I like the show but it is way too much Newman. Everyday, the same characters are on. The ratings took a serious slide earlier this year when we saw the same stories and the same characters week after week. There is more to the core than the Newmans. It looks like the Newmans, revitalized Abbotts and Chancellors are being pushed. I like that but let's not forget about other core characters who have paid their dues and are fan favorites but don't happen to be part of those three families.

It is, but it's not really bothering me because I know other character's have stories coming up.

The interesting thing about Kreizman and Weston is that they are really on opposite ends of the spectrum in terms of their GL tenures.

Weston had HORRIBLE ideas that did not fit in with GL (the hooker serial killer, Ben Reade; Pornstar-Shayne as baseball player; Maryanne Carruthers), but she had fairly good execution. The stories had some structure and were paced well. Technically they were fairly decent stories. Just not on GL. She turned the show into a movie-of-the-week.

Meanwhile, Kreizman alot of times has some rather brilliant ideas. The Cassie/Josh/Reva triangle, on paper, was a brilliant idea, especially is LW would have been there to play it. The Roger story was done with good intentions. The Holly/Blake/Sebastian/Alan storyline would have been BRILLIANT had he followed through on it. The breast cancer story for Reva could have galvanized the show.

But the problem is that Kreizman has HORRIBLE execution. His pacing is haphazard and that was even BEFORE they started those damn ITL episodes. His characterization is juvenile and his writing has all the humor of a demented frat boy. His stories sucked, not because they were good ideas, but because he had no idea how to bring those stories come to life on the screen. Had he gotten a good co-HW with enough creative influence, he could have done much better IMO.

Big agree and excellent insight.

Weston was a longtime professional writer. She didn't "get" GL itself at all but she did seem to have a pretty decent grasp of actually plotting and pacing a story even if the story wasn't worth telling. Kreizman's work has just been a mess from start to finish. Not only is his execution terrible but the goals he has for his stories are all out of whack. The only goals of his stories are to break up good couples with strong followings, scotch-tape horrible pairings that everybody hates together, and romanticize and glorify woman-hating criminals and the idiot women who are dumb enough to love them.

...Or f-u-c-k-e-d the right people.

Speaking of: Get ready for tons of Sharon Case folks. Rauch likes them blonde and beautiful...

two bad Sharon Case is neither!!! That hair needs to be sheared off ... and please get her out of the tanning bed!!! she looks like old leather!!!

I guess he will go more for Amber, younger, blonder and alot prettier!

Edited September 10, 200817 yr by marla0518

Don't know much about this Rauch guy to pass judgement yet......I'll sit back and sees what he does or doesn't do .

It aired here in Croatia few years ago. I didn't watch it, but the little I saw was AMAZING production wise! I didn't know Rauch was the producer! Wow!

Was one--not the EP I don't think--but the show used a lot of American soap talent (which is why it's interesting, though I guess not too surprising--that it's been shown, and usually a hit nearly everywhere but N America)

Also, I hope Rauch fires this casting director at Y&R at the moment, she's generally horrible. Didn't he fire the late great Betty Rea's replacement at GL after a short time?

What's wrong with the casting director?

And isn't her name Karen Rea? Any relation to Betty Rea?

What's wrong with the casting director?

She casts models like Vail Bloom, Eva Marcille, and don't get me started on how she loves boring actors such as Eyal Podell (who has thankfully been let go).

And isn't her name Karen Rea? Any relation to Betty Rea?

No, and they shouldn't even be in the same sentence together. Betty Rea is the greatest soap opera casting director that ever existed IMO.

Edited September 10, 200817 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Since Y&R only tapes like 3-4 weeks before airing, we should see Rauch's first episode fairly soon. I'm interested to see how his production method works at Y&R. Rauch loves making stylistic changes. I expect the music, camera angles, and some set decorations to be revamped. It will be interesting to see what he does with Y&R's trademark lighting, I just hope he keeps it as is.

I wonder if he'll revamp his production staff as well, not that I expect him to, but Rauch is pretty unpredictable.

She casts models like Vail Bloom, Eva Marcille, and don't get me started on how she loves boring actors such as Eyal Podell (who has thankfully been let go).

ICAM about Podell. I never saw the so-called "chemistry" he had with Meryl Streep Adrianne Leon - OR with Tammin. I can take or leave Bloom and Marcille.

Funny enough didn't Conboy replace Rauch at GL? Conboy did have HUGE respect and love from his days at Y&R--where he created the gorgeous dim, "movie style" look of the soap that was groundbreaking (and very different from Rauch's bright theatrical lighting)--somethign he first became famous for on Love is a Many Splendoured Thing (he must be about as old as Rauch...)

RUssia's MASSIVELY beloved telenovela from a couple years back, the period "Bednaya Nastya", had Ruach in a key role and if he had anythign to do with how gorgeous it looked ona tight budget, he deserves credit (check youtube and the net for tons of English fans and clips)--it also musta finally appeased Rauch's desire to doa period soap.

