By Patrick Erwin

I’ve been writing about soaps for a while, but I am a relatively new daily fan of One Life To Live. Yes, as Marlena has observed, some of us soap viewers are boarding the OLTL lifeboat, and I, for one, have bought my ticket!

I watched OLTL a bit here and there (especially during the first Malone years), but I am really drawn to the quality of the show now. What could I possibly say about OLTL that has not been said before — about the writing, the characters, the pacing? Nothing, that’s what. So instead of trying to recap OLTL, I decided I’d try to tell you why I’m loving OLTL so much … by talking about Guiding Light.

Huh, you say? Work with me here.

Please visit http://marlenadelacroix.com/ for the entire article

The shows just cannot be compared! It borders on being an offense against Nancy Curlee.

I don't know whether I should shout "blasphemy!" or just state clearly why I agree, but disagree.

While I see similarities, like both GL and OLTL became more ensemble pieces under Curlee and Carlivati. I still think the storytelling on GL was much SHARPER and sorry but BETTER, when compared to present-day OLTL. Even during Curlee and company's first few months heading GL, I still feel the show was better than what a lot of us think of OLTL right now.

Also, if we're talking about technicalities in writing. GL's 90-94 script writing team BLOWS OLTL's current script writing team out of the water. Every character on GL during this era had a unique "voice," but I don't feel the same about present-day OLTL. I still think OLTL's dialogue is very weak and stilted.

I guess another similarity is the community atmosphere Curlee brought to GL and what Carlivati is trying to bring to OLTL, but I'm biased and I still think Curlee did it better and there's no comparison.

I also think Curlee and company's newbies were much more interesting, stronger, and played by much better actors than the newbies on OLTL.

Then again, Curlee wrote for a time when soap opera were stronger than they are now, while Carlivati is writing in a time where soaps are dying.

Edited July 3, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I really like this column. One again, those at Marlenadelacroix.com give me something to talk about on tonight's show with Tom Casiello (cheap plug, I had to do it).

I agree with his assessment of the show (the good and bad). I was only like 4 during the Curlee Era at GL, so I had to learn about this via Youtube (and of course the amazing posters here who hold her in such high regard).

I do see similarities, and while the show isn't perfect, it's very good. I hope within the next couple of months they introduce more diversity, get rid of some characters that aren't doing anything (it's only a matter of time before Miles is gone....) and bring on some better script writers (not that they're bad, but there's always room for improvement).

The shows just cannot be compared! It borders on being an offense against Nancy Curlee.

We finally agree on something. What is this guy smoking??

I mentioned this to Sylph in the Writers/Directors thread:

I've said it before that Ron C is nothing special, but he's giving OLTL fans what they want. He's using characters that previous regimes have backburned or ruined, he's using history in his plots, and he develops new characters OK. Do I personally think he's Christ's second coming, like some seem to think? No. Is he doing an alright job given his craptacular script writing team and ABC micro-management? I believe so.

Ron C is NOT an amazing storyteller, if you ask me. I still hate that less than a year into his tenure at OLTL, we've had columnists compare him to a soap writing giant like Marland, and now his short writing tenure to GL's last golden years.

I just can't help but get the feeling that soaps are so dead these days and that when we get a glimmer of hope, they're automatically the next Marland and their brief writing tenure is comparable to that of one soap's last golden age.

Or maybe it's because I hold Curlee and company in such high regard, than I can't see the comparisons pass the surface.

The shows just cannot be compared! It borders on being an offense against Nancy Curlee.

To compare OLTL with any truly GREAT SHOW they needed to revamp their scriptwriters. The stories may be good, and even breakdowns are ok but the show sounds awful.

Therefore alone, this is blasphemic.

We finally agree on something. What is this guy smoking??

I get some stuff on the surface, but to compare GL's last golden era to the present state of any soap right now (no matter how good it is) should be a crime.

Edited July 2, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Carlivati is NO Curlee. I saw Curlee's work...it was AMAZING!!!!

The thing with Carlivati is that some are destined to see him fail. There is the mentality that no soap can be good for so long, so a lot of people are just waiting to see him crumble (as well as the abysmal state of some of the other soaps). I don't fully agree with this comparison, and I do think RC has his faults, but OLTL is doing a good job right now utilizing its history, and generating overall good responses. I don't mind negativity, but some constructive criticism would be nice as well. Besides GL had a stronger ensemble than OLTL does now. It's not RC that is coming up short, its his production team, script writers, and several of his acting team that is letting him down.

Edited July 2, 200817 yr by MTSRocks

I mentioned this to Sylph in the Writers/Directors thread:

I've said it before that Ron C is nothing special, but he's giving OLTL fans what they want. He's using characters that previous regimes have backburned or ruined, he's using history in his plots, and he develops new characters OK. Do I personally think he's Christ's second coming, like some seem to think? No. Is he doing an alright job given his craptacular script writing team and ABC micro-management? I believe so.

That is what I've also said. The guy isn't re-inventing the wheel.

Ron C is NOT an amazing storyteller, if you ask me. I still hate that less than a year into his tenure at OLTL, we've had columnists compare him to a soap writing giant like Marland, and now his short writing tenure to GL's last golden years.

I just can't help but get the feeling that soaps are so dead these days and that when we get a glimmer of hope, they're automatically the next Marland and their brief writing tenure is comparable to that of one soap's last golden age.

Or maybe it's because I hold Curlee and company in such high regard, than I can't see the comparisons pass the surface.

I agree with this as well. My fear, as someone who likes Carlivati's work, is that all this "praise" and comparisons to soap greats will turn people off to him and OLTL....and it already has. Those who post with me and listen to my show even know that I've scaled back my RC fanwanking. You're right Alvin, we do cling onto a glimmer of hope, and usually the hype kills whatever glimmer was there.

The honeymoon period will soon be over, and people will probably be calling for his head before long (besides those disgruntled with his decision to kill off the character of Nash).

So I'm like you A-man, I agree but disagree.

I changed the topic title to to make it more accurate.

I see nothing wrong with pointing out similarities. I wasn't watching GL back (just heard/read about) then but I don't see how he's wrong with his comparisons.

While Patrick points out OLTL reminds him on that GL era, I think OLTL resembles JER's 90's DAYS.

The thing with Carlivati is that some are destined to see him fail. There is the mentality that no soap can be good for so long, so a lot of people are just waiting to see him crumble (as well as the abysmal state of some of the other soaps).

That's true. We're so cynical now because we've all been burned by our soaps. When we see hope, it's hard to believe it's going to last for a long time. But I am going to choose to have faith in Ron Carlivati. I hope he doesn't fail me.

I changed the topic title to reflect to make it more accurate.

LOL! We all know GL survived quite well when Reilly defected to DAYS. GL didn't falter until Nancy officially left, and even with Stephen writing the show on his own for a short time, it wasn't that great, Nancy's loss was immediately noticeable.

Patrick Mulcahey only ever talks about his working relationship with Nancy during this era, and every GL fan knows Nancy was the one pulling most of the string during this era.

I see nothing wrong with pointing out similarities. I wasn't watching GL back (just heard/read about) then but I don't see how he's wrong with his comparisons.

But still less than a year into Carlivati's OLTL, he's being compard to some of the greats? I mean tons of people have said that we need to give Carlivati time to work out his flaws on the show, and I think he needs to be HW for more than a year to be compared to any of the greats.

Edited July 2, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I couldn't disagree with this assessment more! There is no comparison to that era of GL and OLTL today. I agree that OLTL is currently the best soap on the air because of Mr. Carlivati, but it vastly pales in comparison to the Curlee era of GL.