One Life To Live 2.0 Wish List

When the original Dallas went off the air, I remember reading in one of my mom’s fashion magazines an article on the extinction of the nighttime soap.  I don’t remember the name of the magazine or the exact wording but the author had offered up a formula for a night time soap.  Take one dashing grey haired man, one brainless pretty boy, three B actresses with great legs and mix until frothy.

I think the reboots for One Life to Live and All My Children need to have a similar character formula in mind when casting.  It shouldn’t be a mater of simply grabbing up which ever cast members they can get from the previous shows.  The characters and actors need to fill a specific purpose for the show.

One of my wishes for these shows, is that the opportunity to reinvent them is taken while still staying faithful to the shows' histories.   The move to online is a great time to bring in some fresh perspective.  What this means to me, as far as casting goes, is that they need some big name vets for the rest of the cast to be built around.  I also think it may mean taking a new perspective on some old characters.

I didn’t have the pleasure of watching All My Children when it was on television (I’m sure I missed out) but I did enjoy One Life To Live for many years.  I have compiled a list below of some of the characters who I would like to see on the online version of One Life to Live. (If you watched All My Children, I would love your thoughts and please feel free to post your wish list in the comments section.)

The Matriarch and Patriarch - Vicki and Clint

These characters are the heart of the show - especially Vicki.  They guide the rest of the cast and offer sage advise all while having their own stories and making their own mistakes.  Vicki’s journey has been essential to the show’s stories for many years not only because her character has been on the show since the beginning but because she is so likable to fans of all generations.  She is very relatable.  While most of us don’t have to deal with things such as DID, we do have crazy bickering families and messed up love lives!

When we last saw Vicki and Clint, he had purposed to her.  I would love to the new One Life To Live begin with their wedding.

The Seductress - Blair

I’ll admit I’ve been less than thrilled with Kassie DePavia’s recent couple shipping on Twitter.  One of the reason’s is that as much as I enjoyed Todd and Blair as couple, I would love to be given the chance to love Blair as her own person.  I truly think that Blair is capable of being a viable character on her own if given the chance.  In an interview, the actress once jokingly called her alter-ego an “aging slut.”  I say let’s have some fun with that.

The last time we saw Blair she was still pining for Todd while getting ready to marry her best friend’s shady brother.  I want Blair to decide that any man that has her chasing around the globe because he ran off to do secret (rogue) CIA stuff is too high-mantance for her.  Let her have flirtations and have fun.  She doesn’t necessarily need to be this generations Samantha Jones but enough with the serious life or death romances that she loses herself in.

The Trouble Makers - Cutter and Alex

Every soap needs a few characters to scheme and keep things interesting.  I have always enjoyed money-hungry Alex.  She is femme fatale meets Real Housewife.  She is not only playful and seductive but a little bit dangerous.  She also has a lot of history with One Life to Live.

Cutter doesn't have as much history but the character and actor are great.  Not only is he wily and mischievous but he’s very sexy.  He can fill the bad boy role and giving the show some sex appeal.

I was intrigued by the reveal that Cutter was Alex’s son.  We were given just enough information that a new writer would have a ton of possibilities as far as what direction they wanted to take.  I would love a little bit more backstory as well as some mother/son con-artist team ups.

The Heroine and Hero - Marty Saybrooke and Patrick Thornhart

Every soap needs a heroine to root for and for a long time Marty was that lady.  Beautifully flawed and tragic - one couldn’t help to be on her side.  She was dangerously close to being the wilting flower but ended up as one of the strongest female characters that the show has ever had.

Last time we saw her she had gone through some major character destruction. She had been morphed into a crazy killer and all over not getting the guy that she wanted.  Ugh!  It was very sad for Marty fans.  I would love for her to be redeemed and return to the strong female character that she once was.

Of course if Marty comes back, her white knight Patrick should be with her.  Every soap needs a good guy and Patrick fits that role well.  His character was classic romantic hero.  The heart of gold poet with a sexy accent and nice hair.  Together he and Marty can go on adventures and save each other while trying to save the world.

These are of course but a few of my choices for One Life to Live 2.0.  The show has had so many great characters through the years that there are of course too many to name.  I think these characters would be a good base though for the show.  Family and friends can be filled in around them.

I’m becoming more optimistic about the shows’ reboots now that some experienced writers have been attached to them.  Pieces are starting to fall into place.  Now we just need a good cast and great characters for the stories.

Please feel free to share you character wish list as well as thoughts on mine in the comments.

Will Prospect Park Save Our Suds?

Prospect Park the production company that was going to save One Life to Live and All My Children after their early demise at the hands of an ill-run ABC daytime is back in the soap genre’s orbit once again.  Or maybe it is trying to pull the soap genre into its orbit.  Honestly it a little hard to tell if this sudden reappearance is a good thing or a bad thing.  The reason for my confusion on this topic is that there simply isn’t enough information out there yet for me to make a decision about how I feel.  You can’t get the whole picture when pieces of the puzzle are missing.  

