Maria Arena Bell a Puppet HW?

[DaytimeFan]

Hogan Sheffer is arriving. The bottom has fallen out of the ratings at Y&R. Sony, Bell and CBS are all aware.

Is Maria Arena Bell evolving into a front for Y&R's HW? Anyone else thinking Hogan Sheffer might be doing the story projections, the structure, the storylines...with Maria Arena Bell acting as a glorified editor?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Y&R, at least for the past two months, REEKS OF INEXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP. Since both Maria and Josh Griffith are so inexperienced in their roles, the blame is squarely on them.

As I said before, Bill Bell jr would rather have his amateur wife and Griffith lead this show than bring people in with actual experience. That says a lot about how much he cares about the show his father put so much of his life into creating and making sure it didn't go the way of other soaps...

[MarkH]

Emotional content of Y&RWorldTurner's comments nothwithstanding, I agree entirely with the content. The lack of momentum in the stories (while the tone and character is right) suggests that MAB learned about how to write dialogue and breakdowns during her time on B&B...but she didn't learn about long-term plotting.

Thus, I concur that she has been in charge.

There have been some slight improvements this week, but also huge problems (like sudden story shocks, like Adam's faulty investment) that reek of the LML approach. I think, therefore, that MAB is a weak HW with no sense of long-term structure. Consequently, I think she has been editing the stories into Bellian shape...but Josh and the LML team has basically been driving plotting...and so we have a mess.

I expect no improvement with any future planned regime change.

I honestly think Kay Alden or Jack Smith or Brad Bell should have been put in the HW position (yes--even with my reservations). I do not think KA or JS have improved B&B one bit, but that may be because they really have no autonomy. They did better at Y&R, and I think Y&R needs at least ONE of them as a senior consultant or co-HW.

I think the problem is that Sony can't bring themselves to do it. Steve Kent or somebody would have to admit they were WRONG in deposing KA/JS and giving absolute power to LML...that seems unlikely. Alternatively, it may be that KA/JS don't need the $$ or the hassle...and so they're simply not open to helping out.

Who knows. KA/JS have demonstrated (FiCore) their loyalty to the Bells, so I think they'd return to Y&R if asked. That suggests to me that it is a Sony-thing...the continued HW problems.

What we don't know is if MAB was _always_ intended as a "caretaker" while Sony searched for a headwriter they could live with.

Sony may have liked Sheffer, and felt he would have been fine without Corday interference? Who knows.

[JackPeyton]

Y&R reminds me of when he was at days so it wouldnt shock me if he was alreayd there.

if not i dont expect anything to change.

[Sylph]

Unfortunately, Y&R has become another tanking soap. What follows is a domino effect - one tile fell, all the others will soon follow. Expect a 3.2 rating soon. Maybe even a 3.

But the problem is - this won't change if you only change an EP or a HW. You have to change the whole mindset.

And to fire Barbarella Bloom.

[dm.]

It's easy for everyone to suggest things. But too many dumbasses are leading the show. And nothing can stop them.

[Sylph]

I don't know why you quoted my post. Do you agree with me or do you disagree?

[MarkH]

Nooooooooooooooooooooooooo. I refuse to believe it. I ignore the evidence :-).

Can you say more about this? What mindset? What specifically needs to change? AND...can you think of ANY soap in the last decade that has successfully done this? Do you mean the Ron Carlivati stuff on OLTL? I love it, but fear it is too adrenaline fueled, and will lead to burnout quickly. Or do you mean Claire Labine on GH in the 90s...where she transformed the show into a character and relationship based program from a crime-fighting program?

I really want to press you on this, because I believe proposed solutions should be put "out there, in the universe". What should the new mindset be?

She's a network suit, and her mandate is clear. I cannot imagine ANY network suit who will have a different mandate. Thus, whoever is in the job will push for younger demos, shock and awe... With that in mind, I think we're luckier with Bloom (because she knows and loves the genre) that with some non-daytime outsider (cf. NBC).

I really think what needs to change is the HW. Not even the EP. But it needs to be an HW who understands what soap fans want...and that seems to be TOTALLY at odds with the networks and studio execs. Given that, I don't see ANY HW succeeding...because the networks want the viewers of "The Hills" and "Tila Tequila"...and that is not an audience that wants real soap. It is just two diametrically opposed constituencies.

[dm.]

I definitely agree with your post, Sylph. If anyone at CBS (or Sony) read the post and actually decided to do something about it, they'd be able to save Y&R. However, they always choose a different path, usually the wrong one.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I seriously want to know, why is daytime the only industry on television where if one fails at their job, they're guaranteed a good couple of years of employment?

Will Sony, CBS, and the Bell's just sit down and watch as their #1 soap tanks further? If so, then I'm convinced that someone really hates this show and wants it to falter further...

Y&R is in severe need to a repositioning and makeover, much like what GH got when Wendy Riche came on as EP in 1992.

[dm.]

The viewers are the ones that suffer the most. We had to watch the show ripped to pieces by LML. And the consequences will be affecting the show for a long time. It's hard for me to see a show suffering and not being able to do anything.

[Sylph]

I think you know what will happen very well. Your diagrams show it, don't they?

For example, things Sam Ford talked about in his thesis. Unfortunately for him and all of us, his vision is impossible to execute. From many, many problems his suggestions have, one arises clearly: investments. You need money to change things, yet no one in their sane mind would put money into a ship that will hit rock bottom very soon.

And I'm definitely not suggesting the Carlivati route because people might suggest Janice Ferri as next HW. God forbid! You know I'm very anti-Janice, don't you?

Don't you also agree with a constatation that quality storytelling does not equal ratings?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Even with ratings down across the board, Y&R's recent blows seem a lot more excessive. Others shows gradually fell, Y&R went from a 4.0 to a 3.6 in like two months. Now's it's gone from a 3.6 to a 3.4 in like two weeks. Something is very wrong with this picture...

[MarkH]

It is time for Sylph to give us one of his WEEKLY graphs for the last 6 months or so, comparing Y&R to a few other soaps.

I agree Y&RWorldTurner...this will show a steep death dive for Y&R that is unlike that of any other show currently on.

[JackPeyton]

Y&R's major ratings drop, IMHO, stems from all the damage that LML did. I hoenstly think Y&R has the smallest online fans. thjey dont know about HW chnages and what not, even if they did nothing much changed. so they got fed up and quit.

i dont blame MAB at all.