#characterassasination

Where the Fuck is Jon?!

I’d like him back please.

Oh, it happens. I know this first hand from my years as an insider in daytime.

EP’s have agendas, as do show runners, absolutely they do. Ever wondered why you see a lead character connecting with the audience, his female lead, then out of the blue, you’ll see that same character forced into the shadows just so another can take its place?

Oh, yes it’s deliberate and it has an agenda. I think this is one of the most disgusting ploys writers do in order to fulfill their ulterior motives.

For example, Jill Farren Phelps, former executive producer of Santa Barbara, Another World, One Life To Live, General Hospital, and finally, The Young and the Restless.

When she was on AW, if she wanted a certain storyline that the majority of her audience did not want, she’d have the head writers force a lead down, into a plot where the audience turned on said character. “Oh she’s annoying…I can’t stand her now…” Or they’d say, “I hate her now get rid of her, she’s too weak…” Or the best one, “what are they doing to my favorite character? I hate this!”

Well they are deliberately writing your fave in order to prop up another character that has a “character problem.”

And when this happens, that lead character loses airtime, story potential, lead status…sometimes it’s over money…sometimes it’s over story direction, and sometimes it’s personal.

But when it occurs, audience splits, stops watching because the trick becomes obvious to the point that the viewer loses interest in the show..

Plot driven story format never works. It just doesn’t. You write plot then have character react to it..but when you write for an ensemble, the responsibility for the HW is to protect your leads, protect your supporting characters, and always write to character.

It’s unfortunate that this gimmick continues even in prime time and it’s fucking annoying (gosh I’m saying the F word a lot…must be my colorful mood or just blunt honesty) because good writers NEVER need to resort to such tactics, because they can admit their mistakes when plots don’t work, and move on.

Ego maniacs however, cannot and start writing out of context.

“The pen that I hold in my hand is Rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroyallllllll blue!”

Recall that line from liar liar? Yeah no matter how many times Fletcher tried to say it was red, it was blue….

Square pegs do not fit into round holes, yet ego maniacs prefer defying logic, and wind up with blue ink all over their face.

Writers, your audience isn’t stupid. Sabotaging a character is a cheap shot that always backfires…

So what happened to SB?

Cancelled.

AW?

Cancelled.

OLTL?

Cancelled.

GH?

Holding on under Frank Valenti who PROTECTS the characters…

YR?

Character bloodbath three years ago because Jill has her faves…but daytime is dying because of those plot driven gimmicks…it lasts for only so long…

Till the show itself cannot survive.