ALL: GREAT Moves by Bad/Tragic Soap Writers/EPs

[Maxim]

I'm inspired by @Planet Soap's wonderful topic... and I got to thinking.

Please register in order to view this content

What are some of the amazing things... storylines... changes in production, anything REALLY positive you can think of... that some of the not so well received or infamous for their bad writing/producing... head writers or EPs have done?

Like... it may even be an accidentally popular storyline that made people tune in and turned ratings around... or just... something that worked, while everything else was horrible. I think this topic can be a lot of fun.

I can start with 1 example. And of course this is very subjective. 

Bradley Bell / Bold

The Breacon Scandal of 2001-2002 was probably the most entertaining Bold... since 1993. There are months and months of episodes (yes, somewhat trashy....) that are unskippable. And some of the most iconic scenes in the show's history were created in this period.  

What are your examples? 

 

[Contessa Donatella]

One thing I am fascinated with is a magical time at OLTL. The players were Linda Gottlieb, Michael Malone & Josh Griffith. I've wondered if Linda Gottlieb didn't get enough credit. The thing is at no other time or place, including being back at OLTL, did Malone or JG repeat that soap opera magic.

Malone was at AW for 6 months & he was awful, truly awful. 

JG, right now, is largely complained about.

I'm sure there will be other comments.

[BetterForgotten]

Robert Calhoun for centering both ATWT and GL during his tenures at each show and for realizing that there was nothing wrong with "going back to basics." 

[BetterForgotten]

More recently, thank god for Ed Scott coming back to Y&R and refreshing the overall production. The lighting, directing, acting, and general aesthetics of the show have gotten so much better since he's been credited as Senior Producer for the past 2 weeks. Production-wise, it's almost night and day.

[Contessa Donatella]

When Gail Kobe & Pam Long were at GL, Pam created Alexandra for Beverlee McKinsey. She happened to become available & she didn't want to go back to AW. That they could create this wonderful character just at that time was some kind of a boon both to the actress but also to the show. Alexandra, simply for years, was a very nice addition to the canvas & to the Spaulding family. Even later, when Marj played her & definitely when Joan Collins did, she continued to be a valuable addition to the family & the show. Personally, I am in thrall with Bev as Alex in the dinner parties she would throw. 

Excerpts from one of them:

"I'm in the middle of a dinner party with my slightly cannibalistic family." - Phillip, GL 3-5-90

"I have to write a note to myself: Never have another family dinner party for the rest of my life. And, will you please pass Beth the damn butter." - Alex, GL 3-5-90

"If I get anything, it will be an aspirin for my headache." - Alex, GL, 3-5-90

"There's a hose outside the front door if you need it." - Alex, GL, 3-5-90

"Handle it then but don't get any blood on my carpet." - Alex, GL 3-5-90

[Maxim]

God I love her. 

[kalbir]

@Maxim I can't believe you actually came up with something positive about Bradley.

Can we think of anything positive JFP did at any show?

[Maxim]

I'm known to see the positive even in the most vile people/things. A character flaw after being raised by narcissists.  

Please register in order to view this content

 

Joke aside - I do think that's the only of his storylines that I've truly enjoyed from start to finish... That I would give him a solid A+.  

 

No wonder he's spend decades trying to re-create it. Never succeeding. 

[Contessa Donatella]

Invented the block vote to win Emmys.

Way back at GH as Music Producer she did some really excellent musical montages. As a matter of fact, she may have invented those couple-centric romantic montages that would close out some shows.

At DAYS, no, wait, she wasn't at DAYS. 

At AW, no, everything she did there was bad.

At GL, no sorry. Okay, grudgingly, people talk about the blackout to this day.

I guess that's it. 

I'm back.

At Y&R apparently she went out of her way to talk to Jess Walton & create the right circumstances for her to return to the show.

While she was EP at OLTL they allowed Michael Zaslow to act the rest of his life with some dignity. Now, it's not at all clear that she was the person behind doing this. But, at the very least, she didn't oppose it. 

 

 

 

Edited November 21, 2024 by Contessa Donatella
info

[Maxim]

Please register in order to view this content

[P.J.]

I don't necessarily agree with all the blame Chris Goutman gets for ATWT's demise. But he was a hell of a director. And I think they put a lot of effort into those "special" / theme episodes they'd do. 

[Planet Soap]

Brooke/Decon was great stuff! One of my favorite storylines in the show's history, and 2002 Mark the last decent quality year for B&B.

I always wondered why Y&R seemed particularly good from about '88 to '01 Now I realize that lines up with Ed Scott's tenure on the show.

Good move by bad writer/EP: GH, The Metro Court Hostage Crisis. I'm not sure if goza wrote this, but it happened under the 10 year of Jill Farren Phelps, One of the greatest action storylines in soap history. Inspired by 24, it was riveting, and scary. 

Of course the bad writer (or EP) showed their head again by killing off Alan.

[Contessa Donatella]

I blame Goutman for AW & ATWT enough for both of us so you're  covered.

[Anooj]

Bradley Bell on B&B:

Brooke/Thorne/Macy triangle

Little Eric’s paternity/custody drama between 1999-2003 (a great umbrella story that the lives of the 1998-2004 cast of young characters directly or indirectly revolved around - dropping it MASSIVELY damaged the show in 2003)

Relatively speaking, the Ridge/Caroline/Rick/Maya quadrangle of 2014-2015 caused a very brief Indian summer for the show as well, but it would all come crashing down. Not an outright great plotline, but unexpectedly strong for this era of the show.

Edited November 21, 2024 by Anooj

[Maxim]

Absolutely agree. This was the period that started the build up of tolerable, then good, then amazing material... culminating with 2001-2002 Breacon. Then in early 2003 it all came breaking down.