Y&R: Fire Maria Arena Bell, Hogan Sheffer, Scott Hamner, and Paul Rauch

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Someone on another boards mentioned that Michel Logan said this in the latest TV Guide article, and how true is is indeed!

[DRW50]

Yowch. Logan isn't as fickle as others so he must be fed up. I guess the somewhat smarmy in-joke videos on Kitty probably don't help, as someone puts more effort into those than they do into the show itself.

[Sylph]

Is Barbara Bloom friends with Jill Farren?

[SOAPSFOREVER]

Jill Farren Phelps would be a disaster at Y&R. She doesn't get character driven stories, and she always goes for the sensational at the expense of the history of a show and its characters. She may produce a slick show visually, but that's it She's a failure at GH. The show continues to tank no matter how many stunts she pulls out of her "aren't I a clever producer" bag. Fast pace and flash will never trump a good character driven story, rich in subtext and history, and emotionally wrenching. That's what's so GOD AWFUL about most of the soaps today -- they don't make you cry or laugh or wait, as Aggie Nixon puts it. It's all flash and trash and empty moments that don't touch the audience. Where is the romance??? Where are the sweeping romantic stories?? Where is the love? The reason people responded to Beth Maitland's Traci is because she made us FEEL for and with her. We felt for and with her because she wasn't a damaged character, which every character is on Y&R now except perhaps Chance, and who the hell cares about him?? Okay, Nina can make us feel for her, but we understand why she's done the things she's done.) Headwriters ruin the characters, then try and redeem them in the audience's eyes, but they never really can, and the characters lose all the rooting value. Think Nick, Sharon and Phyllis. Who can root for any of these people now? They're disgusting, and it never used to be that way. The audience loved Nick and Sharon's love story. High school sweethearts who fell in love and fought against all the odds to be together. Parents who lost a daughter. Yeah, it was plausible that in his grief Nick strayed, but with Phyllis??

As for MAB wanting slick, fast or edgy, that isn't Y&R. Sheffer would be perfect for Y&R if it were. He's the master of one dimensional, shock storytelling. The man doesn't give a crap about character. Plot drives all his story decisions. He would be perfect with Phelps at GH. What MAB needs to do is get back to the Y&R viewers used to love. Do it by bringing back Alden and Smith and dropping Sheffer and Hamner.

[Sylph]

BAM! You told them! There it goes, bellcurve & Y&RWorldTurner's wish, for Jill to helm Y&R.

[bellcurve]

SOAPSFOREVER, in a perfect world, we'd have someone who wrote emotional, character driven storytelling in charge of Y&R and of every other soap on the air.

But if SONY's objective is to produce Sweeps Stunts and flash and trash, well, JFP is a mastermind at that. And pair her with a writer who understands the mandate, but can still respect history.

JFP is good as long as there is a balance of power. JFP on power overload is never a good thing.

And everyone knows GH is all Guza. JFP just produces his vision. And does a damn good job of it.

[bellcurve]

I still haven't given up the JFP to Y&R campaign.

A Martinez as Rafe's homophobic dad and a new patriarch?! Timothy Gibbs as nuNick Newman? Robin Christopher as nuPhyllis?

You know The Harvey Weinstein of Daytime would be salivating at the possibilities.

[Sylph]

When you get your wish fulfilled, don't bother complaining. I think it would be a different kind of disaster than this one we're having now.

[bellcurve]

You can just see it now? The "Fire Jill Farren Phelps and Megan McTavish" thread before the first show even airs...

But seriously, if SONY wants Y&R to be a trashy, stunt-driven show, why are they trusting that kind of mandate to a rank amateur like Maria Arena Bell?! At least JFP brings up demos to the shows she moves to.

Bring on The Harvey Weinstein of Daytime!

[Sylph]

I can so see that thread!

I think that a combo Maria–Kay–Jill would be lethal and wouldn't last a second. They all have gigantic egos and it would be just a matter of time when things would explode. Or any of the Maria–Kay–EP / Maria—co-HW–Jill combos.

[bellcurve]

Jill don't play. She'd force Maria's ass out faster than you can say "Bridget Dobson."

[Y&RWorldTurner]

That isn't even my wish, at least not now. I just think Y&R needs someone to enforce severe change from what it is currently. You've seen me say in the potpourri thread that one of the Bell proteges who has a natural storytelling ability would be best for Y&R, along with David Shaughnessy coming back as EP.

As to who the "natural storyteller" from the Bell universe is, I don't know. But again, I'd ask various people to submit bibles to see so I can judge...

[Sylph]

I kinda think... That's not gonna happen. We're stuck with these people.

Prospects aren't looking good.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yeah, especially with people taking a defeatist attitude like "daytime is dying, we better just accept mediocrity."

Who knows though, Y&R might have a few years left in it when compared to other soaps. Change can still happen. Sony could force Maria and her henchmen off this show very soon in another corporate takeover.

[Sylph]

That... Or people seeing how those re-shuffles ended up in the past. I don't think people are accepting mediocrity, maybe they're accepting reality?

Who knows, who knows...