GL: October Discussion

[UKBoi]

I cant believe we're two weeks into October and nobody has created a thread. Discuss the soap where nothing ever happens, and when it does, it doesnt make sense, here...

[detroitpiston]

Mondays ep was ok. You can tell SF tried hard to make the show look and feel like an actual soap, but this production model just kills everything.

[RoseVioletDaisy]

I can believe it. As you said, nothing ever happens and when it does, it doesn't make any sense. Today's show, for example, was a shining example of GL's new production model. There were nine characters in the whole episode and two of them were only in two scenes each. The other seven had just as little to do just alot more time to kill to do it. There were a handful of tiny sets used, many of them being set up in the corner of an office at the GL studios, and of at least four scenes outside for no reason.

We were treated to several scenes of Lizzie tied to a chair and gagged in some poor lowly schlub's crappy office at the GL studios because Dinah wants some kind of stupid revenge on Bill for a bunch of vague crap that I don't even care about.

In order to further her ridiculous revenge plot, Dinah let herself get repeatedly mauled by a rabid dingo. Oh, sorry, that's just Grady. My mistake.

And of course there was Lurch and Pippy Longstocking playing house and spraying silly-string at each other. How romantic.

I was extremely disappointed by Flannery's eppy yesterday, it was horrible. The outdoor stuff wasn't too bad but the indoors scenes were awful. Reva and Jeffrey's scenes in that dumpy Cross Creek set were so claustrophobic that I almost hyperventilated just watching them and the scenes at the tiny set that's supposedly to be the formerly glorious Towers were pathetic on every level. The writing's atrocious and the production model sucks out what little life the actors are able to inject into things.

[EastMA2]

ITA! I do think that Crystal Chappell did some good work Monday. But you are so right about this production model. After 7+ months of it, I still can't get into it. It's killing the show.

[UKBoi]

I just watched the episode Flannery directed and I have to agree, it did look and feel more like a real soap opera...the camera work was steady and shakiness and fast zoom ins werent there to distract from the storylines. If GL keeps up this sort of improvement with the production model then I could grow to enjoy it. I just wish they'd work on some of the sets and change the background music.

[Greg's GL]

Exactly why I haven't watched this show in over a month. Thanks Ellen. You've murdered the first soap I ever fell in love with. You bitch!!!!

That will never happen. The background music is EW's answer to being "hip". It sucks. And she's too arrogant to admit that it doesn't work on any level to promote the drama. She's eliminated every other element of good soap opera. The music isn't going anywhere anytime soon.

Seeing Paul Rauch now at Y&R, I'm fondly remembering his beginning era at GL. Say what you will about the man, but he kicks Ellen's ass in the ability to produce a good soap. The only reason Ellen is there is because she comes cheap.

[detroitpiston]

I've been watching a lot of 1997 GL episodes lately and it makes it really hard for me to even look at what the show has become.

[P.J.]

I half-watched yesterday's eppy, and completely forgot that SF was directing it until I noticed the credits. I didn't really notice any difference in the direction. The writing still stunk like a dead monkey's butt though. I barf everytime I think of Reva being all horny, and frankly I threw up a little in my mouth today thinking Dinah was all hot over Grady. Was I imagining how high his hand was up under her skirt today?

But, I did get to see my Kirkadoodle the last couple of weeks, along with a day of Billy/Vanessa.

[rsmith2k2]

I think Crystal Chapell is fabulous and more so than I remembered. I like her better now at her age than her younger Carly days.

I think Olivia and Natalia are a very interesting pair and have an intriguing chemistry. I've watched some of their scenes going back to Summer and Spring and they've really established and interesting dynamic between these characters over a period of time.

I realize everyone in the world is down on the show, but there are some nice things about it. Grady and Grady touching Dinah for any reason are not some of them. Ack! There is such a different, feel to this show than ABC it's hard to compare it. Outside the campier stuff, there is almost a Canadian or British pastoral drama feel to it (much more folksy, more villagey, more old style soap that felt familiar in a way).

What is the weirdness with Dinah and the man I believe to be her brother?

The sets are the biggest production issue (other than repetitive "business" for the characters...the cookies and yard work with Cassie and Cyrus...gah), imo. I thought some of the Olivia photo shoot scenes in the corner of a hallway were kind of hard to swallow and kinda sad. But strangely, the claustrophia of the hotel kind of works for the prominence of Olivia's solitude and her deep down desire for someone to care about her in a time of need when she realizes herself she doesn't deserve it.

