I'll go first:

B&B

- While not perfect, the show is currently in the best shape it's been in since 2003.

Y&R

- Genie Francis is terrific as Genevieve Atkinson. I know she wasn't well liked in her first few months on her show, but I'm currently watching June 2011 episodes and I LOVE her campy take on the character, despite the overall wretchedness of the storyline. Although I never saw Francis on GH, so I don't have that to compare it to. I'd love to see her on B&B in a Sally Spectra/Jackie Marone type role.

- Phyllis is one of very few characters to actually flourish under MAB (save for the Lucy custody madness). And of course, I still consider La Stafford to be the best actress in daytime.

- Maura West was AT LEAST as miscast as Diane as Shari Shattuck was as Ashley.

I think there's genuine respect for his work as a writer, but I also think that his looks and the bandwagon affect play a part. He was someone who was new as a headwriter and therefore, Branco and those at DC can act like they helped make him a star.

I know for me personally, I actually was interested to watch the show again in 2008 after leaving in 2003/2004 after the Holdens were written out (okay, I entered high school at the same time, but I might have cared a little more if I was interested by what I heard about during the Higley era--I'm kinda interested in going back to see some of it). I know a lot of people thought Higley had ignored the show's history, and I do think that Ron was good at incorporating parts of the show's history into the current show, but sometimes he still fell flat (sometimes glaringly flat).

Still, I enjoyed quite a bit of the show last year, and I do still wish it luck once the Daytime Emmys are announced (which I still find excitement for sometimes--who knows why, but I kind of would love it if OLTL got the Outstanding Drama Series Emmy as a middle finger to ABC for treating it like a red headed step child. Immature? A bit, yes, but it's just how I feel.).

I also think people appreciated him (and FV) not being mob happy like Guza (and JFP) over at GH.

Speaking of which, I still think it's possible that they are setting up the final, true downfall of the mob on GH--I hope so, anyway.

Here's a bit of a UO:

No matter how much good Michael Malone did for OLTL, I don't know if I could ever look past how he killed off Gabrielle. It was so disgusting and such an insult to her character. As if her life hadn't been tragic enough already. I know he wasn't big on presumed deaths (which can be a blessing) but still, killing her off and keeping his beloved Luna's GHOST around? UGH.

Edited April 16, 201213 yr by MissLlanviewPA

Which brings us to one of my unpopular opinions: I don't care how good the actors were in that storyline, the Spring Fling/date rape story w/ Marty & Todd (and others) never should have been written.

I actually thought it was an amazing story until they tried to redeem the rapists and turn Todd into a star. I refused to watch the rest of the 90's story on Youtube after that happened. Because it was just too deplorable to imagine Marty speaking with her rapist day in and day out.

I also think people appreciated him (and FV) not being mob happy like Guza (and JFP) over at GH.

I don't see any difference between FV/RC's mob writing and Guza's. Sonny has the same story Guza gave him ten times.

Someone shouldn't be called a fan favorite just because they have a group of very vocal fans and are on frontburner. Alot of times those fan favorites have just as many if not more people who dislike them.

*cough*LANE*cough*

I think there's genuine respect for his work as a writer, but I also think that his looks and the bandwagon affect play a part. He was someone who was new as a headwriter and therefore, Branco and those at DC can act like they helped make him a star.

True but I think Susan has a valid point. Brad Bell has been writing like RC for years and he gets lambasted.

*cough*LANE*cough*

I can name characters on every show. GG at Days, ME now at GH is the obvious one since he's done nothing to improve ratings, or any couple that anyone ships. Not since the days of LnL or Bope have couples done s thing for ratings.

I can name characters on every show. GG at Days, ME now at GH is the obvious one since he's done nothing to improve ratings, or any couple that anyone ships. Not since the days of LnL or Bope have couples done s thing for ratings.

I can name characters/actors on every shope as well. I see some actors being called fanfavs and have to laugh because it's obvious not many are watching for them.

