Passions Problem # 2: Plot-based writing
 

You can have a show based upon two differing types of writing:

Character- based, which means that the actions of the characters are done according to character, and thus the characters progress the storyline.

or

Plot -based, which means that you think up inane 'events', and the characters have to be reconfigured to fit whatever the plot.

I think that I can seriously argue that Passions, at least in 2001, has been based on PLOT-BASED WRITING.

Which, IMO, is one of the reasons why this show is in trouble.

Time and time again, we have seen characters, and their integrity (by which I mean, certain personality traits that we believe the character is associated with, only to be thrown out, so that the character will 'fit' an insane plot device) have been sacrificed.

From Luis' badge toss and 'let's forget about it', to Hell in a Closet, to Ivy not using the Julian/Eve photos or any other Crane blackmail material....

this show has suffered because of 'Plot-based' writing.

If you want to know what I mean by Plot-based writing, it is the ENTIRE Sheridan-killed-by-her-brother plot.

Now, I will be the first to admit that Julian Crane is no saint. He's on the dark side of things. But, back when this show was CHARACTER-BASED, there were shades drawn between Julian and Alistair, and MURDER was one of the shades between them. It was clear that Alistair didn't care about murder, while it USED TO leave Julian running for his brandy, and that he was definitely uncomfortable with it.

A bad guy doesn't have to be a Saint, but, in order to remain a viable bad guy throughout the years, there MUST be a vulnerability with the bad guy. Something that the audience can point to and say: ' Yeah, I know he's bad....BUT....he won't cross THIS line. THIS is his vulnerability. THIS is his soft spot. '

Throughout soapdom, GOOD writers have always had a capability of finding the one vulnerability for the villain. Something that they loved: Palmer, Adam, Asa, Stephano, Roger, Dorian, James......ALL loved their children. It might have been obsessive, meddling and smothering, but, you KNEW that they loved their children.

Not only didn't JER have enough since to write Alistair Crane with any vulnerabilities, but, he's proceeded to take away Julian's vulnerability.

Why even DO Hidden Passions, if you weren't going to follow it? WHY even write it if those who read it can't count on it to be used towards the show. Consistency and Continuity on a show less than THREE YEARS OLD shouldn't even be QUESTIONED. It should be a GIVEN.

Why bring up Hidden Passions?

Because of the Promise Julian made to his MOTHER on her deathbed. How absolutely obscene to not only show that scene on the TV, but to have Julian cross it so obviously. How ridiculous has it been to watch Julian be stripped of his humanity. If JER wanted a cartoon, he should have hired illustrators and farmed out Passions to the Cartoon Network.

So, now, Julian not only was willing to kill his sister, but, murdering three women didn't make him blink an eye. It's positively ridiculous to waste the best actor on the show, with tripe like this.

Sheridan is dead. Ridiculous plot device, that she didn't have a scrape on her after being blown up. But, it's the insanity done because of the stupid plot-based writing that ruined this story before it began.

The question was raised to me weeks ago, and since I couldn't answer it then, it's been glaring in the overall stupidity of this storyline:

WHY HASN'T SHERIDAN FILED A MISSING PERSON'S REPORT ON HERSELF?

Yeah, she thinks that the man she loves is dead...but, she can't be sure that she doesn't have parents, siblings, CHILDREN looking for her.
So, that she's running around, on an island, and has NOT talked to ANY law enforcement about herself...is such a gap, that it makes the rest of the story as moronic as it is.

So, the stupidity of that,c oupled with all the 'near misses', as well as the insanity of Luis NEVER using Sheridan's name when talking about her at length to Liz...as well as the re-creation of the background of Shuis' relationship so that JER could do that lameass Titanic Rip-off.

Sheridan/Luis - love at first sight? Since when? I've watched since the beginning of the show, and one of the things I enjoyed about Shuis was that they GREW to love one another. We SAW them fall in love over the course of a year. So, to try and re-do that with this 'love at first sight' crap, just doesn't make it for me.

Another plot-based writing ploy that meant NOTHING as far as character development is concerned:

HELL IN A CLOSET!!

If ANYTHING should have meant a progression of the Charity/Miguel/Kay storyline, it should have been Kay losing her soul and bringing Hell to Harmony.

What did we get?

NOTHING.

NADA.

Not ONE fundamental change in any of the primary characters involved. It was, simply, a waste of time.

Warlock Island?

Plot device.

What happened to Charity's promise to the tree?

Gone the way of everything that has been involved with this wretched storyline, and continues to point out the NON-Movement of the story.

Time and time again; character was sacrificed for plot. And, Passions has suffered because of it.