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OPINION
Soap Dish
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Michael Karol, editor
— Soap Opera Weekly
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August 21, 2009
Rays of Light on AMC
Well, the viewers have spoken. Not the viewers who write to us; they've written often and loudly (in CAPS) about how much they dislike (and that's a nice word) the Erica and Ryan cougar story. Now the Nielsens have spoken: Erica and Ryan flirted, and ALL MY CHILDREN's rating dropped a tenth of a point. Doesn't seem like much on the face of it, but if you consider that ratings for the soaps in general are anemic, every 10th of a point counts. Does this mean AMC will scrap the cougar plot? No way. But if the ratings keep tumbling, it might give the show runners pause.
In any case, there's been no heavy romance … yet. Just a series of scenes showing Erica and Ryan's attraction to each other in subtle ways: taking a spin around the dance floor, discussing their favorite romantic movie on the phone, each alone, in bed; watching a beautiful Pine Valley moon rise before Erica left for Africa to lend her celebrity to the charity Feed the Children.
And it's a great thing that Erica's doing (it's also a charity Susan Lucci supports in real life). In fact, it's exactly the kind of thing Erica should be doing, and the scenes between her and fellow volunteer Krystal, after they set up their tent in Africa, were funny and real, just like the AMC of old used to be 90 percent of the time. Here's a snippet of Krystal and Erica:
Krystal: [taking a photo of Erica with her phone] That's a keeper. Ha, ha!
Erica: Oh, so now are you a member of the paparazzi?
Krystal: Hey, I'm sorry. I knew this trip was gonna be full of never-before-seen sights. I just did not know it would include seeing you sleeping so close to dirt. But maybe you should check to see if they can find you a hotel room.
Erica: I don't want a hotel. I don't need a hotel. It's just that not all of us grew up with the facilities 20 yards away, that's all.
I'm also enjoying the hell that the Hubbard family is going through. The murder of DA North and the "disappearance" of baby Trevor each involve one or more of the Hubbards, Pine Valley's reigning (and right now, only) family of color. In fact, there are very few people of color who live in Pine Valley period, so it's nice to see Jesse, Angie and crew getting their props with real stories, full of depth and emotion.
In the meantime, here's a suggestion for wrapping up a certain plot that's causing fan anguish; it includes something the show can do with Aidan that actually makes sense:
If we must endure Erica making out (UGH!) with Ryan (I will not speculate further), then we must. But how about bringing back Greenlee, since we don't really know if she's dead, and pairing her with Aidan. This gives Jack a major excuse to return from Europe, and will certainly screw with Ryan's head, Greenlee being the love of his life and all. It makes for a perfect setup to bring back the couple almost every fan we've heard from wants back together: Erica and Jack. I'm just sayin'.
August 7, 2009
DROP DEAD Excellent
How great is it when one of your favorite new prime-time series references your favorite soap opera?
I TiVoed Lifetime's DROP DEAD DIVA with skepticism, tuning in only because I wanted to see how the show would handle the supernatural/fantasy elements of the plot. (Hey, at least I'm admitting that I watch Lifetime…occasionally…) The story: Deb (Brooke D'Orsay), a pretty, well-meaning but somewhat shallow Los Angeles wannabe model, engaged to gorgeous Grayson (Jackson Hurst), is killed in a car crash. Winding up at the gates of heaven, she insists her time is not yet up, impulsively pressing a red button on the desk of Fred (Ben Feldman), the angel assigned to her.
She is immediately zapped back to Earth, but into the body of a plus-size, earnest attorney named Jane (Brooke Elliott), who had taken a bullet fired by an angry client and meant for her boss. Now Deb must adjust to life as a size 16, while dealing with her ex-fiancé, who is working at the same firm, and that fact that Jane's impressive brain power keeps popping up anytime she has to make a decision. Only Deb's former best friend, Stacy (April Bowlby), knows the truth.
As if that weren't enough, Kim (Kate Levering), a cutthroat lawyer at the firm, lives to insult Jane and is also after Grayson. Deb's angel, Fred, has been demoted after letting her escape, and is now Jane's guardian angel, working in the mail room at the law offices and crushing hard on Stacy while trying to grasp the nuances of human interaction.
I know — sounds like a soap, right? It is, in the best sense, leavened with a lot of humor and, as might be expected, bittersweet moments, as when Jane sees her (i.e., Deb's) mother enter the law offices as a client (she's getting divorced from Deb's dad), or practically any interaction between Jane and Grayson. The cast is attractive and terrific, most especially Elliott, who is very winning as the confused Deb-in-Jane's-body. She's a real find, and makes you believe in all the fantastic shenanigans, and shed a tear or two along the way. Another big plus: Hilarious Margaret Cho plays Jane's snarky assistant, Teri. Cho has finally found a series that does her sly comedy justice (pun intended).
So where does ALL MY CHILDREN fit in? In episode three, one of Jane and Kim's clients wants to sue a shrink for curing her husband's Disassociate Identity Disorder (DID). Problem is, the doctor left her husband with the wrong personality. As Jane and Kim walk the halls discussing the case, Kim reveals an unsuspected knowledge of DID. The reason? She's a regular viewer of ALL MY CHILDREN. (Though I don't believe that Erica Kane — or any major AMC character — ever suffered from DID, Erica's behaved like at least 20 different personalities in her 38-plus years on AMC. Viki, a character on AMC's sister soap, ONE LIFE TO LIVE, does have DID.)
