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Good food, good drink, good company, good atmosphere and good conversation... what else could a bunch of soapcentric girls want? Well, honestly, we want those things and wish we all lived close enough for that to happen (more than once a year, anyway). In lieu of that, we settle for emails flying all across the country and ultimately landing here at the monthly EOS Round Table conference where we will slice, dice and pick apart specific subjects pertaining to ABC soaps or soaps in general. We welcome you to get a drink, place a food order, put up your fuzzy bunny slippers and join us. We will take each question individually with responses from our participating staff members posted afterward. From Katrina: A special thanks goes out to The Gourmez for preparing and assembling this month's very special Round Table column! Hello faithful readers! You’ve laughed with us, cried with us, threatened to strangle a few characters with us—it’s only fair you get to read through our picks for the year’s most shiny and horrific moments with us! Read on and learn what we, the Eye on Soaps writers, thought of the soaps in this end-of-the-year round table.
What were the best and worst death storylines? Carolyn (GH/OLTL): I think the best death storyline has to be Alan Q on GH. I wasn’t thrilled that the show killed off the character but the acting involved in the story was excellent. It’s a shame that some actors get their best material when they’re dying. As for the worst death storyline, I’m going to have to go with Luke’s. Okay, so he didn’t die permanently, but he did die and his visit to the ‘other side’ was really stupid. Asa’s death was a bad one for me too but not because of the storyline. I didn’t like the fact that the character died in the first place. The Daytime Diva (AMC/OLTL/GH): I only began watching this in the summer so I’m not qualified to respond but I’m not going to let that cop out keep me from an opinion. So I have to say from my research, The Pancake Killer (as Daytime Confidential dubbed the Satin Slayer in their year end review) and Dixie’s death by breakfast (must have) been the worse. Best might just have been when Babe was murdered… oh? What’s that you say? She wasn’t really dead and came back only to be recast for no good reason whatsoever? Way to ruin a good thing, ABC. Gah! For OLTL--Best death was the murder of Spencer Truman. I hated that guy. Not in that good way you hate Dorian either. I wasn’t impressed by the event; in fact, I have very little memory of it. *Shrugs* I am just glad to see that character go. The best thing about S. Truman was that he precipitated the Todd Execution and that was awesome work by everyone involved. That has to be the definition of “best death storyline” but since that was not this year I’d have to say Marty’s van wreck for the opposite reason. It was a location shoot; it precipitated a moving change to the dynamic of the canvas and it was memorable. For GH--Killing Alan Quartermaine was a stupid, ridiculous decision. It did nothing to up the drama of the sweeps. This made no positive impact on the show, moved no storyline along significantly and, in fact, is the perfect example of a sweeps ratings stunt. It definitely has hurt the show since then, though. Saving Alan after spoiling that he was a goner would have brought back a shitload of viewers who had GIVEN UP on watching General Hospital but of course the short sightedness at the top level regarding this show in particular and soaps in general is just appalling. Killing Emily—although I am furious that another key core Quartermaine has been sacrificed-- is at LEAST providing an opportunity for the show to evolve, grow, mature… MOVE forward. Nikolas and Monica have had some brilliant scenes stemming from this unfortunate event. I’m going to put on my Polly Anna panties and choose to be optimistic that this will be a catalyst for much better things to come. If TPTB do not rise to the occasion and use this to weave the canvas tighter, present some veteran characters an opportunity to step back into the limelight or harken back to strengthening core families instead of ruining them, then it will be a freaking travesty. The Gourmez (GH): Alan Quartermaine’s was the best. Not because I want Alan gone or think his death has had any lasting significance but because it resulted in a scene where Jason apologized to AJ at his grave. I never believed such a thing could happen. The worst was the death of Georgie Jones. There is just no need to have killed her. If the writers just couldn’t think of something to do with the character, that’s fine. Send the girl off to Europe for school. But to kill a young, vibrant character is just a waste. Kathy (GH): For me, the most well done death was Alan’s heart attack as he tried to leave the MetroCourt after being released as a hostage and shooting broke out. He got a great (almost) death scene, which he played well, last words at the hospital, death, a funeral with a montage and then, oh happy days, a return as Tracy’s conscience. How cool is that? Judgmental, overbearing, Dr. Alan Quartermaine, returned as a funny dead guy, wearing comfortable clothes and enjoying himself in every scene. I like him much better as a dead character than I ever did in daily soap life. Katrina: The *funniest* death of the year was Dixie dying from the poisoned banana pancakes. How often can I write that sentence? I haven't been able to say that in 40 years of soap watching. The saddest death was the death of my affection for AMC. Best death was Asa's because I really did feel that he was honored and I loved the twist with the will, despite bringing this piece of shit Jared Banks story into play (the only real turkey OLTL has pulled since the head writer switch that wasn't direct fallout from the last bad writer - *cough*Jessica & Nash*cough*). The death that was written the worst was Spencer Truman's. Georgie's death brought out some good truths as I have been waiting for years for Flea to get ragged out for ditching her kids. Alan's death broke my heart with Jason being late to say goodbye to Alan because he had to go kill someone. Weirdest death was Emily who sort of laid around in state on the floor and then on the coffee table at Wyndemere for a week or so. Peeyew!
