Paul Raven

That set/budget issue is crippling the show. Still doesn't explain how random sets sometimes appear. Smart writers/producers should have scaled back on the business stories and let Jabot be the main business. Jack/Kyle/Ashley/Lily/Billy/Abby etc could all be working there. That business has history with the show and far more relatable than some media company that we have no idea of what they do and seems to change direction and leadership every few months.

Still can't get my head around Heather who was born in 79 and Daniel in 94 are now the same age and involved.

Not only are the stories suspect in the first place but the execution adds nothing. GC's lone policeman turns up by himself to execute a search of a tiny hotel room that we see repeatedly used by various characters. To me the dreary stories coupled with cheapjack production is hard to watch.

Brandon Beemer B&B, Days, GH Patrika Darbo Y&R, B&B, GH, Days

Weren't Nick and Adam involved in a similar story with Sage a few years back?

So much interesting stuff. Seems like Josh is happy to give CBS what they want. Hence the bland, dreary stories that don't really lead anywhere.

Barbara Crampton Days, B&B, Y&R KT Stevens GH, Days, Y&R Joe Mascolo Days, GH, B&B Billy Warlock Days, GH,Y&R Roberta Leighton Y&R GH Days

I also am one of the people who enjoyed Donna Reed. She was a different Miss Ellie, but you knew that when you cast her. She did the best she could in a horrible position. I'm glad Dorothy Malone turned them down, but the fact that those are the types of actresses they were going for, shows they wanted to take the character in a new direction. I kinda get the logic of going in a different direction when recasting. But Miss Ellie was never a glamor puss and to have Donna Reed all dolled up was just jarring. i always thought Hope Lange might have worked. She's a fine actress and physically more like Barbara. Naturally she would bring new elements to the character but it might have been easier to take.

Lynn Wood Days, Y&R, GH Michael Gregory Days, Y&R, GH Lilyan Chauvin Y&R, Days, GH, B&B

Scott Palmer Dass Joshua Y&R Tim B&B Dr Cannon GH ? pre Days

i have no doubt that each soap has kept an eye on what the competition is up to and planned storypoints to counterprogram. Some things I can recall off hand Way back in 65 or 66 ATWT had a lavish (for the time) wedding for David and Ellen, the culmination of years of story for those two. It happened at the same time that ABC was making a big push into daytime by scheduling Ben Casey reruns up against ATWT. CBS made sure that any viewers tempted to watch Ben would want to miss that wedding. In 82 when Capitol debuted, OLTL had a plot including locations in Washington to satisfy any viewers interested in Washington intrigue. When Irna Phillips was ready to debut A World Apart, SFT had Jo in an accident and hovering b/w life and death on the Friday before. Irna sent them a message of congratulations for timing that plot to ensure viewers stuck with Search.

Ian Buchanan Days, GH, B&B Tristan Rogers, GH, Y&R, B&B Marla Adams Mildred GH, Dina Y&R, Claire Days, Beth B&B

Robert Clary was on Days, B&B and Y&R. Peter Brown was on Days, B&B and Y&R The late, great Darlene Conley Days Warden Edith Baker,, Y&R Rose DeVille, B&B Sally Spectra, GH Trixie Vernee Watson-Johnson Y&R,GH,Days

After Brenda left, Bill should have rested Ashley for a year or two rather then have a 3rd recast immediately.

Totally agree with that, but Steven needed to be given more agency. I recall him being pretty bland and just there. Then Bill went with the crazy Leanna angle to provide some drama. Fair enough, but Leanna was pretty cartoony. A more nuanced story about a troubled patient could have been fascinating. Killing off Steven just seemed random because Eileen was leaving. Maybe Brenda could have been tested with Rod and more story written for them.