During Prospect Park's first attempt at launching the shows, I was very excited about the possibility of soaps pioneering television’s move to the internet.  There is actually a lot of information about how viewing habits are moving away from TV sets and towards online.  What better way to move into the future of entertainment than with a beloved genre with loyal fans?  Not to mention it would give these shows an opportunity to breath outside of the confines of ABC Daytime and its president at the time Brian Frons.  This excitement along with my heart was crushed when the Prospect Park venture failed.  And it failed quite epically.

While Prospect Park does produce quality shows for cable, it didn’t seem to know a lot about the soap genre.  The big question now is have they learn anything over this past year?  Let’s do a little comparison of the situation now and then.

In 2011, Prospect Park had Frank Valenti and Ron Carlavanti as the creative team for One Life to Live along with a handful of cast members attached.  Not as many were attached to All My Children.  Allegedly negotiations with Susan Lucci weren’t working out which may or may not have caused delays.  However not much more was known by not only fans but the cast and crew of this soap.  Prospect Park was simply not communicating to anyone.

When the ax fell down on these online reboots, there was a lot of finger pointing as to the cause.  Negotiations with unions had gone sour.  Prospect Park blamed the unions for not being flexible and unions swore that it was Prospect Park who didn’t want to work things out.  Allegations that Prospect Park had just stopped talking with cast, crew, and unions were plentiful.  There was a lot of he said, she said.  It seemed as though the feat of bringing One Life to Live and All My Children online was more than Prospect Park were equipped to handle.  They just gave up.  Or so we all thought.

I was very surprised when buzz of Prospect Park popped up again.  News broke that Prospect Park had reached an agreement with SAG-AFTRA and the DGA.  They were given an extension until the end of February to get things off the ground.  Executive Producers were announced for both shows.  Vincent Irrizary a.k.a. Dr. David Hayward signed a deal to join All My Children and released the following statement:

"Happy to share that I just signed on with Prospect Park for the All My Children reboot! Excited to bring dastardly Dr. David back to life, as he did for so many others, and to see my dear friends in Pine Valley once again. A great, big thank you to all the fans for your tenacity in keeping the hope alive. You're awesome!!! Let's all keep our fingers crossed together that it becomes a reality.”  (link)

Although only one other actor has been announced, there appears to be a lot of interested former cast member from both shows.  This seems promising yet this time around, I am not quite as optimistic as before.

While I would love to have these shows resurrected, I am still seeing some of the same issues that arose the last go around.  Most notably is the lack of any sort of communication from Prospect Park.  While I can respect that some things probably need to stay under wraps until all is set in stone,  a simple statement from Prospect Park would be appreciated.  

Another thing that really stands out is that as of yet there are no writers attached to the projects and Prospect Park is still trying to workout a deal with WGA. (link)  They can’t have these shows without any writers.

When I asked production company 4th Street Media for their thoughts on the lack of writers it was pointed out that this may not be the biggest obstacle Prospect Park has.  "Not having actors is the biggest challlenge, so many are scattered to the wind. Can't have writers until you know who you're writing for.”

Good point.  The actors are the most important ingredient for these shows.  Without them, it simple won’t work.  This is definitely where things become tricky regarding Prospect Park.

Prospect Park plans to reduce the run time of these shows from a hour to 30 minutes. (link) I imagine this will mean they can run with a smaller cast but what will that cast look like?  Some of these actors have been keeping busy with other projects.  Will we get fractured core families and only half of our favorite super couple?  Will they recast to fill in these gaps?  The right cast and group of characters need to be attached to these projects in order to bring viewers.

Then of course there is the issue of the One Life to Life alum that are currently on General Hospital.  At the beginning of 2012 General Hospital appeared to be on the chopping block but now it is a healthy show that is enjoying increased ratings and positive buzz.  I can’t imagine an actor would want to leave that right now for something that may or may not work out.  But these characters have One Life to Live origins and it is reported that Prospect Park has the option to pull them from General Hospital.  Considering that Prospect Park is the one that is having difficulties getting things working, it seems like a cruel twist of fate.

While the crossovers have had some controversy, they have also had positive feedback and these characters are woven into the canvas now.  It may be messy for General Hospital to remove them.  For example, if Starr leaves not only will the months of building up Starr and Michael’s relationship be down the drain but the only other female that will be left for Michael to date will be his adoptive sister.  As Jamey Giddens with Daytime Confidential stated in his article Report: ABC Give Prospect Park Additional Time to Reboot All My Children and One Life to Live; Will It Be at General Hospital’s Expense?:

"Howarth specifically has become integral to GH's success. The actor and his character test through the roof with focus groups! Here's hoping Vicki Dummer continues to prove she's much smarter than Brian Fronsby not letting this madness happen." (link)

Also what will happen to these characters if the actors who bring them to life chose not to sign with Prospect Park?  Theoretically Prospect Park can recast them.

That’s the thing though...a lot of this is all still theoretical.  Nobody, except possible Prospect Park, knows for sure what the exact plans are for these shows yet.  Any details I can find regarding what kind of licensing agreement they even have with ABC is murky at best.  I think what has me the most uneasy is all the unknowns.

