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Viewing Single Post From: DAYS:Daily spoilers for wk of 9/15
ladyofthelake	Sep 19 2008, 07:18 PM
Posts: 7,821 Group: Veteran Member #1,765 Joined: January 31, 2008 Twitter ID ladyofthelake60	Ellie Sep 18 2008, 08:25 PM Flying Monkey Sep 18 2008, 07:49 PM Ok, here is what gives characters like Steve and Kayla and others the right to a frontburner storyline, it all comes down to popularity, which means marketability. Time served doesn't automatically give a character/actor the rights to a frontburner storyline. The fact that James Reynolds or Renee Jones or whoever have been on Days X number of years is not a guarantee or entitlement to be the lead in a storyline. This isn't little league where everybody gets a chance to play, it's a business. The fan bases for these characters just are not big enough to warrant that. That they've been the Days for so long now shows that if they were ever going to be a big drawing card, they already would have been. I know Renee Jones has been invoved in several big stories in the past, but until she got this story I didn't see many or any posts about her or the character or any campaigns to put her into a story. Often times a character/actor's popularity will wane and they will be moved into supporting roles. I'm sure if there were an outcry, the studio flooded with letters, emails etc then the character would move back into a lead role. The fact that Bope, J&M or S&K have remained lead characters is a testament to their staying power as popular characters and who most of audience wants to see. NBC and Langan pushed Corday to go all teens all the time back in '99 and he went there full tilt and that's what we had for a very long time. It didn't increase the ratings at all, in fact it decreased them dramatically. J&M and Bope were pushed into supporting roles for these new, more youthful characters, and were reduced to little more than propping up the scenery. When they realized that they'd made a huge mistake they didn't hesitate to bring out their big guns again, promising all sorts of wonderful upcoming stories that never made to our screens. Yes, you mentioned in your very long post which I responded to in kind that the supercouples had been involved in the same old tired stories ad nauseum. Saying this might sound true but once a little investigating is done it turns out to be false. In the past nine or ten years the big three haven't been involved in many storylines at all and there certainly haven't been any romantic adventures for them, check it out. Blaming the characters or the audience for gross mismanagement and sheer lack of competent or creative writing is rather funny. It isn't that the big three are getting frontburner storylines left and right about the same old same old and everyone else is involved in these wonderful and exciting stories. The entire show is stale and in serious need of a gifted head writer. Any good writer worth their salt could come up with fresh and exciting stories for all the characters including romantic adventures concerning the big three. The point in putting the big three in another romantic/adventure storyline is because it is what the majority of the audience wants to see, only Days has no clue how to execute that onto the screen. If only they could find a head writer who knows the golden rule of soap writing, which is you have forget who your favorites are and concentrate on the audience's favorites. Someone with a modicum of talent, who would actually do their homework on characters they aren't familiar with, then you might have a change of attitude. It isn't the supercouple that's become boring, it's the writing. I don't think that SOME or any fanbase has that much power to dictate storylines. But I do believe that TIIC do know who is popular and who isn't. The only reason that Lexie and Abe are in this storyline at all is because they are the only couple who currently has a child young enough to do this story with and the fact that they would have to pay them a lot less than some other actors I'm sure also factored into that decision. No worries, I didn't take you as being harsh at all and I look forward to future debates with you. WOW! Maybe if I find a reeeeeally teeny font I can get this entire post into my signature, lol. You clarified this perfectly. I agree 100%. I'm responding to both Ellie and Flying Monkey in this. I don't know what to honestly say about what I expect Higley's writing to be. What I was responding to was attractive storylines in general. What I find entertaining. And believe it or not, there is some stuff that Higley does that is promising. And, I wonder if the "marketability" of the so called secondary players just comes from a few fanbases throwing a fit because their favorites aren't in the lead again? I'll wager you most viewers vote with their viewing time. For the past several years, Days has been so topsy-turvy in KEEPING alternate couples or players on the front lines because of the "massive few" who throw a fit about it. Same old story. You won't find that opinion only here, but on other boards as well. And, I do still recall, in the transition between JER and Sheffer, the time when J&M had their little summer "hiatus". Ratings were high, probably based on happiness for Reilly being gone, but still. They weren't totally banking on their so-called "money couples" to bring in the ratings. Bo and Hope have been gone in the past, too. The show went on. It's a sad, sad show that is all about one character or one couple, except, of course, the sitcoms that are SUPPOSED to center around one star. Soaps shouldn't operate that way. And to quote the Flying Monkey (interesting moniker) about the whole "it's what the majority wants". WHO the hell knows what the majority wants? How do you measure that? Days hasn't exactly been the prime example of wonderful awesome soap ratings, except for some rare occasions, for a long time. And, again, I find it highly ironic that those who protest the most about "secondary" characters coming to the forefront are those who have strong fanbase alliances. Not that they shouldn't have an opinion. I just find it very coincidental. Popularity is equated with the loudest? Or is it the fanbases that send the most letters, possibly by the same people over and over? Oh, and by the way, if you want to go that route (whoever I'm talking to): Shawn and Mimi, for example, were getting pretty high praise a couple of years ago. SOD covers galore, presentations on the Emmys, letters, fanbase, Campaigns of the Month.............But, I don't think that was regarded because of what is perceived to be Corday's insistence of Shelle forever. Right now, based on boards (yes, another inaccurate measurement, but if you get yours, I get mine), Nicole and EJ are getting high kudos. There are people who are anticipating, though, being disappointed because, yes, Days will cave probably to the loudest. And, truly, if you look at a lot of the boards and online commentaries (by folks who do write for the magazines, besides the usual suspects), not everyone is enamoured by John and Marlena. I'm willing to bet that many are more enamoured with a good storyline, which is PROBABLY why Days might have trouble attracting new viewers? I'd be willing to bet the farm that if Lexie and Abe had a good storyline, CONSISTENT, with DECENT publicity, and new viewers came in, they wouldn't throw such a fit. Same with Nicole. Oh, and by the way, Marlena started out as a supporting character, too. Remember Mickey's shrink when he thought he was Marty? No, you probably don't. OK, my rant is over. It's very obvious I disagree. I think, though, Days has nothing to lose by trying these folks in a good storyline. Maybe, for once, it's time they catered to the GENERAL fans whose lives don't depend on certain people getting frontburnered? yes, I'm bitchy. I'll admit it. I'm tired of people thinking certain characters aren't worthy based on the supposed rights to entitlement of Salem. It's been a while since Abe and Lexie have had a decent storyline. Would life come to a crashing halt if they got a nice B storyline to themselves for once? :soapbox:


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