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Do we complain too much?


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I just notice many that complain don't offer a solution to their complaint...GH sucks OK but what "should they be doing not to suck" I don't like this storyline ok but what storyline do you like ... this character is useless...

Umm why are they useless. While I don't expect "each and every complaint to accompany a solution it would be nice to know where they are coming from." what can they do to make it better "for them"

....I get the complaints but I don't think the last of the soaps ever took much stock in criticism because many continue to do the same thing and refuse to change...

...IA to complain still shows you are in interested in the show you're watching..there are many who no longer complain and no longer watch...

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I also agree, that soaps are in the dark ages

but I think there is a lot of interactiveness on ABC.com (soapnet.com) at its inception not sure about now because I don't go to the site much anymore..

ABC also had all this stuff in place for feedback / comments rather they do anything with it I don't think so...I know that for TGWife writers twitter during eppys and I thought some other CBS soaps did as well e.g. B/B... I know some "trending" was going on recently with some soap actors but I'm not sure exactly what that is...

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I tend to think if the internet existed in the 70s and 80s the so called glory years and the end of it we would have all been complaining just as much on the boards as we do now.

But on most of the boards not here so much the complaining relates to an actress/actor or character that is in between a fave couple or because they just talked mean to my fave.

As for Crystal Hunt, that was awful, Stacy was an unrootable dispicable character but there is no excuse for the attacks on her not one bit.

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I think a lot of the complaining has to do with the fact that soaps haven't/didn't come into the modern world where viewer feedback is concerned. There are some primetime/cable shows that embrace viewer feedback in all its forms. I've had some experiences with other shows that put soaps to shame. (I've mentioned these examples a million times before so for those who are tired of hearing them, my apologies.)

  • The Good Wife (CBS): The costume designer for TGW has a blog on CBS.com where he takes viewer questions. Two seasons ago, I fell in love with a dress Julianna Margulies wore in a particular episode and asked who designed it. Not only did I get an answer (Alfred Kors), he sent me the link to the website in case I wanted to buy it.
  • Leverage (TNT): John Rogers, one of the showrunners for Leverage, runs his own blog and after EVERY episode he opens up a question post where you can ask him anything about what happened in that show. He answers all of the questions, barring repeats and trolls, and actually addresses viewer complaints.
  • Psych (USA): The showrunner for Psych often goes on the USA message board to address viewer questions and concerns.
  • LOST (ABC): Carlton Cuse and Damon Lindelof used to do a weekly podcast where they discussed each episode and answered viewer mail. In one episode they even recorded phone conversations with fans (with permission) at their own expense.

These are all my own experiences but regardless soaps fail miserably when compare to them. Any acknowledgment I've every gotten from soaps came from the actor, not the show.

My point is that we complain "too much" because nobody listens. Sure certain fanbases get catered to but that's because TPTB want the same thing, not because the fanbase has any power and, frankly, I have less blame for those who complain, than I have for the members of the soap "press" that fell down on the job.

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Khan,

I would worry more about APATHY than complaints. Complaints means the fan still cares enough to take the time to engage and bitch,

I am so apathetic about GH now, I can't be moved to even post a good rant. I'm so bored, I delete whole episodes without watching.

Apathy is the true kiss of death for soaps.

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As for complaining, I do think that's one of the purposes of a forum, and I' don't think you necesarily have to back up every complaint with a way they could improve. But what bothers me is the same as others have said--people who say the exact same complaint time after time (I'm sure I've done this sometimes, but :P ), people who dislike a character so take it out on an actor, because you know they must be just like that, and this is a personal thing but I hate when people make sweeping statements like "If so and so is dropped from the show I will never watch again" and then continues to watchy, though that's more just a funny thing. :P

I have a friend who just got into soaps, thanks to me (he said he thought they were unwatchable before he found out I watched them and he gave them a shot) back in Feb, and now is obsessed. And he loves so much of the stuff about them right now--i know the last thing he wants to hear is me constantly saying, after he talks about loving a certain story or episode, "They used to be better!"

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I often wonder if TPTB or interns and such goto message boards. Not that I really feel thats a valid assessment because most are all complaining because so and so was yelled at today and some such nonsense. But you might get a gage of at least what people are talking about. Although certain boards do seem to obsess over the same characters and actors and actresses and newbies are always blasted for the most part over "legacy" longer term characters. But it would be great if there was a more proactive way of soliciting input. ABC used to have I thnk a board you had to be registered and accepted on based on your profile where I think they used to solicit input and ask questions but the fanbases I think found out and ended up controlling that forum so they closed it down.

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Soap forums often have extremes, as any message board does. You may have heard complaining, but there also probably would have been obsessive psychoanalyzing of every detail (to prove how cool the poster is), heavy obsession over a certain couple, etc.

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Well as long as we're venting...laugh.png

Yeah I hate when people state their opinion as fact a la "Everyone knows Actor X is a jerk...," "Nobody likes Couple A" or "Cliff and Nina are the only ones that matter to viewers!" When someone consistently does that it's looks to me like they feel the need to inflate the weight of their opinion by pretending they represent some grand majority.

Then there are the posters who are more fixated on other posters than discussing the show. It's impossible to have a conversation with someone who only wants to have a fight.

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Yes. I would hate to be a writer or actor on any soap opera because everyone has something negative to say about EVERYTHING. It's a mind boggling feeling when I watch a show day in and day out, thoroughly enjoying the acting and writing and then log onto this board and see that everyone else hated everything about it (OLTL).

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