As the heat of summer bakes everything in sight, people are moving at a slower pace. I know that there is nothing like the heat and humidity of a Washington, DC afternoon to make you want to crawl inside a nice air-conditioned room and catch up on your soaps.
But the pace on screen these days is like the pace outside and it's getting pretty painful to watch. It's like watching someone eating an ice cream cone outside and you just want to keep warning them about the parts that are oozing down to cover their fingers in calorie laden goo.
It's almost as if the writers know that fans will be away from the show during the summer as they vacation and they want them to be able to pick up right where they left off in May or June. But what about the ones who are watching it all? Will they just lull all of us into a coma with this storyline that barely moves faster than a snail's pace?
I know that the writers have to work around the actor's vacation - that's completely understandable. But I am pretty sure that even they haven't planned to be away from Springfield for three months straight.
After learning she had cancer on May 3rd, Reva has spent nearly 3 months hiding her illness from everyone but Jonathan and Billy. She's dragged her heels about treatment - for an illness that doesn't move slowly at all. GL had the chance to make a great story here and really open some eyes about warning signs for cancer. But all the fans (including me) will remember is how selfish Reva is to have kept the news to herself.
And Cassie and Josh inching towards romance makes me want to scream. YES, they have chemistry, I guess. And I know Reva is AWOL at the moment, but this is like watching a train wreck in slow motion. There are no winners here. Everyone will get hurt in the end. And Reva could be without a husband and a sister once it's all over and done with.
Now Kim Zimmer is away for a month, which means even though she has pre-taped some scenes, her story will drag on for months. Rumors are swirling that it will finally come to a head in November during sweeps. I, for one, hope that this is not the case. We have too many other stories that need to be told.
Lizzie's baby will have to wrap up in 7 or 8 months (we hope) but how long can we keep seeing Alan and Beth trying to manipulate Lizzie? And Alan making life miserable for the couple? OK, we get the point. He's mad and he wants to strike back at everyone. Typical Alan stuff - we've seen it before. The performances are strong, but it's like doing a Broadway show - you say nearly the same lines every day. While some actors love to work that way, it would drive me insane!
The mayoral race was all but forgotten for weeks - until finally this week. Now we see the candidates a little more. Given that Blake slept with Jeffrey weeks after Ross died this story could be red-hot - given a little air-time. Where has the investigation into Ross' death gone?
Leah Bauer has returned home to a fractured family. Rick is unemployed and alone. Can't someone come up with a downward spiral that he has to fight his way back from? He's got to be feeling very guilty for his part in Ross' death and Phillip's cover-up. So where is he? Why don't we see what all of this is doing to him?
The Olivia/Frank/Buzz triangle gets mentioned now and again. As does Marina's investigation on A-M. But not with any urgency that makes the viewer want to tune in to see what happens. Dinah and Mallet seem to disappear for days on end (even with a wedding to plan) then reappear like magic). Jeffrey seems to have joined Lillian, Holly, Mel and so many others in GL limbo land. It's like the "Land of Misfit Toys" from Rudolph and the Red-Nose Reindeer. Someone (from TPTB) forgot to love ALL of the characters on GL. Not just the ones they normally take out to play with....
As I look at the dismal 2.1 ratings GL recently received, it appears that many fans are getting fed up with the turn the show has taken. We have a talented cast, but with a story that moves at a snail's pace and characters who languish on the back burner for months, it's hard to get enthusiastic about it all. Someone just needs to give TPTB a caffeine boost or something. We have to move forward on the stories you have and write for everyone at least every two weeks. I think that is certainly doable - and the fans want to move on and see more of everyone this summer. Who knows, maybe it might even bring back viewers who recognize more of their favorite characters from years gone by. That is a goal to shoot for!
Getting off my soapbox now...
Kimberly
