I get it in the mail every week.

Quote:I get it in the mail every week. I buy it each week too.Hi Joe..nice to see you at the board. I am interested to hear your views on AMC as well.From my point of view, it seems that AMC is trying to get back on track at this time, after being so off course over the last year, it was ridiculous. I hope people are still around to watch. Lately, I am not cringing to watch each show like I was for so long. I like certain storylines more than others but that's ok. There should be something for everyone.I am a huge Zach and Kendall fan...and I am thrilled to begin to see them being written more in character. Lame plot centered storylines never work..for me anyway.

Quote:From my point of view, it seems that AMC is trying to get back on track at this time, after being so off course over the last year, it was ridiculous. I hope people are still around to watch. Thanks, Lissa and KathyNYCI think the show is improving, too, especially with the return of Angie & Jesse -- they can't be on enough for my money!

Hi Joe!I'm what you probably hate - an occasional buyer! If I'm interested in the cover story or it has an article about something I'm interested in, I'll pick it up. I do check out the website though.My thoughts on the show... I think there are tiny signs of improvement. I like Jesse and Angie a lot, but I suspect it's the actors/characters and vet involvement and not the actual story. (Uncut diamonds? Really? Twenty years? REALLY???) And I LOVE Zach and Kendall. Over the past two years they've been the only reason I've stuck with the show. The writing for them earlier this year really left me disheartened - so much so that I deprogrammed my TiVo. I came back after I checked out a couple of SN marathons and realized there was some hope. Because I have seen glimmerings - tiny, gleaming, glimmerings - over the past couple of weeks that the show is getting back on track.The individual episodes are better balanced. Zach and Kendall seem like Zach and Kendall again, and not randy teenagers in much older (if spectacular) bodies. Annie got to call Greenlee on her nonsense. Kendall and Greenlee have had scenes where I actually bought their friendship, and again didn't consider them stupid teenagers pretending to be adults. So I'm cautiously optimistic. So much so, in fact, that I'm beginning to wonder if B&E are on their way out. We can only hope, because their reign has truly been a brief but horrific one.

Hello Joe,I've enjoyed reading some of your opinion postings on the website.I too am a big Zendall fan. While I think there's been a little improvement to the show the past few weeks, which I think is due to the returning writers, there is still much, much more to be done, especially if AMC hopes to win back viewers. IMO, it'll be a long process and there's no "magic bullet", but will take a series of moves from taking a hard and honest look at what and who really works and who doesn't.

Hi Joe,I'm one of those readers who will read it standing in line and then put it back at the supper market. Yikes, I know that's not what you wanted to hear. However, if Zach and Kendall or Alicia Minshew and Thorsten Kaye are featured, I will not only pick one up for myself, but also buy a few extra copies for friends of mine who adore them as much as I do. I'm a long time fan of AMC, over 30 years and I must say the last couple of years have been very hard for me to continue to watch. The only reason why I stuck it out was for Zach and Kendall because they captivated me so much that I just couldn't turn off my TV and walk away from AMC. Now it seems like AMC is making a change for the better and that the powers that be are starting to utilize the entire cast more. I just hope that with the new changes, the Ryan Lavery hero worship hour will finally come to an end and that Greenlee will finally go to jail for the kidnapping and reckless endangerment of the child Spike Slater. Fans do not like watching children be hurt and then have the REAL criminal, Greenlee's actions be whitewashed and be rewarded by showing off her poll dancing skills. It is also my fondest wish that the writers address the issue as to why Kendall Hart Slater has been abused in some form or another by Ryan, Aidan, Jackson, Greenlee and a psycho fan. Abuse is not something that should be taken lightly and Kendall has almost been raped by a fan. She has also been emotionally and psychologically abused by Ryan for years, Jackson and Aidan have at some point or another frightened, intimidate, terrorize, manipulate, hurt, humiliate, and blamed Kendall for Greenlee's kidnapping of Spike. As a women and a viewer, I am angered that the near rape of Kendall was used as a plot point and has not been addressed. AMC used to be at the forefront of addressing social issues and it is my fondest hope that they will write a compelling story line in which Kendall's character realizes that she has been abused by so many for so long. That Kendall is allowed to take back control of her life and be given a voice to confront all of those who have abused her. I am also enjoying watching Angie and Jessy back on AMC. Its as though they never left and both DW and DM still have that fantastic chemistry that shows whenever they are on my TV screen.

Hi Joe,Here's another story you don't want to hear. Although I have watched soaps for many,many years, I had never even opened a soap mag until I fell in love with Zendall. I immediately subscribed to almost every soap mag thinking I would get tons of coverage and pics of this hot couple. Wrong! I soon found out that some of the mags continued to give us a lot of huge pics of Kendall with Ryan. There really was very little coverage of Zendall. When the year's subscriptions ran out, I did not renew.Now, I don't blame your magazine as much since you try to cover all the soaps. But it was really hard to take from the one that covers ABC only. I still felt this was the hottest couple in soaps and there should have been more Zendall coverage over all. Anyway, the more Zendall coverage, the more likely I am to buy the magazine.As for AMC, I'm sick of the really good actors (TK, AM, DC, MEK and a few others) being sacrificed for the likes of Ryan, Greenlee and Aidan. I'm tired of the whitewashing of characters, while Zach and Kendall take the fall for everything. We want good character-driven stories, love, romance, humor, etc. Not stunts like 'grief sex' and pole-dancing. Oh yeah, we want more Josh, too--Josh with a storyline and a love story.I love Zach and Kendall in case you couldn't tell. LOL

Hi Joe!!You most likely won't like what I have to say, but I'll be honest and blunt. SOW's pimping of Greenlee while bashing Kendall during the Crash storyline turned me off the magazine for a very long time. I am starting to feel the SOW love again, cause Greenlee & Ryan are being taken to task I'm a huge Zendall fan(as you can see from my screenname), and I agree with what the others have said, the show seems to be finally finding it's footing again. They have a very long way to go, but if they keep writing character driven storylines instead of "throw it in the air to see what sticks" the show stands a chance of staying good Quote:So I'm cautiously optimistic. So much so, in fact, that I'm beginning to wonder if B&E are on their way out. We can only hope, because their reign has truly been a brief but horrific one. Oh I most definitely believe their reign of terror is almost over. I definitely believe Agnes is playing a huge role in the improvements were seeing

