GH: September Discussion

[DRW50]

I think there would have been more interest if the writing for Spinelli and Maxie hadn't been so bad for so long. They had an opportunity after the big fight early this year to change the couple but instead they've gone to weird places with them. I think they would be better off as friends.

[Ann_SS]

I don't know. I see tons of praise for Friday's show on other boards suggesting that the episode was a hit with quite a few fans. I am not one of them because I cannot stand Spinelli. It is really too bad that Guza did not leave Spinelli and Maxie as platonic friends. Nothing on GH interests me at the moment.

[DRW50]

I was talking more about why there wasn't more reaction here. I know that Spixie are very popular at a lot of boards and sites.

[Ann_SS]

^^ Oh, I misunderstood. The GH thread here is dead again. I wonder if KSlater who was lured back by the carnival promos is till watching?

GH has not been able to hold onto it viewers. Errol reported that the GH actors were happy with the ratings. They must be delusional.

[DRW50]

I wonder which actors are happy. I'm sure a number of them know they are on the way out whether the ratings go up or down.

I think the show has improved from where it was over the past 5-6 years but that's not saying much, and I think it may be too late. As long as we still have stuff like Sonny/Olivia on the horizon I am still very guarded. It's hard to look at anything on the show without bitterness or cynicism. If I was less cynical I might enjoy Spinelli, I don't know.

[Ann_SS]

Yet GH has not let go a bunch of characters. I am surprised that actors like Greg Vaughan and Jason Cook have not been fired. Strange. Then again, I know GH is cutting back by not filming on Fridays and going dark for more weeks than before. Maybe that is enough to help the budget.

[quartermainefan]

I think if you factor in they were at 1.7 and 1.6 a couple of months back, that they now seem to be steady at 1.9-2.1 is cause to be content if not ecstatic. Ratings are all relative. When GH had a 3.5 Y&R probably had a 5.5. Now Y&R is more like 3.5 so GH is right where they always are comparatively speaking. In relation to B&B and their ratings decline, GH probably is looking pretty good. Is it realistic to expect GH to do much better than 2.0 or 2.2? I don't think so. If that were to happen all the soaps would have to rise also.

[DeeeDee]

Indeed.

[Cheap21]

I saw the promos and Maxie is actually marrying Spinelli?

[KSlater]

Ann, I am still watching. GH is a mixed bag but there are a couple stories that I'm interested in seeing unfold.

[JaneAusten]

I don't think GH had any weekly ratings that were 1.6 and 1.7. Around 1.8 and 1.9 yeah and I don't equate the rise to anything other than the carnival thing which they promoted all over. They are back at 2.0 and I suspect they will be around 1.9 to 2.0. Ratings always seem to bump a bit up in the fall. But I find it hard to believe that after all that promotion, they can be happy with only a 2.0. But I do think they've been smart about cost savings. Black out weeks and no friday taping I am sure has helped plus Sarah Brown's big salary will soon be gone.

For ABC's soap darling to be 1.8 to 2.0 well maybe that's ok. I don't see them doing much better than that . 90 percent of this show is Sonny and his family and extended family. They throw in a couple of other things occasionally but that is and has been in for 2 plus years now. Nothing IMO has changed. I only enjoyed the carnvial because of the cast integration

[Ann_SS]

GH's real problem is that unlike Y&R, GH cannot get the 18-49 women demo back up to 1.5 consistently. Right now, they are so close to OLTL and AMC in that demo, ABC likely cannot charge substantially more for ads for GH than the other soaps and GH costs more to produce.

You are a success story for GH's promo monkeys. LOL!

[KSlater]

Maybe the only success story since GH is panned everywhere LOL! I have a tendency to go against the grain when it comes to soaps. I guess I'm not a good test subject.

[Ann_SS]

KSlater, I just noticed your image. Dennis and Sharon! I loved them. Unbelievable to find another Shannis (yes, the dreaded word) on SON.

Talking about GH being panned. I was surprised to read that the carnival did not get good feedback from the soap mags and the fans who wrote the soap mags. Guza may indeed losing his magic touch.

[DRW50]

I liked Shannis too. The story shouldn't have worked but I really bought the chemistry between Letitia and Nigel, and he was one of the hottest men ever on soap. And her grieving just gutted me. I still remember those scenes where she was at his burial, clawing at her face, as Dot begged her to stop.