But I'll take the shout-out to AMC; it was funny and meaningful, and it helped place DIVA in its proper context: a dramedy with fantasy elements, yes, but firmly embracing its soapiness to boot.
July 24, 2009
Torchwood Gets Serious
In its first two 13-episode seasons, TORCHWOOD was a jaunty, clever, and occasionally chilling and horrific sci-fi series — a spin-off of DOCTOR WHO that I enjoyed as much as, if not more than, the parent series. This season, TORCHWOOD, a five-episode miniseries, got serious.
Torchwood is a top-secret group of three based in Cardiff, Wales, that monitors and eliminates alien threats to the Earth: its leader, suave, ambisexual Captain Jack Harkness (John Barrowman), and agents Ianto Jones, his current lover (Gareth David-Lloyd), and Gwen Cooper (Eve Myles).
The prologue: poison-breathing aliens land in Scotland in 1965, and take 12 orphans for the purposes of … well, let's just say, human children do something special for this species.
Flash forward 44 years. The aliens are returning; this time, they establish a base, a sealed chamber to contain the poisonous gases they breathe, in London's Thames House, and what they want is far more traumatic: nothing less than 10 percent of the Earth's total population of children.
The British government's first decision: eliminate Torchwood. Captain Jack had a role in the 1965 incident, which the government insists can not come to light. Problem: Jack can't die. Gwen and Ianto can, but they manage to survive the bomb that destroys Torchwood headquarters.
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From left, TORCHWOOD's Barrowman, Myles and David-Lloyd
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The first two episodes are one slam-bang chase sequence, as Gwen, her husband Rhys (Kai Owen) and Ianto, on the run, try to avoid being killed and rescue Jack. Simultaneously, the aliens broadcast a chilling three-part message via Earth's children: "We are coming. Back. Tomorrow." The kids are stopped in their tracks and can do nothing but parrot the message until the aliens finish "broadcasting."
What's brilliant is that the aliens are mostly a figurative plot element; the smoke in the chamber veils them. And the focus of the series is split equally on the Torchwood trio and the British response to the aliens. The solution comes after a series of meetings/discussions between the prime minister and other British public servants (especially the wonderful Peter Capaldi as bureaucrat/middleman John Frobisher, who has two kids of his own) and, finally, representatives from other countries.
It should be no surprise — yet it's stunning —how easily harsh and selfish the decisions of those officials are, and how quickly the process degenerates from "How can we possibly give them 10 percent of the Earth's children?" to "Of course, it's understood that the children of everyone at this table will be exempt," to "We'll give them the 10 percent lowest academic achievers from every country." Guys (and gals): We're talking about 35 million children being handed over to an alien race, never to return!
Jack, wracked with guilt about his role in the 1965 incident, refuses to allow this to happen, and with Gwen, Rhys and Ianto's help, reconstitutes Torchwood. Luckily for them, they have the help of an insider, temp Lois Habiba (Cush Jumbo), whose instincts tell her something's not right with the plan to eliminate Torchwood.
The acting is superb. The strong bond between spouses Gwen and Rhys is matched by the heartbreaking romance between Captain Jack and Ianto. These soapier elements, always welcome, come as no surprise — the series was always a soap at heart, if one of mythic proportions. We also meet Ianto's sister and her family, and learn that Jack is a grandfather who has a strained relationship with his daughter, now older than him due to the immortality thing.
Still, the dark aspects of the plot and the cynical, hopeless way the story plays out are what make this miniseries so exceptional.
God help us if our fates are ever in the hands of the world's politicians, instead of those with a deeper perspective, like Jack. When we leave our decimated hero, he's decided to "travel the world" for a bit. I hope those travels are detailed in a fourth season.
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Are you sure it was this years desperate housewives that you saw, because the season finale I saw just plain sucked. In fact, I am pretty sure I won't be back next season!
Are you sure it was this years desperate housewives that you saw, because the season finale I saw just plain sucked. In fact, I am pretty sure I won't be back next season! . Another thing, I sure wish you security code thing was a little easier to read!
Michael, if you want a soap story told in the old fashioned soap tradition of a several month long slow build, complete with dropped hints along the way of what was to come, then look no further than the love story of Olivia and Natalia on Guiding Light!! This story has been building since Jan 2008 and has been painstakingly mapped out so that all the reasons for them to fall in love were revealed to us at in tantalizing nuggets over the last 16 months!! People all over the world fell under their spell! Fans who were anxious to see a romance evolve like the great shows of old, slowing and carefully so that you were fully invested in them as a couple by the time they got together! Bravo to Ellen Wheeler and Jill Lorie Hurst for guiding and writing this beautiful tale and to Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia for providing the talent and chemistry to this fantastic pair!!
I think a storyline that will be remembered in soap history as the quintessential slow-burn, return of the old-fashioned love story, is Otalia currently on Guiding Light. It has got to be one of the most beautifully crafted, intricately developed and unsually consistent stories I have ever seen on my screen. Ever since Jan 2008 every beat, turn, phrase, look, day, has brought us closer to the wonder that is Otalia, and every single of these beats has not only fit like a glove in the grander scheme of the Otalia sl, but has rang true with real life and made the viewers from all backgrounds relate to it with one of its many layers (religion, friendship, family, economic class differences, gay, straight, first time falling in love, etc.). I am truly in awe of the creators and actresses that have given us this amazing story. It's a story-telling masterpiece!
