Y&R: Who do you want as HW?

[Khan]

In re: Toups' question ~

Thomas Nelson is the root administrator at "The Buzz", which you can access at: http://www.glbuzz.com.

Years ago, he wrote an alt-GL fanfic that was more than fanwanking. He had actual scripts, and I thought they were fantastic. He's a remarkable storyteller, who, unfortunately, hasn't been as involved with his board as he used to be (although, we keep in touch).

[Y&RWorldTurner]

MAB can't pace or create new characters to save her life, which are primary reasons for me hating her writing these days. I think she needs to leave the writing duties outright and keep her EP credit. That way, a more experiences writer will craft storylines, and Maria can veto what she doesn't like and assist and help in whatever she can in what she likes and backs from that writer.

[Darlotto99]

well Murphy is a new character and he's one of the best new characters in a long time

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yeah, and Tyra and Ana suck. So, two failures and one success.

And Murphy doesn't have a life outside of Katherine, so he's only a success for being Kay's mate.

[BadZoe]

I don't think any of the HW's, aka tired used up hacks of American daytime, would be a good fit on Y&R. We need some new creative engergy and writers with long term vision and planning abilities.

BTW, I'd change my name to Zoe Bell, but that name already belongs to someone awesome.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

My advice would be to have several, well-respected storytellers/soap writers submit a bible, and pick the best one.

That said, I still stand by my Patrick Mulcahey/Natalie Minardi Slater Co-HW team. Patrick would be the storyteller and Natalie would help him with the characters and their histories.

[Soapsuds]

I'd give Janice Ferri Esser the head writing position. I dont want Kay Alden anywhere Y&R anymore. And Alvin what's with all the love for Mulcahey?? He has no HW experience and doesn't know Y&R at all.

I say let's make Alvin O head writer of Y&R and we can batch him for the lousy storylines.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

That's where Natalie comes in, Patrick is a brilliant storyteller and knows how to create compelling new characters. With his storytelling expertise, and Natalie's knowledge of the show and characters, it would be a great balance.

And Patrick does have HW experience and he's been behind many stories at GL and GH that he never got credit for.

Or you can substitute Janice for Natalie in my team. I went with Natalie because she has experience in scripts and breakdowns. Janice has only written scripts and edited scripts.

[SteveFrame]

I know it definitely wouldn't be Pamela Long. I love her but she would not be good at Y&R at all.

If Wisner Washam was still around and writing I think he would probably be good.

Y&R is the hardest soap for me to think of who would be good. It is the only soap that through the years has kept some of it's identity when all the rest became GH-lite. So most of the modern day writers only know how to write GH-lite now, and not classic soap opera which Y&R is the most like of any of the shows.

If he was still working I always felt that one of the daytime soaps should lure Earl Hamner Jr. to write. He would be good to at least consult on Y&R.

The only other real people that I have felt might really write a good soap - esp. one like Y&R would be Marshall Hershkovitz and Edward Zwick. They were so good with thirtysomething and I think they could really spin some slow building stories at Y&R or for any soap.

I just can't see anyone of the present daytime hacks of recent years writing Y&R and I definitely don't want Josh Griffith, Latham, Smith or Alden back.

[Khan]

AFAIK, Earl Hamner writes still. Would he be ideal for Y&R? Well, in one interview, he stated that (primetime) TV needed to adopt a more adult (read: mature) sensibility when it came to sexuality; and Y&R always has been daytime's most "adult" soap - at least, when it comes to sexuality. I don't know, though, how Hamner, who has to be in his late eighties, would handle network scrutiny. (Remember, he never was entirely satisfied with FALCON CREST, b/c the final result was far from the show he had developed originally.) In a "perfect world", though, it wouldn't hurt to give him a try - provided, of course, that his business ties w/ Les Moonves (who used to run Lorimar, which produced FC as well as "The Waltons") ensured that he would be allowed to write the show the way he wanted.

Herskovitz & Zwick produced amazing stuff at "Once and Again", too. I've always wondered whether they (or Winnie Holzman, or even Ron Cowen & Daniel Lipman) wouldn't do wonderfully at AMC. But Y&R? I'm sorry, Steve, but I don't see it. Of course, if their spin on the Jabot vs. Newman wars was anything like "The Taking of DAA", I wouldn't complain one bit, lol!

ETA: Wait, if Earl Hamner, Jr. head-wrote Y&R, wouldn't that mean his son, Scott, gets to stay on? On second thought, forget it, lol!

[Khan]

BTW, I'm still saying I'd be the best choice to head-write this show. (Might as well toot my own horn, since no one's gonna do it for me. )

[Chris B]

Honestly, MAB isn't going anywhere (and I don't want her to) so this is pure fantasy on my part. In my fantasy world I'd bring on Victoria Rowell as a creative consultant with real power. From her book it's clear she is a great writer and if her sample scripts/story ideas are good, then give her a fair shot! It's clear now how much influence she had over the entire Winters family. I believe so even when LML was there because the family was shot to the pits of hell without her. I think it's important to add a writer of color who can be a voice of support for those characters. I could see her injecting life into their storylines without stepping foot on screen. Also as a big fan of the series and Bill Bell, I could see her trying her best to support his vision. I can see her creating great friendships among the female characters, giving the females their strength back and infusing the family scenes (that don't exist) with real heart.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm still enjoying Y&R, but I DO see the problems. The minority stories are just appalling. What has happened to the Winters is SICK and racist. There I said it! Yes they aren't featuring about half the cast, but the Winters aren't expensive like a MTS or DD that it makes sense they wanna phase out. You know Kristoff already took a paycut bc during his last contract they let it expire and didn't even attempt to renegotiate. He had to go to SOD and say, "Massa I still want a job!" You know as a result they did him dirty. You cannot ever explain to me the clear lack of thought or frontburner focus that goes into this family. Screw Neil, WHAT ABOUT OLIVIA? You have a MAJOR vet return and she's window dressing. Why? There's clearly nothing building ala Nina. She's just there. Devon is always thrown these little bones, but why not throw him into a real romance? Where is Yolanda, a character the show could genuinely use? Why is Tyra being wasted with Neil when they make ZERO sense romantically. The two have no chemistry. It's sick.

Oh geez, I could see myself going on and on. Don't even get me started on the state of the Abbott's and Newman's as families. Yes, the Chancellor's are my favorite, but it's not the same if they're the only full family.

[SteveFrame]

I have heard the reason that Olivia doesn't get more is that she is still tied up with the film festival and all the activities in Canada. That is very important to her and I don't blame her for not being there on set every time they need her. But at the same time it is hard to build any kind of story around someone when you know they might not be available to carry the load of the story.

I would love a writer of color too. Do I feel it is necessary to have one to writer good stories for people of color? No I don't. I point to the great stories that writers like Agnes Nixon wrote for them in years past as well as William J. Bell. Also I point to AW who had some of the best stories for people of color so many years ago.

But I would love to see a person of color get a job just as well as I would a Latino or any minority because it just hasn't been done. But I would not want Rowell in any kind of position of authority on Y&R. I think her working relations with several cast members would hinder the process backstage and in the end all of it would be apparent onscreen.

[YRBB]

:lol:

In a perfect world, it would work!

ETA: And I thought the ending was fabulous... but maybe Elsa was referring to the last season in general?

[Sylph]

I love how you edited the post from YES! I love you! to this!

Last season wasn't good? TMTE isn't fabulous?