923 replies to this topic

[y&r_fan]

I'll go first:

B&B
- While not perfect, the show is currently in the best shape it's been in since 2003.

Y&R
- Genie Francis is terrific as Genevieve Atkinson. I know she wasn't well liked in her first few months on her show, but I'm currently watching June 2011 episodes and I LOVE her campy take on the character, despite the overall wretchedness of the storyline. Although I never saw Francis on GH, so I don't have that to compare it to. I'd love to see her on B&B in a Sally Spectra/Jackie Marone type role.
- Phyllis is one of very few characters to actually flourish under MAB (save for the Lucy custody madness). And of course, I still consider La Stafford to be the best actress in daytime.
- Maura West was AT LEAST as miscast as Diane as Shari Shattuck was as Ashley.

[beebs]

DAYS:

As much as I hate the town square set (it's 10x worse than GL's Main Street now, I mean, Brady and Madison having a romantic dinner with champagne served in a glorified shopping mall hallway? Come on!), I do NOT find DAYS to be that boring right now. It's not the hilarious stupidity of Higley, but it's really finding its feet now, and I think Lisa DeCazotte has really helped make everything gel. I can tell already the difference between her episodes and Maxam's.

I actually like Taniel and Melanie. Always have, can't put my finger on why.

[darraholic]

DAYS:

-I really like Gabi. It's just the writing hasn't been great for her. I think she could be the strongest out of the three girls.

-Marlena & John are a horrible couple. I love the characters when they're not together.

-I can't stand Eric Martsolf as Brady. In fact, I've never cared for the character.

-I don't mind the Horton Town Square. Yes, it's over used, but it's better than the damn crime ridden Pier.

-Victor & Maggie are an awful pairing.

-I'm all for John & Hope.

[CarlD2]

- Genie Francis is terrific as Genevieve Atkinson. I know she wasn't well liked in her first few months on her show, but I'm currently watching June 2011 episodes and I LOVE her campy take on the character, despite the overall wretchedness of the storyline. Although I never saw Francis on GH, so I don't have that to compare it to. I'd love to see her on B&B in a Sally Spectra/Jackie Marone type role.

Even the show has totally rewritten her character. Unless Genie can play a whiny victim it seems that no one is interested.

[CarlD2]

As for mine:

I don't think Will's coming out story has been all that well written or acted.

I don't think FV and RC can "save" a show, and I think much of the praise for them is based on press hype, not on their work (although I do think FV is good at working on a budget).

I don't think Steffy/Liam/Hope is some incredible triangle or that Steffy is this incredible character. I mostly just see waterlogged echoes of the better past.

[JaneAusten]

FV and RC are not worth all the hype they get

Brad Bell despite the sometime schizo writing on B&B is the best showrunner in daytime primarily because he does seem to love and have passion for his show

On line buzz and hype does not necessarily equal whats popular or best for soaps

Ken Corday is a bigger liar than Brian Frons

Melody Thomas Scott is the most undervaled actor on any soap today

Billy Miller is the most overrated actor on soaps

Steve Burton needs to retire from acting

Edited by JaneAusten, 21 February 2012 - 11:27 PM.

[CarlD2]

Melody Thomas Scott is the most undervaled actor on any soap today

Billy Miller is the most overrated actor on soaps

Steve Burton needs to retire from acting

Michael Logan is so fake IMO but I do like that he puffs up MTS, as no one else out there seems to. Her contributions to Y&R are and always have been underrated.

I think Burton retired years ago...

It's funny how you don't hear "Killer Miller" and other catchphrases anymore. Miller is just there for the $$$ and then it's time to go.

[Antoyne]

I guess mine would be that I've enjoyed the Days reboot from the start.

[EricMontreal22]

It's funny how you don't hear "Killer Miller" and other catchphrases anymore. Miller is just there for the $$$ and then it's time to go.

I really felt Miller showed a lot of potential on AMC--and was underused (I chalk some of that up to how bizarrely paced and "balanced" AMC was under B/E but while they actually did good with introducing him slowly--many, including myself, thought he was a day player when he first showed up as Krystal's bartender--they could have done a lot more with his relationship with Annie, the interesting dynamic of nobody knowing if it was he or Annie--or both--who were crazy and their deaf father, etc Then they killed him way too soon, had the lame unused twist that involving COlby and crew running him over as well, etc... I remember B/E even promised in SOD a fun story with him and Janet when they meet in the insane asylum and I swear it actually lasted about an episode and a half and then they never interacted again). But the random episodes I've seen him on Y&R have been very unconvincing, to say the least. He was ok, though he did the thing I've now seen him do in every role, on Ringer, so maybe he really simply is not trying anymore on Y&R

[CarlD2]

On Y&R the most recent actors have succeeded if they do a lot of ACTING. Michael Muhney is similar. The main difference is that he does seem to care about his character and he has chemistry with Sharon Case. Miller has anti-chemistry with his leading ladies and he doesn't seem to care about Billy (IMO), although I can't really blame him.

This whole praise for LOOK AT ME I'M ACTING has just made soaps more and more difficult to watch. Justin Deas, Tony Geary, Jonathan Jackson, Miller, Roger Howarth, Chandler Massey, etc. I miss the days of people who actually tried to play a character.

