OLTL is awesomeness. While DAYS might have me hooked, I get more out of OLTL's storylines than DAYS.

Also the lighting is SO DARK I can't see the actors sometimes

Since I began watching in 1999 the show has never been perfectly lit. Either too dark or lit in a way that just screams "AMATEUR!" However believe it or not, I think OLTL's lighting has improved from when I started watching. Now the sets...they're a mixed bag.

Yes! I started watching OLTL as well! Well, mainly because of the Kyle & Fish clips on YT, but the curiosity got the better of me. So I started looking at entire eppys and I'm really engaged in what is going on now. When Roxy said to Fish "What?! Wait I must have waxy buildup" I just had to keep watching.

The lighting these days is a bit camp but I like it. It's nothing compared to the JFP era, when the Rodi's bar and grill suddenly turned into the smoky bowels of Hell. It looked like the dark charnel-pit planet at the end of Star Wars: The Revenge Of The Sith where Anakin Skywalker got chopped into a dozen pieces.

Edited October 30, 200916 yr by Vee

The sets are a mixed bag (though better than AMC's which shares their designer with OLTL oddly). I was wondering why Brody's sister got such an elaborate and detailed set and other major sets seem so lacking in detail lol

OLTL just love-love-LOVES to use that "sunlight through the blinds" effect, they wear that out.

The sets are rather "set-like", they lack the warmth and three dimensions of real homes. The Abbott home on Y&R is a good example of the opposite, an upscale home that looks like real people really live there and just have a good maid. There are also a variety of textures/materials/colors, a lot of OLTL's sets look flat. Plus, and this is nitpicky, but I've noticed during closeups some sloppy looking paint (on Dorian's doors and stairs for example). I'm not at all a fan of the furniture, but the Llanfair library has warmth, and actually the hotel room where Bo and Nora smashed crystal and made out was a good-looking set.

How very weird. I was thinking of starting a thread on this exact same thing!

So, I started watching OLTL on 10/16, after noticing positive comments about it in the diversity thread, and in need of a new US soap fix (after the debacles that are B&B and Y&R), but was kinda hesitant, as I've *never* been able to watch more that 5 mins of this show in the past. But, I really liked it.

I've found it quite easy to get into, and most of the storylines seem OK. There's a nice blend of characters (actually, there's a lot of characters!), and I've noticed, too, that there are a lot of kids.

I'm about a week out of US transmission, but I've gotta say, I'm not that enthralled with the Matthew story, and his folks whisking him off to (fake) London*; the Greg/Rachel/Shaun triangle is cliché, but I'm interested to see where that's all going. I'm surprised by the depth in the gay storylines, as normally they're more hollow, with a lot less character perspective. Dorian's gay wedding is a car crash waiting to happen, but it's good; I also like her and David(?), but unsure about Amelia; not keen on Nick, at all, but it's nice to see a gay character who isn't saintly, but manipulative. Roxy's kooky - is she a recovering alcoholic? Is Tea Cristian's sister? I don't like Rex.

The sets are rather "set-like", they lack the warmth and three dimensions of real homes. The Abbott home on Y&R is a good example of the opposite, an upscale home that looks like real people really live there and just have a good maid. There are also a variety of textures/materials/colors, a lot of OLTL's sets look flat.

The sets are terrible (mostly); they really do have that cold and unloved feeling. ITA on the Abbott set - it's one of my fave, and really does have a homely, yet rich vibe about it.

*This is probably not that big-of-a-deal to most of you, but the fake London set bugs the hell outta me. Kevin's house has got to be the least looking English home I have ever seen - it's pure American. I probably could put it out of mind, if they didn't constantly reference London in the dialogue, and the ep titles. Would it have killed them to have done a little research? And then there was that 10 quid line - cringe-y! Try at least £40, and no taxicab driver from the airport, says quid.

Well, in the set's defense, the Buchanans are American cowboys. It's their compound.

Tea is a longtime family friend of Cristian and the Vegas. I don't believe they are related by blood, but I could be wrong.

And Roxy is very much a functioning alcoholic

OLTL just love-love-LOVES to use that "sunlight through the blinds" effect, they wear that out.