What was the worst example of one character being trashed to prop another and why do you think those in charge feel the need to do such things? Kathy (GH): I don’t think it was intentional but apparently there is only room for one popular quirky character on canvas at a time. Right now, it’s Spinelli’s turn at the expense of Dillon. Perhaps if Scott Clifton had elected to stay with General Hospital he could have turned into a major player. When he was dying and married Georgie and many of his scenes with Tracy showed he could perform the serious along with the quirky, but the quirky seemed to be what the writers liked about him. When Spinelli came on board, he quickly gained popularity with his own set of quirks and storyline. I am sure it also helped that he became Jason’s sidekick. So while Dillon faded since he was leaving anyway to pursue a different direction for his career, Spinelli grew. The Gourmez (GH): Lucky Spencer has been sacrificed at the altar of St. Jason repeatedly. He should be viewed as an upstanding citizen who fights crime and cares about his family and friends. Instead, Lucky has to be the Goofus of every investigation, while Gallant Jason cures each hangnail that grows in Port Charles. It’s infuriating and done because the writers have lost their ability to view characters in shades of gray. If they like Jason, then he must right every wrong and anyone who thinks killing for a living is a questionable career choice must be trashed to compensate. The Daytime Diva (AMC/OLTL/GH): I think that TPTB believes that they can FORCE us to accept their pets as the stars of the shows. If the characters can’t hold their own and draw us in without trashing the characters WE LOVE then TPTB have no shame and will kill, maim, walk over, strangle or otherwise WRITE OFF the ones the fans love in order to focus in on others that we clearly could care less about. Miles and Marty ring any bells? The Lavery Show? The “Fab Four” Hour of Mob Power? For AMC--To hear my readers say it ,that would be Kendall being used to prop up “Wax beans” a.k.a. “Green beans” a.k.a. Greenlee. For OLTL/GH--I feel that they sacrificed David Vickers and his relationship with Dorian for Spencer Truman. They tried to tie him into the canvas as David’s brother, as Paige’s ex, as Hugh’s father, but none of that worked because none of THOSE people had enough core ties to really make Truman a part of the show. We never cared about him or his motives except what he did *TO* the characters we do like or hate, whichever the case may be! He was a disposable character from day one and ruining the magnificence that was David and Dorian is terrible. Some characters are destined to be written off the shows after their foul deeds are done. Spencer is one. I think they deserve a medal of honorable mention for not keeping Spencer, putting him on contract and trying to hook him up with Natalie: that’s what General Hospital would have done. Oh excuse me, what they DID by keeping James Craig and trying to make him a viable part of the show’s canvas after he viciously set forth the chain of events that sacrificed Alan Quartermaine to prop this terrorist. Katrina: Definitely the characters of Tad and Adam to further the Krystal story. Talk about no balls.
