PP: AMC & OLTL to air twice weekly

[John]

I believe the previews woek now that the shows dont air daily

[Vee]

The reality is these shows are not going to be what they were. They're going to be, and they are, something new. They've been off over a year, almost two for AMC and the focus is different. The vets are there, the families, but they needed to - and I think they were smart to - focus on and establish the younger generation when they're on an all-new platform in a new decade.

The OLTL youth set in particular is I think the best since the '90s. People will complain about it because people always complain about the young people as if by rote, but the fact is that people watched those and will always watch those so long as they are properly intertwined with generational storytelling. I also think it's been done really, really well on OLTL in particular and maybe it's my demographic but I think they're really naturalistic and entertaining in a not too showy way. I just think it's a crutch to suddenly say now that using the young people is wrong. We all knew three months ago this was the deal. And it's going to have to keep having them up front, along with other generational storytelling for the vets, if they want to make this work long-term for a larger audience, if the audience can be grown at all.

[DRW50]

To much of the soap press, it's ultimately about proving how awesome and special they are, not about the survival of the genre. They're a huge reason the genre is near-death in the first place. They want their fiefdoms, and that's about it. If helping to make sure that PP doesn't have a shot (along with PP's own problems of course) makes it more likely that "Cartini" might have one of their oh-so-adorable winks and nods toward one of this group in an episode, then it's all worth it. It's also about bragging rights.

And how hilarious if they are now suddenly happy with Y&R in comparison to PP, considering their frothing when overaged Marcy Rylan and other pets left the show.

[DramatistDreamer]

I might tune back to GH over the summer but I'm going to be honest and say, I've taken a break from GH. The weather is really warm, when I get home I'm going to try to get a brief workout, shower and make a smoothie. I won't want to sit online and try to see whether I can make it through the latest episode without giggling at ME's latest look. I just can't with GH right now.

I don't think the new online shows are that bad but maybe I want them to succeed for some reason. They didn't help themselves by going in slightly harried and under-prepared but it's a new venture and I anticipated a somewhat steep learning curve.

I think it's fair to critique and criticize but it's also noteworthy to take into account the circumstances. Not to harp on DC, but when I heard them talk about AMC/OLTL they had some positive things to say but the majority of things carried an overwhelmingly negative and dismissive tone. Interestingly enough, Jamey seemed the most positive in his assessment, while Luke seemed the most negative.

[Vee]

They're not that happy with Y&R either, I don't think.

I think the biggest issue with most soap press - not just DC or any other site - is that they've been used to the same paradigm of the same air being re-breathed by everyone, with the same networks, the same people being recirculated forever, the same ancient system in place that the idea of anything new just seems so far-fetched. It's unthinkable that any of the same old stuff we're used to - the same people, the same way of doing things, of telling the stories, however many days or wherever - might change dramatically. And so they focus on the minutiae and spend maybe six minutes on those shows' stories while spending the next, I don't know, seventy minutes dissecting GH, DAYS and Y&R, which, while GH certainly had an insane week last week, I'm not sure those shows merit that kind of dissection.

But I can't entirely blame them at all. This takes getting used to for everyone. The pacing on AMC and OLTL is sometimes great, sometimes off, as are some of the beats. Some of it sometimes feels very alien. And we don't know if these shows can or will last. But I hope they do, because I think they desperately need to, for the sake of all soaps. I try to watch a network soap these days and my eyes glaze over most of the time. What's the point in getting incredibly excited at watching this same system play itself out the same way every year with the same weaknesses, the same laziness or corporate thinking? 'Oh, boy, Michael Easton has a third character on GH. What could happen?!' If those are our stakes, we have a far larger problem.

[BrookenAdamAMCSupercouple]

My feeling is this. You advertise one thing to get me to watch and then show something else. Legacy or not you're right I don't know the 4 characters. Let me get to know them slowly. And right again I know the ones you mentioned and they're why I tuned in. My knowing them is why PP brought them over so they could bring viewers that watched the network version so why is it a crime I expect to see them?

I don't expect B&A to be in some huge story. But I DO expect Brooke to have actual lines to say. To be in character and not just appear (literally just stood there and appeared) to hold JR's suitcase or not have her sole purpose be to ask Celia - whom she barely knows - about her love life while her soon to be again step son just came out of a 5 yr coma. And when she's with Adam I expect to at least the get the time afforded to them and conversations about THEM as is given to AJ/Miranda's 50th 'you're the bestest/no you're the bestest' convo.

DC didn't like LA. His nice PR way of saying it was 'I'm retiring.' He then proceeded to do a CYE ep and filled in for a starring part in a Jack Klugman play. Maybe he's 'semi-retired' now but the whole 'retirement' thing back then. No. Jennifer Bassey confirmed.

The

thing?

said they're in and out over a period of time. And then will have scenes with

I'll just hope Brooke gets to be involved in a signifigant way and that someday I'll get to see her wedding to Adam.

Maybe it'll change. Maybe it won't. I'll still watch. And if I don't like something I'll still say it. Doesn't mean I'm 'thriving on getting screwed over.' Means I'm venting my frustration and would like some improvement.

[Soaplovers]

My problem isn't that the youth set on both shows have been focused on, because you do need the next generation. My issue is the fact that we've been subjected to all of them almost everyday.

