In her monthly series examining the downfall of soaps, veteran soap critic Marlena De Lacroix examines her own alienation from soaps this March. A soap watcher of decades, she knows she's not the only who feels estranged from the soaps she's loved all these years. Do you feel that way too?

With pithy comments on the soaps she can watch--One Life to Live, Young and Restless and the Robin storyline on GH.

http://www.marlenadelacroix.com

In her monthly series examining the downfall of soaps, veteran soap critic Marlena De Lacroix examines her own alienation from soaps this March. A soap watcher of decades, she knows she's not the only who feels estranged from the soaps she's loved all these years. Do you feel that way too?

With pithy comments on the soaps she can watch--One Life to Live, Young and Restless and the Robin storyline on GH.

http://www.marlenadelacroix.com

Your OLTL analysis was spot on.. I have never seen so many weak front burner actors on OLTL in the 22+ years I have been watching.

I agree Y&R is definitely the only soap left that realizes it has intelligent viewers- but the show is so incredibly boring. I watched today due to all the Jess Walton brouhaha and felt the same way. I respect the show for giving the over 35 actors front burner storylines that are all theirs. I think Y&R looks so good because most of the other shows are so terrible.

Excellent column, MDL. You were much nicer to OLTL that I would have been. I'll comment on GH.

GH has lost its way. I can't think of any other way of describing the show over the last two to three months. I'll touch on some of the issues. MDL already discussed the travesty that is Robin's PPD story. I'm convinced that this story was dictated to Guza so he is taking out his revenge on Kim who he probably never wanted to hire and we all know he hates the hospital characters. It is impossible to believe that Robin would take on another identity and romance another man under any conditions much less with this sleazed up PPD. Way to go, Luza. His hatred for women knows no bounds.

The decision to give over the show to Spinelli will be the GH's doom. The character has been featured for almost 30 minutes almost every day since December. It is insanity. When did it become unfashionable for soaps to feature good looking or at least charismatic leading men? Spinelli should not be a lead character and I'll never believe that Maxie is attracted to him over Matt or Johnny.

The decision to re-hire Sarah Brown and force the awful Claudia character down our throats has been a nightmare. I don't want to see her and Sonny having soulless sex. I watch my soaps for angst and romance. Where is the classy and stunning Kate?

Why on earth give Rebecca, Emily's breast cancer story? Wasn't Natasha Livingston horrific in this story enough the first time around? Nikolas is creepy and stalkerish. Nikolas and Rebemily are even more boring the second time around.

Ethan, what to say about Teethan. At least, they have scaled back his Spinelli like show eating. I will never believe that Robert and Holly could conceived that mumbled marbled mouth person. They dump hot GV for that?!

Soaps are their own worse enemy. They are determined to self-destruct. As a fan, there is nothing that we can do so congrats to Frons, Guza and ABC, I give up.

And in addition to all the loveliness Ann pointed out above, GH is the ugliest soap on the air. I can't get over the lousy production of ABC's precious jewel, GH.

Robin's post-partum story is actually the least alienating story on the show for me right now. I can't take the mob crap, shrieking Lulu, overexposed Spinelli and "hot star" Maxie. Does anyone on that show remember that Jason is NOT SUPPOSED TO SPEAK LIKE A HARVARD GRADUATE? He's too damn smart to be believable.

Edited March 31, 200916 yr by leevo64

THANK YOU for saying Farah Fath is awful. She truly is and having the even worse Crystal Hunt as her screen partner makes OLTL completely unwatchable because they are on EVERY SINGLE DAY.

Soap Alienation:Is it happening to me ? ..........Absolutely Yes!! I'm not enjoying soaps as much as I used too, there's so many boring storylines going on .

I agree Y&R is definitely the only soap left that realizes it has intelligent viewers- but the show is so incredibly boring. I watched today due to all the Jess Walton brouhaha and felt the same way. I respect the show for giving the over 35 actors front burner storylines that are all theirs. I think Y&R looks so good because most of the other shows are so terrible.

IMHO, Y&R is a soap you have to know the history of to be involved and love it and not see it as boring. I could be wrong, but thats how it seems for most people i have talked to.

