Y&R: Potpourri Thread

[cara mia]

It's not opinion of mine. This is a fact. Ratings went UP during Shick cabin sex. The Shick/Phick stories clearly have had an impact on the ratings. This is not like Lane where 50 fans write in all the time but don't have the real world numbers to back it up. This triangle is or was the bread & butter of Y&R. Now, though they are so ruined, it may no longer be the case. Recently though, this was the big story. The Chancellors have not impacted ratings like Shick/Phick for a long long time. We would have to go back several years. Shick/Phick was the goose that laid the golden egg. Now they've gone and killed the goose but it was a ratings winner while it lasted.

[brimike]

I think I might agree with this post, actually. I think they (TPTB) just "stayed at the party too long". They didn't know when to quit when they were ahead with Shick/Phick. I still remember "I hate myself" and thinking it was pretty amazing, how they could breathe new life into the Quad. Not that it lasted long though. I just think they went too far, didn't let go of it when they should have.

[DRW50]

I think the ratings increase around the time of cabin sex was less about people wanting to see that triangle than about many people wanting to finally see Sharon and Nick reconnect. People at the time thought the story was going somewhere, moving in a new direction. The Chancellors are a family, not a couple, so they're held to different expectations. I really do believe the Chancellors are an important part of the show for many viewers, and could have filled a void which has been left by the disintegration of the Abbott and Newman families. The show botched most of the key events which could have built the Chancellors up, and now the opportunity has passed.

[bellcurve]

But how long will THAT last before he or anyone else appointed co-HW starts constructively criticizing "(Her) show, (her) vision"? Could this be the reason why Josh Griffith got pushed out? I mean, from what I understand, he's no Bill Bell or Doug Marland, but I have a hard time believing that he didn't at least try to play nice with Maria and get her to see(from his own experience) that her stories were not what viewers wanted to see, no matter how fast or slow paced they were. He has been vilified by the press, but seeing what's on the screen now, you have to wonder if Josh wasn't trying to do his best to reign in her bad habits and qualities.

The time to give her another chance has come and gone. It is clear that this woman and her team are not interested in writing characters...they are interested in writing scandal and art. Which would be fine if this were Capitol, Santa Barbara(post-JFP), or Dynasty.

Then why can't these people just admit they don't want to work on these shows any more, axe them, and just move on?! Why even bother showing up to work if they hate it so much or find it a chore, or don't see a longevity in it? That's the kind of sh!t that pisses me off. If they don't want new blood, why do they insist on allowing half-hearted writing and producing on something that they no longer care about instead of just canceling it and focusing on something else? And don't give me the "it's the money" excuse. These people could easily find other means of making money or amuse themselves in another way. Sheffer and Hamner could write novels, Maria could run for State Senate and then President, and the below the line people could continue to work on an assortment of sitcoms and game shows that tape in those vacant stages.

I mean, at this rate, I'm looking forward to Pyramid on CBS. At least there would be compelling excitement and characters that daytime viewers can relate to. And even if the host hates his job, the contestants won't hate winning cash and prizes, and I would rather see that than Y&R's "Keep It or Abort It."

I'd count on it.

I think THIS upsets me the most. It seems to me like Jess/Jill are being muted or placed on the backburner to prop Katherine and Bell-pet Jeanne Cooper(what little we see of her post-Murphy marriage anyway). So what if Jess Walton is 62?! I'm not saying she should be in our faces 24/7, but she should have alot more to do than plot revenge with trash like Gloria and Jeff, have an evil scowl on her face, a drink in her hand, and using her neck and eye roll to swoop away the bangs from her forehead. Jill(like Nikki) should have a greater presence on this show instead of being a glorified dayplayer.

I'm wishing Eileen had kept her ass on B&B for another go round with Ridge and Brooke. But who knows, Brad probably would have done the same thing to poor Ashley too...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Exactly, I agree...

How many chances do we have to give this woman to get it right? She obviously can't keep it together for very long. Her INEXPERIENCE shows, Y&R is so anti-soap at the moment.

[brimike]

Sorry - I don't think my post was clear. I believe a LOT of people working at these shows care, and want to see them return to greatness. I don't think anybody working in daytime right now thinks it's a chore, or hates their job. I just think there's a lot of demoralization that goes on. The people left working in the industry who haven't been pushed out devote a lot of time and energy to it. They want it to be amazing. But they're also beaten down. Ratings are falling, cancellation rumors are rampant (hell, there's even an ad banner on SON with the headline "Will CBS Cancel Y&R? Take this survey and win 50 grand!"). People on message boards are unhappy with all their soaps. Their colleagues are losing jobs quickly, and everybody's just frantic to hold on to their positions. Even if it means not speaking up and saying "I disagree". But it has to start to feel like an uphill battle after awhile.