Yes, I'm aware of who Dixie/Brooke/Opal/Adam are.. but I don't see why they can't have scenes devoted to other aspects of their lives. The show has moved five years into the future so I would think the writers would feature more scenes with the veterans (you know the people being used to attract viewers) in scenes updating us on their lives outside of the two young couples. I know they can't drive story, but we certainly can see them more often and not just revolving around the newbies.

Its called balance

[BrookenAdamAMCSupercouple]

Absolutely. I'm just semi joking that for those not enthralled with seeing Pelia/Ajanda every day it's like have it rubbed in 'here they come again.'

Absolutely. I'm was just semi joking that for those not enthralled with seeing Pelia/Ajanda every day it's like have it rubbed in 'here they come again.'

[Vee]

The problem is you've been frustrated since pretty much Day 2. At which point the show had not yet aired for a full sixty minutes. That is not realistic to me.

The way I look at it is this: When the McTavish-era AMC knocked her off I thought Brooke would disappear for good and never be seen again. Instead, she came back, reunited with Adam and became part of one of the show's new signature tentpole couples. The final shot of the opening is her and Adam in a romantic clinch. Did any of us ever believe that would ever, ever happen? She's now basically the First Lady of Pine Valley. That is unheard of to me, and carries weight enough for me right now. She's mostly involved in other people's stories at the moment, but I think I'm going to wait until a month or two of the show is under my belt before I complain that they're wasting Julia Barr. Brooke is a tentpole character now, and she'll probably never have the massive airtime she did in the '80s or '90s, but she is a real presence for the first time in well over a decade and I think it'll only get bigger. If people actually give it time.

You're forgetting that these shows have been showcasing almost everyone everyday in some capacity. The pacing and structure is a lot different. It's not like a network hour show where we see eight people and we know that's it for the day. Almost everyone has been on a lot. Not always in the same quantity or focus each day, either. Even when A.J. and Miranda, or Pete and Celia or even the OLTL kids are on, they're not necessarily the biggest thing that day.

[~bl~]

I'm very curious to see the episode counts for both AMC and OLTL once we have more episodes aired. I feel with AMC that the older characters are around, but aren't doing much of anything (except for Angie, Jesse, Zach and David). Eden Riegel is just a guest, so I know once the first round of episodes are through that we won't be seeing Bianca. We aren't getting much POV from some of the older characters on AMC which is what I find frustrating. I'm okay with not seeing them as much, if I knew what they were thinking like Opal.

[R Sinclair]

Sans new characters: Celia, Evelyn, Jane, Lena

Adam

AJ

Angie

Bianca

Brooke

Cara

David

Dixie

Griffin

Jesse

Joe

JR

Miranda

Opal

Pete

Zach

As of now, that's all of the character roster who transitioned from the network that has currently been featured on this show. So far, except for Adam and Joe, both of whose actors are retired, have had a strong recurring presence on this show. Has the story been FOCUSED EQUALLY ON ALL OF THEM?! No! Brooke and Opal are playing more supporting, matriarchal roles right now. Griffin is there to support Cara. However, the rest of the characters who are seen daily (let's not forget, while we chide AJ and Miranda being on daily, Jesse and Angie are second to them in episode counts) are all established characters. The petty argument about them being SORAS'd with new actors in the role notwithstanding, these are all characters that should be familiar to people because of the characters to which they are connected. I challenge anyone who watched AMC its last decade on the show to say they have no clue about who Miranda and AJ are, their backstories... anything. The only frontburner character I could understand being "confused" about is Celia. She's a brand new character with a backstory that's been touched on only lightly. However, bitching about AJ and Miranda? The two of them were on the final episode of the network show reciting the All My Children poem. Let's stop it, already, with this "they're SORAS'd so they're NEW CHARACTERS!" bitchfest.

[cassadine1991]

I know!! it's like with the new Matthew and Destiny on OLTL... they are the same characters who've been on for YEARS, they are just new actors playing them.. I too hate how people are saying the vets are being pushed to the side, I don't see that AT ALL

[John]

Griffin is slow on story cause he was spliting time shooting The Glades a TV show in Miami

[~bl~]

Some viewers don't automatically like a character just because they have the same name as a character that was on ABC. Not everyone automatically accepts or loves recasts. Sometimes it can take months, years or it happens never.

[greens_dupres]

I agree with this 100%. I can't remember the last time I was enthralled by young characters on OLTL and I don't mind at all that they're on most days. I think they're well woven into the "core" of the show (Jeffrey works at the Banner, Dani is next generation Lord/Manning, Matthew is next generation Buchanan, Des is being thrown in with Natalie & Bo/Nora) and have taken unnecessary hits just because of the photo session sequence and the strip poker. I think the fact that Matthew & Dani are kind of directionless drunks is very true of a lot of early 20s college/just out of college kids. I find that way more realistic than the soaps norm of first marriages/baby obession by 24-25. Further, I don't think they generally dominate their episodes (today's scenes were pretty short compared to other stories which is fine)- Todd and Viki have gotten lots of airtime, Natalie's story seems to be picking up some & Robin Strasser was sick at the beginning of taping. Finally, I think growing a young audience makes much more sense for PP than it ever did for ABC. Tweens/teens have Apple products and are on Hulu all the time. The odds of getting them this summer through these mediums are infinitely better than when networks were trying to get them to commit to sitting inside all afternoon.