Hi Joe nice to meet you.I've been watching AMC for twenty eight years. It's never been this bad in all that time, but in recent weeks it seems to have improved. I'm not sure it's because the writer's strike is over or it's because they have see the error of their ways this past year or because of the sinking ratings or the dark sad storylines, the whitewashing of the kidnapping, the unprofessional and unneccessary return of the real Greenlee and the regressing of characters.I'm a huge Zach and Kendall fan. I haven't ever been this invested in a couple in years...since Luke and Laura. I find them to be so romantic, adult and real. They just sparkle and shine when on screen. I've been a Thorsten Kaye fan for years and I find this character to be his best and this pairing the most interesting. Besides, he gets to call Erica Kane, mom!I am hoping they find the right balance of characters for the show the way it used to be with socially relevant and realistic storylines.Please, one more thing, please let there be some justice in Pine Valley for kidnappers and baby maimers, and triple murderers. Whitewashing these things left a bad taste in my mouth. If Erica Kane can go to prison, so can Greenlee.I hope the writing is more adult and the characters are allowed to grow in depth and interest. Mostly I hope Zach and Kendall stay together and work through their problems with each other in an adult manner without interference from silly and immature third parties. I only buy SOW though when Zach and Kendall are on the front page or inside. Too much GH for me.

Hi Joe,

Another huge Zach and Kendall fan here. LOL I've noticed some improvement in the show since the regular writers have returned from strike. The last few shows that I've watched indicate to me that AMC is working hard to make the characters actions and their words seem realistic and believable.

For the past 8-10 months this show has been running specifically on plot and not characterization.

I hope that TPTB on this show are truly listening to the fans about what will make us tune back in on a daily basis. GOOD WRITING!!! PERIOD!!! No amount of veterans will help this show if the writing isn't there.

Thanks for dropping in to say hi and you will be hearing from me regularly[LOL] regarding Zach and Kendall's story and the rest of the show.

Phyllis~

P.S. I used to subscribe to SOW and looked forward to reading it every week. I stopped however because of the constant attacks and insults in the editorials on the character of Kendall[and indirectly Alicia Minshew] ever since Brown and Esensten took over as head writers.

It wasn't Kendall's/Alicia's fault that the writers tried to destroy her and it certainly wasn't her decision to be shown everyday. That was all on the writers and producers, yet Kendall[and AM to an extent] took the brunt of that criticism. For too long, the criticism against the show was misplaced by Weekly. So I canceled my subscription.
I now flip through it at the grocery store. Sorry.

Oh yeah I second what someone else said, way too much GH and Days pimping by SOW for my tastes. Quote: P.S. I used to subscribe to SOW and looked forward to reading it every week. I stopped however because of the constant attacks and insults in the editorials on the character of Kendall[and indirectly Alicia Minshew] ever since Brown and Esensten took over as head writers. I completely agree with this!

Well I'm another Zendall fan. I have been watching AMC for many years not regularly until two things happened...Another World was cancelled and I found Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew. When I caught those two in one room together on April of 05 when Zach asked Kendall to marry him the first time, I have not missed an episode of AMC. I have the tapes to prove it LOL. I have never been so invested in a soup couple ever and I have seen many in my soap viewing years. The problem with AMC has always been what I hear the Powers to be's philosophy is, that the fans don't know what we want until they tell us. Well I can tell you that is not true and because AMC seems to have that mentality they have lost a lot of viewers. I see a lot of improvements, but it will be a hard road to hoe to get the viewers back that they lost with the constant propping of horrible characters, poorly matched couples and the constant gloom and doom and dark s/l's. I can't tell you the last time AMC had a s/l on something that didn't include death and dying. They had a great opportunity for a corporate s/l with Zach and Adam and no they dropped that, had Hannah get Chandler back off screen and gave us the sextet of suck and the hole s/l to whitewash a character they said we wanted and the ratings say otherwise. I have to say I don't mind Jessie/Angie the problem yet again is writing with this couple. It seems terribly forced that a couple that had been apart for 20 years can forget that fact and move on as if they hadn't missed a day. It is unrealistic and not very entertaining, because how can you get invested in a couple that you haven't seen in so long and boom they are happy, another forced s/l.As far as your magazine. I'm another one who doesn't buy it unless Zen is in on the cover. Sorry not worth my money to spend on reading about other soaps, when I only watch AMC and only interested in Zen, Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew.

P.S. I used to subscribe to SOW and looked forward to reading it every week. I stopped however because of the constant attacks and insults in the editorials on the character of Kendall[and indirectly Alicia Minshew] ever since Brown and Esensten took over as head writers.It wasn't Kendall's/Alicia's fault that the writers tried to destroy her and it certainly wasn't her decision to be shown everyday. That was all on the writers and producers, yet Kendall[and AM to an extent] took the brunt of that criticism. For too long, the criticism against the show was misplaced by Weekly. So I canceled my subscription. I now flip through it at the grocery store. Sorry. Me too! I used to buy it weekly but when they continued to criticize Kendall and AM I decided to stop. I'm a huge Zen fan and I take exception to the treatment of my favorite couple - whether it's on the show or in print.Zen is the most popular couple on AMC and are often in the top 5 daytime couple polls. I don't understand why they are not promoted more. I see that CM and Ryan get more publicity and he is one of the most hated characters on the show. That doesn't make any sense to me.

Quote:I'm what you probably hate - an occasional buyer! If I'm interested in the cover story or it has an article about something I'm interested in, I'll pick it up. I do check out the website though.Hey lurk,Don't worry, we don't hate occasional buyers here at WEEKLY -- we love anyone who actually buys the mag! It's up to us to put together an issue you'd actually plunk down hard-earned money for. Maybe we can tempt you more in the future.I think we're on the same page about loving Jesse & Angie but hoping for more from the stories. These are great characters (and actors!) who deserve a great story. I have my fingers crossed for them!

Quote:I've enjoyed reading some of your opinion postings on the website.Only some of my opinions, birdie? I must be doing something wrong -- or is that right? After all, nobody wants to agree 100% of the time. That's what makes discussion interesting. I hope that I have at least given you a jumping-off point for some fun chat.As for Zendall, yeah, there's no magic bullet. I do think, however, that AMC might be taking a break from tossing roadblocks in their path and instead giving Zach and Kendall a chance to clear the air a little. Keep your fingers crossed.

Quote:I'm one of those readers who will read it standing in line and then put it back at the supper market. Yikes, I know that's not what you wanted to hear. However, if Zach and Kendall or Alicia Minshew and Thorsten Kaye are featured, I will not only pick one up for myself, but also buy a few extra copies for friends of mine who adore them as much as I do. LyonsRoar, that was you? You're that person, the one who reads while waiting to check out? Wow, that's just... oh, you buy extra copies sometimes? Okay, I guess that makes up for it a little. As long as you buy lots of extra copies, LOLTurning to the much more serious issue of abuse, I have to say I personally expected that more would be done with the idea that a psycho "fan" almost raped Kendall. As a child of rape herself, Kendall probably should have been more affected by the encounter. But maybe AMC will circle back to that point.

