Jen P & even Thom Racina said they were told they had use of the Llanview 3 for brief peroids, so they were written into story. Then ABC pulled the actors out. Sounds like OLTL's long term plan had to change quick.

The thing what gets me about Jen Pepperman is she blames this whole ABC stealing these actors on OLTL's troubles. OLTL had no real game plan in storyline. It squandered the momentum Frank/Ron had in the last stretch on ABC. It wasn't because PP couldn't secure Kristen, Michael or Roger it stunk. Its because they wasted core vets like Viki, Clint, and Dorian was a mess on this. I don't know if the writers changes helped. Whats crazy is OLTL had so much more going for it then AMC. It had a far more committed cast to joining, it had momentum for when it ended. AMC was almost impossible to restart as Ginger Smith had to beg people and most only came because of Ginger nothing else. They were badly burned actors but what resulted was better storyline that progressed and by the end AMC online really has potential. Pepperman's excuses drove me nutso because what they are are bad excuses. Shes the executive producer and executed the show and should be blamed for what product resulted. If by some miracle OLTL did return again for a second season. They need a new exec producer IMO can give OLTL much more cohesive vision,

This is total BS. OLTL and AMC didn't air 40 episode seasons. They aired the first 40 of 210 episode planned. This was meant to be the first 2 months of a year's worth of story. Name one soap that can feature all of it's cast in a meaningful story in just 2 months. The calls for reboots and all this other nonsense is crazy. Even in the short time they had, they worked out so many of the kinks brought about by rushing production. By the time BOTH shows ended they were in great shape. OLTL finally had it's stories cooking and had they resumed filming when they anticipated (with the new HWs), there's no reason to believe it wouldn't have exploded. Since these shows have had financial issues, that is causing the naysayers to simply say they weren't good and giving them reasons to pounce. They did very well for a rushed, learn-as-you-go production. I have many problems with PROSPECT PARK and how they handle things, but the people on these shows worked their asses off and presented a good product.

This is total BS. OLTL and AMC didn't air 40 episode seasons. They aired the first 40 of 210 episode planned. This was meant to be the first 2 months of a year's worth of story. Name one soap that can feature all of it's cast in a meaningful story in just 2 months. The calls for reboots and all this other nonsense is crazy. Even in the short time they had, they worked out so many of the kinks brought about by rushing production. By the time BOTH shows ended they were in great shape. OLTL finally had it's stories cooking and had they resumed filming when they anticipated (with the new HWs), there's no reason to believe it wouldn't have exploded. Since these shows have had financial issues, that is causing the naysayers to simply say they weren't good and giving them reasons to pounce. They did very well for a rushed, learn-as-you-go production. I have many problems with PROSPECT PARK and how they handle things, but the people on these shows worked their asses off and presented a good product.

I could be wrong but I remember reading early on PP was going to produce 168 episodes and 40 of those were MORE episodes. I just remember a debate that PP didn't order a full year of episodes. Anyhoo, I do agree with you these seasons were artificially cut short and left stories unfinished.

I disagree that OLTL improved over time. It was the opposite in my experience. The show was exciting and really moving the first few with tons of buzz on the boards. The discussion threads here and elsewhere then slowly died out. By the time Jeffrey's tattoo reveal came out and Clint's breakdown, it was too little too late and many had given up.

I don't understand why people act like Jen Pepperman has been out on the corner begging for alms and twenty dollars til payday. She did a single interview on Michael Fairman's show where she was asked a direct question about the GH/OLTL issues by a viewer, and she answered it - it isn't something she's been banging on about ad nauseum, and she didn't vilify anyone. The fact is, they were over a barrel because of the situation with ABC and had to do urgent rewrites when the deal between the two companies fell through at the last minute. Whatever else you can say about how OLTL handled it, those facts have never been in dispute, so I don't know why Jonny or anyone would act like it's outrageous for her to say so, just the once.