I haven't found the music to be any worse or more distracting than any other soap. The exterior shots are nice unless the repetition or other obvious silliness is just too too much, for example Reva and Jeffrey sitting on what looked like a park road in rented Corolla or something (isn't he a DA?) for far too many scenes.

[Dale]

I have not watched for a month. Have there been any nighttime scenes? It's always daytime in Springfield.

[RoseVioletDaisy]

No, it's still always daytime in Springfield. I doubt we'll ever see a night again.

Today's eppy was another bold illustration of both the aimless, pointless writing and the cheap, claustrophobic production model at work:

In the tiny broom closet-sized study at the Spaulding mansion Bill and Alan debate whether or not the ransom note Bill found is real or not. Bill thinks it's one of Lizzie's games. Alan doesn't buy it, he thinks it's real.

Meanwhile Lizzie screams for help from the dank little basement room and tries to convince herself that Bill will find her as Dinah is some GL production flunky's office with a WSPR sign on the wall, still getting mauled once again by Grady.

After she finds a copy of the ransom note Grady left Bill, she's pissed that he only asked for $50,000 and copied pasted letters from a magazine. He could've left fingerprints or DNA on it. He's such an amateur.

Before she leaves to head over to the Spaulding mansion, she looks in on Lizzie, who begs her to let her go or tell her what she wants but Dinah doesn't say a word and closes the door.

Once at the house, Bill asks for her help and she agrees. Bill is an idiot and tells Dinah how much he needs her and how she's always there for him and he hugs her.

After Bill leaves the sardine-can study, Dinah puts on gloves and starts cutting letters out of a magazine to alter the ransom note.

The big product-placements of the day take place in Daisy's scenes in a convenience story where she's conveniently surrounded by P&G products like Herbal Essences, PUR water filters, ThermaCare pads, and Metamucil and she ducks when she sees Grady.

She's on the phone with Ashlee, who's apparently being shot in a dingy hallway at the GL studios that's supposed to be WSPR.

Daisy later runs into a now shaved Grady at WSPR and he tells her that he's working their now. She's happy he's not working for the Spauldings anymore. They do their creepy, flirty thing and Grady insists that he is what he is and won't change. Um...okay. Anyway, Daisy gives Grady the key he gave her back.

Daisy goes off to Company to whine at Ashlee while Grady goes to bring Lizzie some food.

When Dinah gets back to "WSPR", Grady's got one of Lizzie's bras on over his T-shirt. Can you say creepy? Seriously, this guy is a freak of biblical proportions.

She tells him she saw Bill and altered the note to ask for more money and he's blown away to find out that she changed it to 5 mil.

At the "mansion", which makes my old cardboard Barbie townhouse look like Buckingham Palace, Bill shows Beth and Alan the new ransom note.

After Alan reminds Bill that the note warned not to call the police, he stupidly calls Dinah to ask for more help.

After Grady leaves, Lizzie finds the rusty key. It must've fallen out of his pocket or something. I love the irony of this scene. Nobody knows better than GL fans how overjoyed Lizzie must be by the mere thought of finally breaking free from the suffocating, senseless nightmare she's been trapped in.

[RoseVioletDaisy]

Double post. Delete or ignore.

[UKBoi]

What is the need for that huge WSPR poster? Is that what passes for a set on GL nowadays? I mean they might as well have a huge caption on the screen saying "hey guys, we're at the TV station" throughout the scene. Seriously, why didnt they think to shoot this in a now defunct production booth with TV screens in the background that would be utilising an ACTUAL part of GL's studios that isnt in use anymore?

The same office that they could have easily turned into Spaulding Enterprises OR the hospital OR the police station seeing as it's an actual office environment...it just makes less and less sense that they've constructed sets for any of these sets when the inner corridors of the studios that GL films at could have been perfect for it.

[Mitch]

Seriously, Grady was wearing Lizzie's bra???BWWAAAA....and Wheeler, or anyone didnt think that it might not "work," for the scene (Wheeler,"Oh, that's what bad boy murderers do..this will really grab the tweens we need!")Or are they trying to tell us something about Grady?? He is Brent Larwences brother?)

This show is seriously getting very, there is no other word, squicky!!! I dont see anything "pastoral," about this show other then the fact that they have press conferences in pastures!!!!

[smadleyb]

LOL ... Guiding Light, crossdressing happens here