I know this is for the B&B thread, but it relates to this. Jerry Birn was credited as story consultant on B&B today. I don't recall seeing him in that position for a while? Is this a return, or has it been continuous?

You can see where I'm headed.... if Birn's return is new, and it is linked to B&B's upswing ... the obvious solution would be to bring him (and, yes, Alden and Smith) in a story consultants. Per Harding Lemay at WLS, those guys make $2,500/day (or more now?) doing such work, and that could be a way of infusing some classic-Bell back into Y&R.

Of course, if Birn has been there all along ... even through the DRECK of recent months...nevermind.

Birn has been a story consultant at B&B since 2004.

I think Birn is approaching his 70's, so who knows how long he'll be there.

I beleive Birn was Bell's closest writing friend, and of course, Birn is married to Patty Weaver.

Edited August 1, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Alvin, you're usually right about everything but on this you're wrong. CE was originally hired after Josh Morrow's contract negotiations (Nick's plane crash). When JM resigned they did not go ahead with bringing CE on at that time. There was even some (crazy) talk of having JM play both roles! Hee. Anyway, when they decided to bring on Victor Junior for real, it was not a decision made in the span of a few weeks! Unlike MAB, LML actually understood the importance of Vic Jr. and did not rush the process. They auditioned people again, including CE, and choose him. CE himself said that LML hired him. Obviously Adam's first scenes were not penned by LML -- she was gone by then -- but the decision to bring back the character and the hiring of the actor was LML not MAB.

Latham's final episode was up by December 24, 2007. Adam didn't debut until quite a while after that. While it's possible he could have been hired before that, Maria created the character, and she could have just as easily created another character for Engen if she wished, but she didn't.

Latham also didn't write very far ahead, so there was nothing about Adam's reutned hinted in her final scripts.

Edited August 1, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

I recall clearly from earlier interviews that LML definitely hired CE and she came up with the idea of Adam being a self-made Harvard grad. It was one of the last things she did in her role. Maybe LML & CE can meet up one day and commiserate over tap water at a vegan cafe.

I don't think MAB likes DG that much but he already has such a fanbase that she can't just get rid of him. So, she makes Billy the "smart" one compared to Cane and she takes away Cane's blood ties to the Chancellors. Yes, Jill adopted him, but if & when MAB wants to cut Cane loose, it's much easier to do so now. Cane has been reduced to the flat prince charming. He is not the sexy charming rogue brought on by LML. Billy has taken what should have been Cane's role on canvas.

As for Jana, she's the least featured of the Scoobies. There aren't too many plausible love interests for Kevin, so MAB doesn't get much by axing Jana right now. I don't think she's a particular favorite though. If Kevin & Amber had any kind of sexual chemistry, Jana would have had another bout of the tumor by now.

LML did not create Amber!

I know LML did not create Amber, but she brought her to Y&R so that's why I included her. I still think she likes Cane because although he no longer has blood ties to the Chancellors, he is going to still be one of them. Unlike Kay and Jill merely tolerating Billy and Philip because they are blood, they are actually choosing to include Cane in their family and even after the con was revealed, Jill still favors Cane. And with MAB, if you are a Chancellor you are one of the chosen.

LML never wrote for Adam. I think he started Feb or March of 2008 which was when MAB was in charge. Now maybe LML was planning his return but whatever has happened with Adam has all been MAB so I don't get why MAB would have something against CE or Adam just because LML may have hired him. MAB was free to write Adam any way she chose.

As for Jana, she has had more story and airtime under MAB. I don't know if she is a favorite but she certainly is being used more than all the other members of the Baldwin-Fishers except Kevin. Of course she may be a Scheffer favorite who may be the one behind the Scooby stories. Plus it doesn't hurt she is a pretty good actress and gets those emmy nods.

I guess we will agree to disagree. I honestly have a hard time figuring out who MAB favors besides the characters connected to the Chancellor family.

Edited August 1, 200916 yr by lmfan

Mark, you got me sold. I'll go online to watch B&B.

