This Week in Daytime
This week in Daytime,
I called bullshit! One Life to Live's ratings decline was blamed on the gays because the storyline reportedly doesn't "resonate with the mainstream audience." Which loyal and core audience does ABC Daytime think helped make Grey's Anatomy the No. 1 show in all of primetime? Who do they think tunes into ABC's Sunday night scripted lineup of Desperate Housewives and Brothers & Sisters? Who do they think made the Bravo network a smash success? Who do they think tuned in to Ugly Betty for four seasons? Fans of soapy storytelling and gays, that's who. The same "mainstream" audiences who enjoy the gay storylines at nighttime and on cable are the very ones who watch in the daytime.
The Kish storyline and its lead characters are far better than any gay storyline Desperate Housewives has given us. Kyle (Brett Claywell) and Fish's (Scott Evans) relationship has been more organic than anything the soaptastic Shonda Rhimes has penned for her lesbian characters on Grey's Anatomy. I would put Kyle and Fish up against Brothers & Sisters' Kevin (Matthew Rhys) and Scotty (Luke Macfarlane) any day. To ABC's rationale I say bullshit!
I cheered The Young and the Restless because, as Jillian would say, Adam finally "getting got." Everyone played their part perfectly and watching Adam (Michael Muhney) squirm like a worm on a fish hook was oh so gratifying after months and months and months of him getting away with crime after crime after crime. Yes, it was a bit over the top, but by comparison to everything Adam has put Genoa City through it felt fitting.
I cringed watching Friday's General Hospital as Kiefer (Christian Alexander) physically abused Kristina (Lexie Ainsworth). Those were not fun scenes to watch and I'm not looking forward to seeing them replayed on Monday. This in no way takes away from the acting, and powerful storytelling, because it has been standout. Abuse in teenage dating is an important topic that needs to explored on daytimr, and GH is off to a good start, I just cringe watching it, whch I guess is the point, since dating abuse is an ugly, ugly fact of life for so many people.
I applauded the return of Nicole (Arianne Zucker) on Days of our Lives. Nicole has been the missing piece in DAYS' drawn out multi-kidnapping storyline. Let's hope her return leads to swift justice for Nicole, EJ (James Scott) and Anna (Leann Hunley).
I Hoped General Hospital's Johnny (Brandon Barash) would bust a cap in Jason's (Steve Burton) ass. It was shocking weeks ago when Sonny (Maurice Benard) shot Dante (Dominic Zamprogna) at point blank range; imagine how much more shocking it would have been if Johnny had popped Jason in the garage? Of course something like that will never happen because Sonny and Jason never lose, but just the thought of it made me smile.
I loved Clint (Jerry verDorn) and Kim's (Amanda Setton) wedding on One Life to Live. Sure it set land speed records in redefining the term "quickie wedding," but how can one not appreciate two stripper bridesmaids making an entrance like that? Jamey said it on the podcast, but OLTL needs to recast the character of Kim. She is just what those stuffy Buchanans need to shake things up. Imagine a Kim/Clint/Viki (Erika Slezak) triangle.
I barfed a little at the realization that I'm rooting for The Bold and the Beautiful's Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) to squish Steffy (Jacquline MacInnes Wood) like a bug beneath her high-heeled shoe. If I hear another comparison between Stephanie (Susan Flannery) and Steffy I'm going to scream! What hath this Brad Bell hell wrought?
I learned new ways to use Lysol that I never needed to know, thanks to The View.
I wondered why Janet's (Julie Pinson) baby on As the World Turns couldn't have been Dusty's (Grayson McCouch), then the two could have just ridden off into the sunset.Get to Jack (Michael Park) and Carly (Maura West) already!
I Imagined Patricia Mauceri dancing on Kish scripts; after this week you just know she is.
I was disturbed by the Pedigree doggie treat commercial airing between the soaps. Those dogs with human-like dentures smiling at me were just creepy.
I was reminded of Martin Niemöller's poem First they came... about Nazi Germany. I couldn't help but to compare it to the state of the soap opera genre. By the time network suits are finished turning their backs on their black, Hispanic, gay and audiences there will be no one to speak up when their shows are cancelled.
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Comments
10 February 2010
1 year 44 weeks
I would just like to point out the fact that Luke saying that Jason should 'bust a cap' in Johnny's ass is MAD funny!
30 August 2009
2 weeks 6 days
I, grudingly, have to give P&G some credit. When GL and ATWT ratings weren't being lifted to whatever number they wanted to see, at least they didn't scrap the Otalia or the Nuke storylines, or just send the characters away. They kept them on, and gave them a storyline (whether you liked the storyline or not, is beside the point here) It's a lot more than I can say for ABC.
