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I fall short of seeing the praise that ATWT has been getting by some in the press in the last few weeks. ATWT is still a very long way from being what it once was. It once was a show about fascinating characters, intricate story telling, originality, excitement and suspense. It has been quite awhile since all five of these things have happened on ATWT. As many people have stated the show is way out of focus. It is focusing on new characters that ATWT’s loyal viewers have little to no interest in. Let’s look at some of the new characters that are front and center right now. MOLLY: There is really nothing that can save Molly. There have been other female characters that can be described as “bad girl” or a “witch” and still are liked by the fans. My understanding is that Annie on GL and Sheila on BB are two such characters. However, there is nothing at all to like about Molly. What has she done to make her character so repulsive to long time ATWT fans?
1) Betrayed Lily’s trust in her. There never has been a more offensive character on ATWT. Well, there is the possible exception of.... DAVID: This character had potential in the beginning but I see no hope in the future of this character. Any man that would go after a small child and a pregnant woman is total scum. Watching him and Molly “do it” is a nauseating sight. CAMILLE AND BEN: Well they certainly are fine individuals and very good people but they are not important at all to ATWT. CARLY: The actress that portrays Carly has done a wonderful job but the character has some of the lowest morals ever to appear on ATWT. The moment she considered risking her unborn baby’s life for money makes her no better then Molly. It gets annoying and offensive watching Carly lie scene after scene after scene. EDDIE: A character that just is not needed. JACK AND JULIA: Jack is the best of the new characters and Julia honestly seems to be a descent person. However, fans that have tuned out aren’t going to tune in to see characters they have no sense of history with them. I noticed something rather telling the other day when I viewed a taped episode of ATWT and that is this: the first scene I saw was of David and Molly, the next of Ben and Camille and the next of Jack and Julia. What’s wrong with this? What if I stopped watching a year and a half ago and tuned in to see what is going and I saw NO ONE I recognized! This is one of the main reasons ATWT’s numbers have been declining. Latest ratings have ATWT at 4.0. ATWT has lost .7 since January (Lily and Holden’s wedding) that means 667,800 ( .1 equals 95,400 viewers). When ATWT concentrates on it’s veterans the ratings increase and when it concentrates on the newbies the ratings fall. Let’s compare two possible future events and you tell me which would get higher ratings: SCENARIO ONE: Holden and Lily’s baby has a Christening. In attendance at the Church and the celebration that follows are :Holden, Lily, the baby, Luc, Emma, Cal, Lucinda ,Lisa, Bob, Kim, Andy, Nancy, Lisa, Tom, Margo, Samantha, Kirk, and Jack are in attendance and what if Iva, Caleb, Julie, Aaron, Seth and Angel where to come in from out of town for the special occasion? SCENARIO TWO: Carly and Hal’s baby has a Christening. In attendance is Carly, Hal, Baby, Tom, Margo, Molly, Nikki, John, Babs, Will and Jennifer. So which one gets the higher ratings? Let’s look at the current storylines: JACK AND JULIA: Perhaps something exciting will happen but so far it has not. This business with the prince is a dud. CAMILLE AND BEN: Camille’s storyline (rumored to be breast cancer) should have gone to a veteran actress that the fans have a deep connection with. Characters that should/could have had this storyline: EMILY: Would give her a story that didn’t deal with sex. We could see the emotional total this take on her. How her Susan deal with Emily and the fact her daughter might die. Perhaps this event might make David more of a human being again. EMMA: Breast cancer does seem to strike woman as they progress in age and Emma getting it would be devastating to her and her family. There are not any better scene in ATWT when Emma and Holden are together. It was a few months ago when Holden told Emma how very much he loved her. I can just imagine the emotional impact it would have on him and the rest of Emma’s children and everyone else who has ever known Emma. JESSICA: How would getting breast cancer affect this single mothers life? How would her young daughter deal with it? Her friends and family. Jessica’s sister could come from New York to be with her. How would her good friend Margo react? How would her law partner Tom feel? This storyline could also affect Tom’s mid-life crisis storyline. Will Jessica be to sick to run the Law firm? Does Tom go back to practicing law or does he let his Grandfather's law firm go under? It is a shame that they made Camille a model and have not focused on her going back to school. This could have been a wonderful