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by Trish Fodor See Me, Feel Me: An Ode to “Luke and Laura”
See Me I don’t know if Tony Geary’s a Who fan, but after reading recent articles and watching him and Genie Francis plow through a series of press junkets (promoting Bob Guza and Brian Fron’s latest ratings “woody” in the form of Luke and Laura: The Wedding Revisited,) I think the song could very well have been written for him. More entertaining than the jaunts down memory lane have been Francis and Geary’s candor about the current state of daytime. Careful not to take direct hits at the hands that pay them, these two have effectively preached the gospel truth about the deterioration of soap operas, which are facing a grim future indeed. Perhaps my favorite veiled criticism slipped from Tony Geary’s lips while being interviewed on Good Morning America. When asked about the difference from the show back then and now, he said – and I’m paraphrasing - that back then the executive producer had creative control over their show. Nowadays decisions are made by committee. And everyone knows that “too many cooks in the kitchen” is a recipe for disaster. Unlike the muddled mess “TPTB” dish out every day, Gloria Monty (God rest her brilliant soul!) knew how to produce a hit show. She was the master of breaking new ground in order to hook viewers and, more importantly, keep them. Monty knew what it took to tell a compelling story and created legends out of the most unlikely of characters. (A tall and skinny wiry-haired blond man comes to mind!) If she saw what Guza and Co. was doing with her precious Luke and Laura, I’m sure she’d freak. I know I’m freaking. I can’t celebrate the “awakening” of Laura or the recycled L-n-L nuptials. It’s not because I don’t admire their portrayers because I do. But, like so many GH fans, I’m tired of being played for stupid. I’m tired of TPTB dangling cherished actors of GH past over my head only to have them whisked away in a couple of weeks and tucked back into Guza’s Closet until next sweeps. (I’m also tired of my favorite current GH character being written like Wylie Coyote but that’s a story and song for another day. Those who’ve read my previous columns get one guess as to who that is! ) The wedding on November 16 with it’s commemorative T-shirts, scrapbooks and cubic zirconia rings available at Sears (even Shop the Soaps had more class than that!) is nothing more than a huge, over commercialized stunt for sweeps. Additionally all the hoopla is at the expense of the anniversary of the highest rated moment in daytime history. How sad. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE watching all of the old Luke and Laura clips that were hand selected from the GH archives. However, being a viewer back then as well, it also make me melancholy. Seeing Beecher’s Corners and the famed “Wall of Jericho” or Luke and Laura on the run make me miss GH when it was good. In it’s heyday, nothing could beat the show and I dearly miss it. Furthermore, if GH is going to go try and catch lightning in a bottle and resurrect the likes of Genie Francis, Tristan Rogers, Emma Samms, Finola Hughes and Rick Springfield then USE THEM! Tell a meaty story that keeps us on the edge of our seats if you can muster up enough creativity to do it, I dare ya! No, I double dare ya! Oh, but it’s not about good story telling. It’s about revenue. Chalk up enough numbers four times a year to set your rate card then let it all go to hell again. Or in Brian Fron’s opinion, lure the old timers back for a spell and use the vets to prop the kiddies. (Let’s see how long Luke would put up with Sam’s whining! I bet Anna would bitch slap her and Scorpio would abandon her in a jungle somewhere.) Not to sound like a grumpy old woman but, “I ain’t buyin’ it!” Hmmm…maybe I chose the wrong Who song for this column. Sounds a more appropriate choice would have been Won’t Get Fooled Again! ;-) For now Tony and Genie, I bow to you and thank you for telling it like it is. (You too, Tristan!) This song is dedicated to you, oh royalty of daytime. Even if it has to be in the archives, long may you reign. Listening to
you, I get the music Until next time, sit back, relax, pop in a good CD and enjoy the music! Trish
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