Please report back!

Please report back!

I think I am going to watch it to Mark.

I think I am going to watch it to Mark.

Maybe it's time for Lauren and Michael to head to LA

MARK!!!!

Man & Horse! LMAO! That was awesome! Thank you for telling us to watch. Wow! I am putting B&B back on my DVR list. Excellent, excellent stuff.

Maybe it's time for Lauren and Michael to head to LA

And great writers to head to Genoa City!

Maybe it's time for Lauren and Michael to head to LA

I was thinking the same thing. I never watched B&B but know enough of it because of the connections to Y&R, but Jack Smith created the Michael and Lauren pairing so maybe they would actually be written for on B&B. And I heard B&B treated Lauren as an actual businesswoman. If we are stuck with Amber, maybe they can actually write for Michael and Lauren over there. I would follow them over.

I was thinking the same thing. I never watched B&B but know enough of it because of the connections to Y&R, but Jack Smith created the Michael and Lauren pairing so maybe they would actually be written for on B&B. And I heard B&B treated Lauren as an actual businesswoman. If we are stuck with Amber, maybe they can actually write for Michael and Lauren over there. I would follow them over.

With the House of Spectra in ascent, there would actually be a place for L&M. They'd fit in perfectly. Oh, I wish one of GL's two half-hours would be given to B&B.....

I guess we will agree to disagree. I honestly have a hard time figuring out who MAB favors besides the characters connected to the Chancellor family.

IMO, MAB's true favorites are Kay, Kevin, Amber, and Billy.

She writes Phick/Shick because she has to but she clearly has no feeling for any of these characters. What's she's done to Nick - a character many of us used to love -- is criminal. She turned Phyllis into Donna Reed and Sharon into Courtney Love. Ridiculous. She writes Jack as a pathetic loser idiot. In theory, MAB should like Victor but she's really dumbed him down for the gaslight story. She has no feeling for Ashley. She's just turned into Sabrina 2, Electric Boogaloo. She has no use for Colleen. TS's lack of talent aside, that's just stupid. Colleen is too important to be backburned like this. MAB has no use for Michael or Lauren. Heather, like papa Paul, is just for plot points and because someone has to menace her poor beloved Scoobs. Jill is there to be the nasty evil witch to Kay and the nasty evil mama to poor Billy. MAB has to write something for Lane because of their loud fans but she definitely took it down a big notch from LML days. MAB is utterly confused about the Winters. I don't know if MAB hates Adam but the woman is crazy to think she's to credit for Adam's (former) popularity -- that was 90% or more due to Engen. MAB clearly has no use for Victoria or JT. On any other show, TL would be in a hot romance and naked once a week. What a waste of male beauty. MAB doesn't know what to do with Nikki beyond having her chase after Victor. What MAB fails to get about Niktor is that just as Victor has power over Nikki, Nikki ALSO has power over Victor. Victor should have been far more tempted by Nikki this whole past year. His undiluted hatred of her was really out of control and damaged their complicated dynamic.

Now, we all love Kay. Still, Kay has been propped beyond belief. The Queen of Genoa City? The young hip grandma who hangs with the Scoobs? The poor victim of evil Jill? The darling beloved of good ole Murph? Kay is a Mary Sue (or a Maria Sue). Luckily, JC is so talented, she can pull it off.

You know that MAB loves Amber & Kevin because even though these characters are TOTALLY USELESS and have no purpose on this show, she keeps coming up with ridiculous stories for them. Are AF & GR the biggest suck-ups on the set or something? I do not get this. There is no way in hell that Kevin & Amber do that well in mail or focus groups or whatever barometer Sony uses to test popularity. I did not need to see Chipmunks, Art, Ambiguous Rape or whatever it is these 30-year old "kids" are up to.

MAB clearly loves Billy. Cane was sacrificed for him, Jack was sacrificed for him. He took Colleen's "big" story. He got the endless romance with Mac -- while Paul & Nikki got scraps, for example. He's in every damn story on the show. BM is good but not that good.

