Jump to content

December 15-19, 2008


Toups

Recommended Posts

  • Replies 61
  • Created
  • Last Reply
  • Members

It's not sad, but it's not surprising either. GL is saving boat loads of money because it isn't a soap opera anymore and that's exactly what EW wanted when she embarked on this little project of hers. GL is now a cheap, barely scripted reality show. It's cheap as hell to produce and looks even cheaper than that. That's why there are a few spare dimes in GL's bank account and not in AMC's. Because Julie Carruthers still has to put on an actual soap opera with like...you know... real sets, actual makeup artists and hair stylists, a half-way decent wardrobe, competent lighting, and a cast that actually has more people in it than were at my Thanksgiving dinner. Things vital to shooting real soaps that GL can no longer afford. The new format takes a lot of getting used and even when you do get used to it, you still hate it although the outside stuff looks a lot better than the interior stuff. The four-walled sets are so freaking tiny and without an open end, the cameramen and lighting guys (usually at least four of them) are wedged right in there with the actors. It's very claustrophobic and, along with the crappy generic music, really deadens the sort of dramatic vibe that soaps thrive on. It's hard to feel any urgency, especially when people are just kind walking around everywhere. It's even worse when they use the "sets" that are really just a few pieces of furniture from IKEA shoved into a corner of someone's office.

I think the promo for Phillip's return is horrible. It sets the absolutely wrong tone on every note. The promo gives the distinct impression that Phillip is still insane, will be out for revenge, and his entire family looked utterly pissed at the prospect. That is NOT what the viewers want from this return. We want sane Phillip to come back, as himself, to atone for the things he did before he left town. We want his relationships with Beth, Lizzie, Alex, and Rick repaired. Rick and Alex weren't even in the promo. Nor was Olivia, the mother of his daughter Emma. But Bill was?! WTH?! I wouldn't be shocked if Phillip's return is as just another lame Bill/Lizzie obstacle and his character gets neglected.

That's been rumored for nearly three years now and has yet to happen. I'll believe it when it's confirmed.

How do you know that Hurst is better than Kreizman? She's never written for any other show in any capacity and she's never been a HW before, other than the handful of recent months that she's been one of GL's four HW's. She's been a "story consultant" forever but that's it until recently. She may very well be the second-coming of Doug Marland but it's just as likely that she'll be another Kreizman, someone who can talk a good game about knowing and respecting history and might even put on a good show for a month or two but when push comes to shove, doesn't really get it. I honestly don't know how good or bad she'll be. I don't think anybody does and won't until we actually see her work in the long term. The tone of that Phillip promo doesn't bode well though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Somebody from another soap site posted these predictions for the 2009 Emmys and they looked interesting.

I think OLTL should no doubt get the best show next year. Ron C. has turned that show around big time.

Bryton, Brandon Buddy, Billy, Van, Blake, and Texas would make an interesting younger actor category interesting. This is one category that is going to be tough choose. Texas Battle came in and rocked B&B forever, but unless they get him another storyline in time it should go to Bryton or Brandon who played the hell out of Cole this year.

Anybody know what day the Emmys fall on next year?

It should be CBS this time and do a better job at it. Hopefully NBC starts broadcasting it again since they got second life out of the soaps again with DAYS.

Best show

b&b,cbs

gh,abc

oltl,abc

y&r, cbs

leading actor

michael park,jack,atwt

ronn moss, ridge,b&b

maurice benard,sonny,gh

trevor st.

