GH: February 2024 Discussion Thread

[Vee]

I don't blame you for being confused. This all sounds like social media detritus and random speculation from people on apps who are in turn interpreting random comments from other fans. That's not credible information and we shouldn't just echo anything and everything.

[Beachstorm]

Also odd that no one had any knowledge of Avery Pohl leaving GH. That info was not out there, no one predicted it at all. But rumors saying she left to continue some schooling was scuttled about. Nope, her contract was not renewed and she's known it for 6 months. I prefer to wait for the facts to be confirmed than to throw out random speculation (nor do I believe it most times).

Edited February 19 by Beachstorm

[Contessa Donatella]

Thanks again for the Event Report!!! Love reading this stuff!

BTW, GH is dark for both this week & the next week. This is supposed to give PM/EK time to write undistracted by things going on, or maybe time to get a leg up while the show is stopped & not moving for 2 weeks. 

 

[Vee]

I mean, I predicted it lol. It didn't surprise me at all that she exited with Spencer once the strike ended, it just made narrative sense for the show. I knew once she got her memory back and Chavez had an exit date that Esme was spent. I fully expected those two to have an exit a la Vanessa and Leo du Pres on AMC and that's exactly what they got, instead it was falling off a boat instead of over a waterfall. And I doubt I was the only fan anticipating something like that. But I didn't put it on Twitter or IG as an educated guess. If I did it might well have ended up on this thread being called a 'rumor' and we (I don't mean you) have to be more discerning than that.

Edited February 19 by Vee

[Contessa Donatella]

What's odd about it? There is no reason why some specific information should be heard about. There's just no rhyme nor reason why some things are heard about & some are not. Some things like the new writers there were lots & lots of leaks. Some things are a surprise. And, then, also they say NLG has yet to meet a secret she can keep. But, again, that's what they say. I have no basis for judging it. I just laugh about it. 

[Beachstorm]

It's just that it's pretty big news to have not heard any chatter about. They certainly kept it hush-hush. We knew all about NAC leaving for his other role. I'm sure many people thought that once Spencer was gone, Esme might be gone too. I never thought her time was coming to an end. I was completely surprised to find she was done. But we all know anyone can be gone at the end of their contracts, or even before. We've seen it many times.

I hate it when the press release doesn't match the actual fact of an actor leaving a show. Then in a couple of weeks we get the real truth and it's usually that the actor didn't want to leave at all (Lexi Ainsworth).

[Aragorn]

I think the producers really liked Avery Pohl. They probably told her that but said that the writers didn't know what to do with Esme, so they were letting Avery go. She had a three-year contract but they ended it with six months to go. The long notice that she got reflects their appreciation of her. In the meantime, she did several interviews and never gave the impression she was going to leave. She was at the Daytime Emmys and didn't tell anyone there that she was working on her last scenes.

I also think that the producers decided to fire Chris and Dan during the writer's strike, but they had to come back from the strike for a time until they actually pulled the plug on them.

Edited February 19 by Aragorn

[titan1978]

When did Nathan Varni start posting again about the show? Because that seems to be a pretty good indication of timeline for when they were making a change. I think the hastily put together ABC special and Varni actively commenting on the show are when Chris and Dan’s goose was actually cooked.

As many of us have speculated, Mulcahey is not anyone FV would have come up with. I can see Korte being approached and her playing a part in talking to PM. I can also see him wanting Korte by his side for many reasons as HW.

This is very reminiscent to me of Guza and Pratt being rehired and forced on Jill Farren Phelps. They got producer credits to give them more $ and better control over their material, and Jill lost the total control she had been used to since OLTL. She wanted to be Monty, but lacked Gloria’s storytelling and directing abilities that served her well on her original GH run, no matter who was writing the show.

[Vee]

The Guza II scenario was my first thought about this hire. JFP was reduced to a facilitator from then on, almost entirely powerless on the creative end as far as we know. But I'm going to wait and see how it plays out. Frank being deposed would be quite a feat at this point.

