Cruising Soaps

I thought it would never end.

Do we have any feedback on Dan? I am not familiar with him.

That has to be one of the worst outfits in years.

Why the Ron & Janice Team-Up WorksJanice doesn't just know the history; she’s actively been writing it for over 30 years. She has the institutional memory of the show's golden years, but she’s still very much in the game. If you put them together, they balance each other out perfectly: Ron brings the structure and energy: He is a master at keeping a daily show moving, making sure the pacing doesn't drag, and creating huge, calendar-event climaxes (like November Sweeps) that get people talking. Janice brings the heart and the logic: She would act as the ultimate guardrail. If Ron pitches a wild, fast-paced twist that feels too "campy" or out-of-character for a Newman or an Abbott, Janice is the one who says, "Victor would never do that, and here is 30 years of continuity to prove why." She can ground his high-concept ideas in classic Genoa City emotional reality. It gives the network the flashy "splash" hire they want to generate buzz, while ensuring the long-time fans get the deep character respect and slow-burn relationship focus they've been missing. It honors the Bill Bell legacy without expecting the retired legends to do the heavy lifting.

I think Kay Alden is retired. Kay is 79. Leah and Jean are retired along with Sally. Maria use to write for Y&R but her stuff was not that great. You are spot on, and that is the absolute, harsh reality of the daytime writing pool right now. When you actually look at the logistics, trying to pull the titans out of retirement is more of a nostalgic wish than a practical business plan. Kay Alden, Sally, Leah, and Jean have earned their retirement, and forcing a comeback rarely captures the original lightning in a bottle anyway. And you’re completely right about Maria Arena Bell’s era—while the show looked glamorous and expensive, the actual writing and pacing left a lot to be desired for long-time fans. Since the legendary guard is officially retired, fixing The Young and the Restless requires looking at who is active, capable, and actually understands how to replicate that classic, slow-burn Bill Bell formula. If we rule out the retirees, here is a more realistic, active shortlist of who could actually step into the room and turn things around: 1. The Active Student of the Game: Christopher WhitesellWhitesell is a veteran who is still very much active in the daytime world (having written for Days of Our Lives and General Hospital in recent years). Crucially, he spent time on the Y&R writing team during some of its strongest modern eras. He understands traditional, multi-generational family structures and how to balance corporate espionage with intense romance. 2. The Internal Promotion: Janice Ferri EsserIf Sony wants to maintain stability but desperately needs a script/story shift, they should look at Janice Ferri Esser. She has been writing scripts for Y&R for over thirty years. She is deeply embedded in the show's history and has written some of its most iconic, emotionally resonant episodes. Promoting a dedicated, long-time script writer to co-head writer often injects the show with immediate historical accuracy and character respect. 3. The Cross-Network Move: Ron CarlivatiThis would be a polarizing choice because Carlivati is known for high-camp, fast-paced, and wildly theatrical storytelling (One Life to Live, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives). However, he is arguably the most successful head writer currently working. If he were given the specific mandate to write a grounded, classic Y&R style show, his ability to structure complex, umbrella storylines that use the entire cast simultaneously could revitalize Genoa City's dead energy. 4. The Direct Rival Approach: Dan O'Connor or Chris Van EttenThe former co-head writers of General Hospital proved they know how to handle a massive ensemble cast, legacy characters, and deep-seated mob/corporate rivalries. Transitioning their pacing style over to CBS could bring back the high-stakes tension that the Newman vs. Abbott rivalry desperately needs. If Sony ignores the veterans and goes with a complete outsider, do you think a modern prime-time drama writer could capture the daytime magic, or is soap writing too specific of a beast?

This is what Google Gemini said- The timing of this news couldn't be wilder—it literally just broke today, and the daytime community is buzzing. With Josh Griffith officially stepping down, Sony and CBS have a massive opportunity to shift the creative direction of Genoa City. To bring back that classic Young and the Restless magic—the slow-burn, character-driven storytelling, the grand family dynasties, and the deep psychological stakes that William J. Bell mastered—you can’t just hire a generic soap writer. You need someone who understands the unique DNA of the show. If I were holding the checkbook, here are the top writers I would try to lure into the head writer chair to restore the show's golden era: 1. The Ultimate Dream: Kay AldenIf you want "classic Y&R," you go straight to the source. Kay Alden worked side-by-side with Bill Bell for nearly three decades and served as head writer from 1998 to 2006. She knows the history, the pacing, and the voices of characters like Victor, Nikki, Jack, and Sharon better than anyone else alive. The Pitch: Bring her out of retirement—or install her as a head writing consultant/mentor paired with a strong breakdown writer—to restore the foundational rules of Genoa City. 2. The Purist: Sally Sussman MorinaSally Sussman has a deep, innate respect for the Bill Bell style. When she had a brief stint as head writer in 2016–2017, she explicitly focused on fixing the show's pacing, anchoring stories back around the core Abbott and Newman families, and restoring the legendary long-tail storytelling format. The Pitch: Give her full creative autonomy to strip away the short-term, flashy plot gimmicks and return to the rich, multi-layered family boardroom and bedroom politics. 3. The Legacy Choice: Maria Arena BellAs Bill Bell's daughter-in-law, Maria Arena Bell helmed the show from 2008 to 2012. While her tenure had its critics, nobody can deny her commitment to the visual prestige, grand scale, and historical legacy of the series. She understood that Y&R should feel like a premium, glamorous daytime novel. The Pitch: Bring her back to infuse the show with that high-society elegance and deep respect for long-standing character dynamics that it has been missing lately. 4. The Left-Field Veteran: Leah Laiman or Jean PassananteIf the network wants a seasoned veteran who hasn’t run Y&R recently but deeply respects traditional daytime structure, look at writers who thrived in the 90s and 2000s soap boom. Someone who focuses heavily on emotional stakes and authentic character voices rather than rapid-fire plot twists. Who from the show's history do you think has the best handle on the characters right now?

And somehow Diane is found? What is she in Fairmount?

So the tornado makes them both in Genoa City and whatever town BTG is in?

Maybe with a lesser workload, he can really concentrate on the writing? I am hoping this will help. (Hoping)

oh and Brandon Beemer, and young Brian Bloom!

Joshua Morrow always and still does it for me. But damn Y&R in the 90's... Shermar Moore, Scott Reeves, Eddie Cibrian, Tony Viscardi, whhoeew

I just want to see Phyllis win once. She needs just to have the one great victory. She can celebrate the win, but then everything comes down crashing. She just needs that one win.

I asked AI to create their own logo but gave it pictures of past logos to come up with a logo.

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