To me rotating the story by having one story on for a week (let's say the Jerome story and Carly/Sonny/Olivia), then the next (Lulu/Maxie babies) and then the third (Robin/Patrick/Cassadines) with barely any cast crossing within the stories is what I believe is causing people to get upset. It isn't that GH doesn't have more than one story, but that they are told in bubbles. So the weeks the story you like the least is focused on may be boring...

Regarding this statement:

TV Guide Magazine: Unless you're a Genie Francis fan. They're having cows because she disappeared from the show. Ditto with Sean Kanan's following. The Rebecca Herbst fans are steamed because she hasn't had a storyline in ages.
Carlivati: What's the point of seeing your favorites if they're not doing something crucial and interesting? Why not let someone else have the spotlight? Now we have a bunch of folks who are not on contract and they can pop in and out when we need them. It has allowed us to broaden our canvas of characters and pull from so many different eras of the show. But, yeah, it is no-win. People will complain because Anna doesn't have much to do. I'll say, 'Hang on, she's got a big story coming." But, then it's never like "Great! Thanks!" It's, "Well, then, what about Liz?" [Laughs] You can't win!

--Soaps are more than about plot. Sometimes characters should be on screen interacting with their friends...if the only time we see characters at the holidays and the Nurses Ball are when they are in the midst of drama that's ridiculous. What some people think is crucial others think is dull...and to me it is crucial that I care about the characters...

The biggest failure Ron has is that he's a plot-driven writer who can't actually write plots. He basically just writes stale camp.

At least he's being honest here and admitting he really doesn't care about anything that made soaps. He doesn't care about community, or the cast, or building storylines. He hates daytime, he likely hates the fans. He just loves the praise. And he gets plenty of that.

Ron is such a petulant, bitchy little girl.

I said it in the GH thread and I'll say it again. It may not be all good over on DAYS (and they look like they have a rough transition ahead with ED's departure), but I am so damned jealous of DAYS fans right now.

How is bitchy Ron getting accolades for his horrid writing and disjointed, crappy show and DAYS is getting nothing outside of SOD?

Logan doesn't care about soaps. Neither do most of the soap websites. They want someone who makes them feel special, and someone they can say they created. They can't do any of that with Ken Corday, or with DAYS, which is more traditional.

They can giggle and coo when they hear Felix saying "Britch" for the millionth time. It's their joke. Ron is their special friend. It's all a shared secret.

Fans, the genre, and any intelligent journalism or criticism can take a hike.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by DRW50

I think Ron loves daytime, and all the things that go with its staples. But - and I've said this before - I think increasingly it's become about love only on his terms, his tastes, his design. This is the way he says it has to be done, everyone's told him he's a genius, and he's decided they must be right after all. Anything other than his way, he seems to treat with increasing contempt. And his taste - and balance - are now often very suspect.

Before Daytime Confidential or any of these people really even knew his name, I made it a point to say he was doing good work and people should take notice of him; SON used to rib me about it when he started at OLTL. But it seems like since more people began to take notice it's been a very slippery slope, a long descent into the worst excesses. He still understands fundamentals and gets some things right. It's just that he now picks and chooses which of the fundamentals to ignore, and if you don't agree with him you're just haters. And somewhere along the way he decided that he, himself - and his story - were more important than any of the characters. That's when a soap gets lost. Plot is not god to soap, and if you think it is you better have something very good planned to back that belief up. Nine times out of ten, Ron doesn't.

I think it's the same with a lot of the soap press - they're so eager to feel validated, to belong, to be part of some sort of club that they'll handwave anything at this point. The problem with Ron Carlivati's work is only partly him. The bigger problem is what I've talked about in the PP threads - there is no other range or variety left in soaps outside the shows that are pretty much entombed unto themselves (DAYS, B&, and no one in the press has any interest in cultivating any or asking for more. They seem to think they can ride this show's sled and it's just going to keep soaps going indefinitely with one brand of soap opera. That's not going to work. I enjoy GH even when I dislike a lot of it, but having this GH be the last bulwark of soap opera - or having any show, for that matter, be the last bulwark - is a prescription for homogenized doom. Because it's just one very broad flavor. The show was actually healthier for having AMC and OLTL back, because it could be itself without having to be all things to all people, or having to have the press try to present it as such.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by Vee

If the show is well rounded and good as soaps used to be, no one would be watching for a single character!

Agree.

--Soaps are more than about plot. Sometimes characters should be on screen interacting with their friends...if the only time we see characters at the holidays and the Nurses Ball are when they are in the midst of drama that's ridiculous. What some people think is crucial others think is dull...and to me it is crucial that I care about the characters...

