Yeah, I know, I’ve been talking about Guiding Light a lot. Deal with it!
Lucky for you, my unfortunate layoff has allowed me a wealth of opportunities to watch ALL of the daytime shows. So here’s a snapshot of my thoughts as I’ve caught each show.
AMC: With Rebecca Budig (Greenlee) on her way out, AMC must admit a hard truth – when it comes to bringing former characters back to the canvas (Maria, Dixie and Greenlee to name three), AMC’s grade is EPIC FAIL.
ATWT: I was just about to type up a few snarky comments about the show. Then I read this post by Roger Newcomb over at We Love Soaps.
Wow, Roger really wrapped up everything I wanted to say about the show and put a big bow on it. And the best thing is not that Roger’s being especially OH SNAP! in his post; it’s that you can tell Roger loves the show. Like many of us.
B&B: The hardest show for me to watch. Susan Flannery (Stephanie), Lesli Kay (Felicia) and Lesley Anne Down (Jackie) are fantastic, but everyone else makes my skin itch when I see them. The characters change and turn on a dime and I can’t invest in anything or anyone, because tomorrow it will all be completely different. Rick going after Steffy makes me want to take a Silkwood shower, sorry.
DAYS: Wow, looks like DAYS didn’t learn their lesson from the whole John/Marlena debacle, since they fired Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans AND aren’t even giving THEM the courtesy of a sendoff. NBC really wants out of the soap business!
But no matter what – DAYS seems to keep a big fanbase. The ratings might not always say it, but I was not surprised to see the show high in the rankings on Yahoo Search.
GH: I am still not a big fan of the death-death-and-more-death GH and haven’t watched often in the last few years. But I recently caught a few episodes and I have to say, I didn’t hate it. Spinelli and Maxie are great, it was fantastic to see Mark Pinter back on our screens (as Agent Raynor) and Patrick and Robin are perhaps the most romantic couple on soaps.
Boo on blowing up the hospital, though.
OLTL: Almost impossible to watch. I’m just so sick of Todd it makes me want to scream. The youth storyline is a bunch of day player kids we don’t know doing stuff we don’t care about. And as much as I love Tuc Watkins and David, I don’t think David’s return is really working well this time.
Crystal Hunt as Gigi’s sister, though? Good idea!
Y&R: GL may be having the more noticeable renaissance, at least in my eyes, but Y&R is also really solid right now.
If you have to get rid of a long term player, Brad made sense – he was the one with the fewest long-term connections. (Though for my money, Victor could have disappeared, never to return.)
I’m loving the Billy/Chloe/Lily/Cane triangle. And could an upcoming DNA test re: Katherine and Jill actually start a new story twist (instead of solving an old one)? It’s all good stuff.
A | THOUSAND | OTHER | WORLDS 
Patrick, I hope you get a job soon, though I can’t complain about you doing the live GL blogging as it is entertaining and helpful, plus it makes me giggle.
Anyway to comment on your show comments…
AMC: Do you think that how they brought David back was an epic fail, Jesse and Angie? I don’t, as I am enjoying them, though I wasn’t happy with the Rebecca situation. They just don’t do well with female returns, and to name another awful return–Julia. Did you read Cady’s story about how she would have had Dixie return after the poison pancakes?
ATWT, B&B and Y&R: Don’t watch have no time…I have to sleep, don’t I?
Days: I think they are getting so many searches partly because of the craziness with the casting. People want to read about the chaos. I think due to the way John/Marlena and now Steve/Kayla have been written off some viewers (unless they read the credits, read about Days on the web) won’t know any better and assume they will be back some time soon.
GH: Spinelli and Maxie are great fun and still like Robin and Patrick. The couples GH does well, they do really well. I’m glad that Mark Pinter was on for more than a couple of days and is not just evil though working for the feds.
OLTL: Well I’ve started to fast forward it a lot. It has fallen really flat and I hope it improves soon. Watching Todd have two separate trials/hearings was too much. Not seeing him pay is annoying. The drug story is a joke. The humor in the David and Dorian situation has been played out weeks ago.
BL, I think the jury is still out on David’s return. But yes, Jesse and Angie were brought back in a wonderful way. I’m not super happy about their current story, but they are, at least, still Jesse and Angie. I think they need to find a better way to explain/justify Jesse’s other family.
You’re right – Julia was an awful return, she didn’t even really get to see Maria….and then she was killed off. A big crock if you ask me.
If you have to get rid of a long term player, Brad made sense – he was the one with the fewest long-term connections.
Awww but Brad was my eye candy. 😦
I’m loving the Billy/Chloe/Lily/Cane triangle.
I just got back into Y&R and I don’t even know who Billy & Chloe are.
And could an upcoming DNA test re: Katherine and Jill actually start a new story twist (instead of solving an old one)? It’s all good stuff.
I’m sitting on the edge of my seat!