Sunday, October 25, 2009

General Hospital's Jonathan Jackson Returns As Lucky Spencer Tuesday October 27, 2009 Episode #11921


Luckies: Greg Vaughan And Jonathan Jackson
Luke And Laura: Anthony Geary And Genie Francis
Lucky And Liz: Greg Vaughan, Rebecca Herbst Jonathan Jackson
General Hospital's Lucky Spencer still resides in Port Charles, but Greg Vaughan is gone. Since 2003, Vaughan had played the son of GH super couple Luke & Laura. The role has now undergone a recast redux with Lucky's 1993 originator Jonathan Jackson. Popular with the show's fans, Jackson portrayed the character for six years. In the year 2000 Jacob Young [All My Children's JR Chandler] took the role for a three year run. Greg Vaughan picked up the part from 2003 to October 2009.

i got no beef with Jackson's return per se, but i think the way GH's execs dealt with Vaughan's release stinks. The way they implemented their decision was nothing short of a sucker punch, and then adding insult to injury they released a statement saying it was Vaughan's decision to leave the show. "Greg Vaughn has decided to vacate the role to explore new opportunities". Not true. The producers called Vaughan in for a meeting and dismissed him. It wasn't that he'd done anything wrong, they were taking the character in a different direction, one they didn't feel he was suitable for. Mr.Vaughan's response has been nothing less than classy. The best example i can offer of that is an interview he gave to Michael Fairman. A September 28th farewell message on Twitter bore no ill will. Not to his former employer, not to his cast mates, but he did set the record straight about why he would not be returning to General Hospital.

Jonathan Jackson returns to General Hospital Tuesday October 27, 2009, and is contracted to play Lucas Lorenzo 'Lucky' Spencer for a six month run. i guess his fans can expect a renewal when that time expires, but with the way things have been running in daytime lately---the Vaughan sacking, the Eric Braeden debacle over at CBS' Young And The Restless, Guiding Light's cancellation, All My Children relocating a portion of it's cast to L.A. and the rest opting to remain in NYC, Sarah Brown's Claudia Zaccarro exiting GH in November 2009 rather than January 2010 [although in Ms.Brown's case she's leaving earlier to begin a long term contract on The Bold and The Beautiful], etc., etc., ya never really know what to expect from them what makes the soaps.

General Hospital airs on ABC and Soapnet. Please check your local listings for times.

Tuesday, October 13, 2009

Nip/Tuck Season 6 Premiere Episode 1 "Don Hoberman"



Nip/Tuck Season 6 Premiere Episode 1 "Don Hoberman"
Yea! Nip/Tuck is back! Mario Lopez as Dr.Mike Hamoui is back, and however inadvertently is again sparking Dr.Christian Troy's competitive spirit. Dr.Mike has a fab 102ft yacht [The Reverie], a bevy of bikinied beauties, loads of cash, and the physical attribute Troy envies---that damned 10yrs younger torso. Mike is a hottie, but ImHO doc Troy has no need to fear he is physically inferior in any way. On the cash front though, problems. Nip/Tuck creator Ryan Murphy has injected the real world economic crises into the season 6 storyline. The docs are having budget woes, to the point where Sean has replaced Christian's Yoplait with generic brand yogurt. Wonder if the Dole pineapple juice will survive the cost cutting.

Julia and Erica are back. After the tragedy this real life daughter and mother suffered, it's good to see them on screen again. Flexing their artistic muscles has proven to be a good tonic.

Kimber is back, and embarking on a new career as an aesthetician. Matt is back and more of a train wreck than season's past. 2 words: "mime bandit". Liz is back, and she's not putting up with Christian's crap any more. 4 words: hell hath no fury. Annie is back. i'm excited about that, because last season was a good showcase for Kelsey Lynn Batelaan. You know being one of Sean and Julia's kids, the teen angst factor is going to be amped to the max. Teddy, now portrayed by Rose McGowan is back. i can only echo what Doc Troy said in season 5 of Sean's paramours, "that guy sure can pick 'em".

There are new characters too. Academy award winner Linda Hunt as a documentary narrator. Barry Bostwick as Roger Payne, Liz' divorce lawyer, and Wayne Knight [Seinfeld's Newman] is Christian's divorce lawyer. Let the settlement battle begin.

Nip/Tuck airs at 10:00pm on FX, Wednesdays [please note the change from previous season's Tuesday night scheduling].

Nip/Tuck Cast
[Special Thanks to Sue]


Nip/Tuck Behind The Scenes


Couture


Hot


Behind Season 6's Scenes


Economic Downturn


Rose McGowan as Teddy, Mario Lopez as Mike


Nip/Tuck, It's Back


Nip/Tuck, Can't Believe We Did That!

Tuesday, October 06, 2009

The Young & The Restless Episodes 9235-9249 [Sept~21~09 -Oct~9~09]



Eric Braeden_Victor Newman The Young & The Restless
Are TPTB on The Young & The Restless saying auf wiedersehen to Eric Braeden? Its beginning to look like the answer will be yes, but not yet. In recent contract negotiations, Mr.Braeden has been asked to take a pay-cut. He is not the only cast member of whom that request was made. In fact writers and crew have had the same proposal put to them by executive producer Paul Rauch. It's all a matter of trickle-down economics. The show's licensers are offering less to air the show, so there's less dough to dole to those in front of and behind the cameras, who make the show possible. Mr. Braeden's contract does not expire until 2010, but there is a condition in the contract that allows for re-negotiation at the completion of each each performer's 13 week cycle. As it now stands he and the Y&R producers are at a standstill. Melody Thomas Scott [Niki] and Jess Walton [Jill] are also wrangling with producers on this same sticking point. Braeden's Victor Newman is extremely popular with viewers. Check out any Y&R message boards, and the overwhelming fan statistic says that if Victor isn't there, the fans won't be either. The irony of that being if the fans make good on their threats to bolt, it ultimately creates a trickle-down effect of lost revenue for the show and it's sponsors.

i have been an intermittent Y&R viewer. i started watching back in the '70s, then stopped for a while and started watching again in the last few months. i've been a fan of Eric Braeden's since his Rat Patrol series. He's been on Y&R since 1980. i've always found him to be very appealing---very masculine and funny too. i love his accent, and find the idiomatic cadence of his speech to be very endearing. i'm not saying it would be impossible to have Young & The Restless continue without him, but it ain't gonna be easy or the same. Jeanne Cooper [Katherine Chancellor] portrays my favorite female character on the show and i've not seen any news that indicates she'll be leaving, but i can't help thinking if 'the mustache' goes, it does not bode well for other veteran players. Guess we'll just have to stay tuned to see how everyone's contract negotiations pan out.

The Young & The Restless airs Monday through Friday on CBS at 12:30pm Please check your local listings. You may also view full Y&R eps on their website The Young & The Restless and The Young & The Restless In HD