I can't honestly answer, because I'm not 100% familiar with the SAG scale for extras. But it seems like each extra is about $1,000 per day. If you book him for 3 days, you can get him for about $2,600. If you book him for the whole week, he's about $3,500. Found some info from SAG/AFTRA 2014 so obviously things may have changed since then, although I'd wager not much. Background Performers – Hour Program Minimum scale program fee – effective: 11/18/12 No additional increases. $150 Additional Day Fee - $96.00 Length of work day - 9 hours plus a 1 hour meal period. Hourly overtime rate - First two hours of overtime $17.00 an hour third and each successive hour of overtime $22.00 an hour. So let's say an extra is now earning $250 a day. Five Lines or Less – Hour Program Minimum scale program fee – effective: 11/16/14 11/16/15 11/16/16 $429 $440 $451 Additional Day Fee - $170.00 Length of work day - 9 hours plus a 1 hour meal period. Hourly overtime rate - First two hours of overtime $29.00 an hour third and each successive hour of overtime $38.00 an hour. U/5 might now be earning $500 Newbies like Alison Lanier are probably earning around $1500 an episode I would guess based on a figure of $1038 in 2016.

Lauren receives a Lifetime Achievement Award in Fashion (Failures) Can't wait to see what she's wearing. Will she be squeezed into one of her 'exec by day, hooker by night' outfits?

In the current SOD Bryton states he's wanted a Devon/Abby coupling for a decade. Also in a 'Wishes for 2023' round up he hopes for better stories than last year. Ouch! Hopes Josh doesn't read that.

Jessie's brother is mentioned. Does he have a name? Years later her niece and nephew come to stay. Are they this brother's children? Seems Jessie was offscreen for a while. I recall reading about a time time that Emily was suffering from exhaustion and was hospitalized. Perhaps at this time?

Ashley's marriages to Steven, Blade and Cole were pointless. Although Steven I could buy as it was a roadblock to her her being with Victor, but he really was a nothing character. There could have been way more story with that marriage. Blade could have been a romance but Cole and Ashley should never have happened. A lot of characters break up after the first problem instead of them trying to work through it and having the issues in the background to come into play later on.

there really hasn't been one but Kyle for example should be as Jack's son. The situation regarding his birth and upbringing, his feelings about being an Abbott,his business acumen or lack thereof, relationship with his dad and aunts etc should be clearly defined and explored But he comes across as a fairly basic nice guy. I like Michael Mealor and feel he could rise to the occasion if he was given more to work with. We've had Fen,Ana, Imani, Ashland etc who all had tremendous potential but ended up being dropped to focus on the life and times of Phyllis.

Thanks for finding that. I wish they did that more often. Of course, with some of the histories some characters have had, they could be referencing stuff in every scene. And some things are better left forgotten. But there should be more references, like the one above. that flow naturally. It feels like they care and acknowledge that a lot of viewers have been there for years and remember this stuff.

The budget situation at Y&R makes no sense. For some reason Crimson Lights and Society never have customers. CL has an extra as a waiter and Society is allowed 2 staff. Jabot, Newman and Newman media have no staff. Remember when there would be a secretary at a desk, someone handing Victoria a report,or some staff members chatting in a corridor? Devon should have a personal assistant, Mrs Martinez should be spotted once in a while etc Glum Club seems to have a couple of people hovering around (sometimes) No under 5's or day players with occasional exceptions and a different set also on rare occasions. it's embarassing. I don't expect twenty, but maybe 2 extras. Let's say there's a scene at Crimson Lights. Have a customer behind the main characters at a table chatting to the waiter, who then moves across set to the counter. Customer #2 enters and talks to waiter and then sits down at another table. Waiter can move around , delivering those orders, maybe clearing another table. All this business in the background gives the impression of a working business, especially if choreographed well. How much would 2 extras cost - $ 500 ?

There is something seriously wrong with the financials if that is the case. But they keep writing scenes at communal spaces and making it obvious by having wide shots.

By the time the 90's rolled around, you had remnants of the Bauer, Reardon, Lewis, Shayne , Spaulding and Cooper families on the canvas, so it was a wonder that anything cohesive made it onscreen. Introducing 4 new families in a decade was not in the best interests of the show.