Be nice. We love our Tommy.

Co-sign!

(BTW, MarkH, thank you. As someone who's been called to the carpet for making snarky remarks about others, I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught the rudeness of brimike's remark.)

I would say no, except SOD wrote all about the blog after the Days firings. Posted the URL and everything.

And yes, they would care. They didn't want Nelson Branco at a party because he talked about all that Nuke garbage controversey. You think they'd want someone in their employ who talks about it?

For a decade, I have felt SOD and SOW are just WRONG. Their tabloid presentation and screaming headlines further cheapen the genre. And because almost all us go by supermarket checkouts and can't miss those things--even if one doesn't read or watch--all the world gets this cheap, sick picture.

Now, I admit I subscribe to SOD, and I buy SOW on occasion. (Well, lots of occasions). And almost always it feels like cheap sex. Good for a brief while, but no substance, no feeling.

I always wanted a "Vanity Fair" for daytime. Really.

So, how does this relate to Tom Casiello? Well, he's not writing Vanity Fair length pieces yet :-). But he's trying to go INSIDE, to explain, to account. He's writing with feeling and passion. He is clearly NOT trying to appease the networks and their PR departments.

I'm told that back in the day Michael Kape did that kind of analysis. And Lynn Liccardo this week put up a scan of an old SOW piece she wrote with a detailed demographic analysis of soaps. That was AS GOOD as anything I'd read in a mainstream New York Times or Washington Post.

I do believe, as has happened with mainstream newspapers, that the blogosphere is opening up some incredible, unique, analytic voices like Tom and Sara and Lynn. Surely there is no money in it yet...but maybe someday....

We love our Tommy :-).

Co-sign!

(BTW, MarkH, thank you. As someone who's been called to the carpet for making snarky remarks about others, I'm glad I'm not the only one who caught the rudeness of brimike's remark.)

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

I'll go sit in the corner for a few hours. With no dessert.

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

I'll go sit in the corner for a few hours. With no dessert.

I knew you had a dark side!

Technically speaking, however, part of the HW's job is to address all concerns coming from the associate writers. After all, who else edits their scripts and breakdowns (provided, they don't have an official script editor already on staff)? And even if the HW, like LML, has no prior relationship with the show, 1) they should know enough (either through research, or their own viewing) of the show and its' history to handle most, if not all, questions about factual stuff; and 2) they should be experienced enough to handle not just the basics of soap writing, but dramatic writing in general. IOW, TC isn't a "fool", because he asks LML for help. If anything, LML is foolish, because she can't or won't.

We live on different planets, I guess. I didn't say he was a fool, as your post implies, I sad you made him look like one. And I believe it is idiotic to ask LML for help.

That's just me.

I didn't say he was a fool, as your post implies, I sad you made him look like one.

And I wasn't trying to make him look like one. So, you're right: we do live on different planets.

And I believe it is idiotic to ask LML for help.

Then, here's a question for you: what would you do? Let's pretend you are TC - notice, I said pretend, not insinuating anything - and you are crafting your latest breakdown for LML. However, you are having trouble with her notes, or "thrust," for your particular episode. (It could be where a character contradicts him or herself, based on their prior history, without any explanation or motivation...or it could be that you think this-or-that scene or sequence doesn't jibe with what you know about the tenets of dramatic/soap writing...whatever.) You're unsure over what LML's intentions are and whether you can execute them faithfully, so what do you do? Who do you consult, if not the HW? Do you consult anyone at all, or do you just "write the damn thing" as you see fit and hope 1) it's what she wants, 2) if it isn't, she'll be so blown away with what you've turned in, she won't care, or 3) if it's not what she wants, and she isn't impressed, then she won't mind doing a "page-one rewrite" herself?

According to his interview w/ Daytime Dial (I think it was Daytime Dial; could be wrong), Patrick Mulcahey initially had difficulties envisioning the "Clink/Boom" sequence on GH. He told Bob Guza, in effect, that he thought it was too "amped-up" and "mechanical," and that he wasn't sure if he could write the script as Guza had it mapped out. Knowing Guza had been working for months precisely to get the stories to that exact moment, Mulcahey was impressed enough with his response - "Then write it as you see fit" - that he went back, worked with Guza's plans a bit more, and eventually came up with a solution which more-or-less adhered to his vision (with some tweaking, of course).

