This week has been a mixture of the good, the bad and the ugly.

The good: No writers' strike. It really was a soap opera cliffhanger: just minutes before a strike was to begin, the WGA agreed to new terms. According to deadline Hollywood, one of the guilds' major goals going into the talks was to hammer out a new pay formula for short-order TV shows — seasons of 10-13 episodes that have come to dominate the industry — that pay for only half of a traditional full season even though they usually take their writers off the market for a full year. To address this problem, the guilds won new provisions further expanding protections known as options and exclusivity, and new contract language that established an episodic fee for each 2.4 weeks of work. Any writing beyond that span will now require additional payments for hundreds of writer-producers, whose pay has been in decline in recent years.

The new contract also calls for a 15 percent increase in Pay TV residuals; some $15 million in increases in high-budget SVOD residuals; job protection for parental leave; and, for the first time ever, residuals for comedy-variety writers working on Pay TV shows

In a statement to their members issued shortly after the agreement was reached, guild leaders said: "Did we get everything we wanted? No. Everything we deserve? Certainly not. But because we had the near-unanimous backing of you and your fellow writers, we were able to achieve a deal that will net this guild's members $130 million more, over the life of the contract, than the pattern we were expected to accept." Just like a soap opera, there is some gloom on the horizon. Next month the actors are taking a strike vote.

The bad: The repeal of Obama Care is sickening — what makes it sicker is ABC'S decision to cut into Jane Elliot's swan song after an almost 40 year run. The news department always gets the vote when it comes to "breaking news" interruption. The network was slammed with "where is my GH?" calls.

SPOLER ALERT: Yes, Tony Geary (Luke) and Tracy have An "Affair to Remember" moment when they meet up by chance. As for "Affair to Remember," if you have seen the movi,e you know what happens. If you have not seen the flick, what are you waiting for? It is a classic.

Through the years, Rickaart, who won an Emmy for his work, has had to make one of the dumbest soap opera storylines work. His character became a thief known as the "chipmunk robber." Yes, he wore a chipmunk head while on crime sprees. The actor made it work. He also made the heartbreaking story of a man who has been abused by his father bring people to tears and understand why Kevin made such awful life choices. The actor could play light scenes, dark scenes and was not afraid to let children he worked with steal the scenes.

To find out more about Lynda Hirsch and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate webpage at www.creators.com.