| "Reflections by Jill" - A Weekly Commentary on One Life to Live | |
|
REFLECTIONS BY JILL….
Wow, last week was a really mixed bag of emotions for me…mostly sadness…and it continues. I’m sure I don’t have to tell anyone who reads this column, even occasionally, that the loss I feel over Mark Derwin’s departure from One Life To Live is tremendous. No, we don’t know whether his departure will be permanent or temporary…no, we don’t know how long it will be before we know anything about his fate on One Life To Live. What we do very well know is that the control of the fate of Mark Derwin as Ben Davidson currently lies in the hands of Gary Tomlin.
Okay, I could go in several directions here. I could be the usual me and blast Gary for many things while giving him credit where it is due. I always try to do that because this column is not only about me and my thoughts; it’s deals with what everyone likes and dislikes. I could do what many fans are choosing to do, which is to temper my boiling anger at Gary for fear that he will retaliate by never bringing Ben back to Llanview, even for a drumstick on Thanksgiving. I respect this way of handling the situation as well. Then there’s CHOICE #3….hmmm…I could just let loose and blast the guy for the destruction of the centerpiece of his show and for taking a very large group of fans and twisting their guts until they almost choked. I’ve got to tell you….#3 is looking might good right now…so what the heck!
I watched OLTL from its inception for so many years and always loved it. Then over the years I got away from it for a while and even watched several other soaps. When I came back to it in the late 90’s, Jill Farren Phelps was in charge as Executive Producer and Megan McTavish was the Head Writer. To be perfectly honest, I was very excited that the show would be great because I had just watched Santa Barbara for 8 years and when Jill ran that show, I’d have missed my own wedding so as not to miss an episode. We were also well into the age of the Internet so I was able to get on line and hear what everyone else had to say about the show. I immediately fell in love with the love story of Ben and Viki, so I never really paid much attention when people called the show “dark.” Maybe I felt that way because I had also just come off a long stint as a Days of our Lives fan. I guess with Marlene being possessed by the devil and Stefano DiMera making every day feel like a trip through the Tower of Terror, my version of “dark” was not what I was seeing on OLTL. I guess my version of “dark” would be Megan McTavish writing for Stefano DiMera.
Anyway, as time went on the fans got very excited that we were getting a new Executive producer and new writers. Jill Farren Phelps did give Ben and Viki a beautiful love story with eons of possibilities, even if she did provide them with that horrible break up over Asa during Viki’s cancer storyline. We still always knew they’d find their way back to each other.
Then came Gary Tomlin and the new writers…and every time we didn’t like something that happened, we said the same thing, “They have to finish what the old writers wrote and then the new material will kick in and we’ll get some great stuff.” After a while, I started to wonder if the old writers wrote five years in advance because the bad stuff wasn’t ending and nothing was changing. And that’s how it’s been….for a very, very long time.
Here’s the thing. Lots of people think that GT either doesn’t like Mark Derwin…or doesn’t like the character of Ben…or never liked the Ben/Blondie storyline. Well, we know how he felt about the nickname “Blondie.” Forbidding further use of that name was a very petty thing to do. We were so used to Ben calling Viki “Blondie” that it was painful not to hear it any more…and it was months before Ben actually called Viki any name at all. He called her “Hey” until after about 6 months we heard him call her “Viki” and it was just too weird. It immediately took some of the intimacy out of their relationship for me and for a lot of the fans. That, combined with the fact that Ben and Viki spent very little quality time together for a long time, was the destruction of what many of us tuned in to see every day. My guess is that GT doesn’t like the Ben/Viki storyline at all….probably never did. This in itself makes him an alien to me. And even if he didn’t like it, the fans love it…so why go against the fans?
Whatever it is that GT doesn’t like about Ben and Viki, he has let it be known by depriving us of enjoying them for a long time. He knows what the fans want and no one will ever be able to convince me otherwise. And now it’s kind of too late…isn’t it? Yes, it was very kind of GT to give us such a lovely send off for Ben. What else could he do after clocking the guy twice in the head and leaving him mush for brains? I cried for Ben, I cried for Viki, I cried for everyone who knows and loves them, and I cried for what could have been and WHAT SHOULD HAVE BEEN before Mark Derwin even had a clue about leaving the show.
