AMC: Megan Mctavish's E-mail Doesn't Work/Is She Gone?/Sweeps (Merged Threads)

[R Sinclair]

Richard Culliton wrote the material for November Sweeps 2002, and then Gordon Rayfield's material debuted in December. So, that obviously isn't a factor.

Didn't Robert Guza, Jr.'s 1997-2001 run start in December of 1997, also? "From now on, everything changes!"

I'm not claiming him as family.

[shipperx]

I've only followed a few primetime writers, but as others have stated, producing credits frequently mean writer. According to Drew Goddard and Jane Espenson's online blogs (both are prime time writers), writers don't get paid all that much, that's why they are often given producer credits. If you have a producer credit chances are you're being paid more. That's why almost every writer on "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" had a producer credit. Some higher than others. For example it was considered to be a major boost that writer David Fury got a co-producer credit. Later when Fury went to Lost he was also listed as a co-producer. He, however, left Lost because he was frustrated that co-producer credit on Lost really boiled to to his ONLY being a writer and he had, apparently, wanted to really, really be a producer. Now he's a co-producer on 24 (not sure that it changed his situation all that much, but that's only speculation on my part), but, make no mistake as a co-producer (and even executive producer) he remains a writer on the shows he's been on. .

Anyway, writers having producer credits is quite common in prime time from what I know from having followed the X-Files and the BtVS writers in their post XF and post BtVS careers.

[Toups]

There's a ranking in primetime for writers. I believe it goes (from lowest to highest):

- Story Editor

- Co-Producer

- Producer

- Supervising Producer

- Co-Executive Producer

- Executive Producer

There's also a Consulting Producer.

If a writer stays on the staff for 1 or 2 seasons, they are promoted to the next highest ranking.

Also, once you've reached a level on a show and then move to another show, I think you retain your rank or get a higher rank. If you were "Executive Producer" on one show, you would never be a lower rank on another show.

[Adam]

Jackie maybe you don't have an answer for this but what would be a timeframe for when we'd actually start seeing Burton's stuff on our screens? The new year?

[R Sinclair]

You just missed "Executive Story Editor," but that's basically it.

As far as the executive producer theory, that's not always true. And before I'm treated like I don't know what I'm talking about , Raynelle Swilling is my first cousin -- IMDB her if you want.

Anyway.

On the sitcom Living Single (created by Yvette Lee Bowser), Bill Fuller and Jim Pond were executive producers. Then, once LS got canceled on FOX, they joined Bowser on the WB's For Your Love as co-executive producers. You just have to get an agent who knows how to negotiate. There have been executive producers who left shows in that capacity only to come back next season as Consulting Producers or Executive Consultants or Story Consultants. Just depends on the show, the writer and the needs of both parties.

On Moesha (which Raynelle wrote for), Brandy's mother Sonja Bates Norwood was listed as a program consultant, and Brandy herself was credited as a producer in the show's last season, I believe. Neither Brandy nor her mother wrote a single thing for the show. It was just something they were able to negotiate with the show/network.

[Toups]

Right.

What I meant was going from "Executive Producer" to say like a "Producer." It happens all the time that you go from "Executive Producer" to "Co-Executive Producer."

Anyway, I think we're getting way off topic. LOL

So back to McTavish......

[PAsoapfan]

I have a question for those that watch OLTL and GH when Megan wrote these soaps (OLTL from 99-2001 & GH from 2001-2002 How was Megan's writing on these soaps. Was she critized as much as she is now. What where her stories like. I heard he got an award for Best plot twist on GH for something during her stint so was she good at GH or not.

Robert

[Jackie]

No, but she was teamed with Jill Farren Phelps, so that made it much worse than it had to be.

I say she was pretty decent when she first came back to "AMC." After baby switch ended, she sunk to new horrible lows.

[Theresa33]

IF you still haven't heard anything, besides the song, there is always tomorrow ?

I have to tell you at the end.. I dont think this 33yr vet is going to hang anymore. I tried.. but trying just isnt working anymore..

[Adam]

AMC for me from summer 2003-end of babyswitch was the best AMC since Lorraine Broderick and Agnes wrote the show in the mid 90's Since then its gotten progrssively worse.... and like you said Jackie, low after low for McT.

[Ilovemydays]

Not at all ridiculous. I like to learn from history. I'll be happy if Burt is hired and does well but he can just as easily stay true to form write true to past style. One could just as easily use your argument and say that McT can turn around and start writing well and that just because she has been writing poorly for the past two years doesn't mean she can't change suit and start writng well again. At least she did it once before so hey, it could happen! I'm just not going to hold my breath and expect it.

If AMC hires the man and he writes well part of me will cheer because I have watched AMC for such a long time that I feel sad to see it like this. Only a small part mind you because there is so much more wrong with the show that goes way beyond the writing.

AMC hot girls, newbies galore, shaky camera, cheap production, bad hair and makeup, tired revamped sets the horriffic treatment of talented vets, I could keep going but I think I've said enough.

[Pine Charles]

But no one is saying Burt is a bad writer, like what’s said about McT. McT has a proven record of badness. Have you actually watched any of Burt’s work? Just because he wrote for cop shows doesn’t mean he’ll write AMC like that. Any good writer will write for what's appropriate to the work. NYPD Blue was a cop show – he wrote it like that; AMC is a show about family and social issues – he’ll write it like that (hopefully). I agree with Jackie that’s it’s dumb to prejudge and assume that he can’t change themes when writing for different shows. Again, he’s apparently an AMC since the ‘70s. He must have an idea of what AMC is truly about.

