Jump to content

Cady McClain Critiques Daytime


Recommended Posts

  • Replies 37
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

I'm sure she would've stayed longer if she was given a half decent storyline. Just read the various message boards and see the overwhelming HATE for this story. I would feel so bad being an actor in this situation and I'd definitely speak up. My guess is that she did, so they fired her.

BTW, Paul and Meg don't need to be sacrificed, they need to be destroyed! This is the worst couple in daytime right now. No chemistry, both characters lack any redeeming values, pure garbage! Paul has turned into *such* a creep and Meg is a worthless female.

If you go to her website and read the full blog, she goes into detail about the weak women on soaps. That is certainly a problem specific to ATWT. All of the women are written as pathetic or loons or both, constantly begging a man to stay with them and making endless mistakes. Then you have the self-righteous man coming in to save the woman. Not one female character on this show (with a storyline) is written as indenpendent or strong. This is why I'll give Lily or Carly a pass because the writing is so unbelievably one-sided.

I long for the strike induced exit of Pissanante. Anything will be better than the garbage she dishes out. I hope the new writers don't have such a deep hatred for women.

Who cares if Megan McTavish, Julie Carruthers, Chris Goutman and Jean Passanante don't want to hire her again? She was kind enough to return to both shows and was given absolute garbage to do. I'm glad she speaks out and doesn't let these people walk over her. It's a good thing she didn't sign a 4 year contract with ATWT in light of the story she's been given.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

QUOTE (Chris B @ Dec 2 2007, 10:51 PM)
If you go to her website and read the full blog, she goes into detail about the weak women on soaps. That is certainly a problem specific to ATWT. All of the women are written as pathetic or loons or both, constantly begging a man to stay with them and making endless mistakes. Then you have the self-righteous man coming in to save the woman. Not one female character on this show (with a storyline) is written as indenpendent or strong ...

Unfortunately, this isn't unique to ATWT at all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Okay, here i gop again with a random thought that i dont think anyone will agree with. but...

am i the only one who DOESNT think actors/actress' should speak out when unhappy? and if they do they deserve to lose there job. because in most jobs, if you publicly bash your employer/co/coworkers etc.. you get fired.

but anyways, i agree with what she said. the abiove wasnt directed at her, just a general thought.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

The only thing worth watching to me on ATWT is Luke and Noah and even then their story is [!@#$%^&*]. I am astonished at how bad ATWT suddenly is. It really has turned into almost a carbon copy of Jean P.'s AMC days, right down to the random, mid-week shopping center hostage crisis (she also did one with Alex Devane and Edmund Grey's children, IIRC). Only this time, the editing is worse (it gives me whiplash and is way too fast timewise), and the dialogue is possibly even worse and clunkier than before.

All the worst bad soap writing cliches are on full display. Jack happens to be looking at a photo of his family, so suddenly Margo, of all people, strides over and says, "so, it's true. You're still not over Carly." What? Come on! Or they want to bring the actress playing Kit back, so scant days or hours after Carly's psychotic behavior loses Jack, she is suddenly in business with the woman who took Angry Dyke #2 (JJ). "Kit and I are making a new start together as independent women. I know I can trust her because she has been here for all of six hours and has not kidnapped my children." What?! Come on! And you know it just leads back to more fuckin' Carjack! Brad stalks Katie day after day, every day it's the same conversation: "I can't be with you; I know, that's cool, but let me try and make out with you; no!; that's cool, but why can't we be together?" Meanwhile, random unused character A and B (Vienna and Nancy) chime in to explain why every woman desperately needs marriage and home and family, and then, Brad goes out and buys the house Katie and Jack were going to buy! Anyone else in the real world doing that would've gotten slapped with a restraining order! WTF?!

It wasn't that long ago that, even with Jean Passanante on staff, ATWT still made my show (OLTL) look bad at 2 PM. And back before she really took hold, I still regarded it as the intelligent and adult soap on at 2; the standard to which others should be measured, even if they had a few clunker stories. The dialogue was crisp and intelligent, the editing was reasonable, and the stories were mostly decent. Now, it looks and feels like a bad ABC soap. It looks like AMC around 2001 or something. It's shocking to me, the decline in quality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I'm crying because what she said is so true, and my number 1 complaint about AMC. It could not be more baby focused if it tried. There are NO female friendships or strong women. Just pathetic harpies crying about men and babies 24/7.