Hello Joe!It's nice to have this board where viewers can express their views and debate stuff. I too am a Zendall fan, love them to pieces! But I have to admit, I have not been watching the show much lately because the constant, nonstop angst being thrown at them has been exhausting. I seem to remember either SOW or SOD naming them one of the most tortured couples in daytime, and I just could not agree more. Not to mention I just miss love in the afternoon on AMC. For the longest time it's just seemed like doom and gloom in the afternoon. Soaps are supposed to be an escape, but lately I have just wanted an escape from AMC!So I hope that TPTB will finally see the gold they have with Zendall and take a break from the neverending angst and obstacles. I don't mind the angst, as long as it isn't all the time. We need some balance and I hope we will soon be getting it.Thanks again and nice to see you here

Quote:As for AMC, I'm sick of the really good actors (TK, AM, DC, MEK and a few others) being sacrificed for the likes of Ryan, Greenlee and Aidan. I'm tired of the whitewashing of characters, while Zach and Kendall take the fall for everything. We want good character-driven stories, love, romance, humor, etc. Not stunts like 'grief sex' and pole-dancing. Oh yeah, we want more Josh, too--Josh with a storyline and a love story.Let me tell you, maggiek, I am a big booster of Michael E. Knight. I think he is fantastically talented and criminally underused. More Tad! More Tad!! I love seeing him interact with Jesse and Angie.And you bring up an interesting point -- more Josh? Josh Madden, the unabortion? That Josh? Hmmm...

Quote:I only buy SOW though when Zach and Kendall are on the front page or inside. Too much GH for me. Gee, cararn, our covers have too much GH...? *gulp*... Ummm... Lemme check again which show I cover. Oh, it's... um... oh.I'm sensing a pattern on this board: Kendall + Zach + cover = sold.

By golly, he's got it!!! Lol Just in case, yeah, I'm another Zen fan!

Quote:P.S. I used to subscribe to SOW and looked forward to reading it every week. I stopped however because of the constant attacks and insults in the editorials on the character of Kendall[and indirectly Alicia Minshew] ever since Brown and Esensten took over as head writers.It wasn't Kendall's/Alicia's fault that the writers tried to destroy her and it certainly wasn't her decision to be shown everyday. That was all on the writers and producers, yet Kendall[and AM to an extent] took the brunt of that criticism. For too long, the criticism against the show was misplaced by Weekly. So I canceled my subscription. I now flip through it at the grocery store. Sorry. I'm actually very glad you mention this point, Phyllis. One of my duties here at WEEKLY is to supervise the Critical Mass page, where you find Applause and Hit or Miss. That means, if I don't write the opinions personally, I edit them all. Nothing gets on that page without going through me (well, except when I'm on vacation), and we have an ironclad policy here of making sure we criticize the characters, not the performers. If we have a problem with Kendall's storylines, it's a problem with Kendall's storylines. You would be wrong to infer any criticism of Alicia. I tell you that because I'm the one in charge. I am careful to keep the focus on the fiction of the soaps. As professionals, we understand that actors are there to do a job -- specifically to bring to life what's written on the page. I've been to the studios, and I know the actors are not making up their own dialogue or penning scripts between scenes. Any performer is just doing what they are told.Conversely, our Applause, Applause feature is about the performer, and it is always something positive; never negative.Having said that, you are entitled to disagree. However, I do hope we can lure you back into the fold. Perhaps you'd like to send a letter to Public Opinion.

Quote:Quote:As for AMC, I'm sick of the really good actors (TK, AM, DC, MEK and a few others) being sacrificed for the likes of Ryan, Greenlee and Aidan. I'm tired of the whitewashing of characters, while Zach and Kendall take the fall for everything. We want good character-driven stories, love, romance, humor, etc. Not stunts like 'grief sex' and pole-dancing. Oh yeah, we want more Josh, too--Josh with a storyline and a love story.Let me tell you, maggiek, I am a big booster of Michael E. Knight. I think he is fantastically talented and criminally underused. More Tad! More Tad!! I love seeing him interact with Jesse and Angie.And you bring up an interesting point -- more Josh? Josh Madden, the unabortion? That Josh? Hmmm... Joe, Just to further clarify I'm copying a post I made in the Josh thread--where I addressed the issue of the unabortion and how I feel attitudes ( including mine) have changed toward Josh. When he first came on board, I couldn't get the ick factor of the unabortion out of my head and it colored my attitude toward Josh. Of course, his attempted poisoning of Erica didn't help. LOL But I think my post below explains my current feelings on the matter:I so want Josh to be a major player in upcoming s/l's--as friend to Zach especially, with a big role at Cambias--also as brother, son, uncle.I remember when Josh first appeared, fans were pretty turned off because of the ridiculous rewrite of the abortion story, and then his obsession with Babe which most fans hated. That makes it all the more amazing how Colin has now won fans over, and I find most people seem to love him . Of course, now that we love him, we never see him.CE's acting has really improved and he is a major hunk. This really needs to be developed with a great storyline, a really romantic love story and continued Josh support for the Kane/Slater clan. I hope TPTB will listen to the fans on this.

Quote:Quote:P.S. I used to subscribe to SOW and looked forward to reading it every week. I stopped however because of the constant attacks and insults in the editorials on the character of Kendall[and indirectly Alicia Minshew] ever since Brown and Esensten took over as head writers.

It wasn't Kendall's/Alicia's fault that the writers tried to destroy her and it certainly wasn't her decision to be shown everyday. That was all on the writers and producers, yet Kendall[and AM to an extent] took the brunt of that criticism. For too long, the criticism against the show was misplaced by Weekly. So I canceled my subscription.
I now flip through it at the grocery store. Sorry.
I'm actually very glad you mention this point, Phyllis. One of my duties here at WEEKLY is to supervise the Critical Mass page, where you find Applause and Hit or Miss. That means, if I don't write the opinions personally, I edit them all. Nothing gets on that page without going through me (well, except when I'm on vacation), and we have an ironclad policy here of making sure we criticize the characters, not the performers. If we have a problem with Kendall's story lines, it's a problem with Kendall's story lines. You would be wrong to infer any criticism of Alicia. I tell you that because I'm the one in charge. I am careful to keep the focus on the fiction of the soaps. As professionals, we understand that actors are there to do a job -- specifically to bring to life what's written on the page. I've been to the studios, and I know the actors are not making up their own dialog or penning scripts between scenes. Any performer is just doing what they are told.

