Another Sick Reminder of What Should Have Been

Noah & Julia's 1996 Wedding Guest (L to R): Eileen Herlie, Michael Nader, Susan Lucci, Socorro Santiago, Raul Davila, Darlena Tejeiro and Catherine Gardner

This week's Soap Opera Digest featured a look back at some of Daytime's classic weddings. Representing the citizens of Pine Valley was Noah Keefer (Keith Hamilton Cobb) and Julia Santos' (Sydney Penny) 1996 nuptials at Wildwind.

Oh Esensten and Brown, you sure knew how to ruin a good thing. Wasting Penny's talent is just another thing on your long list of sins.

Writer's Report Card

With James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten on their way out, let's take a look back at the beginning of their tenure. TV Guide Canada's Nelson Branco did an awesome preliminary interview with them HERE.

Breaking News: Brown & Esensten team let go, Pratt set as replacement

Former Co-Headwriter of the Emmy Award Winning Writing team at ABC's General Hospital Charles Pratt, jr. is slated to take over as headwriter of All My Children from James Harmon Brown and Barbara Esensten.

For all the information, go to SON. For the dish, stay here.

Brown & Esensten's run was met with mixed reviews. It was earmarked by a large cast restructuring including walking papers for Brent Weber (ex-Sean), Jeff Branson (ex-Jonathan) and now Sydney Penny (soon to be ex-Julia). Storylines were left dangling with these sudden departures, many of which were never explained onscreen. The Martin attic has never been fuller.

A gem from their run has to be the return of Debbi Morgan and Darnell Williams as Angie and Jesse Hubbard. There storyline received much mainstream coverage and kept long time fans very happy. Still, the program felt very disjointed. The Jesse and Angie story seemed like a whole other show. The canvas always seemed split.

Pratt took over General Hospital and rejuvenated its writing after Megan McTavish's critically panned run in 2002. He has since moved on, consulting for many primetime series including uber hit Desperate Housewives.

Let's hope Pratt has the ability to bring the show back to its greatness. There are glimmers of hope today with all the history being used to drive Jesse and Angie's story. I hope he recognizes that and continues with that theme.