October 25-29, 2010

[Soapsuds]

**orders another round of drinks for herself and Ann_SS**

[DRW50]

In the past it's been said from "sources," I think, that it doesn't matter if OLTL is rating better than AMC and GH because those shows have more brand value. Isn't that what Daytime Confidential said last year?

I do wonder how long they are going to let this continue on with GH. There are no cards left to play. Every former golden child was brought back, endless explosions and death and shootings and SPECIAL GUEST STARS. What's left?

Solid and entertaining storytelling, friendships, strong female characters, a world without Sopranos wannabes.

[marceline]

There's room on the couch for you too. I'm having a Blue Moon and Ann's drinking Cosmos. What do you want to drink? It's on me! Have some popcorn!

[CouchTomato]

AMC question: Were B&E the GL HWs who bragged how they spent hours drinking in a local watering hole, jotting down story ideas on cocktail napkins?

IMO, one reason Brenda's return hasn't worked is the same reason OLTL's "original Tina" return failed. Tina spent most of her time (until very near the end) in a foreign country doing an outlandish farce rather than in Llanview interacting with her family. It took too long to get Brenda back into PC. Then there's the fact that the wardrobe has been so drab for The Brenda. Guza's focus hasn't really been on Brenda but the neverending mob dramas of Sonny, Dante, Jason and Michael. I tuned in to see Brenda return to PC. But I tuned out again after 3 weeks and she wasn't even close to returning to PC. Sonny and the mob are exactly why I stopped watching GH years ago.

[Soapsuds]

There's room on the couch for you too. I'm having a Blue Moon and Ann's drinking Cosmos. What do you want to drink? It's on me! Have some popcorn!

I'll have one of each please! I'd love me some popcorn too!!

[DRW50]

AMC question: Were B&E the GL HWs who bragged how they spent hours drinking in a local watering hole, jotting down story ideas on cocktail napkins?

IMO, one reason Brenda's return hasn't worked is the same reason OLTL's "original Tina" return failed. Tina spent most of her time (until very near the end) in a foreign country doing an outlandish farce rather than in Llanview interacting with her family. It took too long to get Brenda back into PC. Then there's the fact that the wardrobe has been so drab for The Brenda. Guza's focus hasn't really been on Brenda but the neverending mob dramas of Sonny, Dante, Jason and Michael. I tuned in to see Brenda return to PC. But I tuned out again after 3 weeks and she wasn't even close to returning to PC. Sonny and the mob are exactly why I stopped watching GH years ago.

Yes, that was B&E.

I think that both Tina and Brenda have had poor writing, but I also think Andrea Evans did a good job, and she had a very difficult job, uniting the various personalities and men Tina had had since Andrea had left. VMG has seemed lost, and she has also lost the charisma which she had when she played Brenda before. The charisma was what really made her so popular, along with decent writing.

Now that Brenda is back, from most accounts the writing for her is awful, and she exists only to push agendas about Jason/Sonny/Dante and to be worshiped and protected.

I think the clothes are an attempt to hide how thin VMG has become. She said she has a health problem.

[marceline]

AMC question: Were B&E the GL HWs who bragged how they spent hours drinking in a local watering hole, jotting down story ideas on cocktail napkins?

Is there something wrong with that? I say follow the inspiration.

It's always interesting to me to see what writers people like or hate and why. There's so much hate on this board for B&E and I completely understand that but for me they are the writers who 1.) wrote AMC's Jesse and Angie the reunion and wedding worthy of that supercouple and 2.) were the last writers on OLTL who wrote the character of John McBain as a real character instead of some plot point android airhog.

[Southofnowhere]

The idea that OLTL is not in a better position than AMC or GH right now is ludicrous.

OLTL is doing better right now. Period.

True, it's more about GH and AMC dropping than OLTL rising, but what's the difference? That's the only way soaps have been changing ranking positions for years now. Aside from DAYS' increases last year, the news in soapland has been about all the shows dropping, further and further. The fact that AMC and GH are dropping faster than OLTL *is* a good thing for OLTL.

And...it's true that most shows are pretty low right now. Aside from Y&R at the top, and AMC at the bottom, the other four shows all tied in the 18-49 demo this week. But keep in mind....the shows won't all be canceled at once. Sure, they'll all be canceled sooner rather than later, but OLTL at its current level will surely guarantee it a year or more past AMC's expiration date. And if GH keeps tanking? OLTL could be the last ABC soap standing. It's not impossible anymore.

