Does anyone know if writers have contracts like actors do? Would they have to pay a fine if they released her before her contract is up? When would that contract, if it exists, expire?

Writers have 13, 26, and 52 week cycles in their contracts. I would assume if they got fired before their cycle is up, they would get some sort of compensation.

Hey, what if Jean has a 52 week cycle and it's already passed? LMAO

If I had to choose between Goutman or JP, I'd choose the Goutman. I think Goutman needs a good head writer to work with and he also needs to loosen up that tight grip he has on ATWT right now. When Goutman/CCulliton/Sheffer were all working together as a team, the show was on fire. That was a great combo.

And what happened Toups? I guess Goutman wanted total control? I just dont think Goutman has ever had a clear vision for ATWT. He hasnt made ATWT what it should be about the Hughes, Stewarts and Snyders. We dont see the Hughes anymore. Their house must have been sold. Susan is on once in a while and given a small bone with her drinking which ended quicker than you can say Dynomite!!! Emily is a hooker....call girl...blah........and the Snyders...well Lily and HOlden have no storyline. The one they were given with Faith sucked and was dropped with no real pay off. Luke....poor Luke is barely now getting any airtime. And where is Emma? She should be front and center at the farm? Meg?...Blah she has become a whiny, selfish, annoying beyotch....what happened to the Meg that Douglas Marland wrote? Oh and let me add Lucinda should be having a romance and she should have knocked Meg's a@% out of Worlwide. The Lucinda I know would have found a way to out smart Meg. What about Barbara? Why isnt she given a storyline featuring BRO? Did Goutman forget she had a company? Goutman's vision for the show is all about Gwen and her dumb family....puke....Thats all he has up his sleeve. And making the Stewarts the street girls of Oakdale. Who the hell wants to see that?

Edited August 17, 200718 yr by Soapsuds

But who could they get that is new? Anyone remember Black and Stern.......a nightmare!!! They were new to daytime.

Recycle writers aren't helping either. they need somebody that can write for other nationalities we need these soaps to look like Amercia. & not afriad to mix up especially the black folks with the rest of the cast. I hate when they separate the black characters storyline from everybody else. That's why I stop watching these soaps. the only reason I was watching Y&R because I really felt like Davetta Lily would carrying on Dru legacy. After Lily was gone & Victioria Rowell had to be stuck with Christel Lily. I had to drop Y&R like a bad habit. I was watching OLTL because I like they mix Eva up with other characters. Now she's gone & Layla & Vincent are boring & once again they are separated from the rest of the cast.

Well Passanante admits to reading wikipedia, so this thread is now linked from the Jean Passanante wikipedia article.

And if I hear one more time that Craig burned Babs I will scream, it was not Craig and CZP should know that and point it out one of these days.

Passanante has a lot of bad ideas (as opposed to the general "blah" under Sheffer), but she also has some really good ones and I *love* how the show has a lot of stories going on at once (as opposed to the two stories at a time under Sheffer.)

She does recycle a lot though. I'm torn. Half the time I love her and half the time I hate her. But I can't imagine P&G or CBS being happy with her with these ratings. Does anyone know if writers have contracts like actors do? Would they have to pay a fine if they released her before her contract is up? When would that contract, if it exists, expire?

Which good ones has she had though? I can't name one. How sad is that. The Luke story is the only one that I am interested in. Everything else is just blah. No reason for a viewer to watch.

I think her contract expired in July, so I am assuming she just resigned again, I hope I am wrong though and one of these days we will get a surprise news headline reading that she has been replaced immediately with ??? One of the things with Jean is that her stories take way to friggin long to tell, for example a kidnapping should not last 4 weeks, and we should not hear about Gwen's baby's name for 5 shows in a row, just makes for a boring soap. Plus yes she likes to repeat storylines over and over again, never much of anything original, except Luke and Noah, and they probably had to break her arm to tell that story, so far that storyline is going well I hope she does not screw it up because at this point Luke and the few storylines he has had have been the only good things JP have produced (Luke's coming out storyline, and then Nuke).

And lots of mistakes in regards to fan favorites, she broke up Carjack and it seems like she has zero plans of really ever putting them back together again, hence those ratings will never be back, she got rid of Lusty, it might have bored me but they had there fans and most of them have stopped watching. And then she turned the show into the Gwen Munson show and it has not been back since then, 85% of fans are sick of Gwen and want her back burnered and what does JP do write two more storylines for her at the same time, being pregnant, and now Cole/Iris. Not to mention she needs to write for the vets better, take for example Susan she is drinking again, but where the hell is she???? its been over a week since she has been on. And then I don't even want to get into what she has done to Lucinda, yes I love the airtime she is getting but to be one upped by Meg Synder of all people that is just bad writing, Lucinda doe not just lay down and take it she fights for what is hers, so far I don't see her fighting.