Guiding Light's Otalia storyline has brought back the slow burn that we have been sorely missing. They have been building this story for over a year while getting we viewers invested. It has been beautifully written and superbly acted. The details, down to the smallest of gestures or looks have been dead on. It is well worth turning this show on each day just to see how it all plays out. I have been a soap watcher for 28 years and have to say this is the best storyline I have seen in a very long time.
Micheal, Guiding Light Ellen Wheeler,Jill L Hurst has brought back the mean of a true good old school romance they have written a timeless masterpiece, the epic love story of Oliva & Natalia it is simply the best story on televison with family, love ,conflict and redemption.their are so many new & old viewers are turning the GL on.
Michael, If you would like to see a true to life love story, told like none we have ever seen on T.V.. then please do yourself a favor and take a look at Guiding Lights, Otalia. This love story breaks down so many walls of emotional separation in love pairs. These two people started out as enemies, then started relying on each other when there was no one else, then they became friends, and this became a family. The story shows you how they cope, how they communicate and finally how and why they fall in love. If you like a good love story, told perfectly and acted magnificently, then you must watch Guiding Light. You too, will fall in love with Otalia; like so many have, from around the world. Just watch it, you'll see what we mean.
The Otalia storyline is definitely one to watch on Guiding Light if one is looking for a wonderful slow building..well thought out storyline. It's being told in classic storytelling form and the portrayal is amazing.
I would have to wholeheartedly agree with all the posters above me who have stated that if what you are looking for is an old fashioned slow burning love story than you need not look any further than Guiding Light's Otalia storyline. The slow build of this love story has enthralled many hearts and minds and Ellen Wheeler, Jill Lorie Hurst, Crystal Chappell and Jessica Leccia should all be praised for their work and commitment.
siting AMC as an example? The show that rushed a lesbian wedding/break up (as compared to Otalia's slow burn on GL), that rushed through a heart transplant storyline with Kendall getting her brothers heart and then walking around the next week (as opposed to Olivia's heart transplant from Gus on GL that was a year long story), that crammed fast paced action into the Stuart murder (as compared to the slow, subtle mystery of Edmond's murder on GL). Yeah, great insight.
Hmmm First thought to pop into my head when I thought about drawn out true to life stories was Olivia and Natalia. Guiding Light has been building that couple for, what, a year and a half now? Crazy! Especially nowadays where soap stories don't get drawn out like they used to. I definitely recommend checking that one out.
I don't have to watch Erica/Ryan or give it a shot. I have another choice. Turn off the tv and that's exactly what I plan on doing. If AMC fires Pratt and gives me back my Jerica, I'll return but until then I will be watching another network. Good work AMC
You are a better viewer than I am because I am not happy about Erica with Ryan and I'm not going to give it a chance. I won't be watching AMC at all . Erica should be with Jack. Give Ryan his own woman, like Liza, and give the rest of us a break AMC!
I wish I could be as blase about the Erica/Ryan thing as you are and sit down and watch it , but it's too disgusting for words. He is fresh out of bed with her CHILD and is ther GRANDMOTHER of the son said daughter shares with him. Plus Ryan is a total moron. I can't stand the sight of him and also will never have a chance of getting Erica/Jack back together as long as Pratt and Fron's pet Lavery is hanging around Erica. Nope, I won't give it a chance at all and I hear Y&R is a much better show anyway. As far as Jackson, I adore him but no way I want to see him with Brooke. They tried that romance twice and it bombed both times. No chemistry or interest at all. Why doesn't AMC hook up Ryan with Liza, Krystal, Taylor? Why must it be a Kane woman?
Erica and Ryan? NO THANK YOU! I'm not watching it either. I'll be watching DOOL with my mom. If AMC smartens up and puts Erica back with her soulmate Jackson, please put it on your site or in the magazine and I will come back. Ryan can drop dead for all I care.
What is the obsession by AMC with Ryan Lavery and having him with a Kane woman? He is the most annoying, boring, stupid character on the show. I can't stand the sight of him and not even Erica can make him likeable. They aren't putting Erica back with Jack for this?
The pairing of Erika Kane and Ryan Lavery is just so wrong and discusting. There will be no chemistry like JACK & ERIKA period! I have watched AMC since 1970 and if JACK & ERIKA do not reunited I am done with this soap forever.
I like your P.S. about getting a story line going for Aiden. They are wasting his talents. Give him something to do...an investigation is in order! And how about a new love interest with someone who doesn't dump him?
Aidan needs a real story. Aiden Turner has proved his worth to this program and this destruction of his character is unacceptable. Why not have Aidan searching for Greenlee? I'd love to see an Ailee reunion! I'd also love to see Aidan's past explored - WHO is Aidan's father? I'd love to see Aidan/Zach end up half brothers. There is so much to explore with this character. I miss Aidan and I miss the magic of Aidan and Greenlee..
The only thing I have to say about Erica and Ryan is that I am sad to see it is now Erica's turn to prop Ryan. (And where is Jackson in all this?) My favorite character is Aidan and I would like for him to have a story that doesn't involve baby sitting. The guy is a PI, ex-soldier, bonefide HERO! Why are the writers making him into a criminal? Aidan has put in his time propping others and he needs a story of his own. He has proven he can carry a story in the past and I want to see him do it again! Aidan is the one who hasn't dealt with his feelings about Greenlee. He still loves her, I am sure of it! I want to see Aidan find Greenlee and I want to see them fall in love all over again!
