4old said:

Vanessa Marcil is doing the GH Fan Club Weekend in August 2024

I heard that & hadn't posted it because I looked for verification & did not find any. Great, so it's true, she's doing a thing with Maurice!  The pressure from fans to bring back Brenda will just intensify! Sometimes it is great to live in Interesting Times! 

14 minutes ago, John said:

I like Brenda. I like VM. Issue is she wont do anything longer than a year and then bolts. How can you write long-term when as soon as the story gets gangbusters VM walks. 

I also like Brenda & VM but I don't see Frank going anywhere anytime soon. (Or Mo.) So, it's not actually a real problem because it's moot. As fans we can talk all we want about people we want back on the show but some instances are high 98% unlikely. Others, actual chances exist. Frank even had Demi Moore set to return but then it fell through. I'm half surprised he hasn't recast Jackie Templeton. 

And Ingo is not a fit for this.

6 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

And the drama with Vanessa is the will she won’t she. She isn’t on my radar for co-worker complaints. She’s a lot like Rena in that she demands Brenda has a certain look in order to help her play the character.

Rena, perfect example. She has very very specific ideas about everything having to do with Lois. (And why not?!) But she is adored. She has that bright, funny, good sense of humor, etc. rep. 

10 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

 I did get to watch most of the Richard Bekins Locher Room today. 

He still looks great for being a few months from 70.

He mentioned being from California and said he wasn't sure why he was hired for a New York show, but he stayed in New York from then on, and still lives there. 

He talked about Maude as one of his first TV roles. He said he was intimidated by Bea Arthur, but Rue McClanahan was very nice. 

He screen tested for the Hardy Boys and lost out to Parker Stevenson. 

He didn't screen test for AW, they just hired him after his audition.

His first scene was with Constance Ford in Ada's kitchen and had a lot of props. He said she was a wonderful mentor and so helpful to him. He also spoke highly of Nancy Frangione and Chris Rich. (Locher said Chris played Blaine - wrong) He also mentioned Rick Porter. He was asked about Kyra Sedgwick and just said she was great and fun. 

He said he could never read the crawl/teleprompter as he's nearsighted, so he had to memorize his lines. He mentioned that he and others changed their lines if they didn't like something, but Beverlee McKinsey and Douglass Watson never did. He also talked about the heavy tape schedule during that year when Jamie was on constantly, as scenes were shot continuously then. He said after he finished his brief role on GL, Beverlee called him, and she called him again a few other times after she moved to Santa Barbara. 

He said he'd still be glad to do a soap (he mentioned GH).

He said he isn't really in touch with anyone he worked with at AW, as many have died, or they didn't stay in New York.

He mentioned working with Meryl Streep in a film, and more about his theater and primetime career. He said his favorite primetime roles were on shows like L&O. 

He said he didn't really know how popular he was as Jamie until the response he got in an airport. He mentioned how popular the show was in Canada. 

He talked about putting a lot of his insecurities into Jamie, and how he would have dreams as Jamie, in the Cory living room set.  

He said his favorite story, of what he remembered, was the dynamic between Jamie, Rachel and Mac. He knows people enjoyed his scenes with Rachel.

He mentioned being gay and how it just wasn't talked about. He never opened up to anyone about being gay. He regrets it but just wasn't ready. 

He said he left AW because he wanted to do other things. He said Constance Ford and Paul Stevens encouraged him to leave and told him if he didn't, he'd be stuck there forever like they were.  He had saved all his money at AW so was able to just go into residential theater for a long time. 

He didn't really say much about his ATWT or OLTL roles (he mentioned possibly being a love interest for Robin Strasser on OLTL).

He lived in the same apartment from ages 25-65 and then moved to the West Village. 

He said he's not sure if he will be able to go to AW's 60th anniversary or not.

Nothing that detailed, but even with the usual issues with the Locher format it was nice to see him, and I got the feeling he was surprised to even still have fans after all this time.

Thanks for sharing!

And for that I am grateful. 

Meanwhile, hoping for a Guest Actor nod for Colleen Zenk! 

5 minutes ago, janea4old said:

In 2024 it's probably a writing pivot.  Interesting to see what's changed.

Agree that is what's going on. New team, sweeps approaching, etc. 

Example: Were going to recast Spencer. Changed: They are not going to recast Spencer. So, just like that, a legacy character, a direct relative of Laura's, went from being temporarily dead to really dead. (At least under current mgmt.) They will be casting a guy for Trina. 

Crazy time but also exciting time. 

5 minutes ago, carolineg said:

And it becomes a double standard when Genie/Vanessa are treated as "difficult", but Steve, Mo, and Tony are just fighting for their characters.

And in the decades long example of Genie/Tony absolutely egregious double standard. So sexist & so shameful. 

@janea4old Looking at Monday. 

#GH April 15 2024
Carly updates Jason.
Tracy receives welcome news.
Sonny meets with Drew. <--- didn't happen yet
John shares his suspicions with Anna.
Ava continues to snow Nina

Not even considering what happened when but Sonny & Drew haven't met this week yet. The rest has happened just not necessarily on Monday. IOW, you may not want to know this  but Monday's spoilers were also "wrong". 

6 minutes ago, janea4old said:

Well, no, actually, I didn't have the full picture.
Some people who seemed confused elsewhere online,
were actually right.
They pointed out the spoiler discrepancy.


