GH In The News: The PC Press Club

[Pete Martell]

I don't know how much they care about fan bases, in that the ratings continued to decline even with actors who were supposed to be huge Y&R favorites and untouchable (Muhney being the other one). Billy has become enough of an afterthought in the writing that I can see them just sending him packing, especially since Pratt has no real interest in Victoria.

 

I can't see Billy leaving GH anytime soon anyway. It must be a dream job for actors who are just there until they get a big primetime or movie role. Howarth can mentor him, as he's been treating soaps that way for 20 years.

[Tiger]

I don't know how much they care about fan bases, in that the ratings continued to decline even with actors who were supposed to be huge Y&R favorites and untouchable.

Sean Kanan and Kimberly McCullough are the only actors who have really moved the dial the last few years.

Vanessa Marcil did so when she returned in '02, but her '10 return did squat. Genie Francis' most recent return similarly did squat.

[dubbel zout]

The actors need a decent story to keep viewers turning in. If I were tuning in just to see them, I'd have tuned right back out—their stories were travesties.

[Chairperson Meow]

Sean Kanan and Kimberly McCullough are the only actors who have really moved the dial the last few years.

Vanessa Marcil did so when she returned in '02, but her '10 return did squat. Genie Francis' most recent return similarly did squat.

How screwed up that the 2 actors/characters to get ratings are the ones Ron shits on the most.

[UYI]

Sean Kanan and Kimberly McCullough are the only actors who have really moved the dial the last few years.

Vanessa Marcil did so when she returned in '02, but her '10 return did squat. Genie Francis' most recent return similarly did squat.

 

Part of me thinks that the SK thing was more about Steve Burton leaving at the exact same time, though. SBu's departure/SK's return were pretty close together.

[Chairperson Meow]

I think fans needed a void filled whether it be by SBu or by SK. They're entirely different actors, yet when you think "Jason Morgan/Quartermaine " or "AJ Quartermaine ", usually fans think of those two. Is it because when Jason was a Quartermaine, they were the actors playing them or because they actually kind of resemble each other? It's probably both at that time, tbh. A lot of things changed rapidly and fans of different fanbases were comfortable with SK, the character AJ Quartermaine, the storyline of Micheal /AJ getting close finally, and the way characters like Sonny/Carly were used without being forcefed like they were previously while showcasing different actors. It utilized actual history of GH and mined it with decentish payoff. For 20 someodd years people wanted Adult Micheal to know what Carly and Sonny did to AJ. The smart thing now imo is to drop this bs romance angle and mine that and go for "What did Jason do to AJ?" There's story in that.

[Tiger]

Fin is going to be on "The Chew" on Wed.

As much as I love Fin, I can't stand Clinton Kelly and Mario Batali is a sick freak that should be in prison.

[peachmangosteen]

Fin is going to be on "The Chew" on Wed.

 

As someone who shamefully enjoys The Chew, this pleases me.

Edited March 28, 2015 by peachmangosteen

[LeftPhalange]

I thought The Chew got cancelled. Guess not.

[ulkis]

SamTrick talking about Jakeson postcoital was gross, her toddler jumping into the bed with them was grosser still.

This is one of the main "romance" on the show. It is a wonder ratings have plummeted to new lows.

 

Well, specifically, it's the women's demos that have plummeted. I'm thinking there may be some merit to some people's theorizing that

 

Ron is writing too specifically through his own the viewpoint (gay man in his 40s).

 

(Obviously, you can say the same about Guza too - that he was trying to turn the show into some mobster drama for men - but there was a lot more romance under him, imo.)

Edited March 28, 2015 by ulkis

[HeatLifer]

According to Michael Logan, Tony Geary is RAVING about JT's performance as Steve Hardy.

I'll wait to see it to believe it...

[Chairperson Meow]

According to Michael Logan, Tony Geary is RAVING about JT's performance as Steve Hardy.

I'll wait to see it to believe it...

