17 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

It wasn’t and tbh, I felt that way when he was hired - my initial thought was how was this going to work? And if it doesn’t, we’d know because he’s soon quit than put up with it. 

I just knew, given his Locher Room interview and other interviews, this could be a case of "I'm doing what I want to do," and it did not bode well. I'm also hearing a few things, but won't disclose. But this is a MESS! Absolute shît show, especially during Sweeps month.

He is a 67 year old man. He's been retired for 5 years. He's been a script writer for his entire career. You have a show with no energy or momentum to hope to pull out of this rut of boredom. He wasn't fixing things. He was giving us filler nonstop. It is mark of a script writer. Ratings sunk like a rock on his watch week to week and year over year that is too alarming to ignore. Fans spoke in droves with their remotes about his vision.

 

Edited August 8, 20241 yr by Vince79

Everyone knows PM is/was a superb dialogue writer. But, his HW experiences at both GL and GH were never set up for success as far as I can tell with both shows being a messy situation behind the scenes during his HW-ing stints. I don’t think he ever really got a fair shot as both instances were messy and he didn’t have producers that supported him or whose vision gelled with his.

Did anyone think Chris and Dan moved the needle at all on this show? Does anyone except Korte to turn this show around? I don’t. PM being fired doesn’t mean GH is in for some type of renaissance, especially with people like both Valentini and Korte who’ve already been there for years and likely to just keep the status quo going. A lot of GH’s issues started before his stint and will continue after. 

I agree that the show lacks energy and momentum, but is that all down to PM? When there are internal conflicts, little gets done. If Korte wants to be a yes woman to Valentini and Varni, I don’t see how that would be beneficial for the show either. 

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by BetterForgotten

I have been fully acknowledging the faults of what has been onscreen. But I keep seeing this narrative that he was just a brilliant script writer, and a failed HW.

He was helping to steer the overall ship at SB, GL, and GH and B&B. Part of his stint on GH in the 90’s was as Associate Head Writer. He was also more than just a scriptwriter on Guiding Light before becoming a HW. I’m not saying Head Writer was the correct role for him. But I am saying he wasn’t just writing scripts all this time. He had roles in shaping short and long term story, pitched ideas that became stories, etc.

His best gifts might lie as script writer and editor, I will never deny his talents there.

People having a stern stipulation that PM is not a good head writer... and then also stating that he has no track record as HW other than a few months at another show... and not realizing how these two statements completely contradict each other... is just LOL material. So... he has no track record other than a few months... but he IS BAD HW no question about it...?  And I'm reading this all around the internet today. These two little facts thrown here and there. 

God... help me. 

 

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by Maxim

GH has failed with 5-6 Head Writer changes since Frank Valentini has been Executive Producer. Tell me how that makes sense that he’s still there and bullet proof for this show’s bad ratings?

I need more than he keeps the show on budget. GH will never evolve as long as he’s there and not held accountable for the failures that have happened during his 12+ years as Executive Producer. 

40 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

Everyone knows PM is/was a superb dialogue writer. But, his HW experiences at both GL and GH were never set up for success as far as I can tell with both shows being a messy situation behind the scenes during his HW-ing stints. I don’t think he ever really got a fair shot as both instances were messy and he didn’t have producers that supported him or whose vision gelled with his.

Did anyone think Chris and Dan moved the needle at all on this show? Does anyone except Korte to turn this show around? I don’t. PM being fired doesn’t mean GH is in for some type of renaissance, especially with people like both Valentini and Korte who’ve already been there for years and likely to just keep the status quo going. A lot of GH’s issues started before his stint and will continue after. 

I agree that the show lacks energy and momentum, but is that all down to PM? When there are internal conflicts, little gets done. If Korte wants to be a yes woman to Valentini and Varni, I don’t see how that would be beneficial for the show either. 

BOLD and the rest, agree. 

Also @titan1978 agree.

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by Contessa Donatella
more

6 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

I need more than he keeps the show on budget. 

I agree.  In fact, that's all we hear.  That, and he keeps the actors happy.

Frankly, I'd take a show that's mired in debt and littered with cast members who are sticking pins in voodoo dolls of each other over Frank Valentini's GH.

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by Khan

2 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

GH has failed with 5-6 Head Writer changes since Frank Valentini has been Executive Producer. Tell me how that makes sense that he’s still there and bullet proof for this show’s bad ratings?

I need more than he keeps the show on budget. GH will never evolve as long as he’s there and not held accountable for the failures that have happened during his 12+ years as Executive Producer. 

Oh, gee, we are not excited that the trains run on time?! SARCASM ALERT

Yesterday I said that I have long been a staunch defender of Frank. But, now I find I must totally abandon that position. 

As a Carly & a Jason fan (not to mention at least 1 dozen others) I am trying to be hopeful but it is such a huge problem to see anything at the end of the tunnel besides more tunnel. 

16 hours ago, Errol said:

I didn't write this in my article, but since Digest is alluding to it, I'll say it outright here: Don't be surprised if an entirely new writing team is at the helm. Right now, it is 50/50.

