"You do realize that everything you criticized above is, in fact, the writing"
You do realize that the writers were hired to write for a certain genre? And even though the writers write it one way, a director can shape it to be something else. And that some NBC executive had to greenlight the idea that this show would be more "One Life To Live" and less "30 Rock" or "Glee."
They didn't even try for a "Mad Men" evening drama tone. They intentionally went for soap opera and it didn't work. That's why Season 2 lost Ellis and the Indian boyfriend and Ivy trying to commit suicide because the drama went too far into melodrama.
If anyone ever tells you that you put too much Parmesan cheese on your pasta, stop talking to them. You don't need that kind of negativity in your life.