Ron Carlivati was hitting his stride in January/early February (before the strike happened). Storylines were interconnecting, if something happened in one storyline, it would affect another. There was cast intergration. Stories were slowly building up to a climax (unfortunately, the strike happened, so Gary Tomlin just put Ron's storylines aside until he got back). Oh, Friday cliffhangers! Ron brought those back to OLTL. Also Ron understands what soap operas should be about: family.

That's why I can't wait until Ron's material starts airing again and OLTL's May sweeps previews sounds better than any other soap.

I agree Toups! It seems to me that Gary derailed the show entirely. However I gotta say, compared to some of the scabs other shows had Gary was okay, but don't get me wrong, I miss RC. His writing was classic soap opera IMO, cliffhangers, cast intergration, and a wonderful balance of comedy. RC made his stories intertwine as if they were ripples in water. One would affect the other. Sigh, unfortunately I've taken a break from OLTL until Carlivati returns.

Was Friday the beginning of the 5MS reveal?

ETA: Nope. Friday was when Aidan came grovelling for a job.

Friday, April 18- Zach offers Aidan a job.

So ONS stuff was Monday&Tuesday which where the 2 highest rated days?

So ONS stuff was Monday&Tuesday which where the 2 highest rated days?

Yes, Monday Kendall worked up the courage to tell him and he says he knew. Tuesday is Kendall reacting to that and their trip to the cabin.

PREDICTIONS: The following soaps will stay the SAME as the previous week: Y&R, B&B, DAYS, GL. INCREASING: ATWT. DROPPING: GH, AMC, OLTL

Are you psychic? WOW were you right on.

GL was pre-empted in all markets 9am and 10am (NYC, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, etc) on Thursday April 17th for the Pope visit. Friday, I believe it was pre-empted for the Boston marathon or some sort.

I wish GL was at 3pm across the country so the ABC Daytime news blurb would be accurate when they mention that GH beats GL in the 3pm slot since most of us know that GL airs in different time slots. If GL was aired only at 3pm, I think their ratings would be tied with GH's if not higher ratings.

GL was pre-empted in all markets 9am and 10am (NYC, Chicago, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, etc) on Thursday April 17th for the Pope visit. Friday, I believe it was pre-empted for the Boston marathon or some sort.

I wish GL was at 3pm across the country so the ABC Daytime news blurb would be accurate when they mention that GH beats GL in the 3pm slot since most of us know that GL airs in different time slots. If GL was aired only at 3pm, I think their ratings would be tied with GH's if not higher ratings.

They might tie in HHs and viewers, but GH will ALWAYS beat GL in the 18-49 and 18-34 demos, which are all ABC gives a sh** about. With its HHs and demos in the toilet, and with a barely shoestring budget, I wonder how much longer GL can hang on. It was renewed only through 2009, right? I know people have been predicting its cancellation for years now, but at this point, how low can the show sink creatively and with viewers before finally being put out of its misery with a scintilla of dignity.

Even when GL and GH aired together at the same time in most markets in the 90's, GH was still beating GL TREMENDOUSLY in the early to mid 90's. It wasn't until the late 90's or so did a lot of CBS affiliates move GL to the 9 AM and 10 AM slots, I believe.

In the 80's during GH's ratings reign at #1, GL did squeeze out a summer as the #1 soap for a while though. I think it was during Pam Long's first stint as HW.

Katie's wedding did nothing for ATWT. It was the lowest number of the week. What a surpise.....NOT! I thought the wedding was so badly done. The same for Nuke. They were featured on the lowest days. It looks like the luster of Nuke is long gone. Glad ATWT went up though on their other days.

Edited April 24, 200817 yr by Soapsuds

This is how the 18-49 should probably look, ABC's Release had almost every number...

