GL: June Discussion

[DRW50]

The only current GL writer I've ever given the benefit of the doubt is JLH. That's because she did not take a more active role in the stories until a time I thought the show began significantly improving. Now that the show is not that great, I realize I was probably wrong.

I didn't have a big problem with MAB when she was with Griffith, even though the show was aimless. I have had a problem with the show since the arrival of Sheffer and Rauch. Most of my criticism has been directed towards Sheffer, not MAB, but she does get the most notoriety because she's said the show is on her shoulders.

[Greg's GL]

Ah-hah. OK. Thanks for clearing that up.

[Mitch]

While I think the show is still a mess, can we blame it all on the writers, even Davey Crapsmein? The Phillip returns stuff was great, and that had to be JLH, but the show fell apart after that...some of Davey's first few months I really, really liked....Phillip's descent into madness, while rushed was good stuff...the Jonathon as the bad boy not above using his sexuality to manipulate and hurt anyone he can was great (with even a hint of a *thing* between him and Sandy) and the start of the Sebastian take over of Spaulding was really promising...but that all went to hell (the Spaulding stuff after just a few episodes...) The 75th anniversary, which he wrote, was excellent, one of the best anniversary shows ever.

So what happened? I think it comes down to Wheeler each and every time..she is the captain of the ship and she is said to be very much into "interfering," with the writing, so much so that two years ago I had heard that Bloom supposedly told Wheeler to stay out of the writing....and things seemed to change for the better...but then again went to crap..(was she back in the game???)

I think it comes down to Wheeler being way over her head in this job, she plans things out and they dont come to fruition (i.e. Peter Simon returning for the Sebastian story, GA returning after the "dead," Phillip story bombed) and the writers, who she instructs to write, get the blame.

I am not defending Davey or Jill, I think their material can be attrocious, (especially Davey's fixation on Harley and the Coopers) but I think more blame rests on Wheeler's ineptness, her twisted "vision," of what GL should be, her management skills.

[DRW50]

You have a good point, Mitch.

Ed was supposed to return for the Sebastian story? I didn't know that. Was his not returning another reason why Holly was abandoned?

I miss Holly.

[Mitch]

The whole Sebastian story was supposed to bring Ed back...when Sebastian kidnapped Holly on the island, it was to draw Ed out to save her, so he in turn could save Sebastian from the same disease that killed Roger. Which I think would have been a good story (even better if my fanwank was the Sebstian was really the son Rita had with Ed, who Roger found, convinced him that he was his son, tutored him into the art of evil and then lied to him and told him the disease was a heridity type thing...all very good as Roger's final f*ck you to Ed for living while he died.) Anyway, the reason the storyline dragged on and on with Holly in the cage was that Wheeler tried to convince PS to return, even though he said time and again he wouldnt. So she greenlights a story, tells Davey to write it, but doesn't have an actor to play it. So we get MG in a cage, and Michele and Tony Santos somehow on the island and Michele and her erector set medical kit saving the day. Oh,and Sebastian falling out of a plane and surviving, only to later just leave on a plane with no mention afterwards. And yes, MG was abondonded because PS didn't come back, and the Spaulding takeover story was abondoned for uh, great stuff like Olivia torn between Buzz and Frank of all people.

Its [!@#$%^&*] ups like this and the GA debacle....(he wouldnt come back either, as Wheeler insisted he be EVIL..but she writes stories invovling Phillip, but they cant show him cause GA wont come back)..that just prove to me the woman has no clue how to run a show.

[Dan]

I'm wondering that too because we have four headwriters and none of them know how to write a story?! Even during Gold and Dunn's solo stint, they seemed like they could tell a longterm story. It may have sucked, but it was a story. But now, there IS NO writing!! There are no substantive scenes to be found on this show. All of it is pure fluff. Reva telling her kid how to use a coffeemaker? Otalia bonding while making cookies? The moms going hogwild trying to plan a wedding? Rick calling his ex-wives about the Bauer BBQ? Remy and Cyrus hosing themselves off? Boy Wheeler was certainly right. It WAS alot more realistic for us to actually see them jump into a REAL vat of sewer [!@#$%^&*]... My eyes are rolling so hard right now I look like Cookie Monster...

Noone at GL has cared enough to put out a quality product for YEARS and it shows. It's hard to watch a show when it's clear that the only ones putting in a valiant effort is the cast.

[DRW50]

I'm trying to get through last week's episodes. The scenes between Rick/Ed/Phillip were good (if too brief -- that isn't it for Ed is it?), and the basketball scenes with Phillip and Rick were very good. I'm not going to go into how rushed and unbelievable it was that Ed found out Phillip had a terminal illness within a few hours. Just sloppy writing and considering that they still have months of episodes to fill up, this rapid movement makes no sense to me.

