Anna Nicole Smith: a real soap opera

I haven't been watching much of soaps these past weeks. It's not because I don't want to, its because I was watching another soap that is more titillating and entertaining than any other soap out there right now and its real. The soap is Anna Nicole Smith, yes the one who died suddenly at the age of 39 under suspicious circumstances. The one who was an easy target for the tabloids and every comic to make fun of. While it is sad that she died young and left a 5 month old baby girl, its a soap opera that even the most inept writers couldn't think of. A woman who was born poor, married at 17, had a baby, was a stripper then was Playboy of the year, a guess jeans model, married again to 89 year old Billionaire who died a year later, fighting for her share of the money,was a spokesperson for a diet pill, had a baby girl and then three days later, her son dies mysteriously, and then Anna Nicole dies herself four months later. If you think that this story is over, its not now there is a fight of who gets to bury her and who is the father of her baby girl, which by the way three men say they are the father of this child and a possibility that there are millions of dollars that are at stake. I don't think that this story is over by a long shot. And don't get me started about Brittney Spears with her going to rehab three times, shaving her head which the hairdresser is selling along with the clippers and the Bic lighter and the red bull can that she was drinking (don't you just love capitalism) and for the big finish, she attacked a paparazzi with an umbrella and a SUV.

Next time I will present the best and worst of 2006, promise.

Extreme Stunts

Well this is February and it means Sweeps. That time of year that shows put on stunts and storylines to wheel the viewers in, and in soaps it's no different. AMC has the Satin Slayer and Zarf/Zoe storyline. GH has a weak attempt to copy 24 with a hostage situation and Alan's heart attack which by the way is sadistic in of itself and the Y&R has the Indiana Jones ripoff that is better done at DAYS. These sweeps are really extreme but for a good reason, ratings. I know I'm supposed to rip them apart for using desperate tactics and I will but with the cancellation of Passions and increasingly low ratings, these shows are becoming desperate for ratings to keep their show on the air. Don't they realize that these stunts are just short-term and the real trick to keep and lure in viewers that will tune in again and again is good writing and good actors? It is the multigenerational dynamic of the families and not just teens that will keep these shows on for years to come. If the writers and the powers that be don't realize that, there won't be a daytime soap anymore.

General Hospital to get a primetime series

According to soapcentral.com, General Hospital is premiering a prime time series called General Hospital: Night Shift. It will be for 13 weeks and will mainly be younger cast with ties to GH's core families. It will premiere on SoapNet later this year.

General Hospital should first do a better job on the daytime show rather that do a night time show but that's just me.