TV Guide's Worst in Soaps 2008

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TV Guide's Worst in Soaps 2008; Includes Passages
Topic Started: Dec 30 2008, 10:20 PM (1,420 Views)
Rick	Dec 30 2008, 10:20 PM Post #1
Dreamlander Posts: 19,547 Group: Founder Member #1 Joined: June 2, 2007 Favorite Soap Opera of All Time Days of Our Lives Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera Parenthood	Please do not copy/paste, link only Via TV Guide print The Worst in Soaps 2008 Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On Trying to be fresh and hip, Guiding Light switched from a classic, Studio-bound soap to one shot on location in the drab, charmless Peapack, NJ, with jumpy, nausea inducing mini cams, tiny sound and harsh, unflattering lighting. (Kim Zimmer call your lawyer!) CBS defended the makeover as a "work in progress" and since then much of this artsy-fartsy, indie-flick stuiff has been dropped, but why should we be patient while a show gets it's act together? The message--that viewers are that unimportant--just seemed so rude. Foolish, too. Ratings have dropped 21 percent since the "progress" began. Suicide Is Painful Watching Days of our Lives owner Ken Corday systematically destroy his soap, by sticking with his dreadful head writer Dena Higley, axing his dynamic showrunner Ed Scott and dumping his two most popular stars, Deidre Hall, and Drake Hogestyn has been unbearably sad. And, clearly, NBC is too mired in it's own problems to care. Mad Men Head Writer Ron Carlivati and executive producer Frank Valentini beautifully resurrected the flailing One Life to Live, then trashed it by sending Bo and Rex time traveling to 1968 and rehashing a 20-year-old storyline about the crown jewels of Mendorra. The latter, with criminally bad acting by Andrea Evans (Tina) and Kevin Spirtas (Jonas) was the dumbest, most exhaustipating plot of the year. Flack Attack Proctor & Gamble's PR department publicaly blasted SOAPnet.com for posting a Perez Hilton item that outed a top As The World Turns star. Then P&G took out ads promoting ATWT on Perez's Web site. And The Winner Is... Apparently nobody. CBS and ABC have declined to broadcast the Daytime Emmy's in 2009, and, at press time, there was no other takers. Not even SOAPnet wants the damn thing. Now how pathetic is that? Passages It was a year of staggering loss for the soap community. The death of Beverlee McKinsey (Another World's Iris, Guiding Light's Alexandria) was keenly felt, as she was regarded widely as the best actress ever to work in daytime. We also bid adiue to Larry Haines who spent 35 years and won three Emmy's as Search for Tomorrow's Stu. Irene Dailey wo starred for 18 years as Another World's bodaciously nosy Aunt Liz. Eileen Herlie, who had a 32 year run as All My Children's Myrtle, a surrogate mom to so many in Pine Valley. These stars were the bedrock on the genre, and reminders of a time when serials focused on family and relationships and, by doing so, were able to rivet the nation. The biggest shock was the sudden death of Passions creator James E. Reilly, who never met an envelope he couldn't push. And Passions itself bit the dust. Not everyone's cup o' tea, it nevertheless dazzled a large young audience for nine years and left those of us who dug Reilly's special brand of crazy brilliance with many a wonderful, and wonderfully demented memories. Long live Harmony!



Ellie	Dec 30 2008, 10:31 PM Post #2
Posts: 11,978 Group: Staff Member #431 Joined: October 2, 2007 Twitter ID ellie029	Rick Dec 30 2008, 10:20 PM Suicide Is Painful Watching Days of our Lives owner Ken Corday systematically destroy his soap, by sticking with his dreadful head writer Dena Higley, axing his dynamic showrunner Ed Scott and dumping his two most popular stars, Deidre Hall, and Drake Hogestyn has been unbearably sad. And, clearly, NBC is too mired in it's own problems to care. Couldn't have said it any better. It is incredibly sad. The JER mention was also a nice touch. Thanks for posting, Rick!



OneBadKitty	Dec 30 2008, 10:31 PM Post #3
Posts: 4,491 Group: Contributor Member #270 Joined: August 19, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of Our Lives, General Hospital Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera Downton Abbey Twitter ID https://twitter.com/dawn4soaptown	Quote: Watching Days of our Lives owner Ken Corday systematically destroy his soap, by sticking with his dreadful head writer Dena Higley, axing his dynamic showrunner Ed Scott and dumping his two most popular stars, Deidre Hall, and Drake Hogestyn has been unbearably sad. And, clearly, NBC is too mired in it's own problems to care. I rest my case. :hail:



PhoenixRising05	Dec 30 2008, 10:33 PM Post #4
GET EM STEPH!! Posts: 16,381 Group: Veteran Member #82 Joined: June 14, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of our Lives Favorite Soap Opera of All Time Days of our Lives Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera ER Favorite Primetime Soap Opera of All Time Melrose Place Current Soap Rankings 1.) DAYS 2.) B&B 3.) GH 4.) Y&R	I still don't get how firing Ed Scott is a bad move with what he did. I loved Scott's work but the shit he pulled really messed the show up for awhile and was downright wrong, regardless of Higley. There is no justification for that. The rest I won't argue with. I think he hit on some good points but that one in particular burns me.