Who has the best and worst hair? The Daytime Diva (GH): I’m not a huge hair watcher but Carly changes up some do’s doesn’t she? I love Sam’s hair, the gorgeous things they were doing with it while she was doing Every Day Heroes. On the other hand, I’d like to knock Spinelli down at Kelly’s and sit on him while I mouse that straggling, stringy mess within an inch of its life and GET IT OUT of his eyes! GAH! Kathy (GH): Again, it’s a toss up between Spinelli and Dillon. In real life, they are both good-looking young men. Why that doesn’t translate onto the screen beats me but I think it has something to do with the hair. Carolyn (GH/AMC): By far, I think Laura Wright has the best hair. The worst hair award goes to Jacob Young. If he would cut it, he’d lose the spot. Long hair looks great on some guys. Him? Not so much. The Gourmez (GH): Carly Jacks’ hair is always lovely, especially right after her honeymoon with Jax. I love it so much I brought it to the salon and said, “Make me look like this!” Robin, on the other hand, has been consistently dreadful for about six months. She needs to grow out the bangs and dye her hair back to its natural color. Presently, she looks like Rainbow Brite on acid. Katrina: Best hair is definitely David Vickers and big honorable mention goes to the new facial hair on Zach Slater. YUM. Ask Sherry Mercurio want I want to do to HIM, just to make her say the word. Worst hair is, I'm sorry, Nash Brennan's. The only time the hair on the women gets my attention is when it looks like a butt, like Sam and Lulu's did around the time Emily died. Also, as an aside, I'm sorry. Dillon's hair is done. It was cute for a year or two, but let's let him grow up a bit, OK? If he's going to keep coming back to visit, lay that shit down. Not cute any more.
Do you believe soaps, as a genre, are dying? The Gourmez: I think they are, slowly, and it makes me quite sad. The problem is less about having enough viewers and more about the industry having lost its way. Soap opera fans are a loyal bunch but even we can only go so long on poorly planned writing. The past decade has dipped in quality dramatically and I think that those in charge have no clue how to get these shows back on track. They need to learn to listen to the fans and not just look at ratings. Kathy (GH): No, I don’t think they are dying. Maybe gasping for air occasionally like a case of asthma brought on by the pollution of a gazillion other choices on television each day, but not dying. I understand that television is entertainment geared to make money for the networks. I also understand that TPTB would yank soaps and force us to watch cheap reality shows and endless newscasts in a heartbeat if they could. But I don’t think they are stupid. If each viewer looks at the gazillion choices on weekday afternoons offered by their cable company and still chooses a soap, the ratings reflect those choices. Add in sites like EOS and thousands of others dedicated to soaps, characters and actors, not to mention non net-connected viewers and you have a hoard of people bigger than Verizon’s network invested in specific daytime shows. The way we view may be changing and the networks need to follow the trends such as allowing episodes to be viewed online or downloaded to video devices but definitely, the viewing continues. The Daytime Diva: Soaps will not die. People love soaps. They will relocate to prime time or cable. Pick the top five shows on any channel’s money making, prime time schedule and AT LEAST one will be soapy, maybe more. TPTB in charge at ABC are shooting themselves in the head. If they used the energy they are expending to run the shows into the ground on original writing and storytelling I have no doubt that daytime could turn the profit they are so sorely lacking. There is a daytime audience! Look at our site, our associates’ sites, the forums, the fan-doms, the fan clubs, the sheer VOLUME of fans online tells me that there is a market for money making in daytime. Perhaps someone dedicated to playing to the strengths instead of exploiting the weaknesses of writing, storytelling and production currently held on daytime would do the trick? They’ve failed to force change on us in the last decade that this “new guard” has dedicated themselves to systematically shutting down the daytime soap. We still beg for romance. We long for veteran performers in key legacy roles, with strong, original drama and a balanced canvas. We have been vocally imploring daytime to bring up the quality of the shows and what have we gotten? New characters shoved off on us and the attitude that we can like who they demand we do in the half assed, regurgitated plotlines they foist off on us or they will kill off, write off or otherwise rewrite everyone they feel we still care about. Do you think that’s a harsh statement? I don’t. Daytime dramas are being lost to history. TPTB is doing every wild, innovative new idea they can beseech, borrow or use, except for the ones that would work: strengthening core families; giving legacy characters meaningful front burner storylines along side the new characters; utilizing the rich tapestry that is the soaps heritage to build on instead of tear down; and ABOVE ALL else character driven, history rich, original, perhaps even socially relevant stories. Ron Carlivati knows this and has revived OLTL using these principles! Whew. *stepping sheepishly down off my soap box* Katrina: Nope. Unlike any other time in history, nearly every show on prime time is now in soap form. Even reality shows are more like soap operas than actual soaps are. If anything, this is the time of the crowning achievements of soaps. It shows that viewers want to be invested in the continued stories that happened to characters and not just isolated incidences that can be wrapped up and resolved in an hour or a half hour. When you watched MASH or The Brady Bunch or Barney Miller, you did not usually see stories that would ever be referenced again in future stories or held any kind of continued impact or story-telling in any way. Everything was very contained and the only carry over would be the characters and their very basic circumstances. Now, nearly every show you watch is serially attached to the show before it and the show after it. THAT, in and of itself, is the basis of a soap opera and it now affects very nearly every show on the air. Now, do I think daytime soaps will go away any time soon? No, I do not. SOME soaps might, but the genre will not disappear. They will change because soaps are a living process and all living things grow or they die. The changes we are seeing are growth and evolution, for the good or the bad, of the genre.
