As The World Turns Discussion Thread

[Faulkner]

A bunch of ATWT actors paid tribute to him when he passed, right? Michael Park? I know CZP appeared to love him, as he centered the show around Barbara. 
 

I don’t recall any of his so-called innovations, but I’m chalking that up to the feature writer not knowing soaps. At the time, I did like that at least he tried to ground Leah Laiman’s stories, most of which felt like half-baked gimmicks, in character (like Andy’s paralysis and Rose). He did bring buzz to the show during a time when it otherwise would have faded into obscurity. But man, did things come undone.

[All My Shadows]

There was not a goddamn thing groundbreaking about Hogan's ATWT. Was he still around for Luke's coming out or was that all Jean? I seem to recall Hogan was there, then he wasn't, then he went back to work under Jean?
 

And this is the problem. No one in the room respected ATWT enough to say "You can't do that" nor did Hogan respect the show he was tasked to write enough to say "I shouldn't do that." I can't herald someone like that as a soap hero.

I'm sorry for the struggles he faced in his post-soap life, though, and I hope he was able to find some kind of peace before his death.

Edited May 13, 2020 by All My Shadows

[antmunoz]

I somehow feel that Eileen is not well. That makes me sad to think that, but I just feel that perhaps she wouldn’t be able to participate or that perhaps that she wouldn’t want to appear. 
 

I hope I’m wrong. 

[FrenchFan]

I hope you are. But even if she is fine, she is 86 ! 

[Brolden]

Thank you for sharing that article on Hogan Sheffer. I know it's not the popular opinion, and in hindsight I do see the issues in his writing, but I started watching in 2000 and always loved his stuff. Although 2000-2001 was definitely the best part of his run, to me 2002-2003 is still highly watchable (and certainly more so than some of the 1995-1997 and post-2006 stuff). 2004, which was still very much in Hogan's run, was a low point for me, and JP's arrival really led the show to perk up from mid-05 to mid-06, before it all went south. Still, I'd take Hogan's writing over most of JP's writing any day. 

 

Very nice to hear Craig Sheffer reflect on his brother as well. I remember finding out that the guy who was headwriting my favorite daytime show and the guy who played Uncle Keith in my favorite primetime show were brothers after I'd been watching both shows for some time and being shocked.

[DramatistDreamer]

I will say one thing about Sheffer's maiden year, it bailed the show out of what had been a deep malaise in the previous year.  Just about anything where a story had some movement to it was likely to be a vast improvement over what had been taking place in the previous two years.

My problem with the content of his writing is the lack of respect for the show's history and it's characters that was glaringly obvious. One of the things that dramatic writers are usually taught, especially when practicing to write for serial drama (or even comedy) is not to venture too far out from the "universe" of the show.  I hate to use the word "rules" but call it what you must.  Even in science fiction there is a certain universe and to venture too far outside of that is to undermine everything that came before.  I think that was one of my biggest frustrations with his writing is that tendency to undermine just about everything that had preceded it.  I mean, I guess if you'd only started to watch the show a few years before, who cares, right? But if you'd been following the characters a good fifteen years or so, it was like watching the history of a town being torn to pieces. And to hear a HW joke that because it's only a soap, he could just write crazy sh*t, that just makes it entirely worse.

 

Also, tbh, from the time Sheffer gave his Emmy speech, you could tell the complex about 'writing down' for soaps had shown itself. Many took it to be a kind of "aww shucks" unguarded moment (where he accidentally gleefully gushes about always wanting to write for AMC, then quickly interjects "Oh crap".) but it seemed to be a Freudian slip that he should've been writing for the more high-profile soap.  As a screenwriter, if he was going to deign to write for a soap, he likely would've preferred to write for the more high-profile, more buzzed about soap.

 

It's great that at least he had a great relationship with his brother, (some people don't have good personal relationships with anyone).  Sheffer was likely more complex than any of us will ever know. Most writers are. 

One person who always comes to mind is one of my favorites, Liz's ex, Paddy Chayefsky.  He could be a brilliant writer and was said to be a gregarious spirit but he was also known to be vastly controlling in terms of his writing (by the way, most writers have a tendency to be, if they care about their work, that is). Chayefsky was notorious for slowing down productions if his vision clashed with a director's or producer's vision (and it often did).  Many recognized how brilliant his writing could be (he would've outshined and in-form Sorkin by every measure in dialogue, and it wouldn't have even been close) but many didn't want to work with him because he was seen as difficult. Just an anecdote but don't trust a writer who is not somewhat controlling of his or her work, they don't care.

Edited May 14, 2020 by DramatistDreamer

[BetterForgotten]

I think this is the first time I ever saw who Paul Lammers was (the best director ATWT ever had, IMO) - ATWT winning Best Directing in 1993.

 

37:25 in.

 

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[Aback]

 

I love this.

[Paul Raven]

Lammers directed ATWT for 40 years died July 16 1996. He was 74. Survived by his partner Dr Leo Altschul, and a brother.

[All My Shadows]

Okay, Paul, watch it with the Susan crack, kiddo.

[ATWT&GL614]

Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays will be live tomorrow 2pm ET on youtube!!!

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[Soapsuds]

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[DramatistDreamer]

Someone has got to fix these tech issues on the livestream. The discussion is entertaining and lively but being marred by technical issues.  I'll have to pick up the rest later.

[mango]

Scotty DeFreitas is a lovely man. His words about Don and Kathryn will put a lump in your throat.

 

Great stories and memories today. I hope you have a chance to watch it.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

I saw part of that and it was indeed lovely.  I don't mind Scott taking over the show, lol.  Alan does need someone to sort out these technical issues though.