June 22-26, 2009

[Ann_SS]

Isn't McTavish still at Days? She can't get out of her contract to go back to AMC until they let her go. Why would they when Days is going so well?

I would be surprised if Frons does anything about the EPs and headwriters at any of the ABC soaps. He knows that it is over for the soaps. It is only a matter of riding it out. I am sure that he is looking for alternative cheap programming.

[dragonflies]

McTavish isn't at Days, that's Dena Higley

I don't see Frons putting himself out of a job, and they do make some type of money from their soaps since they own them. I think something will be done, unless ABC is wanting out of the soap business all together

[Ann_SS]

Ah, okay. I was confusing the both of Higley and McTavish.

[CSF]

I don't think ABC wants out. I think they want to be the last network with soaps though.

[amazing7]

I have a feeling they are going to bring McTavish back too. I think her rest is up. lol I always thought eventually she would be back at AMC. With Pratt writing AMC into the ground with McT's writing there is not where to go but up.

[SteveFrame]

Well if McT ever comes back there are many who won't even stick around to give her a chance, and I am one of them.

The woman should never write again.

[Angela]

She's AMC's JER in a way. It would be suicide to keep Pratt in this job if he can't get over 2.5 million consistently say by the end of summer (and that's probably too long a stretch to let him coast on the drop - we're heading to month 4 of the downward trend). McTavish comes to mind as somebody they may grab back in desperation. Love or hate her, the woman could do stories to pump up the ratings out of nowhere (and make it drop too - but then she could twist something up and it would zoom-up) which is kind of what they need. They need to be able to fake something for sweeps (ad rate periods). I do wonder though, at this point will anything really work for these soaps (save Y&R and DAYS) - including the "old standards." And all most of these writers end up doing is more damage to the genre ultimately (they push the viewers who would have remained loyal away with what ends up beign egotistical writing and they aren't able to keep their "side of the road" viewers). JER, McT, Pratt, B&E, Guza, etc. They don't make them like they used to.

[CSF]

Frons should ask Lorraine Broderick to come in and fix All My Children. If there is someone who could save the show, it's her. If Wisner Washam isn't part of the industry anymore, I like to believe that he and Broderick would make a good pair. They have history together with AMC.

[Angela]

I wish I believed there was a chance ABCD/Frons would hire the likes of the Labines, Broderick and her old writing partner (LB, with the partner, pre-McTavish's first reign - brilliant; I wasn't a fan of 1996 on), or executive producers that are more than figure heads (led by the HW or Frons). I don't see it happening.

[dragonflies]

I agree, Frons wants "yes men(or women)" writing for his soaps

Meh hardly, she's bad, but she's not that bad.

Now Pratt, he should never write a soap again, he's not bad in primetime, soap writing is not his forte

[SteveFrame]

And we all know how well bringing JER back turned out for Days.

I don't understand this new way of thinking. Bring back someone to a show who is the main reason for it being in the shape it is in.

I am not saying keep Pratt but why compound one big mistake with another even bigger mistake. Two mistakes don't make it right.

[Ann_SS]

I don't really think that changing headwriters or EPs will make much of a difference at this late stage, but recycling the old failures is definitely not the way to go.

I actually do not find Pratt that bad at AMC.

[LeClerc]

I'd probably be fine with McTavish returning one last time (although her 1998 stint showed that she doesn't always start off with a bang. Her big return story then was the Camille Hawkins fiasco). But, as someone already mentioned, it's highly unlikely they would let Pratt go and continue to pay his expensive contract through next June, which presumably is the next time they could get rid of him.

[SteveFrame]

Well I would rather see them cancel AMC than let McT have a chance to ruin more about it.

AMC doesn't deserve that.

[CSF]

I agree with that 100% Letting McTavish return is like giving a pyromaniac matches and lighter fluid.