story of a woman going after her dream of becoming a doctor. It could have been a story that inspires others to go back to school and achieve their dreams. CARLY/HAL/JOHN/BABS: I am really confused about this storyline and have very little to say about. It is nice to see Hal get a storyline but he is being played for a fool by Carly. Hal gets on his high moralistic horse with John but in the next scene he is breaking in to John’s office and looking into confidential files. It is getting tiresome to see Carly tell lie after lie. It is even more tiresome to see her feel sorry for herself and hear complain about the money and Rosanna. Like I am supposed to feel that Carly is owed something by Rosanna? Didn’t Carly sleep with her sister’s fianceé? Carly’s problems are her own. The only thing about this storyline that is any good is John and Larry B.’s acting. I just hope Carly does not get her money. ATWT seem to really be lacking in the morals department. Even for a soap ATWT has sunk to new lows and that brings me to... DAVID’S REVENGE: As I have already mentioned David has turned in to a abominable character. ATWT has hit rock bottom with David trying to get revenge against Lucinda by going after a pregnant Lily and her young son Luc. Simply horrifying. Now I understand that David is trying to get control of WorldWide again. However there is a very large problem with that and that is this: Remember last year when David had gotten controlling interest in WW and it was taken away by the government? It was stated by Lucinda that she bought back the share of stock form the government and has total control of WW. Once again the writers lack imagination and think fans will simply forget something that happened no less then a year ago. I should also mention that the storyline of Lucinda losing her company has been done before. James has tired it, Kirk, Conner and Evan did it and David did it last year. Some originality would be nice! Why isn’t the FBI watching David and asking him where he is getting his money! DAVID AND MOLLY: Putrid. Spoilers tell us that this will get hot and heavy this summer. Molly apparently falls in love with David. Is everyone’s fast forward finger ready? ANDY AND NIKKI: Very sweet. No complaints. HOLDEN AND LILY: The problem is that they have no storyline now. They are merely pawns in David’s scheme. Holden and Lily are obviously the shows most popular couple and should be given something more to do. The excuse is that Martha B. is going on Maternity leave so there can not be a storyline until she returns but there are ways to work around that. I could give you a half a dozen interesting storylines. LUCINDA: Nothing is better then Lucinda on the war path. LUCINDA AND JAMES: Spoilers indicate that Lucinda and James might become rather “friendly” with one another. And yes there is some chemistry there but didn’t James kidnap her son in law and almost killed him and her sister? Didn’t James gas a restaurant and put the lives of her daughter and unborn grandchild in grave danger? Isn’t his son trying to take her company away? Isn’t his son trying to harm her pregnant daughter and grandson Luc? Not to forget that James is a murdering drug and arms dealer. Spoilers also tell us that this make Holden rather upset. This could be interesting. Holden obviously hates James because of what he did to him and because of what he almost did to Lily and the baby. If Lucinda continues this relationship with James will Holden tell Lucy that she is out of his life, Lily’s life, Luc’s life and her new grandchild’s life? TOM/EMILY: I really cannot remember Tom ever having a storyline of his own. It has always been a Tom and Margo storyline. With the main emphasis of the story always on Margo. This storyline just doesn’t cut. A man can have a mid-life crisis and not be tempted by another woman. MARGO AND EDDIE: Margo is a cop and I always thought a tough cop. Margo should not be acting the way that she is. I feel sorry for Eddie but the character is not needed. Margo should be there for Tom. Maybe Eddie could get a job at the Earl Mitchell center and help Nancy teach kids how to read. Nancy? Remember her? I think she is locked away in the closet with Bob and Kim. LISA, THE HORNY GRANDMOTHER: So far I like it. Lisa is a true ATWT gem. I just hope that this storyline doesn’t bomb like every other one. A FEW FINAL QUESTIONS AND THOUGHTS: Where is the suspense? The originality? The excitement? The intricate story telling that once was? It certainly is not in the hands of MADD, FMB and so far not in the words of Lorraine Broderick. My fear is that FMB and LB want to create the show in their image. To make ATWT their show when it is really our show. New characters are not needed. ATWT has plenty of wonderful characters and each and every character is portrayed by an outstanding actor. Don't blame the characters FMB and LB. Blame yourselfs. A little originality and creativity goes a very long way. |
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