GH: July 2024 Discussion Thread

[Liberty City]

IIRC, during Guza's temporary stint during the Writer's Strike in 2008, he brought Monica out of the shadows. And he even had Tracy prominent during his return stint from 2011–2012 (albeit with the poor excuse that was Anthony Zacchara).

[Taoboi]

Which would give me hope if he was to come back that the Qs would be okay. Well...some hope.

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[Vee]

Sorry, his what? IIRC Guza was back from the end of the strike in '08 til summer 2011. Only the strike interrupted his tenure from '02 to 2011 AFAIK (and during the strike JFP with Guza gone went out of her way to frontburner Rick Hearst, lol). I was under the impression Tracy and Anthony Z. was Garin Wolf.

Edited July 23, 2024 by Vee

[titan1978]

I don’t think Bob was the deciding factor against Genie Francis. While he did not focus on her like he did during his first run, (Laura on trial for murder, Nikolas reveal) some of that had to do with her own feelings at the time and having one foot out the door back at home with her family. They also stalled out about Lucky, and had her mourning forever while he focused on his greater story- breaking up Luke & Laura.

When he and Pratt took over in 2002, the umbrella story they wanted to tell was focused once again on Laura. The bts stuff with JFP and ABC killed whatever that original plan was (and the rumors are horrible, but it would still have been incredibly acted by Genie, Denise, and Tony).

Due to the way she behaved, I also think Jill was behind getting rid of Becky Herbst.

Vee is correct that Pratt and Guza were named consulting producers, but Jill did still have some power where things like the budget were concerned, and that allowed her to take players off the board even if he wanted them. Stuart Damon being one (MVJ confirmed that Guza did not want to kill Alan). What happened with both Genie and Vanessa in 2002 fits a pattern that we saw Jill do on both GL and OLTL to women.

And Garin Wolf wrote the most boring version of this show ever, until Passanante got there as HW.

[Vee]

Whether she was into it or not, I don't believe JFP had the authority to kill Alan over Guza's head. Only Frons could IMO, and he canned many soap vets in his era at ABC. I think if she'd still had that kind of power in that era we'd seen a lot of wild shít, and not just during the strike. Jill became a facilitator, but she could no longer frontburner the characters or actors she loved (like Hearst). She couldn't get Kale Browne out of the voice-over booth either.

It was clear to me Guza had little use for Becky or Liz for years. He and Jill were simpatico on some things. I also just don't think he'd made Laura a priority for years vs. Luke starting in the late '90s (for what may have been many BTS reasons), and that continued for the remainder of his tenure with the show.

Edited July 23, 2024 by Vee

[Liberty City]

Sorry I meant Wolf... not Guza, LOL! 

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It's late, and I'm exhausted. A genuine sign for me to log-ogg and go to bed, LOL!

[Vee]

I was about to say, this is a little too far for me lol.

[Liberty City]

I completely disagree, and it was Shelly Altman who was co-head writer during the final month or so of Wolf's tenure, prior to the arrival of One Life's team.

[Vee]

I gotta say I've found most of the last 8 years pretty damn boring.

[Liberty City]

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 Again, I apologize for my exhaustive confusion, LOL! Legitimately, re-watching January 2012 (the final episodes of Garin Wolf/Shelly Altman) and I am enthralled... more than what [most] of what airs now. Plus... it's nice seeing some colour in the production. Flawed... but colour. Costumes, set design, etc.

[titan1978]

Without a doubt. I’m just saying I see the possibility that she brings the info to Frons and backs his ultimate decision. I could easily see her with pages from a focus group and a list of actors that could go for a sweeps stunt and the budget to pay for said stunts.  And at that time I would bet Stuart Damon had a pretty solid contract.

I’m talking when Jean and Shelly took over after Ron. I thought Wolf was boring af, and those two were a close second.

[Liberty City]

I honestly did not mind their tenure; in re-watching some of their stuff, it wasn't half-bad. They unfortunately were saddled with cleaning up the damaged caused by the "writer" caused, and do think had they come in at a different time they could have done a bit better. But again, the network also shot down some of their ideas, which is sad.

[Taoboi]

7-16

 

Ugh!

 

All of that drama. All of that stalling. What good twists we had. ALL of that...for Anna to just blurt out to Val that she knows he's head of Pikeman and that HE SHOULD RUN. Oh, how I had to fight the urge to throw something at my tv.

 

There was no need or desire to have Anna begging Jason to give her time before he revealed the Pikeman goods. And there was no reason to write it this way at all except to make Valentin look like a saint. That little bit of wiggle room so he could come back at some point. And all over Charlotte...who I at least was happy to see forgive Anna? Yeeeeah NO. 

 

That...was just the very definition of sucky writing.

 

ON THE OTHER HAND...those Drew/Nina scenes. Mmmmm...from the great slaps on Friday AND Monday and Nina unleashing on Drew. To the two of them FINALLY acknowledging that they have started to respect each other. And more importantly, that they had moved past disdain for each other a LOOOOooong time ago. I was waiting for this moment, and it did not disappoint. I'm starting to root for them in spite of myself. I just found the scenes so mature and adult, and I loved to see it. 

 

It is probably not going to end well, but I would say this whole Drew/Nina storyline is another win with the exiting writer with a beginning, middle, and appearing with some end. At least for me, it's right up there with Alexis's journey back to her law license and Finn's exit storyline. 

 

For me, I was just speaking on the fact that Liz, Laura, and the Qs are all in pretty good positions on the current canvas. And while Guza might not be completely responsible or responsible at all for the times people have tried to mess with the above legacy characters, it's only naturally to be cautious if he was to come back since he was around. 

[DRW50]

Of course, with the Q mansion such a hub and Tracy in a central role there's a chance Guza will return. Can't wait for Jason to become a father to Violet and need to save her from the evil Qs as Brook Lyn has lengthy lectures on what complete scum they all are.

[Jdee43]

I doubt Guza would return. They don't have the budget for him. I also doubt they'd give him the creative control he'd want. He'd also be coming out of retirement. I don't think he's done anything since leaving GH 13 years ago.