The Monica and Alan Appreciation Thread

Zanne Marie · December 17, 2006

Hello, fellow Monica and Alan lovers. It took me awhile to find this board. I'm so happy to find people who love Alan and Monica and know their story. I have watched them since Alan came on. I've actually watched Monica since the day she showed up, pining for Ric and married to Jeff (wasn't he the old MacGiver?). This couple has the best staying power on that show actually, since Genie left the scene. They have had so many outrageous capers over the years, I can't even name them all. And they were the original Scrubs! Doctors who hated their way to love. God, how I miss those days! You weren't the only one choked up when she got the call from Jason on Thanksgiving. It took me right back to when those boys were little and Jason had a special place in her heart. I miss Monica and Alan SO much.

Anyway, I know this is a bit off topic, but not much. I wanted to post this once in here to try to direct you all to a campaign to fix GH big time and restore the characters, relationships, family and friends we loved so much. I know that Q lovers, and M and A lovers will want to be on board with this. Read on and let me know what you think. You can post here, PM me or email me. If you are into it, we are having each group pick delegates to work on the communications to send. That person will work with all of you to coordinate the communication and timing of the mass mailing. It's time to take back our show and save our Q's!

One of the things I think all of us can agree upon on this board is that Alan and Monica need their screen time and their family. We have huge issues going on at ELQ with the condom crisis and GH is a mess. Where are our ultra competent and tough as nails Q's when we need them? Why wasn't Robin allowed to talk to Alan during her mini-breakdown, which was happening at work? Alan is a big part of her life and knows as well as anyone her problems and trials. Why did they drop the storyline where Alan wanted to know who stole the drugs that Lucky was given? The Alan we know would not have dropped this. And Alan would not react to Skye moving in with Lorenzo? I don't think so. Alan and Monica would have had quite a bit to say about that.

While we're at it, why isn't Monica talking to Emily about getting back with Nikolas? Where are their mom and daughter heart to hearts? Em needs her Mom! I uber love this family and I want them back.

So, having said that, I say it's time to bring the House of Mouse down on the head of ABC Daytime. I am sick and tired of writing to ABC execs who are married to ideas I am not willing to support. If they can't change, they must go. It is that simple. And, if you think it can't be done, think again. Disney just put in a new CEO who is cleaning house. Everything is under scrutiny, including ABC Media division. Now is when we need to launch a big cross fan base campaign to get them out. There are already several fan bases out there willing to put aside their couple/character campaigning in this bigger picture campaign (they will still do their couple/character campaigning separate from this). The bottom line is that everyone is starting to realize that without a regime change, our couples and characters are doomed anyway.

So, having said that, this is the bottom line. If you want people out, you have to talk money. This is what execs understand and they will pay attention. We have numbers on our side and Disney, for one, is extremely sensitive to campaigns that target Disney visitor numbers. It's hardball time. We need to tell the House of Mouse we've had it and not only won't we be watching GH while this garbage is on, we won't go to Disney either. Please read on. Trust me, this will work.

Every campaign has to focus at its core about the money. Low viewer numbers = low advertiser reach = low profits. It's that simple. Tie your desire for certain storylines to that boat and point out how soap successes are making relationship stories and vets work.

If you don't believe that it's all about the money and Disney (ABC's parent company) is ready to make changes, check this article out. http://money.cnn.com/2006/03/20/news/compa...isney/index.htm

There are some important things in that article. Here are just a few.

This is important to us because not so long ago it was assumed Apple was dead and Jobs with it. Now he's on top and shows he can entice the young market. Another case of an old vet makes a comeback.

Someone got the hint on Primetime and revamped it. We need to do the same. All of these 'hits' revolve around relationships and people in their mid-30's to 40's. Hardly just the teen set Guza and Frons are married to. Bottom line - someone in charge of primetime finally figured out that Baby Boomers and Xers are a large chunk of the population and they want to see strong characters with strong families in strong relationships. While we're at it, so do young people. When you campaign for your character as part of a friendship and family supported group, point that out and the tie to the primetime shows.

You need to start writing to the parent company, not ABC, and hammering on this. Success elevates stock prices. It's that simple. Yes, they have elevated other lines of business but they are neglecting daytime and they need to get with it. We need to point this out.

If you think that Frons cannot be taken out in a heartbeat, you are very wrong. If Eisner (former head of Disney) can fall after he saved that company in the 90's, anyone can. All it takes is the investors to start yelling and they start yelling when they see bad press in the financial reports. When an executive makes poor business decisions, it needs to be pointed out to the right people - the people who hold the controls, not the exec who is causing the problem or the people above him protecting him. That will never work. You have to take your battle to the people who can actually help you and speak their language - money. That's all they care about and all they know. If it makes money, they will do it. They can't exist on three shows and they know it. There's a big drive at Disney/ABC to have soap-like dramas on at night. They sell. They've alway sold. They know that, so start campaigning to get your stories back by going to the people who are listening.

Think they don't know? Look at this:

If they are selling SOAPNet videos through iTunes, they know that soaps have value. You need to take advantage of that fact.

Basically, run this like you would any takeover. You look for where your prey is bleeding and you go for it over and over again until they topple. Sorry for that analogy, but the bottom line is that you cannot win this war by sentiment. You have to win it by cold-blooded business strategy. Any company on top wants to get further up the ladder to put more space between themselves and their competitors. So give them a way to do it and they will listen.

Remember, if this were the Q's running this campaign, they would take their argument to the people who could actually make a change and they would not be afraid of stepping on some toes along the way (especially Alan and Monica!). They would also use whatever tatic they had to in order to win the game. That is exactly what we need to do.

State your case clearly. Y&R is number 1, yet they are all about relationships and their vets are on all the time. Katherine/Jill and Victor/Nikki have been on that show since I watched in the early to mid 70's. They get plenty of airtime. And Y&R is getting the viewers which equals money. In the meantime we have the mob 95% of the time and we are losing viewers like someone cut our bracheal artery. There's a reason for that and the new head of Disney needs to hear it while he's cleaning house. He's on the war path. Now is the time. If we could get the combined forces of all fan bases to come together for this bigger campaign issue, we would all reap the rewards. Every character would get the benefit as well as every relationship, friendship and family.

I don't know about all of you, but I am sick of begging for time for our beloved characters who have proven their ratings worth. If they won't give us what we want, they have to go. What they are doing does not make ABC money. Awards for writing does not equate to dollar signs. It equates to an expensive individual project for Guza, funded by Frons. It's bad business.

What do you think? Can you join this larger reaching campaign for the good of our families?

Here are the Disney addresses. I think we need to mobilize and send them thousands of letters at once.

Robert A. Iger

President and CEO

Walt Disney Company

500 S. Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

[email protected]

Peter Murphy

Senior Executive Vice President and Chief Strategic Officer

Walt Disney Company

500 S. Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

[email protected]

John Pepper Jr.

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Walt Disney Company

500 S. Buena Vista Street

Burbank, CA 91521

Fax: 202-689-8562

Judy Estrin