DAYS: Who’s worse Higley or Carlivati

[cody_1990]

I have been thinking about this lately. Who do you all think has been worse for the show, and is worse at doing the job? I think a large portion of fans, especially those watching in the last 20 years would probably say Higley is the worst. She seemed to have no idea how to structure a story. How to create compelling characters. Lots of ideas, but no substance. She did seem to improve slightly when she had a co-head writer, but they were never enough to elevate her stories. 

Carlivati has so many of the same traits. But to me seems to be worse. I am not sure if it’s the way the show is produced now, or if it’s just the way he writes (I never regularly watched GH or OLTL so I can’t speak to his history), but he’s so repetitive and predictable. Again, good ideas at times, but no idea on how to carry through with them.

Both were breakdown writers before they took their jobs. They both had histories with their original shows. Both worked under strong head writers, that just doesn’t seem to help translate to good storytellers. What do you all think? 

Edited June 13, 2024 by cody_1990

[AbcNbc247]

I think Higley is worse

Ron has really good ideas, but some bad ones too lol

I still think his biggest problem is that he often lets his obsessions (Hi RSW! Hi Leo!) and biases against certain people and characters write the show for him. 

Edited June 13, 2024 by AbcNbc247

[Liberty City]

I'm going to be controversial, but the "writer" is worse. I never "stopped" watching Days of Our Lives during Dena Higley's first stint, and I even struggled through her 2015 50th anniversary return alongside Josh Griffith & Beth Milstein, yet I stopped multiple times under the "writer," including now. So yeah... there's that.

[Marco Dane]

After watching Higley on OLTL. I would say her. 

[carolineg]

For me personally-Higley.  She clearly hated Marlena, John and them as a couple and wrote the worst stuff for them.  Ron seems to like to write for all the vets.

And I am with @AbcNbc247.  Ron does have good ideas sometimes.  I can't think of a Higley story I liked.

[Taoboi]

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[Maxim]

--- wrong topic

Edited June 13, 2024 by Maxim

[cody_1990]

I personally feel the same way. I never stopped during all 3 of Higley’s tenures, except when she was paired with Griffith, but I think he had majority influence there, cause the show got super dark and was moving way to fast for my liking. 

Carlivati of course has written the show for 7 years, which is insane to write because he is now approaching Bill Bell and JER level seniority. The fact he will probably head write this show longer than Bell, arguable the best HW Days has ever had, doesn't sit well with me. Higley wrote for 6 combined years, so we had breaks from her horribleness. No breaks from Ron, minus the strike, which obviously we all know what was happening there. 

I think my major problem with Ron is minus his “good ideas” he doesn’t understand how to write the show. Days, even under JER was more than just “camp”. There was an understanding of values and history. The Hortons and Brady’s were good and the moral compasses of the show. The Dimera’s were bad, and caused conflict . Everyone under Ron for lack of a better term is “grey”. Except grey characters are usually well written and have a believable motivation. You just feel at this point any character could say brainwash, rape or murder someone, and it all would be excused and forgotten about 6 months later. Unless you’re a POC that is

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I remember on more the one occasion, Carlivati mentioning how fans said he would always be a good fit for the show years before he started writing. I really think that inflated his ego and caused him to only look at things broadly. His basic understanding of the show is devil possession and face swapping. The show is more than that. Even during its worst times, it respected its history. Killing core characters such as Laura or Abby, to literally give stories to characters, who if they were to die tomorrow and not one fan would ever wish for their return ie Gwen and Clyde is wrong and damaging IMO. That would have probably had a writer fired in the past. Of course with his use of back from the dead, you can say it doesn’t matter, but that issue is another topic on its own. 
 

I just feel he is warn out and at this point unable to write entertaining long term stories. Sadly, we seem stuck with him. I can’t see any situation where he is fired. The checks and balances seem to be gone with Corday away golfing with the former EP predator and Days streaming on peacock now.

Edited June 13, 2024 by cody_1990

[Liberty City]

A lot of my stopping during the 50th anniversary was more-so do to the production value being shown to us. Very green/blue/unedited. And it was unattractive to me. And a lot was happening that just felt... unnatural.

Him being the longest-writer is not going to sit well with me, and goes to show just how much Ken Corday is not paying attention at this point, among other things.

I was never a fan of the "writer" at any of his other soaps. But, I always stated: he would work at Days of Our Lives, and he semi-did.... when someone like Sheri Anderson was there to hone in his off-the-trails writing. Once she left, we were getting the face masks, etc. and it was just too much for me. I think he needed/needs a co-head writer who can level-out his... inability to cohesively pull a soap together.

The show moving from NBC to Peacock should have done something, but I am in the beginning of April 2024, and nothing I've seen via Peacock wouldn't have aired on NBC, if I am being honest. Again, I look at what TOLN/Prospect Park did with All My Children & One Life to Live in 2013, and it was miles ahead of what Days of Our Lives is producing in its writing. MILES! They are not utilizing their new platform, and that's a crying shame.

[cody_1990]

I agree 100%. I can’t really speak to the AMC and OLTL revivals, but as much as some Days fans saw the move to peacock as a negative one, it really was a new lease on life. It proved that NBCU had faith in the Days brand. Had the producers seen this as a fresh start and really put in the effort to give a quality product, I think we could see MANY more years of Days, unfortunately I feel they are running on autopilot and blowing it. That has to do with Corday I think. He obviously is older and has no interest in being there. It’s a shame he didn’t follow in his mother’s footsteps and mentor one of his children to take his place at the show. But that may have been intentional, I feel he always kind of resented being in that role, maybe he didn’t want his children to have the same resentments. 

Edited June 13, 2024 by cody_1990

[Liberty City]

I never had the view that NBC/NBCUniversal never had faith in Days of Our Lives. It always felt like Sony Television to me with the hesitation in renewal. The drama behind-the-scenes with the former co-executive producer has not helped things in the long-run.

[Khan]

At the very least, Ron Carlivati needs a Co-HW or EP who can push back against his insane af ideas and say things like, "No, Ron, you can't have John Black lose his [!@#$%^&*] just from looking at some dumb playing card.  We don't have the budget, the time or the right quality of actors to play this stupid homage to 'The Manchurian Candidate'."

Edited June 13, 2024 by Khan

[AbcNbc247]

I think you and I talked about this before lol 

Early 2019 was when everything really started to go to hell. I think that him not getting his way in some of the storylines (Paul/Will/Sonny, Chad/Abby-Gabby/Stefan) also played a part in all that as well. And possibly why we had the now forgotten time jump

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I thought he did have a good revival in 2020 with Gwen’s intro, Allie’s return and the battle for Baby Henry, John’s brain aneurysm, etc. But in 2021, it kinda went back to hell. 

Edited June 13, 2024 by AbcNbc247

[John]

Higley knows Days. She never knew OLTL & it showed. Frons put her there She didnt like the Viki Lord character. Yeah she should have never been HW at OLTL

[Liberty City]

That story time jump was... bad. And when Neighbours said they were doing it I was cautious, but let me tell you: they did it 100 times BETTER!