[Target Demo]

The SON'll come out

Tomorrow

Bet your bottom dollar

That tomorrow

There'll be SON!

Just thinkin' about

Tomorrow

Means more McTriangles,

And McSorrow

'Til there's NUNS!

When I'm stuck like the Grays,

.. never pays,

It's lonely.

So, I needle doll Ryan,

Erin,

And Saaaaaaayyyyy

Ooohhh!

The SON'll come out Tomorrow

So ya gotta hang on'Til tomorrow

Come what McMay

Tomorrow! McMorrow!

I hate ya Tomorrow!

You're always

A daaaaaaaaaay

A waaaaaaaaaay!

Off the top of my head. Forgive me now. Just thought we could use some optimism while we await a professional hanging. (And wouldn't it just be a great scene if we could all be gathered IRL around a scaffold while they brought a guillotine down on her scripts?) :-D

[EricMontreal22]

I dunno I still remember her late 90s stint largely being worse--but maybe that's just cuz my standards for ABCD have sadly lately been much lower anyway so I accept more crap. I do think McT's stuff when she first returned, while far from brilliant, felt like i was getting my AMC back--culliton's period had a lot of wasted potential, dropped characters and stories and the endless, years long Proteus saga which I dare anyone to make sense of. But there was a lot of great character writing amongst all that--and it was a marked improvement fromthe awfulness of Jean Passanante's Summer after Agnes left as her co-writer (I still think Agnes largely just wrote the bianca coming out stuff)--suddenly psycho man obssessed laura, ghost gillian, dogboy and Mindy and coma teen, exctacy, libidizone awfulness after awfulness. When Agnes was still on the credits the show for a bit was rather good (nd a nice save from the mess of Mct's last period).

While I really didn't care for Lorraine broderick's work as co HW at oltl in the early half of this decade--a show I thought she woulda been perfect for, her work at AMC in the mid 90s still makes me a fan. She really got the balance down well even with some gimmics she was forced to write to compete with DAYS becomign so big (ie the voodoo story with Julia and Noah). I do think it was best when felicia Minei Behr was still EP--isn't she still at ABCD?

ANyway about this new guy--I have to admit he wouldn't be my first pick. But the more I think about his varried career and all the rumours around him the more I'm eager to see what he'd do with the show. Bring him on and now... there is a Lot of talent on the writing team already but I am not too pleased with the idea of just promoting from within for new HW--I think the whole tram needs a shakeup that that wouldn't provide (as much as I'm a fan of addie Walsh getting promoted--from her work on Loving)

I do think we maybe need a new EP although i'm not sure anyone would do a better job than poor Julie, under Frons. I know Julie has tons of fans here but I just haven't been impressed--but I haven't been impressed with any EP since Behr (and that includes people like Burke--I think her name was--who was great at loving and the City)--as ILoveMyDays said the whole show needs a shakeup

Megan needs a good EP with a good vision. I know Behr was a not a fan of her but I think they worked well together regardless--maybe because of that. Even when Mct was fired for being more outlandish her stuff was still fairly strong Imho (Mind you I was 14 at the time, and we've seen a lot worse since then which may have coloured my vision). At oltl she was passed off to JFP because JFP was writing and producing that show for a good 6 months or so. Guess what, nothing changed when mct came on except that we got some better writing in individual scenes (not necesarily stories). That seemed to be because she was simplya yes woman for JFP. To giveMcT a tiny bit of credit I much prefered her over the top, return to the sci fi ways of 80s GH to what Guza and PRatt did when they replaced her.

E

I think it makes more sense actually--why start off a new writer in sweeps when transitions are so difficult. that has worked sometimes but also can backfire--I remember griffith and Malone's comeback for february 2003 (i think...) of oltl with the storm of change or whatever and how thrilled everyone was and how quickly the momentum was lost.

E

[Adam]

There is no doubt McT's worse years writing AMC were those horrific 1997-1999 years. But the fact is and she has proven time in time out, she cannot consisently keep a show going.... she burns out and I don't know why daytime execs keep giving her one more shot.... I don't know what it is she just once she loses grip she never can seem to regain it. Eden Riegel IMO was the catalyst that started it all. Bianca (Eden) was McTavish's darling when she first came back. The enite focus of the show went from Erica Kane to Bianca Montgomery. Well take Bianca away and McT had no idea what the hell to do. She decided that Ryan Lavery needed to be the focal point of the show now.... well we all know where that went. She never was able to climb back from that. For her sake, the show's sake and of course the viewers sake McTavish should have been removed last fall.... the show has taken a turn for the worst since May and is the worst I've seen AMC since the Jean Passanante days. I still watch but I am deeply disgusted by alot of the things on my screen. I gave McT the benefit of the doubt when alot wouldn't but those days have come and gone. I respect for for the great stories she has given me as a fan over the years but I most certainly do not respect her for what she is doing now and has really been doing for a year and a half. I know she is only part of the problem at ABCD but with her gone I am confident the show can at least have some life breathed into it. New writing ALWAYS does that. Hopefully Burton can keep the momentum going since he hasn't written a soap before and if he is a long time fan all the better. I just want a regime change. And I want it now and I am now content to sit and watch McT flush her crap out if it means in the long run I get that regime change.

Ok Rant over.