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OPINION
Soap Dish
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Michael Karol, editor
— Soap Opera Weekly
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July 15, 2009
This Cougar's Bite Is Dangerous … to AMC
ALL MY CHILDREN has a (recent) history of making its viewers angry. Fans want a storyline for Aidan; it was bad enough that he was paired with Annie, but now he appears to be little more than adjunct to the Ryan/Zach plot to bring Annie down.
Fans are tired of the focus being on Zach and Kendall and Ryan. Well, that, at least, appears to be ending, but what's taking its place has viewers screaming bloody murder, and I'm inclined to agree with them. Ryan and Erica? Not good.
I'm a longtime AMC fan. Been watching the show since 1982. Never before have I seen such vehemence and anger about a plot — and believe me, the show has done some idiotic things in the recent past (Hello, Zarf! … Un-abortion anyone?).
The main objection to this cougar fantasy: Ryan was recently sleeping with Erica's daughter, Kendall — his ex-fiancée, with whom he fathered one of Erica's grandchildren! This makes Ryan and Erica less a "cougar" duo and more of an incestuous liaison.
We get letters and e-mails. Boy, do we ever. And almost every other one of them is a nauseous reaction to the Ryan/Erica pairing. Since the-powers-that-be don't read our mail, let me do them a favor and share some more adjectives readers have applied to this union: hateful, degrading, puke-worthy, stupid, disgusting and insane.
The worst thing, to a longtime viewer like myself, is what the show is doing to two of its key characters. Erica, as foolish as she has been, had evolved from a silly frivolous youth into a fabulous mother and more mature woman. She fought for her daughters like nobody's business, and that's the cougar-ish side of her we want to see, not a, er, more mature woman lusting after her daughter's last fling. Ryan used to be a solid romantic lead, but in attempting to make him more than that, the show has only succeeded in making him less likable.
Erica belongs with Jackson Montgomery, and everyone but the show's senior staff seems to get that. In ignoring that fact, they're proving they don't know Jack. And that could lead to an unfortunate loss of the one thing the show needs more than anything: viewers.
July 7, 2209
Reality Check: Take This CAKE
When is a cake a soap opera? I'll get to that in a minute. I'm not a big fan of reality shows in general. I want scripted shows, with real actors. But the reality is, reality shows are easier and cheaper to produce, so we're stuck with them. And now that it's summertime, the living might be easy, but it's not easy finding a decent show to watch that's not a rerun.
While flipping channels a few weeks ago, my eye was drawn to a program on a channel I don't normally watch: WE tv's AMAZING WEDDING CAKES. After only several minutes, entranced, I TiVo'ed the series so I'd catch new episodes every Sunday night at 10 p.m. This series, which has "No guts. No ganache." as its Web site slogan, had me at "Hello."
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This ain't your grandmother's coffee cake!: Lauri Ditunno (center) and her team at New York's Cake Alchemy pose with their art-deco inspired "topsy-turvy" cake. The bubbles are blown sugar, and the R at the top is made of sugar "gems" that light up.
— Courtesy of WE tv
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Ganache, as I've discovered, is "a whipped filling of chocolate and cream, used in desserts such as cakes and truffles." You'll also discover the many uses of buttercream frosting, how to pipe icing and pull sugar professionally, what a fondant is (it's a "thick paste made of sugar and water, often flavored or colored, used in the making of candy, and the icing and decoration of cakes," or a candy made of such a paste) and how to make a sugar bubble.
But for me, the joy is not in the meat and potatoes (or sugar and cream?) of the cake ingredients, but in following the teams chosen to headline this season, and how they create masterpieces of marzipan, and every other cake ingredient, that make their clients deliriously happy. The cake designers include Cake Alchemy of New York (owner/manager Lauri Ditunno "specializes in sugar flowers and blown sugar glass"); Christopher Garren's Cake in Orange County, Calif. (owner Christopher Russom either "goes big or goes home"); and Merci Beaucoup Cakes in Los Angeles (owner Reva Alexander-Hawk works with her sister Karen and buttercream master Marc Gravelle, in a bakery "that's never short on drama").