As I said earlier, "there's more to the story."

How long before we see “GH: Chuck Pratt IN as headwriter” Errol??? 😂

7 hours ago, Maxim said:

I've been reading strange things since this whole ordeal has happened. People who just days ago were bashing PM and asking him to be let go since he is not that good... are changing their tune to... Poor victim PM, I am not watching without him... All over social media and boards.

It's kinda shocking to see the same people, same names, same avatars change their mind just like that because the narrative is different. What this says to me about people... About certain type of people. LOL. Human nature never seazes to amaze me.

I again have stated I believe PM would have been a great HW. That's what I believe and I stand by my words.  I think some people were too harsh on him too early and now backtracking and acting like they knew all along he was sabotaged and etc.

But I remember what I read and I remember who said what... Sadly.

 

Its literally the same exact people who were complaining by episode 2 and saying they’d rather have Chris and Dan back now suddenly calling Patrick a hero who didn’t get a chance. Pure comedy that they end up with Korte running things solo for the time being.

Of all the soaps GH has the worst fan base by far. They bitch 24/7 without even watching the actual show, just regurgitating biased takes and criticizing out of context clips and scene descriptions. The rage I saw all because characters expressed unique perspectives and personal bias was so ridiculous, how is a show supposed to write any real conflict if the audience complains because character A doesn’t think the same way as character B?
 

Guza was correct to just write whatever the heck he wanted because this audience wants to watch Halmark movies 5 days a week but then complain about being bored, it makes no sense and you can’t win.

13 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

I have been fully acknowledging the faults of what has been onscreen. But I keep seeing this narrative that he was just a brilliant script writer, and a failed HW.

He was helping to steer the overall ship at SB, GL, and GH and B&B. Part of his stint on GH in the 90’s was as Associate Head Writer. He was also more than just a scriptwriter on Guiding Light before becoming a HW. I’m not saying Head Writer was the correct role for him. But I am saying he wasn’t just writing scripts all this time. He had roles in shaping short and long term story, pitched ideas that became stories, etc.

His best gifts might lie as script writer and editor, I will never deny his talents there.

Yeah I do not care for the way he’s been diminished as a writer, very unfair. 

24 minutes ago, BetterForgotten said:

Everyone knows PM is/was a superb dialogue writer. But, his HW experiences at both GL and GH were never set up for success as far as I can tell with both shows being a messy situation behind the scenes during his HW-ing stints. I don’t think he ever really got a fair shot as both instances were messy and he didn’t have producers that supported him or whose vision gelled with his.

Did anyone think Chris and Dan moved the needle at all on this show? Does anyone except Korte to turn this show around? I don’t. PM being fired doesn’t mean GH is in for some type of renaissance, especially with people like both Valentini and Korte who’ve already been there for years and likely to just keep the status quo going. A lot of GH’s issues started before his stint and will continue after. 

I agree that the show lacks energy and momentum, but is that all down to PM? When there are internal conflicts, little gets done. If Korte wants to be a yes woman to Valentini and Varni, I don’t see how that would be beneficial for the show either. 

That's the key part - the idea that Chris and Dan were fired to roll out the red carpet for Mulcahey baffles me. The show had real problems. That's why someone stepped in and made some token changes (instead of going as far as they should have). We could say viewers didn't respond to his work, but we don't even know how much of that work was his. You can say oh the writing for women regressed, or things were dull, or there was too much focus on Jason and Carly rather than Jason and anyone else, but most of these were issues years before he returned to the show. 

Even most of the fan complaints I saw didn't blame him - they threw the blame squarely at Korte, because many of those fans know her trademarks and were seeing them all over the episodes. So even most of them know that nothing positive has come from this decision.

13 minutes ago, detroitpiston said:

How long before we see “GH: Chuck Pratt IN as headwriter” Errol??? 😂

At this point bring him in and bring Jill Phelps back in... because it's clear, despite their grievances, they didn't give two shîts what the network wanted, and fought against it... more so than Valentini. Varni has to go, too.

You know things are rotten in the state of Denmark when even yours truly would like to see Bob Guza return, lol.

6 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

We could say viewers didn't respond to his work, but we don't even know how much of that work was his.

I agree.

But I'm serious about Guza coming back!  I totally forgive the Sonny/Jason/Carly hero worship, Bobby, just come back home!

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by Khan

3 hours ago, Marco Dane said:

Time to bring back Wendy Riche... 

While that is a great idea, why would an 81 year old woman subject herself to this MESS? She deserves better than what she would walk into. 

6 minutes ago, TEdgeofNight said:

While that is a great idea, why would an 81 year old woman subject herself to this MESS? She deserves better than what she would walk into. 

Wendy is 81 and needs to enjoy her life, so I agree.

That said, GH needs people like Wendy Riche and Shelley Curtis again to come in and clean this sh!t up like they had to do in 1992-1993 when the show crumbled after Monty's second stint. They need people like that to help rebuild and refocus the foundation. That said, I'm a realist, and I know no one gives a f.uck for that type of change to happen in the modern era. 

Edited May 17, 20241 yr by BetterForgotten