I agree here, but at the root of ATWT is the multi-generational family angle, which we just haven't been getting at all lately.

I would love to see more of that too, but the show has made some effort to improve that since Hogan left. For example, today Kim had an awesome talk with her great nephew Will. Loved it. We don't see it as much as I'd like, and I wish the writers would talk about the reasons for this, but we do see it some. And I love it when it happens.

I agree here, but at the root of ATWT is the multi-generational family angle, which we just haven't been getting at all lately.

I would love to see more of that too, but the show has made some effort to improve that since Hogan left. For example, today Kim had an awesome talk with her great nephew Will. Loved it. We don't see it as much as I'd like, and I wish the writers would talk about the reasons for this, but we do see it some. And I love it when it happens.

Passions ratings are very disappointing to me considering that I am absolutely loving the show. The show sucked for a while but it's actually good right now. Passions has been must-see-TV this summer. I have watched Passions, Days, B&B and Y&R this summer and Passions has definitely done its job entertaining me. B&B is a mess right now and Days is in transition. Y&R is awesome right now too and has a great set up with the Abbott's vs. the Fishers storyline. I'm glad Y&R is doing so well in the ratings. I just hope Passions can get more people to watch. The show derserves better in my opinion.

Maybe I missed it, but have they mentioned Hal at all since the actor passed away? Also, even though I like the teens, I really do wish that they'd showcase Tom and Margo. Those two are so good together!

August 15 episode (3,512,000) was GL's most watched episode of 2006.

August 17 episode (6,280,000) was Y&R's 3rd most watched eipsode of 2006.

It seems like ATWT is the only soap that people don't like to criticize, maybe along w/ Y&R, but I've heard people call it overrated. Everyone criticizes the ABC and NBC soaps, and then B&B and GL get a lot of flack. But you never see posts that say, "ATWT: What's wrong w/ this show?!?", etc. etc. I'm not keen on criticizing the show, but it's not like it's PERFECT. It most-certainly has its flaws, just like all soaps.

I noticed that on this board but on other boards, I've heard a lot of unhappy campers. Especially those who were fans of the 2000/01 period (like me). Even if you were watching 2 years ago, the show has changed dramatically in focus since then. The teen scene has completely changed, "airtime hoggers" like Craig & Rosanna are gone, etc. It never made sense to me why the show seemed to garner so much praise on this board when you look at its ratings (while I don't think the ratings are the end all and be all of scientifically measuring total viewership..this is worth noting), total viewership has declind over the last few years. The only explanation I can find here is that the people who aren't watching aren't commenting. It's no longer hate about what's happened to the show, it's apathy. And I kinda know how it feels 'cause I feel the same way a lot of the time.

Sometimes I love ATWT, and then sometimes I hate the show so much that I refuse to watch it. I've just gone through one of those phases where the past month-and-a-half I've either FFed through the entire show or didn't bother recording it.

I've enjoyed a show here and there this last year but I think I've only been really excited to see the following show twice at the most. I feel like I watch it out of habit and to see what they'll do with a character I like but also, with a character I've lost hope (yet hope at the same time if that makes any sense) for in terms of wishing that they'd be in a better story or get the good kind of writing they deserve.

I don't mind airtime hoggers..as long as they get GOOD stories and their characters are developed. Unfortunately, this isn't the case for this show. A lot of them are in filler scenes and their characters have become less rootable as time goes by or they don't change at all (which makes them boring).

It's only been a little over a month, and it's almost like Jen never existed. The week during her death and the three episodes following it were good, but since then it's been crap.

Right..and when are they going to explain to us what happened to Hal?

IMO, ATWT has the best teen cast on soaps and best ATWT has had in 20 years. I'm loving these teens. They can act and the stories are good.

Ehh..unpopular opinion but I disagree. I just can't get into this current teen scene. I absolutely loved Jesse Soffer at first because he played a unique character and he was so believable in the role but turning him into a romantic hero was the worst thing they could have done to his character. I really like Van Hansis and Elena Goode..the other teens..meh. I think the writing for Maddie's character sucks. Alex Chando has improved but the character is like a ping-pong ball. Casey's a tad too average for me and so is Gwen now (although I do admit, I like her better now than last year). I don't find any of the teen couples we're supposed to root for (Maddie & Casey, Will & Gwen) appealing. It's weird that I find myself enjoying Luke & Jade having a conversation more.

I agree that Damian and Simon's returns have been a bust. I didn't feel the need to have either of them back anyway, so I am not really disappointed.

Whether you like them or not or what your feelings are regarding the need for them to come back or not...it's clear that the show has been wanting both of them back for some time and so have a lot of fans. That's why it's almost infuriarating how stupid the writers are being for putting them in mediocre stories that make them either completely unrootable or completely pointless. Why spend the money and time convincing someone to come back, when you're not going to give them a really good story or give the fans what they want? It makes no sense.

Fall Previews that have posted elsewhere on this board say we are getting a Hughes story plus a Hal tribute. Lily will be back in September and the slasher story is ending.

I am holding out that ATWT is going to be good this fall.

I have personally liked the teen storyline. Two actors I didn't like at first,Zach Roering and Elena Goode, have proven me wrong. I hope the next two weeks will see a spike in the ratings.

I believe that a 2.3 rating seems to be the ceiling for "Guiding Light". Going back to at least the first of the year, GL seems to hit a 2.3 and then fall back.

If GL were to break that ceiling and reach a 2.4 at the same time that ABC's "All My Children" or "One Life to Live" falters, GL could leap frog over one or both of them. At this point, even tying with either AMC or OLTL would be considered an achievement for a soap that seems to be constantly the subject of cancellation rumors.

ATWT has it's moments, but I don't think I could ever grow to hate it like I have AMC.

I do think it has one of the best teen casts on any soap right now though.

Lucy & Dusty are turning me off from the show. Henry & Maddie were mostly the main reason I watched after Jenn's death.

ATWT is definitely good....basically because of the slasher story. The rest of the show is just average. The one thing about ATWT, I am rarely completely bored with it. I never reach the point where I'm like "Why am I watching this?" It happened with GL several times before I finally stopped watching and also with B&B earlier this year. And then when I started watching it again a few months ago when Brooke's dad came back I thought it was good again. And then a week after Darla's death it went back down and I have stopped watching it. ATWT and Y&R are the most consistent soaps that I watch.

COME ON ATWT!!!! YOU ALMOST HAVE #3, GL you are so close to #7, go,go,go, and great work on Y&R!!!