http://community.tvguide.com/blog-entry/TV...-Good/800035341

Was the WGA Strike Good for Soaps?

The 100-day Writers Guild walkout crippled most of showbiz, but all the daytime soaps stayed in production and most of them stayed in the pink — no drastic ratings slides, no horrible creative collapses. In fact, some shows are in better shape because of the strike.

Free of head writer Hogan Sheffer, Days of our Lives has regained its heart and emotional chutzpah. The reunion of Grandpa Shawn (Frank Parker) and his long-lost dying sister Colleen (Shirley Jones) left me blubbering like a fool; the subsequent plane crash where Shawn sacrificed his life for his loved ones was harrowing and poignant. It’s been a long time since Days made us care this much.

The Young and the Restless has quickly and vastly improved without exec producer/head writer Lynn Marie Latham, a wildly destructive force who fired many of the show’s great longtime staffers and filled the writing team with cronies (including her husband and son). CBS will not bring her back. Best. Decision. Ever.

All My Children now seems sharper and smarter than it was before the strike, which is weird since head writers Barbara Esensten and James Harmon Brown only left the show briefly. I love their big insider-trading plot, which has Erica Kane going to jail à la Martha Stewart. It’s a good thing.

Over at One Life to Live, the scab material has been messy and lifeless. No worries. Head writer Ron Carlivati is back, and my spies tell me he’s furiously reworking the damage done by the interim scribes. As for General Hospital? These days the show is dark, violent and depressing as hell—in other words, no change whatsoever. Two other soaps also kept the status quo: The Bold and the Beautiful (still twisted and sick) and Guiding Light (still pretty darn dull).

As the World Turns, now airing scripts written by its exec producer Chris Goutman, has shown surprising ratings strength during the strike. And its Luke and Noah romance plot has somehow pissed off both gays and the anti-gay American Family Association. Now that’s an accomplishment. — Michael Logan

Edited March 13, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Lol looooove the line about GH it was spot on.

OMG is he serious about AMC?

The show is a clusterfuck, everything goes around and around in circles with no resolution and no forward progression....

Edited March 13, 200817 yr by Zendall Fan

LOL to AMC.

With B&E still writing I think its still terrible!

Erica going to jail is a good thing. WTF? That story makes NO sense and is the absolute worst part of the show. Erica is being written completly out of character

Edited March 13, 200817 yr by Cheap21

<<<All My Children now seems sharper and smarter than it was before the strike>>>

What the hell is he smoking? This is another reason why this idiot knows nothing about soaps. The show has gotten a little bit better but not enough

The show hasn't gotten better, it's just so shocking to see Erica in a real story along with black people so it makes AMC seem better. Honestly, IMO AMC is one of the best soaps on TV, but keep in mind I FF every scene that doesn't have Angie, Jesse or Frankie. When you look at it that way, I see what Logan is talking about.

His assessment of GH, Y&R and ATWT was spot on!

ATWT started the strike off strongly, but has become unwatchable IMO.

Sorry but I disagree that AMC is one of the best soaps on tv. It's not even close to being that IMO....

And its Luke and Noah romance plot has somehow pissed off both gays and the anti-gay American Family Association. Now that’s an accomplishment.

Not necessarily. I remember a time when lesbians, rape victims, pro-choicers and the so-called Christian Right were all ticked about Bianca's rape and pregnancy. Now, that, Mikey, is impressive.

Sorry but I disagree that AMC is one of the best soaps on tv. It's not even close to being that IMO....

Like I said, I fast forward every scene that doesn't involve Angie, Jesse and Frankie. The show is pretty damn good for me! No annoying Ryan, dull Zendall, Ava, etc. I'm in heaven.

LOL well that way, yeah I guess I can see that

Well AMC had a good episode today because Bug Eyes was not on it. Unfortunately, we only get a one day reprieve because he is on tomorrow

brilliant article! now this is how soap journalism should be! everything was on point without the need for trashiness. it was hilarious, esp. the parts about b&b and atwt!

Free of head writer Hogan Sheffer, Days of our Lives has regained its heart and emotional chutzpah.

couldnt agree more.