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

[Soaplovers]

Days (Dena Higley)

- Night Hope - was actually a character driven story.

 

[Bright Eyes]

During Higley's first run, was it her tenure where Tony pushed Sami through the DiMera french doors losing her voice to the glee of millions?

[I Am A Swede]

Stephanie faking a heart attack on B&B was one of Brad Bell's best stories for years and years. And unlike the Brooke/Deacon affair mentioned earlier in this thread it didn't involve any character assassination. Faking a heart attack like that was perfectly consistent with Stephanie's character.

It gave us some fantastic Brooke/Stephanie confrontations, which always was the best part of B&B. Those two had the best chemistry of any pairing ever on this show. First Brooke confronting Stephanie at the hospital. ("For God's sake Stephanie, die! Prove me wrong and die!") And then another fiery confrontation when Jackie had given Brooke proof that Stephanie faked the attack. Mutual slaps and Stephanie almost whacking Brooke in the head with her crutch....

We also got some hilarious humour from the irreplaceable Darlene Conley when Sally found out the truth from Stephanie's helper, Mark. ("Mark?! You almost scared me out of my new hairdo!" and "What is it with men and accents? I should have been a Gabor sister")

The icing on the cake was the glorious scene where Brooke finally saw Ridge for the overgrown man-baby that he's always been and dumped him. Alas, it didn't last too long, but that scene was enough to make me stand and cheer. Green-dress Brooke should be as iconic as red power-suit Brooke from the BeLief-saga.

[Planet Soap]

I loved 2005 especially the story where Stephanie was revealed as true owner of Forrester.

Edited November 23, 2024 by Planet Soap

[Maxim]

The only sad aspect of that 2005 story was that it was too short. Stephanie hid that fake heart attack for just a month.  Breacon continued for months and months of storyline and the fake heart attack was very very fast and sweet. But I loved it too. The confrontation scene was and remains one of the top 3 scenes in the shows history.

[Planet Soap]

Brooks head jerking back after Stephanie slapped her, and then Stephanie smashing the vase with her cane was hilarious. 

[Khan]

Nevertheless, I can just imagine Dena's one-sentence pitch for that story: "Hope is whacked out on Ambien."

I think the only story of Megan McTavish's that I remember liking even a little bit was when she had Marian hook up with Stuart - but even THAT was questionable material, as didn't Marian sleep with Stuart the first time thinking he was Adam?  Oh, the things you could get away with, pre-#MeToo, lol.

Edited November 24, 2024 by Khan

[j swift]

I agree, and I think this is a classic case of “good idea, poor execution.”

There were tons of media accounts at the time of the adverse side effects of people on Ambien.  Hope had experienced tremendous trauma, making her a perfect candidate for the plot line.  And the idea that an addict would sink so low as to blame their child for their behaviors was such an ambitious choice for a soap.

Higley was not responsible for the hair and makeup department, deciding to indicate that Hope was high by having her dress in black leather and wear her hair in a high ponytail.  She also couldn't foresee the hiring of bad actors to play the betting part of the story.  And, she did not direct the scenes where KA chewed up the scenery whilst in the throes of addiction. 

Which is why, although I disliked many of her creative choices, I give her a pass on this one.

 

[Paul Raven]

You might not be far off the mark. I'm pretty sure in an interview Higley complained about execs asking 'and then what happens?'after she had pitched a story thinking she was pointing out their shortcomings rather than her own.

[Soaplovers]

https://daytimeconfidential.com/2010/04/28/days-scribe-dena-higley-on-hopes-story-twist

 

Her interview about it.

I will tell you every Gen X and Boomer woman I knew that watched Days loved the Night Hope story (including my late mom).

I think her problem was what the follow up was to it once it concluded.

Edited November 24, 2024 by Soaplovers
I meant to write Gen X..not Gen Z

[j swift]

I would further support this by noting how it negatively effected Hope and Ciara's relationship.  Even up to Hope's most recent reappearance, there was still friction between them.  Ciara is almost the only one in Salem who doesn't treat Hope like a princess/saint (except for Billie).  And all of that is rooted in Hope's drug dependency story and the trauma endured by Ciara at such a young age. 

Truly, the only thing that I like about Ciara is that she doesn't take any guff from Hope.   It is the karmic payback for how Hope treated Julie. 

There are so few modern soap relationships that don't respect the past once a new writer is in place (e.g., the number of those who've forgiven EJ), but Nighttime-Hope had an enduring impact.

Edited November 25, 2024 by j swift

[Maxim]

I have re-watched this scene more times than I'm ready to admit.

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[te.]

That explains so much about Higley's multiple failed tenures really.