John,todd,oltl

eric braeden,victor ,y&r

leading actress

judith chapman,gloria,y&r

jeanne cooper,katherine ,y&r

susan flannery,stephanie,b&b

susan haskell,marty,oltl

maura west, carly,atwt

bree williamson,jessica,oltl

supporting actor

tyler christopher,nikolas,gh

trent dawson, henry,atwt

mark lawson,brody,oltl

kyle lowder,rick,b&b

greg rikkart,kevin,y&r

best writing

atwt, cbs

b&b, cbs

gh,abc

oltl,abc

supporting actress

kathy brier, marcie,oltl

sarah brown,claudia,gh

adrienne frantz,amber,y&r

gina tognoni,dinah,gl

heather tom, katie,b&b

younger leading actor

blake berris,nick,dool

brandon buddy,cole,oltl

van hansis, luke,atwt

billy magnussen,casey,atwt

bryton mcclure,devon,y&r

younger leading actress

kristen alderson, starr, oltl

julie marie berman, lulu,gh

vail bloom,heather,y&r

farah fath, gigi,oltl

jacqueline macinnes wood, steffy, b&b

rachel melvin, chelsey,dool

best directing

amc, abc

b&b,cbs

gh, abc

y&r, cbs

let me know.. Seany

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Excellent post RVD!! The show is toast! The production values just kill any chance they have to survive. They should have just cancelled GL before they went the Real World route. Hell, even the RW has better production values.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

But with Days and AMC and other shows slashing their budgets - either they'll end up looking similar to GL and they will all limp around those low 'real world' ratings of 1.3 to 1.6 (albeit at a meager profit) or all go, and I'm not sure I want to see the genre die all together - though I guess your point is if this is their ultimate fate they've already died. It's just a shame there is nobody there to think outside the box just a little more and experiment in later daytime hours or even prime time (heck, Leno can get 5 nights a week on NBC next year why not have CBS or ABC sample the shows in the empty slots left vacated by failed primetime shows - could a repeat of a soap be any more expensive than repeating a primetime drama? I'd love to see what kind of primetime ratings they get or if the daytime version gets a boost!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Here's where I'm at with the GL situation. After seeing the mess that this show has become and what a laughing stock it is in the tv industry, I wish the show had gone off the air a couple years ago while it had a little dignity left. It's no surprise that EW saved alot of money - just look at the show. It bears no resemblence to a daytime soap opera. A high school production is better produced.

BUT, since the show is still on the air and you keep hearing more and more how GL and ATWT are pretty much a package deal, and that P&G will most likely NOT keep only ATWT on the air, if ATWT's future is indeed tied to GL's, I hope that GL can keep enough viewers so they don't bring ATWT down with them. I'd hate to see all the cast and crew from 2 shows without jobs, not to mention that would only leave 6 soaps left. I hate what Ellen Wheeler did to GL and will never forigve her for ruining a once GREAT show, but since the jobs of so many people depend on the show and quite possibly ATWT surviving, I hope they can find a way to make it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I'm defending Ellen Wheeler when it comes to the production. I believed that by implementing this production technique, she saved GL from being canceled a couple years ago. They had to go as cheap as possible to save money along with firing Grant in the first place. It is using the money saved that allows them to rehire Grant and give DAM what appears to be a short stint.

There is no defending Wheeler re: the crappy hack writing that she does, but with the exception of a few newcomers GL has one of the most talented cast on the soaps, especially when compared to the horror that is OLTL. It is the talented cast that saves the show from becoming an absolute joke.

All this said, I stopped watching GL months ago because I simply cannot watch that pathetic production technique any more and frankly killing off Remy's baby Max was the last straw for me story wise. The return of Grant and DAM only tempts me a little to watch.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

I believe Van was 26/27 last year so is too old for this category now.