Thanks to @titan1978 who noted it and posted it.
It seems that the episodes airing 4/16/2024 and 4/17/2024,
were switched in broadcasting in Canada on CityTV.
BUT ....
The totality of *both* episodes together -- 
equal what was spoiled for 4/16.
This can be determined from reading the Canada and US recaps for those dates.
Details on the spoiler thread here:
https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/66455-gh-april-2024-spoilers/?do=findComment&comment=1917601


** Speculation only **  that episode editing happened and split one episode into two, with extra scenes inserted to fill the timer or include more character interactions.
This would have created what amounts to an "insert episode".

If (and only *if* ) there was an insert episode, then that would move everything to the next airdate, and Shannon Peace's eppy might be moved as well.

But this speculation might be wrong.
It's possible that there was no "insert episode" --
maybe the episode descriptions released ahead-of-time (the daily spoilers) were wrong.

The only way to verify if there's a split is whenever dgepress (Disney press site) releases GH episode photos for these.  The episode numbers sometimes show on the photos. 

I was aware of the discrepancy with the spoilers. Your explanation makes sense. The press site did not add Episodics yesterday. 

5 minutes ago, carolineg said:

This is all rumor and I have no insider info, but the gossip was Vanessa was a bit of a diva and/or demanding.  Nothing awful, but I think Vanessa was used to a certain level of treatment in her previous runs and Frank basically didn't really care lol.  I get the sense neither like one another very much.   I haven't heard Vanessa or Frank say anything negative though obviously.

It could be nothing but the lack of Brenda for a decade and very few mentions of the character lead me to believe there is 0 interest on Frank's part.

Yes. She is perceived as "high maintenance" aka "a problem". It is typical that actors get these reputations. This is the bad rep. The good rep would be "easy to work with" also funny, bright, sense of humor. Like that.

Personally I also think there is a kind of culture clash. Soaps today are so different than they were before. 

15 minutes ago, carolineg said:

2 hours ago, Contessa Donatella said:

I was thinking about the idea that Vanessa Marcil is an enemy of Frank's. As I understand it it's not that there's any level of enmity or antagonism. It's just that he has no use for her & no intent to cast her unless Maurice decided to retire. Because supposedly MB sees Sonny & Brenda going off together into the sunset, Ultimate EndGame. 

But that alone to me shows he has little regard for Vanessa and for Brenda as a character.  Frank can't find a place for Brenda unless she rides off into the sunset with Sonny?  When Lois, Sonny, Jason, Jagger, Lucy, and Deception are currently driving story on canvas?  If he can find a way to "fit"  3 Michael Easton and 3 Roger Howarth characters, he can figure freakin Brenda Barrett out if he wanted to.

I am not trying to negate what you heard or know, but at this point it's clear FV doesn't want Vanessa on the show, not that he can't find a place for her.  Frank may not hate her or Brenda, but he certainly doesn't like her lol.  I always thought the rumor about him not liking Vanessa or her behavior during the anniversary run a decade ago sounded pretty true.

I don't feel negated at all! I think what you say is true. You're just expanding on my saying he has no use for her. And, we as fans know that this is despite the fact that most of GH fandom regularly wonders if Brenda is coming back & also think that she'd cause one of those much desired bumps in the ratings if she did!

1 hour ago, titan1978 said:

Reading through comments and actually watching the show, and one major issue that I hope is finally addressed is the focal point. This show is dominated by performers not on contract. I know this is a hallmark of the Valentini era, but it has to change.

Blaze has a story about her. Kristin is in stories that she is not the focus of- I can’t remember if this Molly is recurring or not. That also includes TJ, who is on even less than Kristina. Laura is stuck trying to keep Heather on the show with her recurring husband Kevin.

Don't get me wrong- I think there is room for the recurring players. I don’t want Lucy to disappear again. But it’s way over the line with them we look at the focus of the show.

You make an interesting point. 

Recurring: Molly, Valentin, Lois, Kevin, Blaze, Olivia, Diane, Felicia, Lucy, Natalia, Marshall, Robert, Brennan, all of the kids, TJ  ... just a whole helluva lotta people. (This is also true on DAYS.) 

I was thinking about the idea that Vanessa Marcil is an enemy of Frank's. As I understand it it's not that there's any level of enmity or antagonism. It's just that he has no use for her & no intent to cast her unless Maurice decided to retire. Because supposedly MB sees Sonny & Brenda going off together into the sunset, Ultimate EndGame. 

5 hours ago, janea4old said:

What Shannon Peace said:
Her three last breakdowns air:
3rd-to-last: March 27.
2nd-to-last:  date not listed.
Final: mid-April.

 

Shannon's most recent ig post *wondered* (questioned) if her last script would be moved to airdate of Thursday 4/17 due to episodes airing incorrectly this week. But she was confused by what was being tweeted by confused viewers.
SOD said explained that the mix-up was only in the Canadian broadcast.
That should have nothing to do with Shannon's breakdown episode airdate in the USA.

Per SOD: 
https://www.soapoperadigest.com/content/why-canada-got-a-different-general-hospital-episode/
The 4/17 episode mistakenly aired 4/16 in Canada, 
but the 4/16 episode aired correctly 4/16 in U.S.
And..
The 4/16 episode will now air 4/17 in Canada to make up..
but the 4/17 episode will air as it should 4/17 in U.S.
And..
The 4/18 episode will air in both Canada and US on 4/18, which brings it all back to normal.

 

Edit - the info came from Nathan Varni:

https://www.facebook.com/nathanvarni/posts/10232006909057102

 

As usual, cutting through the confusion. Thanks, Jane!