While it may seem like I am being a bit of a "Debbie Downer” here, I do have a hope that this time around Prospect Park can truly save the day and become my hero once again.  The fact that there still seems to be interest from Prospect Park in producing these soaps in itself is actually a good thing.  It means they see soaps as being profitable.  As much as I would love to believe Prospect Park is just doing this out of love for the genre, the fact is they're are in the business to make money.  One of the many causes for the demise of the daytime soap is that it is no longer seen as genre that can bring in money (I disagree).  If Prospect Park is successful then this can change that perception.

With the latest news of the possible resurrection of One Life to Live and General Hospital, I have decided to stay cautiously optimistic for the time being.  If these shows are revived I will be a very happy camper to say the least.  However before I can truly celebrate, I think I need to know what these shows will look like.  For the most part, this means I need to know which actors will be attached to these shows.  In the meantime, I will be patiently waiting for more news.

For more compete information and updates regarding Prospect Park’s plans to reboot One Life to Live and All My Children, I suggest the following publications/resources:  Soap Opera Digest, Daytime Confidential, Soaps Uncensored, and TVSource Magazine. 

The return of AJ Quartermaine

The story of Michael’s parentage is very unique.  It is sort of an anti-baby-switch or anti-who’s-the-daddy or combination of the two.  Everyone is fully aware of who his real father yet instead of being given back to his father he was given to someone else.  Something tells me though that we are about to see that switch take place.

AJ has done some really horrible things and he is not what I would call a good guy.  Carly and Sonny can be pretty nasty themselves.  Pointing fingers and yelling “he started it first” may seem a little childish but in this situation I think it definitely holds some weight.  Because the beginning of this story line started in the ‘90s, there are many layers to why everyone did what they did.

I like Carly’s explanation to Michael this past week that she was young and stupid.  She certainly was.  She started the chain of lies because she wanted to keep her lover Tony whom she had stolen away from her mother.  It was selfishness on her part that she decided to make AJ think he had fallen off the wagon so he would be shipped to rehab out of state.  Other issues did come into play such as her conflicts with the Quartermaines whom she saw as controlling.  AJ being an alcoholic probably didn’t help either.  In my opinion, Carly never really cared about AJ although he at one time had feelings for her.  She didn’t want to be tied to him.

Sonny’s part in all of this was pure mobster.  He felt AJ took his child away from him when Carly lost Sonny’s child after a spill down the stairs during an argument.  At this time in GH history, Sonny wanted nothing more than to be a father.  This was something that never seemed to work out for him (he didn’t have his super sperm or kids popping out of the woodwork at this point).  Sonny decided to take what he wanted from AJ so he hung AJ from a meat hook and got him to sign away his rights to Michael.  This has aways been my perception of things.  I’m not saying Sonny doesn't love Michael but he didn’t become his father honestly.

As for AJ, I feel that Guza went in a really odd direction with the character and he wasn’t suppose to be as bad.  AJ was the black sheep of the Quatermaines.  He was very flawed and a bit of a bad boy.  Things such as shooting Alan in the back though was not something I think AJ would ever do.  I also felt Billy Warlock’s portrayal of AJ changed the character.  When Sean Kanan plays AJ, he’s the black sheep of the family because he is a screw up and does reckless things.  With Billy Warlock, AJ seemed like the black sheep of the family because he wasn’t as tall, blond, and golden as Jason.  Sean Kanan’s AJ is what will be making this current story work.

Although AJ, Sonny, and Carly are the stars of this tale, Michael has always been at the center of it.  He is the prize that everyone has been fighting over all these years.  Michael has had a rough history in Port Charles.  His character profile is a bit of a mess.  It’s filled with things such buying a gun as a teenager, shooting someone, being shot in the head, ax-murdering, bar fights, prison time (which lead to him being sexually assaulted), and dating a striper (which helped him get over his assault naturally).  I have seen fans posing the question of whether the character of Michael could be redeemed as a result of all this.  Being Sonny’s son was not easy on this character.  Would Michael has been better off had he been raised with AJ as a Quartermaine?  I feel that the story that is being unfolded is an attempt to answer this.

It feels as though the current creative team is taking some of the poor choices from the past regime and working them to their advantage.  Guza’s placement of the mobsters as good guys is being held up to a mirror.  Sonny, Jason, and Carly’s lifestyles are being questioned and we are having a look at their flaws.  This is what I want for these characters.  They were once very interesting characters to watch and dissect.  It was sad that Guza had reduced them to what some fans refer to as “The Mob Three” or “Unholy Trinity.”  GH should have never become a lite version of The Sopranos.  This story line is going to change things for the characters that are involved for the better.

Michael has finally learned that Carly and Sonny did some very bad things that set in motion AJ’s actions and some pretty traumatizing experiences for Michael himself.  The rose colored glasses have been yank off his face, thrown on the floor, and stepped on.  Chad Duell and Laura Wright did an outstanding job in the scenes where Michael asks Carly for the truth.  The expressions on their faces said it all.  A little bit of both their worlds had shattered.

