ATWT: December Discussion

[Chris B]

The last time the show seemed to be doing well and had positive attention was during the Will/Gwen time. I'm not saying they were the only reason, but I do think Passnanate was on a roll for a while. It wasn't perfect, but I do think it was more entertaining than what Hogan was giving us. When Maddie, jade and Lucy were recast it just made me want to vomit.

Maddie - Thrown under the bus for Nuke, then they let Chando go. Ridiculous, she was so talented and part of a hugely successful teen scene.

Jade - GREAT actress with great ties to the canvas which were all ignored for a stupid obsession with Will. They didn't even utilize the fact that he killed her mother to gain sympathy from viewers. I also hate they didn't explore her chemistry with various male characters, but she's black so what did I expect? Same for Bonnie.

Lucy - Now this is a role that can be recast because Peyton List isn't coming back. I think this actress playing Teri would've been a good Lucy, but building the Cioccone family is important. *rolls eyes*

The real question needs to be, "Why was Scott Bryce fired?" He tried so hard with the dreadful material given and to be fired over Christmas right after his wife gave birth was evil. He'd been gone so long and I'm sure his life was just fine. It was so unfair to bring him back and toy with fans like that. It's sad that miscast Lindstrom is being written so much better. Bryce would've rocked all of this stuff. Now Craig is more grey and human, but Lindstrom sucks in the role. The loss of Bryce and Martha Byrne is what ended my ATWT viewership (until this summer).

How do you know he didn't take a paycut? I think it's unfair to lay ATWT's problems, especially budget, on him. The show had so many other problems and I recall Cady McClain or another cast member saying that ATWT has the smallest budget and Goutman keeps the show under budget.

It seemed like in 2008 they stopped caring and the show just became terrible. It was truly like they were pulling everything out of their asses. Like GL, they didn't care what fans wanted. We lost cliffhangers and long term stories. Goutman said don't write because he doesn't care. He also said nobody wants to watch his sh!tty show 5 days a week. Then, like always, when the cancellation rumors began they decided to try and produce a quality show but it was too late. I fear the same thing will happen with Y&R in particular.

That would've been brilliant! I could see those two sending sparks through my tv screen! Such a shame that never happened. Would've been a great way to keep Lisa integrated.

[All My Shadows]

According to TVGuide, we're getting Casey/Nancy today!

[Soapsuds]

Yeah it has to do with the whole Casey/Alison marriage crapola.....

I thought yesterdays show was good but jarring with the beginning. I too thought I had missed an episode. I am getting tired though of Craig and his obsession with Carly.

[Khan]

You're right; it is (and I certainly can't argue with any of your other points, P.J.). IMO, though, much of Carly and Jack's story has been forced and uninspired.

[Khan]

Personally, Paul was never the same to me once Andy Kavovit vacated the role. I could live with Scott Holroyd's Paul, though, much more than I could Roger Howarth's.

[Saving ATWT]

Chris B is on point when he speaks of Carly and Lisa making sparks together. Years ago, TPTB made a huge mistake by not linking the two women. They could have even discovered some familial connection between the Carly and one of Lisa's ex husbands. This would have made Lisa, Carly, Molly and Ro family and led to some interesting twists..

TPTB have made the same mistakes with Lucinda. She should have been mentoring someone like Lucy, Bianca, or Sierra to take over WorldWide.

The one good thing happening over at Y&R is that they are building bridges between the generations via Jack and Billy/Victor and Adam/Catherine and Jill/Nicky and Britney: they are shaping Y&R The Next Generation.

As for todays eppy, rather flat but with a few strong points. I loved seeing Nancy but wish the scene had been a bit longer and more meaningful. I would have liked to hear her views on the marriage and, also, her fellings regarding Ally.

I hated Craig trying to carjack Carly. Maybe I am reading into things but I think the writers were trying at a pun.

I like the new little church. Finally, a new set! Low budget set but still a new space. It has a gothic feel that fits the Mick Dante storyline. The one thing that made no sense was Ally getting locked in the church and then being rescued by Casey. Why didn't she tell him? Why were the doors locked in the first place? Did she forget that Mick was in the backroom while Casey gave her the ring? She went from sheer panic to just acting normal in about 10 seconds! Bad writing such as this is what has killed World Turns.

[DRW50]

They have essentially replaced Jack with Billy, and they turned Adam into a sociopath who will likely be crushed under Victor's heel. Jill is being phased out. Brittany is not on the show now.

I think ATWT has generally done a better job than Y&R in keeping their vets, but they don't use them. Sheffer seemed to have contempt for vets and Goutman may feel the same way.

I love Liz Hubbard but I have no idea why they have even kept her around, as she has just had a few brief plots. This goes even more for Eileen Fulton, who has not had one story in Goutman's tenure.

[Actor87]

I loved seeing Nancy today, but it was lame. Her giving Casey the ring Chris Sr. gave her for their engagement and saying stuff like that should be handed down....yeah, it should....to your son or your grandson. But not to your great grandson. Especially when he's marrying the daughter of the woman your son had an affair with many moons ago. It made no sense that she would give Casey that ring.