Reunite Aidan & Greenlee! It was great with both Sabine & Rebecca. Make it so the body found was not Greenlee; but a woman with a ring much like the one Ryan gave GL. He has told Jack--together they secretly learned this woman was a hermit; no family or connections. So they decided to cremate her & give her some final dignity. Meanwhile, they secretly search for Greenlee--staying guarded about it, because the chances of her surviving the pitch over the cliff were slim; she could be submerged somewhere. I know Aidan never stopped loving her. Aidan overhears about David's secret patient--and on learning he was in Conn when she 'died', gets Tad's help to trail David. Aidan finds Greenlee, and we go from there!.... Aiden proved he's frontburner material. He needs to be with someone who appreciates & stays with him, like Sabine's Greenlee did, & Rebecca's did at first. I agree with Kaidy--why turn him into a criminal?
I'd like to respond to the P.S. about giving Aidan a real story. The man has SKILLZ and he should be frontburner and the story should be about him and his needs and his emotions and his character development. What is truly unbelievable is Aidan always losing out in the romance department. The man is one of the sexiest actors in daytime! I'm tired of only seeing him in a supporting role lately. Aiden Turner is almost a veteran, he has been on the show for 7 years and he was nominated for an Emmy in 2003. If the writers would give him a story to work with, he would have a chance of being nominated each year. I like the idea of Aidan finding Greenlee alive and somehow they fall in love again. As an Ailee fan,the way my favorite couple ended was extremely unsatisfying and frustrating. If Mr. Pratt would somehow reunite Ailee, it would go a very long way to helping me, and I'm certain a lot of other viewrs, to once again enjoy must-see tv and love in the afternoon.
I got a story for Aidan how bout he ditches that wet blanket Annie before he further ruins his life. Go to Jackson and confess that he saw that body in Connecticut and that no way it could be Greenlee's. With Jackson as an allie Special Ops Aidan goes off to find Greenlee whereever she is and brings her home to those who truly love her.Then Greenlee and Aidan can hash out their differences that ruined their marriage,Greenlee realizes Ryan's so called love for her is a joke and Aidan is the man for her. Ailee gets a real wedding that involves their families,wouldnt mind seeing an Anna and Robin crossover to support Aidan.
I would love for Aidan to get his own story. A totally new love interest. Someone who loves him and isn't pining over some fool(like Ryan). How about the new character coming soon Madison North....the DA's wife. Those two could steam up our screens all summer!
I am so tired of the writers crapping all over Aidan Devane. I want to see Aidan leading his own storyline away from the insane Annie crap! There is so much that the writers could do with Annie. The writers need to delve into Aidan past, and create a mystery surrounding who Aidan father is.
I am waiting for an Ailee reunion!!!The story they have Aiden in right now is so unlike his true character.I would love for the story to play out that Aiden has been looking for Greenlee and does find her.I would rather her stay gone then to see her brought back for Ryan.I think the writers could use his grief for losing Greenlee as an excuse for the way he is acting.Listen to the viewers,we want Ailee back!
It is breaking my heart to see Aiden Turner under-utilized on the the show. I just want to see Aidan in a decent storyline where he is the focus, and he isn't being used as a plot device. I love seeing Aidan in PI, special ops mode. A Mystery about who Aidan's father is would be Awesome!
I wish the writers would invest in Aidan, and write him a decent storyline. I would love to see the writer revist Aidan's past, and bring some family in for him. There is so much that we don't know about Aidan. Who is his father, what really happened to his mother, his military experience. All these things can be explored with Aidan if the writers would just invest in him. I would love to see Aidan in scenes with Brot and Frankie talking about his military experiences. I would also love to see the writers bring back Greenlee for Aidan, and rebuild them. Aidan and Greenlee was sizzlin hot together, and they brought out the best in each other. Aidan deserves a second chance with his one true love Greenlee.
I would love to see Aidan get a storyline not involving the "oh so wonderful" Ryan Lavery. Frankly, I am sick of Ryan and the propping of him. His character is horrible and I haven't liked his character since 2005 when he stuck his fist in our beloved Greenlee's face. (R.I.P Greens!) Speaking of Greens.... How about a return of our favorite fiesty-shorty? Bring her back on one condition.... She returns for AIDAN!!! The Aidan and Greenlee pairing was the only reason I watched All My Children and since their pathetically-written demise my viewing has been ceased. Please bring back our Aidan and Greenlee (a.k.a. Ailee)! I need to see some love in the afternoon, not the stuff Pratt has been shoveling out.
I just want the real Aidan back! There are so many stories that the writers could write for Aidan. so many wonderful ideas already. I want to see the writers get back to the basis with Aidan. I want to see Aidan in PI mode investigating the fake Greenlee corpse. I want Aidan and Greenlee back. A rescue adventure story with Aidan would be exciting.
I want Aidan free from lunatic Annie, and in his own lead storyline. Then I want to see Aidan reconnect with Tad. I want to see Aidan in a mystery storyline about who his father is. I would love it if Aidan turned out to be Adam Chandler's son. Maybe Adam had an affair with Aidan's mother while he was in London on business. Imagine the family dinners.
I love the character of Aidan Devane, and it's a shame the writers won't utilize him and capitalize on his popularity with the fans. Aiden Turner deserve to lead his own storyline, and Aidan shouldn't be used as plot in stories for any character. I want to see Aidan tied to a major family in Pine Valley. I like the idea of the writers creating a mystery story around who Aidan father is. Maybe Anna could be part of Aidan's story.