[John]

PM's hire has me hoping that ABC is committed to GH. Do I think FV wants to sabotage GH, NO but I feel he wants control and PM is not a YES MAN so Frank may have not been happy with the hire. Just Hope ABC Disney gives PM & Korte a chance to write what they want with little interference

[Vee]

Drew and Nina do have a weird kind of chemistry in these recent scenes with her tearing up Crimson. I don't think either should be long for the show (at least not Drew in his current Cameron Mathison iteration) but @Khan is right that there might be deranged bipolar hate sex potential - Nina has always been nuts and they definitely appear to be ramping up to portray Drew as off his gourd. Why Drew's years of torture and brainwashing by the Cassadines didn't break him but a month or two in the local pokey did beggars belief, but nevermind.

Edited February 19 by Vee

[Contessa Donatella]

I just chased Nathan Varni's posts at least as far back as early as mid-September 2023 & I believe that the strike ended in Sept. Frank & many others at the studio were very acutely aware of differences as of the time the strike was over & D&C were back in attendance. Edit: Strike End 9-23-23. 

Then, following a timeline, if you will, next Frank and whomever else became more serious in thinking about taking action on the Writing as of shortly before Christmas when D&C's material hit the air.

Jan. 4th was the primetime special & that was when they went public with the return of Jason. In that immediate time frame they also taped Jackie Zeman's memorial & about 6 of them got covid. Also they had the Emmys. 

Jan. 17th was when D&C submitted the Jason re-entry script that was not accepted & was in fact thrown out 100%. They got the word at that time. Korte was set to begin a new script, posthaste. Someone talked to PM. Friday 19th D&C were formally let go. Mon. 22nd the press was notified. 

Here is your timeline. 

Edited February 19 by Donna L. Bridges

[titan1978]

They should absolutely do this, and Bob Guza would be very proud if they did and Sonny got to call Nina a whore.

About Frank Valentini- I don’t think he is trying to control the writing out of ego like JFP. I think it’s more practical than that. It’s about maintaining control of the production.  As in he has this model down to a science. Deeper scenes and more dialogue means longer taping, more emotion, and he can’t just chop everything up to pieces to maintain any sense of story within an episode.

I do not see Frank Valentini as someone who would deliberately sabotage a show, especially in this daytime economy. 

[Vee]

I don't think Frank would ever deliberately sabotage the show. Survival is always his aim. But as I said in past posts recently I think it's twofold; I think all you've said is absolutely true, but I also think that through the "Cartini" years with Carlivati Frank went from seeing himself largely as a driven facilitator focused on the show's longevity to seeing himself the way the soap press saw him: As one half of a creative duo, the supposed last hope for soaps. He very badly wanted to create the blended 'super soap' of ABC Daytime at GH, to preserve the history and characters of the other cancelled soaps, despite the cost to GH and complaints from the audience. I think the hype those two had built around them eventually got to him, and he began to believe that he too was a creative visionary for the show. And I think that view has borne out in GH's condition ever since Ron was fired. You don't keep rehiring Easton and Howarth unless it's become personal and not just about the bottom line, try to force Genie off-contract or turn away Vanessa Marcil even when it's counterproductive. Since Ron left his orbit and their dream team (and possibly professional or personal friendship) has dissolved Frank has repeatedly put in place writers he can control, who will write about characters or actors he prefers in the ways he prefers. This one may be different.

Edited February 19 by Vee

[Contessa Donatella]

THIS 

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And I hope that people will be open to the idea that Frank is in favor of this. I know that your minds are made up that this change came out of some sort of intervention whether that be some unknown Disney honcho or Varni with the force of Disney behind him.

It's a bit odd when something like this comes out of a strike. But Frank does pay attention & what he saw with the scab writers was reaction both from the fans & from the support teams at the studio. In like fashion he saw reaction at the studio when Dan & Chris returned & immediately went back into their MO.

So he was primed & ready when he had what you  have to call his "come to Jesus" moment. Personally I think he let them go on far too long & I wonder if the damage can be repaired. But I am grateful that he wanted this change & I agree that it's going to knock him out of his producing comfort zone but I am guardedly optimistic that he is open, seeing that what was once working no longer was.