Steamboat: First Impressions

I just finished watching the premiere episodes of the latest web series "Steamboat," written by former Guiding Light star Michael O' Leary (ex-Rick). This is completely different than the online projects other soap stars have created because it is not a soap. It is a satirical look at the world of soaps as they exist today. Only the first two episodes have been posted on youtube so far and since each one runs less than ten minutes long, it is difficult to predict the show's success or failure. However I think that soap fans, and Guiding Light fans in particular, will at the very least enjoy seeing their favorite stars in these comedic roles. Michael Park (Jack, ATWT) and Beth Chamberlin (ex-Beth, GL) seem especially suited for this type of comedy, as does O' Leary. And overall I think this show possesses all the elements it needs to accumulate a significant following. The production quality is good and it features a talented, well-rounded cast who seem to work well together, but I'll let you decide. Check out the first two episodes, along with a season 1 teaser at http://www.youtube.com/user/SteamboatSeries and see if you think "Steamboat" can gather enough um, steam, to be a success.

Comments

10 Ways General Hospital Could Improve

I doubt if I'm alone in saying that there is a lot wrong with General Hospital these days. While it continues to be one of my favorite soaps there are many changes I would make immediately if I had the power. Below is a list of the top ten suggestions I have for the way the show could improve. 1. The Claire/Sonny storyline needs to be dropped. It isn't working. Their conversations are boring and the context of their relationship is, well...icky. 2. Amp up Lisa's craziness. Despite my earlier distaste for a Robin/Patrick/Lisa triangle, the obsessed ex-girlfriend angle is working. It's interesting and very soapy. 3. Ronnie needs to be established as either a cop with a chip on his shoulder or someone who works for Franco. So far I haven't been able to tell whether Ronnie falls more on the side of good or bad because this character hasn't been clearly defined. 4. Brenda's life away from Port Charles and the people that surround it need to become an int...

Darkness and Light: GH

Like many General Hospital fans, I watch the show everyday in a blissful state of denial, never acknowledging the fact that Sonny and Jason are criminals. I find it easy to denounce Mac when he is urging Maxie to stay away from Spinelli, and I cheer for Diane whenever she keeps someone from the Corinthos organization from going to prison. However, as I watched the events of the week unfold, knowing that they were inevitably going to lead to Dante's shooting, my rose-colored glasses came off and I quickly snapped back to reality. I found myself repulsed watching Jason standing in the church during Josslyn's christening, knowing that he had just signed Dante's death certificate without giving it a second thought. I was even repulsed by Spinelli, whose detective work set everything into motion. Moreover, I was sickened by his cavalier attitude regarding Dante's imminent demise, and the fact that he never showed an ounce of remorse or regret until Maxie told him that Lulu h...

Crazy Loves Company: GH

If ever there was a storyline or a character over utilized it would be the saga of Lisa Niles. I am both mentally and physically exhausted by the constant back and forth between Lisa & Robin, Lisa & Patrick, Robin & Patrick, and Robin & everyone else. Now new doctor Terrell has been thrown into the mix as another man powerless against Lisa's charms. It is difficult enough at this point to watch Lisa create a path of destruction all by herself, but now that she has help I'm not sure I have the energy to watch any more of her schemes. Lisa had the potential to be an intriguing soap villain; and for a while it seemed like she may have had the potential to be a redeemable villain (see Miss Diagnosis ). However her crazy behavior as well as the motivation behind this behavior is too much to grasp, particularly for someone who supposedly passed her psych evaluation at Shady Brook. Moreover it doesn't make sense that she could talk someone like Terrell into helping...

Paula's Soapbox

Search This Blog