March 24-28, 2008

[Sylph]

[Carolyn52]

She understands the history of the show and the female point of view and what the women out there want to see. That is as black and white as I can make it. -- Ken Corday on Dena Higley in SOD

Women 18-49 week as of 3/17/08:

(Net change since Feb 4 / percent change)

1. Y&R 1,257,000 (+15,000/+1.2%)

2. GH 1,026,000 (-27,000/-2.6%)

3. B&B 969,000 (+81,000/+9.1%)

4. ATWT 901,000 (+61,000/+7.3%)

5. DAYS 850,000 (-265,000/-23.8%)

6. OLTL 824,000 (-89.000/-9.8%)

7. AMC 802,000 (-92,000/-10.3%)

8. GL 792,000 (+24,000/+3.1%)

Somebody might want to pass these numbers to Ken. He needs to pay attention to what's happening to his show.

[LoyaltoAMC]

Higley's interim stuff on DAYS was pretty good, but I don't know how much of that was hers or Hogan's leftovers (or her husband's LOL). That material was vet- and history-heavy, so sometimes those qualities can mask bad writing. I'm not a fan of Higley's. I find her neither good nor bad. She's just mediocre. I know we throw that term around a lot, but her writing never really rises above the mediocre. It is almost entirely plot- and agenda-driven and trite. But with DAYS, since there are a lot of vets still on the canvass who can make her bland stuff come to life, she just might excel there. Over at OLTL, she was saddled (or she saddled us) with mostly newbies, and her so-so writing was especially noticeable there because of that show's traditionally better than average/sometimes excellent storytelling and scriptwriting when compared with DAYS.

[marceline]

Really?! I can't think of a more misogynistic writer than Higley. When she was at OLTL she reduced every woman on the show to an airheaded sex addicted victim begging some man to love her.

[LoyaltoAMC]

Not to defend Higley, but that seems like an agenda that Frons is/was pushing on all the shows.

[Jess]

I don't know why DOOL is working, but right now it is. The show is very enjoyable and has a good mix of characters. There is a little bit of drama and a little bit of humor mixed in.

I'm think it's Ed Scott, but whatever it is, it is making Higley look good for now. I even thought the new Micky was good.

[cal3]

I agree with Jess. I don't know why DOOL works but I enjoy it when I watch. Really makes me think Frank is the poison at OLTL. Hackley was a nightmare there and isn't the new Micky the old Governor Harrison from OLTL? He was dreadful there.

[Jess]

I think Frank is the problem too. Micky was the first Gov. Harrison. He also was on Knotts Landing. I just thought he and Maggie had a great deal of chemistry. They acted like a mature and, well, powerful couple. I also was pleased they have a Micky now.

There is still plenty of time for Higgles to screw up and she probably will, but right now DOOL is enjoyable.

[tgilbrea69]

Great to see ATWT staying strong. Will be interesting going into this new period after so much talent has been let go - but have to say so far, so good Is Matt gone for good???

[Soapsuds]

I hear he will be back with maybe a contract.

[Reddi]

I wonder if I ought to give it a looksee... Y/R has suddenly become dreadfully dull (with only a couple of exceptions). I liked Higley's early time on OLTL... she brought the drama/humor/character mix in over there... it was only after she was there awhile it began to fall apart (and given all the ABC shows fall apart, I assume the least of their problems are Head Writer issues).