I would argue that especially on GH, some of those larger than life elements should exist. But they used to be the engine for stories about relationships. Romances of course, but also the camaraderie and friendships from the Monty era. Labine used the mob for danger, but it was also used to show Sonny’s early thirst for respect and power, which defined him well beyond her writing. It was part of character development. The Cassadines were reintroduced with a bone marrow transplant story. Even earlier in Valentini’s run, Robin’s return was about getting back to her family more than it was about the supervillain plot.
I just rewatched a doc about the chaos in creating Star Trek:The Next Generation. It was a hit right out of the gate, but not a hit any of them were all that proud of in the writer’s room. Beginning with season three, they began a process that every script was about or for at least one of the characters. So instead of just visiting x planet, it became a Data story about x planet. Or made Crusher a focal point in an allegory about the troubles between Northern Ireland and England. With some rare exceptions, GH stories happen to the characters, instead of being about them or for them to develop. Liz, Franco, and her boys were involved in plots, but everything boiled down to those relationships which were developed along the way. The relationship focus and all the in between connective character tissue is just not a priority currently.
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titan1978 ·
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