5 or 10 years ago, I'd have cared about TG's opinion of performance. Even like 2 or 3 years ago. But as of last year, specifically Fluke, I doubt that man and what he stands for.

[HeatLifer]

Exactly. I pretty much expect JT to suck now.

[ulkis]

I think JT will be good. He's a good actor, but even if he's not phoning it in - and I don't think he comes across like that nowadays - it's easy to fall into a routine.

 

Interesting! I just did a Q&A w Tony Geary who's RAVING about @MyJasonThompson 's perf as Dr. Steve Hardy. High praise from The Master. #GH

 

 

Calling Geary the Master gives me a severe case of eye strain though. 

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

Well, specifically, it's the women's demos that have plummeted. I'm thinking there may be some merit to some people's theorizing that

 

Ron is writing too specifically through his own the viewpoint (gay man in his 40s).

 

(Obviously, you can say the same about Guza too - that he was trying to turn the show into some mobster drama for men - but there was a lot more romance under him, imo.)

 

I don't know about that. The major theme of promos for the last two weeks was Romance. There as the "Who Would Liz Choose" promo, followed by Jake/Liz kiss. There were other storyline, like the mob and Michael/Morgan but the afore mentioned Lake/Liz theme led in both print and televised promos. They also where heavily featured storyline for weeks GH tied lows. 

 

I could be totally wrong and that is the type of storylines skewed for gays in their 40s. 

[dubbel zout]

Calling Geary the Master gives me a severe case of eye strain though.

 

Logan is always sucking up. It's probably how he keeps any access he has. What's funny is that access is probably much more important to him than it is to Frank and Ron.

[Pete Martell]

According to Michael Logan, Tony Geary is RAVING about JT's performance as Steve Hardy.

I'll wait to see it to believe it...

 

I'm just not sure if Jason Thomson can ever reach the vaunted heights of Nathan Parsons.

[dubbel zout]

Oh, god, I'd forgotten how hard Logan slobbered over Parsons. Just like TG. 

[Cobalt Stargazer]

I'm just not sure if Jason Thomson can ever reach the vaunted heights of Nathan Parsons.

 

I will always give Nathan Parsons credit for two things - Ethan never bursting into hysterical laughter while having a painting as a love interest, and using his real name when he showed up in Teeth.

[Pete Martell]

That was the only time he didn't seem to be laughing through scenes...

[Chairperson Meow]

I don't know about that. The major theme of promos for the last two weeks was Romance. There as the "Who Would Liz Choose" promo, followed by Jake/Liz kiss. There were other storyline, like the mob and Michael/Morgan but the afore mentioned Lake/Liz theme led in both print and televised promos. They also where heavily featured storyline for weeks GH tied lows. 

 

I could be totally wrong and that is the type of storylines skewed for gays in their 40s.

It's how he's writing the romance though. It's not interesting at all. It's paint by numbers, plot point boring. Imo it's as if he's given up. I've seen him write good stuff, this is not it. It's like he flat out doesn't like a lot of the characters or fans. I don't even think Ron likes the characters that everyone claims are his pets.

I heard a rumor somewhere that the network pushed Ron/Frank to feature Sonny more amidst fan/advertiser complaints that GH was too "unrecognizable ". There were three OLTL characters starring in the show, Sonny wasn't on everyday, and Jason was gone. He also wasn't the main hero of the 2012 Water Poison story. I think after that he kind of just lost his mojo so to speak. When he's allowed to go anti Guza, so to speak and do kinda what he wants he isn't really terrible. The AJ reveal, Micheal Quartermaine have been fantastic. We've been calling Roger Howarth, Micheal Easton Ron's pets. What if they're the network's? Same with the Spencer kid.

[dubbel zout]

I can't imagine ABCD is pushing Nicolas Bechtel (Spencer) too hard. The show is limited by child-labor laws to how much time it can give him. I think it's Frank and Ron who are especially enamored of him.

 

If ME is a network favorite, I think he's being very poorly served. Silas is a bust, and he's stuck in a terrible story.