Conversely, our Applause, Applause feature is about the performer, and it is always something positive; never negative.

Having said that, you are entitled to disagree. However, I do hope we can lure you back into the fold. Perhaps you'd like to send a letter to Public Opinion.

Thanks, Joe for responding. I have sent plenty of letters in the past to the Public Opinion address when ever I felt that the criticism was mis-directed and I'm sure I will again. LOL

Based on your response to this post, I am going to go back and read the columns again that I thought were harsh on Kendall/Alicia and see if I see it with different eyes. If you looked at the criticism of the show in early August and September of last year, you'd understand why a fan of Kendall's and Alicia would take offense it them. In fact there must have been many opinions similar to mine, that it was mentioned in your mail bag once or twice.

What would make me buy the magazine again? I'm not really sure. Wait, yes I am. The best way to get me back into the fold would be by having more features on Zach, Kendall, Alicia Minshew, Thorsten Kaye and the cute little actors who play their kids. I don't think I'd subscribe again though. I only watch 3 out of the 8 soaps and there wouldn't be enough All My Children covers for me. [I don't mean just Dixie and Angie and Jesse, either. I'm sure Cady McClain will be on the cover or featured every single week she's on because she's coming back.]

I also love Josh and want to see him have a story of his own. Heck, at this point I'd settle for him in a supporting role in Kendall's, Zach's or Erica's. He's not used enough in my opinion. Sure he was un-aborted, but if Jesse can survive "a gun shot wound" after dying in front of his wife who's a doctor, then an un-abortion is no big deal, right? Anyway, I look forward to posting back and forth with you.

Thanks again for listening.

Phyllis~

Quote:Quote:I've enjoyed reading some of your opinion postings on the website.Only some of my opinions, birdie? I must be doing something wrong -- or is that right? After all, nobody wants to agree 100% of the time. That's what makes discussion interesting. I hope that I have at least given you a jumping-off point for some fun chat.As for Zendall, yeah, there's no magic bullet. I do think, however, that AMC might be taking a break from tossing roadblocks in their path and instead giving Zach and Kendall a chance to clear the air a little. Keep your fingers crossed. Joe,I only say some because I'm not a regular viewer of any soap but AMC, so some of the opinions are beyond what I happen to know! My concern is that right now AMC seems determined to just keep heaping on the new actors/characters on the show without truly FIXING what's mainly wrong: the writing. What's that saying, "Putting perfume on a pig." Until they get to the heart of the matter, they might have a temporary fix, but it'll just be that, temporary. And it's sad, given the incredibly talented cast they have, most of whom work very, very hard. I know you love Angie and Jesse. I wasn't watching AMC when they were first on so I approached their return as a "new" viewer. I was excited by what I initially saw. Two really good actors, with obvious chemistry, history, a story to tell, etc. But you know what? I kinda feel like their story is like a hamster on it's wheel. Just going round and round and not getting anywhere.I saw also that you wondered about some people's affection for Josh. You know what? Josh has grown on me too. Once he stopped being a total jerk and they allowed Colin's own natural appeal to shine through, i.e., stopped Josh's Babe obsession, a lot of viewers found Josh to be a charming fellow. I LOVE how he's so supportive now, when they bother to show him, of his family. The show allowed that to grow naturally. It wasn't forced. It wasn't manufactured. It just happened and the actors, CE, AM, TK, and SL just clicked. And dang if Colin isn't a natural with the kids too! That's another thing the show needs to do, allow the chemistry to happen between the actors. Don't force it. It's much more believable to the audience.I also have to admit, that I too am one of those folks who cancelled my subscription to SOW back in August/September 2007 when I perceived there was a heavy bias in the magazine against Kendall and Alicia Minshew. And Joe, I know you said you are the editor for the Hit or Miss section, but there was stuff all over that magazine for WEEKS, EVERY WEEK, that was critical of Kendall, and yes, I think of Alicia Minshew. One example that stands out clearly was the constant complaints about Kendall crying and thank goodness Spike was deaf and he couldn't hear her. That wasn't a one week comment, it appeared in several issues. And it wasn't just in the Hit or Miss, it was also in the Winners/Loser column and that Top 10 list thing. You could say that was a commentary on the show and the writing, but a reader, namely me and many others, perceived it also as a criticism of Alicia Minshew's acting choices. SOW may not have intended it that way, but that's how it came across. Additionally, what else were fans of Kendall and Alicia meant to think when there was criticism EVERY week? It looked like a heavy bias from the reader's viewpoint. I could understand criticism two weeks in a row, but three, four, five? It was getting ridiculous.

See this is what I don't get. ABC Daytime has two of the most popular couples currently on two different shows: Zach & Kendall, and Scrubs from GH. Yet I don't get why SOW or SOD doesn't give them an occassional cover. I remember alot of us being upset about the Kendall bashing by SOW. I have no problem with criticizing a character if they need it, but it was NON STOP for WEEKS on end.Like someone mentioned talking about her crying and saying they were glad Spike couldn't hear her. What I didn't get is why Kendall was the ONLY person criticized for crying when Sabine's Greenlee did non stop crying as well, and heck Alexa's Babe pretty much did the same.

Wow Joe, you really are going to post with us. That is great. I am also a Kane/Slater family fan and a big Zach and Kendall fan. You have to understand our defense of Kendall during the Crash story, she had every reason to cry all the time- the premature labor and birth of one child while her other child was kidnapped and critically injured in a car wreck, one child being diagnosed as deaf, while the other was so premature. The problem was, as it is with all B & E's storylines, it went on for to long. It started off great and with so much promise, but they did not move the story along so all they were doing is having Kendall cry. Then they changed the stroy midstream - the crash did not cause Spike's deafness and no more mention of the kidnapping. Last week I heard both Kendall and Zach say somthing about Ian being born in her sixth month of pregnancy. I am afraid that they will do the exact same thing with the Angie and Jessie story - not move it along.
Anyway - thanks for posting with us! I am another one who buys it when the cover has Zach and/or Kendall or there is a story about Zach and Kendall, Thorsten, or Alicia.

Hi Joe.I'm going to be different. I am not a Zendall fan They're okay but I don't see what the fuss is all about.. Frankly, I'd like to get them Back burnered for a while so other characters have a chance to be on. I am liking the show better these days too. I love Erica and Carmen and I love all the flasbacks of Jerica. I loved the same about Angie and Jesse. These two couples (along with Tad/Dixie when she comes back) remind me of the glory days of AMC. They had great couples with rooting value and who could get through any turmoil or conflict and end up together. That's what made those 3 couples last so many years and why their fans are so loyal to them. Give me that any day over the Boring Sextet and the couples who have sex the day after meeting. That's not entertainment to me.

