Why do soap writers not know how to write compelling storylines?

[vetsoapfan]

 

The short answer is yes and no. Depending on the writer and how strong the ratings were, certain scribes had more autonomy than others. If ratings were very high, the master writers were harassed less by the suits, and allowed to do their thing with less interference. Henry Slesar (THE EDGE OF NIGHT) once said that during the 1960s and '70s, he was basically left alone to write the show as he saw fit. William J. Bell said the same thing. The networks allowed Irna Phillips to have great creative control too, but even way back then, the networks would feel the need to offer their "guidance" and input, particularly when ratings were tenuous. Harding Lemay acknowledged that when his ANOTHER WORLD was very firmly atop the ratings heap, TPTB at P&G and NBC bothered him much less than later on, when the show's ratings started to slip.

 

Micro-managing and writing-by-committee seems to have proliferated in the 1980s and ghas gotten steadily worse since then.

[Soaplovers]

GH is a little better now that altman is writing...but stellar...it isnt.

 

Y & R..too soon to tell

 

Days... the co writer is new blood...not sure if they have much input.

 

B & B.. new blood needed...and the Forresters need to be phased out.

 

Soap writing is vastly different then prime time writing.  They need to do soap opera writing classes...and you have to pass with an A or B before being allowed to write on a soap.

[vetsoapfan]

 

Of course, BEAVIS & BUTTHEAD and MTV's JACKASS had solid ratings for a few years too, but that does not mean their creators were capable of taking over MASTERPIECE THEATRE.

 

There's no need to reiterate the dismal condition of the Daytime Emmy Awards for the last several years, when writers and soaps have basically been nominated and/or won simply because they managed to produce an episode or two which were slightly less awful than the competition.

[JONNYSBRO]

 

JFP was a master at emmy tapes. At GH she won for the fire and metrocourt and at YR she won for Delias death and the next year the Delia anniversary. Jill was master at emmy tapes. Shes an 11 time emmy winner and has been nominated 20 times.

 

Honestly i think Dena/Ryan have been much better then Sally/Kay. I hate to give Dena Higley so much credit but JG was so bad for DAYS. She brought vets in the forefront, much needed excitement and ratings are up. Its cool they promoted Ryan Quan as hes only in his late 30s very young for a soap writer.

[SweetPea36]

 

+1000

 

I keep re-reading this and laughing at the truth here.

[vetsoapfan]

 

If we cannot keep a sense of humor about the current, atrocious state of daytime TV, we would be doomed, LOL!

[SweetPea36]

 

Most definitely. It doesn't hurt to have a troll/straight man who is so willing to let us bounce lines off his head.

[vetsoapfan]

 

Exactly!!!

[Paul Raven]

Definition of hallow

transitive verb

1:  to make holy or set apart for holy use

2:  to respect greatly :  venerate

[KMan101]

Jonny, you don't understand Y&R at all then

[DRW50]

I'm glad we're going to get another year of people rolling out the red carpet for JONNSYBRO while claiming to disagree with him...

[NothinButAttitude]

 

I honestly wish people would just ignore him at this point as he says the same repetitive bullsh-t for attention. 

[Fevuh]

What makes me the most angry about the Daytime Emmies at this point are that they even exist for the categories of Daytime Drama.  A couple of shows will end up being the "all time leader in daytime emmies" when there aren't any shows left.  For God Sakes...when B&B can be in the category of best writing or best show, and end up with more writing or show emmies than any other show in history (it can happen people!)...that's pathetic.  It's total TRASH.  The very thought that it will end up with more emmies than AMC, World Turns, AW, Guiding Light, or even a show like Ryan's Hope....PATHETIC. 

 

There's nothing that can save Daytime Drama at this point.  Possibly a NEW show could...becuase younger viewers could think they're "in" at the ground level of it...they could think it's "new" or it could be sold like that.  But no one is going to start watching a show that's been around for decades...unless they pull out ridiculous storylines, and then that doesn't get the viewers invested and turns the core viewers off.  See:  DAYS and Marlena's possession.  I remember people who didn't watch soaps tune in for it and talk about it....then they tuned right back out.  They only cared about the plot, not the characters.  When the plots continued to get more and more ridiculous - it alienated the core of the viewers and the newbies were never there for the characters anyway.  It's a losing proposition. 

 

New writers?  Pshhhhhhh.  The last time I was actually happy with a writer (believe it or not)...was Millee Taggart at Guiding Light.  There was a brief period of about 6 months where I felt like the writing had improved and there was control of the show....along with John Conboy as producer.  That was the last time I felt like the old guard/network may have been leaving a show alone and letting the creative people run it.  It was brief, and it ended. 

 

I don't think anyone really wants "good writing" anymore.  That's why people are *itching about the slow pace of Y&R.  For you youngin's out there....this Y&R is more like the Y&R I knew than I've seen in the last 4 years since I started re-watching.  Y&R never went at a stupid break-neck pace.  It could absolutely be downright boring at times...but it finally would build and you got payoff.  You invested your time and you cared because you liked the people you saw day in day out.  It wasn't useless chocolate bon bons every day of your life or every week of your life.  But you waited and you eventually got something out of it.  That's why I'm sticking with Y&R...it looks more familiar right now to the show that I knew than anything else.  For people that keep pointing fingers at their ratings....guess what....hey, they have alot further to fall before they can get cancelled than the other 3 shows.  There isn't any room left for 2 shows at this point...the households stink, your 18-49 numbers stink, and your 18-34 numbers stink.  But keep pointing fingers at Y&R....they'll be there long after you will be. 

[KMan101]

Carl, I've tried. Some people like to feed the troll. But you posting that is just as much acknowledgement towards him as replying to him. I agree with you but there's clearly no point. He won't stop.

 

I've been saying this for so long but some can't stop. I have him on ignore but when you see quotes and his posts in the side column, it's hard.

[DRW50]

 

True. To be honest that poster doesn't really bother me - I've seen much uglier trolls on this board alone. I can just shrug it off. It's more the seemingly endless shock and horror at the same billion posts that makes it tiresome for me. It's become some sort of ritual sadomasochism that takes up so much time and space in every thread. But if people enjoy it that much, I'm just going to start ignoring it, I guess.