It absolutely infuriates me that we had to endure all those months of Niki Smith wreaking havoc on everyone’s lives…not just Viki’s and Ben’s, but Natalie’s as well. I know on the show they’re saying it was 5 months since Rae let Niki out, but I’m sure it’s been longer than that. All those months when GT could have easily given Viki and Ben a break….when he could have given them a life together…something interesting to do with their time. But no…instead, he had to have Viki running around wringing her hands wondering what convoluted secret Niki was keeping, while Ben hung around like wallpaper, slipping in and out of the house for a minute here and there so we’d know he was still alive. All those wasted months and then how do you figure out how to take Ben off the canvas? Had we not dwelled on Niki for so long, there would have been countless, more believable ways to take care of Ben and keep the hope alive that he would return to Viki. I don’t believe that Gary Tomlin cares about Ben coming back to Viki…AT ALL!!!!
I think GT spent so much of his time trying to figure out how to keep Roger Howarth on the air that he neglected everything else. I don’t even think that the Todd fans could possibly be happy with a story line where Todd is lost “somewhere in the South Pacific”, with an obnoxious Tea, and us having to watch boring scenes that were taped last May. If Mr. Tomlin had spent half the time figuring out how to make the whole show work, rather than worry about Howarth leaving again, we would have had a good show. The only thing he’s been able to give us in place of what we really want is some good comedy. Don’t get me wrong, I love the comedy, but the months that were wasted on Niki Smith were a crime against the fans. Now I hear that Roger may be returning in November…Guess what I think about that? WHO CARES?????? Todd is a pain in the neck, sick character, who once in a while shows a glimmer of humanity. He has already hurt everyone I can think of so why go crazy to accommodate him whenever Hollywood doesn’t roll out the red carpet for him?
I’m very happy for Mark Derwin. I’ve said it before and I mean it. He’s a good actor, he handles comedy like a seasoned pro and he will endear any audience that sees him. I wonder if Bonnie Hunt knows how lucky she is. She took on Mark and along with him she’s getting a ton of fans who will watch her show, even if they don’t know who the heck she is. My guess is that she was smart enough to know exactly what she was getting….unlike GT! Personally, I think she’s a very funny lady and I think the show will do well and what remains to be seen is whether or not The Powers That Be will be smart enough to bring Mark back to keep Ben alive whenever they have the opportunity to do so.
Sooo…I am going to do something I’ve never done before and never thought I’d do. I have never been one to write letters to soap executives because I honestly never believed that they did any good. Nor have I ever dreamed of asking anyone else to do so. I know, I know…tons of people believe that letters help and since I pride myself on being a fair person and know when my options are limited, I have decided to jump on the bandwagon (those of you who know me…don’t pass out or anything) and write some letters to everyone and anyone who might give a damn about the fate of OLTL and Ben Davidson. I have been reading the boards all week long and am amazed that even the people who don’t particularly like Ben and Viki were touched by last week’s shows and feel that so much more could have been done with their relationship.
I am listing below lots of addresses for executives to write to, as well as good old GT, Mark and Erika and the writers. I’m hoping that someone will figure out that bringing Mark back to the show, even on a limited basis, would be the wisest choice. So please, drop some letters in the mail…send out a few emails. Start with the guy at the top of the list…Brian Frons, the new head of ABC Daytime. Something tells me that his ears will perk up when he sees how serious we are. Special thanks to Board Buddy Mezzo…who so kindly provided this list. I trust this added exposure will make a difference.
Mr. Brian Scott Frons
President of ABC Daytime
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521-4127
Comments about OLTL to ABC Daytime President- (818) 560-1000
Ms. Angela Shapiro
President of ABC Family
500 South Buena Vista Street
Burbank, CA 91521
Mr. Gary Tomlin, Executive Producer
One Life to Live
ABC Daytime
56 West 66th Street
New York, NY 10023
This address can be used to reach Erika Slezak and Mark Derwin, as well as
writers Lorraine Broderick and Chris Whitesell.
