LondonScribe

Is this an assessment of the ratings or the show quality?

I won’t be so churlish as to deny that the show is more exciting, the action has accelerated and the drama has ramped up in the last few weeks, with the return of well-placed cliffhangers, but damn, I don’t like this writing at all. Both in terms of putting the chess pieces back exactly where they were before, and a lot of the character depth being stripped away. It’s clear to me (and probably everyone here) that Kristina will be in the frame for Cates’ murder, presenting Sonny, Michael and Carly with a ‘dilemma’ and seeking ways to ‘save’ her while shielding Sonny from justice- again.

This is true. I believe part of the reason Casualty (though it’s always balked at being described as a soap, even when it became one in all but name and started hiring soap writers and producers in the 90’s/00’s) was conceived in the 80’s was a giant FU to Thatcher and the Conservatives as well as a love letter to the NHS. Nowadays, the show only goes as far as talking about and depicting the state of the NHS without the wider national politics, lest the BBC be accused any more of bias. Our countries are so divided politically that it’s likely more than these shows’ worth to engage in politics. Or certainly the leanings of the main protagonists. If I were to guess, I’d say the politician in The Gates won’t explicitly say which party they represent but the viewer will be left to make up their own mind based on how the character speaks and who they surround themselves with.

Yup, the show is almost fully back to how it was before what I’ll call ‘the experiment’. Some of it works, some of it does not, but the writing is what is most different. Some of the nuance, maturity and sophistication in the dialogue and character work is being levelled for what was before. Like a lot of you, I’ll see how things pan out before deciding what I’ll do re: watching

What did I just watch?!

Maybe I don’t have a dynamic enough imagination anymore, but I just can’t see Carlivati’s style and sensibilities being a fit for Y&R. Less so than the other soaps.

Just saw this now. I, too, really enjoyed Brash and Cwikly 20+ years ago, and didn’t understand why they were removed. As for Ron Carlivati, I can’t shake the feeling he could end up at Y&R in some capacity. If had not been for the Charles Pratt Jr ‘experiment’ of 2015-16, I’d say he 100% would never end up there.

Thank you for tagging me in these episodes. You can tell the difference in these episodes to the earlier episodes.

For anyone who will be keeping track of this, they’ve placed Brennan in the opening credits. Guess he’ll be around for a little while longer?

As someone based in the U.K, it’s such a fascinating and disappointing thing that the presentation of dark skinned people (like me) is still such a problem on US (and Australian, to a lesser extent) soaps. And woe betide interracial relationships when a large chunk of the audience crushes on the white character. It’s not even a thing in the U.K, and just an everyday part of shows and society. Or certainly not as contentious.

Out of respect to the posters here, I’ve kept largely quiet about the new series so far, and encourage you to shut out the noise surrounding it before watching.

Is this a rumour? Or merely a wish?

Having watched the first 2 episodes of the new series, it is definitely ‘sunshine and light’ to the ‘darkness and seriousness’ of Chibnall-Whittaker and co. The recognition and deference to Disney is very obvious, with a focus on the younger viewer and musical interludes. If I can enjoy it then great, but I don’t feel I’m who the show is aimed at. Gatwa and Gibson were very well together and the former’s charisma is off the scale.

I have to remind myself that Rudolph Walker is 84 years old and he’s still relatively energetic and sprightly (to the extent that he did that mad dash to catch up with Yolande when she first returned) and I shouldn’t do this but then to compare him to other people younger than him with less spring than him.

Now that the show is definitely a go, I’ll join in the conversation more often.

By and large, the ITV soaps have this standard pathway. Wherever a producer comes from (Iain MacLeod, for example, has his roots in Hollyoaks), they land on Emmerdale as showrunner, and will invariably move over to Coronation Street. Kieran Roberts, Steve November (previously Frost), Stuart Blackburn, Kate Oates, Iain MacLeod, etc A few, namely Phil Collinson, did not follow that path.

https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/coronation-street/a60316073/coronation-street-kate-brooks-new-producer/ Kate Brooks is the new producer. I’m not a watcher of Emmerdale anymore, but from the little I understand, this won’t exactly inspire confidence in the audience.

Everybody needs good… Hollyoaks? https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a60271202/hollyoaks-spoilers-time-jump-job-cuts/

Dex confessing and implicating Sonny has clearly limited/ended his time on the show. My guess is word gets back to Sonny and Dex will be killed off, either before the former is arrested or as a result of an arrest.

https://www.mirror.co.uk/tv/tv-news/bbc-eastenders-boss-five-word-32376369.amp Seeing reports that ostensibly nobody experienced or worth their salt wants the producer’s job at Coronation Street. As one put it, nobody wants to be the middle of a ‘MacLeod Sandwich’ as Verify MacLeod is supposedly going to remain in place, while Iain bears down from his new promoted position.

It’s the first American soap I truly fell in love with, so I’ll always back it to exist, and I’m happy it will continue to do so, even though I don’t watch it right now. However, from the perspective of someone who remembers what it was, I wish the powers that be would re-examine Josh Griffith. It looks like the show is very much his, top to bottom, and as much as I want to jump back on, I fear it’ll hurt to see what it is.

Funny that I’ve found this. After a long writers block, I’ve started experimenting with writing 1-2 minute shorts, to get back into it. I’ll keep an eye on this to see if anything comes of it.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-68380093.amp John Savident, portrayer of the classic character, Fred Elliott, has passed away aged 86.

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