That's where the soap opera comes in. Whether these experts are preparing an art deco tower reminiscent of New York's Chrysler Building, a cigar humidor cake — featuring gorgeous "wood-paneled" fondant inside and out, and also full of cigars, all edible, natch — as a bride's present to the groom, or a Japanese-themed treasure topped with a silver-leafed, white chocolate origami swan, there's drama aplenty as each team consults with their clients to get an idea of the kind of cake they want. Then they work at a feverish pace, against often impossible-sounding deadlines, to get it done.
There are arguments, mostly about "Should we do this or that to create this effect?", and various frustrations as the staffs prepare and the owners give thumbs-up or down on parts of the cake … plus the occasional last-minute redo, always a guaranteed stress-inducer. But in the end, each team pulls together and produces a joyous, edible wedding gift that honors the couple getting married and is no doubt the hit of their reception.
I've not yet seen an unhappy face on any of the couples when they're presented with the cake at the end of each installment. That includes this viewer; as the cakes take shape, I find myself mesmerized by the production processes and elated by the results. The only thing that saddens me is, I can't taste the final product! The cakes are so gorgeous, one might be hesitant to cut into them. They are true works of art; but more than that, they exist solely to make people happy, and we need so much more of that in these troubled times.
June 23, 2009
What a Tangled Web We WEEDS
Showtime's summer series have kicked into high gear, and the cable net is determined to push the envelope…even for nighttime, adult (R-rated) soaps. When WEEDS began in August 2005, the show was set in a tidy Southwestern desert suburban development called Majestic, and recently widowed Nancy Botwin (Mary-Louise Parker) was dealing drugs because she had no other way to support her kids.
By the end of the third season, Nancy's out-of-control drug dealing resulted in Majestic being threatened with total destruction, courtesy of a wildfire set by her pissed-off drug partner, Guillermo (Guillermo Diaz). Her former best friend, Celia (Elizabeth Perkins), had muscled into Nancy's drug trade and was running the pot grow house, so she got arrested. Nancy, her boys, her brother-in-law, and their accountant got out of Dodge using the fire as a, well, smoke screen. They relocated to Del Mar, CA, and pretty much immediately began dealing again, this time with even higher stakes, heading across the border to Mexico.
Cut to WEEDS' fifth season, which began a few weeks ago: Nancy is pregnant via her Mexican drug lord business partner/lover, Esteban (Demián Bichir); her oldest son, Silas (Hunter Parrish), trekking deep into the woods with former accountant, now slacker, Doug (Kevin Nealon) to begin his own marijuana growing business, stumbled into another dealer's crop, almost getting shot (the dealer, admiring the kid's moxie, merely took his pot and sent the two scurrying); younger son Shane (Alexander Gould) was shipped off in the care of randy uncle Andy (Justin Kirk) to aunt Jill (Jennifer Jason Leigh), because it's simply not safe at his mother's house anymore (Esteban has one of his men guarding Nancy at all times); and pariah Celia was being held captive in Mexico by estranged daughter Quinn and her revolutionist lover, Rudolpho (Kevin Alejandro), who wanted to ransom her, except…everyone hates Celia so much no one would pay.
Whew! So far this season, mortified and terrified Nancy is a virtual prisoner in her house; Esteban has one of his thugs constantly guarding her. But she knows it's a good thing she's pregnant — since she informed to the Feds on Esteban's smuggling operation last season, she'd be dead if she weren't carrying his baby-boy-to-be. And she might yet become part of a nearby landfill once she gives birth. (You think your life is stressful?!) Silas and Doug have hit on a scheme to use what they know best (growing, dealing and smoking pot) in a legal, medical marijuana storefront; the one thorn in their side: They need the permission of local law enforcement, and he wants a cut. Andy immediately hit on the married Jill, and they had sex minutes after her hubby and twins left the house for business and school; Shane videotaped it because, well, it was interesting to him and he had nothing better to do. When Rudolpho ditched Celia's controlling, abusive daughter, Celia took over, trying to manage the revolution for him by, for example, arranging the guns in order of size and magnitude of destruction. Rudolpho had her kidnapped and shipped back to the States, stat.
