Members Paul Raven Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 What do you think were some of the dumbest or misguided decisions made in the world of soaps? It could be casting,story direction,scheduling etc. I would suggest Y&R-bringing Phillip back from the dead.This story is a stretch at the best of times,but in this case you had a death that had been seen on screen,an actor that ws not up to the role,a ridiculous premise and absolutely no follow through. GL - new productiom model.What could have been a new direction was botched by inadequate preparation and miniscule budgets,If the show had have arranged some decent outdoor locations rather than taping in a field it could have worked. AW - 90 minute format.Expecting viewers and performers/backstage personnel to turn out 90 mins a day was a huge ask and one that was doomed to failure. TEON - moving to 2.30 saw the ratings plunge as teens and males were unable to watch.Rather than moving it back to 3.30 when ATWT expanded it moved to ABC and never regained in the ratings. AMC -the unabortion.No more needs to be said There are many more I could add...look forward to your contributions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bellcurve Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 GL: 2008 Production Model Switch PC: Firing Karen Harris for Jim Brown and Barbara Esenten Y&R: Giving Maria Arena Bell THAT MUCH CONTROL BEACH: Hiring Margaret DePriest PASSIONS: Susan Lee Giving It The Greenlight Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members quartermainefan Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 There are so many foolish decisions it is tough to think of what could be the most foolish. AMC killed off Dixie, and that was foolish but is it more foolish than years ago thinking they could send Erica to the backburner and make Greenlee the new Erica? DOOL has had a ton of head scratchers in recent years. I wonder how they got Wayne Northrop back but decided what was needed was to make him somebody new? The Edge of Night's timeslot woes clearly was the most foolish decision, since it killed the audience. Similarly, the decision to air GL separate from the rest of the CBS soaps seemed like a great way to kill a show. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 Y&R: I don't really think Phillip's return did any significant harm to the show. The execution was poor but what else is new? The show was falling apart long before he came back. I think Y&R's biggest mistakes were allowing LML to fire so many longtime behind the scenes people and allowing Eric Braeden and his insecurities to dominate the canvas. ATWT: Bringing in one producer after another, starting in 1995, who was ashamed of ATWT's past and of the soap format. B&B: Not retiring Bradley Bell at least 5 years ago. Not phasing out the Forrester family. Choosing to bring back the Logans in tacky and short-sighted ways, with miscasting of key roles and stories that were pointless and annoying. Bringing back Taylor from the dead yet again. GH: Making Bob Guza headwriter in 1996. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dm. Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 Y&R: Almost anything LML or MAB. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cheap21 Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 OLTL - NO ONE putting a stop to this tranwreck. They cant really think the show is in good shape right? Fire Ron C and get some new talent PC - Turning it into a vampire soap. That concept was good for 1 or 2 arc, but there was no need to bring it back permanently in Naked Eyes GH - The Quartermaine Massacre. WTF happened to the family? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 The problems with OLTL started many years ago. I would say 1995-1996 was when they started up again and that was when ABC needed to get tough and really work on the show. Instead they let it wither and then brought in JFP to make it into her own weird extended fantasy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DRW50 Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 AMC: Their biggest mistakes were not properly growing a next generation, which is really eating AMC alive now. Sorry but Rylee are not the next generation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Eric83 Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 AW- 90 minute expansion DAYS- Bringing the SSK victims back from the dead (Seriously, none of the "victims" have a major presence on the show, except for Maggie and Victor.) GL- Production model switch Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catsmeouch Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 DAYS: Firing John and Marlena Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MichaelGL Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 OLTL: Focusing the show around John, Todd, and Rex, while letting other viable characters slip off the canvas. GL: Production model switch and Ellen Weston's entire tenure are Head Writer. THE DOCTORS: Killing off viable characters such Mona, Toni, Penny, and Jason, trying to copy off of 80s GH, and focusing the show around characters nobody cared about. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Khan Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 AMC: Kendall. Josh. GUIDING LIGHT: Taking Jerry verDorn off contract. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bellcurve Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 I will agree with THIS! Taylor returning made this show regress so much. B&B tried to phase out the Forresters for the Marones. Unfortunately, they hit some of their biggest lows ever at the time. But it was the WAY Brad Bell did it, in his usual "swift and sassy"(as TVG's Logan put it) way. The Forresters were never the problem. There was lots of unexplored story with them and still plenty of unexplored story with them(Thorne/Felicia and their kids). Brad Bell's problem has always been on the overreliance of Brooke/Ridge/Stephanie at the expense of everyone else on his canvas. As much as I enjoy Heather Tom and Jennifer Gareis as the Logan Girls, Brad should have never shaved ten years off the Logan timeline. If he wanted to recast with powerhouse talent, there's plenty of out of work GH talented that needed work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Sylph Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 In retrospect. It is not the return per se, it's how it was all handled afterwards. Suggestions? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ClassicsSoapFan Posted April 2, 2010 Members Share Posted April 2, 2010 Old school regrets Search for Tomorrow: Killing off Eunice,turning Sam Reynolds psycho,having the sweet friemd of everyone-- Ellie-- run off with the chef at the restaurant. Guiding Light: Killing off Leslie and Maureen,writing out the Bauers,Pam Long making the show Reva Light,letting Nancy Curlee and Stephen Demorest leave and losing Nancy altogether as a writer. As the World Turns: destroying Doug Marland's legacy,backburning the vets,not firing Goutman and Passanante with Hogan Sheffer. Search for Tomorrow,Love of Life,Secret Storm and Edge of Night: These shows left the soap world too soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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