My How Things Have Only Slightly Changed

Yesterday was the first day an entire AMC-LA episode aired in HD. In the past I have recorded the AMC replays on SoapNet because the city I live in airs AMC on a one day tape delay. I don’t know what it is about SoapNet, but none of its HD offerings ever look so hot to me. Y&R & GH always look a little grainy compared to their original CBS/ABC airings which are incredible. Anyway, I checked out AMC-LA-HD on Hulu and it was amazing! Everything really does look bigger, brighter, and cleaner. The sets have been nicely updated with fresh paint, roomier rooms and doors that don’t wobble. And low and behold everybody got a haircut, lost their fake tans and look great-maybe even younger. I worried about how some of the older actors would appear, but my fears were unfounded. The entire cast looked their best. The only thing that irked me was seeing Chuck Pratt’s name scroll across the screen again. I hoped HD would mark the end of Pratt’s run on AMC. Dude, take a hint!

I have to be honest about my viewing habits lately. I’ve been working like crazy and busy trying to keep up with the kids. I hurt my shoulder earlier this month and the minute I get home I pop a painkiller and let it work its magic. Even if AMC was airing fascinating stories, I’d be hard pressed to lucidly get through an entire episode so I’ve continued to skip around and fast forward as if Chuck Pratt was still there in his glory. This is how I approach AMC right now: I watch the opening to refresh my numbed mind about whatever happened the day before, then I scan the first five minutes for evidence that Chuck Pratt is still in the writing credits. If I see Pratthole’s name I mutter something vile and inappropriate and place my finger carefully on the FF button watching Madison, Frandi, JR and Marissa whiz by in a blur. I slow down to sample what’s happening if I notice the Chandlers, Opal, Tad & Liza, Greenlee & David and, like watching a trainwreck, Erica & Ryan. Anyway, I’m able to finish an entire episode in less than 10 minutes.

Because I’ve been skimming the show so liberally I’ve been reluctant to post a new blog, but the last post was getting pretty long so I’ve thrown caution to the wind. Remember though, at the time I’m writing this I’m two hours into some primo painkillers and typing with a gimpy arm so cut me some slack.

Everybody’s raving about GH and OLTL so I’ve been checking them out. There’s just no comparison between the amazing quality of the stories airing on those two shows and the crap on AMC. I have never been a member of the GH fan club, but I have to admit the parts I watched last week were chocked impressively with so much intelligent dialogue and palpable emotion. Even though I barely watch OLTL, it’s filled with tour de force performances, great comedic qualities, and lots of tender and scary moments. Watching OLTL is exhausting because you run the gamut of dramatic emotion from grief to joy. Now I’m totally jazzed about the OLTL snow storm. I was never excited about the AMC tornado, and I watch AMC everyday.

There’s just not much happening with the AMC storylines that’s grabbing my attention. These days when I watch I find myself mostly just observing the differences in the new sets and stuff like that. It’s like “OOOh, Adam got a new couch.” or “WOW, that’s a nice mantle in Liza’s apartment.” Amanda had some nice performance moments a few days ago but, honestly, I’m grasping at straws to stay interested. I feel myself slipping into a donut hole, but I’m desperately trying to hang in there until LoBro’s stories begin airing. I hear she wrote some amazing stuff for sweeps and for Brooke’s return, but good gosh bring it on already.

I should note some positives about the show so nobody thinks I’ve just turned into a hater. Granted the stories are still lame, but the dialogue is much better. The actors seem reinvigorated and it shows in their performances. Not only are they acting better they look better. Seriously, who knew KWAK’s boobs were going to look so great in HD! Her abundant HD cleavage alone almost made the investment worth it. The new Chandler and Wildwind sets are more substantial and it’s nice to see people spread out a little. Even the hospital and Tad’s place seem less claustrophobic. That’s great for Tad considering half the town is still living in his house. Having Opal around more and mixing it up with Erica and the gang on a regular basis is a blast. She gives the show a huge pick me up every second she’s on the screen.

Now that Rebecca Budig is out of bed, she looks hot and is showing some spark. It took that girl no time to ditch the Dearfoams and hospital garb and slip into a tight little suit, some stilettos and proper accessories. Who knew Nurse Gayle was such a good personal shopper? Anyway, Greenlee seems to be putting a worthy effort into her performance this time. Maybe that Bob guy she was married to was dragging her down during her last stint and the divorcee life is agreeing with her. Then again, maybe she just has an easier time working off David's slight speech impediment than Aidan’s unintelligible ramblings. David and Greenlee definitely have chemistry and whatever they do together, it should be fun. When she was with Aidan she always looked a little confused like "WTF did he just say to me?".

The Chandler’s are getting more interesting as a group and Adam looks healthy. Of course he's getting to grope Annie so it's no wonder he’s perked up. Marissa in all her Hee Haw-teeth glory still bugs me, but she gets sort of interesting when she’s pissed at David. Maybe these new writers can do something with her.

Amanda and Jake I love, but I fear AMC ran their coupling into the ground before they could rescue them from Pratt’s storyline. Again, maybe the new writers will surprise us. One thing for sure is that they need to be freed from the clutches of evil Dr. Dave and the endless baby drama.
Forgive me for slipping back to the negative but I’m sorry, Randi is the new Turd. I see no improvement there and wish she would land an amazing hair deal or contact lense deal requiring her full attention outside LA. I agree Madison may have some chemistry with Ryan, but she’s kind of a bore lurking around Fusion playing Mammie to Erica. And speaking of Ryan, Cameron needs to lay off the Botox or whatever has erased virtually every traceable line from his face! I can’t blame him for tidying up a bit for the HD premier, but his face is less expressive than Erica’s. It’s like they told him he was going to have to play with Erica’s snatch and the look on his face froze forever. Whatever the deal is with him, Lucci has never looked better. Maybe it’s one part genes, one part surgical and one part pilates, but we should all be so lucky to look so phenomenal at her age. I think something about this move and HD has refreshed her entire appearance.

It’s been a while since LA has been so enamored with a celebrity like the city has fawned over Susan Lucci. They have rolled out the red carpet for her and I’m so happy to see her get the proper respect she deserves. ABC is incredibly lucky to have her. Let’s face it, she’s the most recognizable face in daytime and if this deal in LA flies, ABC should kiss her ass.

So that’s it. Not much to say about the show itself while we continue to wait out this transition.

The two most important things to note are this:

First, AMC lost a legend when James Mitchell died. Just the fact that he was on the show for 30 years is amazing. Just try to think of someone you know who has held a job anywhere nearly that long. I loved Palmer and the entire Courtland clan. They were introduced to AMC when the show expanded from 30 minutes to 60. I could go on and on about him and my favorite Palmer stories, but our own AMPHITRION said it so beautifully in the blog:

When a great soap actor dies, we mourn twice. First, we mourn for the man, but also we grieve for the character. James Mitchell was a remarkable, accomplished, and incredibly talented actor, teacher and dancer. Palmer Cortland was one of the greatest characters in the history of daytime. I am sad the world has lost this great man and these two souls. I will miss them both.

Secondly, regular PVP poster AZGAL’s mother died this past week. Although we never met her mother, we all understand how much the loss of a parent means to a person. I wish I had words that could lessen AZGAL’s sadness right now, but at least she knows that she and her family are in our thoughts and prayers as they grieve.

So what’s on your mind? Feel free to spill the details right here.