It seems that lately in the last several years that the writers are writing more and more for fanbases, and single popular characters amongst the fans of the soaps, instead of writing what the writers would really like to write. My question to everyone is, would you like the writers of your soaps to stop focusing on the fanbases and single character popularity, and start writing from the heart, and the brain?

For me it is just ruining the soaps to always have to be focusing on the fanbases, for certain characters and couples. It seems like because of these fanbases that no couple on a soap lasts more than a few months, because the fanbases just don't like this or that couple anymore, or there is a fanbase for any couple you can think of for a show, and to please the fans, they try to do stories for each and every one of them, hence they don't last long. Also there seems to be a lot of character assassination going on lately on the soaps, because of the need for the most popular person on the show to be getting more airtime, which means more stories that might not fit there character. I for one love the fact that we the fans can now talk about the soaps on forums such as this since the Internet age began, but I also feel like the soaps have been suffering since the Internet age began, because there are now more voices for the writers to listen to. I personally think the writers should avoid reading anything about there soaps online, and just start writing from the brain, and the heart again like they did in the past.

I will also add that it is not all the fault of the fans, that the soaps have been deteriorating, and I think I made it sound like that, but I know that is not true, because there are also writers out there that like there own certain characters and will write for them no matter what, even if the fans don't like the characters, so I think the writers should also stop having favorites, because that is also helping to ruin the soaps, I don't watch all the soaps but it seems like from reading the forums anyway that each soap has a character that is seen almost everyday, without a brake, and it needs to stop also

Edited December 14, 200619 yr by winterguy125

I don't see how focusing on newbies (which all the soaps do now) can be blamed on fanbases. These people usually have no fanbases to begin with. If anything, I think decisions are based on the almighty dollar, and producers have decided that it's more cost efficient to fulfill contracts to the letter, than to examine the story and see if it's really good enough to let "characterX" be on four/five days a week.

I think it is a combination of what both of you say.

I see them trying to write for newbies for 2 reasons. One many of these newbie characters are the creations of these new writers and they are who they like. And also many of them are new actors which are cheaper to use. More importantly if they entrench the show with these new characters, and they are used after they leave, that writer gets paid still because they created them. I can't remember now what it is called, but writers still get that for the characters they created. That to me should be done away with.

Also TPTB have this idea that yes certain characters and actors are more popular. Just look at OLTL and Michael Easton. Why in the world Frons is banking so much on him, I will never figure out. Sure he has some sort of cult following but to me he has done nothing for OLTL's ratings. But yet they gave into his demands for money, and it seems even had to fire others to get the money that he demanded.

It is sad that we have to sit through the same characters being featured on just about all the shows all week long. The writers seem to either be required to write daily for some characters or they just choose to do so. It makes certain characters very tiring, and when the writing is not that good (which is true about the majority of daytime) it really hurts the characters too.

I actually agree with you. There is one couple that I just can't stand and they have been pushed so hard by their fanbase that I stopped watching the show. I can't be alone because the ratings have plumeted as well ever since they got paired up. And then it seems like it restricts the other characters and who they have been vs. who they now need to make them be. It's so messed up that it's easier to just not watch anymore. As for the newbies, they have now had to screw up so many of the regular characters maybe they feel it's easier to start fresh with a whole new cast being brought in to develop for the next few years. Lesson to the fanbase, watch what you wish (push) for you might just get it and it fails.

I'd go one step further. For ABC, they are not only to fanbases, they are trying to manufacture them. It's gotten to the point where couple names can be created before an actor has arrived on the show (i.e. Jam, Jolie). And then they try to prop and promote the couple if it doesn't happen - in OLTL's case, refusing to back off couplings. The product for the show is not an entertained audience wanting to watch the next show, it's how much soap-related junk they can sell or how much mail one couple gets.

ABC in particular relies on star and stunt power to sell their soaps. I'm not as tuned into CBS: I'm sure they do it to some extent (especially B & - but it doesn't take long to pick the three ABC male stars they believe are selling the show.

As a viewer of DAYS, also known as "the supercouple" soap, I feel that at times they do cater to the fanbases. The fanbases for Bo/Hope, John/Marlena, and Shawn/Belle can and have been extremely rabid. Now John/Marlena are together again, and it appears Bo and Hope and Shawn and Belle are on their way to reconciliation. But since the writing is stronger and is more character-based, it doesn't feel forced or contrived. The show features a smaller, revolving set of characters that is a refreshing change from cramming 10 or so characters into one episode. Some characters do dominate more than others, but it's nowhere near as bad as it was, when all we saw was Chloe whining about Philip, Brady, or some other drama, then the teens taking over the show, and most recently, the focus on Chelsea and her schemes. That may change, but I hope not.

