How to Fix Y&R

[Sylph]

Oh, but my "brilliant" comment wasn't referring to this particular story - I meant no matter how brilliantly any story is written, if in the end it doesn't draw viewers, it is a flop (which is a horrible criterion, but a criterion). I'm sure it wasn't all fireworks and splendour, given that Bill Bell didn't, so to say, feel this story. He wasn't passionate about it. And he regretted turning Kay into a lesbian his whole life.

[DeeeDee]

...Bill didn't regret it.

[MarkH]

I'm not sure I know enough to have a precise, direct opinion.

I will say that when Bill Bell retired, and she was announced to take over, I was comfortable with that. Especially since he was staying on as "Senior Executive Producer" (I knew nothing about the Alzheimers), that was reassuring.

I was further reassured during Kay's inaugural story. She jettisoned the nonsensical marriage between Nikki and Dr. Joshua Landers (her gynecologist!), and killed of Joshua's crazy ex-wife Veronia Landers too.

On her deathbed, Victor remarried Nikki. Of course, that brought her magically to life. Hokey as it sounds, I remember it as energetic, suspenseful, and well written.

I also LOVED the "sperm thief" story...I found it campy, based in history, with lots of twists and turns. [The existence of that story makes the apparent ignoring of Victor's two previous vasectomies today all the more glaring].

I was enjoying Y&R, even as the Dennison girls were introduced and the show lost some focus. I was surprised when Jack Smith suddenly came on...and I didn't really notice much change.

Later, after Smith started overdosing me with Brittany Hodges and writing crazy things (like Nikki working in Bobby Marsino's club...which suddenly became a refurbished Bayou)...I realized how much more I preferred Alden's less energetic, more history-based Y&R.

I really have nothing bad to say about Kay Alden. She was behind some stories I loved.

I will say, and I think I did say this directly, I have been less enthused at B&B. I go from not feeling her influence at ALL, to feeling her influence in stories I hate. When she wore the solo hat during the WGA strike, I found the show as awful as I have ever found it to be. Totally superficial, ridiculous romances, not even campy-funny.

I find she has not helped B&B at all (none of the Y&R writers have...and I'm not counting the short term stunt of Storm's suicide, or the well produced 1-2 Emmy shows that resulted). This either means that Brad Bell wields an IRON fist (even while on strike), or that she really doesn't put much of a stamp on a show. I'm not sure what it is.

Personally, I'd like her back at Y&R as a consultant or a producer. The current Victor vasectomy thing, for example, EVEN IF IT WILL BE ADDRESSED, just feels like bad set up.

[Cat]

Woah (and pardon me for lurking this thread but I couldn't resist watching the claws being unsheafed!) and since when is the touching of hands = mean that Kay was a lesbian? Bill Bell could have easily rationalized that Kay was curious, unsettled by these new feelings for a female friend but, at the end of the day, a straight woman at heart.

[DeeeDee]

Welcome to Lesbianism 101. lol

[Cat]

Daytime Stylee!

Like when Melrose Place had Matt and his soldier love hugging in a really awkward way. Hugging = gay sex back in the 90s!

[DeeeDee]

:lol:

[MarkH]

That is why it is subtle to me (I was a scant 12 years old).

But my mom knew EXACTLY what was going on. So it must have been in the dialogue...the unspoken words...Kay's penetrating stares...

I wish for Youtube of that era, but I'm betting they burned the tapes :-)

[Sylph]

Does your mom still watch the show?

[Cat]

LOL! In a way, I like that Daytime was required to leave it to the imagination. Especially with the unspoken part. That seems more "real" in a way than the fluff they spout nowadays on soaps a la "I know you want me. I know you love me!"

Have you ever seen "Mad Men," Mark? It's a show on AMC set in the New York advertising world of 1960. They had one of those near "unspoken" scenes between two men and it worked perfectly.

[rain1]

"Solo hat"?! Despite Brad's very public "support" of the WGA strike, he continued to work (scab) throughout.

[MarkH]

Nope! She's down to just AMC/OLTL now. Interestingly, neither of those shows ever got "too young" for her. I guess Erica and Victoria/Dorian were enough to keep her feeling tied.

[MarkH]

I figured as much...but of course....I can only speculate.

I wonder what would have happened if he'd left Kay alone to do some repair?

[Toups]

Can't say I'm surprised. I also heard Brad was trying to make a deal (ala those movie production companies) with the WGA.

B&B during the strike wasn't that different.

And the thought of someone else writing B&B didn't make any sense at all.

[DaytimeFan]

Thank You! I'd mentioned that several times and never got a reply from anyone. Glad to see I wasn't wrong

Not that I blame Brad mind you, B&B and all of daytime is in a precarious state. The WGA strike was a mess, the shows needed protecting. But then, that's my unpopular opinion on the strike. At least those who went Fi Core admitted it.