I’m glad that Carly admitted to Michael what happened when he asked her.  Let’s face it this all happen 15 years ago (realtime not soaptime) - why drag out the lie even longer.  Also if Carly would have lied to Michael, she would have only dug herself in deeper.  I also feel that in telling the truth to Michael, there has been given room for him to forgive her.  I don’t want him to hate her but I want him to have an honest view of her.

Carly has never been very good at admitting when she is wrong.  While I love when characters have flaws, this is an annoying one to have.  Her admitting what she did to AJ is good first step in her overcoming this.  I still want Carly to be a bad girl but I want her to be more self aware.  I want her to realize that her actions can be selfish and cruel.

Sonny doesn’t know AJ is alive yet and Michael hasn’t spoken to him about what he now knows.  I’m really looking forward to these scenes especially after their recent scenes together at the boxing gym.  Sonny, still numb from the news of Jason’s death, told Michael he wanted better for him than the mobster lifestyle.  He told Michael that he would never be his right hand man and that he wanted him to live a safe and happy life.  I suspect Sonny may be put in the position to let go of Michael or lose him forever.  If you love someone, set them free.

As for AJ, I’m looking forward to him gaining some power and developing a relationship with Michael.  This has been a long time coming and really seems to be more on path with how I imagine the story would go when I first started watching years ago.  I don’t see AJ as a hero but I see him as someone who is very flawed.  I love that AJ is now aware and sorry for his past misdeeds.

I also love that this story isn’t stand alone.  It is connected to a lot of the other story lines we currently have on campus.  I can see it creating movement in the budding romances between Starr/Michael and Carly/Todd.  It’s nice to see the contrast in the parent/child relationships here too.  I have always been a fan of Starr and Todd’s relationship.  He’s very protective of her and doesn’t want her to be like him while she understands he does bad things but loves him anyways.  I can imagine Carly and Michael eventually getting to this point.

There is also the impact to the Quartermaines.  This is a huge step in rebuilding the mass destruction that was done under Guza and JFP to this beloved core family.  With AJ back and Michael hopefully turning Q, this means a lot of interaction with Monica and Tracy as well as ghost Alan pop ups. It would be great if they could return a few still living cousins also.

By bringing back AJ, Ron Carlivati and Frank Valentini have captured soapy goodness.  This has created a hug character driven umbrella story.  It’s really giving this fan what she wants.

General Hospital - My Likes and Dislikes Part Deux

A few months ago, I blogged some of my likes and dislikes of General Hospital’s current state of affairs.  In my blog I had made reference to the following quote from Tristan Rogers:  “The underlying philosophy of GH had always been one of ‘hope.’ In this General Hospital there was none.”  The quote was taken from an article entitled The Going of Guza.  I had referenced this quote not only because it came from the very insightful Rogers but because I think it did a great job a summarizing what General Hospital had lost and needed to get back.  I am quoting it again now because I feel General Hospital has gotten its glimmer of hope back.

In looking back at my previous list, I was pleasantly surprised to see there has been a lot of movement in the story lines.  Over all I feel like the show now has good balance and tone.  Below is what I am liking, disliking and on the fence with:

Likes:

The Return of AJ Quartermaine - So happy to see someone tell Michael the truth about his mother and “father” finally.  This is HUGE and is going to have a lot of impact on a lot of characters.  AJ is not squeaky clean by any means but Sonny & Carly really did him and Michael wrong.  Love that time wasn't wasted having AJ tell Michael about the meat hook incident.  Michael didn’t want to believe him of course but I hope he starts asking some questions of his parents now.  Michael insistence to place Sonny, Carly, and Jason on pedestals has always seem unbalanced to me.  The kid needs lots of therapy and needs to have his eyes opened a bit.  I actually think that deep down Michael knows Sonny and Carly aren’t saints but just doesn’t want to admit it.  And let’s face it, his past experience with AJ was a bit traumatic.

I think this return will force Sonny and Carly to reflect on some of their past deeds.  They both need a good look in the mirror.  What they did to AJ and, as a result Michael, was really horrible.  Nobody knows what Michael’s life would have been like with AJ as a father but with Sonny as a father it was pretty rough.  I suspect things such as being shot in the head and raped in prison probably wouldn’t have happen had he grown up in the Quatermaine mansion.  The most that probably would have happened to Michael is that he would have grown up a bit of a spoiled jerk.

It is really nice to see Sean Kanan in the role again as well.  He looks like he could be Michael’s father and Jason’s brother.  I have loved Billy Warlock in other roles but he never felt right to me as AJ.  Warlock just has too much of a nice guy vibe for me.  He seems more like a guy who will help with the dishes and drive your kids to soccer practice than a hot, regretful one night stand.  Kanan just makes a better sexy bad boy type in my opinion.

The Luke/Tracy Friendship - I love the banter between these two.  I also enjoy seeing them scheme together and poke fun of each other’s relationships or lack there of.  They have great chemistry and great dialog together.  I’m happy that instead of focusing on dark and serious story lines for them, there is focus on the mischievous aspects of these characters.