1.(1) Y&R 1.7/1.12 million (-.1/-50,000)

2.(2) GH 1.5/1.00 million (-.2/-110,000)

3.(3) DAYS 1.4/950,000 (SAME/-34,000)

4.(3) B&B 1.3/844,000 (-.1/-50,000)

4.(5) OLTL 1.3/841,000 (SAME/-21,000)

4.(7) ATWT 1.3/827,000 (+.1/+12,000)

.(5) AMC U/*798,000* (U/*-55,000*)

.(7) GL U/715,000 (U/-61,000)

** Wasn't listed - had to average out, could be a little off.

Here is the full ABC press release....

Fringe Ratings Report: ABC Daytime Programming

Week of April 14-18, 2008

For the Seventh Straight Week, "General Hospital" Ranks as Daytime's No. 1 Program in Women 18-34 and Finishes a Strong No. 2 in Women 18-49

ABC is Home to 3 of Daytime's Top-5 Ranking Programs

in Target Women 18-34 and Women 18-49 Demos

For the 15th Straight Week, "The View" Captures a Top-5 Finish in Total Viewers,

and Also Scores Top-5 Ranks in Women 18-34 and Women 18-49

In Direct Competition, "General Hospital" More Than Doubles CBS' "Guiding Light"

in Women 18-34, and Delivers Another Solid Victory in Total Viewers and Women 18-49

ABC Daytime

* For the seventh straight week, "General Hospital" stood as Daytime's No. 1 program in Women 18-34 (1.1 rating/364,000), and placed a strong No. 2 in Women 18-49 (1.5 rating/1.00 million).

* In Women 18-49, ABC was home to 3 of Daytime's Top 5 programs: "General Hospital" (#2, 1.5 rating/1.00 million), "The View" (#4T, 1.3 rating/862,000) and "One Life to Live" (#4T, 1.3 rating/841,000).

* In Women 18-34, ABC owned 3 of Daytime's Top 5 programs: "General Hospital" (#1, 1.1 rating/364,000), "One Life to Live" (#4, 0.9 rating/296,000) and "The View" (#5T, 1.0 rating/327,000).

* For the 15th consecutive week, "The View" stood among Daytime's Top 5 most-watched programs in Total Viewers (3.42 million), and also scored Top-5 ranks in Women 18-34 (#5T - 0.8 rating/273,000) and Women 18-49 (#4T, 1.3 rating/862,000).

* In direct competition, "General Hospital" more than doubled CBS' "Guiding Light" (3:00 - 4:00 p.m.) in Women 18-34 (109% - 364,000 vs. 174,000), and surpassed the time period competitor by a considerable 40% in Women 18-49 (1.00 million vs. 715,000) and by 16% in Total Viewers (2.82 million vs. 2.43 million).

Following are the Daytime Lineup averages, plus Top 5 Programs Ranks - Week of April 14-18, 2008:

Daytime Rank: Total Viewers Women 18-49 (Rtg/000s)

No. 1 CBS 3.67 million No. 1 NBC 1.4/950,000

No. 2 ABC 2.75 million No. 2 ABC 1.3/875,000

No. 3 NBC 2.72 million No. 2 CBS 1.3/836,000

Top 5 Daytime Programs in Women 18-49 (rank based on rating)

Program Net Rtg/000s

The Young & the Restless CBS 1.7 /1.12 million

General Hospital ABC 1.5/1.00 million

Days of Our Lives NBC 1.4/950,000

The View ABC 1.3/862,000

Bold and the Beautiful CBS 1.3/844,000

One Life to Live ABC 1.3/841,000

As the World Turns CBS 1.3/827,000

Source: NTI, Live + Same Day, 4/14-4/18/08

Glad to see ATWT up in 18-49 demos.

Spot on. I actually never had high hopes in him so he wasn't that much of a disappointment. And true – things won't improve...

I truly don't understand the madness that surrounds him. He's just... Nothing much.

Heretic. Blasphemer. DEMON!! You will suffer for your ignorance!

Seriously though, I don't get it either. Some people talk about him like he writes the show with a golden quill when he's not deflecting asteroids with his hands and teaching Braille to blind puppies. Plus it seems like the spin machine went into effect the moment it was announced he got the job. I haven't seen such premature hype since Fred Thompson's presidential campaign.

