Barbara Bloom Interview in CBS Soap in Depth

[ljacks13]

Executive Session: CBS Daytime's Senior Vice President: Barbara Bloom speaks

Some Quotes: GL & ATWT & B&B

In Depth: B&B seems to have a lot of time off. Does that affect what views see?

Bloom: No. They shoot eight shows in four days and go down for a week every month.

In depth: ATWT viewers are warming to Noelle Beck as Lily, but once Martha Byrne (ex-Lily) and the show couldn't come to terms on a new contract was the idea of giving the character a rest considered?

Bloom: It was really unfortunate that Martha left [but] it would have done a grater disservice to the show to suddenly tear apart the story that was [already] in place. It takes time to own a character that you didn't create. I have every confidence that [beck] will be successful.

In Depth: We're seeing more intimacy with Luke and Noah They'll share a kiss - and nobody seems to be up in arms about it.

Bloom: I've received a groundswell of support for Luke and Noah. The writers and producers set out to tell a "coming of age" story wit obstacles just as they would with any other couple. They will continue that story. Luke will be making some mistakes and that will put his relationship with Noah in jeopardy.

In depth: GL's Kane Manera (Grady) is a great actor, but his character killed Tammy. How can a murderer like him be redeemed? How can Alan?

Bloom: That's the story. when we make a decision to bring Kane back - and we think he brings a great flavor to the show- then we [also] make a choice to try to tell that journey. How do people learn to live with themselves? [Grady is] desperately in love with Daisy. redemption comes from love. The journey is fraught with mistakes. That's what we'll see in the months ahead. As for Alan, we live in a world with powerful people who have survival instincts that preclude their interests in anyone else. Alan's an amoral character who's also capable of great passion and deep emotion.

In depth: Some viewers and critics feel that GL's production model doesn't work. Cameras don't capture reactions. Sets are too small. Springfield look like a ghost town in some remotes. Might GL revert to its traditional format?

Bloom: it will never revert to a traditional format. it will however, continue to evolve to get the kinks out. CBS is not yet fully comfortable with where the production values are. What you're seeing on the air now has better camera direction. We've gotten out of some of those tight places. the lighting and audio have improved. We still have a ways to go on some stuff. [The writers] are coming up with strong story that the audience can sink its teeth into while the kinks are being knocked out of the production model.

[DaytimeFan]

GL will never revert to the old production model because it's going to be canceled soon!

Babs is so full of sh*t. Her terse answer about B&B's filming schedule and absolutely no comments regarding Y&R...good to see the Bells appear to have put her in her place. Slag!

[YRBB]

Bloom: it will never revert to a traditional format.

What determination! What courage of will! Who needs sheer stubbornness when it comes to fixing the writing, this is where we need pure, hard make-up-your-mindness!!!!

[Soapsuds]

I hope the mistake Luke makes is that he [!@#$%^&*] Kevin.

[ljacks13]

There is an Y&R section, and I just didn't want to type it up. Sorry.

[RoseVioletDaisy]

So basically, her message to GL fans is: we don't care what you think of the format, we don't care how much everybody and their mother hates Grady, and we have no idea how to fix the writing. We're doing whatever we want and if you don't like it go piss up a flagpole? Right?

[AddictedToSoaps]

So true.

[Adam]

Pretty much. Its pretty sad that students in a high school film class could match or even exceed GL's current production model. Its an embarrassment to the industry. I mean as fans of this show, would you rather see it go out in some form of dignity with the old way, rather than watching the Blair Witch Project: Springfield Edition every day?

I just don't see the value in keeping this show afloat this way.

[Sylph]

[winterguy125]

Though I hope Nuke is the endgame, I do agree with you.......

Kevin better be gay....

[Cat]

Wow, why is it that I'm just not feeling this woman's answers? They sound terribly flat and rehearsed. The moment somebody mentions "GL" and "production model," she is in with the vague TV-speak. At least Frons gets properly enthused when somebody asks him about GH. Bloom sounds like she's talking about B&B through gritted teeth.

[JackPeyton]

I like the new GL format.

Its the storys i hate.

[bandbfan]

Besides her B&B attitude being questionable....

Doesn't her answer mean that they get a lot of time off? I don't know anybody that works 4 days a week and gets a week off every month.

[Pooch Cafe]

So all Babs did was reinforce the fact that lifelong viewers like myself will never get our GL back. I've been watching since the Papa Bauer days. Now, I don't watch anymore. Sad. Sad. Sad.

Pooch

[Mitch]

I have no doubt that Bloom wants GL viewers to just go f*ck themselves....they just want GL off the schedule as soon as possible with as few people making noise about it as possible, but that aint happening. We RealGL fans are a little too vocal and specific about what we dont like and what we want that it really pisses TPTB off.

However, I dont think that necessarily saying that it will never go back to the old format is an admittance of giving up on the show (well, if it came out of anyone else's mouth but Bloomie) rather then realistic. There is no money to go back to the old format and that is the way it is.

I too dont mind the new format, but to make it succeed for the long term (Bloom would be laughing her ass off at that statement) they needed to put more money into it at the start. There need to be more sets and they need to be slightly bigger. If you can't have more sets retool the show and create one or two great looking *work* community sets where it makes sense that everyone would come together. Put Cedars back as the old center of town ( I remember watching as a kid and *everything* happened on that 4th floor nurses station and the few personal sets would be Bert's house, Ed's house, etc) and make it damn well look like a hospital with an emergency room, a waiting room (for having confrontations with your evil twin) etc. Olivia could leave Spaulding to run Cedars...Alex could be head of the Foundation and always there. Make a real Spaulding Enterprises executive suite and offices with a board room, create a Beacon lobby which looks both stylish and homey for people to bump into each other (instead of those wretched rooms) Get rid of that freakin ugly ass cop shop....it doesnt look "homey," or functional at all, The Towers, Company, they all look great already and it makes sense that people would be there. With the Spaulding Study, the Bauer kitchen and the farm house and Cross Creek we have all the residences we need.

Sorry, I do tend to go off..but there is so much potential even with this new format. Its not the format that is failing, its Bloom, Wheeler and the writers.