Thank you. I dont get they have nothing cruical to do so give them time off. How about you just see them places. Like maybe they are at the art Gallery r hanging in the park or at Kelly's. Where are those character moments that dont advance story but advance character and show their character and friendships. I miss that.

I mean my favorite scenes were on Ryan's Hope. Those talks in the back kitchen. We need more of those moments

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by John

Times like these I wish the Brownstone returned

Times like these I wish the Brownstone returned

I loved that set. Have that, Use Kellys as a hang out. Have multigenerational groups hang out

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by John

This interview. Wow.

Like... Where do I even begin?

Characters shouldn't just pop up and be forced in an episode. They shouldn't vanish for weeks or even months and then reapper as if it's nothing. There is a way to work recurring/small contract players and this isn't it. Why was sean kanan so over? Why didn't they build to GF leaving if they knew from the start when it was happening?

Mixing comedy and drama is great. Taking away from the drama of important scenes by undercutting them with slap stick, over the top sitcom antics like rubber masks isn't that. It is just poor choices.

I tuned back into gh for Maxie's baby story and robins return and it was just awful. I think I made it through two and a half episodes? The while thing felt so discombobulated. It was all so random and forced together like nobody bothered to plan anything out and breakdown stories a nd make one episode to the next work.

The thing Is Ron probably could care less what his haters say. He has had huge buzz in his 6 and half years as head writer of he biz. GH was a done cancelled show in 2012 now in the press its a hot buzz worthy show. ABC and Vicki Drummer have called Ron a genius and he will get a big fat contract to continue at GH. Ron's probably thinking, " The more you talk about me the more relevant I become". Again he is the GAGA of daytime.

This interview. Wow.

Like... Where do I even begin?

Characters shouldn't just pop up and be forced in an episode. They shouldn't vanish for weeks or even months and then reapper as if it's nothing. There is a way to work recurring/small contract players and this isn't it. Why was sean kanan so over? Why didn't they build to GF leaving if they knew from the start when it was happening?

Mixing comedy and drama is great. Taking away from the drama of important scenes by undercutting them with slap stick, over the top sitcom antics like rubber masks isn't that. It is just poor choices.

I tuned back into gh for Maxie's baby story and robins return and it was just awful. I think I made it through two and a half episodes? The while thing felt so discombobulated. It was all so random and forced together like nobody bothered to plan anything out and breakdown stories a nd make one episode to the next work.

JP, I knew there was a reason I loved you THIS MUCH!

The thing Is Ron probably could care less what his haters say. He has had huge buzz in his 6 and half years as head writer of he biz. GH was a done cancelled show in 2012 now in the press its a hot buzz worthy show. ABC and Vicki Drummer have called Ron a genius and he will get a big fat contract to continue at GH. Ron's probably thinking, " The more you talk about me the more relevant I become". Again he is the GAGA of daytime.

Oh, he cares. He's one of the most insecure writers I have seen on daytime. Secure, together people don't open a vein on Twitter day after day.

The thing Is Ron probably could care less what his haters say. He has had huge buzz in his 6 and half years as head writer of he biz. GH was a done cancelled show in 2012 now in the press its a hot buzz worthy show. ABC and Vicki Drummer have called Ron a genius and he will get a big fat contract to continue at GH. Ron's probably thinking, " The more you talk about me the more relevant I become". Again he is the GAGA of daytime.

Indeed he is the Gaga of Daytime. Overrated, self-indulgent, derivative and completely, utterly, hopelessly desperate for attention.

What I find intriguing is how the members of his little cult have internalized his desperation. It's not enough for them to like his work, they insist that everyone else fawn over him as well. Most of them sound about ten minutes from renouncing their worldly possessions and going to live on a compound somewhere.

Edited November 12, 201312 yr by marceline

Indeed he is the Gaga of Daytime. Overrated, self-indulgent, derivative and completely, utterly, hopelessly desperate for attention.

What I find intriguing is how the members of his little cult have internalized his desperation. It's not enough for them to like his work, they insist that everyone else fawn over him as well. Most of them sound about ten minutes from renouncing their worldly possessions and going to live on a compound somewhere.

I think it's because he just brings out what they already are. I don't know if you remember the fawning and awkward gyrating Nellie Olsen, DC, etc. did for MAB, but it was the same thing. They let out all this mess for her too. The main difference is she stopped kissing their butts.

Even Gaga at least likes the Muppets.

(insert Kristen Alderson joke here)