I can't bring myself to care about the rest of the Spaulding dynamics, although I'm glad we're seeing more of Alex lately. My Alex will always be Bev, but I'm still happy the character of Alex will be on the show to the end.

[Greg's GL]

IA Carl. Bev was Alex, but it's good the character is still on the show for historical purposes. Good thing that Bev didn't leave the show during this regime or they would have killed her off like they have everyone else that's left (Gus, Coop, Grady, Edmund, Ava's baby, Tammy). Who have they saved? Their precious "star" - Cassie. And Jonathon.

Caught the show yesterday and the only thing that stood out is that I see they're back to using that asinine "alternative" music to score the show. What happened to their using traditional music? It makes the show much more enjoyable than this bullshit they're playing now.

[Mitch]

Oh, there is that "edgy," music that brands this show and its executive producer as "mavericks." Kind of like killing Phillip and/or Rick! Poor stupid soap viewers that we are can't appreciate the genius of Wheeler!!!

I think both CBS and P & G is hands off right now so Wheeler has been taken off her leash totally and can do what she wants...hence the rapidly falling ratings each week.

About Alex...why use Marj Dusay for one scene and have her sitting alone drinking. That scene she had with Beth made it seem that something was cut...like an argument with Alan before Beth walked in..it didnt make sense that Alex would be drinking and seemingly pissed off about something out of the blue. It is sad, after all these years I can appreciate Marj as Alex, as I too will always see Bev as Alex. Marj has had consistently bad writing on all her tenures and unlike Bev..she plays what is on the page, so her Alex is over the top and yet, much less threatening then Bev/Alex...(that bitch could turn you to stone with one look!!!) I still wish they would have brought Marj on as someone who married a Spaulding Cousin, a good old gal, no nonsense who constantly flubbed up things and drove Alan and Alex crazy....Bev was to the manner born but Marj seems more to the manor "married."

[P.J.]

As disjointed as the show is...I found the Lizzie/Phillip cake-baking scenes endearingly goofy.

[Greg's GL]

LOL! Right! Ellen Wheeler is the modern incarnation of Irna Phillips. NOT!

Mitch, you have expressed this perfectly. I recall the anniversary episode (at least I think it was the anniversary episode - was it?!?) that had Alex/MJ playing a waitress in Company. She was absolutely glorious in those scenes! Anyhoo - ICAM. Marj's character should have married into the Spauldings and kept her trailer-girl roots from Alabama. I think that would be more fitting to her strengths.

No one can or ever will touch Bev's Alex. She was perfection.

[DRW50]

I like some of the goofy, small moments. I think GL is good at those. Like Remy and Cyrus hosing each other off. Or Beth and Mel laughing about Rick assuming they would have considered hosting the Bauer barbecue. It's more the overall stories I am not into. The small stuff and the location work I will miss.

I wish they hadn't had Lillian tell Beth she will always have time with Phillip. I know that's supposed to be more clever irony, but given the history between Beth and Phillip, has that ever been true? I wonder if Lillian will be the first to find out about his illness, since she's close to Ed.

I have never been a big Lillian fan but she's settled into a very strong area as a character over the past few years, which is kind of funny, because during most of the 90s and the early part of this decade, she seemed to struggle for any role (and the role she did have, cheating with Ed and this causing Maureen's death, made many fans loathe her).

I can see why they cast Marj, she was known for taking over difficult recasts, but from almost the start of her run, Alex stopped being a character and started being a plot device. Really, this started with Bev's last year or so, thanks to JFP reducing her to the foil for Nick/Mindy, but it got worse and worse after Marj took over. Alex has never been a character in the 15 years, off and on, Marj has played her. I don't count nonsense like Alex being a drug lord or stalking Reva as character. I feel sorry for Marj, because the only character-driven material Alex has had in the last 15 years was during Joan Collins' brief run.

[DRW50]

Greg's GL, here is the clip of Marj as the waitress.

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"India Wrap".

I miss India. I was hoping they could bring her back before the end, but apparently not.

[Greg's GL]

Well said, Carl.

Thanks for the clip! I miss India as well. I always loved her and the actress was captivating in the role.

[DRW50]

I still love watching the India clips; you'd think such a camp persona and big hair and fashion would seem dated, but like Linda Dano as Felicia, Mary Kay Adams always made sure we saw a person behind the bigness.

I'd love to see her again, but they might give her a terminal illness or have her kill someone, so maybe I should be happy she's offcamera.