ALL: How to Break a Soap

[tanyia2]

It was the Mob and San Cristobal that broke GL not Maureen's death in my opinion.

[Jess]

I think OLTL is jumping the shark with Todd and Marty. I've also thought DeBuching Jessica was a mistake. It was not the mistake that Todd and Marty is, but a mistake none-the-less.

I think GH did when he cast Laura aside and ended its centerpiece couple.

Y&R made a huge mistake in killing Cassie.

[Steve]

ICAM!

Remember the ads for AMC's 20th anniversary that promoted Pine Valley as a town full of unforgettable characters?

Dixie's death by pancakes and the release of Julia Barr from her contract were horrible mistakes that no doubt contributed to lower ratings, but nothing else comes close to being as terrible as Josh's introduction. The Unabortion story re-wrote one of the show's most groundbreaking storylines just to give Erica another long-lost child, which led to a bad rehash of the original Kendall story.

[Kylie]

Exactly. That's it to a tee. That's how I feel about Josh being Erica's unabortion. It forever and fundamentally changed the way I'd view AMC if I watched. I can never feel what I felt before, and whether not people understand it or believe it, it's how I feel. Josh being Erica's unabortion broke AMC for me.

[P.J.]

I get your point. Thinking back, the moment I started losing faith in Goutman was JuliaI returning and raping Jack, and everyone then denying it was rape.

I guess maybe I had trouble defining one because I still watch ATWT faithfully, in spite of some pretty idiotic stories.

I will admit, I wasn't even watching Y&R when they rewrote Kay and Jill's history. I stopped watching faithfully the year Nina was on trial for killing David, and they went from the Friday's cliffhanger of the jury coming in, to Monday (I think it was Memorial Day) which was an entire episode recapping the story. The "love" I had for the show died that day, even though it wasn't something you'd think would affect a viewer so much.

[marceline]

I get it. I really do. I feel the same way about OLTL. It's like having a bad boyfriend who finally hits you. You can explain away a lot but not that. There are some things you can't came back from.

[Vee]

I can agree with the idea that the break is often something you don't recognize until afterwards. However, I think with something like the un-abortion, Dixie's death, Frankie's on AW, or

the ramifications are obvious right out of the starting gate. Now OLTL could salvage that story somehow, but it's a pretty huge "death" in terms of what it will do to the characters even if they are alive. Nothing Todd ever does will ever be the same. He can never have the existence he previously had. Generally though I think "breaking a show" deals in deaths of tentpole characters. For example, for me, if OLTL were to kill off Bo, Dorian, or Viki, the show would never be the same. Those characters are part of the foundation, even if people (including me) get annoyed with Bo's stories. He's just too much a part of the texture of the show, and if RSW was let go and Bo killed, it would be an impact I think would be felt immediately, and negatively. And when HBS was on the chopping block during the Higley era I felt much the same. HBS/Nora is my single favorite character on OLTL and while the show could've gone on without Nora in a way it couldn't with the other people mentioned, it would have fundamentally weakened my relationship with my soap forever.

[Gray Bunny]

Hmm... recapping a storyline on a day when a lot of people were off work. That actually sounds like a good idea to me. At least it wasn't some rehash of a film noir fantasy that had nothing to do with the ongoing plot ( ::cough:: DAYS )

[UKBoi]

But by trying to gain new viewers, it could cause current viewers to switch off. I dont understand why soaps in the US don't air regularly during major holidays, etc...but instead are pre-empted or reruns.

In the UK soaps will always build towards major events reaching their climax at Christmas (EastEnders has been consistently good with this) and will usually have more than one episode on Christmas day...with the advances in technology like DVRs etc I dont see how doing something like that CANT be good for ratings and getting new viewers whilst not alienating current viewers in the process. Maybe even do a later repeat in a primetime slot for when people are relaxing after their Christmas dinner...I think Y&R especially could benefit from something like this, not to mention DOOL, which (as proved by the Olympics) can benefit from a strong lead in... and if the stories are right then it will at least give them extra viewers for that day, and even if the ratings spike is not maintained, it shows that there is an interest in the genre and could prompt networks to rethink their investment in the soap genre...maybe giving the soaps a later timeslot (I dont get why US soaps don't air between, say, 3 and 6) or at the very least promoting their soaps more in primetime and as a vital part of the network.