I love WEEDS because the characters are so fractured and damaged, yet, as if unaware of their demons, they keep going, and going, and going…. Many of them actually mean well, they just have no idea how to behave well. Some are just plain evil. And the central themes — single motherhood, relationships between parents, children, siblings and friends, the sexuality of teenagers, even the centrality of marijuana to Nancy's life and livelihood, are extremely relevant, especially in California, where the buying and selling of medical marijuana is serving as a kind of litmus test for the rest of the country (13 states currently legalize the drug for medicinal purposes and at least three more are considering it).
The network (daytime) soaps are constricted by advertisers, censorship and the time of day they air. WEEDS and other cable shows can be more true to life, showing both sides of Esteban, for example: the loving and caring side, and the vicious, Godfather side. Unlike GENERAL HOSPITAL's mobsters, who are involved in illegal activities but never would be allowed to, for example, shoot two witnesses in the head in front of other characters and blithely continue discussing their business, WEEDS can capture the real nature of the drug trade and Mexican mafia, warts and all, and let the viewer form his or her opinion. Without constant moralizing, the show offers a more realistic portrait of humanity: the good, the bad and the ugly. Wives can cheat on their husbands and perhaps not be penalized in ways the TV viewer is used to, or penalized at all. A basically goodhearted but lost suburban mom like Nancy will do what she has to do in order to survive, not what society dictates she should do. The possibilities, played out by one of the best ensemble drama casts ever assembled, are intriguing, horrifying, funny, sad, sexy and finite…just like life.
June 18, 2009
DAISIES Gets Plucked from Prime Time
Let us now praise and say a fond farewell to PUSHING DAISIES, a show I loved that is now pushing up daisies itself, in TV heaven. Twenty-two episodes spread over three years turned out to be more whimsy than most viewers wanted. Interrupted by the 2007-'08 writers' strike, the show lost its momentum and never got it back.
DAISIES was a rare nighttime soap that actually rocked its supernatural underpinnings without getting all dark and morbid. That was no mean feat, since its premise involved bringing the dead back to life (albeit in gruesomely humorous ways): Leading man and pie maker extraordinaire, Ned (Lee Pace), could awaken the dead with a touch — but if the corpse stayed alive more than a minute, someone else would be taken in its place. Ned made an exception for the love of his life, Charlotte, a.k.a. Chuck (Anna Friel) in the premiere, but as a result they had a "no-touching clause" in their relationship — the kiss of, er, death, for two people trying to get close.
ABC ran off the last three episodes on Saturday nights beginning last month, and the series finale was one of the show's best. Charlotte's aunts, sisters Vivian and Lily (the pitch-perfect Ellen Greene and Swoosie Kurtz), took center stage. The former Darling Mermaid Darlings, a synchronized swimming aquacade sensation, were persuaded to come out of retirement when one-half of their chief rivals, the Aquadolls, was murdered during a performance.
As usual, the murder mystery was incidental to reveals of the lead characters' back stories and the superb guest casting. Topping the list were bitchy Wendie Malick (Judith, DREAM ON; Gayle, BAYWATCH HAWAII) and smug Nora Dunn (Norma, SISTERS) as Coral and Blanche Ramora, the Darlings' adversaries, and Wilson Cruz (Victor, PARTY OF FIVE; Ricky, MY SO-CALLED LIFE) as the saucy, egomaniacal Sid Tango, who may have dunnit. If there was a more sublime moment than Dunn's Blanche, blissfully unaware, diving headlong into the mouth of the aquacade's resident shark (released by the killer), it had to have been Ned, Chuck and gumshoe Emerson (Chi McBride) cutting open the shark's belly in the morgue and pulling out Blanche's face when Ned reanimated her to find out who might've wanted her dead.