Ellie	Dec 30 2008, 10:42 PM Post #5
Posts: 11,978 Group: Staff Member #431 Joined: October 2, 2007 Twitter ID ellie029	^^ We have no idea how much rewriting typically goes on at soaps, and we also don't have any idea how much (if any) Ed did. Also, Ed seemed to have revitalized the show in many ways, and virtually every cast member 'gushed' about him in interviews. And he may not have been the only one involved in any rewriting. So to me, the punishment (singling out and firing Ed) didn't fit the "crime" at all, and the cast morale and production value were huge casualties of Corday's rash decision. I think it's very telling that many in the industry take issue with the fact that Ed was fired.



PhoenixRising05	Dec 30 2008, 10:50 PM Post #6
GET EM STEPH!! Posts: 16,381 Group: Veteran Member #82 Joined: June 14, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of our Lives Favorite Soap Opera of All Time Days of our Lives Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera ER Favorite Primetime Soap Opera of All Time Melrose Place Current Soap Rankings 1.) DAYS 2.) B&B 3.) GH 4.) Y&R	Ellie Dec 30 2008, 10:42 PM ^^ We have no idea how much rewriting typically goes on at soaps, and we also don't have any idea how much (if any) Ed did. Also, Ed seemed to have revitalized the show in many ways, and virtually every cast member 'gushed' about him in interviews. And he may not have been the only one involved in any rewriting. So to me, the punishment (singling out and firing Ed) didn't fit the "crime" at all, and the cast morale and production value were huge casualties of Corday's rash decision. I think it's very telling that many in the industry take issue with the fact that Ed was fired. Sorry but just because the cast gushed and some industry insiders still take issue with it doesn't mean anything. The cast has hardly gushed about him since then and they have spoken highly of Tomlin too. I think they were just shocked Scott got axed. Certainly, they knew enough but they aren't going to say it publicly. Corday wanted this kept in house and I think he told the mags to keep it hush hush too. The mags have been wary of him for years since he boycotted giving them previews in the late 90's. That is part of the problem with the mags. Enough word got out there and the Griffith story came out with it and he got axed too from Y&R. Corday efen hinted in the interview he gave when Scott was fired that he had to do it for the show. It was wrong and what makes it worse is there are better ways to do it. He didn't have to do that and, your right, he doesn't get all the blame. The actors who assisted are to blame too and so is Corday got letting BS like that happen. Yes, Ed did alot of good for the show but this takes away from that for me. His BS caused the show to lose all sense of direction (and, yes, it had direction). I don't care how bad Higley was or is...this doesn't make it ok and I hate that the media makes it sound like it is. I shouldn't be surprised though with Logan. He's just as bad as the mags. Morale was already down to begin with and probably still is until things stabilize so Scott's firing makes no difference. Edited by PhoenixRising05, Dec 30 2008, 10:50 PM.



Ellie	Dec 30 2008, 10:50 PM Post #7
Posts: 11,978 Group: Staff Member #431 Joined: October 2, 2007 Twitter ID ellie029	On another note - rereading this, I'm not sure I agree that "NBC is too mired in its own problems to care." Didn't Corday thank NBC in his SOD interview? I'm sure whatever renewal meetings there were weren't just "40% budget cut, enjoy your show".



OneBadKitty	Dec 30 2008, 10:52 PM Post #8
Posts: 4,491 Group: Contributor Member #270 Joined: August 19, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of Our Lives, General Hospital Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera Downton Abbey Twitter ID https://twitter.com/dawn4soaptown	Tim you make some good points but Ellie does too. I still think everyone involved in that mess should've been canned, not just Ed Scott. But there is no denying that he also did good things for the show too.



PhoenixRising05	Dec 30 2008, 10:52 PM Post #9
GET EM STEPH!! Posts: 16,381 Group: Veteran Member #82 Joined: June 14, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of our Lives Favorite Soap Opera of All Time Days of our Lives Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera ER Favorite Primetime Soap Opera of All Time Melrose Place Current Soap Rankings 1.) DAYS 2.) B&B 3.) GH 4.) Y&R	NBC is the ones who forced the cuts and led to Drake and Dee getting cut so, yeah, that part made no sense to me either.