[cct]

Kylie, I apologize if you felt offended, but I certainly didn't mean anything personally. Hell, I don't even "know" you in an Internet way. I think I said something to you about AMC, because I actually watch AMC; I don't watch OLTL (or any other soap on a regular basis).

Peyton probably explained this better. I think characters can "jump" and storylines can "jump," but I don't think entire soaps can "jump." That is why I was telling you it might be OK to get back on board. Josh isn't around anymore (the actor is recurring, but hasn't shown up since his exit; on AMC recurring means bye bye), so I doubt the storyline will be mentioned again. I think Pratt is looking to "erase" it from our minds. I, too, was upset by the decision. It denied a groundbreaking, historical storyline that made people sit up and pay attention to daytime for a bit. I still have a hard time with McT saying she had Nixon's approval on it. Whatevs.

The thing about soaps when they do "jump" or "break" (although I think we're qualifying those as two different things) is that soaps are balanced. Therefore, if I believe a character or storyline is getting dumb or boring me, then I have the ability to not watch those parts (although I honestly am someone who never FFs). Unfortunately, one of the things that may "break" a soap is the horrible imbalance we see from our soaps these days. If Josh were on 24/7 and we were constantly reminded of the idiocy of the story....well then we might turn it off, see it as "jumped" or "broken." I don't know. It all goes back to strong writing; we daytime fans have swallowed some pretty big fish before when the writing, acting, and characters have been there to back it up.

[MichaelGL]

People have already mention Maureen's death on GL, so I'm going to another point that "broke the soap".

-Derailing or dropping all of Millee Taggart's storylines in 2003.

-Nothing storywise, but a note regarding the hiring of DK....EW should have brought in a strong and experienced Co-Hw to write with Kreizman in 2004.

[P.J.]

In my defense, that was (probably) 15 years ago, before "special" episodes, being inundated by spoilers, the internet (or at least me being on it) and daily cable listings. It hacked me off then...I remember distinctly being engrossed in that story. I would probably have a different reaction today. I have at various times, tried to pick up Y&R. It just never sticks.

[sungrey]

You aren't alone on Days. Eileen is a fantastic actress who I have loved watching on Y&R and Days. The Kristen/Susan story was good, but it went on far too long and once it became Kristen and her 10,000 other characters it lost me. Eileen should have gotten $5 million a year for the crap she had to put up with in doing all those characters!

The SSK story is one I have heavily criticized on here as well, if only because it potentially meant the death of longtime characters that would have sucked all the life out of the show.

Maureen's death was a classic example of "be careful what you wish for" in terms of GL. It was great story but where it went off the tracks was there was no long-term fallout. Ed simply fell in love with Eve several months later and all was forgotten.

[Dan]

Agreed. This is the time that my personal relationship with the show changed. The sad part about it is that the year began with so much promise. Taggart and Culliton began to get the show in shape with the riveting mysteries of Reva's stalker and Gus' paternity, not to mention the seeds planted for big story involving Holly and Ed. Then things took a turn. It began in late February when SOD reported that Maureen Garrett was dropped to recurring. Then, the stalker mystery took an unsatisfying turn when Alex was revealed as the stalker and then began drugging and gaslighting Alan. Reva transformed from talk show host to super psychic. Lizzie Spaulding became Lizzie Bordon and tried to kill Olivia's unborn baby by tripping her while she went down the Beacon stairs. Promising teen supercouple Ben and Marina were sacrificed on the altar of Pornstar-Shayne (Marty West). Then came the Garden of Eden serial killer story featuring that hair model (thanks Nelson) Teresa Hill. When Matt Bomer left, they made poor Ben the scapegoat and even had him commit suicide without even bothering to bring back Fletcher.

Then came news that Bradley Cole would not only return to the show, but armed with a dandy of a contract. Soon after, Liz Keifer, Beth Chamberlin, and Yvonna Wright were demoted to recurring. Rumors flew that they were cut to pay for Cole's new contract. The promising new couples of Bill/Michelle and Danny/Cassie were destroyed on the altar of Manny, despite the fact that their internet fanbase (like many others) was completely deranged and made a voodoo doll of Laura Wright. PornStar Shayne became interested in baseball and that idiot Conboy practically blew the budget on a baseball field set.

