ATWT: February 2010 Discussion Thread

[EricMontreal22]

Anyone else see Amanda Seyfried on Letterman talk about her frist acting experience, on ATWT and how she found out her chracter was to be written out? LOL

[Saving ATWT]

The show has been on fire for the past week. The tone of ATWT has really changed. Every soap has a certain 'feeling' about it, a tone, and something about the show comes off to me as different. There are moments where it almost as a 'indie film' feel with those scenes of Allison all over the bed or Damain gets beat down with chunks of the story slowing comming up to the surface via flashbacks along that cute little kid with a boat. Yes, the show still needs to somewhat slow down, but everything is so much better than this time last year.

I even like the Mick/James story but wish they would either better explain or demonstrate his mind control skills. James manipulates but has never had the ability of a hypno. I do like this modern day svengali. What I like most is that he can only control those who want to believe.

[EricMontreal22]

For anyone interested, I put the 2002 New Yorker piece on Hogan and ATWT up in my New Yorker thread. (it's pretty long...)

[Mitch]

Mind control is such a lazy device,,no wonder Davey uses it. He doesnt have to take the time to build up a relationship or show somone intelligently manipulating someone (like the James of old and the original Alan Spaudling) its all Lex Luthor evil crap..just like his magic flashlight and his magic contact lenses!!LOL.

Now if they had shown Mick was manipulating Babs cause he is throwing some good f*cks he way, I could buy it a little more (I always thought Babs would be one sick chick in the bedroom if the right guy came along...she always seemed bored by Hal and got her energy going when James would reappear..I see some S?M tendancy in our Babs.)

[Soapsuds]

I thought last week was great. Too bad it didnt reflect in the ratings. I am liking the CarJack and Meg/Damian/Lily/Holden/Molly storylines. The Mick storyline has just gotten silly IMO. I am not carrying for it too much.

[P.J.]

Much as I hate the Mick/Alison storyline, I gotta admit, I got a cheap thrill out of hearing that riff of Chris Issak's "Baby Did a Bad Bad Thing" as they screwed.

I don't like the dumbing down Babs was subjected to in this idiotic story either. *eyeroll*

[Soapsuds]

Ditto on the Barbara part. I havent seen todays eppy yet.

[Saving ATWT]

I'll say this...

DK knew he only had a short period to get the ball rolling and ratings up. There was no way to take the time to build up new relationships because November sweeps were coming soon and the fate of ATWT hung in the balance. Mick Dante may (may not) be James but he really is Svengali. Svengali was able to control minds and build relatioships quickly-- because he could 'magically' alter fate, make dreams come true, keep hope alive.

The Russian Royals wanted to believe Rasputin possesed the cure to hemophilia, were longing for his control, and its the same theme in this 'Stenbeckian' story: Emily wanting a 'real' family and a guarantee with Paul; Allison and her conflicts with/ fears regarding domestic life; lonely Barbara with her desire for youth along with a second chance and maybe eternal life. My issue is that these themes were not more broadly examined ( phycological motives should have been better examined)minus the si-fi flashlights and over-symplified writing. Overall, Mich Dante is a cleaver idea and I've gained some respect for DK: He knows his history, is well read and can flip all that into a semi well-rounded story. Svengali was a fraud, the Crown Prince died. Mick is a fraud, no one is getting any younger. What ties these stories together is that you have 'intelligent' people desperate enough to drop all guard and function on faith. With that said, I know this is the minority view and most people hate this storyline.

BTW, Thursday's bell tower scene with Mick and Allison was creepy-erotic and almost perfect with the lighting, camera angles and sexy non-soapy music. TP was on point taking MS's hand and rubbing it across his face and up into his mouth. This scene was almost movie quality.

Check out Svengali if you can't remember the story and you'll see the likeness.

[P.J.]

You're completely dismissing the fact that Mick's character is completely underwritten. It's no different than any of the shallow Pissy/Sheffer villians of the month, other than arguably being played by a better actor. (not in my book...but obviously in yours.) Even if I credit TIIC with knowing they needed a "quick fix" and hoping Pelphrey could bring in his fans, that doesn't excuse the thin plot or weak writing.

I won't give Kriezman a pass simply because he wanted fast results. The two worst decisions he could have possibly made were the sci-fi angle and deciding to throw Mick into the vortex of suckitude that is Alison Stewart.

And BTW, you're talking about Rasputin, who could be called a svengali. He was actually a Russian mystic who influenced the last Romanov Czar and Czarina.