OneBadKitty	Dec 30 2008, 10:53 PM Post #10
Posts: 4,491 Group: Contributor Member #270 Joined: August 19, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of Our Lives, General Hospital Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera Downton Abbey Twitter ID https://twitter.com/dawn4soaptown	Quote: Proctor & Gamble's PR department publicaly blasted SOAPnet.com for posting a Perez Hilton item that outed a top As The World Turns star. Then P&G took out ads promoting ATWT on Perez's Web site. OMG, you're kidding!



PhoenixRising05	Dec 30 2008, 10:54 PM Post #11
GET EM STEPH!! Posts: 16,381 Group: Veteran Member #82 Joined: June 14, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of our Lives Favorite Soap Opera of All Time Days of our Lives Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera ER Favorite Primetime Soap Opera of All Time Melrose Place Current Soap Rankings 1.) DAYS 2.) B&B 3.) GH 4.) Y&R	OneBadKitty Dec 30 2008, 10:52 PM Tim you make some good points but Ellie does too. I still think everyone involved in that mess should've been canned, not just Ed Scott. But there is no denying that he also did good things for the show too. Oh, without a doubt. He did alot of good but Higley and him brought out the worst in each other IMO. I know some view Higley as bad already but they both came off looking bad and, yes, everyone should be gone. Couldn't agree more. It just bothers me to see Ed's firing coming off like some kind of mistake. Griffith did the same thing and was fired and I would bet Sony pushed for the firing too because it was a PR nightmare.



Ellie	Dec 30 2008, 11:06 PM Post #12
Posts: 11,978 Group: Staff Member #431 Joined: October 2, 2007 Twitter ID ellie029	Tim, we're going to have to disagree on most of this, but I'd like to make one point in response to what you wrote. I hardly expect the cast, who is now working under Tomlin, to protest in public about Ed's being fired. But I've read and listened to so many interviews with various cast members, and it seems to me (and of course this is not a scientific measurement) that when Ed was hired, the cast had this renewed enthusiasm that I hadn't heard in any interviews from them in years. But now, with Tomlin, I've seen responses like, "Well, we're getting to know him and getting used to his style." The cast as a whole just seems very down about the whole thing. I saw this particularly in the "Day of Days" interviews. When I remember reading things like Stephen Nichols' blog when Ed was hired, the difference to me seems very striking.



Sindacco	Dec 30 2008, 11:08 PM Post #13
Posts: 3,974 Group: Elite Member Member #481 Joined: October 21, 2007	I don't know Phoenix, had Ed Scott still been on the show I think you would defend him. The same with Hogan Sheffer. But when they're gone it feels like you criticize them more. If Higley and Tomlin would be replaced I think you would criticize those too and defened the new headwriter and EP. Am I right?



NavJLee8785	Dec 30 2008, 11:17 PM Post #14
Always the Panic Spreader Posts: 6,653 Group: Staff Member #5 Joined: June 11, 2007	OneBadKitty Dec 30 2008, 10:53 PM Quote: Proctor & Gamble's PR department publicaly blasted SOAPnet.com for posting a Perez Hilton item that outed a top As The World Turns star. Then P&G took out ads promoting ATWT on Perez's Web site. OMG, you're kidding! 'scuse me? no wonder Nelson doesn't like PGP anymore!



PhoenixRising05	Dec 31 2008, 12:00 AM Post #15
GET EM STEPH!! Posts: 16,381 Group: Veteran Member #82 Joined: June 14, 2007 Favorite Current Daytime Soap Opera Days of our Lives Favorite Soap Opera of All Time Days of our Lives Favorite Current Primetime Soap Opera ER Favorite Primetime Soap Opera of All Time Melrose Place Current Soap Rankings 1.) DAYS 2.) B&B 3.) GH 4.) Y&R	Ellie Dec 30 2008, 11:06 PM Tim, we're going to have to disagree on most of this, but I'd like to make one point in response to what you wrote. I hardly expect the cast, who is now working under Tomlin, to protest in public about Ed's being fired. But I've read and listened to so many interviews with various cast members, and it seems to me (and of course this is not a scientific measurement) that when Ed was hired, the cast had this renewed enthusiasm that I hadn't heard in any interviews from them in years. But now, with Tomlin, I've seen responses like, "Well, we're getting to know him and getting used to his style." The cast as a whole just seems very down about the whole thing. I saw this particularly in the "Day of Days" interviews. When I remember reading things like Stephen Nichols' blog when Ed was hired, the difference to me seems very striking. Oh, we can agree on that. I think it's because he improved the look and feel of the show. Not only that but he was the first EP in awhile to be so hands on and in tune with the actors. I think that is the difference. I think Tomlin is like that but it's more of a been there, done that attitude and they were used to it being superior with Scott. Scott is a superior EP. Tomlin is good but not on the same level IMO.



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