In fact I could really extend this to all the friendships that are popping up in Port Charles right now.  Sure some of them are more like frienemies, such as Carly/Sam and Monica/Tracy, but I am loving not see so much back-stabbing and hating.  It’s fun to watch some of these characters just hang out and talk.

Todd and Carly - Both Blair/Todd and Carly/Jax where great couples that I loved.  That being said, I am really enjoying Todd and Carly together right now.  I think the actors have great chemistry with each other and the characters fit together well.  In the past these two characters have been rather dark so it is nice to see the light and fun moments between them.  They are both on the not-so-nice side and I can see them as a possible villainous pairing or as scheming partners.

Blair is on her way to Port Charles which could lead to an interesting triangle of sorts.  I like the idea of Carly and Blair as friends too so I’m curious to see how it all plays out.  Maybe the gals can gang up on Skye together.

SpinEllie - I know Spinelli hangs out with and works for the mob but he has a gentleness about him that I think makes it possible to label him as one of the good guys.  I like to see a nice guy not finish last for once.  It is great that the current girl-boy-girl triangles on General Hospital feature guys who aren’t hitmen or godfather types.  Also Ellie is adorable and likable.  It is so much fun watching Ellie and Spinelli geek out on one of their dates.  I was hoping that a character like Ellie would be brought on the show and am not disappointed.  I am getting a kick out of Maxie’s reaction to this new situation.  I like to think it is a dose of her own medicine.

More Hospital - As a whole now we have the follow characters that work at the hospital: Epiphany, Patrick, Steve, Liz, Sabrina, Monica, Britt, and Ellie.  What’s better yet is that we actually get to see them at the hospital.  This is great!  It’s just weird not having that much hospital in a show called General Hospital.

Liz and Sam and Jason’s exit - All three actors did a great job with their scenes when the baby switch was revealed.  I particularly loved Liz’s confession to Jason and the layers that were given to why she did what she did.  I know that some fans are not happy that she didn’t end up with Jason and that she switched the tests but I think that this was Liz’s rock bottom and now we’ll get to see her built back up again.

I was happy to see Sam and Jason get their baby back.  Babyswitches are common in the soap genre and not particularly my favorite story lines but this one played out well.  I liked that Liz and Sam didn’t attack each other in the end.

As luck would have it Steve Burton’s exit happened right as Jason’s story line was getting really interesting for me.  I’m glad that he was shot and kicked into the water.  It seemed fitting for the character and better than having some awkward scene of him leaving town when it didn’t make sense.  No body was found so he can return later.

Jasam and Liason have never been my favorite couples but in the end I found my self rooting for both.  I think this is largely in part because there was a shift from Jason being the focal point of both relationships.  The stories became more about these two women and their flaws.  It became more relatable for me.

Sonny the Family Man - Sonny trying to get through to his angry daughter and telling his son that he wants better for him than the mob, is the Sonny I want to see.  I would much rather see Sonny challenge his daughter’s shady suitor to a boxing match than challenge his rivals to a shoot out.  I still want Sonny to be tough but I want to see his softer side more.

I remember in the ‘90s that Sonny really wanted to have a family.  It was something he seemed to want more than anything.  This was before Guza decided to give Sonny so many lovers and messed up little children.  I’m not sure how accurate my memory is on all of this but I imagined Sonny being a lot different than what he ended up.  I had imagine a father who was still a mobster but was protective of his children and didn’t let them come anywhere near the business.  I wanted him to have more of a nurturing soul when it came to his family yet still be brutal when it came to the business.  I’m starting to see glimpses of this Sonny now.

I like seeing his interaction with his baby mama Alexis.  Maurice Benard and Nancy Lee Grahn have great ease and comfortableness with each other that really shows through in their scenes.  They seem like a divorce couple who have managed to become friends.  It makes me want to see them play house a little.

I also think that with recently losing Jason (and Kate for that matter) and the return of AJ, we are going to see Sonny do some reflecting on his life.  Would Jason and Michael have been better off without him?  Should he hang up his mobster hat?  Is he such a nice guy after all?  Should he let Michael go be a Quartermaine? I can see some really interesting stuff coming out of all this.

Lulu and Dante baby story - This story had me happy, excited, and then crying when it was revealed that Lulu would not be able to carry a baby to term.  I like that we get to see this couple go through this together.  It is being played as Lulu and Dante not being able to have kids instead of as just Lulu not being able to have kids.  This is a couple that is going to weather this storm together.  The story seems very real and I wont to see how they get over all the bumps in the road ahead.

On the Fence:

Trey/Kristina/Michael/Starr - I actually like Trey now.  It was nice seeing his vulnerable side come out in his interactions with his father and when his mother cruelly told him that she wished he was dead.  

The Trey/Kristina relationship still has potential but I’m not quite feeling them yet.  Michael and Starr are cute together but they haven’t been given much in terms of story line to move their relationship along.  It would have been interesting to see a Johnny/Starr/Michael triangle but I’m not sure how that could ever happen now.  I do want Starr to be less vanilla.