Go CADY!!!!

And I agree, ATWT has killed Luke and Noah for me -- at the moment, because they never get any screen time worth a damn, and the dialouge is repetitive. Not at all like when the story started, but I got off my ass and snail-mailed CBS and the higher ups, we all as e-mailed them, and I will continue to do it every month.

Finally get a socially relevant storyline, and they trash it to focus on babies, and more babies. Why are Will/Gwen obsessed with babies at 19/20? :rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Truer words have not been spoken. The problem is that soaps no longer reasonate with people today. What was interesting 50 years ago (ie love triangles, babies, and affairs) is played out today. That is the problem with AMC right now too. The writers need to start writing about things outside of the run of the mill soap staple catalog. I am tired of seeing a couple fall in love and knowing that within six months they will be broken up because of family, a love triangle, an affair, or some other occurance. I am tired of people coming back from the dead and weak begging women. I really do wish that they would start writing stories focusing on other aspects of human relationships. It's not rocket science, people are bored. If you give people something worth watching (ie an interesting story) they will watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I think a EP or studio head would agree with you.

But without speaking her mind(an actress mind you), how can we expect daytime TV to get better if everyone is living in this utopia like nothing is going on and everything is okay? Daytime TV, as we've known it, is dying off. Make no mistake about it.

I agree 100% with Cady, but I think the point she is trying to get across is just plain ole character development, which a lot of daytime is devoid of and has been for a long, LONG time.

People have seen it all and it seems like stories in daytime are being told for shock value instead of actually shocking the audience. If that makes sense. I'd rather be shocked and know all the pieces fit together than for someone to throw a random curve ball and hope that I buy the explanation and fill in the blanks for myself. I don't think it's fair for me as a viewer to make sense of shoddy writing...as it isn't fair for a writer to not accept full responsibility for the stuff (s)he writes.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • This may be a duplication. If so, sorry.  https://www.instagram.com/p/DJrG-lRpf_M/ Another World on HLOTS
    • BTG also has Uptown, but I really don't love that set. 
    • According to this article, Victoria Rowell says was asked to audition for Anita Dupree   https://apnews.com/article/beyond-gates-renewal-d7369f7a60a0a992483294acb950ef6d
    • For years I did NOT go by Laura's opinion of Luke. Today I certainly do not go by Laura's opinion that Sonny somehow is good for Port Charles. Actually when it comes to being a judge of people's characters, and the issue is Laura, I just remember Esme.
    • Good point. It would provide some conflict with Jack. As much as I am not interested in Claire, I don't find it difficult to understand why she might be a bit reluctant  to commit to a guy who has already been divorced twice or is  3 times?before he is 30. That's a natural obstacle that Claire would be hesitant about. But in GC every relationship is true love and various past marriages are forgotten.
    • He had no chance of getting on The Sopranos

      Please register in order to view this content

      I’m in NYC, and I can’t help but wonder if NYC prosecutors, politicians, etc. ever felt the way that Laura did, back in the 80s-90s when they were taking down the mob.  “Oooh, don’t put John Gotti in prison. The guy who comes in after him might be worse” 
    • Happy 18th Birthday, Sophia! I like that Tate gave her a birthday party. And that Marlena counseled him about whether or not he has feelings for Sophia, and his relationship with Holly. I like how messy Tate is and I hope he continues to be messy. He just needs to have more argument/fight scenes with Doug III

