October 2, 2006 Lately when a column I’ve written is posted, I get several emails. This usually means I’m on target with my feelings in relation to what’s happening on the shows. I like that. It’s good for my karma. It also amazes me to think there are a lot more pessimists than optimists in this world! It’s not that I intentionally try to be negative. I just want things my way and when I don’t get them, I tend to complain. And I’m not talking about just the soaps here. Call me a spoiled brat if you like because at times, it’s true. The truth is I’ve been watching General Hospital since TV was invented and it would take a lot for me to stop watching. Sometimes I thrive on the frustration. I’ll actually watch just to growl at the TV and verbalize my angst to an inanimate object. Hey, if it doesn’t turn around and walk away, it’s got to be listening, right? Seriously, I made it through when Jonathan Jackson blew up (I had yet to discover the world of internet spoilers). I made it through Sarah Brown leaving and an unbelievably thin nuCarly appearing the very next day. I hit a wall when Tristan Rogers left. It’s tough when the man you decide you’re going to marry just up and leaves like that. (I’m still dealing with the pain but I imagine he’ll make it up to me eventually.) I admit to a pause in VCR taping at this point, but it wasn’t for long. I wasn’t thrilled when Jack Wagner left. No, wait. I was. But I was not even remotely close to happy when Kristina Wagner left. Funny voice or not, I enjoyed her. Each time someone I liked left…each time a couple I liked split…each time some stupid alien befriended Robin, I complained. It’s just what I do. It’s not going to make me stop watching. I survived Tristan leaving and look, my years and years of patience paid off…he’s back (sort of). The point is, this isn’t my show and I don’t get to dictate or influence anything that happens on it. ABC claims to be writing for the viewers and in theory, they should. Unfortunately that’s an impossible task. As the saying goes, “You can’t please everybody all of the time”. Pleasing me might mean upsetting someone else. Everyone knows I’m not a Sonny and Carly fan but if they’re apart we all know someone isn’t happy. There are those who think Jason and Liz should be together. They’ve gone to great lengths to influence the writers but it’s not worked. Sure we’ve got the connection and their stories are intermixed but the reality is no matter how many petitions…how many phone messages…how many shirts or fan paraphernalia show up at the door of the show, Jason and Liz are not in love – and there are people who are incredibly happy about that. Kelly Monaco came onto the show with a big push for the new super couple, Jax and Sam. They totally bombed and many people blamed Kelly Monaco, disliking her from the onset. I admit the character annoyed me to no end (and often still does). People complained. People wrote letters. People wrote columns. And you know what happened? They stuck Sam briefly with Sonny as a pathway to Jason and BAM! People love her. I guess bad press ultimately becomes good press. What does that mean? It means ABC knows what they’re doing, whether we like it or not. They know we’re watching. They know the ratings are low and they’ve got to reach farther into their bag of tricks to hold our attention, but even though we complain, we watch. And they know that. Think of how many stupid comments Brian Frons has made and yet, he magically still has a job. That’s got to mean something. Ratings tanked recently. School started recently . Any connection there? You bet. Robert and Anna came back. Ratings increased. I sincerely doubt people who watched in the past and stopped watching found out about their return and tuned in once again. Personally, I believe once you start watching a soap, you can’t ever really stop. You can pick up after six months and catch up in a matter of minutes. With that being said, the majority of people don’t actually stop watching permanently. My theory on ‘ratings’ is they’re a bunch of BS. I live in a largely populated area. I have all my life. Only once have I met someone who was actually asked to be a part of the Neilson ratings. And I think that was Kathy Hardeman, but I’m not sure. So really, who are these people used to determine the ratings and where do they live? I think ratings polls are much like the exit polls during Presidential elections…rarely accurate, always influenced by something other than the truth. Soaps are losing money now but I don’t think it’s for lack of fans. I’ve been to fan events and I’ve seen the dedication of these people. It’s not likely they’re going to up and walk on a regular basis. What’s causing this financial problem? Sorry, but I think it’s the actors. They start out a bit naïve and once their popularity starts to increase, so does their confidence. The time to renew contracts comes and they want more cash. I get it. They draw the fans, they deserve the cash…but only to a certain extent. Yes, they have families and they live in extremely expensive areas because that’s where the shows are but if the actors chilled a bit on their financial needs, we might continue to see more characters and more sets. They might have a better chance at sticking around. Rick Hearst is a good example. He’s expensive, I’m sure. Perhaps that’s something he should have thought about in the past. My guess is he’s going to get killed off in the near future (can anyone say November sweeps?) Bringing back the vets is expensive, but I imagine some do it more for the fun and their friends. But they’re doing it with the salaries of dead characters or characters who have been stuck in a coma or catatonic state for years and years and years. I guess the point I’m trying to make is multi-fold.
Changes will be made. Casts will be cut. Scenery will be trashed. It happens. But even though it does, I still seem to switch my on TV during each show every chance I get.
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