Veteran soap critic Marlena De Lacroix objects to colleagues who swoon over Ron Carlivati's new OLTL already.

A soap should be viewed for at least a year before it is crowned 'best soap,'she says.

Still, Marlena does adore Carlivati's sophisticated writing stylings. including a newly "socialist" Viki, and the farce-style dooring-slamming do'in's at the Buchanan mansion and the Paris Suite's hotel.

Read Part 1 of her unique analysis of OLTL at marlenadelacroix.com/

Edited December 4, 200717 yr by ChrisL

OLTL is pretty good right now and is definitely having a renaissance.

Not more than two weeks after its new head writer Ron Carlivati’s debut, a soap reporter from the northern climes proclaimed One Life to Live the best soap of the year.

Yeah, kinda ridiculous, eh.

Another great column, Marlena!

Marlena is WRONG about ONE LIFE. ONE LIFE is the best soap on air right now.

To be fair it wasn't quite 2 weeks--especially as he had been written as co HW for a while befoe. I do kinda agree

OLTL is pretty good right now and is definitely having a renaissance.

Yeah, kinda ridiculous, eh.

Another great column, Marlena!

Well we all know about her crazed little vendetta with Nelson, if that was her.

But I agree with her, in essence. Nelson made a lucky guess.

I agree with her. OLTL has improved in some ways, but still has a LONG LONG way to go. I still FF over half the show. I think the teen scene and younger set in general need a revamp. Sarah needs to be recast, the Vega brothers are dull, Vincent, Layla, Miles, etc. are worthless and screenhog John needs to immediately go. To think they gave a failed recast (Marty) an expensive, drawn out exit is ridiculous. SHe should've been immediately rushed out of the door. Cole too.

I do think his new characters have been strong and I like his focus on the vets, but nothing else is really working for me. He's certainly not the new Douglas Marland as some have suggested. I'm going to give him a year to truly decide. Look at LML, she started off hot (thanks to the Bell leftovers), but the show is abysmal now. Higley, McTavish, Passanante, etc. also started off well.

Let's see if he can hold it!

It's been almost 3 months with Carlivati as a sole HW... but it's too soon. The most part of 2007 wasn't good and I just hope 2008 will be the best in the last few years. Ron is doing wonders and I'm just enjoying the ride... I hope it lasts. But the best? I'd say it's the best these last few weeks (if you compare it to the others).

It's Marlena again...

Sylph, if you have a problem, don't be rude about it. There are people here who enjoy her columns, and even those who disagree take the time to explain why they do.

I norm dont like her articles, but i couldnt agree more with this one.

I've been one of those people praising OLTL up the yin-yang. After the dreck that was Higley's reign, it was nice to tune into the show and actually enjoy it!

Ron's done a great job of restoring balance to the show, making it seem like a real soap. Gone are the days of going weeks without seeing contract actors, or only using them on prop duty. Ron has also done a good job of giving characters who've been forced down our throats a break (Jessica/Nash, Antonio, John, Miles, Rex/Adriana) and bringing out those we necessarily haven't seen much of.

Is the show perfect? Not by a long shot. But everything, at least IMO, is being so well written that I can forgive the occasional screwup. I'm finally adjusting to the new Sarah. I enjoy her & Christian together. I'm actually liking Natalie for the first time in maybe 2! The newbies (at least the ones that will be sticking around) are fleshed out and don't appear to be one dimensional, and he's integrating established characters into the stories of the new characters (i.e. Dorian now being involved in the Jared/Charlie story).

There are some characters who under any other writer would be written out (Miles for instance). After what he did to Todd & Marty, he would have just been written into the ground or turned into an over the top villain. But, Ron gave us a break from Miles, and put him with a character you wouldn't expect to see him with, Roxy. Lol, those two have good chemistry and I'm looking forward to their scenes coming up. Plus, Ilene Kristen just rocks my socks. Anytime I can see her in an enjoyable story is great!

And btw, thanks for the e-mail ChrisL. I'm going to respond!

Sylph, if you have a problem, don't be rude about it. There are people here who enjoy her columns, and even those who disagree take the time to explain why they do.

I said everything I had to say about her. I feel a strong dislike for her columns. And I'm not rude. BUt I can be.

And btw, thanks for the e-mail ChrisL. I'm going to respond!

Sorry - off topic, but... Still waiting with baited breath, Ryan!

I agree with her to a certain point.

I think it was quite ridiculous to give Carlivati so much praise only weeks into his tenure as sole HW. I even agree with some that say OLTL didn't even deserve to get "Best Soap" this year. (RC was only HW of three months this year, so it makes sense. It does deserve the title of "Most Improved".). However I think after three months he's proved himself somewhat. Sure for some he might still have a long ways to go, but in the three months that he's been HW he's done wonders. He's started some of his own stories and fleshed out a variety of characters. Even some of the characters who were clunkers under Higley, are being revitalized these days such as the Vega brothers, Sarah, and Natalie.

IMO OLTL at the moment is the best soap opera on air.

I responded Chris

She posted part 2 http://marlenadelacroix.com/