Is an East Coast EP getting fired?

[R Sinclair]

Considering that Cowudders' faves are also Frons' faves (the Quintet -- since I hold Annie in a class by herself. She makes the other five, IMO), I don't think that will happen. I do believe, however, that Pratt's "grip," to steal your word, is evident in smaller things storywise. More balance. Using the character of Opal rather heavily this past fall in a very true-to-character fashion (her tarot cards and fortune telling, predicting the tornado and Babe's death). Giving Adam Chandler his wit and testicles back as well as having Erica take charge and be a glamorous diva -- rather than a Wish I Wuzza Highschooler. Giving Annie and MCE the reigns and letting Annie drive a LOT of the main story the last three and a half months. It's clear that he's having a lot of, shall I say, input as to what's going on.

That said, I am not sold on Carruthers' producing capabilities. It's been five years, and I am still not happy with the overall production of the show (lighting sucks ass, the set design sucks ass, the Disney-cam sucks ass, even though I am one of the very few who enjoyed the hand-held cam back in 2006).

Yeah, yeah, yeah, he's a hack. We know.

Actually, Pratt, being consulting producer, has clearly added elements to the show which I, personally, enjoy. I like the pacing of the storylines. I enjoy the fact that more characters are involved in an episode. I enjoy the fact that more is happening in an hour show than what's been going on these last several years. Today's (12/15) episode was constructed well concerning the Bianca/Reese story. It played out several beats in just an hour. But still, I'd rather only have Pratt stay in his position right now -- which seems to be more of having creative/storytelling power. I wouldn't want a writer to have to focus on ALL aspects of the production in addition to cranking out 52 weeks of story.

Now, for my complaints about Pratt regarding the writing team: He still needs to get rid of Rebecca Taylor. She and her redundant dialog are far past their expiration dates. Last Tuesday's episode, I knew she wrote before her name even was credited. Nothing but scenes where people say the same thing six different ways and still wind up asking the same question the scene began with. I also think Pratt needs to utilize Jeff Beldner's script writing talent a LOT more! OMG, that episode he wrote on October 3 was impressive! I question his ability to edit the others' scripts, but I am interested in seeing more of his own.

But this is all fantasy, because it's not Carruthers that's being replaced. She's a Frons pet. He'll tell her to bark and roll over -- she'll get confused and piss on the floor, but he'll keep her around because she's loyal.

[AddictedToSoaps]

Duh!

[R Sinclair]

Wait... I didn't notice "schizophrenic" -- or at least didn't pay attention to it. But Didn't Vincent Irizarry say in the SOD interview (you know, AMC's Dr. David Haywarth? ) that AMC's production was schizophrenic? Taping scenes out of sequence for a single episode five and six days apart?

Maybe it just might be Carruthers.

[R Sinclair]

I mean, seriously. Where's my head?

Well, clearly, if I knew where it was then I wouldn't need to ask, so... DUH squared!

[DaytimeFan]

It'd be GREAT news if it was Carruthers. She SUCKS!

[R Sinclair]

For our sake, I hope it isn't that good, or else Frons might just keep her around after all.

[marceline]

Please let it be Valentini. He needs to go somewhere where he can fixate on the length and color of people's hair all day long. There's a Supercuts or a Hair Care Harmony somewhere just waiting for his expertise.

[Soapsuds]

[Kubla Khan]

AMC's usually pretty stable with their production. They usually tape one full show in one day -- I think Vince said they had to tape some scenes way before others because Babe was in the coffin in some scenes, and they only had Amanda Baker for a limited of time before her cycle was up.

Things behind the scenes at AMC run fairly smoothly for everyone, so I've heard. They are one of the last soaps to still have a dry rehearsal, instead of "Let's block and then tape! Even though we don't know what the heck's going on!" I've heard, though, that Valentini's OLTL is far from a well-oiled machine, and he likes to tape as much as he can in a day, with multiple parts and multipe episodes, etc. Sounds like a clusterfuck. I hope he gets replaced, to be honest.

[R Sinclair]

Well, I'm just going by "schizophrenic" and Vincent's use of the exact word in his SOD interview. Like I said, it's only a pipe dream because I don't think she's going anywhere. Frons allegedly gave her AMC after PC was canceled because of her work on Port Charles.

AMC has a dry rehearsal? You mean on set or still in the rehearsal hall? I ask because I have the A&E Biography special where Conal O'Brien was telling the production team during the weekly production meeting that a specific day was going to be a "block, dress and tape" day shooting pieces of three different episodes. Please... fill me in.

[Adam]

I agree with most of what is being said. I doubt its Carruthers. Nice analogy R with the whole lapdog thing

[JONNYSBRO]

I am talking a big guess here. I do not think it is Julie Hanan Carruthers because Frons loves her. She is also a very nice woman I have heard. The cast loves her. It is not Ellen Wheeler, Ellen hates beware. Ellen IMO is GL's last executive producer. She knows the production model and bringing in someone new who knows nothing about the model is not going to help. Sorry Ellen fans about that. Chris Goutman, Bloom really loves and I could see it being him. Goutman is a good producer/director but he has almost been ATWT's executive producer for 10 years. I feel he needs a rest and ATWT needs a new EP. I am thinking it is definitely Lisa DeCazotte because Frons loved what she did at OLTL. Frank Valentini is liked at OLTL but Lisa DeCazotte started her career at OLTL. She and Frank both worked under Paul Rauch. I am going to make a bet and say it is OLTL with Lisa DeCazotte second in charge with her eventually replacing Valentini.

[detroitpiston]

I don't want Lisa de Cazotte anywhere near AMC or OLTL.

[LoyaltoAMC]

I think if anything, Beldner will be less involved with the show. I mentioned a while back that I met him and his partner at a party. We have friends in common. I've heard through the grapevine that Jeff and his partner are about to adopt a baby, with Jeff planning on being the stay at home dad for a bit (his boyfriend's a high powered attorney). I've heard that that Jeff will be taking time off or a less significant role in the writing for a while.

[ClassicsSoapFan]

I don't think it is ATWT and GL because Barbara Bloom (CBS exec) seems to be wrapped up in Wheeler and Goutman.

I sure widh it could be!