All: Do you prefer fast-paced or slow-paced storylines

[DruRocks]

Those stories were bloody awful, and I don't think DAYS has ever recovered from that absurdity.

[Shawn]

Thanks. I knew I could count on my Dru to agree with me

[KLN]

It's understandable why some would hate "Possession." It was definitely a love-or-hate type of thing.

But the other stories? Hardly awful, IMO.

Maison Blanche was a-m-a-z-i-n-g. There was nothing supernatural or sci-fi about it at all, just really good, dark storytelling.

Buried Alive was also amazing. Nothing supernatural about it... just a psychopath torturing a heroine.

Sami as a fresh-faced teenage b!tch was awesome!

The original Hope/Bo/Billie triangle was great. Since then, of course, it's been overplayed, but in its day, it was fantastic.

The Vivian/Kate and Kate/Laura feuds were great, as was the revelation that Lucas was the son of Bill Horton.

Aremid was great, I loved the tone of that story.

"Possession" being love-or-hate shouldn't detract from the greatness of the other stories of the 90s, IMO.

[Brandeis]

I like the idea of long slower paced stories, maybe threads would be a better word for what I'm talking about, that generate tangents of fast paced short stories on their periphery.

[Shawn]

Tell that to the fans of the show that have watched the show far longer than the era of Debauchery (aka 1993-1997). I started watching the show in 1987 and thanks to my mother, was able to see shows for several years back on VHS tapes. THOSE were the stories that made Days watchable. THOSE are the stories that are starting to be told again after thirteen years of crap (give or take a few B & K stories).

Compared to the show's glory days, of Bill Bell, Sheri Anderson and a few other talents, JERk's run, both first and last, is juvenile and gimmicky. He never ONCE went into character depth. Everyone was one note. The b!tchy psychos were always that. The damsel in distress was always in peril. The supervillians defied death time and time again in the most ludicrous ways. No one grew. No one learned. And after a while, no one (but the few hardcore JERk fans) cared.

JMHO.

[KLN]

I agree and disagree.

JER has never been a character writer.

That said, I did like the dark tone of his stories back then. It just really fit with my own personal taste. If he could've thrown in some character progression through it all... then yeah, it would've been even better. But I have a knack for THOSE types of stories. Character-written stories are great too, but its a rarity in daytime to get dark, gothic drama, and I just love that kind of stuff. I definitely see where you're coming from, though. Just... eh, different strokes, I guess, LoL.

Meanwhile, I'm obviously not alone since Days was at a strong #2 in the ratings back then, LoL.

Anyway, back to the original topic. As far as PACING goes (not the stories themselves, but the pacing) I think that JER was great at it in the 90's. He was able to juggle far-reaching story with just enough twists and turns to keep it from rotting.

[DruRocks]

Welllll Y&R is a strong Number 1 right now, and the show is pretty much sh!t. Not saying that DAYS was sh!t, just not my cup of tea during that era.

[DrewH]

I loved JER's first run at DAYS and was part of the excited fans that anticipated his return in 2003. But when he returned, his pacing was still the same, but something was different. This was not the same writing he did in the 90s.

[Shawn]

Exactly Dru. Just cuz people watch something, it doesn't mean its good.

Yes, Dear ran for seven years. Enough said.

[KLN]

I didn't say that the ratings reflected the quality. I just said that it meant I wasn't alone in my stance, LoL.

[billyjill]

Not gonna get into the JER debate in this thread, but just wanted to say --

Good post. There is more to it than fast or slow, there are great fast moving stories out there and great slow moving stories. There just has to be something entertaining and satisfying you on a regular basis.

[PhoenixRising05]

Agreed. Slow is ok but things still have to happen and JER had that going during his first stint.

As long as things happen and people are entertained, it's fine. That is the key and most stories will be successful or good enough if there is always enough happening to keep people tuned in and interested. It also helps if you are doing a slow story that you have a fair amount of character involved. Using the example Kenny did, It was the Marlena/John/Kristen story but it also had Laura, Peter, Stefano, Susan, Carrie (as Marlena's confidante) and Abe (Marlena and John's confidante), Rachel Blake, Vivian and Ivan, Jennifer and Jack (because of Peter), etc. Involving many characters like that makes it more interesting if you are going to do a slow story or a story that will last over a long period of time.

[scuba]

I loved JERs style of slow storytelling during this first run - the Possession turned me off him completely, but everything up to that point was amazing, imo. I agree that we need a mixture of fast and slow SLs. They have to make sure that things still happend during slow-paced stuff so it doesn't feel like things are dragging. And they have to be careful with fast-paced stories, because without enough build-up even the most well-written, emotional scenes fall flat - that's been a problem with some of Hogan's stories on Days.

[KMan101]

JER was the same way on Passions, for the longest time. Even though stories were agonizingly slow and never ending, things HAPPENED and at least I was entertained. Now it's just a really really bad soap that's a total mess and a complete opposite of what it was 8 years ago. Shame, really.

[aMLCproduction]

i feel the same. yes it dragged but it was good it dragged. Rielly once said that he koulda been exposed kristen way sooner but added kooky susan to drag it out and to me it was worth all that wait. To bad Mr. Rielly dont write like that no more. I hope JER gos out with a bang. Thats the least he kould if he wants to salvage his rep. I think JER would be good for any soap for like two years and than that would be it