But I didn't mean to imply TPTB don't care. I think they absolutely care. Most of them have devoted their lives, their whole careers, to this genre.

[Chris B]

Ashley on B&B was better than anything Eileen Davidson has done since she took over for Shari Shattuck. I truly believe that. Brad Bell has a problem staying interested in characters or stories (especially good ones lol), but without him I don't think the character would've ever recovered. From the day she stepped into the fashion world Ashley was alive. They took ten years off her with the great styling from the hair to the makeup to the wardrobe. On Y&R she was looking like Jack's grandma towards the end, but they took all that off of her. From there she was written as a smart, sexy, sophisticated business woman and she fit perfectly into that cast. They had a great template for years of story had they choose to write for the character. The Ashley I'm seeing on Y&R doesn't inspire me to want to see more stories. Whatever your feelings are for the Adam story, she's simply an idea. A total f.ucking loony nut. She reminds me of Katherine Helmond's character from SOAP. The difference is, on a soap opera parody, stupidity is fine, but on a real soap? No. I don't even know if I'm supposed to care about her. Ashley and Victor are such extreeme supporting players it's hard to tell.

I doubt MAB and Co are going anywhere without a final shot at redeeming themselves. Remember LML went dark and they retooled the storylines in a last ditch effort to remain right before the writers strike. I imagine CBS/Sony are worried about the steep ratings drop and will put pressure on them to improve or kick rocks. There's no reason Y&R was pulling 6 million viewers in this sad soap state and now has around 4.5 million. In addition to whatever pressure they might get, I think MAB's ego will bring change to the show. I get the feeling she loves all the attention she gets in the press and won't wanna go out on a bad note like other writers. Come fall I expect changes, but will the be the right ones or strong enough ones?

Right now the show is in such bad shape that I expect viewers and the press to become more and more critical over time. My question is, how soon will they take notice and change? Honestly, fall seems like a long time to wait for change. They need to do some quick rewrites and especially make changes to the way the show is written. The scripts have become atrocious as have the breakdowns and overall pacing. I just hope the plan to save Y&R doesn't include more death and darkness.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

MAB already got a second chance at redeeming herself after she single-handedly caused the biggest ratings erosion in Y&R's history in early 2008. Her second shot was working with Sheffer and Hamner as her Co-HW's. Since that's falling apart and ratings are hitting new lows again, how much time do these people realistically have?

Who knows what changes to expect. As bad as the show is now, they could also bomb this bad if they take the show in another direction and fail at it, say sometime in the Fall.

There's been several long-term problems I've highlighted about this writing regime, it's all throughout this thread. I fully don't expect these problems to be remedied unless this writing regime is fired.

I agree, especially with the last sentence.

Surely, the Bell's and Sony will come to their senses eventually and seek out better writers and producers. I don't know how much longer they can keep an inexperienced writer, in charge of the #1 soap that's rapidly declining. Y&R might be a different case from most other soaps. It's the #1 soap, the one that brings in the most ad revenue, and Sony also distributes it worldwide. If ratings continue to fall, viewers are still overwhelmingly unhappy, and critics are still hating it - something has to be done. Y&R is too vital to daytime for an intervention not to happen, at least I think so.

[bellcurve]

Frankly, I feel there's a difference between an uphill battle and refusing to wear your hiking cleats.

Another Ashley/Eileen on B&B fan... And I agree 100% with your assessment.

That's hard to say. And I don't want to give her another chance.

How much time does this show have? The last thing Y&R needs is a 50/60% budget slash like the other soaps on the air.

Yep!

[brimike]

LMAO!!!!!!

[bellcurve]

But you know I'm right.

Hey, I definitely see what you mean. But at the same time, some of these people really have no excuse for that kind of mindset. Especially the people in charge that(network interference or not) could make a difference or at least speak up.

[brimike]

Totally - I'm not saying everybody on the writing teams is like this. But I don't think everybody on the writing teams is hating their jobs and view soaps in contempt either. Hell, there's what - eighty-nine people on Y&R's writing team? LOL! I find it hard to believe they ALL don't give a damn. Slater and Esser have devoted their lives to Bell's show. I can't believe they're just collecting a paycheck and are just waiting for the show to be canceled so they can move on with their lives.

[bellcurve]

LOL. And not JUST the writing team...and I'm not just talking about Y&R.

[brimike]

God no. This is definitely wide-spread across the board.

[DeeeDee]

Yes.

It is.

No.

It's not.

Fool's Gold.

Yep.