^^I am all for having a more well rounded cast. As a huge Zen fan, I would be much happier having them on less if that meant their material would be of higher quality.I would have to agree with you about the boring six...Zach and Kendall are definitely my favorite characters on the show (though I enjoy many more as well, including Angie and Jessie .. I am waiting for a good storyline for Crishell and for Colin... I am totally sad that Jeff Branson is no longer on the show and I can watch David Canary do anything).But I would rather not see Z and K if they have to be stuck in the "boring six storyline"s..as the other four just about sucked the life out of them (faulting the crappy writing and the redux of the same storylines that didn't work the first time out). Fortunately, the times seem to have turned and I am looking forward to all the angst Zen will have to deal with...as a couple, not as part of the 90210 teenage crowd. If I want to watch teenagers, I would rather watch Colby. But I am looking forward to a more well rounded show as well.

I think you will find most Zendall fans are all in favor of more balance in the show. Much as we love our couple, we want quality for them, not just quantity. I don't consider the time they have spent lately propping other characters to be quality time. They need a really good story--not with the romper room sextet. I can't in a million years picture the cool, urbane man of the world, Zach Slater, engaging in such juvenile garbage. And Kendall's character has been way regressed for the sake of this propping duty also.Instead, how about some corporate intrigue involving the Slaters and Cambias and the casino. How about some romantic adventures--but still character-driven along with an interesting plot.Getting back to balance: A great story for Adam--more business related. Tad--being smart and snarky as in the past, not propping Aidan's juvenile love life. Julia has never been utilized properly. There is a wealth of opportunity on this show with these actors for more balance and good story telling.Believe me, most Zendall fans would welcome this. Of course, we want the Slaters front burner, but I want to enjoy the rest of the show as well--like I used to over the past 20 years.

This thread is an interesting read. As can be seen from my login name - I'm a huge Aidan fan. I love seeing Aidan on the front burner and I fear the writers are sacrificing his character at the alter of Rylee Redux. Aidan is not a liar and he' s not a cheater. I am one of the few that 'understood' grief sex. It was a ridiculous plot point, but extreme grief can cause inexplicable actions. Aidan keeping it a secret? Completely goes against his character. And now we see the spoilers of Kendall coming clean with Zach and Aidan STILL keeping the secret. All of this being used to give us a 'poor lied to Greenlee' scenario and a reason for a sickening return to Ryan.I simply can not understand why the writers insist on revisiting this pairing. Ryan's treatment of both Kendall and Greenlee was horrific. They have ALL moved on to loving partners. Why must they all intermingle? Why can't Z/K have their own story? Why can't Aidan/Greenlee? There is so much unexplored potential, especially with Aidan's mysterious past and childhood. Personally I think Aiden Turner has grown tremendously as an actor the last 8 months. There is so much they could do that wouldn't involve the rehash we're seeing now. It's truly insulting how they are writing supposedly strong, intelligent women. Pole dancing, pinky swears and jeapordizing their relationships over Ryan - RYAN! Listening to Greenlee excuse Ryan's fist in her fast was unconscionable on the part of the AMC writers. What a terrible message to send to viewers, especially their coveted young demographic.I want to see these characters independent of each other. I want to see Aidan and Greenlee explore their relationship without Aidan's out of character lie. I don't want to see Aidan take the rap for the entire ONS mess the writers created. I want TPTB to understand Rylee is NOT what the viewers want to see. I want to be respected as a viewer and as a woman. I have intelligence and self respect, so should the female leads on AMC.

Quote:This thread is an interesting read. As can be seen from my login name - I'm a huge Aidan fan. I love seeing Aidan on the front burner and I fear the writers are sacrificing his character at the alter of Rylee Redux. Aidan is not a liar and he' s not a cheater. I am one of the few that 'understood' grief sex. It was a ridiculous plot point, but extreme grief can cause inexplicable actions. Aidan keeping it a secret? Completely goes against his character. And now we see the spoilers of Kendall coming clean with Zach and Aidan STILL keeping the secret. All of this being used to give us a 'poor lied to Greenlee' scenario and a reason for a sickening return to Ryan.I simply can not understand why the writers insist on revisiting this pairing. Ryan's treatment of both Kendall and Greenlee was horrific. They have ALL moved on to loving partners. Why must they all intermingle? Why can't Z/K have their own story? Why can't Aidan/Greenlee? There is so much unexplored potential, especially with Aidan's mysterious past and childhood. Personally I think Aiden Turner has grown tremendously as an actor the last 8 months. There is so much they could do that wouldn't involve the rehash we're seeing now. It's truly insulting how they are writing supposedly strong, intelligent women. Pole dancing, pinky swears and jeapordizing their relationships over Ryan - RYAN! Listening to Greenlee excuse Ryan's fist in her fast was unconscionable on the part of the AMC writers. What a terrible message to send to viewers, especially their coveted young demographic.I want to see these characters independent of each other. I want to see Aidan and Greenlee explore their relationship without Aidan's out of character lie. I don't want to see Aidan take the rap for the entire ONS mess the writers created. I want TPTB to understand Rylee is NOT what the viewers want to see. I want to be respected as a viewer and as a woman. I have intelligence and self respect, so should the female leads on AMC. I am NOT an Aidan fan but I agree with your post 1000%.

Well I disagree about Aiden Turner being a leading man(IMO he's not and neither is Cam), but I'll say Aidan(the character) was sacrificed at Greenlee's alter months ago. The destruction of his character began when he hooked up with her.

Quote:I also have to admit, that I too am one of those folks who cancelled my subscription to SOW back in August/September 2007 when I perceived there was a heavy bias in the magazine against Kendall and Alicia Minshew. And Joe, I know you said you are the editor for the Hit or Miss section, but there was stuff all over that magazine for WEEKS, EVERY WEEK, that was critical of Kendall, and yes, I think of Alicia Minshew. One example that stands out clearly was the constant complaints about Kendall crying and thank goodness Spike was deaf and he couldn't hear her. That wasn't a one week comment, it appeared in several issues. And it wasn't just in the Hit or Miss, it was also in the Winners/Loser column and that Top 10 list thing. You could say that was a commentary on the show and the writing, but a reader, namely me and many others, perceived it also as a criticism of Alicia Minshew's acting choices. SOW may not have intended it that way, but that's how it came across. Additionally, what else were fans of Kendall and Alicia meant to think when there was criticism EVERY week? It looked like a heavy bias from the reader's viewpoint. I could understand criticism two weeks in a row, but three, four, five? It was getting ridiculous. All I can say, Birdie, is that you are correct when you write that you perceived a bias against Alicia, but that perception was mistaken. I know the person who contributed those remarks, and there was no personal antipathy toward Alicia. We like Alicia at WEEKLY; she's a sweet person. That criticism was aimed at the story, because there was too much wailing. I assure it was not intended as a blast at the acting choices. As for criticism appearing "every week" at that time -- well, I guess you could infer that we really did not enjoy that plot!

