GH In The News: The PC Press Club

[ulkis]

But GH changed in the '90s. It became more "real" under Labine. And while Guza was all mob, all the time, he also wasn't about talking dogs or outright hamminess.

 

To be fair, I'm pretty sure OLTL was tonally more serious in the early 90s as well. Aaand that leads me to a question I will ask over in the OLTL section.

[Dandesun]

With so many fish and most of the ponds dried up, i.e. most soaps dead, I get how the recycling happens, especially since new blood may shy away from a dying genre.

 

But I think a mistake that is made is, for lack of a better explanation, the "type" of writer a show chooses. Ron, for example, was coming off of OLTL, the soap that did heaven arcs and time travel. So while there was reality, camp wasn't out of place and Ron fit the style. (This is said by someone who read soap mags; I never watched, so please correct any inaccuracies!)

 

He didn't fit GH. And he tried to make GH change to fit his campy vision and it didn't work. Now, I am well aware GH was also campy in the '80s, but it also seemed to try and ground the ridiculousness in a cloak of semi-reality, if that makes any sense. (It does in my head.)

 

That's not entirely fair. OLTL did their spaceships to heaven and time-travel stories in the 80s. And, frankly, it's something that Ron should have left there because he did bring on some bat shit crazy storylines... revisiting the time-travel story for one, and that fucking magic television for another. He and Frank also put way too many chips into the whole singing episodes that they seemed to do for three years running. Now, going into that knowing it was going to be a "special episode" so you knew not to take it seriously helped. And Mark Lawson's Brody in his whites singing 'Keep on Lovin' You' by REO Speedwagon is, in fact, the stuff that dreams are made of... but those were one offs.

 

The 'special episodes' they did in '01 or whatever with the 'Trading Places' were fun, too. Sometimes, you can afford to go on a lark for a day or two.

 

The problem was that pure camp only carries you so far. You need other things like real relationships, romances, rivalries... the things that matter. Starr Manning was kidnapped so many times she was literally kidnapped from her own kidnapping! That's too much kidnapping!! There needs to be BALANCE and that's what so many forget these days.

[HeatLifer]

Does anyone know how seriously TPTB take social media comments? Because I fell into the abyss and read some on various different stories/characters and I'm like :O.

[ch1]

If this show has a legitimate prayer FV needs to follow RC. RC didn't stink up the joint on his own.

[WendyCR72]

If this show has a legitimate prayer FV needs to follow RC. RC didn't stink up the joint on his own.

 

Agreed, but FV seems to do his bigger job - balancing budget - well (even if the show looks sorta cheap), so I don't see ABC cutting him loose.

[jsbt]

I think Ron's style was actually right for GH. I think what wasn't right for GH was what's become of his ego and any kind of non-Frank oversight.

 

I didn't mind the (very brief, actually - three weeks, I think) time travel story on OLTL because it was an anniversary event and honored the show's history - and the previous time travel story from the '80s - in a fun way while also dealing in a current story. I did mind the train of logic that ultimately led us to Rex and Gigi's time-traveling television of the space-time gods.

Edited July 28, 2015 by jsbt

[jsbt]

The problem was that pure camp only carries you so far. You need other things like real relationships, romances, rivalries... the things that matter. Starr Manning was kidnapped so many times she was literally kidnapped from her own kidnapping! That's too much kidnapping!! There needs to be BALANCE and that's what so many forget these days.

 

The thing is, I think that their OLTL, on its worst day (and there were several of those in Ron's era, as we both know), had more balance and grounding in other areas of the show than Ron's GH has had in the better part of two years.

 

But yes, the pointless OLTL musicals made them put way too much stock in that shit.

[SlovakPrincess]

I'm praying the rumors of SORASing of the kids is true. I would miss Brooklyn as Emma, but there should not be a story line for 4th graders.

I would hate this idea for the sole reason that I can't stand the idea of Robin returning to a bratty teen who goes "you were gone my whole childhood!" You just know they'd do that to Robin ... I don't trust any writer with that poor character now.

OMG, my head would explode from the white hot rage.

Also, SORAS-ing troubles me because it prematurely ages everyone. Just make new characters who aren't related - less incestuous that way.

In other news ... I think RC (or whoever hired him) thought his brand of camp fit GH. It didn't. There's a compelling story with campy elements, that also allows for character development and a satisfying story arc. Then there's the flat, cynical, mean-spirited camp this show became in the last 3 years.