18 December 2009
33 weeks 3 days
PERFECTLY STATED LUKE.....The reason ABC gave for ending the most beautiful and romantic love story on daytime is a load of BS.....I am a middle aged female viewer from that 'mainsteam' audience they speak of and i am really insulted that they use me as a scapegoat to explain their reason for this heinous crime they have committed...this has been a story of true love between two people whose gender is irrelevant portrayed brilliantly by the two most talented actors on the show, if not all of daytime....Brett Claywell and Scott Evans have done a phenomonal job of making Kyle and Oliver a real and believable couple and i would rather watch them than the rapist Todd, the disgusting porn of Blair and Eli, teenagers having sex and worst of all Mitch wanting to impregnate his own daughter..it is insulting to viewers intelligence to suggest that we prefer this crap over the innocent love of Kyle and Oliver...IF they do indeed leave the show i will definetly be leaving with them....
7 December 2009
10 weeks 3 days
gh
story
of
kristia
story
is
realistic
i
love
it
cause
it
happens
in
real
life
and
i
no
it
going
to
be
great
next
week
8 April 2009
17 weeks 5 hours
I'm so glad this column is becoming a regular feature on the site. I love it and find myself nodding in agreement as I read along.
Great job Luke!
30 March 2009
15 hours 43 min
Another great article Luke!
27 December 2007
1 day 16 hours
WoW Luke you are always such a "mild mannered reporter" (for me)
then I read this and its like you went into a glass booth and faster than a speeding bullet, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound"
Da Da da da "SUPERMAN"
You're mighty ticked off...I agree with 99.9%. OLTL was a train wreck pre KISH. I guess I'm very naive. I didn't realize in this day and age with so many assholes around us that a gay storyline on a soap is still a big deal...I like avant' garde storytelling. What happened to the warm and fuzzy of 911 "reunited and it feels so good."
I haven't seen the abuse of Krystina. I grew up in the hood I saw women being abused almost daily (either verbally and/or physically) so its something I don't care to watch I work with teens so I see the real deal.
I hope Guza doesn't drop the ball on this one he always start out the gate ok then something happens on the way to the forum that turns me off.
I watched Y/R twice it was good excellent just excellent on so many levels..I noticed everyone's reactions to the horror of Adam and it took my breath away...Kudos to fine story telling yes it was a slow burn but well worth it.
I just caught up with Days when Sidney busted EJ by saying DaDa...I'm still laughing Sammi was like WTH? how does she know to call you Daddy...Ummm?
I like Steffy she'll get hers I'm sure but I just enjoy her thinking she's a player in the big leagues I know she's going down its just a matter of when and who...now its Bridget's video. I really wanted her and Hope to be friends, I'm disappointed she took the same route as the Logans.
25 November 2009
1 year 41 weeks
Luke,
Love the new column "This Week In Daytime". Makes for a great Sunday morning and coffee read.
Mike
25 December 2008
13 weeks 3 days
Luke, I can't believe you mentioned the doggie commercial. I thought it was so funny I had to show it to my sister.
GH and the Kristina abuse storyline is great.
11 March 2010
5 weeks 4 days
I agree with your accessment of Kish. I only watch OLTL because of Kish and I will not be watching OLTL after Kish leaves the air.
12 February 2010
9 hours 24 min
Well, MY personal CHEERS of the week are as follows:
CHEERS to AMC for giving Tad Martin ANOTHER son!!!! Yeah, this show has a bad habit of giving veteran characters GROWN long-lost children whom they never knew existed (Jackson with Greenlee,Erica with Josh, David with Babe, Adam with Miguel.....I could go on, but I won't.....) but this story gives Michael Knight GREAT storyline potential, and I am starting to enjoy that guy who plays Damon all of a sudden...........maybe it's because he is no longer under the veil of hideous writing called Chuck Pratt????
CHEERS to Y&R for Thursday and Friday's episodes!!! Soapy PERFECTION!!! Have them saved on my YouTube account. Will undoubtedly end up watching them AGAIN in the future IF the stories go back down into Slumpsville to remind myself why this is STILL my favorite soap!!!
CHEERS to David on AMC for managing to consume the greatest number of grapes I have EVER seen a soap character consume in under a minute!! Damn, his ass was hungry!!!! LOL!!!
CHEERS to AMC's Brooke, who managed to upstage Annie Lavery with CLASS, DIGNITY and without crawling in the dirt with her.......