A major carp: with the series cancelled, narrator Jim Dale had only a brief minute at the end to wrap things up, so the big reveal, for Vivian (that Chuck was not only alive, but Lily's daughter via an affair with Vivian's fiancé — how soapy is that?!), could not help being a disappointment to loyal fans. Questions were raised that will never be answered: Would Vivian forgive Lily? Could Ned and Chuck ever find a way to have physical contact? Would Olive (Broadway's Kristin Chenoweth), who crushed majorly on Ned throughout the series, be happy with her consolation prize, nice-guy Randy Mann (David Arquette)?
But minus the wrap-up, and taken as a stand-alone episode, DAISIES remained true to its quirky pedigree, and reminded me what I'd miss: the show's bright colors, fantastic sets, brilliant cast (someone get Chenoweth her own series, stat!) and a sunny center that, despite the murder mystery each week, was really about the need for true love in all our lives. That's much more than a viewer gets from most longer-running series. Adios, DAISIES.
(If you need me, I'm at the deli polishing off a slice of lemon meringue. It'll be bittersweet, but delicious.)
June 11, 2009
If there's one thing I'm hearing from ALL MY CHILDREN fans lately, it's actually three things:
1. Do not pair Erica and Ryan.
2. Pairing Erica and Ryan would create an "ick factor" of 12 on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the ickiest.
3. Please do not pair Erica and Ryan or you will lose me as a viewer.
P.S. Couldja maybe give Aidan a real story?
The show's producer and head writer have made it clear that a cougar storyline featuring Erica and Ryan is going to happen soon. Done deal. Complaining won't help. It's not going to be my favorite storyline, either — by a long shot — but I'm willing to give the show a chance and see just how it plays out.
In the meantime, enjoy the soapy goodness of the other characters inhabiting Pine Valley. Tad's storyline has a limitless amount of potential, and I am so happy to see Michael E. Knight kicking up his heels onscreen for the first time in years. He looks genuinely happy, and that's a good thing.
Jake and Amanda are fun to root for; there are so many obstacles for them to overcome, and the actors (Ricky Paull Goldin and Chrishell Stause) are so likable, you can almost believe that somehow, they're gonna make it, despite evil Dr. David's (the excellent Vincent Irizarry) constant threats to take Amanda's child away from her — and David is someone whose threats anyone in Pine Valley should take seriously.
Stuart might be gone, but his portrayer (David Canary, one of the top actors on daytime) is still playing Adam, and it will be interesting to see the path that Adam chooses — i.e., whether his proclamations of acting nobly to honor Stuart's memory are just a smokescreen. (And let's add a caveat here: I hope that Annie's "romantic" interest in him is purely an effort to get Emma back using Adam's resources. One May/December storyline is more than enough.)
Speaking of Adam, his son, JR (Jacob Young), and nephew, Scott (Adam Mayfield), are heading into unknown and interesting territory. They have to figure out how to work together to run Chandler Enterprises, no easy task when their personalities mesh about as well as water and oil. Marissa (Brittany Allen) appears to be bonding with both of them, which could lead to an interesting triangle. And it's nice to have the old Krystal (Bobbie Eakes), Marissa's mom, back, now that she's seen how impossible it is to have an honest relationship with David.
And what about Jackson (the fine but woefully underused Walt Willey)? How about bringing Brooke (Julia Barr) back? She's a formidable peer and adversary for Erica, and, in fact, has a history with La Kane and Jack: Brooke completed an AMC triangle with Jack and Erica back in 1991. I'd bet that if Brooke turned up and went after Jack, that would pique Erica's interest…. (For the Weekly editors' choice of the 20 best triangles of the past 20 years, see the Weekly issue out June 19).