Edited July 28, 2015 by SlovakPrincess

[ulkis]

I snorted at Tristan Rogers tweet:

 

Watched Tony's last show today.  Hmmmm......

[HeatLifer]

I snorted at Tristan Rogers tweet:

Watched Tony's last show today. Hmmmm......

I'm CRYING.

[SlovakPrincess]

I snorted at Tristan Rogers tweet:

Watched Tony's last show today. Hmmmm......

Heh.

Always wondered: Are TR and TG not really friendly in real life? It seemed like they enjoyed working together in the 80s and possibly even when TG was Bill Eckert in the early 90s.

But were they never really pals in real life?

Although why the heck else would TR subject himself to watching, if not for an old friend? LOL.

Edited July 29, 2015 by SlovakPrincess

[ulkis]

Heh.

Always wondered: Are TR and TG not really friendly in real life? It seemed like they enjoyed working together in the 80s and possibly even when TG was Bill Eckert in the early 90s.

But were they never really pals in real life?

Although why the heck else would TR subject himself to watching, if not for an old friend? LOL.

 

I get the impression they like each other, even if they don't particularly keep in touch.

 

I think that "hmmm" was all about the writing, not Tony.

[SlovakPrincess]

I get the impression they like each other, even if they don't particularly keep in touch.

I think that "hmmm" was all about the writing, not Tony.

But did he miss the tour de force of ghost Tim Spencer and his ghost bourbon: "You're oooooold Luke! You're oooooold! Come join daddy in hell!"

Days later, that still makes me giggle. Because I'm mean.

[ulkis]

But did he miss the tour de force of ghost Tim Spencer and his ghost bourbon: "You're oooooold Luke! You're oooooold! Come join daddy in hell!"

Days later, that still makes me giggle. Because I'm mean.

 

"You see how silly that sounds! But it still makes it into the show!"

 

I loved that because FINALLY some professional (well, kinda, it's the Soup) called out TG's crap performance.

[ulkis]

http://daytimeconfidential.com/2015/07/28/daytime-confidential-podcast-ep-800-abc-replaces-ron-carlivati

 

Apparently from what Jamey Giddens heard they were celebrating on set.

 

Sorry, but that cracks me up.

 

anyway, someone summed up the rest of the podcast (which is here: http://daytimeconfidential.com/2015/07/28/daytime-confidential-podcast-ep-800-abc-replaces-ron-carlivati)

 

JG- thought ABC should have thanked RC for saving GH.
-Nielsen ratings showed GH had a problem
-RC's mistake put plot before character
-RC wasn't blameless but FV needs to own his part
-actors not always the best judge of material
-TG helped put nail in RC coffin.....

-question is if you hate Ron, why do you love Frank [asked about actors]- RC wasn't responsible for every big name star to come on
-RC was told to kill a character in the middle of the wedding
-celebration on set when RC was fired
-FV is a diva

reTG- they agree with some things he said ie Frank Smith and Jake story
-the poison story was done because TG quit and RC wrote that for Luke's exit - he was to die
-at the 11th hour, TG changed his mind so RC had to write the Robin cure angle
-RC had to deal with TG's "myriad of neuroses".

JG- TG is most popular actor in daytime but of TG and RC, only one of them is happy to be a part of daytime; only 1 of them is sitting in a rocking chair in Amsterdam, longing for the day when he could have been the next Burt Reynolds; only 1 of them blames GH and thinks LnL is an albatross even if it got him a spot on Nightline but he wouldn't have been on Nightline with Luke and Tracy.

-JG was told TG went ape**** when he found out Genie was going to be part of his exit.

-Jillian - TG pitched Stavros story with his writing partner but when 9/11 happened and they dumped it, TG threw Megan under the bus by stating in the press that it wasn't the story he wrote. So TG has dealt with silly stories before.

-Mike- TG's interview was classless, horrible interview. How could he be ungrateful and stay in a job that he hated for 37 years, a job that accomodated him and then dump all over the fans for their love of LnL. "I will not miss you. Take a hike."

-Jillian- TG is naive about the entertainment industry when he talks about how daytime is concerned with looks. "Well, what do you think primetime is like, bro?"

-re JP - be careful what you wish for- they will wait and see but GH is a fast paced show and viewers won't want to see a character spend a year looking for a music box.

-all agree it's a rollercoaster of putting writers into different shows and expecting different results. Example of how it doesn't work -Gloria Monty's return.

