One thing that drove me crazy with Frons/Guza/Phelps/Wolf is that instead of writing a character off and having them leave town their solution was to just kill off the character for shock value (Alan, Emily, A.J., Claudia, and so many more). All it did was cause GH to continue it's fast fall in the ratings. I don't care what anyone says, GH probably would have never reached that all time low of 2.2 million viewers in the summer of 2011 had Guza/Phelps been let go sooner. They killed off Alan and ratings dropped to 3 million. They killed Emily and ratings went below 3 million. Also, to all who said the show is not well written I repsectfully disagree 150%. Guza couldn't write a good story either, anyone remember the Balkan story? There were so many huge gaps and holes in that story and it drug on for a good while. Carlivati has actually given us interesting stories Faison/Duke, Anna, The Q's fighting for ELQ. The thanksgiving episode was one of the best in GH's history and you can bet that if Frons/Guza/Phelps/Wolf were in charge that episode would have featured an explosion or shootout or gangster story and a character would have died for shock value. Also, Carlivati is giving us back Lucy Coe!!! and The Nurses' Ball! You can bet that wouldn't have happened under the old regime either. Carlivati really would get my praise if he brought back Bobbie, Laura, Brenda, Scotty as well and wrote Good stories for them like he has for the other vets.

Guza was quite the serial killer - no pun... Georgie was his most heinous offense, and I absolutely hated her. However, she could have gone off to college because I saw no value in killing that girl. It was gratuitous violence for Guza only because nobody enjoyed that. For Guza, departure = kill off. Is there any character he didn't kill off when they left (for whatever reason)? I hear Nicolas was supposed to die in a plane crash.

GH is glorified fanfiction with terrible dialogue and acting right now. I'm not seeing what's so good or interesting. It only looks good in comparison because people expect B&B to be repetitive trash, and Y&R and DAYS aren't telling any stories at all, and as Khan said, bad story is better than no story...

Carlivati gets away with murder with some people - especially his on and off plotting, which other writers would be raked over the coals for. I'm sorry, but that is not good storytelling. Coupled with his SW's hokey dialogue, it makes me embarrassed to catch an episode.

It's not even a question anymore if this is better than what Guza gave us - can't they both suck in different ways?

Many writers loved the show they wrote for, but knew when to hold back and be professional when it was approaching sketchy fanfiction territory. I don't think Carlivati knows how they do that and probably delves into Wikipedia character profiles each day in an attempt to pull some random insight out, and it never feels organic.

To add to this, I've also seen Ron being compared unfavorably as a plot-point writer as if showkiller Guza was all about the hearts and minds of GH characters during his shiteous reign. For every plot-point that Ron has written on both soaps, I can easily cite twice as many Guza shitastic plot-point writing examples that had zero respect for the show's history.

Now, I'm not willing to presume that Ron will do right by each of my favorite GH characters (that'd be JJ Lucky, Robin, and Brenda, though I'll gladly credit him for paying a lot more respect to Robin in her cameo appearances than Guza has had in his entire run) before seeing how he handles each case (since Lord knows I've got my own issues on how he's handling my Todd, his Shorty, and McBain), but I certainly hold him in higher esteem for purposely ignoring some of the fuckery that Guza has written while getting rid of the dead weight - much to the improvement of this show.

Not every criticism of Carlivati is an endorsement of Guza. This isn't a zero-sum thunderdome where one writer must die and the other wins the Powerball. That's like saying that every criticism of 50 Shades of Gray is an endorsement of Twilight. It's possible for people to think that both suck in their own completely unique ways.

I agree. Guza's reign was hideous. What exactly was the point of the Balkan Story? Or the Lisa Niles story? What was the point of Brenda's return when the only story she really got was that Balkan story. Her return was butchered. I'm sure if I dig through the stories of his Tenure I could name a list that would take up a good page of stories he told that were horrific and made me ask Why did he even air this? But Wolf was just as bad. The whole Memphis story with Maggie and Steve, The Lady in White, Bensonhurst. Lol he really wasn't any better than Guza even though I had high hopes from him and thought by reading his interviews he was going to do wonder to GH but that just didn't happen and he was replaced only months after he was hired.