Aidan Devane is one of my all time favorite leading men on AMC. It kills me that Pratt doesn't write for him, instead only uses him to push stories for other characters. I want to see Aidan deal with the fake Greenlee corpse. There is no way Aidan would see that corpse, and not know that it isn't Greenlee. Aidan would be off rescuing Greenlee so fast it would make Ryan overblown airtime hogging head spins. Why isn't Pratt letting Aidan investigate Greenlee's death, instead of making him look like a moron with Annie? I want to see Aidan rescue Greenlee, and then I want to see them fall in love all over again.
I want Aidan to have a compelling story dealing with something real.. Maybe bring in a brother or sister for him. I'm tired of Aidan being a 3rd party in stories. He need his own story. There is so much that we don't know about Aidan, and I would love to see Pratt explore him more. I would also like to see Aidan get another shot with Greenlee if she comes back. Aidan and Greenlee was amazing together, and they ended too soon.
If anyone on AMC deserves a storyline it's Aidan Devane. He is sexy, strong, romantic, mysterious and drop dead gorgeous. I'm tired of Aidan always getting hand me down-left over stories from Ryan. I would like to see the writers create a story for Aidan and about Aidan. Aidan past is some what of a mystery. The writers should captalize on that. And pairing him with Greenlee again would be a real plus. They had it going on until they were ruined for toxic ruinlee.
I am tired of Aidan being wasted in worthless storylines pimping other characters. I want to see Aidan Devane in a story written for him, and one that focuses on him. There is so much story potential for Aidan. I think Aiden Turner would rock in a James Bond 007 adventure type storyline. He is gorgeous, and have an accident to die for. What's not to love about Aidan Devane!
I want to see Aidan in a decent storyline where he isn't made to look like a total and complete fool to prop another character. Aidan deserves better than that. Maybe the writers should bring back Greenlee for Aidan. They were AMC's most exciting couple for a while, and I always thought they had the potential to be great.
It's high time Aidan Devane had a lead storyline of his own. I would love to see Aidan involved in some kind of mystery.. He is such a sneak. It would be fun to watch.
I have loved the character of Aidan Devane for 7 years, and it's disappointing to see him relegated to being a plot device for other characters. Aiden Turner deserves to have a storyline where his character is the focus, and isn't used as a tool for someone else. Come on writers give Aidan a decent storyline please! Let Aidan next adventure be the mystery of the Greenlee corpse. Give special operations Aidan Devane his romantic hero groove back.
Aidan definitely need his own storyline. Aiden Turner is more than capable of carrying his own story, and I'm dying to see Aidan be the focus for change. The possible stories for Aidan are endless. The writers just need to invest in the character and write for him.
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Pratt and Frons need to give Erica a real compelling story and stop this stupid Adam/Annie/Ryan garbage. It's beheath her. She needs to have a health crisis to battle, which will bring Jackson back to her side where he belongs. They fight the good fight and end up back together. That's good old fashioned soap romance that keeps you rooting for the couple and gives them an obstacle that is not another boring 3rd party. That's what I want to see.
I would love to see a story on who Aidan's father is! Zach and Aidan as half brothers would be oh so fun to watch! Come to think of it JR and Aidan as half brothers would be more fun to watch! Since the A-team has gone south I would love it if Sabine Singh would be brought back as a new love interest for Aidan since we know Greenlee would only be brought back for Ryan (gag) AT is a great actor and the only reason I watch now a days!
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I want the writers to write a story for Aidan Devane.. I am tired of seeing Aidan used as a plot device. Aidan is a leading man just like Zach and Ryan. I don't understand why the writers refuse to write for Aidan. The writers neglect of Aidan is making me angry.
Michael, I LOVE your latest column (7/15) and I am one of those angry, FORMER viewers, that HATES this repulsive Ryan/Erica idea for all of the reasons you state, but especially for that last one. JErica belong together. We longtime viewers have walked every step with them for 22 years. We were jerked around waiting for a wedding , and that took 18 years to get, and they only allowed us 15 minutes of a marriage before blowing it up by making Erica look like a pathetic woman who needs to have sex with men she doesn't love or want, instead of working things out with Jack. The K/M family was magic, a perfect blend of everything we loved. Walt Willey is worth writing for. He is still sexy, handsome, and charming, and he and Susan Lucci sitll have that amazing chemistry they began with. They are as popular as ever so why won't AMC write for them? I have tuned OUT and will not be coming back until AMC makes things right. I will NEVER watch Erica with her grandson's father that's for sure.
Another Ryan/Erica hater and former viewer here. I quit when they killed off Dixie with poisoned pancakes and this show has only gone downhill from there. When I read they were pairing Erica with Ryan Lavery, of all people, I thanked my lucky stars that I had stopped watching before this travesty. They know the fans want Erica and Jack and Tad and Dixie, but yet they don't care to give it to us. Now I'm watching Cady on ATWT and I am not watching AMC at all. As a Erica/Jack fan, if they reunited them, put the family back together (Reggie, Lily, Greenlee, Bianca, etc) I would come back and watch them, though I am still protesting the rest of the show because of Dixie. The Zen/Ryan hour is not for me.
Great column. Ryan /Erica NOT watchable. Erica/Jackson is the reason I haven't left the show yet. However, if they keep treated Jack the way they are, that may change and soon.
