OLTL- Please bring back Gary Tomlin

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

Now that Passions is cancelled , OLTL can bring back one of my favorite EP's Ever, Gary Tomlin. He was directing for Passions. Im not sure why he was fired after he got the show an Emmy, but im hoping whatever it was, can be negated. I would love to have him back!!!

[ZaraB]

Frons is the one who fired Tomlin. I suspect Tomlin would have fought more for OLTL than Valentini has.

[juppiter]

I really didn't like Tomlin's OLTL... his approach seemed to be turning OLTL into a sitcom.

[chrishntr]

I loved Tomlin, and would love to see him back on One Life, but he was one that would never give into Frons, so I think that's why he was let go. He didn't kiss ass so to speak.

[bellcurve]

Tomlin got mixed reviews at OLTL. On one hand, he amped up the camp appeal of OLTL(could be compared to Rauch, IMO) and brought them from the dark, dreary times JFP put them through. OLTL was a FUN soap during his reign.

On the other, gimmicks can only get you so far.

But seriously, I LOVED Tomlin's OLTL. Full of fun inside jokes. It felt like SUNSET BEACH had been reborn, except with better storytelling, acting, and an East Coast town.

Tomlin has a history of being outspoken with the networks...he made it very clear that he was pissed that NBC let Eddie Cibrian(Cole) out of his BEACH contract to do THIRD WATCH.

Not to mention how much he hates SOAPnet. He was quoted as saying it's frustrating putting on a quality, first-run product and then having commercials air during your show, telling you, "Don't watch now, watch later."

Wonder if he felt the same about BEACH too.

[Toups]

I had the same feeling of OLTL being Sunset Beach east under Tomlin's reign.

I think Tomlin would be a better fit at DAYS. I hope he replaced Stephen Wyman as EP but I highly doubt that will happen. I've always wanted Tomlin to produce DAYS since SuBe ended in 1999.

[2shane8]

I always thought that Tomlin gave us one of the best years in OL history, followed directly by one of the all time worst.

2001 ... the year for which OL won the Emmy as Best Show. Wonderful storylines, great returns, first-rate gimmicks. Gabrielle returned in front-burner style, thrown right into a great storyline with Asa and eventually Max ............. Fiona Hutchison rocked! The Blair-Max-Todd triangle (which won Best Triangle from SOD that year) was at its high point, a genuinely interesting triangle that you wouldn't see these days, in which both of the two men really clicked with Blair and you never knew who to root for ............. Natalie came to town, and Melissa Archer was a revelation in those days .............. great material for Erika Slezak and a nice showcase for ingenue Erin Torpey ........ and let's not forget the trial for Colin's murder with amazing work from Hillary B. Smith, plus the excellent 4th of July Switch Episode (these last two things I've mentioned were the tapes submitted for the Emmy: the switch, and Nora on the stand).

Then, 2002 ............. what the hell happened? Fiona Hutchison suddenly backburnered and paired with Bo, in one of his worst romances ever (although the actors made it work as well as they could) ................. Nora and Troy, one of the worst couples ever, and the wretched story involving the secret from his past (with Joanna) ...................... the wonderful reveal of Natalie being Viki's daughter was sabotaged for the whole twin thing .................. Blair played comic relief to Sam ............ Todd, Tea, Ross and The Island .............. Jen went psycho and fooled with Al's emotions.

I mean, really: one of the best years EVER for the show, followed by one of the WORST. Then Mitch Laurence came back to town, and some people really loved OL in 2003, followed by the Santi's in 2004 .......... it's like a hot year followed by a cold year.

So, yeah, I would like Tomlin back if he did what he did in 2001, but NOT if he repeated the fiasco of 2002.

[KMan101]

Damn, Shane, good job summarizing that and SO true. I actually become a much bigger fan of OLTL during 2001 but 2002 turned me off again. 2003 brought me back but 2004 turned me off and I watch on and off now (like I do all soaps).

[Scotty]

Well, I liked Gary Tomlin. I think he did a lot of good for OLTL. Under his guidance, the show won it's first Daytime Emmy. OLTL also seemed more fun and upbeat. There were so many inside jokes, and funny scenes. I remember one episode where each scene began with the same word the previous scene had ended with.

The special episodes were great. Trading Places, Babes Behind Bars, and the Live Week were all great. He was also successful in wooing back Fiona Hutchison as Gabrielle, Roscoe Born as Mitch Laurence, and Robin Strasser as Dorian, among a couple others.

JFP's OLTL was very dark and gloomy. But with Tomlin, the cast seemed to enjoy the show, and had fun with it.

And, as someone pointed out earlier, I too think he would have fought for the show harder than Valentini does.