As far as this young adult cast goes, I like all the characters individually well enough but haven’t been wowed by any of the couples yet.  I get the feeling that there is a love triangle in the future but I not sure that would make much impact with things currently the way that they are.  It does seem there may be some other excitement thrown their way though which should hopefully help.

The DID Story - I’m really enjoying Connie and Kelly Sullivan is a riot.  However while I feel like we are being given a lot of fun and interesting scenes with this story, I’m not sure where the heck it is going.  The reveal that Johnny and Connie were married at the Kate and Sonny non-wedding was great soapy stuff but not all the pieces are fitting together for me quite yet.  Is there suppose to be romance developing between Connie and Johnny?  Are we ever going to find out exactly why Connie can’t stand Sonny?  Wouldn’t Johnny be better off if he just confessed?

Duke Lavery - Duke’s got me a little confused right now.  It’s really too early for me to have a really opinion on this story line but I’m scratching my head at a lot of things.  I’m not really sure if I should be convinced that this is the real Duke.  It is great to have Ian Buchanan on the canvas again though.

Dislikes:

Dr. Keenan’s exit - I really like Nathin Butler and would have rather he were revealed to be a Jacks brother.  He is attractive and talented and I think they should have found a way to keep him on the show.  Plus I really liked the Liz and Ewen pairing.  His exit also seemed a little clunky to me.  It would have had more impact if Liz and Ewen were further along in their relationship.

The Exposition - General Hospital has been doing a lot of explaining lately.  While I understand some exposition makes sense and is necessary, such as in situations when veteran characters are brought back, there seems to be too much of it.  There has been exposition at times when a characters action would have easily told the story instead.  A good example of this was when Jason told Sam that their baby wasn’t dead.  There was a hold episode of Jason relaying the past events to to Sam.  I would have prefer a few quick sentences, some hugs and kisses, and then a quick rush out the door to find the baby.

The Cult of Soap Opera

I remember being fresh from college and living in a tiny apartment that I shared with two roommates.  Everyday I would rush home from my entry level job to watch my favorite show.  It was my way of escaping and relaxing after a hard day’s work.  That show was the cult classic Buffy the Vampire Slayer - the reruns which aired on FX to be exact.  Yes, I was rushing home to watch a rerun.  This is the way fans of cult television behave and this is what I think makes cult television marketable.  Shows such as Friends, Everybody Loves Raymond, and Two and a Half Men were ratings darlings but nobody runs home to watch their reruns on a daily basis.

Cult shows are typically serials that not only draw their viewers in but give viewers the need to continue to watch to see what happens next.  Fans care what happens to the characters on these shows.  While they can focus on fantasy and science fiction elements, they will usually have a hint of relateblity to them that makes their audiences connect.  Soap operas are a form of this type of television.

Anyone who is a fan of Buffy the Vampire Slayer will tell you that it wasn’t just about staking vampires.  It was really about how high school is hell.  Many of the monsters and “big bads” that Buffy battle each week were merely metaphors for the teenage experience.  Of course those who didn’t watch, think it is just about a vampire slaying cheerleader.

Something simular can be said of soaps.  While on the surfaces they may seem to be nothing more than sex and scandal, they really are about our relationships and desires.  Instead of high school as hell, soaps are about how love can be hell and, of course, occasionally heaven.

Like their science fiction and fantasy counter parts, soaps are also appointment television.  Fans of the shows will make a point to have time to view these programs. Plus when fans turn the channel to these shows, they are actually watching them!  Nobody turns to a soap for the background noise.

This should appeal to advertisers and, according to a recent comment from ABC President of Entertainment Paul Lee, it does:

Lee says that soaps tend to rake in more money from advertisers. "We tend to be able to sell it more aggressively around the world because it's appointment television," he explains, noting that he began his career producing Brazilian and British soap operas. 

Lee’s comment was a surprise to many fans such as myself not because we disagreed but because this was certainly the opposite of what we have been told in the past.  It was very pleasant for a television executive to state what I have always thought was the obvious.

So why have fans of the ailing soap genre been told for so long that soaps don’t make money?  I wish I knew the answer that question.  All I can say is that some television executives just don’t appear to get it.  They don’t always seem to understand that when it comes to viewership, loyalty can be more important than quantity.  I hope that we can see this negative attitude towards soaps continue to change because with everything that is going on in the world today, we all need the escape.

General Hospital - My Likes and Dislikes

The last 15 years or so have not been kind to the once beloved General Hospital (GH). At one point GH was at the top of it’s genre but now sadly it is struggling to stay on the air.  I blame this on a total lack of understanding of the audience by the formal creative team.  Now there is definitely plenty of blame to go around but I feel the the greatest weight of this rest on the shoulders of former head writer Bob Guza and former executive producer Jill Farren Phelps.  It was under their rein that GH starting being refereed to as General Mobster after all.  Too much focus was placed on the mobsters with nothing to balance it out.  In additional to this GH became hostile towards it’s female characters deeming it by many the most misogynistic soap on television. As Tristan Rogers posted on his website in an article entitled The Going of Guza, “The underlying philosophy of GH had always been one of ‘hope.’ In this General Hospital there was none.”