[MSquared]

Looks like Ron was whining to his good buddy Jamey.

[GHScorpiosRule]

I snorted at Tristan Rogers tweet:

 

Watched Tony's last show today.  Hmmmm......

 

Heh. You beat me to it, ulkis! I was just about to post this. And of course, he didn't answer the questions from people who commented, about what he thought-in more detail!

[LegalParrot81]

 

 

Heh.

Always wondered: Are TR and TG not really friendly in real life? It seemed like they enjoyed working together in the 80s and possibly even when TG was Bill Eckert in the early 90s.

But were they never really pals in real life?

Although why the heck else would TR subject himself to watching, if not for an old friend? LOL.

 

They're friends and stay in contact.  TR says mostly by email.  He did say this recently....

 

TRISTAN:  Tony started talking to me in earnest at Christmas time about leaving.  I heard it mentioned prior to that, but now he was being more specific.  I guess he had made up his mind, and all it all, it came as no surprise.

 

http://michaelfairmansoaps.com/news/constance-towers-and-tristan-rogers-two-of-tony-geary’s-most-memorable-scene-partners-share-thoughts-on-his-gh-exit-their-scenes-his-contributions-to-the-genre/2015/07/27/

[Kitty Redstone]

I don't know what is more ridiculous.  That Tony Geary wanted to be the next Burt Reynolds, or that JG thinks that Tony Geary wanted to be the next Burt Reynolds.  Both notions are making me laugh.

[dubbel zout]

Ron brought too much camp to GH, and most of it was in the wrong kind of story.

[boes]

I don't know what is more ridiculous.  That Tony Geary wanted to be the next Burt Reynolds, or that JG thinks that Tony Geary wanted to be the next Burt Reynolds.  Both notions are making me laugh.

 

First of all, who on earth wants to be Burt Reynolds??  I bet even Burt Reynolds doesn't want to be Burt Reynolds.   

 

Maybe Geary should have tried for the Burl Ives look instead.

[Tiger]

Re: Tony and Ron, the only thing I have to say is what I've already said: good riddance to two stupid delusional motherfuckers.

[backhometome]

Lol I could see some actors celebrating RC being fired. JT comes to mind. Just because he had crap material for ages. 

[WendyCR72]

Lol I could see some actors celebrating RC being fired. JT comes to mind. Just because he had crap material for ages. 

 

If standing around with Sam can even be called material! No wonder JT still seems to miss Scrubs. (I think I read the recent JT/KMc PA sold out? If so, seems JT isn't alone.)

[Oracle42]

-Jillian - TG pitched Stavros story with his writing partner but when 9/11 happened and they dumped it, TG threw Megan under the bus by stating in the press that it wasn't the story he wrote. So TG has dealt with silly stories before.

 

1. How is telling the truth throwing somebody under the bus? It wasn't the story that he pitched and McTavish is responsible for the story that eventually aired.

2. TG has dealt with a bunch of silly stories. Hello, Ice Princess? But there's a difference between a silly story and a piece of shit story that's all plot points without depth, context or structure.

 

 

 

JG- thought ABC should have thanked RC for saving GH.

 

He kept his job for muuuuch longer than he should have - that's thanks enough

 

 

-question is if you hate Ron, why do you love Frank [asked about actors]- RC wasn't responsible for every big name star to come on

 

FV may have insisted on hiring RoHo and MSt but he probably didn't insist on a SERIAL KILLER and Psycho with the mental and emotional capacity of the world's dumbest 15 year old

 

 

-RC was told to kill a character in the middle of the wedding

 

RC destroyed Duke months before he killed him. He took one of the only characters in GH's historyto voluntarily leave the mob for the people he loved and turned him into an ineffectual, ridiculous mob lackey

 

 

-RC had to deal with TG's "myriad of neuroses".

Ugh. Where's a crying baby app when you need it? That might have worked as an excuse if the writing for every single character in every single story hadn't been shitty beyond belief

 

 

-re JP - be careful what you wish for- they will wait and see but GH is a fast paced show and viewers won't want to see a character spend a year looking for a music box.

 

Nobody wished for JP but at this point I'm willing to settle for a different kind of terrible

[Harmony233]

Anybody interested in BC and KT new buisness venture lol.

Anybody interested in BC and KT new buisness venture lol.

[WendyCR72]

Nobody wished for JP but at this point I'm willing to settle for a different kind of terrible

 

Is Jamey Giddens Ron's BFF? Family member? Because I cannot fathom why he and his fellow cronies are so damned outraged that Ron is gone. I think 13 weeks of lows makes it more than deserved.

 

And if some actors rebelled, good. It may be self serving, but it also makes them smart. The material they had to act out was atrocious.

[BestestAuntEver]

Anybody interested in BC and KT new buisness venture lol.

I'm afraid to ask..... but I know they have to pay for his Corvette and Harley someway.

[tvgoddess]

Yeah, there's a list floating around of which actors supposedly complained about RC.

[Oracle42]

I would think all of them. Nobody was getting good material

[tvgoddess]

I think the one of the only ones who has no room to complain about getting good material, for a good while anyway, is CD. Let's face it, Michael was a boring waste of a character before. He had good story for about six months. I don't know who else can say that.

 

But Maurice can STFU. His ass needs to disappear before I lose my sanity.

[HeatLifer]

I think the one of the only ones who has no room to complain about getting good material, for a good while anyway, is CD. Let's face it, Michael was a boring waste of a character before. He had good story for about six months. I don't know who else can say that.

But Maurice can STFU. His ass needs to disappear before I lose my sanity.

It's a mix for me. I get not liking a particular story. But Chad, NLG, deVry, LW, Mo, MW, TeCa, Gati, Stafford, RH, KeMo, I'm sure I'm missing a few, were given PLENTY of screentime. PLENTY. They should have been grateful for that. Edited July 29, 2015 by HeatLifer

[tvgoddess]

Are we talking about for Ron's entire tenure or just the last few months?

[HeatLifer]

Oh, overall. Those particular actors were prominently featured under Ron. It would kinda be weird to me if they were leading the troops to oust him.

[tvgoddess]

The list I saw on Twitter had Mo, NLG and KeMo on it, along with some others you haven't listed.

[HeatLifer]

The list I saw on Twitter had Mo, NLG and KeMo on it, along with some others you haven't listed.

That's just strange and interesting, especially KeMo. Ron made Sam a leading lady. And it was always her POV. Hmm. Maybe she was annoyed with the Jakeson stuff.

[TeeVee329]

But GH changed in the '90s. It became more "real" under Labine. And while Guza was all mob, all the time, he also wasn't about talking dogs or outright hamminess.

 

Um, excuse me, Princess David Vickers was awesome.  Replace Nina with him and I might finally find the character interesting.

 

Again, there seems to be this misconception that OLTL was a wall-to-wall camp fest, especially during Ron's reign.  And I'll echo jsbt and others that, even on its worst day, it never came close to hitting some of the lows GH has seen the last year or so.

 

I wouldn't even say the camp was Ron's biggest weakness at OLTL, it was (as here) the propping of the wrong characters as well as too much rape-tinged storytelling.

Edited July 29, 2015 by TeeVee329

[Oracle42]

I'm actually more impressed with the ones who were getting plenty of airtime because they wanted better writing not just a higher appearance count - good for them

[jsbt]

I can't defend the talking dogs talking to the talking babies. That's a thing that happened. We were going off the air in three months and were rolling with it, I dunno what to tell you.

 

(That is Michael fucking Easton as the baby, BTW)

Edited July 29, 2015 by jsbt

[HeatLifer]

I'm actually more impressed with the ones who were getting plenty of airtime because they wanted better writing not just a higher appearance count - good for them

I'd have to know what their particular gripes were, though? Does Mo want more mob? Does NLG want more Alexis sex scenes? And like I said, I don't think Sam was written badly under Ron. If anything, she's too perfect.

Edited July 29, 2015 by HeatLifer

[Oracle42]

I wouldn't even say the camp was Ron's biggest weakness at OLTL, it was (as here) the propping of the wrong characters as well as too much rape-tinged storytelling.

 

And the mental illness played for laughs

I'd have to know what their particular gripes were, though? Does Mo want more mob? Does NLG want more Alexis sex scenes? And like I said, I don't think Sam was written badly under Ron. If anything, she's too perfect.

 

She's also being written as dumb as a stump.

 

I dunno Hayden. How could Jake's secret identity possibly affect me????

Edited July 29, 2015 by Oracle42

[TeeVee329]

I can't defend the talking dogs talking to the talking babies. That's a thing that happened. We were going off the air in three months and were rolling with it, I dunno what to tell you.

 

(That is Michael fucking Easton as the baby, BTW)

 

Adorable Baby Liam's unhappiness when he finds out John is his dad still makes me smile, heh.

 

And scenes with adorable babies and adorable dogs meant less time for Fords so there's that too.

Edited July 29, 2015 by TeeVee329

[HeatLifer]

She's also being written as dumb as a stump. I dunno Hayden. How could Jake's secret identity possibly affect me????

The "dumb" in soaps will always be there for various reasons. But, overall, I still think it's weird for KeMo to want Ron (or Frank) out.

[ulkis]

I'd have to know what their particular gripes were, though? Does Mo want more mob? Does NLG want more Alexis sex scenes? And like I said, I don't think Sam was written badly under Ron. If anything, she's too perfect.

I say this without any judgement on KeMo, I swear: I think, as long as her job was fairly secure, she would actually prefer NOT to be a lead so she has more time do whatever it is she likes to do.

But on the more charitable side I can absolutely picture her annoyed on behalf of people like BH and JT who were either getting no writing or bizarro writing.

[Oracle42]

But on the more charitable side I can absolutely picture her annoyed on behalf of people like BH and JT who were either getting no writing or bizarro writing.

 

I was actually thinking that. Those people have been working together for a really long time and I think there are probably a few who dread the new scripts at this point

[HeatLifer]

I say this without any judgement on KeMo, I swear: I think, as long as her job was fairly secure, she would actually prefer NOT to be a lead so she has more time do whatever it is she likes to do.

But on the more charitable side I can absolutely picture her annoyed on behalf of people like BH and JT who were either getting no writing or bizarro writing.

I love KeMo, been watching her ass since PC days, but this is the same chick who told JT to basically stand there and look pretty. She's such a lax chick. I still can't see her leading the troops. But, yeah, maybe she went along with NLG's plans, lol.

[LeftPhalange]

The DC people sound like scorned lovers. 

 

I can see why even the people getting a lot of screen time would be pissed. Carly almost married a serial killer who got her son raped. Sonny murdered AJ and seems to have gotten stupider since Ron took over. I'm sure Ron downplayed how crazy Nina would be and didn't tell MS that Nina would be ripping a baby out of Ava's womb. Ava has become a joke and is useless. Sam has been relatively unscathed but maybe she's pissed that the Sam/Patrick pairing was never given a fair shot. Plus I could see her joining in just to support her coworkers/friends. The only person I don't have any sympathy for is RH (assuming RH stands for Roger Howarth) because he knew he would be playing a worthless serial killer when he signed on the dotted line again. Off the top of my head, CD is the only actor playing an already established character who has benefited since Ron took over. 

[LeftPhalange]

Comment from the DC podcast page:

 

 

None of the other stuff matters. Actors can be douches, EPs can hire the entire cast of "The Secret Storm" if they want, the network can meddle, the production company can meddle... at the end of the day it's up to the head writer to make it all work or prepare to take the fall when it doesn't. You can't take all the credit when you're walking in high cotton and then not expect to be held accountable if the crop fails next year.

[sunnyface]

Does Mo want more mob? Does NLG want more Alexis sex scenes? And like I said, I don't think Sam was written badly under Ron.

 

The behind-the-scene interactions between Sonny/Sam/Alexis, who had a lot more appearances and had meatier characters before RC/FV and RC/FV's pets - Franco/Nina arrived would be much more entertaining than the slop that is being thrown our way each weekday afternoon.  Then again, what would be more even more entertaining would be to have Monica, Laura, Scott, Dr. Drake, Liz and Tracy take on latecomer mobster/villians Sonny/Cassadines and the women who worship them (Carly/Sam/Alexis).

[SlovakPrincess]

The list I saw on Twitter had Mo, NLG and KeMo on it, along with some others you haven't listed.

Yeah, I'm gonna need the full list. I'm so curious now! Whose Twitter feed is this on?

I can see Mo realizing that Sonny had finally been pushed over the edge to evil land with the AJ murder / Ava sex on his grave.

I can see NLG being frustrated with her story line being no more than Julian's disapproving / forgiving girlfriend.

I can see KeMo wondering where Sam's edge and brains went.

I would credit them for sticking up for their fellow actors, some of whom are seeing their characters get completely decimated. Also, the stories across the board are so dumb and the ratings tanking. They're all probably embarrassed.