Felicia Minei Behr
ABC Senior Vice President of Programming
77 West 66th St
New York, NY 10023
Pat Fili-Krushel
President of ABC Network
One Life To Live
c/o ABC Daytime
77 West 66th Street
New York, NY 10023
Bonnie Hunt
Touchstone TV ABC
500 South Buena Vista Street
ABC Building 3rd Floor
Burbank, CA 91521
Don Lake
Touchstone TV ABC
500 South Buena Vista Street
ABC Building 3rd Floor
Burbank, CA 91521
Mark Derwin
Touchstone TV ABC
500 South Buena Vista Street
ABC Building 3rd Floor
Burbank, CA 91521
Soap Opera Update
270 Sylvan Avenue
Englewood Cliffs, NY 07632
(or) Fax them at 201-569-2510
Soap Opera Digest
P.O. Box 420235
Palm Coast, FL 32142-0235
Phone: (800) 829-9095
Soap Opera Weekly
261 Madison Avenue, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10016
Tel: 212.716.8400
Fax: 212.661.1825
Soap Net (877) 647-6277
3800 West Alameda Ave
Burbank, CA 91505
Places to call:
OLTL Direct Comment Line--- (212) 456-3338
ABC (NY) Comment Line --- (212) 456-1000
ABC Media Relations--- (212) 456-7749
Soap Opera Digest (212) 716-2700
Soap Opera Weekly (212) 716-8400
Here are some email places to copy your letters to as well:
netaudr@abc.com
ABC.Audience.Relations@abc.com
SPWPubOp@primediamags.com
SODsound@primediamags.com
soapdigest@neodata.com
SPWvoice@primediamags.com
abcpoll@soapsindepth.com
soapoperadigest@palmcoastd.com
spweditor@primediamags.com
abcmail@soapsindepth.com
Hey Gary…you made us very angry…you took a part of our lives that we loved and ripped it to shreds and now, even if it’s only in a small way, WE WANT YOU TO FIX IT!
See ya
next week...
Jill Berry
FAN FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS
Sahar writes: “I just read your weekly commentary and I have got to agree with you about Nora and Colin. I just don't see them together there is no chemistry and Nora is too old for Colin. He needs someone as young and beautiful as he is. I met him on the streets of Manhattan once and I have got to tell you I have not met a man as gorgeous as he. I just hope they pair him up with someone better suited for him. I just had one question what does TPTB stand for?”
Dear Sahar: Yep, I have to say once again…Nora
remind me of Troy’s older sister. It’s just one more thing that doesn’t work
and they keep giving us more and more of it. Yes, Ty is a very handsome man…and
he’s a lovely person, too. You’ve never met a man as gorgeous as he? Have you
met Mark Derwin? Sorry, I just had to do that. I, too, hope they pair him up
with someone better suited to him. OH, and TPTB stands for ‘THE POWERS THAT
BE.’
______________
Sheree writes: “So Roger Howarth is coming back. I don't really know how I should feel about this. If I say that I wish he wouldn't, I feel disloyal to OLTL. I love my soap, I just wish he would decide what he wants. RH is a good actor, don't get me wrong. I wish him the best of luck in whatever he does. The "get" them attitude, the trying to take his children away from Blair AGAIN storyline gets really old. For once I would like to see Todd NOT get the SUN, his kids or Blair and be forced to go into therapy. Blair is just starting to become the strong woman I've always hoped she could be. What do you think?”
Dear Sheree: What do I think? I completely
agree with you, but I don’t feel disloyal at all by saying that I don’t care if
he comes back of not. If he’s just coming back to “Get” people, as you say,
then I say…who needs him?
______________
Vickeata writes: “Jill, maybe you can help me figure something out...What is so special about Roger Howarth that they are constantly letting him come and go...back and forth whenever in the heck he wants? I mean good grief...theyspend, I don't even want to think about how much money, for this horrid'Somewhere in the South Pacific' deserted island storyline just to keepRoger/Todd on the show through the summer when Roger left back in Juneand now I'm reading that he's already coming back. Did I misssomething??? I guess I'm confused because they have RH that isconstantly leaving and disrupting things but they can always come upwith a storyline for him no matter what and then they have Mark Derwinwho wouldn't even tell Bonnie yes about his new job because some of the'key' people were out of town and he didn't want to do anything behindanyone's back. Now he's willing to travel back and forth from one coastto the other so that he can do both shows and they go and almost killhis character off by having our beloved Ben slip into an almostirreversible coma making it basically impossible for Mark to use thetime he gets off from taping Bonnie to do anything with Ben who'sgetting shipped off to Switzerland...I just don't get it! Can you help this very confused fan???”
Dear Viki: I
share your confusion, your anger, your frustration and your sadness. Maybe we
would all care a little more about Roger Howarth if everyone got the same
treatment he did.
______________
© Copyright by Katherine Thurston, 2002