Now I could go on about the damage that was done to GH and list off the many poor decision that were made but I won’t.  The point is that when Frank Valentini and Ron Carlivati took over as GH's executive producer and head writer, they had a huge mess to clean up.  I don’t like everything that they have done but I am a lot happier with the direction of the show right now. When One Life To Live (OLTL) ended it had a balanced canvas with focus on family, friends, lovers, and how they all relate to each other.  I don’t want GH to become OLTL 2.0 but I do want it to be more like OLTL in this respect.  So, roughly six months later, how do I think they are doing?  Here are some of my likes, dislikes, and everything in between:


Likes:

Anna Devane - Bringing back this character is probably the best decision that has been made so far.  She brings two much needed elements to GH - a good justice seeker to balance out the mobsters and a strong female lead.  Finola Hughes is also a wonderful soap actress and tons of fun to watch.  Anna is exactly what GH needed.


Anna-Luke-Tracy triangle - Luke is nothing for these gals to be fighting over and I think that is the point.  I don’t expect a great romance to come out of this.  That’s not what I like about this storyline.  I like the relatable elements that the story has for me as a viewer.  I think most women can relate to what is feels like when you fall for the wrong guy.  No matter how smart, attractive, and wonderful you are, you end up feeling stupid.  This is what happened to Tracy.  Jane Elliot turned in a great performance when Tracy’s love-goggles came off.  She made a fool out of herself for a guy who didn’t love her back and it hurt.  Meanwhile, Anna had jumped into Luke’s arms after having gone through a big loss.  Luke had been supportive and their are some feelings there but unfortunately not a lot of thought.  After hearing Tracy’s side of things she is definitely questioning if she wants to be involved with Luke.  Another thing I am enjoying about this storyline is that the over 50 cast members were allowed to be fun and sexy in it.  Anna's bedroom romp and Tracy's tongue slip were refreshing.

Heather Webber - Robin Mattson definitely knows how to play a villain not to mention a complete cuckoo.  She’s Annie Wilkes from Misery with a dash of Norman Bates’s mother.  Not only is she a riot to watch but she has a dangerous unpredictability to her that can make her seem pretty darn scary at times.  Mr. James Franco, this is how it’s done.

The addition of some good guys - When you have mobster verses mobster, the “good guys” are really just the whoever is the lesser of two evils.  Sonny and his coffee importing crew really needed some genuine good guys to butt heads with and the women of GH needed some non-mobsters to pair up with.  John McBain is a good addition to Port Charles because of this and I am actually enjoying him more on GH more than I did on OLTL.  I also like that we have characters such as Ewen, Patrick, and Steve who are getting some good airtime now.

Jackal & McCall - Watching Spinelli and Sam putting the pieces of the Heather Webber puzzle together over Chinese take-out is fun.  I’ve always enjoyed these type of adventures on soaps and I’m happy to see that Sam w/the help of Spinelli is getting close to figuring this out on her own.  It’s also particularly enjoyable because before beginning their new case, both Sam and Spinelli were given backbones.

Spinelli decided he had enough of Maxie’s mistreatment and told her he was done being her whipping boy.  The last creative team seemed to think good guy meant “whimp” in Spinelli’s case so I’m glad that is over.  It was a nice touch also when Spinelli risked getting a smack down from Todd in order for Sam to get safely out of Todd room.  See, guys can be gentlemen without having to pull out a gun!

Sam’s slowly being moved into the heroine archetype.  The transition was pretty rocky and the scenes between Jason and her were really hard to watch.  I did not enjoy watching a mob hit-man yell at his pregnant raped wife at all.  Her turning point came when she finally told Jason off and said all the things that fans were saying.  Kelly Monaco did a great job in that scene and I’m starting to really like Sam.  She still has a long way to go but I am enjoying the spunky PI a lot more than the mob wife.

Todd Manning -  I admit the main reason for my liking Todd is that I like the actor.  The character is also very complex and layer which makes him interesting to watch.  Todd’s not a good guy by any means but the difference is he knows he’s not the good guy.  The problem with GH’s anit-heros and mobsters is that they don’t seem to always realize they are bad guys.  Plus he adds a smarter foe for Sonny, some dark humor, and has great chemistry with the cast.

On the Fence:


The Baby Switch - I was not looking forward to this story line.  It is a dark and upsetting at times.  I can’t say that I completely hate it though for many reasons.  One is the acting.  The actors brought their A game to this story line and made me really feel for the characters.  Another thing I liked is that it is an umbrella story line that touches multiple characters in very different ways.  It isn’t center on one character.  I also like the writing.  Baby switches have been done before but this is smarter version.  Stuff such as the mother’s medical histories and the appearances of the babies were touched on.

The DID Story - I love Kelly Sullivan’s acting in this story line and Connie can be a riot.  However sometimes things can get a little campy and I don’t really like the idea of Connie having a long lost son.  I also don’t want Sonny to use violence as a way to deal with this but I have a feeling he is going to do just that.

