OLTL writer

[Scotty]

But still, it would have been nice if they had given her ties to a core Llanview family. And wouldn't it have been sweet to bring the Wolek's back.

Now I remember when the car hit her. Thinks for helping with out with that.

[daysfan]

Yes, I agree.

And your welcome. I won't ever forget that time because that was around the time my beloved Nikki Smith returned.

[psychofan]

I remember now too. That was so pointless.

It went something like...

Ginger (to Spencer): I'm going to tell the police what you've been up to and I do mean everything. (was she referring to Margaret? How would she have known I wonder.)

Ginger leaves. Bumps into Kevin and Kelly.

Kelly: Ginger! What's wrong?

Ginger: Nothing. I have to go.

Ginger goes off-screen and we hear ERRRRRRRK!!!

Kelly: Oh my God! Ginger!!

And didn't Spencer operate on her?

[daysfan]

Yes, I kind of remember the lines when he tried to save her:

Spencer: Don't you die on me! GINGER DON'T YOU DIE ON ME!

Then her eyes open and she looks at him breifly, then I think she dies.

[psychofan]

Oh please, now I remember. If this was supposed to be Higley's way of "humanizing" Spencer or making him compassionate, it didn't work.

[Scotty]

Oh don't even get me started on the many faces of Viki....

Because none of the alters outings can top what happened back in 1995.

[Scotty]

Yes that's right...Spencer did operate on her and I can remember him saying that.

Didn't Duke kiss her sometime after he and Adriana had broken up? It seems like I can remember that evening not long before she was hit by that car.

[daysfan]

Oh, I agree. The 1995 alter fiasco is the best one of all of Viki's alter stories.

But I still LOVE Nikki Smith! The others can stay integrated, but I WANT NIKKI SMITH!

I always felt that if they knew back when Nikki Smith first emerged she was going to have this whole saga of coming out, they should have made her Viki's twin and she could have been a permanant but not featured much character on the show. She could have even had her own stories!

Another member even said in one thread after I mentioned this idea that it could be that back when they were children, Nikki and Viki were both born but Nikki was not spoiled and orderly but a party girl! Viki wanted to be like Nikki so Victor sent Nikki off to boarding school and Viki blocked it out of her mind and instead of the sex thing, that was why Nikki Smith the alter was created. The whole Victor molesting Viki story can still remain like it has been because of the other alters.

[Scotty]

Now that would certainly make for an interesting storyline!

But the 1995 alter exstravaganza was the best. It still amazes me. I love watching clips of it on Youtube. Now that was classic OLTL.

[Money]

OLTL has a lot of problems and I doubt if the new HW can fix them. It lacks character, depth and motivation. Key ingredients that have been lacking for years. I see spurts of momentum and then it once again gets lost in the monotonous pace of storytelling. The featured characters have done little to increase ratings and yet the regime continues to showcase them much to the boredom of fans where the ratings reflect viewer satisfaction. The quad that ate Llanview in John, Evangeline, Natalie, and Cristian is quickly being replaced by Cris, Evangeline, Todd, and Blair. The idea is just as ill conceived on paper as it is on screen. Saying that Todd and Evangeline are extremely out of character would be a ridiculous understatement and there isn't anywhere to go with Blair and Cris. If OLTL continues in this direction it would be disastrous.

The Vets need to be featured more but they also need storylines integrated within the show's history. The problem with the Vets is that they aren't used in a rootable fashion. They are simply there to further the plot, if not used as blatant props. Even if characters like Vicki, Asa, Bo and Dorian were shown more it still will not guarantee ratings. If i have to see Vicki be the sounding board for Llanview's problems 24/7, I'd rather they not show her. If I have to see Dorian chasing after Clint in a shameless attemtpt to one up Vicki in a redundant feud I'd rather she not be shown either. Lindsay, Nora, Asa, Bo... they're mostly wallpaper and yet giving them ample screentime is not going to magically entice viewers to return to their screens.

John McBain is also a huge problem. They either need to make him a villian or make him supporting because the character has been redundant from his inception. He's a dayplayer with lead airtime. Massive amounts of play is given to him and Melissa Archer and there is nothing to show for it. Watching John and Natalie together is painful. She needs someone in her own age group where Melissa can flourish. The stench surrounding "Jolie" is putrid.

The concept of returning characters is excellent, however without motivation the return puddles and we're stuck right back at square one. I cannot see someone like AE's Tina returning and after three months there's nothing for her to do.

Newbies continue to be a problem. Miles, Vincent, Tate, (Marty)... they're all unecessary and yet there's more on the horizon.

OLTL lacks the creativity, dimension and follow through to propel them to the top. I don't think there's even one romantic couple aside from Michael and Marcie who isn't embroided in an uneccessary triangle.

[psychofan]

I'm totally with you on that one...and even Dena Higley herself doen't know what to do with the newbies in the long run. Just look at Claudia!

[Scotty]

First of all....Money, ITA with much of your post.

And psychofan, I agree with you too...Claudia, Hugh, Ted (although she didn't have a choice in bringing him on the show), Ginger, etc...

She created them, but then had no use for them. They had abosutlely no purpose in Llanview.

[BetweenHeaven&Hell]

Who is this Ginger character you all speak of? She does not ring a bell at all...

[Scotty]

She was Margaret's neice....she was discussed more in page 3 of this thread.

[psychofan]

Yeah, like Scotty said, she was Margaret's niece. She came on as a baby sitter for Jack and Starr and Margaret set her up in an apartment close to them. They did a few episodes when Margaret was in hiding where Ginger came and found her and Margaret took her money lol. Then she was also friends with Tess. Does any of that ring a bell?