GH is glorified fanfiction with terrible dialogue and acting right now. I'm not seeing what's so good or interesting. It only looks good in comparison because people expect B&B to be repetitive trash, and Y&R and DAYS aren't telling any stories at all, and as Khan said, bad story is better than no story...

Carlivati gets away with murder with some people - especially his on and off plotting, which other writers would be raked over the coals for. I'm sorry, but that is not good storytelling. Coupled with his SW's hokey dialogue, it makes me embarrassed to catch an episode.

It's not even a question anymore if this is better than what Guza gave us - can't they both suck in different ways?

Many writers loved the show they wrote for, but knew when to hold back and be professional when it was approaching sketchy fanfiction territory. I don't think Carlivati knows how they do that and probably delves into Wikipedia character profiles each day in an attempt to pull some random insight out, and it never feels organic.

Standing on furniture applauding!!!!! You said it much better than I ever could!

Ron likes to pull out the flashbacks so he can say, "hey look, I know GH's history" while at the same time penning crap that does not neatly tie to anything else.

Btw, was it ever explained when Wolf was writing the show why it had a man righting Laura on a picture at Wyndemere? It didn't have anything to do with Laura and it didn't go anywhere! I thought we were about to get a good mystery but then it was dropped and never picked back up and I never understood the point of it.

** Writing

Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini are doing a GREAT job at GENERAL HOSPITAL!!!

@cnathanielrichardson

I agree!! I'm loving it and everyone I know is loving it again!

Btw, was it ever explained when Wolf was writing the show why it had a man righting Laura on a picture at Wyndemere? It didn't have anything to do with Laura and it didn't go anywhere! I thought we were about to get a good mystery but then it was dropped and never picked back up and I never understood the point of it.

** Writing

That was the stupid Lady In White story with Cassandra/Irina Cassadine whom Helena killed

Not every criticism of Carlivati is an endorsement of Guza. This isn't a zero-sum thunderdome where one writer must die and the other wins the Powerball. That's like saying that every criticism of 50 Shades of Gray is an endorsement of Twilight. It's possible for people to think that both suck in their own completely unique ways.

Hence is why I've repeatedly stated most (as opposed to all) and have made the distinction between those who don't like Cartini period and those who've been telling the lie about the Guza regime being superior to theirs.

Edited December 3, 201213 yr by VirginiaHamilton

I find it funny (not really) that OLTL fans are considered to be "entitled" by some, although I've seen plenty of entitlement from certain GH viewers who have been whining about "their soap" being "taken over" for damn near a year.

I want to marry this post and have it's babies

Plus from the same ones who talk about entitled viewers

Edited December 3, 201213 yr by dragonflies

That was the stupid Lady In White story with Cassandra/Irina Cassadine whom Helena killed

Oh that terrible story, I can't believe that hit the air. lol

I agree. Guza's reign was hideous. What exactly was the point of the Balkan Story? Or the Lisa Niles story? What was the point of Brenda's return when the only story she really got was that Balkan story. Her return was butchered. I'm sure if I dig through the stories of his Tenure I could name a list that would take up a good page of stories he told that were horrific and made me ask Why did he even air this?

I can write a damn dissertation on the fuckery that was written for Brenda during her last stint, as that bullshit still pisses me off to this day. As for Lisa, that character was the very definition of a plot point and further proves my point that plot-point writing existed far before Ron Carlivati was even considered as a HW successor.

@cnathanielrichardson

I agree!! I'm loving it and everyone I know is loving it again!

+1.

I feel like it should also speak volumes that it seems the response to GH right now is almost split down the middle. That's certainly better than everyone and their mother bashing it as we've seen with other soaps and even GH before.

I can write a damn dissertation on the fuckery that was written for Brenda during her last stint, as that bullshit still pisses me off to this day. As for Lisa, that character was the very definition of a plot point and further proves my point that plot-point writing existed far before Ron Carlivati was even considered as a HW successor.

I agree 100%. But I really don't feel like Carlivati has wrote many plot points besides Trey/Kristina and the baby switch. I honestly think the Duke/Faison story is very good and I am loving it. That story is classic GH. But bringing Brenda back was pointless with that stupid Balkan mess. The story had holes galore and never really made sense. Brenda needs to be brought back for a redemption and Vanessa Marcil is open to return. Are you listening Cartini?? Bring back Brenda with a good story. lol