[LegalParrot81]

 

Calling Geary the Master gives me a severe case of eye strain though.

 

20 years ago, heck 10 years ago, I would have agreed with Logan's comment.  Unfortunately, in the last 5 years, Tony's turned into Sir Ham-a-Lot.  It's painful to watch.

[Pete Martell]

In terms of personal writing choices disconnecting to a larger audience, I think the heinous material for the kids is the biggest example. It's obvious that we are supposed to think Emma and Spencer are adorable and precocious and shocking, but it's a very tacky, very oddly dated perspective of children, one that suggests he's rarely been around children. In 1970, or 1940, viewers might have enjoyed the idea of a joke with kids written as mini-adults, but in today's society, when kids are increasingly acting way too mature for their age at younger and younger years, I think it probably makes a lot of fans uneasy. I think rather than Emma and Spencer being the icons he wants them to be, many fans may have just started trying to ignore them if possible. 

I heard a rumor somewhere that the network pushed Ron/Frank to feature Sonny more amidst fan/advertiser complaints that GH was too "unrecognizable ". There were three OLTL characters starring in the show, Sonny wasn't on everyday, and Jason was gone. He also wasn't the main hero of the 2012 Water Poison story. I think after that he kind of just lost his mojo so to speak. When he's allowed to go anti Guza, so to speak and do kinda what he wants he isn't really terrible. The AJ reveal, Micheal Quartermaine have been fantastic. We've been calling Roger Howarth, Micheal Easton Ron's pets. What if they're the network's? Same with the Spencer kid.

 

The thing with Ron is to me he isn't all that different from Guza in how he writes main characters. He may be campier and more focused on hot guys, but his OLTL was full of Sonny types. It was even full of Jason types (John McBain). I think his issue with Jason was probably Burton's ego more than the character itself.

[kristabell]

I don't know about that. The major theme of promos for the last two weeks was Romance. There as the "Who Would Liz Choose" promo, followed by Jake/Liz kiss. There were other storyline, like the mob and Michael/Morgan but the afore mentioned Lake/Liz theme led in both print and televised promos. They also where heavily featured storyline for weeks GH tied lows. 

 

I could be totally wrong and that is the type of storylines skewed for gays in their 40s. 

As someone who is smack dab in the middle of the demographic GH keeps losing, I think this is absolutely one of the issues, and certainly one of the reasons I stopped watching. For the record, I think it's the male and over 40s (and never written outside of soaps) that is the problem rather than the issue of homosexuality. IMO Ron's writing has always skewed toward a male audience; and historically many of his fave storylines that were roundly hated by most of the audience scored well with male demographics (the "rapemance" on OLTL was a particular example of this.) I'll also say that advertising a sexual relationship that makes no sense and for which everyone can see the ending coming like a freight train does not equate to writing romance. Ron doesn't do real romance storylines; he doesn't write relationships - romantic, familiar, or platonic; and he doesn't do character development. People have consistently criticized these things about his writing. He is a plot point writer with a child-like obsession with his favorite characters.

As a thirty-something woman, I am not even a little bit interested in watching pre-pubescent 'love triangles,' or a show about Michael or Sonny or anyone else's man pain. Nor an I interested in watching horrible people do horrible things with no repercussions, mainly because that's horrifically bad story telling. Soaps are supposed to be a women's genre, but there is a definite reason fewer women are tuning in. ABCD might take a look at its Thursday night lineup for pointers on how to write shows for women.

[Chairperson Meow]

Imo Ron doesn't get WHY certain primetime shows are popular.

Example : How to Get Away with Murder is not popular because characters "get away with murders and various crimes". It's popular because there are plot points that have fans hooked to keep them guessing and wanting more. They care about the characters, love or hate.

Scandal isn't just a show about the POTUS's faux side piece. It's about a woman who is very strong, yet very flawed who saves others, but never takes the time to save herself.