What was the best and worst use of a veteran this year? The Daytime Diva (OLTL/GH): Best use--the Buchanans, Viki and Dorian. Yummy. Worst: everyone on General Hospital that was on the show in 1991 or before except Sonny and Luke! The Gourmez (GH): Tracy Quartermaine has been having an excellent year—it helps that she’s one of the few veterans on GH who’ve actually gotten any airtime. Her vulnerability has been showing a lot this year, spurned on by her unexpected love of Luke and I love it. Felicia Scorpio-Jones was dealt a raw deal on her return. Why bring her back just to lose one daughter and be torn to shreds by the other? I don’t get why so many treasured characters of old have been trashed in recent years. Kathy (GH): Genie Francis should have been offered a contract even if it was one with lots of vacations added in like Anthony Geary’s. Katrina: No doubt, hands down, the return of the prodigal Buchanan kids to OLTL for Asa's funeral.
What was the most wasted opportunity? Kathy (GH): That’s hard to judge since a soap, by its nature of constant movement forward, changes direction and drops storylines regularly. What if Noah really took on Eli Love’s persona? What if Robin was pregnant? What if Laura was a character instead of a blonde wig in a rocking chair? What if Emily had been arrested for espionage after Jerry forced her to sign off on his illegal money transaction? What if Amelia stayed and had Sonny’s child (Isn’t it about time for him to knock up a new lover?)? The what ifs and possible branches from storylines are what keep the writers busy. Or it would if they weren’t walking a picket line. Wasted opportunity is another way of asking why the writer’s didn’t turn right instead of left in a storyline. The Gourmez (GH): Mr. Craig comes back to town. He had potential as an amoral villain who might eventually be rehabbed once he got to know the people he terrorized. Instead, they made him Jerry Jax with a horrible backstory and haven’t done anything with him since. Carolyn (AMC/OLTL/AMC): November sweeps, for all of the shows. Each show had an opportunity to create something spectacular and each show failed. AMC focused on the same things it’s focused on now for the better part of the year; Erica and Jack, Kendall and Zach, Greenlee and a few other characters. Sure, they included the ever present “Carey clan” and even allowed us a bit of Adam here and there but for the most part, it was just more of the same. OLTL missed the mark completely. The sweeps were so un-sweeping for the show I can’t even begin to remember what actually happened. I do know it included too much Todd and Blair, but that doesn’t make the month any different than the rest of the year. GH did the same thing it always does; uses some stupid mob war to kill off expensive characters. SSDD if you ask me. The Daytime Diva (GH): Let’s see, they wasted the opportunity to keep Alan alive, to expand Monica’s part after Alan dies by fighting for the Chief of Staff job, getting grief counseling, having an affair with a younger man. They missed the opportunity to NOT turn Lulu into a clueless snatch-a-loup, wannabe Carly 2.0. They missed the opportunity to bring back Anna and Robert when Robin was shot. They missed the opportunity to make Sam sympathetic by making her a revenge crazed skank. Tell me, how many times do you see a woman whose fiancé cheated on her, got another woman pregnant, kept it a secret and then threatened to KILL HER… and she STILL can’t get no sympathy! Katrina: Definitely the chance to further develop the Eli Love/Noah Drake/Anna Devane mini-story. This is actually one flub that was as much not the writers' fault (the impossible schedules of Rick Springfield and Finola Hughes) as it was the writers' fault (they really could have played with that more - so much of its appeal was beefed up by the actors involved, not the writing itself). I still am going to roll with my idea as a missed opportunity. In view of the writers' strike (scripts supposedly run out this month), I still think they should only write the shell of a scene and have the actors ad lib what actually happens and ends up on screen, touting it loudly as "ad lib TV" and using it as a marketing tool instead of trying to act as though nothing is going on and bringing in writers who know nothing about our shows or the characters involved. Another really important missed opportunity that has not yet been missed but I believe will be is the Injured Bride in ICU who should have come into play with the Dead Emily story.