True but I think Susan has a valid point. Brad Bell has been writing like RC for years and he gets lambasted.

His being around for years as headwriter is probably a reason for the lack of hoopla. That and B&B just never being a show which had major notice online.

Edited April 16, 201213 yr by CarlD2

I have two.

1) I don't get the Ron Carlivati love. I'm not saying that he is a bad writer, but I just don't understand the falling down adoration. To me, he just does a bunch of soap cliches, adds some camp, throws in a wink at the audience. Wash, rinse, repeat. Brad Bell has been doing the same thing for years and people call him a hack.

2) I think bringing the OLTL characters over to GH is a big mistake. I believe they could have accomplished the same thing by casting those actors as new characters.

Shoot I'll say it. He's a bad writer! Because a good writer doesn't rely soley on cliches and repeating them over and over again.

I don't see any difference between FV/RC's mob writing and Guza's. Sonny has the same story Guza gave him ten times.

Jason's storyline isnt mob related. Sonny's story isnt mob intense either. Its a backdrop to his character, but so far we havent see the typical mob war stuff that Guza did with the action intense scenes. No shootouts, bombs or violence yet. I think there's definetly a difference in how the mob has been approached

I don't think they have been as focused on mob stories in recent years, perhaps due to budget. Anthony and Franco replaced the mobsters who would pop up for a year or so and then be killed off in a big slo-mo shootout. Sonny's stories have been more about his family, while Jason has had more and more about Franco and the repetition of baby problems/brain problems.

Jason's storyline isnt mob related. Sonny's story isnt mob intense either. Its a backdrop to his character, but so far we havent see the typical mob war stuff that Guza did with the action intense scenes. No shootouts, bombs or violence yet. I think there's definetly a difference in how the mob has been approached

Except there really haven't been any big mob stories in years unless I guess you call the stupid Balkan story a mob story. Frankly it still all seems repetitive. No one cares about Franco they haven't since the day he showed up and Jasons brain issues have been off and on for many years. Add in that Jason and Sam are like watching a turtle in a sprint. I don't get the appeal of them anymore like at all. I think they were onto something diff with Sonny and Dante until it was just again the same old Sonny is just really a nice misunderstood guy BS.

Except there really haven't been any big mob stories in years unless I guess you call the stupid Balkan story a mob story. Frankly it still all seems repetitive. No one cares about Franco they haven't since the day he showed up and Jasons brain issues have been off and on for many years. Add in that Jason and Sam are like watching a turtle in a sprint. I don't get the appeal of them anymore like at all. I think they were onto something diff with Sonny and Dante until it was just again the same old Sonny is just really a nice misunderstood guy BS.

Yes I would call the Balkan story a mob one. That was the typical Guza violence. Kidnapping, car bombs, shootouts, Sam packing heat as Jason's sidekick, multiple threats on Brenda's life, etc... and that was just last year. Balkan was a big mobster with a vendetta and Guza brought him on in this umbrella story which ran for months. RC is very early in his writing so maybe he will go down that route; maybe not. But as of now, he isnt writing a mob heavy show. Its very light on the mob stuff and not emphasized as we have seen under Guza

Edited April 16, 201213 yr by Cheap21

Yes I would call the Balkan story a mob one. That was the typical Guza violence. Kidnapping, car bombs, shootouts, Sam packing heat as Jason's sidekick, multiple threats on Brenda's life, etc... and that was just last year. Balkan was a big mobster with a vendetta and Guza brought him on in this umbrella story which ran for months. RC is very early in his writing so maybe he will go down that route; maybe not. But as of now, he isnt writing a mob heavy show. Its very light on the mob stuff and not emphasized as we have seen under Guza

I think the lack of shootings and such is more about lack of budget than a deliberate decision to move away from it. Wolf didn't really do anything like shootings and such. I think when people say mob they mean the endless repetitive stories for the same 3 people. 15 years nonstop on the FB is enough.