Quote:See this is what I don't get. ABC Daytime has two of the most popular couples currently on two different shows: Zach & Kendall, and Scrubs from GH. Yet I don't get why SOW or SOD doesn't give them an occassional cover.I'd like to ask an honest question here, Zendall_Fan: On what do you base your assertion that Zendall and Scrubs are so popular? Is it from visiting other boards? Chatting with friends? I'm not saying they aren't popular (I know they are), I'm just wondering why you call them the most popular...

Hey Joe I'm honestly surprised you would ask this question, given things I've read about the amount of mail AMC gets for Zendall, and GH gets for Scrubs as well.Heck ABC even did a podcast about fanmail and Zendall was shown to get the most mail of all.I base on this a number of things. Fan reaction to these couples on various boards, fan events and whatnot.The Scrubs board alone has over 10,000 members. I'm NOT saying they're only popular online, but dang if that isn't impressive IMO for ANY soap couple. From the things I've read, Patrick and Robin always get good reactions at fan events. Jason & Kimberly are pretty popular all on their own, and together they've made Scrubs into something fans root for and love.For Zendall I base this on fan reaction as well. I've read that even Frons was blown away by the reaction to Zendall at Super Soap Weekend in 2005. He had NO idea they were that popular. Also, Zendall is the only couple that basically gets press(mostly all good, I don't remember anything all that bad about them being said). Heck, with the exception of Jesse & Angie(and even for them it's dying down), they're the only thing for YEARS that brought in good press for the show.Fan reaction for them has been consistently overwhelming at SSW for like the last 3 years. Good or bad, they're the one thing people talk about no matter what.The Zendall board also has over 3,200 members, more than any board for any other AMC coupleZendall are always in the top 5 couples and have been even before they were a real couple. Ratings on AMC tracks as highs when Zen were the center of the storyline or if there was an advertised love scene got the highest ratings.The Satin Slayer storyline, yes hated cause of Dixie's death, got AMC great ratings, and I have NO doubt it was because of it being a Zendall centric storyline.Julie Carruthers, producer of AMC, even recently referred to Zendall as a "legacy couple" one that will be remembered on AMC even years from nowI hope I answered your question sufficiently

Great post Zendall_Fan! I can only say from my personal experience, that I've been watching soaps for many years and the first and only couple that has gotten me to join a "Fan Board" and participate is Zach and Kendall Slater (as portrayed by Thorsten Kaye and Alicia Minshew)!! Now I realize that I'm only 1 person, but I also know that I'm not alone.

Hi Joe,Thanks for this thread. I appreciate your comments and responses. I too am a huge Zendall fan and definitely buy the magazine when either TK, AM or both are on the cover. In fact like many Zendall fans when that happens I buy several copies! Otherwise I only purchase it occasionally. I used to buy every issue but I also perceived a bias against Kendall / Alicia during the Crash s/l and for the rest of the year. And you know Joe if you're selling a product, perception is reality. I know that your magazine has been critical of AMC in the past and rightly so. But I think it is improving daily and storylines are moving quicker and dialogue is certainly making more sense. I do not necessarily think that the future success of AMC is tied to it's past glory however. Returning characters, especially ones that have returned time after time do not always equate to better stories or higher ratings. We've seen that time and time again with this show. Instead of spending huge dollars in ill conceived marketing and advertising, not to mention salaries to bring back characters, perhaps AMC would be better served in developing good storylines for the talented actors that they already have. I have been an AMC fan for 20 years but my continued support is not reliant on characters from the past; it is on writing good stories for the present.

Quote:Quote:I also have to admit, that I too am one of those folks who cancelled my subscription to SOW back in August/September 2007 when I perceived there was a heavy bias in the magazine against Kendall and Alicia Minshew. And Joe, I know you said you are the editor for the Hit or Miss section, but there was stuff all over that magazine for WEEKS, EVERY WEEK, that was critical of Kendall, and yes, I think of Alicia Minshew. One example that stands out clearly was the constant complaints about Kendall crying and thank goodness Spike was deaf and he couldn't hear her. That wasn't a one week comment, it appeared in several issues. And it wasn't just in the Hit or Miss, it was also in the Winners/Loser column and that Top 10 list thing. You could say that was a commentary on the show and the writing, but a reader, namely me and many others, perceived it also as a criticism of Alicia Minshew's acting choices. SOW may not have intended it that way, but that's how it came across. Additionally, what else were fans of Kendall and Alicia meant to think when there was criticism EVERY week? It looked like a heavy bias from the reader's viewpoint. I could understand criticism two weeks in a row, but three, four, five? It was getting ridiculous. All I can say, Birdie, is that you are correct when you write that you perceived a bias against Alicia, but that perception was mistaken. I know the person who contributed those remarks, and there was no personal antipathy toward Alicia. We like Alicia at WEEKLY; she's a sweet person. That criticism was aimed at the story, because there was too much wailing. I assure it was not intended as a blast at the acting choices. As for criticism appearing "every week" at that time -- well, I guess you could infer that we really did not enjoy that plot! Joe, I'm glad that there is no bias against Alicia Minshew by any of the SOW staff, but again, that's not how it came across, to me, when those issues were printed back in 2007. Just my perception. I also saw your question to another poster regarding how she knows or what she was basing her opinion that Zach and Kendall are one of the most popular couples out there (I don't know much about Scrubs so I'll leave that aside).I agree with her statements that she posted in response, but I'll add one other. Again, this is my perception, but I do not believe ABC/AMC does much promotion for Zach and Kendall. At all. They get very few posed publicity shots when compared to other couples, they aren't hyped like some of the other charactes and couples on the show, and until they're desperate for ratings, they tend to simply put these two into supporting roles for other people's stories.I just remember back in 2006 when Zach and Kendall got married. I think I saw ONE small blurb in SOD about the wedding before it aired and I think I saw one or two commercials on SoapNet. There were a few publicity stills because I remember talking with people and saying, "Do those look like wedding photos?" But the fact that we were discussing whether or not those were wedding photos tells of the absolute failure of ABC/AMC to publicize this event. Why? Forget even the couple, Zach and Kendall, wouldn't they advertise the wedding of one of Erica Kane's offspring? But there was nothing. Zip. And while I do think the wedding itself was lovely and really perfect for Zendall, how low key was it for a Kane offspring?Because I think ABC/AMC doesn't seem invested in Zach and Kendall, the fact that the magazines do write about them, that they do attract so much attention has to be because so many viewers have demanded it. To me, Zach and Kendall don't have the "ABC/AMC machine" behind them because the network and show does not seem to willing to expend those resources on their behalf. So any attention Zach and Kendall have obtained, and it's a lot, is due to the demands of the audience and those demands could only be heard if there were a lot of people asking for it. And if it's a lot of people asking for it, it means they're very popular.I hope that makes sense!