Then came the worst part. Ed, Billy, Buzz. Alan, and Josh were embroiled in the mysterious disappearance of Maryanne Carruthers 20 years before, despite us knowing where all of these characters were at that time. Not to mention that the entire storyline ripped off not only the movie Ghost Story but no less than THREE past GL stories.

[dc11786]

What are your thoughts on Donna Swajeski? I found it odd that everyone claims she rewrote Ellen Weston's material during Ellen Wheeler's early days, yet later wonder why the show didn't have a co-writer. I felt that Swajeski's presence was definitely present in the Sebastian Hulce storyline (the search for the gold coins seemed very Red Swan-esque), but I personally didn't like her stint on "Another World". I felt it was very average, run of the mill soap. Nothing outstanding, but I know many others see her as one of the show's strongest writers.

Reguarding Taggert and Culliton, I do have to wonder when the shoe was going to drop with them. As much as I loved the Gus & Harley mystery storyline, I couldn't help but feel that the outcome would have been a letdown. I don't think that neither Gus as a Spaulding nor a Santos would have worked in the longterm. Similarly, I couldn't help but feel that the audience would have been let down with the reveal that Jonathan was the stalker. While I think it was a great idea, I do think people would bemoan the fact that the mystery was resolved by blaiming a newcomer despite the historical ties. Maybe I would have been wrong.

Also, I guess I'm alone, but I thought both Marina and Ben and Danny and Cassie were awful pairings. Danny and Cassie had an awful start and didn't have much storyline potential, in my opinion. Taggert and Culliton never seemed clear on the longterm vision of Ben and Marina and had them bounce around a bit. Does anyone remember Ben working at the Beacon for all of about minute before he was Alex's personal assistant? Of course, Weston nixed that so that she could do the prostitute plot, which made sense motivation wise but didn't line up with the audience's vision of Ben Reade. Marina was SOO a golddigger it wasn't even funny.

Even though Ellen Weston's storylines didn't always fit the viewer's vision of 'Guiding Light' she at least understood motivation. Unfortunately, the motivation didn't always correlate to the character's backstory. In turn, I feel she played to the actor's strengths rather than the character's strengths, which resulted in some bad choices (Ben as a serial killer, Alex as a stalker, Lizzie as spoiled princess with psychological issues).

When Weston and Conboy departed "Guiding Light", there was still a lot of meat of "Guiding Light" left. None of that is there anymore. Wheeler and Kriezman gutted "Guiding Light". Kriezman's biggest problem is the show is now populated with characters without any motivation for their actions. Mandy Bruno has played Marina Cooper for four plus years now and I have no idea why Marina does what she does. Hell, even blink and you miss her Kit Paquin had been given a better sense of self for Marina than Bruno had. Maybe longtime fans have a sense of who A.C. Mallet is and what he wants, but I've never had any clue why he is still in Springfield other than the fact Robert Bogue is a good actor. A majority of the cast has been drowning in bad plots because they have no idea what their characters want from life.

I would add the decision to keep the Spaulding family around after the loss of Phillip Spaulding has really hurt "Guiding Light". He was the trouble hero, and at times anti-hero, who kept that unit functional. After he left, the family just didn't seem to work. There was the potential for it to work when Alan-Michael came home to fill a similar function, but the show FOOLISHLY dumped Michael Dempsey.

I think Tina Sloane's Lillian could have filled the shoes of the Maureen role. She seemed to bridge the gap between Maureen and Bert as she wasn't the saint Maureen was, but she was hardly the woman Bert Bauer was when first introduced. Plus Sloane is an underused gem.

I'd add the Jonathan and Tammy storyline really put "Guiding Light" in a bad place. The show revolved around them and then when both actors departed, the show had no plan in place. The show hasn't had a strong ensemble to keep the show flowing. Tammy should have been killed, but rather recast and Jonathan should have been recast down the line as well. I love both Stephanie Gatschet and Tom Pelphrey, even though I hated them as a couple, but I didn't feel that either of them wasn't beyond being recast. As characters, Jonathan and Tammy were too important to the current canvas to have let go the way they were.