Thanks for the inclusion Anthony of these bits. Ordinarily hearing that underwhelming performers are being let go would be cause for celebration, but any fan under the current regime knows that any replacements will likely be even more tepid than those that they are replacing, and will be written to death even if they are not DOA based on their acting skills.

I had read that both Agim and Peck were being let go. The latter surprised me at first, but given this regime's apparent desire not to make ANY of their couples shine too much, even a Peck exit would mean business as usual. This show finally gets rid of Sofie and gives the audience toothy Spencer.... What were they thinking in terms of casting and the story itself?

Goutman has become known for casting buddies, firing actors who don't play according to his increasingly narrow rules, and esp. for leaving doors open for his buds irrespectively of merit. Agim Kaba for a second round? And then there is the new "Dusty" show as it appears that Greyson got all scared after being jobless for 8 month and since he's said to be tight with Goutman's son (as is apparently the case with Kaba too), Dusty comes back from the dead.

With regard to the Jade and Maddie characters, I'd love to see Jade's original portrayer but she had a spark in her eye so she does not stand a chance. As per TV Guide Canada, Maddie's original portrayer just got cast in show by the guy who spearheads Gossip Girl, so it looks like she'd would not be available even if they wanted her. It's too bad as both of the original portrayers were great irrespectively of the bad material that they got. I would want Maddie for the not so new Casey and for Luke to have some friends. The same applies to his cousin Jade

I am amazed that this show, which is almost always second to last in the most prized 18-34's, does not make significant changes at the top rather than let the current team play musical chairs with bad actors and even worse writing. Guillermo's Media Guillotine: Entertainment, journalism, politics, and popular culture.

http://springintoaction.typepad.com

So we are tortured with the never-ending-story of PEG and the lovely botoxed beauty of Carly (who apparently is envied by all the overweight middle-aged women who are the shows major supporters).  I have almost given up on Nuke but also on the Nuke fanatics who don't want the s/l to go anywhere but a sex-show  - but apparently haven't figured out where things will go from there. PLOP.

I agree with you about the PEG torture and I'd add Dusty to the equation. If only PEG would light itself on fire and jump of a cliff.... For reasons that are truly beyond my understanding, this annoying duo (which seems to now be hated by most fans) seems to have more lives than James Stenbeck. Not only do I find them almost repulsive, but they are always front and center with almost not a single variation in their "I am crazy" / "I am stupid" antics. As of his last contract, Paul's portrayer was the HIGHEST paid performer on the show and the only one who did not take a pay cut when all the others did. If you've watched for a while, you may remember the Craig and Paul in their British Columbia shenanigans. Paul fell over a cliff yet again. Well the actor stuck to his guns, Goutman give him the cash, and those flaring nostrils survived yet another day. UGH!

I gave up on Nuke eons ago as they have always bored me. They had two hot moments and I found Luke to be so much more fun before the writers got him what they call a bf. Since they are never on, I barely even consider them part of the show. Of course we know that the viewers like them, but again mismanagement keeps them off the canvas all of the time with the exception of their non-serialized one day "events." Luke and Noah go to party. Well not really. Homophobes attack. Noah tells Luke to chill and not do whatever he intends to do. Luke gets hurt. Noah runs.

But let's talk about Carly ;-) While I am neither overweight nor a middle-age woman (I'll check again later just to make sure), if it were not for her portrayer Maura West, I would have finally abandoned this mess of a show without looking back. I loved her fire and how she cut a few corners to try to get her way. She failed most of the time, but she was always getting into fun trouble. These show-runners have made even watching her unbearable. In their morality on acid hour, her character has been getting spanked over and over again in such a way that I wish that she'd take the initiative to leave the show as I could finally hit the road too.

I am down to watching the show in about 10 minutes of PEG/Dusty/lame plot of the day take up all of the show. These days the only character that find endearing no matter what crap they hand him is Casey. His portrayer is a star.

Passanante and Goutman seem to have perpetuity clauses in their contracts as not a single week goes by in which another less tragic show is making changes to try and get its house in order. Whether it's the highest rated show (Y&R) or the most watched by the most prized viewers (DOOL - which amazes me as that show seems so out of every radar), huge changes keep coming, while ATWT chugs along with lower than low demos with the most important viewers and the scorn of the daytime media.

It's so easy to point fingers and we tend to do it too often, but this dreadful duo is the only constant in a show that was second to none in character development with actors who used to earn Tonys on Broadway while working on the show.

If only they'd cancel they show as I've watched it for so long that it's the only show that I ever remember not liking and I keep finding my way back to it. It's like I am Sofie or something.... Guillermo's Media Guillotine: Entertainment, journalism, politics, and popular culture.

http://springintoaction.typepad.com

I totally agree with what's been said, it's totally time that we get some new writing blood in ATWT! Some of the things that have been going on lately I just don't get. And like you said, I'd also love to see Jade come back but only if Magen Goode plays her.

As for Spencer we only have to deal with her for another 11 weeks or so, the actor playing her won InTurns, an online CBS reality show with the prize being a 13 week contract on the show.