Edited by CarlD2, 22 February 2012 - 12:35 AM.

[P.J.]

Y&R is as creatively dead as GL was in it's last few godforsaken years. But at least GL had some vestiges of heart left---a sense of purpose, of community, of decency. Y&R is a worn out streetwalker, slapping on lipstick and blush and prancing like she's still queen of the avenue. And then wonders why the cars speed right on past.

[CarlD2]

Y&R is as creatively dead as GL was in it's last few godforsaken years. But at least GL had some vestiges of heart left---a sense of purpose, of community, of decency. Y&R is a worn out streetwalker, slapping on lipstick and blush and prancing like she's still queen of the avenue. And then wonders why the cars speed right on past.

I guess production values are the biggest reason many would say GL was rancid in its last years. Looking beyond that, I would say, for its many flaws, GL still had more potential than Y&R has in a number of years. It sucks that they didn't even try to pull it together (by dropping the sewage of Grady and all the rest) until the very end.

[DaytimeFan]

DAYS is absolute sh*t, the reboot has been a dismal failure, not one story has grabbed me.

Austin Peck was the superior Austin Reed, Patrick Muldoon is a washed up former pretty boy with sun damage and bad bangs who has aged horrifically.

Brad Bell is the best showrunner in daytime because he actively cares about his show.

Maura West was absolutely terrible on Y&R, poor writing on not, she was a dismal recast for Diane Jenkins.

Jill Farren Phelps is an excellent producer.

I'd prefer all the daytime soaps were cancelled, the industry is dead as it is.

Edited by DaytimeFan, 22 February 2012 - 01:24 AM.

[DeeeDee]

Y&R is as creatively dead as GL was in it's last few godforsaken years. But at least GL had some vestiges of heart left---a sense of purpose, of community, of decency. Y&R is a worn out streetwalker, slapping on lipstick and blush and prancing like she's still queen of the avenue. And then wonders why the cars speed right on past.

[darraholic]

Y&R is as creatively dead as GL was in it's last few godforsaken years. But at least GL had some vestiges of heart left---a sense of purpose, of community, of decency. Y&R is a worn out streetwalker, slapping on lipstick and blush and prancing like she's still queen of the avenue. And then wonders why the cars speed right on past.

Quote of the year.

[Days22]

Ron C. is as over rated as Hogan Sheffer.

Mardar has managed to be worse than Higley.

Ken Corday really wants to save Days he is just very incompetent.

Y&R is in the worst state a soap has ever been in writing wise. Counting GL and ATWT in its last years.

All soap writers now sell stories instead of tell stories but John Smith was the last head writer to actually tell stories.

[y&r_fan]

I have more...

B&B
- When Ridge is written as 'the voice of reason', Ronn Moss isn't half bad.
- Brandon Beemer is a terrible bore. I can't believe he has lasted as long as he has while Brad refuses to bring Sean Kanan back (and save Deacon from complete ruination on Y&R).
- I have enjoyed all three adult Rick Forresters.
- I haven't liked Felicia since Colleen Dion played her.
- The thing B&B needs more than anything else is a Sheila-esque psycho. Brad really dropped the ball by not going that route with Aggie.

Y&R
- LML's show, while far from perfect, was a thousand times more watchable than MAB's writing-wise. The music/lighting is better under MAB though.
- Some of MAB's actor hires have been absolute stinkers (West, Riegel, McCrary, Zima) but some have been fantastic (Muhney, Rylan, Driscoll, Francis, Rogers, Sean Young).
- The show is not 'unfixable'. I firmly believe a skilled HW could restore the show and make MAB/Sheffer/Hamner's dreck a distant memory, much like LML's stories are now. I don't believe any show can reach the point of 'unfixable'.

[CarlD2]

- Some of MAB's actor hires have been absolute stinkers (West, Riegel, McCrary, Zima) but some have been fantastic (Muhney, Rylan, Driscoll, Francis, Rogers, Sean Young).

It's a shame they quickly sidelined Driscoll and Rogers. The worse you are the more likely you'll stay around.

[EricMontreal22]

I fail to see how some of these are unpopular opinions I am curious about the Brad Bell love though. While I've not watched B&B regularly enough to fairly say, I do gather that he loves his show (though I think a handful of other recent HWs for soaps have too, including Ron C who I agree is vastly overated), but he seems completely unaware of his faults that have become more and more repeated and extreme. That said I guess the two things aren't mutually exclusive, and I admit that when I tune into B&B occasionally it's one of the easiest current soaps to enjoy. It's when I watch it regularly that I have issue with the way he tells story. I think he does benefit from it being 30 minutes, and would have a hard time adjusting to a longer format.

[CarlD2]

I think Brad Bell probably loves the idea of writing and producing a soap, and that's good, because MAB, Guza, RC, and many others seemed to stop caring some time ago. I don't think he is very good at it, unfortunately. No good writer - in my opinion - would have a story where a woman with Alzheimer's turns into a lunatic and is drowned by her archrival. I also can't think of one character who has been anything but damaged by his material over the years. The one who survives most is Stephanie, probably due to Susan Flannery. After that I guess you have Bill or Steffy, but these aren't really characters, they're mostly just cutouts.

Edited by CarlD2, 22 February 2012 - 02:39 AM.