There are always ways around plots on your favorite soaps that don't engage you. But in any case, it's only natural that fans wouldn't like everything a show does; soap operas, like life, take the good, the bad and the ugly; on-air, it's presented as an hourly (or half-hour) dish. How often do you love everything on your plate?
June 1, 2009
Soaps vs. Real Life
Ever wonder why you love soap operas so much? Why we, as a culture, have embraced the form for centuries? While the real world flies by at an ever-increasing, disturbingly fast pace, soap time has always, well, taken its own time, the better to dissect the issues and dramas for which we routinely turn (and return) to the genre. And, to paraphrase the old Life cereal commerical, Mikey likes it.
There are reasons for the unique way time passes in the soap genre. The stories are repetitive, just like life, and feature characters who aren't action heroes and don't have superpowers, just like you and me. Most prime-time shows offer self-contained stories, especially the police and detective procedurals that have escalated in popularity since the original CSI debuted. They have a clearly delineated beginning, middle and end. Soap stories have beginnings, for sure, but they tend to get stuck in the middle, sometimes for what can seem an eternity, and the endings, when they actually occur, are usually, in reality, the beginnings of new stories.
On ALL MY CHILDREN, the current "Who killed Stuart?" storyline is rooted in the grand tradition of soap operas' fascination with matters of life and death. True to form, it took many months of building up to the climax (the actual murder) — time that was spent creating motives for most of the show's major characters, establishing why almost everyone in Pine Valley wanted vile business magnate Adam Chandler (David Canary) dead. Unfortunately, Adam's beloved identical twin Stuart took the bullet. But it was not unfortunate for viewers, since this will mean many more months of drama as the investigation plays out. The consequences will be many, perhaps affecting every character on the show.
Since prime-time soaps have always "borrowed" conventions from their daytime cousins, it was only fitting that AMC recently took a cue from one of my favorite prime-time soaps, UGLY BETTY. BETTY used a telenovela (a Latino soap that featured cameos from the series' executive producer, Salma Hayek) in seven of its early episodes to help viewers make the soap connection. AMC used a telenovela to help Jake and Amanda bond early on in their relationship.
Let me tell you about my love/hate affair with UGLY BETTY. On the one hand, it's colorful, often hysterically funny, beautifully shot (in high-def) on location in my favorite city, New York, and is set within the publishing industry, something I know a little bit about, having worked on magazines all my adult life.
On the other hand it's infuriating: sad, bittersweet and repetitive. It's lead character, Betty Suarez (America Ferrera), seems to have not learned a thing in her four years working at Mode magazine; she remains too trusting, unable to read others' personalities, and thus too willing to help those who are only going to stab her in the back in return. She is frustratingly unaware of the fact that there's a fine line between being a sweet naïf and being a doormat.
And what about those braces?! How many children wear them for four years, much less adults? (According to one source, the average adult brace-face time is 18 months to two years.) And if you must wear them, don't they have "invisible" braces now? Wouldn't that seem a logical solution, especially for someone working on an up-to-the-minute fashion magazine?
Still, Betty is, at heart, lovable. Yes, she's annoying naive, but her faith in the idea that somehow things will work out, that people will, in the end, do the right thing, is ultimately endearing. And most important, she's human. That's why, in the series finale (May 21), when old boyfriend Henry (Christopher Gorham) turned up in Manhattan (looking better than ever and with obnoxious girlfriend Chloe in tow), Betty couldn't help but be transported to the time she and Henry dated.
Their relationship was bumpy to say the least, but something about Henry still moved Betty: Their farewell kiss revealed they still loved each other. Unfortunately, Betty's current boyfriend, Matt (Daniel Eric Gold) saw that final kiss. He revealed, at the finale's end, that he and Betty wouldn't be moving in together — and, by the way, he's her new boss. Such drama!