The point is that Ron doesn't even try to write stories from a female POV. Writers like Shondra Rhimes, Mindy Kailing may not be perfect, but they try damn hard to write from a male POV. The stuff Mindy Kailing wrote on The Office is more poignant than some of the stuff Ron is passing for child and woman's or heterosexual male's POV.

[Tiger]

For the week of Mar 16-20, GH hit a new low in women 18-49 for the second week in a row.

Given that this is the 'money' demo for daytime, I wonder at what point ABC will step in and make changes. I believe Jake/Liz got the promo for both of these weeks and were heavily featured in story.

ETA: I think the show has a number of very serious problems right now, but the biggest IMHO is Jake. He is boring and even when he himself is not on screen, countless characters are talking about him. I've also always been pretty neutral on Liz, though I do think Becky is a great actress that has generated chemistry with almost everyone, but this story is making me hate her. I also think Becky and Billy did have chemistry at first, but it's not there anymore.

All that said, I don't think revealing Jake as Jason is going to fix anything. The fact is that ratings went up when the character was killed off and his return has actually brought the ratings to new lows. If the trend continues, something drastic is going to have to be done.

Edited March 29, 2015 by Tiger

[sunnyface]

If the trend continues, something drastic is going to have to be done.

 

 

Sonny, Spinnelli, Julian, and Jason die in a car crash, the Metro Court burns down, and Franco and Nina just disappear.  These event occurs off-screen.  Every single new character is employed at General Hospital. 

[Chairperson Meow]

Focusing solely on the hospital won't exactly help. Characters like Sabrina and Felix were hospital based and failed miserably. Dr. O is the CoS. It's simple. Branch out. Have more characters enteract. Don't rely on one character - Sonny. Losing Steve Burton showed the show can survive & thrive without a "major star", but Micheal Easton was pushed as McBain in his place then. Dante & Nathan took it right after. (Because of the lawsuit, but had the PP lawsuit not happened, I think McBain /Dante would be the main cop pair with Anna ) In 2012, the show focused on Quartermaines more with AJ, Monica, Edward, Tracy, and Micheal embracing his Quartermaine heritage. Payoff was given to story that had been hanging years ago. There were less creepy things with kids. Emma acted like a kid who missed her mom. Cam and Aiden ate dinner with Liz and AJ. The characters acted like people, but were amped a bit to be soapy. There were Faisons & Dr O was a visitor. That's why he did better.

[tvgoddess]

 

I also think Becky and Billy did have chemistry at first, but it's not there anymore.

 

They're pretty together, but then when they actually start talking they just want to put me to sleep. And everything is so woe is me/end of the world with them, which I just don't buy after only a few kisses.

[Chairperson Meow]

Billy Miller's character is more light hearted and charming around LW and KeMo. Around BH/Liz, it's too Romeo & Juliet. I'm like "You're in your thirties. Grow up." I've seen Liz have 5 tragic "loves" in the past 3 years. It's a wee bit played out.

[sunnyface]

Focusing solely on the hospital won't exactly help. Characters like Sabrina and Felix were hospital based and failed miserably. Dr. O is the CoS. It's simple. Branch out.

 

 

Of course, sticking the weakest actors and unappealing character in the hospital setting and it will result in an automatic fail.  Branch out is fine - but no mob and their ilk, that includes Jason and Spinelli.

[Chairperson Meow]

I think a story where Jason is a Quartermaine and owns up to his wrongdoings as Borg and then becomes a doctor wouldn't be bad. If Ron will give us medical staff that's a former criminal, I'd rather it be a legacy character - which Jason is. There's a wealth of soapy drama that can be mined from it. Jason can be an ER doctor. Lucas can be more of a family doctor/GP. Then, you have two legacy sons of doctors in the hospital. It also ties back to the Quartermaines and ELQ. The drama of Jason betraying AJ and altering Micheal's life needs to be addressed, along with breaking his mother's heart, and how it affects Sam, etc. That's where this isn't a typical manpain story, but a rich, history driven, family dramatic tale.

