2008: The Directors and Writers Thread

[R Sinclair]

Oh, I DEFINITELY agree about hideous-ness of the OLTL directing team's clothing. That picture makes my eyes hurt.

[MarkH]

I loved the Y&R red porn opening, and I loved the OLTL champagne-popping porn opening. Both of them are among my all time favorite.

I was very sad when the played-out Nadia's them returned to Y&R.

I think all these soaps need to stop with the opening pictures of the cast. They cost too much to replace. Just pick a static little brand-identifier (hourglass, bible, rotating letters like on "Lost", "the following takes place..." like on 24), and be done with it. Save the money for what is important.

[Khan]

Co-sign.

[Dan]

Or at the very least ditching the expensive and stylized photos of the cast in favor of show screenshots ( a la GL's "Hold on to Love" open).

[MarkH]

Good point. There are lots of YouTube examples of FREE openers

[Toups]

GL:

- Donna Swajeski last listed as Co-Head Writer on June 26

- Donna Swajeski listed as Writer on June 27

[MarkH]

I got the latest SOW.

In it, the Y&R interview with story previews/spoilers is done by "Associate Head Writer Scott Hamner".

Yes, he is the spokesperson for the show. I don't recall that happening during LML's era.

If he's speaking for the show, he ain't going anywhere!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

He gave PLENTY of interviews during the Latham era. When the hell is his contract up? He needs to be the FIRST one fired. He's still pushing some of Latham's agenda, I bet. Why the hell is one of the AHW's giving previews? Shouldn't it be the HW or EP? So dumb, that show is like a train wreck, you want to walk away from it, but you look anyway.

Y&R still needs to cut that enormous writing staff of over 21 writers. I say FIRE all of the Associate Head Writers and Breakdown writers, with the exception of Natalie Minardi Slater and Paula Cwikly.

Y&R's AHW/breakdown writers are BEYOND BAD, and they're part of the show's main problems. They're also mostly Latham's primetime buddies. It looks like none of the Friends of Latham will be leaving this show anytime soon, which baffles me. Is Mara so clueless that she doesn't see the negative impact these people have on her show? Doesn't she know at least one AHW/breakdown writer who used to write for the show? Surely with all her years in the Bell family she's come into contact with a few, and some there's definitely some that haven't been snatched up by B&B yet, see James Houghton, Trent Jones, or our new favorite blogger (who answered your question in her latest entry, MarkH), Sara A. Bibel.

I still don't see how Y&R's going to get any better with that huge writing team and those HORRIBLE AHW/Breakdown writers.

Has anyone heard anything if they're even going to try to get rid of some of these people? I wish Hogan and Griffith (who is a clueless show-runner) would give Maria some advice on how to run a writing team, as they have had Head Writing experiences before.

[juppiter]

Y&R's writing team is about to change for sure. Hogan will want to bring in his own people. He did when he went to DAYS.

UNLESS they merely keep the writers they have and add even more... which almost wouldn't surprise me. When Jack Smith became HW, Kay Alden stuck around as co-HW. When Latham became HW, Alden and Smith stuck around as co-HWs (at first.) I think Y&R is reluctant to fire.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't think so, he's only Maria's Co-HW. I mean he might be able to bring one or two people in there, but I don't think his addition will have a major impact on the writing team (I'd like to be proven wrong though!). Maria needs advice on how to run a writing team really badly.

Well, Smith and Alden were apart of the same fold, much wasn't going to change. Latham fastly worked her way up and when she had enough power, Smith and Alden were gone and she changed the entire writing team.

I mean seriously though, over 21 writers on a writing team? This has to be some type of record and think about how much money they could be saving if the fired half of these untalented writers.

I really hope we get to see some changes in Y&R's writing team make-up. I'd love if Hogan can get old friend, Frederick Johnson, to come back to Y&R. Also, I think Judy Tate would be a fantastic addition, as Faulkner once mentioned.

[juppiter]

I think Maria will take a backseat to Hogan, even though they may be equal in name. Perhaps Y&R has been so boring lately because she was never intended to be permanent. Smith and Alden were listed equally in the credits, but Smith was widely considered to be "the" HW. I think the same thing will happen with Hogan, and he will want to bring some of his ATWT/DAYS crew.

But this is just my opinion on the situation. You could be right, I could be right, we don't know. The addition of Sheffer is interesting and scary at the same time.

[MarkH]

There definitely needs to be streamlining.

The power dynamics are a mystery. Remember, Latham was first brought on only as another HW. The EP label didn't come for many months.

So, I think they're HIDING the true intent of having Hogan be the main HW. He's in for a trial run. If he does well, he'll get bumped up.

Honestly, I just don't think Maria wants this job. I think she is just a pair of "Bell eyes" in this mix. She tries to help preserve history and tone, but she's not a real HW. But the Bells got her in there so that they could control the next steps.

This is why I think we've seen the LML-era writers running roughshod over the production again. Because Maria is not a true HW. Now, with Hogan in, the REAL new HW comes in...and (checking everything with Maria and by proxy Brad and Bill Jr.) he'll fire the LML team and build his own.

How much $$ do you wanna bet that TommieCas and SaraBibel will get offers before the end of the year :-). Sara as a custodian of some history with a growing fan base, and Tommie because he's a good writer with ties to Hogan, and because we love him :-).

(I know I'm exaggerating the importance of this trivial miniscule internet fanbase).

I heard tell, indirectly, that Jim Houghton was simply NOT INTERESTED in coming back. I don't understand that--don't they have mouths to feed?? The story of why his brief stint at B&B failed would be just great to hear. Again, I heard tell, indirectly, that their writing style..ahem...wasn't a goof fit for him.

Don't you think though, with Hogan, Scott Hamner has been rendered obsolete and will go?

I'd say yes, except then they have him doing press interviews!!! Doesn't compute.

I can't wait to see what MAB says to Nelson Branco in her upcoming interview, though I fear he may need to "softball" to avoid being banned by yet another organization :-).

[Sylph]

So, reading this, I got the impression you think Hogan is an amazing choice. Am I mistaken?

Tom Casiello joining Y&R? OK, might happen in this bizarre world, but I don't know how is this a good thing considering his own statement he didn't mix well with the show, its structure and characters?

Yet he penned some great B&B episodes... This makes no sense.

[R Sinclair]

But, Sylph... it's because we love him!

[Sylph]

R Sinclair... God, how much I miss your posts, even these one-sentence ones.