GH is #2 in 18-49 it's not going anywhere! If AMC goes before OLTL(Which seems likely) i hope One Life fans like Ryan/Greens/Kendall and maybe Zach because baby when AMC goes down 3 -5 AMC characters will end up in Lanview or OLTL will expand into Pine Valley. Could see La Lucci on recurring as well.

Then when OLTL does down Ryan/Greens/Rex and McBain wil end up in Port Charles.

Y&R ,B&B and GH will be the final 3.

[Southofnowhere]

Is there something wrong with that? I say follow the inspiration.

It's always interesting to me to see what writers people like or hate and why. There's so much hate on this board for B&E and I completely understand that but for me they are the writers who 1.) wrote AMC's Jesse and Angie the reunion and wedding worthy of that supercouple and 2.) were the last writers on OLTL who wrote the character of John McBain as a real character instead of some plot point android airhog.

My hates for B&E boils down to the Erica goes to prison and only 1 of her kids goes to see her.

[DRW50]

Is there something wrong with that? I say follow the inspiration.

It's always interesting to me to see what writers people like or hate and why. There's so much hate on this board for B&E and I completely understand that but for me they are the writers who 1.) wrote AMC's Jesse and Angie the reunion and wedding worthy of that supercouple and 2.) were the last writers on OLTL who wrote the character of John McBain as a real character instead of some plot point android airhog.

I didn't know they wrote for OLTL.

I don't exactly love B&E but I did like their writing for Loving, some of The City, and some of their GL run. I also like that they brought back Angie and Jesse.

Probably my biggest issues with their work was what happened at GL and PC but then they still don't seem that bad to me.

[edgeofnik]

Interesting that B&B and DAYS hit their audience highs on Wednesday. Coincidence? I don't think so. As far as brand value: Y&R, GH, AMC & DAYS. Let's face it: ATWT turns should've been there. Certainly more US viewers are familiar with that brand that B&B. I'm hoping that the OLTL holds on.

[Carolyn1980]

GH is #2 in 18-49 it's not going anywhere! If AMC goes before OLTL(Which seems likely) i hope One Life fans like Ryan/Greens/Kendall and maybe Zach because baby when AMC goes down 3 -5 AMC characters will end up in Lanview or OLTL will expand into Pine Valley. Could see La Lucci on recurring as well.

Then when OLTL does down Ryan/Greens/Rex and McBain wil end up in Port Charles.

Y&R ,B&B and GH will be the final 3.

I guarantee B&B will go before OLTL and GH...and maybe even AMC

[Carolyn1980]

GH is #2 in 18-49 it's not going anywhere! If AMC goes before OLTL(Which seems likely) i hope One Life fans like Ryan/Greens/Kendall and maybe Zach because baby when AMC goes down 3 -5 AMC characters will end up in Lanview or OLTL will expand into Pine Valley. Could see La Lucci on recurring as well.

Then when OLTL does down Ryan/Greens/Rex and McBain wil end up in Port Charles.

Y&R ,B&B and GH will be the final 3.

You'll see Ryan/Greenlee et al on GH before OLTL. Budig wouldn't return to AMC until Frons moved it to L.A. for her

As for Lucci...I think you overestimate ABC's investment in her at this point. I think they would have been perfectly happy if she had retired when the show moved west.

[LeClerc]

Forget the AMC vs. OLTL wars, the thing that should have both AMC and OLTL fans up in arms is the amount of money that GH gets to waste. Frons just shovels money its way, and this is the end result? Now GH will probably get even MORE of the budget for more prime-time has-beens and sweeps stunts. When AMC or OLTL drop they suffer cuts; when GH does it's "Oh oh! We better give them more money to turn things around".

AMC may be over-budget but nobody throws more money down the drain than Guza and Phelps.

[DRW50]

Forget the AMC vs. OLTL wars, the thing that should have both AMC and OLTL fans up in arms is the amount of money that GH gets to waste. Frons just shovels money its way, and this is the end result? Now GH will probably get even MORE of the budget for more prime-time has-beens and sweeps stunts. When AMC or OLTL drop they suffer cuts; when GH does it's "Oh oh! We better give them more money to turn things around".

AMC may be over-budget but nobody throws more money down the drain than Guza and Phelps.

You're right. GH is the problem. They bleed huge amounts of money and the stunts done to try to stop the bleeding have just made it worse. If ratings don't go up again significantly than their 18-49 demo is pretty much tied with OLTL. If GH stays it will not be based on great demos, it will be based more on the whole "brand" thing. Yet no one at ABC Daytime cares that Guza flushed that brand down the toilet.