You know what really pisses me off? They had a ton of people who trained under Bell like Smith, Birn, Jones, and Houghton, yet they refused to being any of them back. They also refused to bring Shaughnessy as EP. Maria should've never been HW after the strike, as she never had any significant soap writing experience and Griffith should've never been kept on as EP, as he's an amateur at that position as well. That's Y&R's problem right now, they have two HIGHLY UNQUALIFIED people running the show, and it reflects how bad everything is right now.

Bill Bell jr needs to fire his wife and Griffith and bring back some of the members of the old team. I hope he can give us that much, after the disastrous past 3 years the show has had.

Ease up on the "refused" part.

I don't understand writers' contracts enough, but with EIGHTEEN of 'em, we really don't know how much LML committed them to before going off on vacation.

Exactly! Josh and Maria very inexperienced in their positions and it doesn't make any sense for any of them to EP and sole HW. Josh's been WRITING soaps for the past 20 years and then all of a sudden he's an EP? Huh?? Then let's hire someone who hasn't written for a soap in 15-17 years, and who has no experience in plotting daytime dramas! Huh?? Well, a 3.6 HH and a 3.3 daily rating is what you get!

Those old school Y&R people need to come back. It's the only way to save this show.

Yes, yes...and we know Jack Smith is back in orbit (and Kay is too)...but they MUST keep the energy and momentum too. High stakes...OMG moments. I'm not sure ANY of them knows how to do that.

I'm not talking about shock and awe--which mobster do we blow up this week?

I'm talking about revealed secrets, confessed passions, sudden fears, insecurities exposed.... And, yes, it should happen with our veterans and their offspring.

Ease up on the "refused" part.

I don't understand writers' contracts enough, but with EIGHTEEN of 'em, we really don't know how much LML committed them to before going off on vacation.

A lot of those contracts should be coming to an end now. Some of those writers are nearing their first year mark with the show. You can't tell me that at least two contracts aren't up by now. Maria and Griffith aren't doing anything to trim the fat on the writing team, why does this show need 18 writers? Not only is it a burden on the budget, its a burden on the sub par show Y&R already is...

I'm talking about revealed secrets, confessed passions, sudden fears, insecurities exposed.... And, yes, it should happen with our veterans and their offspring.

Almost none of the storylines on Y&R at the moment warrant any of those attributes, and that's sad. Also, it doesn't even look like the show is moving in that direction.

Y&R used to be the most soapy-est show on daytime. The show is so damn un-soapy at the moment and it shouldn't be. It's currently pretending to be something its not...

Edited May 16, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Since I've become obsessed and have some free time, here's the ratings from Dec. '01 up until these most recent ones.

To improve, the show needs conflict. Everyone is so happy and just coasting along. There is no drama or ongoing storylines except Gloria's troubles, which lately have fizzled.

It doesn't look like David Shaughnesy will be returning to Y&R any time soon, at least not as EP. He and his brother Charles have started their own production company.

http://www.busstop31.com/About_Us.html

David Shaughnessy

David has an extensive background in British Theater, both as a director and performer, where his credits include seven years playing principle roles with the famous “Old Vic Theatre Company.”

Arriving in the United States in 1986, he continued to act and direct theater while being trained as a television director at NBC. This led to a busy and successful career behind the camera where he went on to direct and produce many television shows for NBC, CBS and Fox. Most recently, David was the Executive Producer and a Director of the #1 rated Daytime Drama, “The Young & The Restless.” He was with the show from 1991-2003, during which time he won two Emmy Awards for “Best Daytime Drama,” in 1991 and 2003, and two Nancy Susan Reynolds Awards, a TV Cares Ribbon of Hope Award and a People’s Choice Award for Favorite Daytime Drama.

Before joining the “Young & The Restless,” David had just completed directing two television plays for the Arts & Entertainment Network, “The Last Act is A Solo,” with Oympia Dukakis and "Upublished Letters” with Anthony Edwards and Annette O’Toole.

He continues to direct on a freelance basis while developing “Bus Stop 31 Productions,” the company he formed with his brother Charles. He and Charles are the sons of the late Alfred Shaughnessy, who served as Head Writer on the acclaimed British TV series “Upstairs, Downstairs.” David lives in Los Angeles with his wife, writer Anne Schoettle, and their three daughters, Amy, Katie and Josie.

