OWN picks up Jamey Giddens scripted show!

[Vee]

I have not forgiven Jamey or DC for how they treated the PP soaps. I do think Jamey has grown a bit since then. I've said my peace about him in this thread over the last five pages.

[Vee]

Hooooooo boy.

 

What amazes me? Almost all the dialogue is arch exposition. Like, literally, all of it is simply expository with some snide jabs. It's written like it's a twitter thread explaining the soap someone would make - in fact, Jamey wrote tweet threads like this for his ideal soaps, or for what he'd do with Soap X, Y or Z. And the suggested script dialogue was always broad expository stuff like this - 'I, so and so, head of such and such company, have married so and so, the only son of...', etc etc. And here it is on TV! Yet despite the formula of that it's still much better written than HAHN. As this was Jamey's pilot I am very curious how the show will sound when it goes to the hands of other staff writers.

 

The foundation and bones of the characters he's made are fine, it's the dialogue that needs a lot of work. The actors elevate what is almost complete expository verse, so I can't say it's 'bad'. They all sell it well. I just... am amazed they let it all read and sound like this. I'm not panning it because it's entertaining and the actors are solid, and it's not amateurish. I am glad for him. But... it's completely exposition! How is this happening?

[Vee]

The last scene with Stephanie and Evan was pretty fun. It was an entertaining little show. I just wish the dialogue wasn't almost entirely load-bearing plot mechanics and character intro. Show, don't tell. The actors are doing it all for the script. I may come back for more, I'm curious how it evolves.

 

I can't believe the pilot randomly ended on a raunchy sex scene of the mayor taking the stylist from behind! That's the Jamey Giddens I know!

[Khan]

 

LMAO!

 

I still can't believe that fat, tasteless bitch got his own [!@#$%^&*] series.  One glance at the story and character ideas he shares on his Twitter feed and you'd KNOW he has no business being IN the business.  But, that's Hollywood!

[Vee]

I don't know that that's fair. I do think Jamey understands a lot of elements of soap structure and foundational stuff, and I've listened to him long enough to feel that way even when I vehemently disagreed with his opinions on contemporary soaps. (It was beyond me how he could quote stuff about classic AW, AMC, etc chapter and verse and get it right, yet still cut for Ron Carlivati's GH or various dumb stunts on latter-day Y&R.)

 

Like I said, I think there's nothing wrong with the characters and setup he has on this show - the bones are fine. It's clearly inspired by stuff like AW, which he adores. Now whether he is the best at executing that onscreen, or whether I agree with his taste, is another story and always has been. But it wasn't full tacky like HAHN. It was broad but not a total cartoon. And the dialogue wasn't all sheer camp but it was mostly very, very baldfaced exposition elevated by actors.

 

Anyway, there is a writing staff and it was a pilot. It was far from a work of genius but it was silly fun. So I'll watch again, why not.

[Khan]

 

It probably isn't -- but who cares?  I've never liked the s.o.b., and I never will.

[Vee]

I've got plenty of issues with Jamey's past. But he worked hard here and I can't fault him for that.

[slick jones]

I just finished it and @Vee I totally agree with everything you said.  I'll keep watching and even if it stays the same like you said, it's fun and fluffy and enjoyable summer fare.

[ChitHappens]

If I'm reading this correctly, Pose wasn't much of a problem for Ambitions, right?

 

 

[Gray Bunny]

 

Correct. Ambitions had a half-million more viewers than Pose, and a 0.3 in demos vs. Pose's 0.2. 

[John]

What is it with Jamey and his Ambitions Vs Pose Bull [!@#$%^&*]

[ChitHappens]

 

What do you mean?

[John]

Jamey even tweeted or Facebooked about Pose not being an issue for his show. Look I liked Ambitions but Pose is written and acted better and If I had to chose (No DVR, Etc) Id chose Pose

The ratings are Good but will they sustain for AMBITIONS, Its all about keepin them eyeballs

[BetterForgotten]

Ambitions benefits heavily from the post-HATHN's timeslot. Really, Jamey should be thanking Tyler Perry. 

 

 

[John]

Right and next week will begin to tell if Ambitions is truly a success