I actually dont think the Robin storyline is being done to turn people on Robin. That sounds like crazy robin fanbase spin. I mean, i have always hated Robin and her attitude of thinking shes above everyone else so maybe im not the best judge. The story is horribly written, and hardly acted well, but i dont think its being done to cause hate. As for people calling Robin a whore (in a manner where they mean it)... really? for kissing someone? im sorry, yall need to watch GH more!

OLTL's biggest issue is they are telling okay to bad stories using awful actors. For the most part.

Id like for Marlena to do a post on Days, i dont believe she has touched it since January....

IMHO, Y&R is a soap you have to know the history of to be involved and love it and not see it as boring. I could be wrong, but thats how it seems for most people i have talked to.

I actually dont think the Robin storyline is being done to turn people on Robin. That sounds like crazy robin fanbase spin. I mean, i have always hated Robin and her attitude of thinking shes above everyone else so maybe im not the best judge. The story is horribly written, and hardly acted well, but i dont think its being done to cause hate. As for people calling Robin a whore (in a manner where they mean it)... really? for kissing someone? im sorry, yall need to watch GH more!

OLTL's biggest issue is they are telling okay to bad stories using awful actors. For the most part.

Id like for Marlena to do a post on Days, i dont believe she has touched it since January....

I have to say.. I agree that Y&R is much more enjoyable if you are a LONG TIME viewer. Just today, Brocks reunion with Kay made me SOB, but a shorter term viewer wouldn't have the feelings for Brock that I do, because I KNOW him and LOVE him. I'll admit, even back in the glory days of the 70's, Y&R was the only soap that EVER interested me. My mother watched DOOL for a while, and the Doctors... and while I remember a few things from those shows, nothing form them stands out in my mind... while Y&R is ingrained in my brain like it was yesterday. So, I ALWAYS thought all the ABC shows totally sucked, even years ago. The only other soap I felt came close was Search For Tomorrow, I DO remember things from that show in the 70's.

I have to say.. I agree that Y&R is much more enjoyable if you are a LONG TIME viewer. Just today, Brocks reunion with Kay made me SOB, but a shorter term viewer wouldn't have the feelings for Brock that I do, because I KNOW him and LOVE him. I'll admit, even back in the glory days of the 70's, Y&R was the only soap that EVER interested me. My mother watched DOOL for a while, and the Doctors... and while I remember a few things from those shows, nothing form them stands out in my mind... while Y&R is ingrained in my brain like it was yesterday. So, I ALWAYS thought all the ABC shows totally sucked, even years ago. The only other soap I felt came close was Search For Tomorrow, I DO remember things from that show in the 70's.

Well, Brock actually had some hotness going on in the 70s. Still? Hard to say... So, you're right, that is a connection for those of us who met him singing Glory, Glory Hallelujah with his shirt open to his navel .

Well, Brock actually had some hotness going on in the 70s. Still? Hard to say... So, you're right, that is a connection for those of us who met him singing Glory, Glory Hallelujah with his shirt open to his navel .

You can say that again!!!!!

You can say that again!!!!!

Oh, well hello there!

IMHO, Y&R is a soap you have to know the history of to be involved and love it and not see it as boring. I could be wrong, but thats how it seems for most people i have talked to.

I actually dont think the Robin storyline is being done to turn people on Robin. That sounds like crazy robin fanbase spin. I mean, i have always hated Robin and her attitude of thinking shes above everyone else so maybe im not the best judge. The story is horribly written, and hardly acted well, but i dont think its being done to cause hate. As for people calling Robin a whore (in a manner where they mean it)... really? for kissing someone? im sorry, yall need to watch GH more!

OLTL's biggest issue is they are telling okay to bad stories using awful actors. For the most part.

Id like for Marlena to do a post on Days, i dont believe she has touched it since January....

HUH? I have watched Y&R since 1986!! I know that everyone here drinks the Y&R kool-aid. I do not. It bores me to no end. But will I be tuning in to see what happens with Nina? Hell yeah. To each his own.

I think Bill Bell is one of the finest writers (and especially- plotters) in the history of the world. Yeah, MAB simulates his style, but it really lacks a suspense and depth that his writing had.

You can say that again!!!!!

Such a necessary counterpart to the sadness going on elsewhere!

HUH? I have watched Y&R since 1986!! I know that everyone here drinks the Y&R kool-aid.

I didnt say if you did watch it you would enjoy it, just that knowing the history and having the connection makes it better.