2008: The Directors and Writers Thread

[Chris B]

But his comments suggest to me that not only did he have difficulty understanding LML, but he didn't understand the characters or the show in general. Like he said, "Not every writer can write for every show." He seems pretty clear about it.

[Toups]

Chris, writers do joins shows for a paycheck, you know that right? Writers don't refuse to join a show because they "don't understand" it. LOL

There are writers who join shows that they've never watched or wrote for before and when they do, they learn about the show, they learn the history, and if they struggle at first, sometimes it takes time to overcome it.

Tom was there for one cycle and wrote a total of 6 episodes and he was there under LML's hostile environment. It's not like he was there for a year and was still struggling!

I really do believe that a great writer can LEARN about a show and IMPROVE their writing.

[Dan]

Off topic, but Toupsy, you have an e-mail from me regarding a picture of a certain writer we talked about recently...

Let me know if it went through ok.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Chris B, I agree, if you don't understand a show and its unique traits, then you shouldn't be writing for it.

However, you and I both know LML wrote for plots, not characters and she definitely had her pet causes. I can see how Tom struggled with the show at the time. Who wouldn't? I mean he had 24 hours to turn in a breakdown. What working condition is that? Also, LML had him doing research on stuff like Judaism and other PSA-worthy stuff, not Y&R's characters or past storylines. MAYBE (I'm not saying definitely!), if he came back now he'd understand the show and its characters better. I mean, say what you want about Maria, but she does "character" very well. Also, he's worked successfully with Hogan in the past, who seems to be at Y&R who plot purposes only. If Maria and Hogan are hands on with their writers, I'm sure the writers will be able to understand and "get" the individual characters.

However, Y&R needs to concentrate on cutting a lot of is 21+ writers right now, that's exactly what's making the show incohesive right now. Smaller staffs people, it works!

[Toups]

Yup, I got them. Thanks, man!

[Chris B]

Obviously. Look at the state daytime is in. I don't agree with this at all.

I'm sick and tired of writers who don't know or understand Y&R writing the show. Why should I be forced to watch people learn to write? It's just like hiring the bad model/actors and having to watch them learn to act. If you're being paid to do a job, do it or get out. Hell, right now we're a HW, EP and entire staff of writers learn how to do their job. Yes, it's slowly showing improvements in places, but look at the ratings as they learn.

There are plenty of good writers out there who understand Y&R and those writers need the jobs. Not Tom Casiello because he's a nice, cute guy who writes an interesting blog and is friends with Hogan. Like you say Y&RWorldTurner, we need smaller staffs and that staff needs to be as strong as possible. If you wanna talk about an internet blogger, Sara Bibel is the one who needs to return. She's knows and understands the show and has history (and an Emmy for it) with Y&R. I don't think the show will reach it's full potential without some of the Bell writers returning.

[Toups]

I'm sick and tired of writers who don't know or understand Y&R writing the show. Why should I be forced to watch people learn to write?

And if I never interviewed Tom, you would've never known he had a tough time at Y&R.

But how do we know those writers, even those LML's writers, don't understand Y&R? Just because they don't have history? How do we know they never watched Y&R?

Just because the HW sucked doesn't mean the BDW or SW sucks (look at GH for example). They get their orders from the HW.

Chris, I would love it if the old Y&R writers returned too - I think that's what Y&R needs.

Of course Y&R isn't my first choice for Tom, but if he got a job at Y&R, I ain't going to be upset with that.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yeah, seriously, Bradley needs to send a good amount of those former Y&R-ers back to their original home. B&B is a 30 minute show, no way does it need all of those writers. Hell, I remember when certain episodes only credited Brad Bell and Jack Smith. B&B can clearly get by with less writers. Jerry Birn and Michael Minnis should be sent back to Y&R, hell even Alden and Smith, even if I'm mixed on them. It's clear that no matter who is at B&B, that show will always have periods where its amazing and periods where its really bad. Brad Bell is just not a good/solid storyteller.

Then you have Trent Jones, James Houghton, Josh McCaffrey, Sara A. Bibel, and others who are STILL UNEMPLOYED.

I think Y&R needs to focus on getting rid of all of Latham's Associate Head Writers/Breakdown Writers, they're the ones really brining this show down. Changes with the script writers can come later, since all they do is a dialogue really.

[Sylph]

Before yet another writer is hired, some in-house cleaning is needed first.

[Sylph]

Slight change of subject: I so hope that one day - and I hope it's soon - Toups will publish an interview with James E. Reilly. I would love to read what that man has to say about his 24 years in daytime. I think he ruined soaps and I hated his work, yet I'm dying to know certain things.

Toups! Why is this so impossible?!

[Toups]

Sylph, you know it would be my dream to speak to that man. It would seriously dissect every single storyline he wrote for DAYS and Passions - since I watched them. And the interview would be like a week long. LOL

But, I'm in Canada and a nobody in the press world (like he would never talk to an "internet guy," he doesn't even give interviews to SOD/SOW! LOL), plus he's recluse.......I can't imagine how our paths will ever cross. I guess I'll have to hold off the interview until we're both dead. LOL

[Dan]

Or Passions...

(Oh Toupsy, ya know I love ya lol)

[Toups]

To quote Passions characters: "Damn you, [Dan]! Damn you to to hell!!"

[Chris B]

What is the purpose of this comment? Of course I wouldn't have known otherwise.

Have you been watching? You can tell very clearly in their writing that they don't understand Y&R. It's very inconsistent and has only improved since Maria Arena Bell took over. That's one of the few things I can give her credit for.

Regardless of how good or bad the HW is, you can single out the talented writers and the hacks. Look at Elizabeth Page on OLTL. Her scripts for the BE reveal were so bad I had to know who wrote that garbage. Doesn't matter how good RC is, you can't save everybody.

In general, I'd like to see more interviews with writers and producers. Actors can be very dull and tell the same ole stories. It's always more interesting hearing the behind the scenes perspective. Ironically enough, the worst writer interview I've ever seen was a Scott Hamner interview, lol. He can't even interview well. I recall the two interviewers telling me how extremely dull he was and this was well before things went downhill at Y&R.

[Toups]

What is the purpose of this comment? Of course I wouldn't have known otherwise.

That writers do struggle when they first join shows. It's pretty natural for that to happen and we shouldn't just dismiss them. Some of the best writers could've struggled with their first couple of breakdowns or scripts - we just won't know that unless they say something.

I guess I just like to give more leeway to BDWs and SWs when they first join shows.

Was it the BDW/SW that didn't get Y&R or was it LML? So what happens if Hogan/Maria do well with THIS current writing team? Will you still call for their heads?

True dat.

Do you have links to the interviews?