[dubbel zout]

I think one gigantic reason the ratings are so low is because nothing is happening. For all of Ron's plot-point writing, the only thing that's changed is that Michael is estranged from the Corinthos side of his family. Otherwise, Fake!Luke is still running around causing trouble, Jake still doesn't know who he is and doesn't seem to care, Sam and Patrick are still talking about Jason/Jake, Julian and Sonny are still at odds, Nina and Franco are still nuts. Zzzzzzzz.

Edited March 29, 2015 by dubbel zout

[Chairperson Meow]

The way Ron is misusing Billy Miller is criminal. It's like having him and just saying "Uh yeah, keep all your clothes on Billy Miller while I watch endless stream of Sonny's moobs and you can go makeout with that boring neighbor I can't stand. Then I'm going to hang out with the creepy neighborhood old guy and you can sleep with my enemy. Okay, bye."

That would be so dumb.

[WendyCR72]

The way Ron is misusing Billy Miller is criminal. It's like having him and just saying "Uh yeah, keep all your clothes on Billy Miller while I watch endless stream of Sonny's moobs and you can go makeout with that boring neighbor I can't stand. Then I'm going to hang out with the creepy neighborhood old guy and you can sleep with my enemy. Okay, bye."

That would be so dumb.

 

At least he's in good company since most of the cast is being wasted on his shitty plot points and character erosion for shock value. No romance, no characters IN character, no cohesive stories.

 

GH is a prime example on how NOT to manage a soap.

[BestestAuntEver]

... most of the cast is being wasted on his shitty plot points and character erosion for shock value. No romance, no characters IN character, no cohesive stories.

GH is a prime example on how NOT to manage a soap.

All of this! I fall within the dropping demographic and totally get it. The only current couple I like is Brad and Lucas (who don't have a story and are on once a month). Parts of the Micheal story are about all else I can stomach on a regular bases. I can't stomach to see the damage MoRon has done to these characters and show regularly anymore.

The infatuation they seem to have for the kid plays who Spencer is nauseating. Kids repetitively having adult storylines is disturbing. 40-50+ year olds constantly acting like teens is annoying. The less said about Fluke the better. The lack of housing, jobs/professions is simply lazy.

Ron will destroy any character you think you like with the plot point story telling and numerous missing beats.

MoRon also doesn't seem to understand that all shows including soaps need to have a bible. "Because...reasons" and "because of course" aren't actual character or storyline motivations. It's lazy writing filled with repetitive stories,plot points, camp and retcon-palooza.

Stories also need a beginning, middle and end. MoRon doesn't seem to get that concept. Stories are draged out until we are begging for or no longer care about the ending.

May I also add that the lack of sets (housing, jobs, etc), the claustrophobic size of the new sets, poor lighting and everything being a shade of gray is a major turn off as well. Everything looks so cheap.

[Chairperson Meow]

I miss the bad ass Haunted Star, Johnny's penthouse, and Brad who did stuff besides look pathetic.

[admiralrodcocker]

The lack of jobs for a lot of the younger set, and the lack of seeing those that actually have jobs at work interacting and having workplace drama, is one of my biggest Ron gripes. He can't write romance for shit, so at this point it's a lost cause, and I'd rather he stay away from it all together. He can't seem to manage to develop characters through their relationships so why not their occupations instead. Give them something else to do and think about. Many people in real life spend a lot of time at their jobs, worried about pleasing their bosses, and getting along with co-workers. What ever happened to soap business rivalries? Those used to be fun and entertaining and could really bring out the scheming in characters but on a level the audience can relate to. I cannot relate to anything about the mob, yet it seems to be the only regularly shown occupation in PC! 

 

I'm just sick and tired of having so many young characters bumming it out around PC not going to college, or working at a job trying to advance themselves. I know a lot of these characters are rich and set for life, but don't they have ANY interests outside of who they are sleeping with? It makes them boring not having them do anything else, and severely limits their story lines as well. It's not stimulating watching Kiki, Morgan, Maxie, etc. have the same dull conversation day after day at Kelly's.