It doesn't look like David Shaughnesy will be returning to Y&R any time soon, at least not as EP. He and his brother Charles have started their own production company.

http://www.busstop31.com/About_Us.html

How does this stop him from being Y&R's next EP? I mean, I have my doubts about Sony/Bells hiring him again in that role, but I don't see this as a reason...

How does this stop him from being Y&R's next EP? I mean, I have my doubts about Sony/Bells hiring him again in that role, but I don't see this as a reason...

I figure he won't want to take on the full task of EP-ing a show, while he has outside ventures to attend to...

I figure he won't want to take on the full task of EP-ing a show, while he has outside ventures to attend to...

In my experience a lot of production companies are really used for 'income splitting'...not to say that's what Charles and David are doing mind you, but it's possible.

I think he'd return to Y&R if he was asked...production companies are a tough gig.

To improve, the show needs conflict. Everyone is so happy and just coasting along. There is no drama or ongoing storylines except Gloria's troubles, which lately have fizzled.

Yeah there is no real drama..there is some potential drama with the Newmans but that's all.

Since I've become obsessed and have some free time, here's the ratings from Dec. '01 up until these most recent ones.

Wow. This is really revealing. You can fit a linear decline slope to that graph. It shows that even when LML hit 4.5, it was illusory. The overall trend was downward.

Unless there is a massive rebound, it looks like Y&R has found its new. next lower average.

We are now headed to 3.0 for Y&R...probably within the next year.

I figure he won't want to take on the full task of EP-ing a show, while he has outside ventures to attend to...

That's one way of looking at it. But, ...

In my experience a lot of production companies are really used for 'income splitting'...not to say that's what Charles and David are doing mind you, but it's possible.

I think he'd return to Y&R if he was asked...production companies are a tough gig.

... since the company isn't doing anything that big at this time, I bet he'd jump right in. And I would love for that to happen!

Wow. This is really revealing. You can fit a linear decline slope to that graph. It shows that even when LML hit 4.5, it was illusory. The overall trend was downward.

Unless there is a massive rebound, it looks like Y&R has found its new. next lower average.

We are now headed to 3.0 for Y&R...probably within the next year.

From 5.5 to 3.5 in no time. A simple linear regression, just a couple of linear equations and the death becomes all to evident.

What I'm so afraid of is that it will never, never recuperate from this.

Edited May 17, 200817 yr by Sylph

I think it is important to note that the Y&R was at it's best durring the days of Jack and Brad taking over Newman Enterprise so I belive the show should return to doing those type of storylines. I mentioned in a previous post that I belive that if we take the core Forrester family (minus Ridge and Brook) and relocate them to the Y&R. Ashley and Billy would return have them align with Jack and the return of Jabot to the Abbotts. Ratings will sky rocket. imagin a aliance of the Newmans/Channsler's vs the Forrester's/Abbotts. the show would once again have a second family in the Forrester's to compete with the Newman's. in order for a storyline for that to work the old writters need to return to the Y&R b/c these new writters are incompetant and have no idea that the Y&R is not an ABC soap.

Newmans Channslers Enterprise vs Forresters Jabot Creations = Ratings

graph deleted

The SIZE of the recent drop--near a half-ratings point--is staggering. There was a similar one (that lasted) at the start of LML's solo era (thanks for superimposing that), and the last big drop like that seems to have been 2003-2004 (I guess when Jack Smith was brought in).

Which leads to a request...any chance you could add those other eras to this graph? Bill Bell stops (but you might now want to go that far back), Kay Alden solo, Jack Smith becomes defacto HW, and then the LML eras you currently have.

Which leads to a request...any chance you could add those other eras to this graph? Bill Bell stops (but you might now want to go that far back), Kay Alden solo, Jack Smith becomes defacto HW, and then the LML eras you currently have.

I would gladly do it, however, Toups' weekly ratings archives go only this far into the past. So all you see up until Latham's co-HW stint started is when John F. Smith and Kay Alden were co-head writers.

Kay Alden was co-HW from 1997 to 1998 and then in 1999 she became the solo HW (until 2002, when these weekly ratings begin).