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GH: The Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati Interview


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I may not enjoy all that they do, but after AMC and OLTL were cancelled GH was on the chopping block. No doubt. Frons leaving, then Phelps was a plus for the show getting to 50. The ratings and good press are giving the show new life, and it might live for some time to come. The show isn't living under a constant threat, and Valentini has a strong hand on the wheel, and isn't just letting the actor egos dictate the show.

There are problems, but they saved the show. Can you imagine Phelps not being fired and or someone like Carruthers turning the show around? I can't.

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Had The Revolution not failed, GH would be toast! Katie bombing gave GH more time. ABC is not keeping GH because it wants to, they have to. Nothing they have tried has worked so they are forced to keep a show they clearly don't want.

As for the show itself, GH is poorly written and poorly produced rubbish! Craptini's passion is to be admired because they seem to be the only ones left possessing it, but they don't know soaps at all. GH is a disjointed mess, which is working because of stunt casting and vets that no one has bothered to put on contract [give me one well written cohesive intelligent story since those 2 were dumped on us - just one]. And pay close attention - you will see that the long standing GH characters don't have stories. The newbies and/or pets have stories, so if you are not tied to one of them, you are screwed.

The audience for soaps is increasing in general and not just for GH. Phelps or anyone else could do the same as FrankenRon but would be called out on it.

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In other words, Ron and Frank are just tilting windmills with their "successful" revival of GH? Someone asked in another thread does CBS regret that canceled ATWT and GL because of the success of The Talk and whatever comes on at 3pm (Queen Latifah in my market)?

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What frustrates me is that THIS show is basically being rewarded in big ways for questionable stories that are at best sensationalist, and at worst, spitting on ABCD history, meanwhile you have TomSell and LB at DAYS actually writing reasonably decent soap opera, but not getting the press arse-licking (or, I suspect, pushing for the press attention by instead, you know, putting their heads down and doing their fekking jobs), and are rewarded with ratings that were considered middling in the Dena Higley era. SMH.

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Robin, Anna, Robert, Duke and Luke all just finished a big story.

Sonny is currently in what looks to be the next main story. Maxie and Lulu just had a story. Earlier this year Tracy and AJ had a story.

I don't know how many years a character has to be on to be considered longstanding, but Luke was introduced in something like 1978, Robert in 1981, Robin and Anna in 1985, Tracy 1977 was it?, AJ was born on the show in 1980. By longstanding do you mean Guza-era residue?

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Because unless longstanding is actually code for "Sam, Alexis and Liz" the point that was made was complete hogwash. Which longstanding characters does RC refuse to write stories for if we are not allowed to consider Luke, Robin, Anna, Duke, Robert, Maxie, Lulu, Sonny, AJ, Tracy and even Heather to be longstanding?

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