B&B: Suggestions For Reviving The Ratings

[MarkH]

I'd buy this if Bell Bell Sr. hadn't phased out the Brooks/Fosters and replaced them with the Abbotts/Williams...SEAMLESSLY...in a six month period in the early 80s. It can be done. But I realize this is radical, so maybe Brad Bell couldn't do it as skillfully. (Though I'll say the fact that Marcus and Steffy already have supporters tells me it doesn't have to take long).

Yes, I could see this. It is a bit too derivative of Ugly Betty...but it could work. In order to work, I'd rather see the character written somewhat more seriously and less lampoon. I'm worried both about feeding the stereotype (flamboyant gay) and seeming copycat.

This show doesn't need another islanded male. They already have the guy they need in Mykel Shannon Jenkins. If we're going to bring in this character, I'd like to see the whole family brought in. That is how we shake up the canvas. Also, what of Marcus' adoptive family?

I don't agree. We've lost something with the bad writing and the departure of Jennifer Finnegan, but this was supposed to be the emotional lead female of the next generation.

I loved Mick Cain...but I could accept a recast if it made sense. Do we need Insomnia? Do we really need another islanded male? I just don't see it.

Isn't that what they intend with Owen?

They did a version of that with Deacon. I'd rather just have him back.

[y&r_fan]

Letting Kay Alden go (without replacing her with someone of equal or greater value) would be suicide. B&B was absolutely DREADFUL from 2004-2007 (the period when Bell had no help from Smith or Alden) and it became unbelievably repetitive. I never want B&B to go there again. The show has been good for about a year now, and I know Bell is the one who ultimately approves of the storylines, but many of them had to be Alden's ideas. Bell just doesn't have the creativity to come up with some of the recent stories.

Well maybe that should change. B&B cannot continue to be as "campy" as it is and still call itself Y&R's "sister soap". If I was Y&R, I would be embarassed to call B&B my sister. A distant cousin, maybe, but not a sister.

I agree. Same with Rick & Phoebe.

Maybe it should be. That's what Y&R is about, and Y&R rates much higher than B&B. Bell should watch his sister-in-law's writing and take notes.

[nicknack]

Why? There already is a Y&R. I see no reason why three should be two Y&Rs. Or a Y&R and a baby Y&R. Particularly since B&B is only a half hour soap. And B&B has always lived off the fame of its overseas market.

You mean that way it has been the last 20 years, regardless of B&B's level of camp and back then when Y&R was still actually good?

[bandbfan]

B&B has been camp forever, including when it was solidly (and highly) #2. You can't say that B&B is doing badly in the ratings without including Y&R.

[y&r_fan]

All I'm saying is that there should be less romance and love triangles and more business, mystery, family-oriented stories and social issues. Y&R incorporates all of those things into the show. Why not B&B?

[nicknack]

(1) Because it's boring

(2) Because they have tried it and it sucked

(3) Because the writers they have don't have a hand for it

(4) Because it's a half hour soap

(5) Because there already is a Y&R. Instead people should focus on fixing Y&R.

(6) Beacuse if it was that easy to just get Y&R's ratings by being Y&R, why don't Days or GH or ATWT incorporate the formula? Obviously they would need it even more

(7) Because B&B is sold internationally, so why piss of the audience you already have there and who are used to it?

In short, it's a bad fit. They would ruin more if they artificially tried to implant somebody else's structure rather than focusing on fixing their own structure to be as good as it can be. It would be like trying to force a duck to become an elephant. It's pointless.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

95% of B&B's writing staff is made up of ex-Y&R writers. LOL!

But I see what you're saying, and I think as long as Brad Bell is writing that show, things will never change. You can have the greatest writing team in the world, but if the leader sucks, then so does the entire show storyline-wise.

[nicknack]

Considering that B&B is the only show I watched halfway consistently since I first tuned into soaps, I can hardly complain (even if all the good can be traced back to the foundations Bell Sr. laid). In fact the only time I didn't watch was at the height of the possessive Nick storyline. And the whole Phoebe/Constantin thing. Around this time period I didn't watch for about a year, but otherwise, I've been pretty much been watching. No other soap has been able to pull be in consistently and I have checked out many soaps (including Y&R) when they had an interesting sounding storyline.

But in the end it seems like B&B is the only show I like. Here is a short overview of stories that I liked that were all from Junior tenure I think:

Brooke back from the island after her mental breakdown and fights for her kids.

Sheila poisons Stephanie.

Grant takes over Forrester and is shot.

Beginning of Taylor/Thorne.

Brooke's Bedroom.

Brooke and Thorne.

James/Sheila and Maggie vs. Sheila.

Sheila's breaks down and goes after Stephanie again.

The beginning of Amber and Rick/Amber/Kimberly about to the point where Rick is recast.