The sets are rather "set-like", they lack the warmth and three dimensions of real homes. The Abbott home on Y&R is a good example of the opposite, an upscale home that looks like real people really live there and just have a good maid. There are also a variety of textures/materials/colors, a lot of OLTL's sets look flat. Plus, and this is nitpicky, but I've noticed during closeups some sloppy looking paint (on Dorian's doors and stairs for example). I'm not at all a fan of the furniture, but the Llanfair library has warmth, and actually the hotel room where Bo and Nora smashed crystal and made out was a good-looking set.

One thing I do admire about OLTL's lighting at times, is that in some episodes they try to portray dusk, with the sun setting and etc. It's quite believable at times especially with Angel Square. Some soaps simply don't care about that kind of detail.

Ben and to the rest of the new viewers; just be glad we rarely see John McBain's hotel room or the hotel room his brother and wife once lived in. The show tried dressing the set up with shower curtains it made it look even worse.

The set for Angel Square Hotel is simply worse altogether. Argh wtf is with Cole's apartment? I wish Layla, Cris, and Fish's apartment had a more modern feel to it rather than simply looking so plain.

Can anyone believe that I find Roxy's hair salon (which I wish they would show more) warmer and more inviting than the majority of the sets? I do wish we'd see it more often.

At least they have an assortment of styles--from the truly dinginess of the roms in the Angel Square hotel, etc. On AMC every character seems to live either in one of those apartments that all look pretty much the same, or one of those condo/houses that look all pretty much the same.

Agreed about the lighting and the time of day though sometimes this causes writing problems--with scenes that couldn't really happen past dark happening, etc. Still, I appreciate they putin the effort

Well, in the set's defense, the Buchanans are American cowboys. It's their compound.

Tea is a longtime family friend of Cristian and the Vegas. I don't believe they are related by blood, but I could be wrong.

The only reason I thought they might be related, is when Carlotta visited Tea, and I got a mother/daughter vibe, but I guess long-time family friend will do that.

And I assume you're talking about the Buchanan's Llanview set, and not the London one.

And Roxy is very much a functioning alcoholic

I getcha. Roxy looks like she's probably a fun alcoholic, as opposed to the usual depressive type, soaps normally write.

Ben and to the rest of the new viewers; just be glad we rarely see John McBain's hotel room or the hotel room his brother and wife once lived in. The show tried dressing the set up with shower curtains it made it look even worse.

Shower curtains, really?!

Looks like I have a lot to be grateful for, seeing as things appear to have bene much worse.

The worst character on the show right now is Tea followed by Todd. I truly wonder if they only brought Florencia back just so Tea could prop Todd 24/7, cause that's all Blair and Tea do anymore.

These two characters are why I can't stand to watch OLTL much anymore, that and the fact that Blair will never be free of Todd who continually drags her down as a character

Why doesn't Marty have a storyline. Would like to hear thoughts from other fans of OLTL and educate me on the show

I'm baffled by it, an emmy winning actress but yet no story?

Edited October 30, 200916 yr by Zendall Fan

I getcha. Roxy looks like she's probably a fun alcoholic, as opposed to the usual depressive type, soaps normally write.

.

Exactly. I'm well aware of the seriousness of alcoholism and that Roxy type characters existing in real life--at least ones who seem to be drunk nearly every single day--are basically next to zero, but I enjoy it as a change from the usual alcoholic storyline on the soaps. (to be fair apparantly in the backstory when she looked after Rex and Natalie she was much much worse).

I know it's awful, but sometimes I regret when a character (think Erica on AMC) becomes an alcoholic--cuz we know she'll recover and then the chance of having a great drunk scene with her anytime soon is zilch (until, of course, her alcoholism returns for another big story)

Im not sure I would quite classify Roxy as an alcoholic. Sure she loves to drink but she can handle her liquor. She functions well and she controls her alcohol...it doesnt control her. Plus her drinking is rather harmless. It doesnt hurt her or those around her

Im not sure I would quite classify Roxy as an alcoholic. Sure she loves to drink but she can handle her liquor. She functions well and she controls her alcohol...it doesnt control her. Plus her drinking is rather harmless. It doesnt hurt her or those around her

i would call her a functioning alcoholic.

or perhaps just a jolly slosh. lol.