If the only writers available out there are as similar as Pratt/Guza/Passanante/Higley then Maria should stay.

Well, there's always Tom "Jesus" Casiello.

No, it's hard for writers to write for boring characters. It's a bit harder where the Winterses are concerned, though, because the network is probably too afraid of making them "too black".

Oh, yes, The Young and the Restless is full of boring, obnoxious, annoying characters. It is extremely difficult to write for them.

Well, there's always Tom "Jesus" Casiello.

:lol: I never understood the obsession with him. Would every soap writer gain the same respect if they wrote a blog?

Well, there's always Tom "Jesus" Casiello.

I am afraid that Richard Backus will end up Casiello-ized/Carlivati-ized...

Forget it. It isn't worth it.

Edited May 18, 200916 yr by Khan

I am afraid that Richard Backus will end up Casiello-ized/Carlivati-ized...

How could we forget Bibel that thing she calls a column...

Edited May 18, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Yes... you know, I would LOVE it if they would have had the guts to wrtie a scene for Della Reese where Virgina takes Devon aside and whispers... "Why is your stepsister marrying a WHITE MAN?"

:lol: :lol:

Do white writers even realize how big a deal this is to a Black family?

I took it as Michelle was waiting for JM to say his next line. Honestly, I thought Phyllis was letting her doubt slip back in to the moment. And she should. Nick is not trustworthy right now. No matter how hard he threw her on that desk. Their last scene was gorgeous. The way it was lit, staged and simply executed. Those two actors really know how to see the intimacy in their scenes. The writers seemed to be showing that, when Sharon is out of the equation, these two characters are in their own zone. I was afraid that the desk sex was going to be all that came of their reconnecting but was pleasantly surprised with some important pillow talk.

There is a spoiler that says

that next week Nick kisses Sharon then tells her he is going to leave Phyllis. From the most recent SOD article, I am guessing this comes after Sharon spills about the baby. Now how they get from today's show of them reconnecting to Nick kissing Sharon then leaving Phyllis in a weeks time...?

This couple does intimacy...emotional and physical...beautifully.

They'll probably

flip flop like that for months

.

Flip flopping would QUICKLY break me of my affection. Nick needs to COMMIT. If today did not signal a genuine commitment, and Nick doesn't TRY to do the honest, right think from this point forward, then I'll want both women free of him.

If the story has any element of her realizing that Nick's flip-flopping is destroying her soul, I will be pleased.

Yes, I could buy this. If Phyllis gives him his three chances or whatever, and then she realizes he will always be like this and she deserves better...THEN I am fine with the breakup. For now, though, I like that both members of the dyad seem to be trying.

And she is a Bell after all.

Good d*mn thing! This is a business. The Bells may be minority owners at this point, but the recent past showed that the Bells need to have managerial control and rule with an iron fist. MAB is fine -- by dint of her last name -- to play this role.

I'd be willing to give him a chance if they paired him with a Co-HW who knows the show, like Slater, or someone else. And he actually WANTS to still write for daytime.

I don't get the feeling AT ALL that MAB wants to be at this show.

Oh, balderdash. Unless there is a LICK of evidence of this from ANY source, this kind of speculation makes no sense. Why would ANYONE put themselves through the effort of penning a show if she didn't want to be there. Especially MAB. She doesn't need the money, acclaim, nothing.

And it is equally balderdash that she'd do this as a "good wife" to Bill Jr. As a 'good wife', she'll do his Christmas cards. Not run the family freakin' mothership.

What's up with Houghton, Jones and Birn these days?

Someone at Usenet says Houghton is done with daytime. It is alleged that he's decided to "retire" from daytime in order to pursue other creative outlets.

I was surprised how briefly Houghton lasted at B&B.

I'm really stunned someone so young can be so cynical about this show. MAB is nearly a genious. Granted, she's made a couple missteps.. but in general, ESPECIALLY in light of the return of Thom... she's really done this show proud. I have to say, because of your age, I also don't think you can judge today against history in a substantial way, since there's no way you were watching anything before 1987 at the earliest. And there is precious little on youtube before 1984. Bill Bell was a WONDERFUL writer, but there have also been stupid things he's done...

MAB's doing fine, the show is creatively strong now. There is plenty of evidence (critical support, general fan satisfaction on many message boards, ratings momentum in the gain direction).

As it stands, there is nothing remotely creative and compelling about the present, which makes for a very uncertain future.

Where is Sylph to rip alphanguy74's post apart?

The first part is valid...it's a biased negative opinion, but we're all allowed to have our biases. I happily claim mine.

I do find the idea of sending in another poster with the explicit goal of attacking another to be ... mind-boggling.

In concur with alphanguy74 that Y&R has gone through previous periods much weaker than this. Moroever, even that construction honors the biased opinion that Y&R is presently "weak"---which it is not.

(I know...discount me as some starry-eyed fanboi. But again, I can show you predominantly positive EVIDENCE from message board opinion, critical opinion and ratings success. So, even if you discount me, you cannot discount the data. But you will )

At least the pre-2000 Phyllis was entertaining to watch in a psychotic way.

I'd be fine if Phyllis loses it and chops Nick's dick off...

Yawn re: psychos.

With regard to the violent suggestion above (and no I can't laugh at it--any more than I could laugh at the proposal for clitorectomys or breast removals or cutting noses off)...I have a feeling some of the anti-Nick&Phyllis brigade also would have hated Thirtysomething. That, like Phick, was an exploration of coupledom that was often talky or about mood. It was about how couples related together, often without a huge plot.

That's why I like this couple. They are a flawed pair, trying to do the best, often making mistakes...but still drawn together magnetically in powerful ways that they communicate to the audience.

Would every soap writer gain the same respect if they wrote a blog?

I'll ask Megan McTavish to start one next time I talk to her, and see what happens.

Actually, a lot of that was directly in the writing. Phyllis said it straight out. Lot's of women have put their families first and put up with a philandering man. Don't the Europeans think American's are silly and naive for not doing it more often? I'm pretty sure we are considered puritanical for putting so much emphasis on sex in the first place.

Thank you! I'm not sure some negative posters actually watch/listen to the show.

I'll ask Megan McTavish to start one next time I talk to her, and see what happens.

:lol: You do that.

Forget it. It isn't worth it.

If you are referring to my post, Khan, I was really agreeing with you! No irony!

The

YOUNG

and the

RESTLESS

Written by

RICHARD

BACKUS

SARA A.

BIBEL

TOM

CASIELLO

RON

CARLIVATI

NANCY

CURLEE

PATRICK

MULCAHEY

NATALIE MINARDI

SLATER

Happy now, Alvin?

If you are referring to my post, Khan, I was really agreeing with you! No irony!

Not your post, Sylph.

Good one, Khan.

Nobody has Curlee's creative spirit, Alvin. I want MAB replaced as badly as you do, but I think you're setting your expectations too high.

Did Curlee ever manage to pen a #1 soap? Did she positively influence the ranking of her soap during her tenure? I'm not being provocative here. I'm genuinely interested. Did she improve the commercial success of her soap during her tenure? I'm asking beyond her apparent writing excellence.

Oh, I realize my expectations will never be met.

To persist in the face of unrealistic expections...I don't know...do you feel that is the healthiest course?

Which would those be? They aren't that crappy.

She shouldn't pay so much attention to Sheffer and Hamner. She doesn't know better, obviously.

We have NO IDEA who she is paying attention to, or what the internal pitch process is.

Of course, I do blame the chipmunk entirely on Sheffer . That seems to sync with his slightly warped sense of humor . It was fine for a day, but it should not have come to represent Kevin's inner demons.

Yes... you know, I would LOVE it if they would have had the guts to wrtie a scene for Della Reese where Virgina takes Devon aside and whispers... "Why is your stepsister marrying a WHITE MAN?"

I think they're INSISTING on being color blind here.

Brad Bell said he would never address his interracial pairing (from a color/culture perspective). I think there is some attempt to make a social statement here.

Well, there's always Tom "Jesus" Casiello.

Amen .

I never understood the obsession with him. Would every soap writer gain the same respect if they wrote a blog?

Well, Sylph already mentioned it. ALREADY THERE ARE PEOPLE HERE WISHING BACKUS WOULD BE A HEADWRITER SOMEWHERE!

Already!

It doesn't take much.

For some, he's already Richard "Holy Ghost" Backus.