B&B: The 30/60 minute debacle

[ian]

Hey,

What do you all think of the whole B&B length thing, SF has said she thought the reason she wasnt nominated for a looong time is cause people didnt give B&B the same sort of consideration cause it was shorter, and Brad always cries too short when he cant fit somebody in...

Is B&B too short? I think with the half-hour format they can do different things, and at a faster pace. I think they've got a stellar history considering they've only been on the air since 87 and only for a half hour, less than half the time other soaps have had to spin their yarns.

If it was made an hour, could they sustain that? Would it be better or would it be the same rehashed slop, just LONGER?

[SOAPSFOREVER]

I think the real question is: why aren't some of the hour long shows returning to the half hour format? Let's face it, there just isn't enough plot and story to sustain any of the hour long shows year after year, decade after decade. They're all guilty of increased rehashing and recycling. The half hour format still works. It just requires some savvy writing and plotting. Think how amazing so many of the former half hour shows were in their heyday: Search for Tomorrow, Dark Shadows, The Secret Storm, The Edge of Night, and Ryan's Hope, just to name a few. They managed to incorporate a diverse cast, while weaving multiple plots into the daily episodes. Of course, back then there was more playing time. So much of the thirty minutes now is consumed by relentless commercials and network promos. But as a viewer, I actually prefer the thirty minute soap to the hour. It's not such a major viewing commitment, and the pace is much quicker. For example, Y&R, which by all accounts in the slowest moving soap currently airing, uses up (wastes) so much time with people eating, or bringing food, or talking on one way phone calls, etc. It's a way of padding the episodes. B&B doesn't waste time with such, instead getting directly to the heart of the action. It's all personal preference, I guess, but what has become more obvious to me as a soap viewer: all the soaps are playing the same stories, just variations on a theme. It's tiring, and ultimately boring. As for B&B going to an hour, I've read many times where Bell is happy doing the half hour and has no real desire to go to an hour. I don't see it happening, unless GL meets its Maker, which is where its heading with its "new" format.

[YRBB]

My first reaction to it is GOD NO. Bell would just move the stories even faster than he does, and would feature Nick/Brooke/Ridge for a whole hour everyday, instead of half an hour. I think half an hour has been B&B's saving grace. It might have kept it somewhat fresh. However, it has also been Bell's excuse for BAD pacing, and for not having different familes etc. Bell just doesn't want to take the time and carefully plan out a rotation of storylines and characters, not because it can't happen, but he just doesn't WANT to do the work. It's so much easier when you just have one storyline for two weeks and then BOOM, the next one and the next one and the next one. At least to him. What makes me think he'd change that if they went to an hour? Nothing. He would just do more of the same, which would be torture. Even when the show is really, really great (which it often is), it's STILL too fast and always, always features the same people.

As for Y&R wasting time with everyday stuff? Nope, it was one of the things that made it so great. I LOVED the slow pace.

[SeanM]

Bradley Bell could not handle 60 minutes. He can't even do 30 minutes right. And for SF, she was nominated for so many times, so why would the 30 minutes suddenly be a problem?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

It took her 13 years into B&B's existence on the air to be nominated for an Emmy...

[DaytimeFan]

There is no debate. B&B is 30 minutes and although I'm sure CBS would kill for the show to be an hour, it isn't happening. Not only does the 30 minute format work for Brad's writing but it also works well for the lifestyle of the cast. B&B is the lightest working schedule in daytime, they also take Christmas and Summer hiatus, something the other soaps can't afford to do. Additionally, the 30 minute format allows Brad to be free of a production partner and therefore creative interference. CBS has no say in B&B while it does with all of its other shows...I wonder why?

As far as pacing goes, I think it works for the show. B&B is as different from Y&R as Los Angeles is from Genoa City although the Bell core remains the same.

Additionally, the 30 minute format is MUCH easier to sell overseas and as B&B is the most watched soap in the world it stands to reason that the Bells did something right with the 30 minute format. 30 minutes is easier to sell and thus it makes the Bells a heap of money.

As I see it, a lot of soaps currently on the air could benefit from going back to the 30 minute format.

[dragonflies]

Nope don't want any soaps at 30 minutes, I just don't think it would work for all the soaps. It has worked for B&B this long, why change it?

Seriously if it's working, why mess with it?

[bandbfan]

CBS would probly be happy with it, as they could bring in more advertising $ than ATWT or GL, based on ratings (HH of course).

But I think it works fine the way it is. People act like B&B is so awful, but it's still #2. And I suppose SF does know what she's talking about since she got nothing for 13 years and then all of a sudden gets 6 noms and 3 wins.

[SeanM]

There are so many great actors out there on 60 minute soaps who were never nominated either, what excuse can they use? I don't believe SF needs to be nominated every year, she is a good actress and everyone knows that.

[MoTheGreat]

Hour show is terrible now.

[JackPeyton]

BB is what it is because of the half hour format, IMHO.

Also, it is huge overseas, and i think thats a lot because it has to do with its only half an hour.

if it was an hour it would be slower (read. more borring) and no one would be on more - just ridge brooke and whoever el;se is in there triangle/quad.

[Cheap21]

there are great poitns on why it should be a half hour here, but not enough to support the other side. B&B has a ton of great characters and unfortunetly they do not get utilized and if they do its only for a few months before they are dropped bc there isnt enough time to focus on everyone. I think bringing it to an hour will make it a more rounded show

[JackPeyton]

But, the question is would the rest of the cast be used?

and how would that go over overseas?

[KevC1980]

Why change something that isn't broken? I don't watch B&B, but it does just fine as a 30 minute soap..

[BlairNLorenzofan]

B&B has always been 30 minutes and the storys in the past were great( not all but most of teh time they were):Besiedes Bell always uses the exuse:If our show were an hour, They (insert name of fired actors here) be on more.

That is rubbish,when his father scripted B&B he had time for everyone and the show was great.Still 30 minutes also.