The hilarious bad culimination of the crazy Morgan storyline.

Amber's baby lie exposed.

Deacon and Amber.

Deacon and Bridget.

Brooke/Deacon ending.

Some of the more ridiculous adventures of Amber.

Really early Nick.

Early Massimo.

Retconning Ridge's paternity.

Kristan and Tony and Zende (shutup, I like when they have a flat out sane couple on occasion)

Brooke and Ridge as a stable not over the top couple.

Taylor's decline, including her drinking, affairs and recovery.

Stephanie throwing Brooke into the trash. (I actually like Brooke in the Steph vs. Brooke wars, but that was just too hilarious over the top)

early Nick/Bridget

Caitlin/Thomas/Amber (shutup)

Stephanie getting a family/past.

Marcus/Steffy

Taylor/Rick

Donna vs. Pam.

In fact my main problem with recent B&B is that I find Jack Wagner just so frikking ugly. Yes I know Ronn Moss is worse, but at least he has been with the show from the start. Couldn't they cast an actual hunk as Nick? I kinda like the whole Marone Industries thing back when Massimo was still around but (1) it's been boring ever since Massimo isn't around anymore and (2) they failed when they didn't bring in a new family in whatever industry Marone Industry works in. Now it's only a huge waste of space.

I think the problem is that Katie is so dang saintly. They need to bring back Amber or somebody like Amber, somebody you can really, really loathe. Because a good loathesome character who makes you want to tear your hair out is also a motivation to keep watching.

[GHJunkie4Life]

B&B should have more fashion...REAL fashion storylines that focus on the fashion itself rather than using it as some minor plot to get 2 characters together or separate a couple.

Furthermore the cast of B& is a huge problem. Its the same old same old week to week. Logans and Forresters. To me it seems like they comprise like 90% of the show. Sorry but over the years the relationships have become mind numbling repetitive.

People complain about newbies but B&B is one show that I think desperately needs them.

The problem however goes back to the simple fact that B&B is 30 mins long which is nothing in today's society. Even the hour long shows don't last long enough for me to be honest. After watching B&B I feel like I'm just getting into the program and then WHAM its over.

If B&B expanded to an hour and they brought some new families to town, created some new storylines , and added new elements to the overall show I'd be more interested in watching. Much as I love Taylor and Hunter Tylo I'm just bored to death by the show nowadays.

[nicknack]

But that's the whole thing. They brought on characters that are both new and not new in the Logans. They have history, but they haven't been paired with everybody yet. Personally, I think they don't need a slew of new characters. But they need ONE charismatic outsider to mess with the families.

Like Amber was.

Like Deacon was.

Like Grant was.

I agree the cast is too huge. I have always said that B&B works best with only three main storylines. It seems like all those ex Y&R writers are trying to pressure a more Y&R like formula onto B&B and it just doesn't work, it's too many stories at the same time and several storylines get put into holding patterns where it seems like it is weeks and weeks before they show up again.

As annoying as it might be, B&B WORKS with annoying front burner storylines that eat up the majority of the screen time (see Amber, see Brooke). The problem is that Katie is both too boring and, I'm sorry, not attractive enough, to work as the main heroine. To be corny, but to be the main front burner you should be either bold (aka bitchy) or beautiful or both. Katie is neither. Make her a blonde. Give her some fancy clothes. Give her something that will make her less boring to watch. I'd rather see platic Donna than her.

[y&r_fan]

Not as boring as love triangles - especially ones that go on for years.

I started watching B&B in 2002 and I was hooked on the Sheila/Erica/Rick/Amber story and the Brooke/Deacon/Bridget story. Both of these storylines were executed well, with a long, suspenseful build-up, a great climax and a resolution. That was when Jack Smith was co-HW. Since then, very few of B&B's storylines have been executed in the same manner, and it wasn't until Alden - a former Y&R writer - stepped in that the writing improved.

[y&r_fan]

Almost every woman on the show is blonde. No more blondes!

[nicknack]

So make some of the blondes brunettes. Starting with Bridget. Who worked great as a brunette/redhead when JF was playing her. But Katie is just not good looking enough in looks and interesting enough in personality to make a great front burner heroine. And, no, I don't care if she is a great actress. If she doesn't command my interest, she doesn't command my interest. I neither feel for her, not loathe her and as such she has failed. She just simmers into the background.

(and B&B has done a lot of storylines where you loathed the main character for week after week and were just praying for the person in question to get theirs. Followed by a huge payoff of the person in question getting theirs.)

Yet they are what kept B&B alive for most of its tenure. Thorne/Caroline/Ridge, Brooke/Ridge/Caroline, Eric/Brooke/Ridge, Brooke/Ridge/Taylor. And those are Bill Sr. times.

The problem is that B&B hasn't managed to find somebody who rouses people's interest the way Brooke did for years and years for the show. Yes, by now she is played out. But I would say the various Brooke/Ridge triangles were interesting for about 10 years (up to Brooke/Thorne in my eyes). It's not that there weren't other couples and storylines, it's that those other storylines and pairings never caught on. Even at a point where most people loathed the whole Brooke carousel, Nick/Brooke/Ridge still inspired more drama than anything since. And I don't think that it's a concidence that Nick (as much as I personally dislike him) is the first character in ages who managed to stick, because he was intrinsically linked to both Brooke and Ridge.

B&B needs to find somebody who can inspire the same love/loathe feeling. (and as much as I disliked Amber a lot, at least she got the loathe part down; which is more than I can say for Katie) Because that is what makes people care about a character and what happens to her. Regardless of whether they are rooting for her to go down or are rooting for her to finally succeed.

We talk a lot about who could be the next Stephanie, but Brooke needs Stephanie and vice versa. And you need a Brooke like character so you can appreciate the more nice girl characters like Macy or Taylor.

I like the idea of more fashion. But more business? B&B has tried several more business oriented ideas in the last few years and all of them were just lame and embarassing. Stick with the easy fashion stuff. Bold new designer sprouting off about how he is gonna change the industry and bring down the Forresters. Sabotage. An important designer changing companies. Part of the family supporting designer A, part of the family backing designer B. A young ingenuine trying to make it as model.

Actually my only request is that they NOT make Steffy a model. Even though she is probably the most actually modelesque girl in ages. But really, has there ever be a girl who hasn't modelled?

Amber

Caitlin

Bridget

Phoebe

Kimberly

And then of course the "special show stopper" models, Kristen, Donna, Taylor, Brooke.

They should bring on some characters who are pure models and who try to sleep their way to the top.

And please, no more singing storylines. Ever. Outside of karaoke maybe. But please, nobody ever trying to make it as a professional singer ever. The last time somebody did a good job with a storyline like that was Bobbie Eakes and Jeff Trachta. Everybody else since then has sucked monkeybutt.

[GHJunkie4Life]

Yeah they brought in more Logans but we still have the same crap we've had for years...A Logan hooking up with a Forrester!

I think the show needs more than 1 outsider to come into play. I want more Deacons, more Ambers, even the character that Antonio Sabato Jr played (such a hunk). However they have to well crafted, dynamic, and interesting. I'm just sick and tired of turning on B&B and seeing Brooke flip flopping from Ridge's bed to Nick's and vice versa week to week. I'm tired of seeing Eric and Stephanie break up, Eric chase a young bimbo, and then miraculously end up with Stephanie again.

However I highly doubt things will change at B&B which is why I don't watch anymore. I used to be a big fan of it but it's died out for me.

And yeah there are way too many blondes on the show and I personally love Katie. She's not ugly to me and I like the character diversity she brings to the show.

I agree about Nick though...NOT HOT.

Now Brandon Beemer? HOT! That's the sorta hunk every soap should have! Lol...such a stud.

Word on the singing storylines! And I see what you're saying about Brooke. Goes back to those characters I mentioned above. Brooke was an outsider when she arrived on the scene. Yet the audience embraced her or hated her. So she stuck. If the current writers introduce more people like that I think B&B would be a lot more watchable.

[nicknack]

Totally wasted in a no future role. The highest he can hope to achieve is to make it to Felicia's or Donna's boytoy. But neither of them have the strenght to actually create a long term triangle or viable supercouple.

He'll go the way of all the goon characters.

What they need is an ambitious new designer a la Grant.

The only outsider characters that stick to mind are the ones that have an edge.

Brooke

Sheila

Grant

Deacon

Amber

Nick

Introducing nice and friendly and sane outside characters just doesn't work on B&B. They have to be the kind who will not just disappear after their storyline is done. They need to be the kind who claw their way into a storyline. The only way nice character maybe work if an edgy character already exists on the show. (I like Bridget, but imo Deacon gave Bridget life, Brooke gave Taylor life, Sally gave Macy life etc)

For example, I really love Marcus and Steffy. I'm hoping for a nice and sweet summer storyline. But I fully expect them to go the way of the Dodo once summer is over. Their chance for survival would probably increase by 500000% if Marcus had arrived having a grudge against somebody. Something that gives him a reason to dark and daring things and for his and Steffy's romance to have a dramatic and tragic edge and can play out for several years. Instead we will get a sweet and nice storyline at the most (more likely one of them will be made to slut off and sleep with somebody else before they reunite) and then they will go the way of Rick/Caitlin, Thomas/Amber, Thomas/Gabrielle, Bridget/CJ, Kristen/Tony and many, many more.