I am not watching AMC as of now for several reasons, the number one being that Erica and Jack are not together. If the Montgomery/Kane family was to be reunited , then and only then would I tune back in to a show that I once enjoyed, but now find to be a snooze. Loved your column, Michael. You are right on target.
Michael K. you ROCK! I love that an editor isn't afraid to say what he thinks, to side with the fans, and to take TPTB to task for making a huge, foolish mistake that has already cost them viewers (I saw the latest ratings). With the daytime media being in such dire straights, it would behoove TPTB to hang on to their vets; to their popular characters; and to their popular pairings, rather than playing bed-hopping with people who don't make sense together. Erica and Ryan are one such couple. I read your magazine every week, and most of the time there is a letter or acknowledgement of the JErica fan contingent, so they know they are popular and they know what the fans want to see. Why aren't we seeing them? That's the question I would love to hear/see Pratt/Frons/Carruthers answer. I already know I won't agree with whatever they say but it would be nice to find out why they won't give the fans what they want
Jack and Erica belong together. I cannot stand to see her with anyone else, let alone Ryan Lavery. Ugh. More Aidan would be great! I used to love his character. He is wasted and deserves more air time.
There is only one way I'd watch this Erica/Ryan storyline. If Erica is playing him to give Jackson a wakeup call and it works. That's the only way I'll watch.
Charles Pratt is the worst thing to happen to AMC in a long time. B&E weren't much better. Since AMC brought the "unabortion" story on board, AMC has been sinking fast. What better way to end the show for good than to have Erica smoozing with God-Awful Ryan Lavery. If that doesn't end the show for good nothing will. Erica/Jack and the K/M family were the best thing to happen to AMC in years. They were diverse, dysfunctional, fun, snarky. but when the chips were down, nobody, but nobody, would hurt or come between any of them. We don't have a family like that anymore. What a shame they chucked it all ( no pun intended) for tornadoes that killed people we don't care about; babies that are continually at death's door; children emotionally abused by their parents idiotic actions; vets being tossed aside for newbies nobody cares about, etc, etc. The AMC I loved once is no more.
Loved your column Mr. Karol. I am not going to be watching Erica with that jerk Ryan Lavery, who seems to think that he is the owner of Kane/Montgomery women and must bed them all. Too bad he doesn't have chemistry with one of them. To hear Erica spouting off that she never met a man with his integrity and honesty before , is a crock. She's been in love with a man for over 20 years who is the epitome of those qualities, and in fact, couldn't lie on the witness stand years ago when Erica wanted him to so she could get custody of Bianca. Jackson is THE MAN for so many reasons and I am sick and tired of AMC's execs forgetting the past and rewriting history. They are losing another viewer because no way I'm watching Erica with a man who has bedded and been engaged or married, to her daugther and step-daughter. It's too sick for me.
I hate what AMC is doing to Erica. Listening her slobber over Ryan and telling him that he is the right man for her, makes me sick, especically since the RIGHT MAN for her is Jackson. I don't like that AMC is keeping them away from one another, letting Jack have little airtime, and now put another block between he, Kendall, and Erica with that stupid Greenlee accident reveal. Why is AMC doing this to one of it's best couples. I can't bear to watch anymore.
Not only is Jack and JErica being sacrificed for this uninteresting, revolting, lunacy, but now AMC is shafting the Walt Willey fans by writing him out of the show for an "undisclosed" amount of time. Well, AMC, this fan will be leaving AMC for an "undisclosed" amount of time until you stop this ickfest of R/E and bring back our JERICA.
I enjoy reading your blogs. But I would have to strongly disagree with your recent statement. "Fans are tired of the focus being on Zach and Kendall and Ryan." Fans ARE tired of Ryan being shoved into Zach & Kendall's storyline. Fans are REALLY tired of not being able to talk about Z/K without Ryan being tossed into the mix. Enough already. Fans are tired of Ryan period-hypocritcal, sanctimonious & a know it all. I hate Ryan & I dislike him being an interloper in ALL Z/K storylines. I am still waiting for an independent Z/K storyline. Ryan/Zach should not even be speaking let alone working together. UGH. And now we hear Erica propping Ryan's virtues? Not long ago she was rightly calling him out on his faults? Blind adoration is not a way to get fans of this "new" pairing. If Z/K's popularity has waned,its because of Ryan & because of Pratt's nonsensical writing for the characters. Free Z/K from Ryan & their popularity will be obvious. They are AMC's #1
I strongly disagree with your statement that "Fans are tired of the focus being on Zen story". The majority of fans are sick too death of "The Ryan Lavery/Fake Liza Hour". Ryan is the most hated character in daytime & I don't mean love to hate. Ryan is in every single story, every scene, and every character is damaged to prop him. After months of cheering Erica on for calling Ryan on his vile behavior. Now, she's praising him for his vile behavior. Why? Couples/characters are destroyed/damaged for the sole purpose of propping Ryan. ITA with those who say "FREE Zen From Ryan". Free AMC from Ryan. Fake Liza is another useless, disgusting character that is shoved down our throats. Frons/Pratt's pets need to go. Fans want a Ryan/Fake Liza free AMC & A Pratt free AMC. The problem isn't Zendall being on so much, it's Zendall can't have a story unless the vapid Ryan is shoved into it. It's a shame that the great Erica Kane is now on Ryan propping duties, whil
I loved your column and ITA on everything. I hate Ryan period and I am so bored by Zendall it's not funny. Sacrificing Erica Kane to prop loser Lavery is too much for me. She and Jack belong together and to see/hear Erica prop that other jerk is too much for me and I can't watch it anymore. Is that what AMC wants?