About GL, I think the new production model is fine, and I like the show's writing too mostly -- what intense Beth/Coop, Beth/Lillian, Buzz/Beth, Buzz/Coop scenes lately. But the "ums" in all the dialogue in other scenes take naturalism a bit too far. The show would benefit from being written more dramatically.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

There is no GL anymore, it is like a new show and the history of GL died a long time ago (check old episodes on the internet) , i agree with the post above, it would have been better to say goodbye with dignity, nowadays, GL is much worse that a bad produced afterschool special. I think it is the worst soap overall ever (Passions is a jewel compared to GL today)...and the very low ratings show it week after week, people left the soap and moved elsewhere...even the actors are leaving ( 2 ex-GL supercouple are currently at AMC ). Too sad, since GL was one of the great soaps, not anymore. If they were honest, they change the name to Springfield Bunch, Springfield's Hope or A New Guiding Light

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

You cant compare Y&R which as the highest budget in daytime and a show that costs a fortune to GL which almost went off the air last year. I will say the production has slowly improved. They need to do better in the writing and maybe Hurst can do it for them. She has been with the show forever since 1994, in fact since the JFP days. I am sure all the money they saved has gone to Grants return fund. They wanted him and need him back. The show comparable to compare GL with is OLTL whose show looks expensive as hell and is actually underbudget/cheap to produce.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

Unless I am mistaken, DAYS OF OUR LIVES is the show with the biggest budget in daytime and I do not see what the budget has to do with the fact that Y&R has been consistent in its quality (according to what people say) and it has started paying off in ratings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

As a non-regular viewer, I agree with all you say in the first paragraph.

Wheeler is NOT the writer, though. You have correctly identified that this is where she has been let down...I believe the show could find itself creatively, in a way that engages loyal long-term viewers and works more organically with the intimate, tense scenes that the production model demands. They just need to find the right writer, with the right vision, and let that person work as unimpeded as possible.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Members

DAYS during the Reilly days had the biggest hugest budget but over the years it has dwindled badly. During it's renewel in 2003 when Higley was stinking up the show and Reilly took over, they renewed it with a massive paycut. DAYS used to be the soap that would be renewed for like 5 years because ratings were so high and big budget. Now they are doing really badly. Their budget is so bad right now. They are worse budget wise then GL. Actually GL has more money in their account then AMC or DAYS has. It is not a ton but Wheeler saved a fortune. I predict if GL is canned, Wheeler will be reassigned to a CBS postiion.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.



  • Recent Posts

    • What a wonderful photo! It really is a shame that Peacock will not show those early years. I know I'd love to see them!
    • With the death of Days and GH actress, Denise Alexander, someone posted this in the Days thread, a '60s-era photo of some of the cast, which lists the names. In the upper left, is a young Susan Flannery, who obviously ended up playing Stephanie Forrester on B&B, who was one of a few actresses to play Dr. Laura Horton [mother to Mike and Jennifer Horton] on Days. Here is a link to the photo: https://boards.soapoperanetwork.com/topic/38014-days-behind-the-scenes-articlesphotos/?do=findComment&comment=2022200  
    • https://parade.com/news/days-of-our-lives-star-susan-seaforth-hayes-pays-heartfelt-tribute-to-denise-alexander-a-friend-to-treasure