I think the ABC soaps are the most guilty of becoming obsessed with a sole character/or group of characters and shoving them in viewers' faces every day. On AMC, it's Ryan, Jonathan, Colby, Babe, and Josh (probably still is), on OLTL, it's John, Natalie, Evangeline, Spencer, and Paige, and on GH, it's Sonny, Jason, Sam, Emily, and Carly. And with the force-feeding of these characters comes writing everyone else as pimps for them, or destroying others to make their favorites be the good guys. I think writers who trash other characters, especially ones who have been on the show for years, in order to prop up newbies they've created or personal favorites is even worse than pandering to a couple fanbase. Also, ever since Frons took over at ABC, he has picked a blonde from each soap and tried to make her the "star." I remember when I used to watch OLTL and it seemed not a day went by that I had to see Jennifer Rappaport pouting and being made into this heroine when other, more interesting characters were being overlooked.

Thank you for starting such an interesting thread, winterguy!

I would agree with what's already been said. The networks are definitely writing more for the fanbases for both couples and individual characters. I really started noticing it when Guiding Light was pushing Danny & Michelle down our throats because they kept winning magazine polls. I grew to detest them and it took years before they were written out (I think it was the current EP, Ellen Wheeler who finally got rid of them).

Bree, you are so right about ABC. My favorite soap, AMC, was never just about 1 character or couple until Brian Frons came in. Now, it's the same set of characters ad nauseam. Unfortunately, AMC caved in to a small group of Rylee fans a few years ago and that show has not recovered from the damage, imo, due to McTrash's writing and the continued focus on Babe and Ryan.

I started watching soaps in the late 1970s and although there were popular couples back then, they weren't on 5 days a week. Also, it seemed that the writers and producers listened more to the whole audience so if a couple was really bombing, they would break up in a few months. I really don't know why the current Powers That Be insist on keeping chemistry-free couples together (OLTL's Jessica/Antonio just lept into my mind ).

I hope somebody at the network level starts making changes soon because I'm barely watching 1 soap any more these days and I used to prefer my daytime dramas to everything in primetime.

Definitely not a black and white situation, but in short I think that there's a difference between writing with the intent to entertain fans, and catering to their every minute whim.

Just like there is a difference between knowing when to dare something that the fans may not think they'll like, and writing with the intent to torture and toy with them.

I don't think this is a recent phenomenon -- I noticed it in the mid-90s with Sonny and Brenda vs. Jax and Brenda fans -- and I blame the fans more than the writers for it happening.

Edited December 14, 200619 yr by jfung79

The problem isn't so much focusing on fanbases as it is focusing on "fanbases" they THINK exist and THINK will work for them.

For example, OLTL hasn't been that bad IMO, some of its storylines are "edge of your seat" despite idiocracy's in them. But still, since John returned to the canvas they have done at least 50 close ups to his face and have ended almost EVERY S I N G L E episode with his face. Instead of ending with a real cliffhanger, they've focused on him. WHY? Uhm.. OLTL and Frons think that this guy is their big money winner and that fans run crazy for him... BUT, they're wrong! And honestly they have NO numerical proof of this. John and for that matter John and Natalie have NOT once brought in ratings for this show. They have not delivered and NO fans are ecstatic with his return. Yes, he has his groupies, who are entitled to be fans of him and entitled to love him, but it's clear that they are not representitive of the show as a whole as they have not shown up in numbers and have not brought in the ratings, numerically or in the satisfaction category.

When you have a fan base that WORKS, that's a different story. Every one uses Sonny and Brenda as an example but this couple and Sonny, and Brenda, worked for GH. They brought in the ratings, people rushed to watch GH for them and for the most part GH sometimes gets big hits when something big happens with Sonny. That's justification. Not all soaps have them, and more so OLTL doesn't.

I don't think this is a recent phenomenon -- I noticed it in the mid-90s with Sonny and Brenda vs. Jax and Brenda fans -- and I blame the fans more than the writers for it happening.

No it's not a now phenomonon, it is just worse now because every show does it - except for Y&R which has the best balance of any show on the air to me.

Just look at the thread that Jason47 started for Days for the 1988 episodes. their 4 big supercouples took up the 8 top spots that year. Several even commented that it seemed like they were the only people you saw that year.

It used to be certain shows that were guilty of it, but not anymore. I do agree with you it didn't start now, but it is an epidemic now.

I don't think this is a recent phenomenon -- I noticed it in the mid-90s with Sonny and Brenda vs. Jax and Brenda fans -- and I blame the fans more than the writers for it happening.

Exactly. Look back to the "glory days" of the 1980s, what Days and GH did in many ways would be counter-productive for Daytime in the much longer run because everybody except Y&R sought to copy that formula. Sometimes shows have to do ridiculous things- e.g. bringing people back from the dead, just to appease a fanbase like B&B did with Taylor.