Quote:Hi Joe,Thanks for this thread. I appreciate your comments and responses. I too am a huge Zendall fan and definitely buy the magazine when either TK, AM or both are on the cover. In fact like many Zendall fans when that happens I buy several copies! Otherwise I only purchase it occasionally. I used to buy every issue but I also perceived a bias against Kendall / Alicia during the Crash s/l and for the rest of the year. And you know Joe if you're selling a product, perception is reality. I know that your magazine has been critical of AMC in the past and rightly so. But I think it is improving daily and storylines are moving quicker and dialogue is certainly making more sense. I do not necessarily think that the future success of AMC is tied to it's past glory however. Returning characters, especially ones that have returned time after time do not always equate to better stories or higher ratings. We've seen that time and time again with this show. Instead of spending huge dollars in ill conceived marketing and advertising, not to mention salaries to bring back characters, perhaps AMC would be better served in developing good storylines for the talented actors that they already have. I have been an AMC fan for 20 years but my continued support is not reliant on characters from the past; it is on writing good stories for the present. Awesome post, Sulee. I completely agree.

Hi Joe! Late to the party, but want to add I'm another Zen fan & love those two!! Can't ever get enough. They just seem so real & they jump off my screen & sparkle! I could watch them
endlessly. As for SOD/SOW, I am a long-time subscriber to both & my favorite issues are any that feature Thorsten Kaye
or Alicia Minshew, on the cover, or feature stories. I'd love to see more of their private lives/home life featured in your mags. I realize they're private people, but we'd love to see a spread on TK's family/kids, etc & Alicia & fiance, Richie. That would be a big seller & even tho' I subscribe, if my favs are in it, I usually go out & by extra. Just so you know! I am looking forward to some positive changes coming up & I'm hoping TPTB will see the light & turn around some things they've screwed up recently, such as Zendall & the ONS. Too bad they had to mess up a great thing. I guess they think it's ok to mess with them because they're just a soap couple, but that tells me they don't really understand Zen if they think that, because Zendall is far from ordinary & had such a unique & special relationship & it is a travesty to trash it. One like that doesn't come along everyday & it's the only thing that's caught my imagination on a soap for yrs & yrs. The only reason I watch, in fact. I hope they know that!!

Hi Joe - I posted here a few weeks ago when Mara first posted. I had hoped that this board would be an unbiased forum where opinions from everyone would be welcome and was a little disappointed when I came back and saw that it already resembled a lot of the other boards I visit. At any rate, I've watched AMC for over 20 years and feel that the last two years have been the absolute worst in its history. I don't think anything can help the show at this point if the writing doesn't improve once and for all. It can only continue in a downward spiral for so long IMO. The show desperately needs more balance. I'm sick of characters (even ones that I once liked) being on every day and others appearing infrequently or not at all. I'm sick of my intelligence being insulted by plot-driven stories that make no sense and are horribly executed. I'm a huge Jack and Erica fan and wish the show would stop wasting precious time and reunite them and give them a good story. Jesse and Angie are great but they also need a good story. I'm glad Dixie is coming back and hope they find a way for her to return permanently and reunite with Tad. I think these 3 couples have stood the test of time and should be the core "veteran" couples. Zendall is OK IMO but I don't see the big deal that others do. I think a big chunk of the younger cast needs to go and the more talented ones shuffled around in some different pairings since none of the ones they have now are working.I admit I'm one of the fans that reads the magazine in line at the grocery store. The last time I bought it was when Jack and Erica got married and were on the cover. If they make the cover when they get married again, I promise I'll buy it.

Quote:Hi Joe - I posted here a few weeks ago when Mara first posted. I had hoped that this board would be an unbiased forum where opinions from everyone would be welcome and was a little disappointed when I came back and saw that it already resembled a lot of the other boards I visit. I do not understand your comment. Just because a lot of Zen fans have popped in here does not mean the board is UNBAISED. If a lot of people share the same opinion..the board is BIASED? Does that mean that an opinion has to be less popular to be valid? To me, it just means that a lot of people like Zendall..where is the bias? Every single person here individually has a right to their opinion. I don't see why my opinion should be crticized and considered to be BIASED because a lot of others agree with me.I am not sure why you think that other opinions are not welcome. I personally posted earlier today in some thead how much I miss Jonathan (which is not a really popular opinion, especially among many Zen fans who don't like anything LAvery)..and not one person complained or took me to task for my UNPOPULAR opinion. And I felt totally welcome posting it.I don't see the problem. Erica and Jack are not my favorite couple but I have nothign against them and I certainly don't mind reading any opinions in their favor.

Hi Joe!
I'm another late comer to the party. I am a subscriber to your magazine, but I too resent the amount of negative opinion in your magazine regarding Kendall's character and by extention the negative light that was cast on a wonderful and talented actress, Alicia Minshew. Alicia herself expressed deep concern in interviews about the regression of her character for a plot drive story line. The ONS attacked something very rarely seen on a soap opera and that is the fidelity of a popular married couple, Zendall.

I don't know if you are aware of it, but soon after the 12/19 "grief sex" was spoiled, an Internet petition was launched by someone at the Zach and Kendall board and hundreds of letters were posted on that petition from all over the world to stop that show from airing. The main issue in those letters was the fidelity factor that viewers felt was totally OOC for Zach and Kendall. TPTB at AMC turned a deaf ear and continued this plot driven s/l to whitewash the character of Greenlee for the return of Rebecca Budig, by vilifying Kendall and Zach in various ways. Your magazine

Hi Kathy - I don't know why you think I singled out your posts for criticism but that was not my intention. I went back and read your posts in this thread and agree with most of what you wrote. And I absolutely believe that everyone is entitled to post their opinion. And like you said about Jerica, I don't mind reading opinions in Zendall's favor either. It's not the fact that a lot of people posted that they liked Zendall that made me think the board was biased. It just struck me that many of the pro-Zendall posts were so anti other characters. I just think that these characters (and actors) also have fans and my feeling was that they might not feel comfortable posting here. I'm not refuting anyone's right to post those opinions, but by the same token, I feel I should be able to post my opinion about comments I've read on the board as well.