Eric, how is it I always learn something new whenever I read your posts? Japanese manga films/series, film soundtracks, Agnes Nixon?

From the clips I have seen of Love is a Many Splendoured Thing, I loved it and can see the visual link between Conboy's work there and early Y&R.

And I'm going to check out Bednaya Nastya today -- I have a thing for period pieces. I swear, I hated the idea of Rauch coming on Y&R yesterday. Now I'm curious to see if he's got what it takes to translate a lush, moody, filmic style on Y&R's screen (a lot of Russia's period dramas use a lot of cool blue light for outdoors contrasted with velvety dark reds and black in interior scenes).

Since Y&R only tapes like 3-4 weeks before airing, we should see Rauch's first episode fairly soon. I'm interested to see how his production method works at Y&R. Rauch loves making stylistic changes. I expect the music, camera angles, and some set decorations to be revamped. It will be interesting to see what he does with Y&R's trademark lighting, I just hope he keeps it as is.

I wonder if he'll revamp his production staff as well, not that I expect him to, but Rauch is pretty unpredictable.

For me, it's a whole package. If he's going to change that gorgeous orchestral background music (a lot of it having already been sidelined anyway) for some crap banged out on a plastic electronic keyboard, he might as well change the moody lighting and the close-up camera angles that have been Y&R's hallmark, too. Otherwise, it is just not going to "fit."

Damn. This has got me down again. Rauch's production style is all about blinding white lighting, bright beige sets, shiteous music and wide group shots. Absolutely the polar opposite of everything Y&R's visual identity represents.

And please let's not start with the "it's only lighting" argument. Lighting + shooting style + sets + music are so key. They create the whole feeling, the DNA of a show. On Y&R more than any other soap.

For me, it's a whole package. If he's going to change that gorgeous orchestral background music (a lot of it having already been sidelined anyway) for some crap banged out on a plastic electronic keyboard, he might as well change the moody lighting and the close-up camera angles that have been Y&R's hallmark, too. Otherwise, it is just not going to "fit."

Damn. This has got me down again. Rauch's production style is all about blinding white lighting, bright beige sets, shiteous music and wide group shots. Absolutely the polar opposite of everything Y&R's visual identity represents.

And please let's not start with the "it's only lighting" argument. Lighting + shooting style + sets + music are so key. They create the whole feeling, the DNA of a show. On Y&R more than any other soap.

Part of me wonders how much actuall control he will have over Y&R.

I’ve always been curious about the baseball set. Some say it was very expensive others says it wasn’t because the show recycled older sets to incorporate into the baseball field. However, I find it really hard to believe the set cost one million dollars. At that point, I would assume it would be cheaper to shoot on location or am I wrong?

I don’t think Conboy was as wasteful as people claim. I suspect that Raunch would’ve had to make similar cast cuts had he stayed. I know Kim Zimmer made it very clear during the big contract debate in 2005 that she had already negotiated and taken a cut under John Conboy. Zimmer doesn’t seem like the kind of person who would take a cut if she felt the money was being spent elsewhere. Also, this was around the time of the baseball storyline.

To be honest, I didn’t like a lot of Culliton and Taggert’s work before Conboy came in, but I also wasn’t watching consistently. I remember taping the first appearance of Joan Collins to see if the show had improved any and ended up fast forwarding through the entire episode other than Alexandra’s scenes. I didn’t like Ben and Marina or Beth and Bill. I couldn’t understand how Taggert could defend the Tony and Marah pairing or having a poor widow stripping for a mob boss to pay off her death be a prelude to romance. I thought the custody battle for Zack was poorly done as Phillip became a complete jack***, Harley was a fool, and I couldn’t stand Gus and Harley as a couple. For me, Eden was a bore until Weston made her a hooker. The only storyline that was good was Olivia-Phillip-Alan triangle and the business aspect of Spaulding. I don’t even want to talk about the awful Santa Clause pushes Danny and Cassie together scenes. Ratings wise, GL had been fairly low for years and when Raunch left the ratings were low, I don’t think that was leaving the show in good shape.

My problem with Raunch is I don’t think he would have allowed the stuff to play out as it later did. I felt like MADD cleaned up a lot of stuff before Conboy came in, except for losing Joan Collins. Creatively, Taggert and Culliton had good ideas, but a lot of the stuff was much better executed under Conboy than some right now are giving him credit for. Personally, if Conboy, Taggert, and Culliton had continued to helm “Guiding Light” the show would be in better shape, at least creatively.

Overall, I don’t mind Conboy. I don’t agree with Conboy and Weston’s decision to go for, and deliver, a younger demographic to the show, but they did it successfully. Ratings didn’t fall until after the Maryanne Carrouthers mystery climaxed. When Wheeler came in, she valiantly tried to grab the older viewers that Conboy/Weston had alienated, but failed.

Conboy and Weston did make mistakes, but they maintained most of the characters that Raunch had left, even if that meant they were on recurring status. The show had a core even if it wasn’t used to the best of it’s ability. Also, 2003 was a year most soaps were falling in the ratings whereas Guiding Light remained fairly stable. I just think that while these two weren’t by any means amazing, they weren’t as bad as the were made out to be. Yet, I know that's an unpopular opinion.