How do you think General Hospital: Night Shift affected General Hospital itself? Was it positive or negative overall? The Gourmez: Night Shift was a big positive for me because it gave me somewhere to actually view the daily goings-on of the hospital with little mob interference. It also gave Steve Burton the chance to act beyond his usual stare and acquainted me with a number of new characters I like. If only they could get storylines on GH: Original Gangsta as well. The Daytime Diva: Overall, I don’t think it did impact General Hospital. It should have proven to TPTB that the fans would accept a hospital based show, that there is a market for it. If they approached General Hospital more like they did GH: Night Shift I know that I, for one, would love it. Add in the vets in pivotal roles, throw the core families back in the mix and let ‘r rip. Kathy (GH): Night Shift was fun to watch and I enjoyed the more intense primetime scenes along with the extra music. Once I got into the groove of not connecting the storylines between Night Shift and General Hospital, it was all good. In the week following the end of Night Shift, there were some awkward transitions on GH as characters were added or made reference to events on that other show. Other than adding a couple nurses to GH, I don’t think Night Shift had much of an impact. For me, Night Shift was an extra dose of characters I enjoy once a week. I hope they carry through and make a Night Shift 2. Carolyn: I have no opinion. I didn’t watch more than two episodes. Katrina: I love both shows and do not feel that NS affected GH in any way, positively or negatively.
Which newbie do you most want to shove off a cliff? Carolyn (GH/OLTL): Does it have to be a newbie? If so, I guess I’m going to have to go with Trevor Lansing on GH. Please, kill him off quickly because I can’t stand the man. Second to Mr. Lansing would be Jared on OLTL. Yuck. The Daytime Diva (GH): James Craig. The Gourmez (GH): I really hated Amelia while she was on. She seemed one note to me and boring. Plus, she didn’t even have the stones to carry out her revenge plot! Way to waste six months of your life, honey. Kathy (GH): Trevor. Ugh! He’s a great bad guy since he creeps me out so thoroughly. As a result, I can’t wait until they off him. Katrina: Annie on AMC. What? She's not a newbie. Damn. OK. Um... I choose the new head writers at AMC.
Which newbie would you like to keep around forever? The Gourmez (GH): Kate Howard is fabulous, especially when she realizes that dating Sonny is not worth her career or her life. She’s got a good head on her shoulders and really adds some light into the misery of mob storylines. Carolyn (AMC): If you count Sabine Singh as a newbie (since she’s a recast), my vote would be to keep her around. I really, really like her. The Daytime Diva (GH): Diane Miller. Katrina: Diane Miller.
Best and worst costume department? Carolyn (GH): I can’t say a specific department but I can tell you whoever dresses Laura Wright and Megan Ward does a crappy job and should be re-evaluated. They’re beautiful women yet they always look frumpy and heavy, which neither of them are. Kathy (GH): Not a fashion expert by any means I can only say what I like and dislike. This summer, Carly wore several dresses that were cut down to her waist and must have been taped to her cleavage to keep her decent. Have you ever seen anyone, not in a nightclub, walking around in clothes like that? Unless they were in Vegas on a street corner, it’s just not the norm. Spinelli’s summer wardrobe was pretty out there also. Sam visited Jason on Friday in a coat and a dress so short it was almost a shirt. Why wear a coat on your top half if you are barely covered on the bottom. It looked funny to me. Other than that, most days I enjoy what I see. Skye always looks particularly elegant. Katrina: AMC does such a great job of dressing Opal. I give them high honors just for her Christmas costume which I still want so much it makes my heart bleed out my belly button with want. Worst costume departments (all have been guilty) are the ones who put these women in halter tops in New England in the winter.