ITA with Saving. Alison went from panic to ..."awwwww, you came to pick me up...how sweet" once Casey showed up. And she didn't even attempt to go fetch Mick when she discovered the doors were locked. (P.S.-I know TPTB want us to believe that Mick had ill intentions and had locked Alison in, but...uh....Mick came in just seconds before Alison. And they never left each other's sight. There's no way he could've locked her in.)

The mystery surrounding Mick, although intriguing, is becoming a bit tiresome and shifty. One minute, he's the evil, controlling, I-want-a-second-chance James...when he's with Babs. The next, he's Mr. I-Have-Demons-In-My-Head-But-I'm-Really-A-Nice-Guy with Alison. From the sound of that talk he had with Alison, it seems like the groundwork is being laid for Mick to be yet another psychotically-challenged offspring of James, or......dare I say.....another brain chip story.

[Saving ATWT]

Adam is here to stay and a chip off the sociopathic block. Victor just exploited a menally ill Patty, even bought her a new face, all in an effort to get back at Jack. I remember him feeding somebody rat years back. Adam is just a 'post-modern' Victor and will survive the heel. As for Jill, she is not being phased out. They are setting her up as the next Kay and the moment Jean Cooper drops, Jill will take over in all of her bitchy slutty glory. I was glad when they did away with Brit the twit.

As for ATWT, maybe they should have taken more vets off contract to cut costs. Most soaps eliminated aging vets slowly but World Turns was too worried about a ratings blow out. There is a limit as to what type of storylines you can write for a 75 year old. If Bob ever has another affair, I will puke for days. I do wish they would use Susan more. She doesn't even look her age and is really great in scenes with Emily. Aside from her, maybe it would have been good to retire characters such as Bob, Kim, and Nancy to somewhere like Palm Beach kind of like the did on Days. It would have given TPTB a chance to re-boot the show and, in the process, buy it a few more years.

Yes, I said it--our favorite vets have probably done the show more harm than good in terms off gaining new views.

[DRW50]

I think you and MarkH will be good friends.

I just mentioned her because you said they were grooming her to be part of the future of the show.

As for Jill, given how her character has been treated as a joke and a loser the entire year, and with Rauch and Sheffer's views of women over 50, I don't see a big future for her. We'll see though.

Only in imagination. You can do a lot with actors who are talented and who can still perform. ATWT was very lucky there. Liz, Kathryn, Don, among others, are still at the top of their game, and can play many types of stories. When Nancy was their age, her stories, her relationship with Mac, his Alzheimers, teaching Lauryn Hill how to read, were good additions to the show.

Look at how awful most of the stories with the new or younger characters are. Being hot didn't make any difference there.

Coronation Street is a show that has managed to write strong and interesting stories for people in their 70s. One of their best stories of the past 5 or so years involved a woman who is near 80 years old meeting the man who killed her husband many years ago and returned to seek her forgiveness.

[P.J.]

Have people forgotten Carly and Lisa were tight...but that ended once Carly married John, who'd used his own sperm to impregnate Carly when she wanted to collect Ro's trust? (thank God Hal's little swimmers had managed to do the job...) One thing Lisa never was was very forgiving once she'd been crossed. I can live without Lisa...I understand people are attached to the character, but I've always found EF a little grating.

I do wish they'd integrate the vets in the stories more. We haven't seen Susan since late summer. Emma didn't even attend her newphew's funeral, and Kim only seems to appear in connection with Katie.

HATED Craig yesterday. I just can't express how odd I found Lindstrom's childish petulance...Craig is a lot of things--childish and petulant are not two of them. I almost expected him to break out "up your nose with a rubber hose, Jack!"

Could have done with a lot less Casey and Alison. And that blood under the nose thing they're doing with Mick is officially gross.

Poor Carly--she really looked like she was freezing her ass off. And did you catch her look when she scrolled through those pics on Jack's keys and hit the one of him and Jan? HILARIOUS!

Margo's officially a douche.

[Saving ATWT]

PJ, thank you--I can't stand Margo anymore. She's been a douche ever since about the time she did Doc. I like Dolan (sp?) but they have wrecked her character. I accidently flipped over to One Live and was shocked--they have extras, real sets and everything just looked good. ATWT really has no budget anymore.

[Chris B]

I still love Margo, especially how fiercely protective she was over Adam recently. She gets good nuggets of story, but never anything that stick. The real injustice is what's happened to Tom. He is like an extra. Even when Margo has a storyline he's hardly ever featured. What's up with that? I think Scott Holmes is a very handsome man and could handle more story.

[Saving ATWT]

I still miss the Tom before Homels. They are very different types and I do not think TPTB ever knew what to do Holmes. He is handsome, but lacks that IT kind of sex appeal. Aside from basically being raped by Emily, he's never been all that sexual. I see him as Margo's doormat. During the Xmas show, he spoke about giving her more support; however, that is all he ever ever ever does. I think they should just make him a house husband and use him to sell P&G products like Tide. He can rave about how it removes stains such as all those nasty white spots on Casey's sheets!

[Soapsuds]

I agree with you Chris. Tom comes off like a third wheel. I wish we saw more of him. Holmes is handsome and does have sex appeal iMO....lol....Are you referring to Greg Marx?? He was the Tom before Scott Holmes was. Marx had ooooooozes of sex appeal...gawd his chest...mmmmmmm.....yummmmmm. I also thought he and HBS had lots of chemistry but so did SH and HBS.