[Chairperson Meow]

Kiki is the worst. My cat is legit a better actor.

[Francie]

I don't know about that. The major theme of promos for the last two weeks was Romance. There as the "Who Would Liz Choose" promo, followed by Jake/Liz kiss. There were other storyline, like the mob and Michael/Morgan but the afore mentioned Lake/Liz theme led in both print and televised promos. They also where heavily featured storyline for weeks GH tied lows.

 

I could be totally wrong and that is the type of storylines skewed for gays in their 40s.

 

It's about more than just the presence of a heterosexual romance, though. What passes for romance on this show is just .... off.

 

Look at Liz and the Jakeson storyline.  We don't get any real sense why Liz is so attracted to this man that she would bring him into her house, with her small children.  Sure, he made her laugh when she was his nurse, but doesn't it feel off? I can't stand in Liz's shoes and connect with how she's thinking.  I think only those who are pre-disposed to liking Liz fill in the gaps to make it work for them. Everyone else is left scratching their heads and finding the whole situation implausible from their perspective.

 

And then there's the whole fact that they have Liz and Carly fighting over Jake like two dogs over a bone.  There's no depth of emotion or feeling about it.

 

I look at how poorly Duke and Anna's storyline was written.  There was no investment on having them connect or not connect.  All the important beats that should have been played out -- the types of beats that would fans invested or have a visceral reaction -- were missed.  The man misses out on 25 years of his life, and the first time he has sex with his wife was treated like they played the outline instead of the scene. And I say that and I'm not a DNA fan.  It was an empty moment from a storytelling stand point.

 

Think of how paint-by-numbers the Sabrina and Patrick "romance" was.  I can just see Ron bemoaning, "This is how it's SUPPOSED to be done.  This is EXACTLY how I saw it done growing up." But he keeps missing what really made those storylines work.  We cared. We were moved. We could imagine ourselves in that moment or imagine having a moment similar to the one being portrayed.  But how many of us would want a romance like any of those portrayed on the show these past three years?

 

Would any of us want to be in Maxie's shoes right now, even though she should be the envy of many girls with two men fighting over her, and one of them gorgeous as a matinee idol? And she too, is not treated as human, just a prize for a badly staged attempt at humor that was that boxing match. 

 

Think of how blandly the Sam/Patrick romance is going.  Every scene has the impending Jason reveal attached it to, because the Samtrick romance is just a means to an end for some "BIG, EPIC!!" moment of the reveal.  Which, just like the Robin reveal, is likely to fall flat.  I suppose YMMV on that.

 

Look how Julian and Alexis are written like two teen agers in lust.  Because Ron is trying to give fans hot sex, and it comes across, at least to me and I think to most viewers, like two mature actors trying to push something as hard as they can to remain featured on the show. 

 

In short, there's no there there, when it comes to romance.

 

The best romance, the most organic, is the Brad and Lucas one.  And that's only featured once a month and even still so many of us roll our eyes at the KL and GG references.  And, perhaps by happenstance, but interestingly enough, it's not a hetero romance.

Edited March 30, 2015 by Francie

[Deputy Deputy CoS]

It's about more than just the presence of a heterosexual romance, though. What passes for romance on this show is just .... off.

 

Look at Liz and the Jakeson storyline.

 

I didn't mean to imply that I buy Liz/Jake as a grande romance or even traditional romance when I said the theme of the promos was Romance. We may not see the appeal but the suits clearly see the storyline/pairing as something to be proud of thus the back to back promos.  Ratings is what speak to them and GH reached its lowest points within those two weeks. The general audience isn't connecting with them either. 

 

I do agree all the romances are bad across the board, I referred to SamTrick in my initial post that was brought over from the episode thread. However, Liz/Jake were what Tiic were selling, thus my citing them for the new lows.