      Please register in order to view this content

    • Sorry, there must have been a error, while creating the file. I redone it and it has audio
    • Tamara Tunie was on a local CBS affiliate in Baltimore the other day talking about a few things she had going on, BTG amongst them: "Beyond the Gates" star Tamara Tunie is in Baltimore for the Reginald F. Lewis Museum's 20th anniversary
    • Kobe/Long had their own template and pretty much gutted the cast. As soon as contracts were up established characters were dropped. They needed to free the budget for the new characters. Going back to Ann,I wonder why the Dobsons renewed her contract around 78? After her initial story she became supporting and they didn't seem to want to pursue a romance with Mike. Maybe the feedback was that viewers blamed her indirectly for Leslie's death. If Mike hadn't taken on her case etc. Did she decide not to disrupt her son's life? Seems odd after everything she didn't claim him back. 1976 continues... Joe Werner is just not bouncing back after his recovery as he should, and Sarah, concerned about his sometimes morbid-seeming depression, consults Justin Marler. They agree that Joe is becoming a “cardiac cripple,” and know this kind of overcompensation for illness and overprecaution can not only be a permanently depressed condition but can actually cause a setback for him physically.  Marler releases Joe into Sarah’s care, but it’s soon apparent that just being out of the hospital hasn’t done anything to boost Joe’s spirits about his return to a normal existence. Marler finally lays it out to Joe—the choice has to be his. He can choose to lead a normal, productive life as a doctor and as a husband to the best wife he could have, or he can choose to become an invalid and live on the outside looking in for the rest of his days, sentencing Sarah to the same fate. Realizing the selfishness of what he’s doing to —Sarah as well as the narrowness of the confinement he’s set for himself, Joe begins to see his preoccupation with his illness as the self-pity it really is and decides he’s ready to return to the hospital for a one hour shift each day. Sarah is overjoyed by his turnabout, but full happiness is hers on the day she overhears Joe telling a fearful patient that the world is beautiful and worth any. effort to get back into it. Steve and Adam are thrilled to learn that Cedars has been the recipient of the Levy Grant for expansion of hospital property. But they have learned, as they report to Ed, that the land they were hoping to build the new research facility on, the land immediately adjacent to the hospital, has been purchased by Dr. Justin Marler. Both Adam and Steve feel that Justin is expanding a power base at Cedars and the land purchase is just one more block in Justin’s power play. When Ed asks Marler why he purchased this particular parcel of land, Marler explains that he bought it with the express intention of someday building his own offices and facilities convenient to the major facilities of Cedars. When the subject of the hospital’s needing the land arises, Marler meets with Adam, and they agree that he should realize a fair profit from his property and that an unbiased assessor should be engaged to evaluate the market value of the land so they can agree on a selling price. When Sarah comments on the fact that Marler is to realize a profit on the land, he bitterly replies that no matter what he’s done since coming to Cedars to prove that he has changed. since she last knew him, she refuses to see him as anything but what he was all those years ago. Sarah insists this isn’t true. But Marler then calls Adam for a meeting and informs him that the land is not for sale at any price. As Adam begins to grow alarmed, Marler continues that the site for the new building will be his personal donation to the hospital. As Adam expresses profuse thanks and appreciation, Marler wryly notes that the tax deductions he’ll realize on this contribution to a charitable institution will benefit himself almost as much as Cedars. When Steve Jackson learns that Marler is to be elected head of the research wing that will be built on his property, he expresses the conviction that this was the exact intention of the gift. Adam, however, assures Steve that the donation wasn’t a factor in the hospital  board’s decision, they were concerned only with Dr. Marler’s reputation as a doctor. | After lengthy consultations and meetings. with the hospital  staff, Ed assured by the head nurse that her nurses performed commendably despite the added pressure of the train wreck, presents his findings to the hospital review board. Steve arrives at two possible explanations for the facts. Either Grainger, more active than usual due to the previously delayed medication, reached for the writing pad and inadvertently disconnected the breathing tubes, or he was in a state of extreme upset because of the delayed medication and.in the excitement a surge of adrenalin within his system caused his brain aneurism to start hemorrhaging. " Upon learning that the review board has ruled out negligence in Grainger’s death, Ed tells Rita, who takes her first free breath in a long time. But Ed hasn’t thought to tell Rita that he’s been in touch with Grainger’s attorney, Mr. Schafer, who, knowing that a woman was at the base of Grainger’s investigation, is coming to Springfield to try