AMC: Would a Kay Alden AMC be a likable one?

[Adam]

Many people have critisized Kay Alden for her work on Y&R, I being one of them but just think for a minute what this woman could bring to AMC.

Of all the ABC soaps I think Kay would best fit at AMC. AMC has always been identified as a show with heart, romance and the right mix of realism and over the top wich makes american soap opera grand.

I think Kay could be instrumental in bringing a teen scene worth watching to the forefront of Pine Valley, just like Lorraine Broderick did in the mid 90's.

A realistic portryal of the young crowd which ABC seems so desperate to appeal too. AMC has always been a soap that is geaed towards th young crowd... young lovers has been one of the running themes. If AMC is destined to become even more geared towards the teens I can live wih this if Kay Alden comes in because I think generally she can write a teen scene beter than any one currently being menioned. Megan certainly couldn't. I can bear teens if written properly and intelligently.

I am officially beginning my campaign for Kay Alden to be named Megan McTavish's successor either alone or paired with a curent staffer.

[R Sinclair]

I have almost no problem with that -- except I just don't like all of the sperm story accusations I've been hearing. Enough of that. I'm tired of "Whose the Daddy" on this show. We've had enough paternity/sperm/DNA stories to last a couple of years.

[Adam]

Yes. that\s been my main criticism of hers but her teen scene on Y&R was absolutely amazing. Such great drama. Not Paris/Nicole wannabe crap.

Kay Alden is the protege of Bill Bell..... she knows overall what she is doing. If AMC can nab a former Y&R HW... I think its golden.

[Angela]

Getting slightly off topic as I mull over many writers.

Personally, I didn't think it was worth watching. I quit AMC during that time, and so did a lot of other fans. I'm not going to fully blame Broderick for that - the show had a bunch of new young characters, new-ish families and that's what she had to work with. The Julia/Noah/Hayley/Mateo Jamaica story, ugh. I didn't want new or DAYS on my old show. I liked LB's work her first go around on AMC - pre 1992.

I can't judge Kay Alden, I've never seen her work. I'll cross my fingers and hope I like it, whatever it is - if she is our next head writer.

I'd really like if Claire Labine rised again, I think she could do a good job. A lot of incredible stories on GH. She is an amazing writer of death (combined with some social issues).

And if they're going to promote from within, I think I'm fine with Beall and/or Cohen.

The thing about ABC soaps is they're not NBC [uhm, very over the top] or CBS [serious, more high-brow] soaps, and that's why I was always more comfortable with them. I like the middle ground, hopefully we get a writer that can do that.

[Adam]

Prior to Fracesca James taking over as EP I thought Broderick's AMC was golden. Once she came in is when we got voodoo arc.

Broderick for the most part was a character driven writer. I mean she wrote Erica's drug addiction, Janet's reformation and Maria and Edmund's adoption storyline with Kelsey which for me is my favouite AMC storyline of all time. I am really pro-Broderick and I'd be happier than a pig in sh*t if she came back but I don't see it happening. I think she already turned down Frons before.

Ok now I am off topic

Kay Alden for HW! There

[Y&RWorldTurner]

IMO, Kay can start off stories really well, but runs out of steam really fast. She also did a lot of boring stories on Y&R. She might've been Bill Bell's protege, but she couldn't tell stories as good as he did. As Y&R's sole headwriter from 1999 to 2000, she was horrible IMO. I thought the 2000-2004 era of Y&R was it's best post Bell era, with Alden, Smith, and Jones serving as co-headwriters. As bad as Smith got towards the end, I always thought he was creatively a step above Alden.

[Angela]

19, much more on topic than I was.

Okay, I'll go back to just reading this thread since I really can't add anything on the Kay Alden topic besides forming an opinion off what others are saying about her work.

[Faulkner]

Also, the Arlene/Alec/Hayley storyline, which I adored (remember that scene with Alec pouring vodka down Arlene's throat?), the returns of Liza and Marian, and the Kevin Sheffield homophobia story.

I'd embrace the return of LB with open arms, but I'd want her back with Felicia Minei Behr. They rock together.

But Kay Alden is indeed a smart cookie...if you read some of her academic stuff, you know Bill Bell taught her well about the basic of soap storytelling.

[alwaysAMC]

Those were some of the best storylines for AMC in the mid-90's. Add in Kelsey/Sam/Maria/Edmund/Bobby....

I really enjoyed Jamaica's voodoo arc with Noah/Julia/Taylor/Hayley/Mateo, but I know that wasn't everyone's cup of tea.

Whoever wrote Libidizone, I also enjoyed that.

I'm not too familiar with Kay Alden's work either - but if she really was helping out AMC over the winter break - then she is my #1 choice for HW bc there was a drastic improvement between November 2006-January 2007 in terms of family and character-driven drama.

[Ryan]

Honestly, a lot of people give Alden flack for the storyline w/ the sperm, but mistake continues to tarnish her reputation today, but I think her overall writing talent is above that.

It would be nice to see Kay on AMC, but I love the work she and the others are doing on OLTL. It has such a Y&R feel now and I don't want to lose that.

if she does come to AMC, pair her up with Jeff and Amanda, or pair Kay with a newly hired Claire Labine. I hear she needs something to do, lol.

[R Sinclair]

I wanna chime in off topic, too! I totally agree that LB's stint had a LOT of hits. The dialog was at its best, the stories were realistic and socially relevant, and the show was wonderfully mixed with comedy and drama. Robin Mattson's Janet had some hilarious lines, and I loved the unlikely Erica, Janet, Skye friendship as they became strong women and took down Jonathan Kinder. But again, contemporary social issues were driving a LOT of the storylines.

That's what I miss, and if Kay Alden can do that for AMC, then I welcome her.

[AMCHistory]

I am working on revamping my AMC History site with year by year character histories for each contract cast member. When I was writing the character synopsis for the Broderick era, they came off as so dynamic and real. I enjoyed writing about Janet, Julia, Maria, and Erica.

Now I am up to 2000, and it feels like a chore. My writing is subpar because the stories were subpar.

My opinion of Alden: I think AMC is a perfect fit for her. I always think Y&R is what AMC should be. Family run storylines, corperate drama, rivalries between egotistical tyrants (Palmer/Adam anyone?). As much as the younger set can turn me off, it is imperative to have one for the shows future. I think Alden can handle this balance well. Her Y&R cast was also as big, if not bigger, than the current AMC cast. Both shows have long running recurring members too. She will be able to balance out the cast so most of the cast members will get exposure and storylines.

[Scotty]

I have to agree with Ryan (man, I never thought I would have to say that! ) anyway, I am really enjoying the work Kay Alden is accomplishing at OLTL, and I would hate to lose her to AMC.

I think she should remain at OLTL.

[DeeeDee]

Alden's ok.

Just keep her away from sperm.

...FAR away.

[Pine Charles]

I've never seen her work......so I wouldn't know.