Quote:It just struck me that many of the pro-Zendall posts were so anti other characters. I just think that these characters (and actors) also have fans and my feeling was that they might not feel comfortable posting here. I'm not refuting anyone's right to post those opinions, but by the same token, I feel I should be able to post my opinion about comments I've read on the board as well. I have to respectfully disagree with that. I've seen many pro-Zendall posts be simply that, pro-Zendall. I've seen many pro-Zendall posters single out other characters that they like and would like to see more of. I've mentioned Josh, Opal and Richie. I've seen others talk quite frequently and enthusiastically of Jesse and Angie. Are there some characters that most Zendall fans will tend to dislike? Yes. I'm not denying that, but by broadly painting pro-Zendall fans as anti-other characters is inaccurate.I would suggest that you re-read some of the threads and postings. It might simply be a matter of certain threads you selected that gave you that impression, but I'm sure you'll find, especially if you read this specific thread, that many pro-Zendall posts have actually called for a greater balance to the show. For that to be achieved, it would have to entail other characters besides Zach and Kendall.

Hey Joe, may I suggest you look to the weekly polls run by your very own publications (SOD/SOW) to quantify ZF's assertion about the popularity of Zendall. Thorsten Kaye, Alicia Minshew, and Zach and Kendall have held the #1 spot for AMC actor/actress/couple in your very own polls for the last couple of years. Does that help convince you that they are AMC's most popular couple?

Quote:Hi Kathy - I don't know why you think I singled out your posts for criticism but that was not my intention. I went back and read your posts in this thread and agree with most of what you wrote. And I absolutely believe that everyone is entitled to post their opinion. And like you said about Jerica, I don't mind reading opinions in Zendall's favor either. It's not the fact that a lot of people posted that they liked Zendall that made me think the board was biased. It just struck me that many of the pro-Zendall posts were so anti other characters. I just think that these characters (and actors) also have fans and my feeling was that they might not feel comfortable posting here. I'm not refuting anyone's right to post those opinions, but by the same token, I feel I should be able to post my opinion about comments I've read on the board as well.

Actually I did NOT think you singled out my posts at all. I apologize if that is what you think I said..it was not.

But your saying the board is BIASED..because there are a lot of Zen fans (which I happen to be) is just IMO wrong. The board is NOT BIASED...which to me has a negative connotation as the people posting have unfair prejudices that affect their opinions. The board has a lot of posters that like Zen. And if they also dont' like other characters, that is also in their right. It still does not make them BIASED. Everyone has equal rights to post their opinion..regardless of how many people agree or disagree with them.

It's always harder to post less popular opinions..IN all my years of soap watching, I am usually rooting for the underdog so I know that position very well. Zen is the first POPULAR couple that I have backed in ages. But it is what it is..people should post when they want to, not because of what anyone else posts.

Hey Joe: There was a time when I bought your magazine every week at the checkout counter (couldn't wait for it to come out) but the past two years have put an end to that. I find you favor the same people all the time and they're usually not the people I want to see.I've been watching soaps all my life and in the past when a couple was popular the magazines constantly had them featured because they sold magazines. I don't see that anymore. I don't know if it's the publicity departments for certain soaps that push who they want publicized or what but I rarely see Zach and Kendall in your magazine and they rarely get a cover. What's with that? Do you want to sell magazines or not? It's not that I don't think others should also be featured because I do but more often than not it's the same people. AMC is the same way. They want to force Cam Mathison down our throats and on our screens when, in fact, the man hasn't been able to carry a story in years and yet he's given lead actor status over guys like Thorsten Kaye, David Canary (who has like five emmys) and Michael Knight. Why? I don't get it. He DOESN'T bring in the ratings and, quite frantly, he's annyoying. This opinion has nothing to do with my liking any other actor in particular because I've always felt this way about Ryan. The only time he was watchable was with Gillian. I have often said if they held Ryan accountable for things he has done this would help the character tremendously but they don't and it's really caused the ratings to take a dive. Okay it's not just him (it's definitely the writing) but why focus on this character when it's obvious that the fans are sick to death of him. Now they bring back the "real" Greenlee and it's the same story. They whitewash everything she has done when, in fact, if they held her accountable they would have had a good story. It's insane.People are always screaming that Lish and Thorsten are constantly on but the truth is when they are on it's usually to prop other actors (mainly Ryan and Greenlee) who can't carry a story on their own. This is crazy. If they can't carry a story they shouldn't be on or they should be in a supporting role and give some story to other actors who have talent and haven't been seen lately (Josh, Julia, Amanda). Look at they wasted Stacey Haiduk. They could have given her a good corporate story where she tried to take down both Adam and Zach and instead we got this idiotic story in order to focus on Greenlee. None of this makes sense and whoever is running things at ABC should be fired. I must give kudos to the magazines lately for calling them on the whole Ryan amnesia story. I'm truly surprised since I didn't think the mags wanted to anger Mr. Frons. I think the mags need to do more of this because it can only help the soaps if they see in print what they're doing wrong. The fans buy your paper and if we're not happy we're just not going to spend our money and I haven't been buying for a long time.

Greetings Joe!

I've thought a lot about your question, but I find it hard to answer. I guess a lot of it depends on what you use as a barometer for "most popular."

Is it the number of fans? Like if you were to take a statistical sampling of all AMC viewers and find out that Zen are the storyline they like the most?

Is it the dedication of the fans? It is common for viewers to start out liking a storyline/character/couple and change their mind, or vice versa. But there are some characters or couples that people love for years, and stick with them no matter what happens in their storyline.

Is it the level of passion displayed by the fans? Obviously some fanbases are much more vocal and demonstrative than others, though some would argue that this isn't proof that the fanbase is large.

I've been a member of the online ABC soap community for 7 years now. Before that I watched soaps off and on since I was a teenager and subscribed to SOD for a couple of years. Until Zen, the most powerful fanbase I had ever seen was the Sonny and Carly fanbase. I can't say for sure that the Zen fanbase is bigger, but it wouldn't be a fair comparison anyway since GH has many more viewers than AMC.

I can say that I am still in awe of the number, dedication, and passion of the Zen fans. I've seen it on the message boards. I've seen it in the magazines. I've seen it at Super Soap Weekend. I've seen it in places I never expected to see it. The popularity of Zen may not be quantifiable, but it most definitely cannot be ignored.

Joe - can you tell us what couples do receive the most positive mail? Are there any couples that surprise you with the amount of mail they receive?