Y&R: Week of August 25, 2008

[dm.]

I can't stand Victoria. Period. It's always about her. The writers are trying to make her this amazing person who stands up for her beliefs, but it doesn't work. She's always whining. It's making me sick. When Adam came to town she didn't like him and then she spent months of her life whining and bothering every single person she knows with her problems. Then she didn't like Sabrina and she started complaining to every single person. She's always "the victim." And then when Sabrina died, it was once again her time to complain. She spent hours complaining to each member of her family how she misjudged her and how it's her fault. I just want her gone. She's turned J.T. into a boring mess and every time she's on-screen she bothers me.

[DeeeDee]

AH has made Victoria into a whiner.

[MTSRocks]

About Chloe being Kate, what I wrote in the spoiler thread is that...

They could just explain that Chloe err Kate used to be chubbier and what not. That could be the reason why Kay didn't recognize her, because Chloe, err Kate changed her appearance, which is why she's so obsessed to staying fit and looking good. Look at the difference between the actor that plays NuNoah as a child, and how he looks today. It could work, and once again, it takes away nothing from the history of the show. It could also explain why Esther noticed her, because she stayed in touch with her daughter, unlike Katherine.

[DeeeDee]

That's what happens when too many cooks are in the kitchen.

[Sylph]

But what bugs me big time is the seeming lack of will to sort this out. Maria Arena Bell doesn't even have the guts to hire her own team, to somehow bind it together according to her own principles. She just hired a few friends and fired some others. (And left Scott Hamner on team of all people... ) Without any sort of rule whatsoever, it doesn't matter if the writer's good or not, she just hired/fired randomly.

She just doesn't know how to run this show. Then as a quick fix, she hired - again, of all people - Hogan Sheffer, who has a reputation of needing someone to control his output.

All one big, gigantic mess.

[Greg's GL]

I always enjoy your posts, brimike.

IA 110%!

[brimike]

Yeah, MAB didn't hire her own team because I have to wonder how many writers she actually knows and has worked with in the past that she's built relationships with. I mean, she married Billy Junior, wrote scripts for a few weeks, then went into non-profit helping arts in the schools (if I'm not mistaken, but I thought I read that somewhere) for YEARS. It's not like she has this wealth of talented playwrights/novelists/etc to pick from.

I really REALLY wish MAB had stepped in to take over during the strike as a favor to her husband, but then had the good sense to step down when the strike ended. I am not a fan of the fi-core status, but since someone had to write during that time, I was actually somewhat relieved that a non-full-time-writer married to a Bell stepped up, gave up guild membership to keep the show afloat, and kept things going during that tumultuous time. I didn't feel like she was betraying anyone or doing anything unethical (See: Mark and Dena Higley... sorry, it had to be said)

But during that time, they should have been looking for suitable replacements. MAB should have been applauded for keeping the show going during the strike, but then immediately should have stepped down and let the professionals step in.

That being said, I do like the apparent teamwork of MAB and HS - but I still think you can hire one really talented writer to do BOTH of their jobs. Someone who wouldn't need a co-head.

[Sylph]

Totally off-topic, but funny how every time I try to have a discussion with brimike, my posts are filled with typos, misplaced commas and all sorts of other language-related mistakes.

[Sylph]

Which is what I believe in — one head writer. One. Once you see two names appearing, it always spells trouble.

And, brimike, you know what I hate about your posts (there's only one thing): you are way to lenient.

[DeeeDee]

Sony is doing a lot of interfering.

As long as they have agendas it renders a lot of HW's plans irrelevant.

[Greg's GL]

I think the only time more than one HW worked was the Nancy Curlee era of GL in the early 90s. It's never worked again. And when Nancy left, the remaining co-HW team fell apart soon afterward.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

You expect stability in today's daytime landscape? Name one show that is stable.

You set your expectations too high for an industry that's proven over and over again that it doesn't know the meaning of that word or truly gets what fans want.

[Sylph]

Do you really think I made such a naive statement? You misunderstood, but never mind... Who cares.

[brimike]

I don't think it's a given that two head writers always equal bad news. I may sound like a broken record, but I still think HS and CC had a stellar first year at ATWT. Sheffer was new blood, had fresh ideas, and was really invigorated, whereas Culliton made sure ATWT never lost "the soap" with someone in charge who had never written soap opera before. I think it can be done with the right team.

But you're right, Alvin - it's such a crap shoot, especially when you throw people together who don't know each other personally, or might not have the best rapport. One is preferred, of course... but I don't think you can immediately say that having co-heads always spells disaster.

There I go, being lenient again... sorry...

[Sylph]