Too many stories?

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NikkiFan

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I have watched Days for many years. I cant remember a time that had as many storylines going at once. I find it hard to be vested in any currently. I was all team Hope and Aiden, but now, eh. We only get to see small parts from so many. Current stories we have:

1) Jordan, her mom and Clyde
2) Clyde and Victor
3) Eve and JJ saga
4) Paul, Will and Sonny
5) Theresa and her unknown baby
6) Melanie and Brady starting to date
7) apparently John and Marlena are back together and we didnt get to see it :(
8) Eric and Serena
9) Daniel and Nicole
10) Nicole and the Serena story
11) Hope and Aiden
12) Lucas and Adrienne
13) Rafe and the club.....and others I am forgetting.

I understand that each actor needs a story, but come on, blend some so that we don't have so many bits and pieces flying around.
 
I think that Clyde, Jordan, Ben, & now Victor are all part of one big story, and that story is Clyde, and all he affects.
Some things mentioned are not really "stories" per se.....just filler stuff. John & Marlena are not back together yet. One was baby sitting, and the other happened to come by. So both stayed and took care of Arianna. We do know John is working on getting back with Marlena. But that is a small story/filler, right now, same as Brady & Melanie and whether to date or not. Just a time filler. In my opinion.
 
When Sonny was talking to John and Marlena, John said something ( I have to go back and watch again to tell exactly) but he said something about them being back together. I agree alot is filler, but why have so much filler? Maybe I am just odd lol, but I find it hard to care about most of the goings ons.
 
Sonny can think all he wants that they are back together. Both John and Marlena just smiled. Sonny may have assumed just because he came back and found them both there. When he left, only Marlena was there.
 
Guess I missed the part of where only Marlena was there ( what day was that? ). I know on New Years she was there and John dropped by, didn't know that was the case again this time, too.
 
That's probably because Marlena's townhouse is now Paul's, Clyde's and Serena's hotel rooms; also, the hotel room where Hope and Aiden go to for their afternoon delight. Since Marlena no longer has a house, John has to "run into her" at other people's homes instead of dropping by to see her at her own place. :rolleyes:
 
It seems that a lot of those you posted are kind of intertwined, and rather than many small stories, are all part of a larger picture. That said, yup, many storylines airing right now. And to be honest, I can't seem to find any besides Hope & Aiden that are really appealing.
 
I can't disagree with your point although I disagree with your mathematics. Jeannie T/the foetus/Brady/Melanie are one story, Clyde/Jordan/Rafe/Victor are one story, and Serena/Eric/Nicole/Daniel/Jennifer are all one story.

This is what we were saying in another thread - the failure of the writers to plan for the departure of their main couple [:sick:], so they're throwing a bucket of darts at the wall and hoping a few stick on the board.

The problem isn't a problem of quantity (too much, in this case), but of quality. All of these stories either A) Stink out loud; B) are based on sudden character changes; C) focus too heavily on newbie characters; or D) involve outlandish villainy or improbable plot-twists. (And several of them have more than one issue.)

I'll agree with Poirot that John/Marlena are a footnote for these hacks, not a story. They should be a story. (But that's an issue for another thread.)

Talented writers could actually handle this many stories, again, whether we agree on the division or not. (GH's writers are currently doing it.) I will however also blame the ridiculous production limitations (sets, wardrobe, the one-take rule, the taping schedule) for some of the problems. They're too much in a rush to really think about what they're doing. (Not that I think they would if they had additional time.)
 
Re: John and Marlena, I think it's just supposed to be implied that they are back together. They're obviously a D - story. I mean this was only perhaps the third or fourth time we've seen them together since John returned to Salem. Just an aside, but Poirot I'm confused about your comment about John leaving and Marlena being alone? Was that in reference to Christmas when John showed up while Marlena was babysitting Arianna? Because today John and Marlena left Sonny's together and went to TBD for coffee.

Anyway, as to the topic at hand, I agree the story lines are too choppy. Writing good umbrella stories are what make soaps great. Sure, there can be lots of little subplots going on and a couple isolated stories but having things all interwoven keeps viewers watching. Everything at Days feels so disjointed right now. It's no wonder the ratings have tanked.
 
Sparkster said:
Re: John and Marlena, I think it's just supposed to be implied that they are back together. They're obviously a D - story. I mean this was only perhaps the third or fourth time we've seen them together since John returned to Salem. Just an aside, but Poirot I'm confused about your comment about John leaving and Marlena being alone? Was that in reference to Christmas when John showed up while Marlena was babysitting Arianna? Because today John and Marlena left Sonny's together and went to TBD for coffee.

Anyway, as to the topic at hand, I agree the story lines are too choppy. Writing good umbrella stories are what make soaps great. Sure, there can be lots of little subplots going on and a couple isolated stories but having things all interwoven keeps viewers watching. Everything at Days feels so disjointed right now. It's no wonder the ratings have tanked.
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I agree with you about the show being disjointed. That is the biggest issue in my opinion. The show is poorly edited and has all these different storylines going on that may or may not make sense. The transitions are awful, the sets are overused and take away credibility from good storylines and the pacing is awful. For example in 1 episode, we'll see Jordan in every scene, sometimes twice, while we see John and Marlena for less than 5 minutes in the span of an hour.
 
That was around New Years. I am sure Marlena has went home between now and then. Nothing today showed her coming there alone, nor Sonny leaving her there alone. Today first showed the 3 coming out of the bedroom. What day showed Sonny leaving Marlena there alone?
 
I think the amount of stories going on is fine, there's just not enough time being spread out to each story and a lot of time is being wasted on the same characters having the same conversation in a different location. the hope and aiden story has been going on for almost a year now and they still get less time than the some of the filler.
another problem is we haven't been given much of a reason to care about some of these stories
why did nikky sneak into serenas room? it makes her look a little crazy why not just wait until after she finds out that serena is up to something?

theresa knew she was pregnant for half a day before her fetus was taken so we never really got to know how she would feel being a mother

I don't know how marlena and john got past the issues that happened thanks to kristen but somehow they did....off screen

i wish this show wouldn't use patterned wall paper when they know they have to use that set for different things.

i don't even really know what to think about joan, jordan, tammysue
 
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