[Saving ATWT]

I know who he was--had a mind-fart regarding name. I really don't view the story as all that Si-Fi: No one is any younger; Allison's dreams are all about her mental conflicts; and Emily has a history of mental breakdowns and has fallen for cons before. Each character needs to believe, thus they hope. With the youth 'herb' being fake, that flashlight is the only si-fi element. I'm guessing research suggets that certain demos like hypno-themes and blinding light. As for TP, I do think he has been over-hyped but be falls into character well enough. I don't know why TPTB are trying to get GL viewers considering both shows seem to hold the same fan base.

You and I seem to like/dislike different characters on the show. I think it is interesting that a lot of us seem to tune in for different reasons. Some people love CarJack, others Nuke, the Ryans', Bratie, Henry, and so on. It does seem like everyone has a favorite.

[P.J.]

I keep meaning to tell you...no, I can't recall Carly and Jack ever referencing going to a Cubs game. The only real time baseball came up was after Carly left with Simon, Jack at some point offered to take Parker to the Cubs' spring training in Arizona. For some reason, I think they either went and came right back, or had to call off the trip at the last moment. But it was a fairly obscure plot point, and before they started more outside the studio shoots. Historically, Parker's been more interested in hockey than baseball.

[Saving ATWT]

I don't really think the Mick character has been under-written. It seems like 'mystery' has been at the center of the story with 'who is he' being the primary question. As time goes by, viewers learn more and more about his character. It seems like the entire story rests on the build up to some sort of big reveal.

As for every character trusting this stranger, Mick is supposed to be the archtypical con man. I'm not saying all is well and every element is perfect but overall, up to this point, all the parts fit and the plot line works.

[Actor87]

SavingATWT, I think you're reading waaaaayyy too much into this, dude. It's just a soap. There's no poetic undertone, richly historic themes, or cinematic inspiration. It's just your normal everyday soap opera... full of deception, secrets, bombshells, affairs, and relationships. I think you're trying to dissect it too much; make it something that it's clearly not.

As for the Mick/Alison uber-creepiness, it's just that. Uber-creepiness. No one wants a strange, mysterious man swooning them, seducing them, and putting their hand in his mouth. In the candlelit belltower of an abandoned church, no less.

Well.............. except Alison.

And as for the Mick storyline, it's hogwash. The only reason I'm giving it half a glance is because it has thrust the extremely under-used and incredibly talented Colleen Zenk-Pinter into the forefront. Away from all that, it's just another hocus pocus storyline that belongs on soaps that have a knack for the less-than-usual storylines, such as DAYS or the now cancelled PSNS. The Mick Dante debacle, the Rick Decker return storyline from a year or two ago, and the "Paul has a brain chip" story; they all belong in the Museum of Crap Storylines That Helped ATWT Get Cancelled.

[Saving ATWT]

Supposedly only seven stories exist and they are constantly being recycled, retooled and retold in various different ways. Furthermore, most writers are inspired consciously or unconsciously by commonly known information, myths, tales and histories. Are soaps art or just junk trash for uneducated loosers without day jobs? I think soaps are up for critical analysis just like any other form of writing unless, that is, soaps have no artist value. I'm guessing DK, like me, went to school for something like writing or comparative literature, and, in the process, picked up basic tricks on how to utilize classic artistic motifs, dumb them down, make them your own and develop a semi-watchable story. I'm not reading too much into anything 'cause what he has been doing is pretty clear. Silly writers like Danielle Steel and John Grisham do the same thing. Great writers like Truman Capote and Joyce Carril Oats do the same thing but it all comes out better. I do the same thing and my work is mediocre. You remarked that it is just a soap 'full of deception, secrets, bombshells, affairs, and relationships.' Every great writer, from Shakespeare to Balzac focused on these same themes.

As for the Mick/Allison scene...millions of women (and men) would love rubbing their hand all over his face, and for that matter, his whole body. That scene was HOT. I wish other pairing such as Nuke and Pem were so sexy.

[P.J.]

LOL...in the midst of the preposterous Mick story, I'm really REALLY glad the boy who had a mood-altering chip implanted in his brain (at some time that's still yet to be explained or was even hinted at) doesn't accept it as gospel simply because Mick had photos of him as a child (or whatever Babs' reasoning is...)

Susan ROCKS! I only wish she'd slapped her stupid daughter upside the head and asked WTH? And I'm so glad she also brought up the Aaron/Chris situation.

Sigh...Carjack BLISS. Carly's a freakin' saint. And not one of those fake saints who forgets their past. And props to Liberty for bustin' Janet's inane fake "cheeriness" and accepting Carly's non-answer when she asked if Carly still loved Jack.