Trying to use that one interview as a stalking horse and an excuse for a petty bullshit fan feud which only matters to thirty five people on the Internet is sad, but making out like Pepperman is out there bleating for sympathy is worse. It's ridiculous, and people know better, they just act like they don't. And that's what really annoys me - the willful ignorance over some bullshit perception that it's either Team X or Y. There are no teams anymore, these soaps are all trying to survive.

And Viki and Clint weren't wasted at all.

Edited September 20, 201312 yr by Vee

Again vee as always what u says goes. In life it's about embracing different povs. I suggest u use I statements in your povs. State I don't believe viki and Clint were wasted. I statements are key to making us know is your opinion not fact. Btw IMO oltl isn't trying to survive its done that's the difference.

Good luck in all your endeavours, Jonny.

I don't understand why people act like Jen Pepperman has been out on the corner begging for alms and twenty dollars til payday. She did a single interview on Michael Fairman's show where she was asked a direct question about the GH/OLTL issues by a viewer, and she answered it - it isn't something she's been banging on about ad nauseum, and she didn't vilify anyone. The fact is, they were over a barrel because of the situation with ABC and had to do urgent rewrites when the deal between the two companies fell through at the last minute. Whatever else you can say about how OLTL handled it, those facts have never been in dispute, so I don't know why Jonny or anyone would act like it's outrageous for her to say so, just the once.

Trying to use that one interview as a stalking horse and an excuse for a petty bullshit fan feud which only matters to thirty five people on the Internet is sad, but making out like Pepperman is out there bleating for sympathy is worse. It's ridiculous, and people know better, they just act like they don't. And that's what really annoys me - the willful ignorance over some bullshit perception that it's either Team X or Y. There are no teams anymore, these soaps are all trying to survive.

And Viki and Clint weren't wasted at all.

Thank You the only person Jen has ever said this too in print and online was MichaelFairman and she was tactful. She wasnt throwing individual under the bus. All she said was and Thom Racina (HW) backed this up is that losing Starr & John at the last minute resulted in major story being rewritten at last minute.

That is not VEE telling you its his way or nada, Jonny. That is the OLTL EP and HW saying it and since they were in the trenches, I believe them.

Considering soaps main audience is black, I do think that is something that will always help any soap.

It's funny, a lot of my (white) friends have not believed me when I've said soaps traditionally have a fairly strong black viewership. Tat said, I'm not sure you can full on say that that's their main audience.

I don't think it would've been reinventing the wheel to give Bianca a love interest up front. Just keep her with Marissa and then you'd have the opportunity to have love scenes (which could draw in a gay/lesbian audience and more press), plus Miranda would have a parent in Pine Valley, so Bianca's exit wouldn't have been as left field. David would also have a family member. To me, that will always been the biggest mishap the new AMC writers made. I don't need Marissa as a main character, but even if she had as much screentime as Jane (perhaps that actress could've been the new Marissa), she could've been useful in many ways.

Depending on when they shoot season 2 I wonder about Eden Reigel's involvement as well. She's going to be late in her pregnancy then would have a maternity leave.

However, having it be David's daughter that was killed propelled a ton of story...

But did you need David's daughter to be killed? Wasn't it enough when Leora and Babe were killed? It makes no sense from a storyline perspective to kill off a third child for that same character. It's just too much, unless they were going to play it as if he went absolutely berserk.

I agree thathaving three dead daughters is too much... and yet, I do think it sets up (maybe too lazily) great drama. So I can't really condemn them for doing it.

For me the problem wasn't that they killed Marissa, it's the fact that she was David's daughter to begin with. She was never anything other than a Babe 2.0. Her death served a nice storytelling purpose for the new AMC but other than that I can't bring myself to care. That said I really like SG and thought she had great chem with CBL.

Sarah Glendening reminded me of Alexa Havins for some reason

I already know when the ratings come out next week we'll have to endure more OLTL dragging since it was finale week. I'm sure every soap outlet will post how the ratings didn't spike for the finale, as if it were actually promoted (at all) or promoted as the finale.

I think had they hired SG to play Marissa to begin with, then the character might have survived into the PP version. Her version of Marissa acted more like a daughter of David, then the original Marissa did, imho.