B&B: NEW WRITERS AND NEW EP!!

[arcibaldo]

I hope, because bradley needs help

I like more B&B

Andrea

[WTGH]

Where have they worked before?

Should I be happy?

[jpoliver78]

That is completely correct...

"Y&R" is produced by the Bells and Sony.

"B&B" is produced by the Bells.

"ATWT" and "GL" are produced by Proctor & Gamble.

(ABC is the network that "owns" all of their soaps; NBC "owns" "Passions".)

CBS Vice-President of Daytime Programming, Barbara Bloom (herself a former head writer) wields tremendous influence on "Y&R", "ATWT" and "GL". "B&B" reportedly enjoys a larger degree of autonomy (for whatever reasons).

A more likely scenario, as already mentioned, would be Bloom and CBS likely excerting pressure for Bell to accept a co-head writer and possibly ceding power to a new executive producer while giving Bell a new title/job, such as "senior executive producer" (a title his father held at "Y&R"). This way, CBS gets some new blood on the "B&B" set while keeping Bell happy and with a slightly reduced degree of power and influence over the soap.

[juppiter]

B&B has a huge international market (although everyone I talked to in Italy this summer HATED it) so it's not surprising to me that CBS has little influence over the show. It has more international fans than it has American fans.

[David V]

But do the heads of CBS and NBC's daytime sections exercise the same control over the shows that Frons does at ABCD? Do they run some sort of totalitarian regime which destroys the individual identities of the soaps as Frons has? I think not.

The least I'd want is Brad Bell to step back from headwriting duties, and see if someone like Claire Labine, Pamela Long or Lorraine Broderick would be available.

[Cheyenne]

Maybe that's true. Because it's really popular in all the airing European countries. Then again, they don't have all the soaps to choose from.

[VeeJay]

Actually, his family doesn't own it. It is owned by Sony and, I think, Ken E. Corday Productions.

[Chris B]

B&B was named the most watched daytime soap in the world for the past year. It got 35 million viewers worldwide, so they definitely have more people to answer to than here in America.

I wonder if B&B can scoop up 35 million, why aren't more countries testing out the other soaps?

[Cheyenne]

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I wonder if B&B can scoop up 35 million, why aren't more countries testing out the other soaps?

American soaps aren't that big in most european countries actually. DAYS has been on were I live since 1997 and B&B since the 80's. The ratings are low and no one knows who the actors are, except maybe Hunter Tylo, not by name though.

[Greg]

Oh good grief.

B&B gets changes made before the ones that really need it like AMC?

This is some sick and twisted joke right?

I didn't think the #2 soap was doing so bad.

Wow.

Part of me wants to say congratulations to the B&B fans with this news...

And another part of me wants to say Bite Me Hard cause it's not fair.

You lucky bastards.

I'll just sit here and be bitter and salty.

[bellcurve]

Claire Labine for B&B? Sorry...but that's the most shocking statement I've ever heard.

Labine is a fabulous, accomplished writer, but she writes gritty realism. B&B is shock value, glam, and camp. None of those three Labine has specialty in.

Labine writing for B&B would be like Jimmy Reilly writing for RYAN'S HOPE.

[Chris B]

I agree about Labine, I desperately want her at General Hospital! She could also work at ATWT, that would be an interesting twist.

For myself personally, I'd like B&B to become more like the first season of Dynasty. Very glamorous, character driven and socially aware. I still can't believe there has never been a gay character when they live in such a gay world. It's ridiculous. Right now the show is very "blah" and isn't about anything. Just the same few characters and storylines we always see.

One thing that has always bugged me about Bell is that he blames the problems with the cast on the half hour format. I watch Dark Shadows, Ryan's Hope and Port Charles and they all manage to utilize more characters and storylines in a half hour than B&B. They also bring on lots of successful new characters. With Bell, he's just lazy.

[David V]

I agree with Chris B's sentiments to a large degree- realism and social relevance can and does go with a "glamour" show, and it certainly should when the fashion industry is concerned. Because there are many issues relating to the fashion industry (e.g. people's perception that the fashion industry, rightly or wrongly, is to blame for teenage girls wanting to look thin and "better")- so many avenues that could be explored there.

[Cat]

Co-sign on Chris B and David V's views on B&B.

As a regular reader of Vogue and a fan of Ugly Betty, I find it amazing that B&B does not mine the rich material sourced in the fashion industry.

- B&B needs a [!@#$%^&*]y Mark-like character.

- How about a manipulative Anna Wintour-like fashion editor?

- Underweight models and body image is such a hot-button issue -- one B&B could delve into.

- Bring back the Spectras!

- Bring back the glitz, glamour, and [!@#$%^&*]-slapping.

- Ridge/Thorne rivalry.

- End the Brooke/Ridge/whoeverthefuck triangle du jour because I am SO done with them. And I'm a Brooke fan.

- B&B the Next Generation -- where are they?

- Deacon needs to return. Just because I miss a bad boy stirring the pot.

I will say that putting Patrick Mulcahey in any sort of prominent writing position is a good start. That, and Betty White.

[sheilaforever]

Maybe we should send Brad a copy of "Devil wears Prada" for Xmas?

He likes to write for Heathaway saints every once in a while - *cough*Kimberly*cough* - and I'm sure a Streepish-b*tch to be reckoned with would also be within his capability...

@Cheyenne: From which country are you from?