Inside this issue:
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Port Charles Street
by Smokey
Welcome to my home on Port Charles Street! Join my
on the porch, have some hot chocolate, and we'll see what comes down the
road. Each week, I'll try to take an in-depth look at a topic from
our favorite soap. I'd love to hear your observations, so email me at [email protected].
I'm new to this, so please be gentle with me.
As I was contemplating subjects for this column,
I decided to lurk around the various PC message boards. I really
didn't intend to get on a "soap box", but I found that I'm not the only
one who isn't happy with the new "novella" format that ABC imported to
PC. It isn't because we don't like changes; soap fans are very used
to change, as long as the change is consistent with the soap and it's history.
We've seen alot of changes since that group of very green interns
walked in General Hospital, such as a variety of plots from mystery to
romance, coming & going cast members, and lovers playing musical beds.
Through it all, we have adopted Port Charles' characters into our families.
Love 'em or hate 'em, we know them, body and soul. At least we used
to.
Dr. Chris Ramsey is a guy we love to hate.
Okay, I'm a fan. Nolan North, like most of the cast, has done an
incredible job building his character. Dr. Ramsey is skillfully layered
with complexities and heart. We knew that all of his actions are
motivated by self-interest, greed and ambition. Then "Fate" stepped
in. Suddenly, this guy who LOOKS like Chris Ramsey behaves like an
angry wacko. For some unknown reason, he is trying to seduce the
naive teenager, Livvy Locke. What's in it for him? Is it revenge
against Rachel Locke (Livvy's mother), or Chris' brother Jack? What
did Jack do to him? The old Chris didn't act solely for revenge.
Suddenly Dr. Ramsey is Mr. Hyde?! As I tried to figure all this out,
I discovered something very disturbing. Dr. Chris Ramsey seems to
be a reflection of the "new" Port Charles, and the organ grinder who has
a leash on this monkey.
It's hard to avoid ABC bashing. I just want
to blame someone for this messy soap. Understandable, ABC and "The
Powers That Be" wanted to fix the low ratings problem. They thought
a make-over was in order, complete with new writers. However,
ABC overlooked the obvious. Long ago, the network abandoned Port
Charles to the whims of local affiliates, many of whom moved the soap to
after midnight. I thought PC had been canceled until I happened
to find it at 2:05AM. This is no way to treat old fans, or to get
new viewers. As I see it, 2:05AM is the perfect time for nightmares.
I keep hoping that Eve Lambert will wake up to Scottie in her shower.
If the "new" Chris Ramsey reflects the "new" Port
Charles and TPTB, I suppose we can see Livvy as how ABC perceives the good
ole' PC and we viewers. Apparently the think we are too naive to
recognized old movie plots or fairy tales based n news sound bites.
I just want to give ABC a good shake to snap out of this. Even
Livvy got ticked when she found out that Chris had been yanking her chain!
Every night, as I set my VCR, I say a little prayer that ABC will shift
it's focus to the local TV stations to give Port Charles some daylight.
They might surprise themselves.
What do you think? Give me a holler at [email protected]
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