June 8-12, 2009

[bellcurve]

You guys just wait until those post-analog numbers come in!

Sadly, CBS is gonna tank.

[JackPeyton]

Without a doubt. Them, Hogan, and others...

I wish you posted in the days discussion more!

[Soapsuds]

You have to be kidding me about ATWT and GL. And to say Jeanne Cooper is phoning it in?? Um....say what?

This whole post stinks of Christopher Goutman. I have wondered for some time if you are Chris Goutman.

GL and ATWT suck that's why they are in the toilet.

[LoyaltoAMC]

LOL, I'm not Chris Goutman. ATWT has never particularly been my cup of tea, even during the Marland years, but I've always admired the naturalistic feel of the show, in terms of the scene writing and actors they hire. More than any other show, it goes out of its way to hire real-looking actors, for the most part, which I think enriches the show. It's certainly not a great show right now, but it's hardly terrible. Take a peek at any of the ABC shows, and you'll see what "terrible" really is. I would bet the farm that people are not deserting this show because of the storytelling; its losses are most likely the result of the lead-in shows tanking. It's a trickle-down effect. By the way, not necessarily to defend Goutman, but he can't have an smooth job. It really can't be easy producing a show on a threadbare budget, desperately trying to appeal to a young audience while trying to minimally alienate your long-term viewers. That's not an easy balance to maintain. As for Passanante, who knows how the budget impacts her ability to write for certain actors or how stories flow. I just know I wouldn't want their jobs in this economic climate.

[SouthOfSoap]

Days Beat B&B 2 days this week in total viewers. When last did that happen? During the SSK s/l I'd guess.

I don't expect Days to maintain a long term lead over B&B as the show is getting weak again after a good 4 month run. Unless of course B&B implodes.

[tgilbrea69]

Goutman and Pissanante - I think the ratings for ATWT could go to zero, and these two would still have their jobs.

When is the last time a plot line on ATWT make an ounce of fXXXXXg sense - or lasted more than 3 episodes. I have never seen writing this bad.

I predict it will fall ever further next week, this week has been horrible.

[MarkH]

But I think B&B is imploding (i.e., weak foundation), and Days is thriving...I think the rank orders about to flip. And I think that is a wonderful thing, because Days offers the perfect template for how to fix B&B (dial back the ridiculous, pare down the canvas, add some depth to stories, have characters behave consistently, use a mix of veterans while working on newbies).

[Y&RWorldTurner]

B&B's sister soap could also stand to adopt something of a similar nature. Especially dialing down the ridiculous and paring down the canvas.

[Sylph]

Why?

[Soapsuds]

Never....either the story last 3 episodes or it goes on and on and on and completely sucks. It really is stupid that Goutman and Pissant have a job at ATWT right now. It is insane!!

[DRW50]

This is very well said. He rots every show he touches. I don't know why he keeps getting hired.

[cara mia]

It's hard to know sometimes why ratings go up or down. Personally, I find that I am still watching Y&R but caring less about the characters. They have become so cartoonish I cannot connect with them.

[brimike]

I wouldn't call JP Sheffer's "protege". His successor, sure. But JP had her hands on soaps both as a network executive AND as a head writer for about a decade before Sheffer even entered the genre.

[SteveFrame]

She became his protege at ATWT though. To me she changed her style and all and has kept the same trends going that she learned while working under him after she came over from AW.

It is very much the same way that Pat Falken Smith - a writer I loved until she went to work with Gloria Monty. I didn't hate her after that but the great writing she did at Days and learned to do under Bill Bell was all thrown out. Instead of writing good old psychological drama like she did for years on Days she changed completely to the action adventure stuff and I never cared much for her at all.

So I think any writer can become a protege of a new writer or producer no longer how long they have been in the business. Any time they work under them and change the way they writer or do things - then they became a protege of that person.

I actually enjoyed JP at AMC and AW. I have not liked much of anything she has done at ATWT.

[Toups]

I gotta go with brimike on this. I wouldn't call JP Hogan's protege.

Protege: a person under the patronage, protection, or care of someone interested in his or her career or welfare

Doesn't sound like a JP/Hogan relationship to me.