CHEERS to Y&R's Adam----Yeah, he had a HORRIBLE week, his lies got exposed FINALLY, but he still managed to lock Jack and Victor in the cabin in UNDER ten seconds while supposedly BLIND???This guy needs to be on the road giving SEMINARS with Suze Orman and that guy who does the infomercials----with the big cheesy grin??? Forgot his name!!!!!!
---------------------------------------------------------
Now, on to the JEERS...................
JEERS to OLTL's executives-----I don't really watch OLTL, and haven't really followed "Kish", but you don't screw with gay people and expect to get away with it!!! Bring on the angry drag queens and the Vaseline!!! This is WAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
JEERS to Y&R's Victor and Jack for managing to be outsmarted by a LEGALLY BLIND GUY!!! He had the fire poker in his hand, and you mean to tell me that the TWO of you couldn't have wrestled the damn thing out of his hand or managed to somehow stop him before he LOCKED YOU TWO POWERFUL, SMART BUSINESSMEN in the cabin???? And why were you BANGING on the door at the end?? I am sure there was a SECOND door in there somewhere!!!!Yeah, it was done for DRAMATIC effect, but still VERY SILLY and CONDESCENDING-----yet, still FUNNY AS HELL!!!
JEERS to GH's Kate!!!! Why was she such a BITCH to Maxie and Lulu??? And how can Lulu instantly revert from being a BALL-BUSTER one minute to being a weak, submissive employee the next?? Can't she find SOME way to stand up to Kate without just letting this woman run over her???? And even though I don't like Maxie, I still felt sorry for her this week.....trapped in a sewer, then in the hospital????
JEERS to CBS DAYTIME in general for pre-empting the soaps in my town to put on BASKETBALL!!!! WTF???? Most women don't watch BASKETBALL, so why do networks keep doing this??? For years, they have taken off the soaps to show SPORTS!!! If I want to see sports, which I DON'T, I will watch them on SportsCenter or any of the other HUNDREDS of stations devoted to showing sports!! ENOUGH!!!!!!! BTW: I am NOT a woman, but I still hate sports!!!
16 August 2007
5 hours 53 min
That commercial is just creepy!
11 March 2010
5 weeks 4 days
LOL, I almost fell out of my chair but it's true.
2 February 2010
4 weeks 9 hours
GREAT new column, Luke.
May I be so bold as to add something myself?
I noticed that, despite all the buzz on the internet, GH's promos are all about the Sonny/Michael/Dante "Who Killed Claudia?" storyline rather than the Kiefer/Kristina/Ethan dating abuse storyline. Could it be that TPTB at ABC Daytime are too afraid of the kind of flack they might receive from their "mainstream" audience to promote this powerful storyline?
10 February 2009
41 min 14 sec
QUOTE
I was reminded of Martin Niemöller's poem First they came... about Nazi Germany. I couldn't help but to compare it to the state of the soap opera genre. By the time network suits are finished turning their backs on their black, Hispanic, gay and audiences there will be no one to speak up when their shows are cancelled.
UNQUOTE
Right on the money, Luke!
SECONDE QUOTE
I, grudingly, have to give P&G some credit. When GL and ATWT ratings weren't being lifted to whatever number they wanted to see, at least they didn't scrap the Otalia or the Nuke storylines, or just send the characters away. They kept them on, and gave them a storyline (whether you liked the storyline or not, is beside the point here) It's a lot more than I can say for ABC.
SECOND UNQUOTE
Exactly why I proposed a DIRECTED ONE DAY boycott to show our power. JUst got my head chopped off for that!
15 October 2008
2 weeks 8 hours
Great article Luke! Lmao to the Patricia Mauceri comment.
26 February 2009
4 weeks 2 days
"Jamey said it on the podcast, but OLTL needs to recast the character of Kim. She is just what those stuffy Buchanans need to shake things up."
Why would Kim make the Buchanans less stuffy if she hasn't already? Bo and Nora don't care about Kim marrying Clint. Viki doesn't care. Natalie was taken out of that storyline to go walk behind John. Jessica is crazy...again. The Buchanans aren't stuffy, they are completely emotionally dead. Kim could make a porn video in the mansion and I don't think most of them would notice or care.
"Everyone played their part perfectly and watching Adam (Michael Muhney) squirm like a worm on a fish hook was oh so gratifying after months and months and months of him getting away with crime after crime after crime."
All I kept thinking was how many crimes Victor got away with, and why I was supposed to enjoy him beating up his son when he suffered no punishment for his own sins.
Unless Josh Morrow was playing Ronn Moss, I don't think he was perfect.
2 February 2010
4 weeks 9 hours
LMAO. Thanks for that.
11 March 2010
5 weeks 4 days
I agree with everything you said, including not watching after they are gone.