I wonder if Chris Engen would return as a recast Nikki?

What the hell happened to the show? A few weeks ago, a lot of us were happy and optimistic about the show. Now the threads are mostly negative (and I know I'm partly responsible for this) and relatively short.

The writing has just gotten worse and worse, and the flaws of this writing regime have been so very apparently over the past two months or so. This show isn't good at the moment folks, and please don't compare it to other soaps. This show is sucking by its own standards.

LMAO, Ruxton! He might look hot in a blonde wig.

My great fear is that Kim Zimmer or Diedre Hall will be cast as Nikki! Ugh. TPTB might say they won't recast but you know that sooner or later they would.

F.uck storytellers right now. If behind the scenes is chaotic (contract wise) it isn't going to make a difference who's writing the show.

The writing has just gotten worse and worse, and the flaws of this writing regime have been so very apparently over the past two months or so. This show isn't good at the moment folks, and please don't compare it to other soaps. This show is sucking by its own standards.

I will compare it to other soaps. It is better than anything on the air now. You may think it sucks but watch ATWT or GL. It is miles better.

I wonder if Chris Engen would return as a recast Nikki?

Heh. They could make him kiss Doug Davidson.

For me I stand with her depending on how much. I mean where-ever I work if I make a million in salary and they asked me to cut 70%, while I make nowhere near that now but if I have enough I would be fighting over principle of it as well. I'll take a cut but 70% is like wooah. I'm just saying if that's how they are doing it all or nothing I would have to stand up, now do I think she should walk over it I don't want her to. I just think for it to have come to this is poor management skills and I don't blame MAB because I don't think she negotiated her current contract

I'd be heartbroken if MTS left. I really would. She's so valuable to this show. I hate the politics of contract negotioans. She refused the pay cut and the beancounter says well fine - we'll put you on recurring. I CAN SEE how MTS would be offended by that. I wish MAB or someone high up would say - MTS, please, we can't continue to pay you a million dollars a year, but I will write you a magnificent s/l that will be well worth your time and if we get higher ratings, I'll personally see to it that you get a bonus.

I'm on the fence, but man is this hurting the show big time.

LMAO, Ruxton! He might look hot in a blonde wig.

My great fear is that Kim Zimmer or Deidre Hall will be cast as Nikki! Ugh. TPTB might say they won't recast but you know that sooner or later they would.

Alvin would go insane if Hall was hired as Nikki.

F.uck storytellers right now. If behind the scenes is chaotic (contract wise) it isn't going to make a difference who's writing the show.

Perhaps it's not smart to grade soap operas on a curve, considering that the bar has been lowered considerably over the last 10 - 20 years, but Y&R is miles ahead of every other soap opera currently airing. Now, that might say more for the other shows than it does for Y&R, but the facts are still the facts, LoL. If I had to choose between Y&R or, say... GL, ATWT, B&B, Days, AMC, GH or OLTL, I'm choosing Y&R.

please don't compare it to other soaps

AMC was my soap. Right now though it's unwatchable. I turned to Y&R as my main soap because it was the best of the bunch but it's definitely gotten far off track. I want to watch a soap. If Y&R continues to deteriorate, then where will I get my soap fix? I might have to try one of them foreign soaps people are so hot for.

Alvin would go insane if Hall was hired as Nikki.

Just what we need, the Big Bad Wolf to huff and puff and blow everyone's houses down.

I would be pissed just like I am right now! Hate him or love him, Braden IS the star of Y&R.

Obviously she can't pen a decent story by herself. She'll probably make David KrazyFuck and Jill Lorie look like superstars.

This news is so disturbing, even the MODS are off the rails!

As much as I've been enjoying the show over the last eight months, I have to agree. I can name at least ten actors right off the bat who could be let go without even a negotiation and nobody would care.

Yup

F.uck storytellers right now. If behind the scenes is chaotic (contract wise) it isn't going to make a difference who's writing the show.

THANK YOU!!! Anything bad that happens to the show is just another reason to fire up those damn drums. This has to do with money, not writing talent!

Wow - I just read that article now and I'm sorry, but I can see how it's wreaking havoc on the show. Paul and Nikki's wedding was supposed to happen in May - but now it's being put off. I even get the feeling that this is why we get the art caper every day instead of Nikki and Paul. This is also probably why Victor is giving his blessing to the wedding now instead of causing trouble.

You know who I feel for in this whole debacle? Doug! He gets a crack at his first major story in a long time and it gets derailed cause MTS doesn't want a paycut. Now it's gonna mess with the MJ plot and ya'll know I don't like that!

Bummer, bummer, bummer. i tell ya, the sloppy art story is all cause of MTS and the reverberations from MTS's contract mess. I was all for MTS but now it's severely affecting Y&R the show I watch. I hope MTS goes gracefully and signs a year contract renewal and renegotiates later.

I wish we could get some actual information on what sort of cut they're asking her to take. a paycut is not a slap in the face to me.

I wonder how much of this is about MTS paycut and how much is about people who don't know how to tell stories. Other stories which have nothing to do with Nikki, like the Sharon story (mental illness turned into WTD and the umpteenth revival of poor Shick, Cassie died and made them sad), the Billy stories (was he supposed to be in love with Lily, or Chloe, or was it Mac all along, wasn't he supposed to be rivals with Cane, wasn't there supposed to be more of a custody battle between Cane and Billy/Chloe), Kevin and the chipmunk, have all had pacing problems and confused motivations.

THANK YOU!!! Anything bad that happens to the show is just another reason to fire up those damn drums. This has to do with money, not writing talent!

And at the moment, the show has neither in spades.