 

The best romance, the most organic, is the Brad and Lucas one.  And that's only featured once a month

 

Exactly why I don't understand the notion that Ron writes for gay men in their 40s. I can buy that the poor constructed is skewered towards the key demos, but it just isn't connecting. 

Edited March 30, 2015 by Deputy Deputy CoS

[Francie]

I don't think Ron is completely unfettered in what he can do. Brad and Lucas are both recurring (yes?), so Frank wouldn't let him blow up the budget by writing them on 4 times a week.  But I don't think he would anyway.  They, like Lante, are now in a good place relationship-wise, and Ron may be happy with that.

 

I do think the threesome episode was Ron being completely self-indulgent.  And the GG and KL references clearly resonate with him.

 

And this isn't to say that if, assuming for argument's sake, Ron were intentionally writing for his own demographic, that he'd just focus on characters of the same sex.  The film noir stuff with Ava, letting Tony Geary eat the sets, the soap opera references of the past (Delia), the over-the-top female characters (Nina and Dr. O) is all stuff that Ron seems to gravitate to and which the soap press and bloggers, which seems to be largely a gay male contingent now, seem to like.  There are no absolutes in this though, obviously.

 

In a lot of ways current GH reminds me a lot of Glee.  There's a lot of off-base, campy humor.  The main villain was a she-wolf  harridan of a character.  The pretty female somewhat leads were unrelatably manipulative and cruel (Teri and Quinn and Santana -- especially early on).  The main female lead was overbearing (Rachel was Carly with a strong work ethic and the ability to sing).  Only one couple seemed to have substance year in and year out was Kurt and Blaine. Other characters adopted and shed personalities as often as they changed clothes, and a lot of the romances -- Sam and Mercedes, Arte and two different pretty cheerleaders when his own personality was often repulsive -- were odd and clunky.

 

Based on twitter, Ron's "inner circle" appears to be all men: Chris Van Ettan, Daniel, the comic book aficionado, and Scott Sickles.  Kate Hall is the only female script writer that Ron seems to give the time of day to, but she has no access to the writer's room. And I get the feeling that when there is an episode with a love scene, other than Brad and Lucas, Ron is itching to send it over to her so that she can deal with it.  Elizabeth Page is the only other female writer I'm aware of on the show, and I think she's an occasional script writer, along with a male partner.

 

edited to add:

 

And this by no means is to say that only women can write for women or for soaps. I certainly don't believe that or would want to be interpreted as communicating that.

Edited March 30, 2015 by Francie

[Tiger]

I honestly can't figure out what audience Ron is writing for, and I don't think any of us would suggest that all straight women in their 30's or gay men in their 40's or any other group have the same taste. Each of these groups is full of very different with very different tastes.

The only we do know is that women 18-49 that have Nielsen boxes are not liking GH and that that demo hit a record two weeks in a row when the Liz/Jake pairing was given the promo and were heavily featured.

If the trend continues and especially if GH falls below Days, changes will be made.

[Francie]

I honestly can't figure out what audience Ron is writing for

 

I think Ron writes for himself. And he's in disbelief that his own personal tastes aren't more universally shared or well-received.

 

I also will say that the only opinions he pays any attention to, other than to attack with vitriol are: Logan, SODRichard, Jamey, Michael Fairman, Nelson Branco, and Dan Kroll. He is positively vicious to the female soap bloggers.  Granted, they pull no punches either.

Edited March 30, 2015 by Francie

[UYI]

Elizabeth Page 

 

Elizabeth Page or Elizabeth Korte? I thought EK was still there.

[Francie]

I meant Page, and I only know her because she follows me on twitter -- she follows everyone.  But you're right -- EK is still there.  She wrote the upcoming 4/1 episode.

 

There is also Catherine Schock. 

 

And perhaps these people have more of Ron's ear than twitter would let on.  But based on the interaction I do see on twitter, it's a boy's club with Chris, Scott, Ron and Dan.

[UYI]

Is EK the only writer left from the Guza era?