Now, Guza trusted Mulcahey enough to write "Clink/Boom" in a way that felt comfortable to Mulcahey...but the point is, Mulcahey, as the associate writer, had a problem, so he went to his headwriter for advice.

Knowing Guza had been working for months precisely to get the stories to that exact moment, Mulcahey was impressed enough with his response - "Then write it as you see fit" - that he went back, worked with Guza's plans a bit more, and eventually came up with a solution which more-or-less adhered to his vision (with some tweaking, of course).

This is kind of off track, but does anyone know how much longer Mulcahey lasted at GH after this?

I'm serious. I'm very curious, after hearing stories of what the climate is like now.

Edited June 28, 200817 yr by brimike

According to soapcentral.com, "Clink/Boom" occurred on May 31, 1996. Mulcahey, however, wrote for GH until October 1999.

According to soapcentral.com, "Clink/Boom" occurred on May 31, 1996. Mulcahey, however, wrote for GH until October 1999.

It boggles my mind that after Santa Barbara, and after this famous Clink/Boom (which even I have seen) that he is now....

...at....

B&B!

How can such a bright writer live, day after day, with the insipid plotting and turgid dialog?

What makes it worse is that when he DOES try to infuse something richer (like Stephanie and Eric's "farewell" conversation, "the autumn of my years"), it just sounds out of place and showy.

I'm just not seeing how this relationship is lasting...how Mulcahey can call himself a "lifer" on B&B...when the show seems such a poor fit to his formidable talents.

According to soapcentral.com, "Clink/Boom" occurred on May 31, 1996. Mulcahey, however, wrote for GH until October 1999.

Glad to see there was a time talent won out over pettiness.

Ah, the good old days.

Damn, I missed out on this discussion too!! LOL

Damn, I missed out on this discussion too!! LOL

We missed you, Toups.

It boggles my mind that after Santa Barbara, and after this famous Clink/Boom (which even I have seen) that he is now....

...at....

B&B!

How can such a bright writer live, day after day, with the insipid plotting and turgid dialog?

What makes it worse is that when he DOES try to infuse something richer (like Stephanie and Eric's "farewell" conversation, "the autumn of my years"), it just sounds out of place and showy.

I'm just not seeing how this relationship is lasting...how Mulcahey can call himself a "lifer" on B&B...when the show seems such a poor fit to his formidable talents.

I believe Bell called Mulcahey a "lifer" on B&B (along with Tracey Kelly and Rex M. Best), not Mulcahey labeling himself that. There's a big difference. I agree that Mulcahey's talents are sorely wasted where he is. He should be a headwriter at any soap that would have him. Some network or show should snap him up. Maybe he doesn't want that kind of stress in his life now. But from everything I've read about the guy, he knows what makes a soap tick.

Patrick Mulcahey.

I saw some of his work on SB, but I really grew fond of him at GL. He REALLY LOVED GL, and especially adored my girl, Nancy Curlee. I loved how he said one of the things wrong with daytime is the fact that she's not on it. I notice that he wrote some of favourite GL episodes from that era as well, like that special Ross Election Day Episode, Maureen's funeral episode, Frank and Eleni's wedding, and much more. God, those were the good days of GL...

I heard he got along quite well with Guza, but left GH because a network executive wanted him to "dumb down the dialogue." I think Toups posted an article here last year where he was quoted saying that. He left SB and GL for similar reasons.

As for Mulcahey as HW, I don't think he wants to do that. His time as a HW for GL isn't looked upon too fondly, but I hear he and JFP didn't get along at the time. They also tried to unsuccessfully create a HW team again, but GL fell apart without Nancy Curlee. I say that without fan-wanking, OK.

Edited June 29, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

like that special Ross Election Day Episode,

God, that was such a weird episode, lol.

Multiple Rogers, Nadine giving birth to a cat, naked Alan-Michael and Blake in the hottub, Holly bathing in a bathtub of dirty water with a dress on. That Mulchahey has a weird side sometimes, doesn't he lol?

But Maureen's funeral was brilliant.

Ed: Oh Ross. What do I do now?

Ross: You're a survivor Edward. I read about it in the newspaper: Survived by her husband Dr. Edward Bauer. So you keep the breath going. I honestly think that's your job now. To show your daughter how survivors survive.

Not to mention that heartbreaking scene with Bridget.

Edited June 29, 200817 yr by Dan