OLTL: TV Guide interview with Valentini & Carlivati

[SFK]

Right, this is pretty much how I feel Monty. No one is forcing me to watch, and I have certainly stopped watching shows altogether when nothing interested me. But aspects of OLTL *do* interest me, whether it be actors and characters that I'm fond of or a s/l that does in fact pique my interest. To me, it's more akin to catching a play or watching a movie that may not necessarily be your cup of tea, but your friend or favorite actor is appearing in it. At this point, I cannot help but be interested, and that's on me. I just want the show to be better, I want it to be everything it's capable of being based on my past viewing experience, I don't think the "no one is forcing you to watch" argument helps anybody really. Then suddenly no soaps left and a bunch of execs and writers inexplicably being hired to sink new shows. <--That wasn't really directed at FV nor RC, just generally speaking. One thing I'll give those gentlemen is that they seem to have a genuine affection for their show, no matter how misguided things may appear on screen. I wish they would/could share more about their wonderful ideas that were D.O.A., it might boost my confidence in their abilities and give me a more positive outlook on the work they are at least *trying* to do. ?

[Sylph]

That's like a husband saying to a wife I love you and then f*cking a secretary behind her back. He does love his wife, but...

[SFK]

Right, that's my weak attempt at trying to give them some of this benefit of the doubt they claim they deserve. Giving some credence to this notion that a huge chunk of the awful pie is due to interference from TIIC. Grain of salt. At any rate, I'm not one to finger point and drag Frank and/or Ron over the coals on message boards, I realize that there are more cooks in the kitchen, and if the show is crap ALL of the cooks can share the responsibility. However. As the *creative minds* behind the show, there is a lot that they ARE responsible for and they have to give those thinking caps they're being paid good money to wear a serious workout.

[Llantano Incorporated]

Wow. I agree with an aspect of nearly everything said here that I do not know where to begin.

There are elements of OLTL that interest me again thank god.

I too, enjoyed aspects of JFP's run- in fact I feel the duration of her run was better than Tomlins. But the destruction of Nora was unforgiveable and the chick who played Jen Rappaport was one of the worst actresses in the history of acting.

I find Valentini to be obnoxiously dull, surface, and false in EVERY interview.

I'm not a fan of Carlivati in interviews either.

Marceline, I rarely agree with you regarding OLTL but your post was spot on.

60% of OLTL is horrible, 40% I am enjoying, and gasp.. I don't even hate the Ford brothers.

[SFK]

You know what's crazy, I don't even hate James and Nate, but I still have it out for Bobby. I hate the idea of them more than I hate them in and of themselves.

[DRW50]

I hate the stories they are in. They are lazy, cliched, and desperate, and tend to involve trashing established characters or making them irrelevant. They all have a weird tic -- James and the robot voice and the mouthbreathing; Nate being a senior citizen; Ford looking like the Church Lady with a brown wig. Even then I would not mind them if the stories were better, but they're just so cheap and lazy, I'm not sure which one annoys me more. I think the cynicism behind them is what bothers me most. James is the one who offends me the least but that is the one which is probably the most cynical, between "Twinkle" and the rest.

[SFK]

James is the *special* one of the three, there's something a little Lenny/Ferdinand the bull about him. They started him off as wannabe badass, but with his sweet, gentle, high registered robotic line readings, he should be sitting in a field somewhere shaking dead dandelions.

Nate is Nate. To me, he has less of a Ford identity, he just reminds me of one of many young male characters that have been ushered in and out of Llanview over the years. He *probably* bothers me the least. Honestly, I think I like him more than I ever liked Cole.

Ford, I just cannot and will most likely never be able to stand him, not as long as I can remember his genesis. The attempts to give him redeeming qualities and to justify his actions through backstory, it is just so terribly transparent and manipulative and I will never buy into it. It hasn't been handled with finesse, there's nothing organic about it. A hammered square peg.

[DRW50]

I would mind Nate less if I could forget what they are doing to Matthew.

[SFK]

I'm undecided on that. I like Matthew the prick, not fond of the idea that Dani/Nate fuels it. Even less fond of my hunch that EA's a personal trainer away from rocking the front burner ("We'll keep him in suits..."). I maintain that giving Matt a fresh mouth that fateful morning with Bo and Nora was the best, most interesting thing they could have done for the character. I think it's lost on villainy though, he could potentially be a very interesting snarky nice guy, like Rex, except not completely annoying.

[Eric83]

+1.

I am trying to understand why they are forcing the Ford family on us. Nothing about David Gregory was that astounding that we needed to redeem him and give him 2 brothers and parents. They have pretty much been shoe-horned on to the show, and now Matthew, Markko, Cole, and probably Brody will be ruined or thrown out just for these guys. It really pisses me off.

I don't even want to get into Inez, she is truly a pain to watch.

[Eric83]

Matthew being like a mini-Asa or whatever is just fine, but what is annoying is that they have him still harping on Dani, who he barely went out with it. Those scenes at the country club with him bossing Nate around was nothing more than a pathetic attempt to get the viewers to feel sorry for Nate.

They will probably throw Matthew at Destiny since he isn't "man" enough for the new lead teen heroine.

Ugh.

[MontyB]

SFK, thanks for the response. I completely understand where you are coming from.

[marceline]

Ike had a "genuine affection" for Tina. It only cost her a broken nose, a few ribs and some teeth.

[SFK]

No problem Monty, you have always been a favorite poster of mine!

[SFK]

Hey, I'm dancin' as fast as I can, I get it folks, no crumbs tossed to Frankie and Ronnie from here on out.