[ulkis]

Based on twitter, Ron's "inner circle" appears to be all men: Chris Van Ettan, Daniel, the comic book aficionado, and Scott Sickles.  Kate Hall is the only female script writer that Ron seems to give the time of day to, but she has no access to the writer's room. And I get the feeling that when there is an episode with a love scene, other than Brad and Lucas, Ron is itching to send it over to her so that she can deal with it.  Elizabeth Page is the only other female writer I'm aware of on the show, and I think she's an occasional script writer, along with a male partner.

 

There are two other female script writers - Andrea Archer Compton and Suzanne Flynn, and I forget her exact title but Elizabeth Korte oversees the scripts I think? Is in charge on continuity or something like that?

 

And Katherine Schock, who used to be a script writer, is now a breakdown writer.

Edited March 30, 2015 by ulkis

[jsbt]

The funny thing is, I think Ron has always, always gravitated to and preferred the female characters, especially older female characters more: Viki and Dorian on OLTL, Tracy, Anna, Heather, Obrecht on GH. That started out well in his early years as a HW on another show, then grew into something more cavalier and lazy. Because I think he particularly has more of an affinity for females, but now it's more for his favorite females, especially if they're "wild" characters - crazies like Heather or Obrecht, Nina or, in the past, Ava or Connie; Tess/Jess on OLTL, etc. Women who he feels can do anything, so they will, because it's fun and it's no big deal, the actresses are great and the audience can handle it and they'll bounce back, he'll write them out of any hole. But he doesn't, or he gets angry if you don't accept it.

 

I think most male characters are just chess pieces to Ron, even more than the women. Look at Nikolas, Patrick, clueless Jake/Jason, Duke, Dante, Morgan. They're just swinging dicks who gravitate to where the story takes them based on some outside influence, usually a scheming female lead. But he also loves men he can deconstruct and rebuild in the image of his latest big idea, like the Todds on OLTL, or Jason, or, in very abstract terms, the Michael/Sonny interplay. I don't think he has much interest in any kind of macho/machismo Fronsian soap, like the one Guza ran. I think that kind of thing bores him, which is why most of the men are now just hapless dopes. I think RC thinks he still writes more for women, IMO; it's just that, over time, he's internalized an entirely absentee POV on how to write for women. Because to Ron, everything is now not about gender - it's about Plot.

 

It's complicated, how Ron works. Because he is not Bob Guza, he's never fit that mold. He's not trying to prove he's cable-ready, and he doesn't want to be writing anywhere else. He loves soap operas. It's just that the way he processes soap operas, and his storytelling and his priorities, has grown so broad and undisciplined over time. Partially because I think he's begun to believe his own press about himself - who else is there who still cares about the genre, right? Après Ron le déluge. And it seems as though he's so focused on how his formula is the only one left getting it right, or focused on getting another viral moment online or on The Soup that validates his success, or having it all on the show - having it all for his favorite actors or characters or his great Plot - that he just has, inadverently, stopped writing for most characters, period. Everyone may have a turn as a favorite, but ultimately everyone is now just a cog. He thinks the Plot will inform their characters, and he doesn't see why we don't see it. But it's not doing that anymore. That's why the romances all seem so hollow or rushed, with missed beats, why the characters are barely there. Because he has stopped giving major concern to anything between the big beats, or his pet characters getting their viral moments.

 

It's not about men or women for him, though he is demonstrating major sensitivity issues with both and is especially cavalier about the women, because he sees himself as a women's writer and no one important will tell him otherwise, just the little people who aren't focused on the big picture of his long-term Plot, or of the next Emmy reel he is sure will win. It's about that - it's about Plot, and it's about him. If Todd/Victor Jr. is re-raping Marty, you're just not informed enough about the historical resonance of this story and the great chemistry of these actors he loves. And if Stavros Cassadine's men are dragging Lulu off to a rape room at Crichton-Clark after years of her doing nothing but fretting over babies, you're just not paying attention to the future drama of the plot.

Edited March 30, 2015 by jsbt