The Mob Three - I like Maurice Benard, Steve Burton, and Laura Wright but I don’t always like the characters they play.  This is really the result of years of the show focusing too much on the mob and trying to play them as the romantic heroes instead of complex anti-heroes.  A lot of viewers wanted the mob to go away all together.  Instead the goal seems to be to try to make these characters likable again.  Carly has actually grown on me a lot.  I like her budding friendships with both Todd and Sam.  Laura Wright also has good chemistry with both Roger Howarth and Brandon Barash.  Sonny is being given a less mob focused story line w/Kate’s DID but he still needs a lot of growth.  I would have like to see him do a little jail time or something.  Jason has had the least about of moment and I would have really liked him to have woken up as Jason Q after his last operation.  I’m having trouble seeing why either Liz or Sam would love him.


Dislikes:

Mob Princess - This may be one of those stories which I end up liking once I see where it is going but so far it’s just annoying.  NuKristina comes off as a brat.  Having your father go all mobster to get you into Yale is not really that great of a thing.  I could understand Kristina not wanting to be controlled and feeling embarrassed.  This is what the focus should be.  I can’t understand why she would want to drag her siblings and others into this though.  I don’t care how good Trey looks in a towel.

The Young Adult Scene - This has a lot of potential that isn’t being used.  Starr as a Disney pop princess isn’t interesting for me.  I like the badass that tells people not to call her girlie.   There was a missed opportunity to give Starr’s character some much needed movement when she was brought onto GH.  I would have liked for her go to medical school, get a pet snake, and tap into her inner trickster that she inherited from her parents.

Michael needs to actually get mad at his parents sometimes instead of having this unconditional loyalty.  He needs more depth.  Have him question whether Sonny and the mob are actually good guys.  Maybe have him spend some time with the Quartermaines.

Trey and Kristina are in that annoying stage where I can’t really relate to them or like them.  I would like it if Kristina’s crush turn out to be gay.  It would be an interesting story for GH to have and I would love to see Kristina’s reaction when she finds out she has been doing a horrible reality show to impress a guy who will never like her back.  This will also give Trey a story line other than being just a jerk.

The Daytime Emmy Roller Coaster: A Fan’s View

This year’s Daytime Emmys have been an emotional up and down for this soap fan to say the least.  Before the pre-pre-nominations, pre-nominations, and nominations were announced, I was actually pretty excited about the Emmys.  The final year of One Life to Live (OLTL) was the basis for this premature bliss.  OLTL was amazingly great in 2011.  Critics and fans alike were madly in love with this now departed soap.  I mean a soap opera was actually a critical darling?!  When is the last time that happen?  Of course my other much less friendly reason for wanting OLTL to rake in the Emmys was because I really wanted them to stick it to ABC.  Let’s face it sometimes the best revenge is success.

I already had my favorite picks for each category picked out before I even knew who submitted and what they submitted for consideration (Go, Andrea Evans!).  Unfortunately for my fan girl heart, not all my favorites submitted for the Emmys but I still had my favorites from those that did submit.  By the final nomination announcement though most were out of the running completely.  My excitement all but died.

The biggest disappoint and surprise was that OLTL isn’t up for best show.  OLTL really deserved to win and at the very least should have been nominated.  To make things even weirder, General Hospital (GH) got a nomination - a show that was on such a downward spiral that it’s head writer and producer were actually replaced by the former head writer and producer of OLTL.

GH does have probably the best acting cast in daytime so it isn’t a surprise that the actors from GH got nominated at all.  I’ve watch their Emmy reals and they are really good.  I’m sure they will dominate the acting categories tonight.  I did notice though that the majority of what was submitted by GH belongs to the same story line.  I guess this just goes to show that you only need a few good episodes to get a nomination and perhaps a win.  It really would make more since if there was a way to look at the shows as a whole when making Emmy selections.

Another Emmy low point happened when it appeared that the Daytime Emmys wouldn’t even be televised.  Talk about kicking a genre when it’s down!  Despite the upset with the nominations, I still wanted to see who won, hear their acceptance speeches, and see what they wore (I’m such a girl!).  I hoped that at the very least, there would be a way for me to see it online or that a soap reporter would graciously post a lot of pictures online and live tweet.

When is was announce at almost the last minute that HLN would pick up the Daytime Emmys, my feelings were mixed.  HLN and Daytime Emmys seemed like a strange combination.  They are a 24 hour news network after all.  I think that the fact that they are a 24 hour news network actually ended up being a good thing though.  They were able to turn the Daytime Emmys into news by promoting it through interviews, news stories, and their awesome website.  HLN is showing the soap genre and daytime television much more love than any of the major networks would have.  I’m also excited that they will be doing tributes to the recently cancelled OLTL and All My Children.

My anticipation for the Daytime Emmys is now in a much more positive place than it was a couple of months ago.  I’m more excited than anxious as I wait for them to air tonight.  Who knew the Daytime Emmys would be as dramatic as their shows.