LoveMyDaytimeSoaps

On 6/16/2022 at 6:58 AM, will81 said:

I'd say with Y&R there is more to the story. In 80-81 most or all the core characters were onscreen, definitely by 1981 all the Brooks sisters, Stu, Liz and the Foster kids were on canvas and had story.

In late 81 both Pamela Solow (Peggy) and Wings Hauser (Greg#3) left the show and Greg was recast and Peggy was supposed to be recast but wasn't. Howard McGillan (Greg #4) just didn't work, I'd say in large part because Howard seemed slightly more like Jim Houghton's Greg and Wings had a method actor vibe to him, though he mostly seemed a little over wrought all the time. You can't turn back the clock and it seems Howard barely appeared except as a supporting character to Jill and sometimes Chris. He probably stopped appearing by July 1982.

In spring 1982, David Hasselhoff (Snapper#2) left for good and recasting Snapper wasn't going to be easy and I don't blame the show for not trying. Next Jaime-Lyn Bauer (Lorie) left, another one who couldn't really be replaced. Next Lynn Topping (Chris#2) was let go, it made little sense for Chris to stick around when Snapper was gone, though Bell tried. Although considering they let Lynn go in 1980 without a recast, I don't think he tried too hard. I liked Lynn, not sure Bell was as invested.

That left Deborah Adair (Jill#3) and Victoria Mallory (Leslie#2). Bell tried to link them to new families, for Jill this was dynamite as she worked in the newly formed and already popular Abbott family. The Laurence family didn't gel and he let them loose and then dropped the axe on Leslie. I honestly don't think Bell was as inspired by Victoria Mallory as he had been Janice Lynde and I think it was harder to make Leslie work without Lorie with Victoria in the role. He tied the two together too much. I found Lynde seemed to hold as much onscreen power as Jaime-Lyn and I think Bell would have had her and Lorie sharing the spotlight more. I feel under Victoria, Leslie was a supporting player to Lorie. 

Stu would go six months later and Liz a few years later. 

I think Bell would have kept his core families, but it was getting harder and harder for him to maintain interest as original actors left and recasts left or didn't work out. I also think he created the Abbotts because JLB was going and he had a very fractured set of original core characters and needed a stronger foundation. Bell always said the show was more important than anything else, no actor, character or writer was above it. I think he did what he had to do to help the show survive. 

 

I want the Brooks and Fosters back! The next generation of them would be refreshing. And the writers looking back at how masterful Bill Bell was when writing those characters back then. The way he wrote them and integrated them amongst other characters, families, and storylines. I like YR but right now, they are just not as entertaining. And the thing is there are characters and elements there that could definitely give it that fire. But I would love to see both of these families (Brooks and Fosters) revived!

On 6/13/2022 at 8:46 AM, Paul Raven said:

One important factor for core families is the generational aspect. New younger family members are needed as the years go by. 

But on the flipside, writers don't want to saddle characters with too many children.

Some examples

AW The Matthews

Pat was given twins, who were rapidly SORASED born in 1970 teens by 75 and dropped, never seen again.

Russ had no children despite 4 marriages (later retconned)

Alice adopted Sally (who was killed off)

Susan had no children (later retconned with adopted daughter Julia who was killed off)

Bill had no children (a stepson Ricky, who was never used0

So not really much there to build upon.

The characters they might have used (the Randolph twins, Ricky were never used ,despite potential)

When there was a a renewed interest in the late 80's, Russ returned and given a daughter Josie, but he was dropped and her lineage as a Matthews was pretty much ignored.

I loved AW! How I wish that they would have revived the Matthews family when it was on. It needed to happen. The Matthews family was a very integral part to the show and they had so much history. Writers should have been weaving them back into the fabric of the show. Josie as a Matthews should have been more prevalent.

I'm definitely going to have to watch this interview! These were writers at their best. This is what soaps lack now, writing with heart, writing that makes sense, and writers that know how to build stories that have long lasting affects, feels, emotions, incorporates old and new characters, and builds new history while building on the old. They knew how to create and develop characters as well as enhance the characters already on the show. So I am excited to listen to this later on. I feel this way about writers like Sheri Anderson (Days of Our Lives) and Donna Swajeski (Another World, 1988-1992). There are many other writers who I feel got it right and understood without a doubt how to write great, entertaining soap opera. I hope he does some more interviews with other past writers who really understood the craft and genre!

Both shows sound AWFUL! I love all of my soaps that are on, but they are just not doing them justice or right anymore. These sweeps/spoilers are terrible. Nothing about any of them sound interesting and actually boring and somewhat repetitive. They all lack romance, great pairings, family, adventure, and scandal. 

7 hours ago, Marlenaphan said:

There are plenty of younger people who’d like to write for soaps but the soaps want people with experience. Part of the low budget soap era we are in.

Which is why one would think that the soaps and even networks would be reaching out or trying to bring in young, struggling writers! Especially since we are in the low budget soap era. My problem also stems from the fact the networks continuously are making money from multiple avenues and could give their soaps more money towards their budget. Everyone has a responsibility!