This is one viewer who has already left the pitiful waste that was once a great show. Pratt was the worst thing to happen to AMC ever. He and Frons have buried it and I dont see it ever coming back. Now that they have dashed the hopes of all Jackson and J/E fans, I don't even care if AMC is no more. It's what they deserve.
I strongly disagree with you comments about Zach and Kendall and I laugh when I see people complain that they've taken over the show. When? They were barely on in June and they've shared very little screen time in July. If you want to look at the culprits who are eating up the show, look no further than Ryan, Liza and Annie, three of the most unlikable characters to ever grace a TV screen. To be subjected to these three have led to plummeting ratings. And let's not forget that "brillant" Fake A Dead baby storyline for Jamanda that made the entire show ground to a halt in June. However, the biggest problem AMC has is the head writer Charles Pratt who gives a whole new meaning to "incompetence". This man has failed to execute one good storyline since he was hired. Each decision he has made has further damanged the show.
Thank you for the Torchwood review. I thought the mini-series was brilliant.
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Aidan and Greenlee are magic and should by all means be reunited when Greenlee finally reappears and it should only be Aidan to bring her home. Forget Ryan and rebuild Aidan and Greenlee and they will once again be the the HOT Couple AMC desparately needs and the couple viewers what to invest in and follow. Pratt needs to give up trying to make Ryan the romance king of PV and get Jackson back to make things right with his "Love" EK. We viewers know Aidan would never give up on Greenlee, he would search until he found her which is THE STORY Aidan deserves and viewers finally get what we want: Aidan and Greenlee finally reunited. Let them fight and struggle to get their life back but Greenlee belongs with Aidan and Erica belongs with Jack. Who even cares what Ryan thinks, give him Annie. Aidan deserves more than he's been dealt by Pratt. AMC, if you want better ratings and more viewers tuning in, listen up: TPTB pay attention and start getting it right for the fans....time is running out and we de
Thank you Michael for saying what Ailee fans have been saying for quite a bit, Aidan saw that body in Conn and knows its not Greenlee I refuse to believe that he wouldnt want to know where Greenlee really is if not dead,thats what Aidan should have been doing instead of wasting how many months with succubus leach Annie Lavery, who wasted no time in dumping Aidan to move on to her next prey Adam Chandler, those are months of Aidan's life he cant ever get back. If Pratt had any brains he could have had Aidan working with Jackson to find Greenlee's whereabouts. When are the TPTB understand Ryan with Greenlee equals unwatchable, Aidan with Greenlee equals watchable
THANK YOU MICHAEL for another spot on column about the pukefest that is Ryan/Erica and the popular choice with is our beloved Jack and Erica. I can't bring myself to watch Erica these days and I haven't watched one moment of this disgusting attempted pairing. Seeing Jack, as gorgeous as ever, being shipped off to Europe without a scene with Erica, angers me to no end. Of course, we know why there wasn't a scene between them. How can they continue to try to sell Ryan when Jack is around, LOL. No contest and they know it. They know that the JErica fanbase will only grow larger and more vocal and that ticks them off. Well too bad. We are NOT giving up our fight to reunite our couple and bring one of our beloved 20 plus year vets back to the forefront. Thank you for your support and not being afraid to voice it..BTW I also love the Greens/Aidan idea. Georgianne/CoFounder of The Jackson Posse http://www.thejacksonposse.com
Add me to the long list of viewers who won't watch Erica with Ryan and want Jackson and Erica back together. The way Jack was shipped off to Europe without a final scene with Erica is appalling but hardly surprising from this regime that has no respect for the show's history or its viewers. If Jackson doesn't come back from Europe, this viewer won't be coming back either.
Awesome column! I agree with you about bringing back Greenlee, and pairing her with Aidan. I really enjoyed Aidan and Greenlee as a couple, and thought they had so much potential. I would love to see them get a second chance.
Thank you for another great column! I would love to see Greenlee back, and paired with Aidan. Aidan and Greenlee rocked before they were ruined for the Rylee pukefest.. There is so much story left to tell with Aidan and Greenlee..
Thank you so much, Mr Karol, for telling it like it SHOULD be! I agree with your comments about Aidan and Greens. It soon will be the perfect time to reunite them. Mr Pratt should start writing Aidan IN character. Aidan would never have let Greens go like that. And when he recognized that the body wasn't Greens, he would not have stopped until he found out what happened to her and where she really was. Not only that but he would never have let Jack think that his daughter was dead if he had ANY doubts about the identification of the body. Mr Pratt will go a long way to start rectifying what is wrong with AMC if he starts writing ALL the characters in character and not these campy, cartoonish versions of the characters we have loved for years. I would like to see your scenario for Aidan and Greenlee and Jack and Erica play out on screen. As it is now, I hardly pay a lot of attention to what is going on most days because most of the plots are about newbies and the vets are only background if on at all. S
Once again you write a perfect column that I agree 100 % with. I will never watch Ryan and Erica together. The only man i want to see Erica with is Jackson. The fans love Jack and Erica and it seems like their fanbase just grows bigger and bigger all the time. Reunite Jerica is all I can say and I also love your Greenlee/Aidan idea. THANK YOU FOR A GREAT COLUMN.
Once again you are the voice of the people. You are talking about my two favorite couples, Erica/Jack and Aidan/Greenlee. I would love to see Aidan/Jack get a hint that Greens could be alive (and the perfect person to figure it out would be Erica which would bring her and Jack together as they all try to find the truth) which would result in a storyline for this great foursome. Only PLEASE can we be spared Ryan and Zach butting in and taking that storyline over too? I am so sick and tired of both of them and the never ending promotion of two men who bore me to tears.
Once again you nailed it Mr. Karol!(claps) Too bad the AMC writers aren't listening. Aidan and Greenlee shouldn't have ended to push toxic Rylee, and to give Ryan a story in the first place. Aidan and Greenlee fans were robbed to push a deadbeat couple that most fans don't even care about. Now the same thing is happening to Jerica. There is absolutely no reason for this pairing between Ryan and his son's grandmother. Ryan/Erica pairing just like Ryan/Greenlee is a complete turn off. I would love to see Adian and Greenlee get a do-over. Until the Ryan loving writers stop pushing their own agendas, and listen to their viewers, AMC will continue to suffer.
Once again you nailed it Mr. Karol! Great column! Too bad the AMC writers aren't listening. Aidan and Greenlee was wonderful together. The writers never should have ended them to push toxic Rylee and to give Ryan a story. Aidan and Greenlee fans were robbed to pimp a deadbeat couple that most fans do not care about. Now the same thing is happening to Jerica. There is absolutely no reason to pair Ryan with his son's grandmother. Just like Rylee, Ryerica is a complete turn off. I would love to see a Aidan and Greenlee do-over.. Until the Ryan loving writers stop pushing their own agenda, and listen to their audience. AMC will continue to fall in the ratings.
You haven't been studying the ratings too closely or you would also notice that during this summer each time the ABC promo for the week and the majority of articles focused on the moronic Amanda/Jake Dead Baby storyline or something other than Kendall/Zendall the ratings have DROPPED. Look back over the summer ratings, the proof is in the numbers. When the ABC commercial and the articles in magazines like your's have focused on Kendall or Zach/Kendall in some way, those weeks have seen rises in either total viewers and/or ratings points. ALL and I do mean ALL other storylines have dropped the ratings. I think there was only one week where the Jake/Amanda storyline was the focus of promotion where there was a rise in ratings, but that was early in the summer before the true extent of the idiocy of these characters and the story they're saddled with became known. YOU may not like them, but obviously, Zach and Kendall are the lifeblood for AMC.
I happily admit to being one of the reasons the ratings are down on AMC. I will never watch Erica with a Lavery and now that Jack has been dismissed, I owe them no loyalty. Maybe one of these days Pratt/Frons will get it and give the fans what they want, if of course, there are any fans left by then.
Thanks for seeing what we see, Mr. Karol. Ryan and Erica? UGH is right. I was nauseous watching them the other day. Erica should have been walking down that street with her beloved Jackson. What is wrong with the folks at AMC?
Thank god for DVR's I fast forward through Erica and Ryan! Yuck-O... AMC needs to give Erica a real storyline, she doesnt have a home, or a job or meaning on that show...cougar? More like skunk this storyline with Ryan stinks! Loved Aidan and Greenlee when there were together. (And Aidan needs air time!) Over Ryan and Greenlee! (if she is "alive" leave them dead...) Loving Jake and Amanda! Always love the Slaters!
Would have been nice if we could have seen B&B accept their award and see the cast and crew on stage. Could have done without Vanessa's second song and dance with Giles. Why was Giles even there? I could have done without him altogether. Rachael should have read the winner, not him. And Jennie was superfluous. I wondered if she was going to say anything.
Ryan and Erica is barely a step up from the awfulness that was Ryan and Greenlee. Greenlee was the love of Ryan's life like bagels are my son's favorite lunch - my son's favorite lunch changes by the week!!! But you got the right idea with putting Aidan and Greenlee back together. That's the best couple on All My Children since Greenlee and Leo! They deserve another chance - away from Ryan who has made Greenlee unwatchable from the second they were first paired.
Erica with Ryan is making me physically ill and I won't be watching any of it anymore. Where is her and our beloved Jackson? Why is AMC making a huge mistake by forsaking a Supercouple that the fans want to see and who have had a long history and following? I just don't get AMC anymore and honestly, I'm beginnng not to care.
AMC is as low as it could ever go, IMO. I stopped watching months ago when they dissed Erica/Jackson as a couple , but now the cougar thing is beyond entertainment and I won't be tuning in until that ends and they smarten up, bring Jackson home, and do what they should have done long ago, make them be the core couple of the show. What they are doing to Aidan is also disgusting from what I've read. He has always been a good guy, a hero type, and suddenly we are supposed to believe he'd turn? How stupid do TIIC think we are?
Thank you, Thank you. I thought that I was the only person out there that simply regurgitate whenever Ryan's on. He is the worse actor ever, he over acts and is more over the top than any other actor ever. Ryan totally makes me sick. As for the powers that be, if you think Ryan's sexy, think again. He is not a turn on he's a total bore. I ditto all of the insightful writers regarding the poor writing that's taking away our beloved AMC. I've always and still do love my Erica Kane, but I can't endure seeing her with the poor inept Ryan. Evidently the writers don't like to listen to the people who really make them successful, if they did Jackson and Aidan would still be around. Maybe they want to lose their jobs or see the show canceled, because that's just what will happen if they keep on promoting an actor that no one likes and not listening to fans. I will not support Erica/Ryan story line, and please get rid of Annie, she makes me double over in pain. Poor, poor. ch
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