What a great viewpoint.

I dont know enough about GL to agree or disagree, but i did love the show under them.

Paul Rauch interview from SOD 2002

Digest: Where do you pick up ideas for the show?

Rauch: I pick up ideas from everywhere. Books, movies, plays, operas. It's like being a photographer and seeing [onscreen] a photograph of everything your eyes look at.

Digest: What is the relationship like between you, P&G and the networks?

Rauch: I would say, at this point in time, we have a very close and collaborative relationship with the network. The network people are highly experienced and very knowledgeable and thoughtful. I welcome the opportunity to work with them.

Digest: When you have all of these different viewpoints, who ultimately makes the decision? Are there too many cooks in the kitchen?

Rauch: No moreso than ever before. I think we all like to feel that something is going to work. I've gone into stories before where there was a division of opinion, but usually we found some way to come to an agreement about we want to do, and most of us felt good about it.

Digest: Why did you take ANOTHER WORLD to an hour?

Rauch: It happened as the result of the following: On ANOTHER WORLD, we had a favorite couple, Steve and Alice. In 1974, we decided to get them married after a long and stormy courtship fraught with problems created by Rachel. We went to NBC, told them that we felt that the wedding show should be an hour and would they we willing to preempt the half hour following us, which was a show called HOW TO SURVIVE A MARRIAGE. [NBC] thought about it and said okay. In June of 1974, I believe, we did the hour of Steve and Alice's wedding, and it was a huge ratings success. The ratings of the 2nd half hour were 50 to 60 percent up from the show that [usually] is in that time period. As a result of that, we talked to the network abut doing an hour show all the time. We were scared to death that they might say yes. They did, and in January of '75, we went to an hour. The show was a huge success, and it was for a long time. Then, as you know, we were an hour-and-a-half for a year and a half.

Digest: And that didn't seem to work as well.

Rauch: It didn't because it was asking the audience to stick around for a single show for 90 minutes, 5 days a week, which is a big bite out of the viewers time. The show at its ratings peak [as 90 minutes] hit a 9 plus rating with a 28 share. Then it kind of tailed off, and we ultimately went back to the hour. But it was an interesting try. It was not my idea behind the 90 minutes show; it was the network's because they had smelled and experienced success with the hour and they thought, 'Well, let's try even more.' But ultimately, it didn't work.

Digest: Are soaps doing more or less romance?

Rauch: Doing more romance because I think it's a touchstone of this genre, romance... and fantasy. Fantasy in terms of how people view each other in grand sweeping passions and operatic emotions. It's what we look for all the time. Sometimes you make mistakes with the people you put together and sometimes you're successful with them. It's hard to always be successful with a combination of characters.

Digest: What do you do to unwind?

Rauch: I have a great love for the latter part of the term soap opera. I'm a big opera fan. We go to the opera here a lot, but we go to Europe periodically and see their productions. We have a house in the country, and go every weekend and try to relax. I also see lots of movies and read lots of books.

Digest: Do you have a message for the fans?

Rauch: My message to the fans is stay tuned because I think they will be very gratified by story and story outcome. If they haven't given us a shot, give us a shot.

Eric, how is it I always learn something new whenever I read your posts? Japanese manga films/series, film soundtracks, Agnes Nixon?

From the clips I have seen of Love is a Many Splendoured Thing, I loved it and can see the visual link between Conboy's work there and early Y&R.

And I'm going to check out Bednaya Nastya today -- I have a thing for period pieces. I swear, I hated the idea of Rauch coming on Y&R yesterday. Now I'm curious to see if he's got what it takes to translate a lush, moody, filmic style on Y&R's screen (a lot of Russia's period dramas use a lot of cool blue light for outdoors contrasted with velvety dark reds and black in interior scenes).

Haha you flatter I think it's that we seem to share a lot of similar interests--and a forum like this is great for me to just randomly remember factoids I've picked up somewhere and would have no other place to discuss or mention them

Love did always have a really high quality look. I know with Y&R Conboy and Bell worked together to make it look like an old glamorous Hollywood movie (and the dark lighting was partly a trick to make sets look even more detailed than they are--).

I hope Bednaya gives you some hope--it's an absolutely gorgeous looking "telenovela" that from what I've read was made on a shockingly low budget--. (I wish someone would make a subtitled version of it all--I swear I'd prob buy the whole thing).

I sorta have the same fears as your other post, but I have to ask if those at Y&R would let him amp up the lights to his usual high levels--Y&R, as you say, more than any other soap is SO identified with that dark, moody "soap" lighting. (It's interesting that a few things that Y&R does more of and better than anyone else have become such soap cliches to non soap viewers--the dark moody lighting being one, as are the extended helf "reaction" shots before commercials. I remember an interview with Peter Bergman in the mid 90s where he said when he came to Y&R from AMC he actually had to work hard and be taught to hold his reactions at least twice as long as he had on AMC lol)

E