to find out who the woman - was who walked out on Grainger when he collapsed —in the restaurant. Peggy, learning that Rita’s “forgetting” to deliver Holly’s message was instrumental in their divorce ‘being finalized, tells Ed that Holly wanted to reach him to stop the divorce. Immediately after, Peggy is torn by doubts, wondering if she did the right thing.She confides in Barbara, who then discusses the situation with Ed. He tells her he and Holly have discovered a new closeness now that they are building their separate lives. Barbara quickly contradicts him: Holly is not building a new life. Barbara gently cautions Ed, saying, “People change, feelings change, and what seems right now may not be right a year from now. No decision is irrevocable.” Ed agrees with this. Now that Ben has declared his love for her, Hope finds herself apprehensive, fearing that she might be making a mistake, as she did a few years ago, when she was sure she was in love with her college professor. Explaining that she doesn’t want to make another mistake, she asks Ben to be patient, and he agrees. When Mike expresses his disapproval of Ben’s overstated independence, his need to be beholden to no one, Hope quickly jumps to Ben’s defense, and Mike apologizes. But Ben, surprisingly, accepts Mike’s assessment as constructive criticism. Later Hope, examining her feelings and desires, tells Ben she does love him and wants to belong to him. Later that evening, after they’ve made love, Ben asks Hope to marry him.And, delighted, she replies that she will. At Hope’s instigation, Bert has a family dinner to which Ben is invited, and Hope announces their intention to marry over glasses of wine. Mike politely offers best wishes while Bert thrills the couple with her offer to' make a Christmas wedding for them. Bert later tells Mike he must accept this engagement with good spirits for Hope, and later, seeing the joy she’s feeling, he gives his daughter his approval. But Ben finds another problem on his very own doorstep: his brother Jerry, who announces he’s left home after several bad fights with their parents. He refuses to tell Ben what they were fighting about. As Ben is showering, Jerry borrows his car and goes out for an hour. The phone rings, but Ben can’t hear it. Shortly after, two uniformed officers visit Mike at home to tell him that his late wife’s car has been involved in a delicatessen robbery earlier in the evening. Since Ben bought Leslie’s car, Mike accompanies the officers to Ben’s apartment. Ben curtly informs the police that he had nothing to do with the robbery and makes it clear that he feels they wouldn’t be there if he didn’t have a record and that his exoneration doesn’t prevent his being hassled like any ex-con,as they tell him he has to go to the police station for questioning. Hope tells Ben she called him earlier, and when he replies that he must have been in the shower, she accepts his word unhesitatingly.Jerry finally returns to Ben’s place and under questioning from Ben admits that he robbed the store,explaining that he has debts. Ben is now in a quandary,as he feels he must protect his brother but doesn’t want to be unfair to Hope. He tries to ease the situation by withdrawing $185 from the joint checking account he opened with Hope and repaying the delicatessen owner. He then sends Jerry out of town to stay with a friend. His relief at having solved the problem is short-lived, however, when Mike informs him that, despite the reparations, the robbery was a felony and the police will continue to investigate. Hope is badly upset to learn while making a deposit that Ben withdrew’a sum which Mike tells her is equal to the amount stolen. This shakes her belief that he _was really home when she called, and she goes to him, asking for an answer to put her mind at rest. Ben can’t betray Jerry and asks Hope to trust him, promising she will have the whole story eventually. But Hope can’t accept this; she needs complete honesty and openness in her relationship and without it cannot goon. She painfully tells her father that the wedding is off despite her love for Ben, and tells Bert to stop preparations. Mike goes to Ben, reminding him that half the money in the account is Hope’s and she has the right to an answer. But Ben won’t say any more and refuses Mike’s offer to represent him legally, again stating that he doesn’t need a lawyer, because he’s done nothing wrong.     
    • And not since. I recall it was quite small for a house that size. And I don't know why you would walk down a narrow corridor to get to the main living area. I hate when the sets on soaps don't have a logical layout! As for Andre his clothing is fashion forward and suitable for his character.He ain't gonna wear no blazer!
    • The last I remember seeing Ben, he was divorcing Amanda. He came to tell Evie that he still loved her, but was leaving town so that Amanda wouldn't blame Evie for his divorcing her. I'm not exactly sure when, but Evie doesn't leave town until sometime after Nola and Quint's engagement ball. I'm not sure if she leaves before or after Justin leaves in Sept(?) of '83. I grew to like Helena when she became friends with Vanessa, once she's edging her way out of Quint's life.
    • Please register in order to view this content

    • Please register in order to view this content

       
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy