GH In The News: The PC Press Club

[Harmony233]

I'm not defending Ron in any way, trust me, but I kind of feel sorta...bad...for him in a sense because it's almost like they hired people to repackage HIS stuff and pretend it's different. Nothing is changing. It's the same characters, same stories, same crap. Just a different "Written By" tag. The only definite thing that changed is the timing of the Jason reveal.

And just LOL @ NLG on Twitter, screaming about the ratings going up. Nancy, sweetie, that's still Ron's stuff, babe.

yep nothing seems to have changed that much maybe less campy and we'll see the vets much less not that they get major AT anywys.Its weird though you think they would have a big plan for november sweeps ecspecially going up aganist days 50th.

[jsbt]

I think the only thing they won't repackage is Ron's interest in some of the recurring veterans. The sad part is, even Ron, who apparently advocated for more of them the most, would fuck them up as often as he brought them back. Yes, he made Felicia mayor but when was the last time we saw Felicia? (Will we at all when this story wraps?) He brought back Lucy but Lucy can't buy story, despite having two age-appropriate young daughters. He gave Anna a new man when they let Scorpio slip away and failed to write for Duke, but that new man was Sloane.

 

And I am sure a big part of that is FV. But we can't blame it all on Frank (or the network). It was Ron and Frank's equal mix of endless, long-winded umbrella arcs, slapdash plotting, sweeps-centric daily writing, constant rewrites and star hires that got us here, and we don't know which ends with who. And I do not believe that all these random outside stars (including Stafford and Howarth) were purely a Frank issue. Franco and Nina (and Franco and Carly) were something RC was going for, hard. Patrick/Sam/Jason/Liz didn't have to happen or be so rushed and forced, with the Jake angle stretching on forever. I put at least 50-60% of that on Ron.

 

Yet I'm sure he is the man who most wanted Genie, Lynn Herring, etc. around. It's just a pity he couldn't better utilize them when he actually had a job. He left Laura's mystery letter from Luke dangling, like he left so many other plot threads dangling - he chose not to finish that.

[HeatLifer]

yep nothing seems to have changed that much maybe less campy and we'll see the vets much less not that they get major AT anywys.Its weird though you think they would have a big plan for november sweeps ecspecially going up aganist days 50th.

I just find it strange that there's not an effort to get rid of X number of characters or change X story because it's not working. What was the point then?

[ulkis]

I'm not defending Ron in any way, trust me, but I kind of feel sorta...bad...for him in a sense because it's almost like they hired people to repackage HIS stuff and pretend it's different. Nothing is changing. It's the same characters, same stories, same crap. Just a different "Written By" tag. The only definite thing that changed is the timing of the Jason reveal.

And just LOL @ NLG on Twitter, screaming about the ratings going up. Nancy, sweetie, that's still Ron's stuff, babe.

 

I don't think it's going to be HIS stuff though. Eventually his outline is going to run out. I don't think Frank was influencing the story much except to say "do something with Rafe" and "let's get Michelle Stafford". I don't think he was the one telling Ron he should write a Stavros/Lulu embryo or that Obrecht and Franco should be besties.

 

And honestly I think even if it is his stuff repackaged, writers who aren't writing just to reach a cheap punchline or a hokey pop culture rip off is a marginally improvement. I've heard about all the awful stuff they did on ATWT though too so there probably will be a lot of hokiness still there.

 

But like people have said before, just his twitter antics were enough to get him fired/make me not feel that bad for him. I do feel slightly bad for him in that the whole cast and crew and his good buddy Frank threw him under the bus, but otherwise, I don't feel too bad. Who knows? This might be good for him. I don't think Guza would be working on Broadway right now if he were still writing for GH.

[Kitty Redstone]

They be out.  Small bounceback.

 

http://www.soapoperanetwork.com/2015/09/ratings-gh-finally-has-a-positive-week

 

They're going to take that as evidence that everyone wants more mob generally and more Sonny, Carly and Jason specifically, which is what they were planning on doing anyway.  So depressing.

[Harmony233]

I just find it strange that there's not an effort to get rid of X number of characters or change X story because it's not working. What was the point then?

Beats me I've seen insiders say the majority hate the mob but they keep going back to it.That makes no sense to me.You can't tell me they can't think of another story for sonny.Julian has that whole newspaper stuff.

[HeatLifer]

Franco and Nina (and Franco and Carly) were something RC was going for, hard. Patrick/Sam/Jason/Liz didn't have to happen or be so rushed and forced, with the Jake angle stretching on forever. I put at least 50-60% of that on Ron.

None of this is changing with the new writers, though. Like I said, they moved up the Jason reveal. Which is great. Cool. But they're planning to push Franco and Nina even HARDER, as well as Patrick/Sam/Liz/Jason. When, in actuality, if they were really wanting "romance" for once, they wouldn't be pushing a quad from hell. What's the love story? Is it Patrick/Sam? Jason/Liz? Sam/Liz? Sam/Jason? At some point, you have to choose ONE. You can't tell a real story, otherwise.

[Harmony233]

On the subject of lucy to me it  would have been so easy to have her do an deception or something like it and def have maxie working there ect.

[ulkis]

They're going to take that as evidence that everyone wants more mob generally and more Sonny, Carly and Jason specifically, which is what they were planning on doing anyway.  So depressing.

 

Was Jason even on last week?

 

They might, but I think it was more we found out who the murderer was, and also the stuff with Morgan/Kiki/Ava being exposed finally came out.

[Harmony233]

They're going to take that as evidence that everyone wants more mob generally and more Sonny, Carly and Jason specifically, which is what they were planning on doing anyway.  So depressing.

Its so depressing.I feel like their not even trying.Then I look at days and GH depresses me even more lol.

[ulkis]

None of this is changing with the new writers, though. Like I said, they moved up the Jason reveal. Which is great. Cool. But they're planning to push Franco and Nina even HARDER, as well as Patrick/Sam/Liz/Jason. When, in actuality, if they were really wanting "romance" for once, they wouldn't be pushing a quad from hell. What's the love story? Is it Patrick/Sam? Jason/Liz? Sam/Liz? Sam/Jason? At some point, you have to choose ONE. You can't tell a real story, otherwise.

 

Personally, I think the couple they are going for finally is Jason/Sam. From what I'm getting on screen, Patrick/Sam is obviously a nothing pairing that is just somewhere for Sam to park herself while this reveal happens, and Liz is obviously in the wrong/crazypants. 

 

I don't think these two are GH's great hope or anything, but I don't think they will do whatever Ron was planning. Honestly, I think it's kind of impossible for other writers to try to be Ron. I'll give him this, he was unique.

[jsbt]

None of this is changing with the new writers, though. Like I said, they moved up the Jason reveal. Which is great. Cool. But they're planning to push Franco and Nina even HARDER, as well as Patrick/Sam/Liz/Jason. When, in actuality, if they were really wanting "romance" for once, they wouldn't be pushing a quad from hell. What's the love story? Is it Patrick/Sam? Jason/Liz? Sam/Liz? Sam/Jason? At some point, you have to choose ONE. You can't tell a real story, otherwise.

 

They give big talk but we'll see what they do with Franco and Nina. I'm not convinced they're not in a 'one last chance' phase with those two.

 

I'm not even sure they moved up the Jason reveal. AFAIK it was always set for November, which given the shitty stories they have chosen to tell with Jake is way too long. If Frank is smart he will make Laura a central axis of that reveal.

 

I think their only final rooting interest is Jason and Sam. RC might have been interested in mixing that up later on, but I think everything he'd been writing and planning to pay off at sweeps through to 2016 is angled towards Jason and Sam as the stealth couple. Whatever he may have chosen to do later, he would've given them some payoff then and I am sure these writers will. That was always his approach: Give a fanbase payoff, then they can't complain when he disassembles them. He did to Jasam in 2012, and many other couples on various shows. Sometimes he was right IMO, and sometimes (Scrubs) he moved way too fast.

I don't think it's going to be HIS stuff though. Eventually his outline is going to run out. I don't think Frank was influencing the story much except to say "do something with Rafe" and "let's get Michelle Stafford".

 

Even if Frank said "let's get Michelle Stafford," Ron sure seemed to be onboard with Nina all the fuckin' way. What I wouldn't give to see her dead. As DC so often cries and whines about now, Frank and Ron were often a team in sync. They fed into each other's worst impulses, because Ron would write big characters for these stars. IMO, separating many of their recent bad choices is a much harder process than the soap blogs now want to give Ron credit for.

Edited September 4, 2015 by jsbt

[ulkis]

Even if Frank said "let's get Michelle Stafford," Ron sure seemed to be onboard with Nina all the fuckin' way. 

 

Yeah. I mean, even before Michelle Stafford set foot on set Nina was intolerable off-screen character for, what, four months? All I know is I was sick of Nina before she even came on.

[HeatLifer]

Personally, I think the couple they are going for finally is Jason/Sam. From what I'm getting on screen, Patrick/Sam is obviously a nothing pairing that is just somewhere for Sam to park herself while this reveal happens, and Liz is obviously in the wrong/crazypants.

It's not that I don't agree with you, because I think logically that's what the show should do, but I just don't trust the new writers. You can't say you're going to focus on romance and character-driven stories as opposed to plot point stories, and then say you're going to show Anna/Patrick/Sam/Emma as a family and more Jakeson/Liz. THOSE would still be plot points to make everyone more dramatic. Where is the Jason/Sam angle, if that's the story? They're really going to wait for them to have feelings until AFTER he knows he's Jason? Until then, it's just low-budget PI duo scenes? It's stupid. And it's how RON was doing it. No different.

Give a fanbase payoff, then they can't complain when he disassembles them.

Ron's idea of payoff was always, "Look! I destroyed them to bits! But they're back together now, so get over it!"

[jsbt]

Where is the Jason/Sam angle, if that's the story? They're really going to wait for them to have feelings until AFTER he knows he's Jason? Until then, it's just low-budget PI duo scenes? It's stupid. And it's how RON was doing it. No different.

 

I think they already have at least a trace of feelings there. As Billy Miller said in a recent interview, they're under the surface and being played down because both Jason/Jake and Sam are with other people and are trying to be appropriate as platonic friends. I actually think they've built the Jake/Sam friendship/early romance and working relationship reasonably well in the last several months, and as someone who fucking hated Jason and Sam for years that's no small feat for me. I think it owes it all to the much looser, more freewheeling chemistry of Monaco and Miller, who is not playing a homicidal block of wood. Jake and Sam work a little too well together, get each other a little too easily, and both their partners have noticed but only one of them knows the truth. That's the tension and it is building. I just wish they'd amp up the ELQ intrigue angle. You could also let Patrick and Sam have a legitimate blow-up about their very different feelings about Jason, and maybe Patrick blowing a gasket about her easy rapport with Jake, whose man of action ways are clearly reflective of Jason and that life she prefers.

Edited September 4, 2015 by jsbt

[HeatLifer]

I think they already have at least a trace of feelings there. As Billy Miller said in a recent interview, they're under the surface and being played down because both Jason/Jake and Sam are with other people and are trying to be appropriate as platonic friends. I actually think they've built the Jake/Sam friendship/early romance and working relationship reasonably well in the last several months, and as someone who fucking hated Jason and Sam for years that's no small feat for me. I think it owes it all to the much looser, more freewheeling chemistry of Monaco and Miller, who is not playing a homicidal block of wood. Jake and Sam work a little too well together, get each other a little too easily, and both their partners have noticed but only one of them knows the truth. That's the tension and it is building. I just wish they'd amp up the ELQ intrigue angle. You could also let Patrick and Sam have a legitimate blow-up about their very different feelings about Jason, and maybe Patrick blowing a gasket about her easy rapport with Jake, whose man of action ways are clearly reflective of Jason and that life she prefers.

Agree.

But I also feel like they need to push it a bit harder. Jason and Sam need to have awkward and uncomfortable moments. And why aren't we seeing more of Liz and Patrick and their discomfort? And I don't mean .02 seconds scenes followed by chaste kissing. Liz, especially, is a bit too cool with Jason and Sam working together. How has she not tried to stop that yet? Or even threatened by it? Patrick, too. Why is it so hard to have conflict within this particular storyline? It's like TPTB only want it to explode with the reveal, but they're missing so many interesting convos in-between. Everything doesn't have to be all shiny and butterflies and everyone loves each other until that moment. I get why some soaps choose to do it that way, but it's a waste.

[ulkis]

I mean, that's the whole show. It's because there's too many people and because Ron is/was a lousy writer, or at the very least didn't give a damn.

[HeatLifer]

I mean, that's the whole show. It's because there's too many people and because Ron is/was a lousy writer, or at the very least didn't give a damn.

Yeah, I agree. But it's something the new writers still have time to change. I just don't think they will.

[jsbt]

I think Jake and Sam have been having more and more of those moments, as well as moments where they don't seem to notice a spark but Patrick and/or Liz clearly do. But I agree with both of you that the story (like all others on the show) hasn't been nearly as emotionally detailed as it could be.

Edited September 4, 2015 by jsbt

[dubbel zout]

I'll be curious to see how the ratings go once the new writing is in full swing. One week of improvement doesn't mean anything. That week was when Denise revealed she was Ava, and Lauren found out about Morgan sleeping with Denise/Ava; those were two decent reveals.

[ulkis]

How did we miss this one

 

https://twitter.com/bryan_craig/status/568145729685884928

[OnceSane]

How did we miss this one

 

https://twitter.com/bryan_craig/status/568145729685884928

I don't think we did, I swear I've already seen that pic.

[Francie]

I think the only thing they won't repackage is Ron's interest in some of the recurring veterans.

 

Agreed, in part. Yes, I don’t see JP or SA having any interest in Ron’s veteran bed hopping/changing partners scenarios. No more Scotty bedding Lucy and then switching back to Bobbie and Lucy upset over Kevin and then mooning over Scotty. No more Bobbi and Lucy catfight.  Hazaa, I say to that.

 

But I also think that they’re done with the kiddie quad. Not with the kiddies, but with the quad. And if that’s true, I say hazaa to that too.

 

They give big talk but we'll see what they do with Franco and Nina. I'm not convinced they're not in a 'one last chance' phase with those two.

 

If I read your double negative correctly, please let that be true. I just can’t with those too.  It’s bad enough they eat the scenery of every scene they’re in together. It’d be worse if they threw them in scenes with GH-ers I like, because they can’t do understated or supporting and they’d just dominate the scenes and eat the scenery there too. 

 

It’d be such a scorpion and frog scenario.  And I like my frogs. I mean, in this scenario.

Edited September 4, 2015 by Francie

[TeeVee329]

I think we'll still see Scotty and Bobbie from time to time, to prop up Franco and Carly, respectively.

 

But Mac, Felicia, Lucy?  Nope.  And that does bum me out, even if Ron really mishandled them.  I honestly never thought I'd see Lucy again on this show again and her likely getting busted down to once a year pop-ins for the Nurses' Ball (if that) sucks.

Edited September 4, 2015 by TeeVee329

[Harmony233]

I think we'll still see Scotty and Bobbie from time to time, to prop up Franco and Carly, respectively.

 

But Mac, Felicia, Lucy?  Nope.  And that does bum me out, even if Ron really mishandled them.  I honestly never thought I'd see Lucy again on this show again and her likely getting busted down to once a year pop-ins for the Nurses' Ball (if that) sucks.

yep I think bobbie will prop carly they act like Lucas is more of an Jerome and scotty will prop franco since their was that rumor that FV told Kin he was safe because they went to all that trouble of making him Franco's father.I really don't think will be seeing lucy or felicia again.ruthfully I doubt GF will be around past her contract either.I cold be wrong but just a feeling I have.

[HeatLifer]

I think Jake and Sam have been having more and more of those moments, as well as moments where they don't seem to notice a spark but Patrick and/or Liz clearly do. But I agree with both of you that the story (like all others on the show) hasn't been nearly as emotionally detailed as it could be.

I still think the way Liz has been written makes no sense, though. I don't see her noticing sparks. I see her fear that her lies will be revealed. Chick doesn't even care that Jason and Sam are hanging out.

[jsbt]

Oh, I think she cares. I think every time they share space she is visibly terrifed and sees their interplay as well.

Edited September 4, 2015 by jsbt

[HeatLifer]

Oh, I think she cares. I think every time they share space she is visibly terrifed and sees their interplay as well.

I'm seeing terrified. But at her secret being exposed. Or Jason suddenly remembering something. I don't see fear that she believes "Jake" will fall for Sam.

[Oracle42]

Maybe Liz thinks (or wants to believe) that Jason only settled for Sam because she could could handle his mob life and "Jake" wouldn't make the same choice.

Most of her desire to avoid interacting with Sam/Jake together seems related to guilt, not to a fear that he'd be attracted to Sam

[Tiger]

Maybe Liz thinks (or wants to believe) that Jason only settled for Sam because she could could handle his mob life and "Jake" wouldn't make the same choice.

Most of her desire to avoid interacting with Sam/Jake together seems related to guilt, not to a fear that he'd be attracted to Sam

Yes, because a mob flunky that blinks and has absolutely no personality is such a catch dor a wimmins with a career and two, sometimes three, kids.

Jason treated both Liz and Sam, really every woman he was involved with, like garbage. Why any woman, even someone like Carly, woumd want to be with him is beyond me.

[Oracle42]

Yes and it would've been lovely if RC had changed that - instead Liz is obsessed with Jasus, AJ is dead and Ewen was an evil goat herd psychiatrist mastermind

[katie9918]

If Ava, Nina, Julian, and Franco would all die (with none of the actors returning as anyone else, except RH only as Todd), I might consider coming back and watching this trainwreck for a little while.

[UYI]

How did we miss this one

 

https://twitter.com/bryan_craig/status/568145729685884928

 

Was she trying to be a bootleg Baby Spice? Because bitch, there's only one Baby Spice, and it ain't you. 

 

ETA: I realized after I posted this that this was from February. Before they were engaged, ordering Daytime Emmys at the drive thru, crying over Muslims eating dogs, and sharing toxic face cream together. So in other words, when I still thought they were somewhat cute. Oh well. 

Edited September 5, 2015 by UYI

[yowsah1]

I'm honestly wondering more and more why Ron was fired. If no one cares about the ratings, which I think is evident by the new writers essentially not really changing anything (except saying generic shit like Quartermaines! SNARLY is destiny! Romance!), what was the reason?

 

I am wondering this also.  Please, someone who has Twitter, go on there and ask Frank Valentini why he bothered to fire Ron Carlivati if all the show was going to do was double down on Ron's worst "story" and "character" ideas.

[Chairperson Meow]

DOOL also just cast Vincent Irizzary.  I'd have taken him on GH over all of Frank's Y&R gets combined.  It'll be months before anyone sees him on screen, but still.

 

ETA:  I wish they would give Jordan and TJ some family members.  TJ needs cousins, aunts and uncles to talk some sense into him.

(Insert shrieking angry voice) Whaaaaaatttttttttt? *drops to knees* Jasus, nooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Damn you Ken Corday. Damn you.

[annabel]

I don't think Guza would be working on Broadway right now if he were still writing for GH.

Sorry, screwed up the quoting, but what exactly is Guza doing on Broadway???

[ulkis]

He is writing some play with Steven Soderbergh.

[annabel]

Soderbergh/Guza/Broadway. Somehow this does not quite compute. I wonder what it is about. Will there be singing and dancing?

[Tiger]

According to deadline.com, "Spenthaw" has landed a Disney Channel sitcom. Hopefully this means he is off GH and they can recast with someone who can actually act!

[backhometome]

Thats the best thing I've heard all week. Yes, go spread your wings small child. So I dont ever have to watch you on screen again. 

[KerleyQ]

Sure, it's fine and dandy for you guys.  My kid still watches the Disney Channel!  The people there will reign him in even less than Ron did.  Pray for me. 

[Artsda]

According to deadline.com, "Spenthaw" has landed a Disney Channel sitcom. Hopefully this means he is off GH and they can recast with someone who can actually act!

He's actually pretty great for his age, he can act. Hence why he was on Grey's Anatomy, does work for Extra, and is always doing other projects,  and now got his own sitcom. He's excelling and will leave GH behind. 

Edited September 5, 2015 by Artsda

[Ambrosefolly]

 

According to deadline.com, "Spenthaw" has landed a Disney Channel sitcom. Hopefully this means he is off GH and they can recast with someone who can actually act!

He's actually pretty great for his age, he can act. Hence why he was on Grey's Anatomy, does work for Extra, and is always doing other projects,  and now got his own sitcom. He's excelling and will leave GH behind.

 

The kiddie quad is part of the reason I am not upset that RC was eventually canned. In the beginning Spencer seemed like friendly, engaging kid. In small doses, he would be and was fine, likable even. But RC wanted to be "sweet" and started with his Cam/Emma/Spencer triangle, and Spencer was pushed into full brat mode. He made the Spencer so overly precocious and stuck up, that it seemed to be full on hate for character and by extension the actor to geniune concern for the kid, with what only seemed to be a handful of the audience liking him. Many wrote to RC to tone it down, but RC instead insisted that he would double down on Spencer's antics. Well, now he is paying for not listening to the audience. While I don't believe that the soap kids brought down the ratings (they might not have even be featured during the ratings slide) it was a symptom of RC larger problems.

[Tiger]

He's actually pretty great for his age, he can act. Hence why he was on Grey's Anatomy, does work for Extra, and is always doing other projects,  and now got his own sitcom. He's excelling and will leave GH behind.

We are going to have to agree to disagree, because I thought he was even worse than he is on GH on both Grey's and Red Band Society. IMHO, not even Chandra Wilson could wrangle anything out of the kid; I watched her try and fail.

[UYI]

He was fine to me in the beginning when he was first on the show and then when Spencer wanted Nik and Britt to be together. It's when Ron began using him as his personal avatar (Munchkin Edition!) that the problems showed up, IMO.

[jsbt]

I think Nicolas Bechtel is a cute kid and as for acting he has his moments, but he has very little discipline onscreen because GH doesn't give him any. He flails and throws his whole body and voice around to be campy Spencer and it's not much of a performance, it's just a kid doing stuff he's told is cute.

 

The reason this is happening is because FV has no time to train green adult actors on the job the way soaps used to, let alone small children. I think NB is potentially capable of playing real emotion and some range, but all they do is let him clown like he's stealing the show in a grade school play, because everyone running the production clearly thinks everything he does is adorable. Sometimes it is, but it's not the way you produce a viable young actor in that age group. Neither Kimberly nor Jonathan Jackson or Erin Torpey (or, it must be said, Kristen Alderson, who was much better as a young girl) on OLTL would come out just to do schtick and flail around in the general vicinity of their marks. Early on I found their indulgence of him sweet, but it went beyond that long ago. And I don't blame the little boy because it's not his fault, and AFAIK he is not acting up or acting out - he's just doing what the adults are telling him is great. He's probably a very sweet kid, excepting that one time he apparently asked someone on the red carpet about their tits. (Dylan Cash, by contrast, was, well, Dylan Cash, but also reportedly an obnoxious little troll IRL.)

 

I think they've toned him down recently, with the possible exception of the other day. His appearance around the Fourth of July where he was castigating Nikolas was actually a very quiet, decent conversation where they talked like real people; it was Spencer's best scene in a long time. I think some of that may come from above, as they were apparently ordered to kill the kiddie quad before Ron was fired. They've pulled way back on the kids. I like kids to have a role on soaps, I think it's important for families and generations to be seen for more than just holidays and birthdays, but the way RC was doing it was way off.

 

If he has a new show, good for him and I would be fine with him going - I would SORAS the whole set to adolescence. But I agree with Tiger - I checked out Nicolas Bechtel on Grey's. Chandra Wilson was pushing him, hard, to try to get him to do something other than Spencer and mostly I think she may have just genuinely upset him. For now, he is just that inexperienced. And it's on GH for not training him.

Edited September 5, 2015 by jsbt

[Sake614]

I'll go a step further and say that NB is actively being directed to act this way on GH. I honestly don't think he's doing any of this on his own, he's far too young. Remember what Geary said about stage direction being written into the script? I believe thats exactly whats happening with NB. The script probably says 'Spencer acts in a very dramatic, flamboyant way" or something like that. And he's simply playing what's written on the page. If he weren't, I think TC would probably tell him to tone it down, that less is more.

[HeatLifer]

I'll say this about NB, he delivers his lines a lot more naturally than the actress who plays Emma. She is still so very robotic-like.

[jsbt]

She's not great either, but in a much more common soap child actor way.

Edited September 5, 2015 by jsbt

[Oracle42]

From what I've seen of the Disney channel (in passing) all of his worst schtick is going to be encouraged and he's eventually going to age out of ABC/Disney without ever learning to act

Edited September 5, 2015 by Oracle42