Lorraine Broderick as AMC head writer

[Khan]

Yep. I think it's her way of cutting down whoever's actually HW'ing the show at that moment, too. But that's just me.

Here's the thing: it's not like Agnes Nixon never rewrites history. Practically every HW in the history of daytime has done it at one point or another, whether on their own show or on someone else's. A real HW, however, can apply enough logic and finesse to make that retcon seem absolutely credible w/o taking away what the audience knows already to be true.

I'm just saying.

I think so, too. I still remember hearing Erica admit that Eric had pimped her out to Fields at her intervention and thinking, "Huh? Wow. That's...random." It was one of those moments where you expected her to say, "But wait -- there's more!"

[Khan]

I think, once again, some people are so willing to be rid of Pratt that they're forgetting how lackluster AMC has been whenever that woman was in charge, and how much they complained about her and wanted HER gone, too. Like I said, too, this isn't just her last stint w/ the show, either. I'm also talking about the mid-to-late '80's, when it was she and Victor Miller, or Wisner Washam, w/ special guest appearances from Miss Nixon herself.

[Khan]

And the retro-rape - not to mention, the pills, the booze, the baby-napping, the showgirl stint or the affairs w/ Chris and Samuel Woods - didn't?

[SFK]

You didn't like the DID s/l?? As I said, I do take issue with the whole fathers being demonized in death thing, and Victor back from the dead in '02, let's not even go there, but I do think the Victor stuff took on a depth during the DID s/l. He wasn't just a kooky man with secret underground rooms/cities, a philanderer who would go so far as to have his daughter hypnotized to forget her own baby, et cetera. He was portrayed more as a truly sick, disturbing human being, and not the Batman villain he was during the '80s. Having Eric pimp out his daughter was just a slap job, we didn't need to despise Eric, and neither did Erica. How much more powerful for Erica to continue seeking his approval even in his death rather than have him die offscreen, issues unresolved, but now, NOW, suddenly she has "permission" to hate him, to write him off and get on with her life because of what he did when she was 14?? It put a strange unneeded period on that throughline of her life.

[Khan]

Yeah, and as we all know, divorce is a big no-no in Pine Valley. Come on! LOL!

;-)

[Jonathan]

Yes, I've never heard La Lucci credit a headwriter that wasn't Agnes Nixon. I don't think it's meant to cut down, I think it's a sign of deference. Susan Lucci wouldn't be a somebody, if it weren't for Agnes.

I remember when Erica was on the run with Carmen, in an interview she said something like, "Agnes Nixon, who writes our show...." and she said it in the present tense. This was only 2 years ago, so she's still paying homage to the woman. But of course Agnes was ghostwriting at the time, so that makes sense.

[DRW50]

I don't think they did. Erica still does the bad girl stuff, the vamping, the fighting with women. Natalie, Gloria, and Brooke stopped all of that, or most of it, after their rapes.

[Sylph]

I figured. It was just a matter of time when this thread would go from total joy to total disappointment.

BTW, dumb question: you watched in mid-to-late 1980s?

[SFK]

I remember reading Victoria Wyndham being critical of Erica, saying that a person like that has to evolve, has to grow out of those neuroses in order to be a fully formed human being or something to that effect, otherwise they are psychotic! But I'd argue that Erica's issues were next level compared to Rachel's, Rachel wanted the house, the status, the doctor husband, the name... Erica wanted all of that, but she also had a movie director dad out in Hollywood, so she just HAD to be a star! And let's be for real, it's being unsatisfied that makes those neurotic characters so interesting and fun. Like Harding Lemay said, he wanted to make some of Rachel's dreams come true in the form of Mac. It worked for Rachel. Maybe it would have worked for Erica had they paired her with a rich, powerful guy who adored her, yet whose star shone brighter than hers.

[Khan]

Like I said, don't get me started.

Frankly, I have loathed everything said and/or written about Victor Lord from his initial death onward. EVERYTHING. He was a sexist, elitist and domineering tycoon who made life hell for his wife and two daughters. Done. Nothing more needs to be said. So please, OLTL, save the underground cities, secret lairs, ties with the Nazi party, and fetishes for readheads and babies for other storylines. Thank you.

[DRW50]

As for Lorraine, believe me, I wasn't a big fan of her run from 96-97. I also didn't care for some of her work elsewhere. I do think she has her moments. I think for some of us it's more about the symbolism of Pratt being dumped and someone who generally seems to respect the show being brought in to help transition, than it is about Lorraine herself.

[Khan]

I watched AMC from 1982 (I still remember when Jenny and Jesse went on the run to NYC) 'til, let's say, 1994? Granted, my mother, who I watched all soaps with as a kid, would occasionally sneak a peek at Y&R during those years. For the most part, however, AMC was our "11 am soap," followed w/ either RYAN'S HOPE or CAPITOL at 12:30, depending on which show sucked less at that time.

[Sylph]

There's no writer with impeccable reputation. Lemay came close, but some thought he butchered the canvas, which was, obviously, not helpful in the long run.

Agnes Nixon is increasingly being trashed, and I guess people would do it a whole lot more, but respect so many wonderful things she did and her age I guess.

Perhaps only Marland, but someone mentioned yesterday, I think, how it all felt neat and tidy and everyone was so polite...

[Khan]

Look, as I always say, I'm willing to be the first to admit when he's wrong about HW's or EP's or whoever. If Lorraine Broderick can right this ship - and I really pray that she can, she better, b/c moving to L.A. better come w/ SOME kind of upshot - then...well, I won't take back everything I've ever said about the woman, but I'll certainly tip my hat to her. Have to be honest, though. If she's really back in charge, even on a temporary basis, she's facing an uphill battle. I look at the AMC canvas today, and I see very little which is worth salvaging. Truly.

[Sylph]

What would you say are the most glaring flaws in her writing?