Author:
SkinTheKat - Soap Buff Uber Alles
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Date Posted: 18:21:13 08/06/05 Sat
OLTL has lost its ability to write cohesive, entertaining, engrossing storylines that fully utilize all the characters that it has in its cast. This wouldn’t be so jarring if the show didn’t have one of the best list of characters in daytime. Compelling core characters played by talented actors who have the potential to generate long term arcs that should increase viewership for many years to come. Compelling core characters with rich back history and interpersonal relationships that should be fueling any intrigue and storyline to retain veteran viewers while hooking new audiences.
However OLTL, while increasing its teen viewers, is losing substantial amounts of long-term viewers. And while this may cause MUCH celebration with Da Mouse, MORE viewers are tuning OUT than tuning in as evidenced by the steady decline in overall ratings. Yet much like the SAME hustle was perpetrated on the advertisers with the so-called prime WOMEN’S demographic, the show is now perpetrating the idea that OLTL is drawing in the prized TEEN demographic. Back in the 90’s it was NOT our stories suck, but it’s OJ’s fault. But by the way, even though FEWER OVERALL VIEWERS watch our show, MORE WOMEN in that prized 25-49 year old demographic watch. And THEY are the ones who buy tampons and toilet paper. Which means that everybody else DOESN’T. And ignoring that the Aging of America means that the prime demographic of affluent retirees with a LOT of time and a LOT of disposable income just doesn’t exist as far as daytime television is concerned. The soaps would have continued much as they were with SOME hope for improvement if not for THE TITANIC.
I was wondering why Cameron made MUCH of how accurate the reproduction of the Titanic Model itself and NOT the storyline itself. Indeed, in spite of the news that TITANIC was a smash hit, cautious curiosity made me stay away from the film until it hit the Dollar Theater where I saw it with a friend and we BOTH felt RIPPED OFF. James Cameron made a FORTUNE trashing what COULD have been a modern day remake of the EXCELLENT 1958 version of “A Night To Remember.” Instead, he chose to focus on two fictional characters, Jack and Rose, and waste a lot of screen time on maudlin sentiment over their imaginary romance while he ignored more important, interesting real people like The Unsinkable Molly Brown, brought to life in a film version by Debbie Reynolds.:
Maggie Brown was a backwoods orphan who became one of the wealthiest women in
Denver, Colorado when her husband struck it rich by discovering a silver
mine. Considered a rube and snubbed by Denver socialites, Maggie frequently
traveled to Europe and became a favorite of the titled international set.
While returning to America on Titanic, Maggie ended up in lifeboat #6 where
she took charge when the assigned crew member proved unequal to the task.
This sequence was filmed but dropped from the release version of the
Cameron film. (WHY?) Brown's exploits on Titanic were well publicized and she
finally found social acceptance from those who had snubbed her. Hollywood
could never ignore such an interesting and colorful personality and
practically every Titanic movie features this character in a supporting
role. Maggie was one of the key witnesses at the American inquiry and a
well-known photograph reproduced in many books about Titanic shows her
presenting a medal to Captain Rostron of the rescue ship Carpathia a few
weeks after the disaster.
Those actors who played characters, real and fictional, that were NOT ignored had their performances and their scenes bludgeoned by heavy-handed politically correct revisionism and OTHER PSA’s. Sound familiar? In spite of this, teenaged girls flocked to TITANIC in droves and did so repeatedly, creating that awful new prized demographic for advertisers and this terrible virus that has infected OLTL.
I have no problem with new, younger characters being front burner. Much as I detested the Gang Rape storyline, we got some great young talent with Roger Howarth, Susan Haskell, and Kurt Geiger. We also got a prize like Nathan Fillion, not to mention the young man who played DorLor’s toy boy, Jason. We were also blessed with Gina Tognoni and Erin Torpey. Not to mention two great actresses in Mia Korf and KDP who played Blair. But what I do have a problem with is younger characters being front burner at the expense of older, established characters. Bo and Hank frequently interacted with Todd and Marty and Kevin. Dorian frequently interacted with Blair and Kelly and Joey and Jason. Vikki interacted with Todd, Marty, Kevin, and Joey. There was something for everyone.
Today’s newbies may be somewhat related to the vets, but you’d never guess it. There is no storyline to involve the veterans. Viki was included in Kelly‘s baby stealing antics waay too early in the game, blowing any longterm storyline potential. In contrast, Viki was kept completely out of the loop about Jessica’s DID, limiting her screen time even more.
What small time the vets ARE allowed to take away from the golden newbies is reserved for pimping them. I guess the School of Thought is that if Viki likes them they MUST be the best thang going. Thus, Viki pimps AssTonio to Jessica. Asstonio the hot-headed cop who couldn’t shoot straight, putting her beloved Ben into a coma, ultimately leading to his death. The jerk who drove the mother of his own child to suicide. The dude who palmed said child off on RJ and dumped Jessica all so that he could play gangster and screw around with a Santi moll. Viki also pimps McBore to Natalie even though it is obvious he is with Vangie. Kelly is not a newbie character, though she is played by a newbie actress, so naturally, Viki condoned all of Kelly’s baby stealing antics and turned on Kelly’s husband, her own son, when he did not toe her party line. Making the amount of newbie-pimping the vets do seem downright surreal.
The latest Newbie Numb-Nuts Fiasco is SPENCER TRUMAN who was brought on as David Vicker’s evil half-brother who has something that he is holding over David’s head which he is OBVIOUSLY scared to death Dorian will discover.
CapricornGal at TWoP speculates that David Vickers is, in some way, responsible for the death of Dorian’s favorite husband, MEL HAYES. Much as THIS ADORIAN detested that drunken slug, the possibilities of such long-term storyline for Dorian Cramer Lord Hayes and David Vickers and Kelly Cramer and Blair Manning was enough to make a Soap Buff like myself salivate profusely enough to drool all over myself.
So, aaahaaa, you may THINK this is going to be a great storyline arc for that dynamic duo, David and Dorian, right? WRONG! What IS Spencer holding over David’s head? What IS David afraid that Dorian will find out about his past? What IS bad enough to split them up for good? Does Hackley even know OR care?! I think not!
The only thing David is there is to establish that Spencer is a really baaad dude. Dorian, who is ignoring all of David’s vague warnings, is busily trying to pimp him to BLAIR even if it DOES mean breaking up Blair’s family with her husband and children. The only thing that David and Dorian are there for is NOT for a front burner story of their own, but to give SPENCER one as a baaad, incredibly, hot, incredibly SEXY dude who men FEAR and all women WANT. Wasn’t KELLY prepared to declare war on Blair over him? Isn’t BLAIR simpering at him like some love-struck school girl while Dorian is saying, “You GO, girl?!”
There is no longer any REAL attempt to write stories that will INTEGRATE these characters into the cast. The odd thing is that by giving the vets equal time to react AND interact REALISTICALLY with these newbies, you engender less audience resentment AND it beats the hell out of the Golden Newbies carrying on the same repetitive conversation week in and week out. How many times can Vangie whine about John’s Fear of Commitment while he broodingly stares off into the distance? How many times can Natalie misinterpret any common courtesy on John’s part as a passionate attachment to herself? How long must Todd babysit Tess? How many times can Tess and Jess carry on mirror conversations with each other? How many times must a woman melt into a puddle of goo and simper in the almighty macho presence of Spencer? Before our eyes all glaze over and we turn it off for good?
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