LondonScribe

Good ol’ messy Esme 🤭 I’m guessing she’ll find a way to get Trina blamed for what she did.

That’s what I got from it 🤷‍♂️

Funnily enough, it wasn’t always like this with Josh Griffith. I thought he steadied the show somewhat in 2008, during the Writer’s Strike, after the mess Lynn Marie Latham made of it (though parts of that period were a giant nothing burger). As well as 2012-13 as Head Writer, after Maria Arena Bell/Scott Hamner/Hogan Sheffer took things off the rails. Introducing Hilary, amongst others, and going some way to at least explaining Sharon’s behaviour under Maria Bell, even though I believe he started that paternity switch with Summer, Jack and Nick. I can’t recall. And I’m one of seemingly few people who actually liked his very (and I mean VERY) dark take on Days Of Our Lives in 2015-16, though I accept he likely went a couple of steps too far at the end with Hope killing Stefano and Ciara’s rape. But this 3rd go around with Y&R?… this isn’t it. For all the reasons stated before and more succinctly.

I’m glad I got to this late and others have dealt with it. I asked you twice before what you saw in JG’s writing that you originally equated with Bill Bell? Got no reply to this day.

Courtney Hope is a good shout, and her appeal is ‘top to toe’ as well. Without spelling it out, in more ways than one, she reminds me of Michelle Stafford.

Special mention to Leigh-Ann Rose (Imani) from Y&R. Breathtaking beauty. Quite a fascinating character- at least initially, and from what I understand, hardly used.

A tad spoilery, but not much as Lucy Allan doesn’t say much, even with the word count 🤣 https://www.digitalspy.com/soaps/hollyoaks/a38696253/hollyoaks-spoilers-lucy-allan-2022-storylines/

Given what I’m reading in terms of opinion each page, and the fact that what starts ‘underground’ (i.e boards and communities such as this) eventually becomes mainstream, I can easily see discontent manifesting itself on social media and in viewership, and I don’t anticipate this current Executive team (EP and Head Writer) being in charge this time next year.

And the imagination-deficit that seems to exist in the boardroom and on screen would only mean that if Frank Valentini became available, the CBS/Sony executives would make a beeline for him.

Re: Jill Farren Phelps. Difficult one because yes, she’s an experienced administrator and can work within/under budget, but in my opinion, she fundamentally changes the fabric of a show, and not always for the better. Maria Arena Bell started well in fixing the production and reinstating some of the old writers (and directors) after the previous regime got rid of them, but things fell apart when Scott Hamner and Hogan Sheffer’s influence became greater. I then believe Phelps’ tenure made things worse, removing the old music wholesale, signing off on Head Writers unsuitable for the show (Griffith, Passanante and Altman, and making moves to get Chuck Pratt hired) and the chaos that ensued, especially under Pratt. If she was tempted out of retirement, I’m not confident she’d make the improvements required. Having made that determination, who would I offer up as an option? Who still works, has worked as an Exec Producer, and knows the show? Noel Maxam? David Shaughnessy?

If that is true, what a travesty (unless there is something else, of a personal nature, going on). McDonald was being touted by some fans as a prospective Executive Producer. But whether it was her own choice or not, she didn’t ever get the job. IF she is indeed gone, isn’t dealing with something, and doesn’t wish to retire, I can see her turning up at DAYS or B&B.

After 31 years (give or take a few years gap due to international broadcasting rights) I said farewell to Y&R this year. Not just because of how dry it is, but mainly because the incentive is simply not there to make the needed changes.

Today’s episode proved the old soap dictum: Don’t have your characters show excitement about anything…

Small point, but how good are GH at updating their opening credits? Because Spencer, Esme, Drew, and Sean are yet to be included.

Jon Sen moving over to Casualty and the appointment of Chris Clenshaw was announced on November 12th. I only found out today. Once upon a time I was on top of things like that. Says it all.

If I remember correctly, without watching it, I think this is from the production company run by Paul Marquess? For someone who ruined so many soaps, he’s clearly got the inside track on what gets them commissioned in the first place. Plus, he’s found his niche with police-based dramas.

Doesn’t look like I’m missing much 😕

These kind of exits often lend themselves to ‘message-sending’ from executives to the cast, so I fully expect Mandy to be killed off to make it final. A sort of ‘you made your bed, so you can lie in it’.

I went down a YouTube rabbit hole and realised that 30 years ago, Tricia Cast was knocking it out of the park during the David Kimble storyline.

We may have had a similar conversation before, and I said what I’m going to say now. Nobody wrote like Bill Bell. Not even his own son. Definitely not Josh Griffith. Watch an episode from now and watch an episode from 1991. Take the production and music away and just focus on the writing and characterisation, the psychology. It’s not even close. I don’t normally speak in absolutes but it’s important to address this point.

So, I expected to see him turn up somewhere. Is he done with soap writing?

RIP to one of the most important, stabilising producers the show had in the late 80’s. When The Bill Executive Producer Peter Cregeen was hired by the BBC as Head Of Drama in 1989, it was Michael Ferguson (and Pat Sandys, I believe) that Cregeen took with him and placed at Eastenders. It was important because previous producer Mike Gibbon had completely misjudged the tone of the show and took it to the other end of the spectrum after Julia Smith, with silly comedy mixed in with poor drama, and an aborted idea for an IRA terrorist bomb in 1988. Ferguson brought his production and storytelling chops from The Bill and steadied the show from 1990-1991, creating The Mitchell Brothers, and Eddie Royale, as well as bringing Nick Cotton back and Diane’s runaway story. The show was lucky to then move onto the late, great Leonard Lewis, but that’s another conversation. I went on a Casualty binge last year and was surprised to find out that Ferguson was the producer of Series 8, a sleeper hit of a period, the last really good period before they started to bring more soapy elements to the show. They don’t have his like producing anymore. Eastenders could really do with people like him and Pat Sandys.

Inject all of this cue (all one score) into my veins.

I clearly haven’t watched the show properly in a long while… What the heck was that writing? Awful!