What plot point surprised you most? Kathy (GH): It shocked me that Skye unlocked the door for Jason to come in and shoot Alcazar and then went upstairs to hold baby Lila while her baby’s father “disappeared”. Talk about cold-blooded! The Gourmez (GH): Jax’s rape by Irina and how everyone on the show treated it like it wasn’t rape but a romp in the hay with a gun at your head. This took my hatred of Carly to new levels, though I still covet her hair. Carolyn (GH): NOTE THIS IS A SPOILER! Highlight with your cursor to see: ===> Not so much as surprised, but annoyed would best describe how I feel about Cooper Barrett being the PC strangler. Way to waste a character. Katrina: That Kendall would sleep with Aidan out of grief. It seemed like something old Kendall would do, but not new Kendall. When Marty married Miles. I thought she was smarter than that.
Best Love Scene? Carolyn (GH): Those don’t really impress me much. Though I did notice recently that the love scenes on GH aren’t even ‘scenes’ lately. We get a kiss or two and then cut to commercial and the next thing we see them ‘finished.’ Wow, who knew soap guys were so quick to the punch? Kathy (GH): Were there love scenes this year? It seemed to me that GH was low in the romance department. Probably budget cuts meant they couldn’t stock up on candles so love scenes were cut. No love scene jumps out of my memory that I remember rewinding and watching again. I did enjoy Diane and Max’s almost love scene. It came out of nowhere and gave both minor characters more depth in a funny way. Sonny and Amelia probably made a record of times they could have sex on a desk. Sadly, no bubble bath, rose petal or bear skin rug sex came our way. How about kissing? Jason and Liz finally kissed again and then they liked it so much they did it a bunch more times. The Daytime Diva (GH): Jason and Liz. Sorry, they just took so long to get together that I can’t help but celebrate. The Gourmez (GH): Did people have sex on GH this year? I keed, I keed. I know some people will hate me for this, but Carly and Sonny’s sex scene after the “Hostage Crisis” was pretty hot. I want that black bathtub. Katrina: You know, I hate to draw on recent events, but even though I'm not big on either character, I thought Talia and Antonio at the airport were hot, hot, hot.
Character you’d most like to be stuck with in an elevator? Kathy (GH): OK, so I am predictable – Jason, Luke. Oh wait, I want to be stuck with Epiphany, if she’ll sing. Carolyn (GH//AMC): Not Greenlee, that’s for sure. Her claustrophobia would drive me insane. Probably Jason because he could get us out. He can do anything; he’s super Jason. The Gourmez (GH): Lucky. He’s just smoking hot. The Daytime Diva (GH): Mac Scorpio! Oh, my god, I *love* John J. York! His work when Georgie died was incredible! This man practically carried this show during some lean times. He, like Ron Hale, Ilene Kristen, and everyone on All My Children except Erica, Tad & Adam who’s been with the show longer than five years are capable of SO MUCH MORE and the fans would EAT IT UP. Instead, we get generic newbies thrown at us continuously as we nod off into comas! Katrina: Zach Slater.
Best drunk? The Gourmez (GH): I’ll give this one to Sam. She became a truthsayer in her post-Jason weeks because she was so sloshed and I loved every minute. Carolyn (AMC/GH): Not J.R. Chandler. He’s an idiot when drunk. Has Carly been drunk this year? She’s always fun when she’s drunk. I don’t know. Apparently the shows haven’t been interesting enough for me to remember. The girls on GH get drunk but it’s kind of stupid to me so I can’t vote for that one. The Daytime Diva (GH): Moi. The Girls’ Night Out tequila shooters from Jake’s minus Leyla who can’t hold her liquor or her man. Kathy (GH): Emily wins for her comments to Sonny about getting banged after the first girls’ night out. It was just so funny coming out of her mouth. (Note from the editor: Yes, Emily’s comments were from 2006, but I thought you’d all like this trip down memory lane anyhow. Emily said “bang!” *snicker*).