Edited August 1, 200916 yr by cara mia

IMO, MAB's true favorite are Kay, Kevin, Amber, and Billy.

She writes Phick/Shick because she has to but she clearly has no feeling for any of these characters. What's she's done to Nick - a character many of us used to love -- is criminal. She turned Phyllis into Donna Reed and Sharon into Courtney Love. Ridiculous. She writes Jack as a pathetic loser idiot. In theory, MAB should like Victor but she's really dumbed him down for the gaslight story. She has no feeling for Ashley. She's just turned into Sabrina 2, Electric Boogaloo. She has no use for Colleen. TS's lack of talent aside, that's just stupid. Colleen is too important to be backburned like this. MAB has no use for Michael or Lauren. Heather, like papa Paul, is just for plot points and because someone has to menace her poor beloved Scoobs. Jill is there to be the nasty evil witch to Kay and the nasty evil mama to poor Billy. MAB has to write something for Lane because of their loud fans but she definitely took it down a big notch from LML days. MAB is utterly confused about the Winters. I don't know if MAB hates Adam but the woman is crazy to think she's to credit for Adam's (former) popularity -- that was 90% or more due to Engen. MAB clearly has no use for Victoria or JT. On any other show, TL would be in a hot romance and naked once a week. What a waste of male beauty. MAB doesn't know what to do with Nikki beyond having her chase after Victor. What MAB fails to get about Niktor is that just as Victor has power over Nikki, Nikki ALSO has power over Victor. Victor should have been far more tempted by Nikki this whole past year. His undiluted hatred of her was really out of control and damaged their complicated dynamic.

Now, we all love Kay. Still, Kay has been propped beyond belief. The Queen of Genoa City? The young hip grandma who hangs with the Scoobs? The poor victim of evil Jill? The darling beloved of good ole Murph? Kay is a Mary Sue (or a Maria Sue). Luckily, JC is so talented, she can pull it off.

You know that MAB loves Amber & Kevin because even though these characters are TOTALLY USELESS and have no purpose on this show, she keeps coming up with ridiculous stories for them. Are AF & GR the biggest suck-ups on the set or something? I do not get this. There is no way in hell that Kevin & Amber do that well in mail or focus groups or whatever barometer Sony uses to test popularity. I did not need to see Chipmunks, Art, Ambiguous Rape or whatever it is these 30-year old "kids" are up to.

MAB clearly loves Billy. Cane was sacrificed for him, Jack was sacrificed for him. He took Colleen's "big" story. He got the endless romance with Mac -- while Paul & Nikki got scraps, for example. He's in every damn story on the show. BM is good but not that good.

Wow, I can't disagree with any of this. You seem to have her pegged. Too bad she is writing more for herself and catering to only the vocal fan bases and neglecting some real talented vets rather than what would be good for the show.

With the House of Spectra in ascent, there would actually be a place for L&M. They'd fit in perfectly. Oh, I wish one of GL's two half-hours would be given to B&B.....

And they could have Michael hop from Y&R to B&B if they need him for a big case. And I bet they would get plenty of Y&R fans who would follow Michael and Lauren over if it was written into both shows. I would prefer to have them on Y&R, but if it is a choice between being written out (Lauren) or not used well (Michael) I would follow them to B&B in a hot minute.

Ok, watched B&B and it was good soapy fun. I was wondering who was texting Brooke and it made sense it would be the kids. The location shoot was great, and I loved Brooke being knocked of the horse and Trigger coming back for her. Very entertaining and loaded with former Y&R stars. I miss Heather Thom as Victoria. Thanks for the heads up.

Sigh, remember when Y&R used to be able to do stuff like that?

It's amazing, no matter how bad B&B can get, it still has its flashy and glamorous flare.

Y&R on the other hand, with this regime and a bit with Latham, seems to have lost its glamour and lushness. It now looks cheap and generic.