Each major character on the show also suffered a devastating blow, leaving viewers to ponder their fates until next September. Except for the length of the wait, constant viewer, sound familiar?
Yes, UGLY BETTY is reassuring and comforting, and exasperating and aggravating. Just like life. And just like the best soap operas. Perhaps that's why, even as people ring the death knell for the traditional soap opera, they survive. And likely will for the foreseeable future.
May 21, 2009
Murder, They Tried
On May 20, ALL MY CHILDREN finally revealed that it wasn't the hated Adam Chandler who was killed in the library with a gun (and no, this isn't Clue). Beloved, gentle, identical Stuart was mistakenly shot in Adam's place. Murders are nothing new on soaps, but AMC has a storied history, going back as far as 1992's "Who killed Will Cortlandt?" (my all-time fave) and running through 2001's killing of the lovely Princess Andrassy and the ignominious end of Dixie Martin (death by pancakes, indeed!) in 2007.
So…it was a dark and stormy night in Pine Valley. Yes, it already sounds clichéd and done to death. But there were nice touches: the unsettling, dark atmosphere; JR getting blinded by a flashlight, then splashed in the face to sober him up; the stiletto heels clicking ominously through the house; the kids (Little A and Emma) scared and alone in the bedroom; the back-and-forth editing between potential shooters before the murder; and the use of moving multiple screens as each suspect recounted what happened that night. Jesse accidentally shooting his best friend, Tad, was unexpected and moving.
There was much sneaking around, a handful of different guns in the house waiting to be used, and, of course, no lack of suspects — all of whom converged on the mansion that fateful night. What kept this from being top-notch were several big plot holes: the lack of control Jesse and his meager police force had at the murder scene; and no one seemed to care that Adam was dead or bothered to inquire after Stuart, the "victim's" brother.
In order:
• The Pine Valley police department is in dire need of additional cops and detectives. (At the very least, they should be able to borrow some from Llanview!) Jesse arrived with two cops and wasn't able to keep anyone from disturbing the murder scene, or control all the comings and goings immediately following the murder.
• Not one person in all the commotion was concerned enough to care that Adam had died. Adam is one of soapdom's greatest villains, and his "death" should've brought more serious reactions than, "He's dead? I didn't do it!"
• Finally, if Adam was murdered, doesn't it make sense that everyone might be wondering whether Stuart was okay? Stuart being absent didn't arouse anyone's suspicions. Wouldn't his son, Scott, at least, try to find Stuart, to let him know what happened?
We last saw Stuart alive when he was talking to Annie at the gates to the mansion, wearing a striped sweater. The shooting victim wore a tuxedo, more of an Adam look, a ploy to make viewers think the dead body was Adam's. Coupled with Stuart absent but not missed or discussed during the events leading up to the murder, that can only mean one thing: The writers deliberately kept Stuart out of the way to make the final reveal a bigger surprise. It would have been more interesting to show Stuart and Adam, both in peril, but not letting the viewer know who was who. The show took the easy way out, and in the process, weakened the drama.
AMC's head writer Chuck Pratt admitted in the June 2 issue of Weekly that killing off Stuart was designed to take away the moral center of the Chandler family. Yet it seems the show's already replaced him by setting up Erica to become Adam's conscience.
Adam and Stuart were two of the longest running and most successful twin acts in soap-land. Thanks largely to their magnificent portrayer, multiple Emmy winner David Canary, they never became a soap cliché. Stuart will be missed, but Adam's still around to wreak havoc in Pine Valley.
The show didn't totally f—k it up. The bullet that hit Tad lodged in the front of his brain and affected his emotional responses and personality. Since this is a soap, we were treated to a glimpse of the "new" Tad waking up from surgery and immediately laughing hysterically and joking with everyone who came to visit. It's a welcome way of ending the sober side Tad's seen ever since Dixie's death. And the follow-up scenes with Scott (Adam Mayfield) mourning his father were more engrossing then the murder scenario itself.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the Will Cortlandt mystery, "Who killed Stuart while trying to kill Adam?" gets a slightly-above-average 5.5. Let's hope the "moral crises" Adam encounters prove worthy of the show having sacrificed his beloved brother.