Do you think the internet is having a positive, negative, or no affect on the industry? Kathy (GH): Any motion that keeps the soaps alive and in front of people works in favor of the soaps and that is what the internet does. Websites, boards, spoilers, all create and maintain interest. From what I’ve read over the years on boards, it’s a rare person who stops watching permanently. That’s not to say a viewer might not find storylines or characters appealing and turn away for a while, but the draw of a good story with characters we can fall in love with doesn’t go away. I think TPTB are slow on the uptake when it comes to the internet. Instead of rolling their eyes about rabid fans online, they need to read what is being discussed and pay attention. Since ABC and the other networks created SoapNet with its own website and websites for each show, they are gradually catching on that the internet is a constantly evolving medium available to promote shows. It’s a constant marketing opportunity waiting to happen and an immediate source of feedback. The Daytime Diva: At this point, the effect seems to have been that disgruntled fans have a place to congregate and bemoan the sad state of the daytime drama. Spoilers were not as large a part of the picture before the internet. The fans were more naive. It was easier to maintain the web of illusion spun by a good soap. I’m sure all of that is related to the advent of the World Wide Web; it’s stolen some of the mystery. So yes, it has had an affect both good and bad. Carolyn: I think it’s allowed the fans to express themselves and allowed TPTB to see how the fans feel but I don’t think it’s impacted the shows at all. The Gourmez: I’d say it’s positive because it makes it easier for fan communities to unite and try and make a difference in their shows. Does it work most of the time? No, but we did get Ghost Alan and for that, I’m grateful. Katrina: Overall it's negative because it has created these rapid fan factions that are so hateful with one another. I don't remember that being the case so much before the internet. Spoilers are fun, but it was also nice in the old days to be surprised and not really know what actors are coming or going. I do, however, love having this site, so for that, I am grateful.
Your nominee for the Best Actor of the Year? The Gourmez (GH): This one is tough because I don’t feel like I’ve seen many strong male performances this year. I’m going for John J. York just based on the last few weeks. His grief for Georgie has just killed me. Kathy (GH): It’s hard not to do a coin toss between Jason, Sonny or Luke simply because they are the heavy hitters with the most intense scenes. Tyler Christopher can do intense as well but his nose runs, which always distracts me. Hmm, Rick Hearst makes Ric the best, believable, almost insane bad guy on daytime in my humble opinion. Last year I would have easily chosen Sonny because of his bipolar storyline. A couple years ago, Jason would have won for how he handled Sam, her pregnancy and the baby dying. This is sad. I can think of tons of storylines that I enjoyed watching but none that moved me deeply. It might be a copout but I call Steve Burton, Maurice Benard and Anthony Geary in a draw for best actor because they are the ones I enjoy watching the most on a daily basis. Other actors come and go, but even if I am not enjoying the storyline for Sonny, Jason or Luke, I watch anyway. The Daytime Diva (GH): Stuart Damon for his death scenes. Carolyn: I really don’t know. No one in particular stood out in my eyes this year. Katrina: I have to stretch to GH: Night Shift and vote for Billy Dee. If anyone is going to call foul on that, I'll go with Sebastian Roche. I don't like the character, but I think he does an amazing job of being Jerry. Anthony Geary also tore me up when he was letting go of Laura and acting with Jane Elliot.
Your nominee for the Best Actress of the Year? The Gourmez (GH): Jane Elliot. She can crack or choke me up in no time. She’s a gem and I hope they stop writing her off whenever Anthony Geary takes a vacation. The Daytime Diva (GH): Leslie Charleson for the scene where she tells Sonny he should rot in hell. Carolyn (AMC): I think Sabine Singh deserves a nod as Best Actress because she took a tough role, a fan favorite, and made it her own. Kathy (GH): Even though Alexis drives me batty most of the time, Nancy Lee Grahn performed Alexis’ cancer storyline with commitment. From Alexis’ hair falling out and wearing a wig or scarf to getting high to ease her discomfort from chemo she played it well. For this year, she earns my gold star. Katrina: Jane Elliot.
Thanks for reading our end-of-the year Round Table and have a fabulous 2008 with lots of soapy goodness to come! |
