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| What's in and out on soaps from Tv Guide | |
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| Tweet Topic Started: Nov 15 2007, 01:52 PM (628 Views) | |
| hunterforrester | Nov 15 2007, 01:52 PM Post #1 |
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http://entertainment1.sympatico.msn.ca/Wha...t_NB.htm?isfa=1 Times are a-changin’ whether we like it or not. Find out what’s hot and what’s not on daytime TV right now Hand-held camera work! Online casting sessions! Satellite soap operas! The only thing on daytime that you can count on is that it changes every day, thanks to sinking ratings, slashed budgets, and shrinking advertising revenue. Yep, it’s a brave new world out there, and TV Guide is here to document the hottest trends in daytime TV. Are these changes going to help soap operas survive into the next decade? The jury’s still out, but in the end you’ll be the judge. WHAT’S IN Rape: With the exception of the shocking and violent attack on B&B’s Brooke Logan, no other sexual crime on soaps was warranted in my opinion. But make no mistake – this plot device is making a big comeback. What is troubling is the fact that her nemesis, Stephanie, was involved in the attack: women raping women isn’t cool in this female-driven medium and is far-fetched realistically, even though the fallout has made for a fascinating denouement. Days is beginning a new serial rapist storyline centering on its young women (shame on you!) in addition to its EJ-rapes-Sami storyline. Meanwhile, its former sister soap, Passions, rapes a heroine in almost every single episode. Enough, already! Music concerts: Forget MTV and MuchMusic, soaps are the new “It” forum to plug new CDs and downloads that are ready to drop. ABC is leading the charge – OLTL boasted Nelly Furtado, Timabland and Mary J. Blige this year, and this month AMC is welcoming Celine Dion. Will a soap make our day and invite Madonna when her new CD releases next year? Online casting sessions: Thanks to I Wanna Be a Soap Star and In Turn, newbies are using the reality TV format to score big roles on soaps. And between us, with the exception of the amazing Beth Ann Bonner (Talia, OLTL), seasoned actors aren’t too pleased with this “shortcut to stardom,” as one actor recently confessed to me. Recurring ghostly visits: While the spirit world has been a soap mainstay for eons, ghosts have become permanent fixtures recently. GH rectified the firing of Emmy winner Stuart Damon by reintroducing him as Alan’s ghost, who haunts Tracy’s subconscious on a recurring basis, after killing off the character in February. Now, GH is doing the same with Emily, who will be stalking her hubby, Nikolas, until at least March 2008. Other regular ghostly visits include OLTL’s Spencer Truman, B&B’s Andy Johnson the rapist, and GL’s Tammy Randall. Hand-held camera work: After AMC unsuccessfully began its hand-held camera work, ATWT followed suit with this annoying and lazy “technique.” The only positive benefit of this popular new trend is that it cuts high crew costs and some overhead costs. Hey, it’s better than slashing salaries and firing veterans, some argue. Just call it guerilla warfare for soaps. GL announced it will make the production switch in 2008, while Days is experimenting by getting into the act slowly, thanks to co-executive producer Ed Scott. Expect more soaps to follow suit despite negative fan reaction. Local location shoots: Now this is one production change we can get used to. Again, the P&G soaps are behind the most innovations in the genre because, frankly, they are under the gun the most in daytime. ATWT has gone on location locally more times than any other soap in the past couple of years, which has made viewing a lot more realistic. Good news for production quality (and camera people who are drunk and hungover), and it destroys the stigma that soap production is lame and cheesy. Character-driven storylines: GH’s Bob Guza and Jill Farren Phelps be damned! Soaps are returning to their traditional roots by focusing their stories on character, human catharsis and psychoanalysis, and romantic love. Why? Because the ratings keep dropping despite sweeps stunts and contrived plot-driven messes. Slowly but surely, viewers are being heard. Veterans back on the front burner: Jon Hensley and Martha Byrne (Holden and Lily, ATWT), Deidre Hall (Marlena, Days), OLTL’s Erika Slezak (Viki) and Catherine Hickland (Lindsay), and Y&R’s Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) have all returned to the forefront where they belong. Inventive maternity and paternity puzzles: B&B’s Brooke is the mother of Nick and Taylor’s baby (yep, you read that correctly), and EJ and Lucas were both the father of Sami’s twins on Days. Good times. Stars in trouble with the law: GH’s Kirsten Storms (Maxie) is on probation and her driver’s license was suspended for DUI; OLTL’s Nathaniel Marston (ex-Michael) was canned for his recent drunken, disorderly and violent conduct in public; and Days’ James Scott (EJ) was almost arrested for nude sunbathing. Killing off major characters for real: GH sent Emily and Alan to heaven, while Days shocked the industry by burying John Black six feet under. No one is safe on daytime. Soap books: The success of ATWT’s Oakdale Confidential inspired GL: Jonathan’s Story. AMC is about to release book written by Kendall Hart and B&B recently launched its 20th anniversary tome. Controversial Emmy winners: Will 2008 repeat 2007’s most shocking and shady Emmy tally? You bet — it’s clear no one on daytime is watching the reels when you factor in the fact that Bryton McClure (Devon, Y&R), Christian LeBlanc (Michael, Y&R), and Y&R and GL tied for Emmy wins in their respective categories. Pre-nominating popular actors, instead of deserving nominees, for the Emmys: Victoria Rowell (ex-Dru, Y&R) — case closed. Soap reality programming: I Wanna Be a Dumb-Ass Soap Executive? Look for it, only on SoapNet! Serial spinoffs on cable; satellite TV soaps: With the explosive success of GH: Night Shift on SoapNet, ABC is considering spinoffs on AMC and OLTL in the near future, as well as Season 2 of GH: NS, which managed to get a respectable amount of mainstream press. How about trying to get the mother soaps perfected first, though? After NBC cancelled Passions, the wacky soap was saved by DirecTV, which many believe will be the medium of the future. WHAT’S OUT Minority characters: Sad, sad, sad: shame on you, daytime. Get your act together, damn it. There’s a reason why people are addicted to prime-time and cable drama series — their canvases are diverse … like life. Firing talented Asian leading man Eric Steinberg (ex-Ji Min) was one of the stupidest decisions Y&R has ever made, while Days has once again let go African American diva Renee Jones (ex-Lexis). International location shoots: With the exception of big foreign moneymaker B&B, which filmed earlier this year in Australia to celebrate its 20th anniversary, no soap went overseas to tell their stories. Annoying flashbacks: While flashbacks will never disappear, it seems like the suds are only using them now when absolutely necessary instead of throwing them in with each scene. Memo to producers: We’re not dumb, and we can easily fill in the blanks if we miss a show. Keep the shows moving forward, puh-lease! And stop padding shows for possible, future Emmy reels — we’re on to you, B&B! Prime-time stars joining soaps: It looks like this welcomed but temporary casting trend is over with the odd exception of GH, OLTL, and B&B. Too bad: we still want prime-time divas Donna Mills and Jaclyn Smith on soaps! Racy sex scenes: Thanks to Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake, soaps continue to shy away from what they used to do best — sexy love scenes. Now, everything is implied, and nothing is felt when it comes to love in the afternoon. Major star comebacks: Have you noticed recently that we haven’t had major star returns, which used to happen almost once a month? Even Emmy winner Genie Francis (ex-Laura, GH) can’t get arrested on daytime! Did you ever think that would happen in your lifetime? Where’s Grant Aleksander (ex-Phillip, GL) or Keith Hamilton Cobb (ex-Noah, AMC)? Witty dialogue: Blame soaps for throwing sassy and comical veterans like Jill Larson (Opal, AMC) and John Ingle (Edward, GH) on recurring status for the lack of one-line zingers. Daytime used to be one of the funniest mediums around. And now that Desperate Housewives stole the funniest man on soaps, Tuc Watkins (David, OLTL), laughter may become extinct on the daytime tube. Old-fashioned murder mysteries: Whodunits used to be a staple on soaps. Today, these mysteries have been replaced by baby dramas and mysterious shootings. Fleshed-out, nuanced characters: We want more characters like OLTL’s Roxy, B&B’s Stephanie, Y&R's Victor, and GH's Scotty – not cookie-cutter, cardboard roles. Foreign actors need not apply: With the exception of AMC and Days, gone are the days when soaps brought on a foreign leading man to make us North Americans swoon with much fan fare. Today, if soaps do hire a foreigner, the actor must hide their accent like Y&R’s nuColleen. Social issues: AMC dropped the ball recently with its cochlear implant storyline, and sadly, no other soap has anything on the books in the near future. Hiring new blood: Why daytime hasn’t followed ABC’s brazziliant decision to hire new headwriters, as the alphabet network did with Ron Carlivati, is mind-boggling and career suicide. Where are the Linda Gottliebs, Michael Malones, and Lynn Marie Lathams (omigod — did I just say that? Um, nevermind). Published: Thursday, November 15, 2007 ************************************************************* hunter: I edited it to add the article. Sometimes the link works and sometimes not. - Steve |
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| Steve Frame | Nov 15 2007, 03:15 PM Post #2 |
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These are the 2 under What's Out that I think I miss the most:
Everything on soaps seems so dark and dreary lately. You almost have to take a prozac to watch the soaps in the afternoon. I loved the light-hearted moments and characters with one liners who sparked things up and gave little relief from the heavy drama. Comedy is part of life. Laughter is great medicine and soaps need to learn to laugh again and be happy. I miss the whodunits too. That is the best thing about Sheffer's run at ATWT was his whodunit mystery stories. They left you hanging and enthralled. I have yet to feel that way at all since he went to Days. |
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| FC Designer | Nov 16 2007, 10:25 AM Post #3 |
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How was Brooke's sexual attack warranted? Does he mean she should've been raped? That's a strange way of phrasing it. Brooke's rape has propelled this "Who Shot Stephanie?" storyline. But the show needed to delve into Brooke's rape more before she jumped back into Ridge's orbit. But that's typically bad writing courtesy of Brad Bell!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| FC Designer | Nov 16 2007, 10:27 AM Post #4 |
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Yup SteveFrame! There should be more lighthearted characters. B&B has been giving some zingers recently to Jackie, Donna (yuck!), Katie and Felicia!!!!!!!!!!!!! |
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| Hypnotoad | Nov 16 2007, 02:45 PM Post #5 |
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Wasn't it Y&R who did this (horrible) story? And didn't Y&R also hire Cane, a foreign actor? And nuColleen should just be called clownface. And Heather should only be known as mole. |
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