Fabulous Finales
In prime time, a series finale is often much less than ballyhooed. Thus, it was a pleasant surprise when LOST, DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES and 24 pulled rabbits out of their respective hats and gave viewers two-hour, pull-out-all-the-stops cliff-hangers. The result: fan-boy joy.
LOST finally dealt with its mythology, going back to the first season, by introducing the actual Jacob (Mark Pellegrino) — on a beach, watching what we presume to be the Black Rock arrive (the Losties found it beached in the jungle in season one). Flashbacks showed how Jacob affected most of the major characters at various points in their lives. We met a new character (whom some fans are calling Esau, and played by Titus Welliver) on the beach with Jacob. "Esau" clearly had no love for Jacob. In fact, it was almost certainly he who, at the finale's end, was impersonating Locke (Terry O'Quinn, apparently still dead) in order to manipulate Ben (Michael Emerson) into killing Jacob. The final half hour was an adrenaline rush, as Jack (Matthew Fox) and his band rushed to set off the hydrogen bomb Faraday (Jeremy Davies) led them to, hopefully resetting the future. But what if it didn’t? The return of Bernard and Rose was a joy; they'd been living happily alone in the jungle to avoid the drama of the group; as Rose put it, "It's always something with you guys…." Sawyer's (Josh Holloway) arc with Juliet (Elizabeth Mitchell) was touching, as she, separated from him, alone at the bottom of the drill hole, hit the bomb with a rock to set it off, crying and cursing. Set your time machines to "reboot" for next January … or perhaps not?
DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES also played with time at the end of its finale, though not as drastically as the five-year jump we saw at the beginning of this season. Dave (Neil McDonough) was revealed to be the psychotic nut-case viewers already knew he was; Teri Hatcher (Susan) did a wonderful job caught in his potentially deadly web. Mike (James Denton) arrived just in time to save Susan, leaving a flummoxed Katherine (Dana Delany) alone at the airport, with no wedding in sight. But wait! At the end, the show jumped a few months into the future, and we saw Mike getting married…but not the woman under the veil. When I recently spoke to executive producer Bob Daily, he noted the following about Mike and Susan: "For those two, it's always, 'Where will [they] end up?' It was such an integral part of the first season. The trick is balancing the fans' desire to get them back together, with the dramatic need of keeping some tension. … [But] their relationship will always be important to the show, whether or not they're married." So there's a good chance Susan is marrying Mike, again … or, perhaps not.
24 was literally a terrific roller-coaster ride from one hour to the next. The finale was, for me, no different (though the final half-hour was apparently too plot-heavy for some fans). The bad guy, Alan Wilson (Will Patton) was caught, and tied to a huge conspiracy to control the United States dating back to the assassination of President Palmer. Jack's (Kiefer Sutherland) daughter Kim (Elisha Cuthbert) finally proved she is her father's daughter, and not just a target/victim, by following one of the baddies to an underground parking lot, alerting the FBI and saving a crucial laptop from a burning car. Agent Walker (Annie Wersching) comforted Jack in what were possibly his final moments and then went off to interrogate (or kill?) Wilson. Carlos revealed his true reasons for acting like such a shmuck (revenge for his murdered wife and unborn child by killing the man ultimately responsible, Wilson) and I can't totally hate him. Chloe and Janice (Mary Lynn Rajskub and Janeanne Garofalo) had a funny exchange in which Chloe thanked Janice for her help, but in her own inimitable way. The producers were brave enough to bring the Imam back to help Jack come to peace with his God. Will Jack die? Will Walker use some of Jack's illegal techniques to take care of Wilson? Perhaps — but since the show has been renewed for an eighth season, perhaps not.
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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.
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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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