      Please register in order to view this content

      Days just needs to work a little bit more on establishing better chemistry between Tate and Sophia, but I still think that’s mostly due to Rachel Boyd. Sometimes, I think that Sophia might secretly be scheming, but with the way RB plays it, (if that’s what they’re going for), it doesn’t seem to be working. Tate was also really sweet and dorky during the party too The drug scenes didn’t do much for me though. I don’t mind that Kevin panicked and ran off with the drug once he heard Steve and Shawn coming, but I felt like that story was the weakest part of today. But I am interested in seeing what happens next. And I couldn’t help but laugh when I noticed that Steve and Shawn had matching jackets Btw, I see Mayor Price established a quid pro quo with Xander today lol I wouldn’t mind that being more than just a plot point. It could lead to some pretty good drama if it’s handled correctly. And it would be a lot better than Xander declaring war on Sweet Bits/Chanel and Felicity.  And Stephanie, finally having her mother to confide in about her life, her relationship with Alex, etc. has been one of the best things about the Paula/Jeanne episodes. The book thing still seems very Ron/Jamey-like though, mostly because it’s so centered around Alex, sort of like how GH used to make storylines about Liz all about Finn or Franco Hopefully, Stephanie talks to Kayla about the book. I’d like to hear more of her perspective on it. I also like that Kayla and Marlena were there for each other as well. These are such better ways to use all three of them. And, we got an update about John One other thing I’ve noticed about the Paula/Jeanne episodes (except for the ones that are worked on by Jamey) is that they’re longer than Ron episodes. Episodes usually clock in at around 40-41 minutes now, as opposed to 35-37, or as short as 31. I like that. 
    • Also Victor being the obstacle for Kyle/Claire feels forced. If anything it should be Diane. Diane has a history of having issues with the Newmans, doesn’t she? Jack could be the one trying to reel her in while she’s meddling in Kyle and Claire’s relationship. They’re making the characters of Diane, Victoria, Nick, Sharon be way too complacent when they could have a stronger role in the younger characters like Mariah/Tessa, Kyle/Claire etc 
    • A year later we had these ratings for the week of May 11-17 1987. This was probably the last time the CBS soaps (at least til Dallas’ finale) ranked this high. Dynasty had already ended its season.  CBS reran the Dallas Early Years movie on Saturday night against Golden Girls’ season finale, which was the failed Empty Nest back door pilot.  Interestingly a repeat Family Ties was #1 this week. The week before the season finale of Family Ties beat out Cosby as well, but it was Cheers that beat them both out with Diane’s exit.  

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Hello to everybody!

      Please register in order to view this content

      I'm writing a series of essays about the first time of a LGBT character in US soaps. I already have datas about Sharon Duvall in DAYS (1977) as first Bisex, Lynn Carson in AMC (1983) as first Lesbian, Hank Elliott on ATWT (1989) as first Gay (someone have or can find the episode in which Paul Ryan finds out about Hank and does not take it very well? I have seen Hank's coming out to Iva and when Hank gets a bullet to save Paul's life from the latter evil father and when he gets tested for HIV after finding out Charlie's diagnosis, but Soap Opera Digest recaps are too much concises...) and Billy Douglas on OLTL (1992) as first LGBT teen in both daytime and primetime TV (I have seen all the episodes on You Tube. BTW, what a great storyline, why it was ignored by the Emmys? Andrew Carpenter and Billy's father players are both really great in their roles! Oh, well, if OLTL was not nominated for Best Drama in 1994 with Marty's gang rape story which won four major awards and was spectacular, no surprise at all - sadly) and I have read something about Azure in The City (1996) as first Trans, but I'd like to see the episode where Bernado finds out and Azure confirms what is said in that newspaper to have something to quote. I like quoting, it gives the essays more depth. I already read the biweekly recaps from Soap Opera Digest on Tumblr and single episodes recaps on IMDB, but I'd like to have more to write about. And something more about critics and public opinions - I only knows that the storyline was rapidly axed because of bad writing and bad performance by Carlotta Chung, but I have nothing to quote.   PS Thank you @JAS0N47 for your incredible and rich site (and work on it). In particular for the Nielsen ratings on weekly basis lists since 1974 and for everything about Sharon Duval - specially for the script of the confession episode dated 23 May 1977! I'm not a DAYS viewers (I'm Italian, I live in Italy and on You Tube there is almost nothing if not short videos), but I've seen some clips of Marlena's first possession (Deidre Hall is terrific in it! Storyline is garbage, but it has its chilling moments and it is funny - I laugh everytime I remember Kristen say to Marlena "according to the book of demonology"! Was she an espert of demons or what!? ) and read on Soap Opera Central daily recaps about infamous Melaswen (brainwashed Marlena has a particular sense of humor - killing ex alcoholic Maggie with a bottle of wine and Alice with her donuts...), so I know something about the soap. Little, but better than nothing.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy