I think Brad has said he doesn't want to do that, hasn't he?

Well, around the time that he expanded the canvas with diverse players, like "Claudia", he gave interviews saying he was "open" to an hour and even enthusiastic for it (in SOD).

More recently, you're right, I seem to recall an interview in which he suggested B&B was good the way it was. I have always assumed that had to do with a pleasant workload and the saleability of the 30-minute show (i.e., 19 minute show) in international syndication.

I suspect if CBS made a decent offer, and Brad felt creatively up to it, and he thought he could continue to sell the show (or reasonably cut it into 30-minute episodes without hurting continuity), he'd still do it.

But I tend to disbelief Erwin's hypothesis only because I don't think the networks want to ADD a minute of (relatively expensive) soap to their lineups. I believe "phase out" is the goal.

I'd love to see Melissa Dye and Christine Tudor massacre this canvas. Goodbye Nick, Ridge, Nick, Taylor, Nick, Donna, Thomas, Nick, Rick...

Nick, eh?

I totally agree! I think this canvas could be shrunk EASILY to Brooke, Stephanie and Felicia. Period.

Moroever, I think Flannery could stick around to usher in the new era, and then leave.

Heather Tom obviously has the chops...so if there is a way to keep Brooke-Katie vs Stephanie-Felicia as the "legacy axis" around which the new show revolves, that would be fine.

I think I was too subtle in my thoughts on Nick.

Katie's a pointless character but Heather Tom's too good to write out without a revamp. I think all the characters I listed have reached dead ends and more value would come from their demise, and the show can be refocused on the other characters, some of whom would be slowly phased out to bring in new blood.

I wouldn't mind seeing Thomas live if he were recast, but they don't seem to want to recast, and I'm afraid if they do recast, they may just put Kyle Lowder in a black wig.

I wouldn't mind seeing Thomas live if he were recast, but they don't seem to want to recast, and I'm afraid if they do recast, they may just put Kyle Lowder in a black wig.

Well, Kyle is gonna need a wig soon.

He can play Kimberly Shaw on the Melrose update.

He can play Kimberly Shaw on the Melrose update.

I thought he already was.

Yes!

They can get rid of Don Diamont, Heather Tom, Alley Mills, and anyone else to make this happen.

Nooooooooooooo! Those actors need to stay on B&B forever! Especially Diamont and Mills. If they need to trim the fat they should start with Lesli Kay, Texas Battle and Drew Tyler Bell.

Winsor Harmon's ass should have been sacked long ago.

With the exception of

Rick Hearst

, Harmon is the best male actor B&B has.

Nick, eh?

I totally agree! I think this canvas could be shrunk EASILY to Brooke, Stephanie and Felicia. Period.

Moroever, I think Flannery could stick around to usher in the new era, and then leave.

Heather Tom obviously has the chops...so if there is a way to keep Brooke-Katie vs Stephanie-Felicia as the "legacy axis" around which the new show revolves, that would be fine.

Nick and Jackie both need to go.

The ebst thing this show coukld do is swicth the focus to Katie, Bridgett, Felicia, Brooke. They should have had Katie/Nick be a betryal to Bridgett and had her turn her back on Katie and had Brooke do the same, even make Donna side with them just because. and leave Katie alone. Have her turn to Stephanie who lest her move in and let her click with Felicia. Have the owmen go at it over fashion and men.

B&B shiould revolve around female characters played by strong actress' and fashion and sex and all that, IMHO.

Patrick Erwin, over at his site, expresses his intuition that in the GL vacuum, B&B might go to an hour. This is an old rumor, but it does have some potential given that a game show is likely only to be 30 minutes.

I'm torn about this. Maybe a bigger canvas can fix things a little...give more equal time to more story components. It would explain the mushrooming cast.

On the other hand, I think this would kill international syndication.

and hor long B&B will never happen, IMHO.

first off the schedualing of the taping works so well for everyone involved. also, going to an hour would threaten its timeslot in most markets, possably leaving the Y&R lead in.

but the main reason is because of its internation sucsess

On the other hand, I think this would kill international syndication.

Not necessarily: in quite some markets the show is already hour long because two episodes are aired each day. I recall this for Russia, Israel and Germany. (As soon as these airings get to close to the US airdate, the show goes on hiatus though...)

The biggest problem is Italy - and this is B&B's prime market, far ahead of the US. In Italy even Y&R is cut back to ca. 40 (including commercials) because an hour show won't fit in their schedule (I've no idea why).

As soon as Mediaset says no to to a minutes 60, the idea is killed. Brad would never risk his steady income, especially since CBS already cut back lincensing fees for Y&R and is likely to do a slashing for B&B come spring when their contract is up for renewal...