I get that some people like him. Every writer has people who enjoy their style. Nothing new there. That's the case with all TV not just soaps. (I say this as someone who's been Joss Whedon's bitch from day one.) But the Holy Tabernacle of Carlivati puzzles me.

Ron Carlivati way overrated!!! Making a big deal out of nothing in my honest opinion. Wow.....OLTL with a new low of 2.3 Total Viewers and AMC with a 2.4 new low as well. Thanks for the ratings Toups!!

Edited April 24, 200817 yr by Soapsuds

MONDAY, APRIL 14

1.(1) Y&R: Monday: 4.0/5,666,000 (+705,000)

2.(2) B&B: Monday: 2.8/4,008,000 (+376,000)

3.(4) ATWT: Monday: 2.3/3,180,000 (+286,000)

4.(3) GH: Monday: 2.2/2,959,000 (+43,000)

5.(7) DAYS: Monday: 2.0/2,756,000 (+394,000)

6.(5) AMC: Monday: 2.0/2,614,000 (+91,000)

7.(8) GL: Monday: 1.8/2,556,000 (+213,000)

8.(6) OLTL: Monday: 2.0/2,494,000 (-6,000)

TUESDAY, APRIL 15

1.(1) Y&R: Tuesday: 3.9/5,207,000 (-459,000)

2.(2) B&B: Tuesday: 2.8/3,862,000 (-146,000)

3.(3) ATWT: Tuesday: 2.2/3,094,000 (-86,000)

4.(4) GH: Tuesday: 2.2/2,889,000 (-70,000)

5.(5) DAYS: Tuesday: 2.0/2,805,000 (+49,000)

6.(6) AMC: Tuesday: 2.1/2,487,000 (-127,000)

7.(8) OLTL: Tuesday: 2.0/2,472,000 (-22,000)

8.(7) GL: Tuesday: 1.8/2,448,000 (-108,000)

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16

1.(1) Y&R: Wednesday: 3.7/4,901,000 (-306,000)

2.(2) B&B: Wednesday: 2.8/3,577,000 (-285,000)

3.(3) ATWT: Wednesday: 2.2/2,833,000 (-261,000)

4.(4) GH: Wednesday: 2.2/2,770,000 (-119,000)

5.(5) DAYS: Wednesday: 1.9/2,679,000 (-126,000)

6.(6) AMC: Wednesday: 2.0/2,440,000 (-47,000)

7.(7) OLTL: Wednesday: 1.9/2,340,000 (-132,000)

8.(8) GL: Wednesday: 1.8/2,305,000 (-143,000)

THURSDAY, APRIL 17

1.(1) Y&R: Thursday: 3.7/4,951,000 (+50,000)

2.(2) B&B: Thursday: 2.5/3,278,000 (-299,000)

3.(4) GH: Thursday: 2.1/2,874,000 (+104,000)

4.(3) ATWT: Thursday: 2.1/2,748,000 (-85,000)

5.(5) DAYS: Thursday: 2.0/2,644,000 (-35,000)

6.(6) AMC: Thursday: 1.9/2,441,000 (+1,000)

7.(8) GL: Thursday: 1.7/2,325,000 (+20,000)

8.(7) OLTL: Thursday: 1.8/2,294,000 (-46,000)

FRIDAY, APRIL 18

1.(1) Y&R: Friday: 3.6/4,971,000 (+20,000)

2.(2) B&B: Friday: 2.6/3,467,000 (+189,000)

3.(4) ATWT: Friday: 2.1/2,834,000 (+86,000)

4.(5) DAYS: Friday: 2.1/2,729,000 (+85,000)

5.(3) GH: Friday: 2.1/2,607,000 (-267,000)

6.(7) GL: Friday: 1.7/2,505,000 (+180,000)

7.(8) OLTL: Friday: 1.8/2,135,000 (-159,000)

8.(6) AMC: Friday: 1.7/2,058,000 (-383,000)

Y&R's numbers are still alarming! I guess I am not the only one finding the show boring as ***!!