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 people loved Guza for those specific moments in time, the big melodramatic action movie angst type scenes, usually accompanied by character death.

I hate that on soaps so I was never much of a fan, but I can see why some miss it. In the pockets of abomination there was at times razor-sharp dialogue and strong acting, which isn't there now.

Edited November 25, 201212 yr by CarlD2

I can't believe people miss Guza. He, and even moreso Pratt, are just horrible writers indulging in nihilistic excess that sometimes bordered on the obscene.

I can't speak to Guza but Pratt was just a bad fit for AMC that doesn't change the fact that he had some good stuff. (The show had some energy and I like the stories he tried to do around the Iraq war and its effects on Frankie, Taylor and Brot.) I assume the same is true for Guza. Even the crappiest writer usually manage to do a couple of things right. Given the state of the genre that's all you need. There are no more Doug Marlands and Agnes Nixons. They're all working for cable or the BBC.

I can't speak to Guza but Pratt was just a bad fit for AMC that doesn't change the fact that he had some good stuff. (The show had some energy and I like the stories he tried to do around the Iraq war and its effects on Frankie, Taylor and Brot.) I assume the same is true for Guza. Even the crappiest writer usually manage to do a couple of things right. Given the state of the genre that's all you need. There are no more Doug Marlands and Agnes Nixons. They're all working for cable or the BBC.

Pratt had Adam kill Stuart. Stuart being shot by his own twin brother. It's depraved and obscene.

Pratt had Adam kill Stuart. Stuart being shot by his own twin brother. It's depraved and obscene.

I know that. Like I said, he was a bad fit. That doesn't change the fact that he did some things right.

Pratt had Adam kill Stuart. Stuart being shot by his own twin brother. It's depraved and obscene.

And didn't Annie's lie and say her daughter did it?

And didn't Annie's lie and say her daughter did it?

No she just knew that Emma saw Adam kill Stuart and tried to convince her to say she saw Kendall do it

I can't believe people miss Guza. He, and even moreso Pratt, are just horrible writers indulging in nihilistic excess that sometimes bordered on the obscene. The image of 40 year old Sonny strangling 75 year old Edward with his necktie was disturbing--and this was the romantic hero! Georgie's death, the repeated replaying of Emily's death, random carnage with Cooper and was it he hanging himself so Maxie found the body? And Michael strangling AJ while Monica watched and did nothing, Luke paying Coleman to sleep with Tracy, and on and on and on with these neverending examples of bad taste mixed with a writer who has no interest in morality and meaning. He had an occasional good scene and seemed to have a hidden desire to write sitcoms with people like Diane and Spin, but for every harmless attempt at silliness were 20 examples of chaos and cruelty. Good riddance.

PREACH. Thank you for reminding everybody that what came before was so, so much worse -- and so much more destructive.

Edited November 25, 201212 yr by Cat

Frank and Ron are hacks like everyone else and no better level.

I can't believe people miss Guza. He, and even moreso Pratt, are just horrible writers indulging in nihilistic excess that sometimes bordered on the obscene. The image of 40 year old Sonny strangling 75 year old Edward with his necktie was disturbing--and this was the romantic hero! Georgie's death, the repeated replaying of Emily's death, random carnage with Cooper and was it he hanging himself so Maxie found the body? And Michael strangling AJ while Monica watched and did nothing, Luke paying Coleman to sleep with Tracy, and on and on and on with these neverending examples of bad taste mixed with a writer who has no interest in morality and meaning. He had an occasional good scene and seemed to have a hidden desire to write sitcoms with people like Diane and Spin, but for every harmless attempt at silliness were 20 examples of chaos and cruelty. Good riddance.

+1.

I can admit that Guza can write a good story, but I couldn't with the Sonny/Jason worship and all the unnecessary deaths (Justus, Alan, Georgie, AJ, Emily, etc.)

I'm still pissed he killed off Logan, that was my favorite Lulu pairing I have seen her in.

Frank and Ron are hacks like everyone else and no better level.

I don't think that's a UO. If it were, Carlivati wouldn't spend so much time and energy baiting his detractors on Twitter.

I don't think that's a UO. If it were, Carlivati wouldn't spend so much time and energy baiting his detractors on Twitter.

Well lately with him them bringing back the 80s I keep seeing all over stuff about them being great and knowing how to write real soap and how others should follow their example. The most ridiculous thing I read had to have been an article that said something like Frank and Ron know that older characters attract the young viewers.

Well lately with him them bringing back the 80s I keep seeing all over stuff about them being great and knowing how to write real soap and how others should follow their example. The most ridiculous thing I read had to have been an article that said something like Frank and Ron know that older characters attract the young viewers.

That the same blowjob the soap press has been giving him for years. It's nothing new. In fact, I predict that the Carlivati/Valentini fapfest will gain energy as we approach the GH anniversary.

Oh I know the biased soap press has done it for a long time but it's not just the soap press doing it lately.

Oh I know the biased soap press has done it for a long time but it's not just the soap press doing it lately.

IMO, a lot of the people praising RC do it because they think that's the best/only way to support the genre.

Basically, RC is to soaps what Danielle Steele is to Lifetime movies: a necessary evil.

Edited November 25, 201212 yr by marceline

I can't believe people miss Guza. He, and even moreso Pratt, are just horrible writers indulging in nihilistic excess that sometimes bordered on the obscene. The image of 40 year old Sonny strangling 75 year old Edward with his necktie was disturbing--and this was the romantic hero! Georgie's death, the repeated replaying of Emily's death, random carnage with Cooper and was it he hanging himself so Maxie found the body? And Michael strangling AJ while Monica watched and did nothing, Luke paying Coleman to sleep with Tracy, and on and on and on with these neverending examples of bad taste mixed with a writer who has no interest in morality and meaning. He had an occasional good scene and seemed to have a hidden desire to write sitcoms with people like Diane and Spin, but for every harmless attempt at silliness were 20 examples of chaos and cruelty. Good riddance.

To add to this on-point analysis of the last 10+ years of horrendous crap that passed for this soap, I'll add that had we not been subjected to its putrid destruction by their hands, viewers wouldn't be heralding the Cartini regime in the first place.