How to Fix Y&R

[MarkH]

Okay, now that I have the data and the dates from you, I will do it.

[sheilaforever]

I think the data is slightly wrong. Bell's name disappeared from the credits by May 1998 or so. Not sure, would have to check my old tapes.

As I'm catching up with Y&R right now I don't see why everyone is bored or annoyed by Y&R. RIght now I'm stuck at the May 2nd episode. Jeff made himself home at the Chancellor mansion with some Jill-ish scenes involved; Esther went bowling (been a long time since she did LOL), Nikki and Paul have a friendly talk and Brad played David while playing poker. Add some classic music - and I'm pretty content. I een liked Phyllis & Nick's wedding anniversary celebrating. ANd I HATE this couple in general.

We'll see if the following episodes were really that bad. As I write this, I find the show pretty show. It only lacks a large story. Everything is so lowkey but still enjoyable drama.

[Sylph]

Toups will be glad to correct his data. That's where I got these from.

[MarkH]

I think the lowkey is it. This is not the time to be lowkey. I agree...individual episodes really entertain me. But the overarching feel of the 'show' is what is the problem. The precipitous .5 drop in HH ratings is fueling my annoyance...low key is losing viewers.

I think these date ranges are wrong, but I'll send the spreadsheet to Sylph, who can get dates right. Anyway, with seasonal ratings, all you can do is suggest. The way the dates go here, the years mark the start of the season. So, 1998 really means the September 1998-September 1999 season.

I mean, I don't really think I see much here in terms of a particular writer's role. There is linear decline in every era, and the slope is the same from writing team to writing team.

The sole exception is that in the post-Bell era, the slope seems to have steepened, and then stayed steep. I should add that the very recent 3.5s are not yet sufficiently moving the season ratings down...so the current season is still reported as a 4.0. That's where Sylph's weeklies provide better and more current resolution at the end of the curve.

Sylph: What I was referring to was that in the 1990s, Rick's archive has NO data. And then, starting in 2002, Toup's ratings archive here has weeklies, not seasonals (right?). If that is correct, I was offering to put up seasonals to match Rick's up to 1999.

[Sylph]

OK, I haven't read the previous few messages, so this is what I have so far (I somehow didn't manage to do it very precisely, but you'll see the possible errors):

When was Kay the lesbian exactly? The year, I mean.

[MarkH]

This link says Joann was on in the "mid 70s"...if I had to guess, I'd say 1976 or 1977.

Now, this link says the actress was let go in 1978

Joann Curtis

Kay Heberle (1975-1978)

I think she was fired FOR the lesbian storyline. So I'm gonna guess it happened in late 1977 or early 1978. The squares with the HUGE dip you're showing in the 1977 season.

[Sylph]

I ask to see the drop it caused. It's then the first drop in the charts.

[MarkH]

I think you are correct. And it appears that ratings rebounded as soon as they abandoned the lesbian undertones.

This is why I still think Y&R/B&B will be the LAST soaps to ever add a gay storyline.

I wonder what caused that early 80s drop. I think this was when the show went to an hour. It is also when Jaime Lyn Bauer left.

[Sylph]

If ever...

I have no idea about that second huge drop. However, I'm quite amazed at how these ratings were pretty constant under Bill (variating mostly between 7.5 and 8.5) when everybody else's were falling. Then after 1993 it was all downhill. It is also interesting how each of these new HW's slightly modified the slope, i.e. diminished it. But the trend remained the same.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Sara A. Bible's advice in her May 21, 2008 blog entry.

http://thebiz.fancast.com/2008/05/deep_soa...r_lives_or.html

[DaytimeFan]

AMEN Sara, AMEN...Maybe SHE should have been HW. Girlfriend's got herself a few good ideas.

[MarkH]

I am sorry to bump this thread, but Sara Bibel has provided a fascinating story about all this, by interviewing Kay Alden directly.

Here is what I said in my original quote to this, sent on the same day:

Now, here is what Sara Bibel says today in her blog (please give her the hits and to read the full article, which is fascinating). (Patting myself on the back that I got the 1977 year right :-). )

[Sylph]

So yet another Y&R flop is Kay Alden's idea? I'm not surprised...

[MTSRocks]

^^^I wouldn't call Kay Alden's story a flop, as it was the bigotry of the audience which led to the decline in viewership.

[Sylph]

Irrelevant the reasons, in the end the story destroyed Y&R since many viewers fled. Which makes it a flop, no matter how brilliantly written.