AMC: Will Pratt Make It Better or at least Watchable?

[Cheap21]

Exactly what mess needs to be cleaned up? B&E left AMC off in a much better position than MMT did when she left and the writer before her. The only real messes were the character assasination of Annie and the Frankie/Randi story. Pratt has definetly done wonders here and people are raving all over the place about Annie now when she got so many complaints not too long ago. Killing off Fletcher finally ended that hooker storyline and Randi is actually being written as enjoyable and Im not minding her and Frankie anymore. Not to mention that he got rid of Cassandra, who was really annoying towards the end. AMC is the most solid its been in a LONG while. I can honestly say that Im enjoying every aspect of it. All the stories are clicking and it doesnt have the sense of weird transitionary period that most new writers have in their first few weeks with having to wrap up disastrous plots from before. Thank god for that bc so far Pratt has done wonders for AMC. I can only hope it lasts at least for a while

[EricMontreal22]

Gotta more or less agree there (though I do hope they keep some of Randi's troubles--she mentioend growing up with sexual abuse, etc--there and not just forgotten) As much as I loved the first year or so of McT's return (yes I even foudn the rape riveting)--that was a much more obvious example of her taking all these story threads that werent' working and making them work. As little good as B&E did (besides Frankie and Angie), the show was more in just a state of repititve dullness--he just had to sweep that aside and start *momentum*--and that seems to be what he's doing. Add to that teh with the momentum it seems he is rebuilding families, connections, etc--I'm still rpetty hopeful

[DaytimeFan]

I have been a longtime casual (like every week or two I'd get into AMC and then go off it for a week and then back on, that sort of thing) viewer of AMC and I have to say that the poster who said Pratt has created a sense of COMMUNITY on the show is bang on! That's what I really loved about AMC, you could tell the geography of the town through the storytelling because the show was one big community of wealthy people with problems. I liked that AMC was all about Main Line Pennsylvania right from the get go, it didn't change its identity too much. JER (of all people) was exceptionally good at creating the community feeling on DAYS and PASS, I am relieved that Pratt has brought the show back to that structure.

It's too soon to tell how he'll do long term, but the show has been consistently enjoyable and entertaining since he came aboard. I can't say that for GH (which I stopped watching after Jackie Zeman was taken off contract) or OLTL (which I've never gotten into). I sure hope AMC's numbers improve, the show deserves it. There appears to be a renewed energy on the show, everyone is working hard to make it as good as they can.

And I am all for Adam and Erica...that's a hilarious union, I loved it the first two go arounds and I'd love to see it for a third!

[Adam]

Pratt is taking it slow, focusing in on character development and structure, the things this show has desperately been lacking for the better part of the last 5 years.

He is building up to his big event, and then going from there with the aftermath of it. He is setting it up to effect the entire canvas. The show has a balanced feel, and characters as I have said are beginning to make sense again. The sense of community is definitely back. Basically, Pratt so far has been aligning the show with its basic principles of humour, drama and social awareness in its story telling. I am intrigued by most of the storyline directions he seems to be taking, especially Adam and Erica and refocusing Zach and Kendall (especially Kendall) on themselves again, and beginning to seperate the sextet. Most of all I am enjoying the fascinating adventures og good girl god Bad, Annie she is obviously his corner stone character and I am glad.

When Rebecca Budig returned I was counting the days until we got word that Melissa Claire Egan had been fired. It didn't come in the spring, then when I saw the psychotic turn in the character I for sure thought this is it. Well Pratt has taken that psychotic edge and worked it into a character that is desperate, vulnerable, smart, sassy, bitchy with psychotic undertones, and even more surprising Melissa has been able to sell it to the point of emmy worthy proportions.

I can't get enough of her!

[EricMontreal22]

I still think this could be kinda imrpoved (and until the 90s AMC still had a huge population of middle class and even poorer characters--something we may be comign back to a bit more anyway--not all rich) but I do agree with you--and oddly though I am NOT a JER fan, I agree that he was surprisingly good at that.

[Jonathan]

Yes, I would like to see more middle class people in Pine Valley. Not everyone under 30 has to be a millionaire.

[sonyab1974]

Who is JER?

[EricMontreal22]

Tha tlast question coming on this site is a joke right?

Yeah the amoutn of millionaires in Pine Valley needs to be toned down....

[JackPeyton]

James E. Reilly (sp?)

He wrote GL in the early 90's. Days in the mid 90's (the possision; kristen dimera; sami/austin/carrie). he created Passions. He wrote Days again a few eyars ago with the murders and the island.

[EricMontreal22]

was one of three writers on GL to clarrify

[JackPeyton]

One of three head writers actually. since every show has various writers in various spots.

[EricMontreal22]

Right *blush* that's what I meant.

[JackPeyton]

[R Sinclair]

Don't ask. Just... don't ask. It makes no sense. If B&E were in name only and Agnes Nixon was "secretly writing" the show then, according to that theory, there should be no B&E "mess" to "clean up."

[EricMontreal22]

I'm confused. Was that actually a theory? That Agnes was ghost writing? Or do you mean that people only think it was a mess cuz they didn't like B&E? *confused*