Y&R: Fire Maria Arena Bell and Josh Griffith!!!

[DaytimeFan]

For once we agree on something

It's that kind of thinking which makes my point about Griffith all the more relevant. The man is an *idiot* and it's time he moves on. I sure hope the new EP is a good one, they can't risk effing it up.

[Sylph]

Exactly — plural. First, I don't know what got into Josh to complain about Bill's wife to Bill and second, Bill is so blinded by whatever that he will just let his wife write the show rather than hire someone who would do it much better.

[y&r_fan]

Now that I disagree with. MAB and Hogan Sheffer are a match made in heaven IMO. The show has been great lately. One member of the Bell family does need to be fired, but it sure ain't Maria...

I just pray to God the new EP isn't another LML... or worse.

[Sylph]

From you — this is exactly the kind of reply I expected.

BTW, if Nelson is to be believed — yup, I just saw a bunch of people — Hogan hates working with Maria, too!

[y&r_fan]

And what is that supposed to mean?

[MarkH]

That is the flaw of nepotistic hiring. (It has benefits too, but...). In this case, the EP should be able to frankly discuss the HW with higher ups. Here, the marriage damages that normal due process...and leads to a dysfunctional system. The only way this is going to work is if the next EP is in some way "family" (e.g., Shaughnessy, Scott, maybe Morina)...someone who is allowed to speak FRANKLY, and it is tolerated within the "family". Otherwise you have "yes men" and "yes women" who can let a writer go far awry.

Well, this can go two ways. For example, yesterday I swear MAB and JFE scripted 5 minutes scenes...maybe longer...with Nikki and Kay. I loved them...but that is not the modern Zeitgeist, where 30 sec scenes are preferred. So, imagine this happened because MAB and JFE stuck to their guns.

That could cause conflict with Sheffer...but it is good conflict...emerging out of principled arguments from different positions. If it does not devolve into a personal situation, it is fine. Sadly, ALL this stuff seems to devolve into the personal these days.

Sigh.

[Sylph]

But the point is not in the "5 minutes scenes". The show just has good moments, not one all-encompassing, engrossing story. It just vegetates, it floats, lingers between life and death. There's just no emotion, it's all just soulless, lets-write-something kind of writing. Just something to get the job done, to have something on air.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Oh, it will most likely to another "hack," but at least we'd get one month's worth of a good transitional phase.

[DaytimeFan]

Although there is much work to be done I am coming around to MAB. It is clear, however, that Hogan Sheffer is a necessity on that staff, MAB can't write sh*t alone. She needs someone with guts who can stand up to the bosses wife and call her on her sh*t.

I hope Hogan hangs in there.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

How bloddy sad would it be if September came around and Griffith and the Bell's patched things up and Griffith remained there?

[dm.]

Don't even joke about it.

[MarkH]

I am sorry to bump...but I came across these two old posts...MY how things have changed, no?

Even DaytimeFan would agree. The latter entry already demonstrates the change in thought.

[Rakesh]

DaytimeFan wanted MAB FIRED? LOL!! Things are sooooooooo much better now!

[AddictedToSoaps]

LOL

[brimike]

:-D

Thanks for doing this, Mark. I always enjoy eating my own words (I'm weird like that), and one of the great things about message boards is that you can go back and re-read all of the things you typed, even if you don't remember them as well as you think you do. I always have a good laugh at my own expense when I re-read something from two years ago, and I've COMPLETELY changed my tune in the present.

I'd love to see a "I Was Never More Wrong..." thread, where we look back at the things we typed in previous posts that we happily are eating crow about now. But maybe not everybody's temperament is suited for that. LOL!

Back on topic, I am thrilled that Y&R is back on track. It's been pretty solid for about four months now... and I always say to give a new team six months before you make a decision to see how consistent they are. And so far, Y&R's been damn consistent. Even the few stumbles here and there are quickly forgotten within a couple of episodes. One of the cases where I'm so thrilled we were all proven wrong.