I agrew with a lot of what you say. Here is the problem

1. Jean recycles the same stories. How many times has someone been run off the road? How many times has Paul been shot and fallen off a cliff....presumed to be dead? Hello????? Do I see overkill???

2. when she does come up with a new storyline....they suck...ie....The Stewart Call Girls........Faith and Lily and their eating/diet pill disorder...what a mess of a storyline that was!!!!!!!!! Carly becomes a jewel thief and leaves her children....oyyyyyyy.....what a mess!!!

3. The same characters get all the storylines.....Gwenie........she hogs up the whole damn show and I am sick of it!!! Katie the bimbo Peretti.....gawd...how many men has she gone through?

4. Useless characters: Duh Brad....I could go on and on........Sophie......Cole....ughhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Well, ratings and fan disapproval are not enough to warrant a change in the minds of higher-ups. Unfortunately, a lack of quality on this level can still garner critical acclaim and Emmys. They must feel like the writing was good enough to bring Maura West and Jennifer Landon to the winner's circle, so more of the same is in order. At least in the 90s, even when ratings didn't totally suck, there was a turnover of writers that reflected the need for change. Perhaps there's no one at P&G or CBS Daytime who looks beyond superficial success.

Well, ratings and fan disapproval are not enough to warrant a change in the minds of higher-ups. Unfortunately, a lack of quality on this level can still garner critical acclaim and Emmys. They must feel like the writing was good enough to bring Maura West and Jennifer Landon to the winner's circle, so more of the same is in order. At least in the 90s, even when ratings didn't totally suck, there was a turnover of writers that reflected the need for change. Perhaps there's no one at P&G or CBS Daytime who looks beyond superficial success.

Well the wins were because of the acting because the writing sucked for both actress.

Well the wins were because of the acting because the writing sucked for both actress.

I really disagree. Carly's storyline has turned stupid, but she had some truly wonderful material in 2006 when it seemed like Carly was FINALLY over Jack and realizing things about their relationship that the audience had been saying for years. And working with Paul Leyden allowed us to see a whole new side of Carly.

That rainbow-headed cow got rid of him.

If anyone should've succeeded Smith and Alden at Y&R, it should've been Trent Jones. He was even their co-head writer for a while. UGH, such a shame he's not there anymore.

Wise words... And he was credited for the surge in quality of ATWT. And was Bill Bell's close advisor.

I hope Toups gives us good news soon about her firing.

Jean already had 2 52 weeks contract cycles (8.9 13-week or 4.5 26-week cycles) - she's been writing for ATWT for 2 years, 2 months and 23 days so far. She's twelve weeks into her new cycle so I don't know what's gonna happen. But I'm not hearing rumours of her firing, unfortunately.

Jean already had 2 52 weeks contract cycles (8.9 13-week or 4.5 26-week cycles) - she's been writing for ATWT for 2 years, 2 months and 23 days so far. She's twelve weeks into her new cycle so I don't know what's gonna happen. But I'm not hearing rumours of her firing, unfortunately.

Seriously, what is so great about this woman that she hasnt gotten fired? I've read spoilers coming up for ATWT and they are not good! The same [!@#$%^&*]!!! The ratings are falling further and further down the tubes. Maybe there should be some campaign where we send cans and saying can her as HW. I dont know but somethng must be done. This HACK needs to go. Why isnt anyone at P&G or Goutman seeing this? My Gawd she must have them all under writing spell. Geeshhhhhhhhhhh!!!

Edited August 17, 200718 yr by Soapsuds

ATWT might as well be cancelled if Jean contnues to write it. She is closing the coffin to ATWT cancellation. Her and Goutman. Where did I see this...oh yes....AW? Dumb Hacks.....Jean and Chris!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

ATWT might as well be cancelled if Jean contnues to write it. She is closing the coffin to ATWT cancellation. Her and Goutman. Where did I see this...oh yes....AW? Dumb Hacks.....Jean and Chris!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Actually, AW's ratings and critical acclaim were inching up towards the end. LOL!

Goutman, Laiman (who was the head writer) and Jean (Laiman's co-head writer) just have the distinction of being the last creative team behind the show.

NBC and P&G just pulled the plug too early. If anyone really drove the show to the point of no return it was JFP

Anyway, they should let me write ATWT.