It's time, they've had a little over a year and the past 4-6 months have been horrible...

For months Y&R has been heading down a damaging and convoluted path of inane, poorly paced, poorly executed storyline that goes against the grain of the show's history and against the grain of basic soap opera. Very little makes sense, almost everything is rushed, which leads to little to no real aftermath or emotional resonance. Everything feels hollow, characters are unrecognizable, stories are going nowhere, ratings are generally stagnant in the lower region of the poll. Needless to say, something must be done to save American's #1 daytime drama. Getting rid of Maria Arena Bell, Hogan Sheffer, Scott Hamner, and Paul Rauch and replacing them with perhaps a singular Head Writer and a seperate Executive Producer with a much better and proven track record would be .

Today's show, the 9/17/09 US episode was rock bottom for a lot of us. It simply highlighted everything that is wrong with Y&R and the current writing and producing regime in charge of running the show (and IMO, into the ground). A core character, Colleen Carlton, was killed off for no meaningful reason, other than to create "shock" which is of course a very temporary high. Unlike the death of fellow next generation character Cassie Newman, Colleen's death had no sufficient build up, nor were her connections to her family even explored sufficiently in the months/weeks leading up to her senseless and overtly plot-driven death. Had that happened, maybe the emotional resonance of the story would have been better projected, instead, they killed off a next generation character with ties to a lot on the canvas that had unlimited possibilities as a character, just for shock. Victor and Jack's feud already had a lot available to reignite it in a big way, from the runification of Ashley (which I'll get into a bit later) to the Patty Williams fiasco. So again, what was the use of killing this character, core character mind you, off? Granted the actress playing her was pretty polarizing, but not like they even attempted to write anything sufficient and long-term for her. Not to mention, the Colleen stuff on today's US episode FAILED MASSIVELY from a production standpoint.

Which leads me to another problem that has been plaguing this show - the horribly misogynistic writing for women. Since the beginning of this writing regime consisting of Maria Arena Bell, Hogan Sheffer, and Scott Hamner, women have been written as idiots who see themselves as inferior without a man (like Phyllis and Sharon in relation to Nick, Gloria in relation to Jeffrey, Chloe in relation to Billy, even Lily in relation to Cane and Mac in relation to Billy). Not only that, Hogan Sheffer apparently recycled one of his most hated plot devices when he had an emotional crushed and vulnerable Amber sexually assaulted by Deacon Sharpe, who coerced her into having sex with him. The whole thing, in Sheffer style, was glossed over and Amber continues to demean herself in Deacon's presence. Next on to the fiasco that's become of Patty William/Mary Jane Benson. A woman apparently so crazy over her lost love with Jack that she's gone mentally ill and killing people, dogs, and causing brain damage to an innocent little girl with no motivation whatsoever that's apparent in the writing. Then there's of course the intense ruining of Adam and Ashley. Ashley has a history of mental illness, yes, but never has someone intentionally driven her to be so stupid and insane. It's not fun or riveting to watch, the whole storyline has dumbed down characters for the purpose of suiting a stupid plot point. Michael Muhney's one-note, campy, and hilarious for all the wrong reasons portrayal of Adam hasn't been helping matter either. Adam seemingly has no motivation or emotion as a character anymore. Many find it hard to believe that this is the son Hope raised. Anyway, not long ago, Jill and Victoria were kicking ass in the board room, Ashley was mixing potions in her lab, Dru and Phyllis were fierce women who didn't take bull and told it like it was. What happened to that? Do the idiots in charge of Y&R right now understand that women are actually the target audience for their show?

Let's also not forget the mess that's become of Y&R's once strong and distinctive African American presence. The Winters family has been neglected or given repulsive storylines (like the Tyra mess) since the BEGINNING of this current writing and producing regime at Y&R.

Y&R used to do boardroom drama and explore the professional lives of its characters like no other soap. That became a key part of the show's success over the past 25 years, whether some liked it or not. It gave various characters the opportunity to interact with characters that they probably wouldn't get the chance to meet if only their domestic lives, well that's been completely ignored by this current writing regime. Even Lynn Marie Latham tried hard to keep this aspect of the show alive, she might have failed, but she TRIED.

Not to mention, those writing Y&R seem to have such contempt for the longtime fans of this show and their knowledge of the history of this show. We've been fed retcon after retcon this year. Like now with Tom and Deacon's sudden interest in art, or the complete mess the Phillip III return storyline morphed into (which, of course, has been ignored for the past two months it seems). Your audience IS NOT STUPID, Y&R. Treat them with some respect, and then you can expect better feedback.

There's been some very worrying trends with this writing regime at Y&R since the beginning. Like the reliance of a set in stone death to drive storyline, the constant victimization of women, loony kidnappings, and the horrible emphasis on art storylines since Maria Arena Bell began her reign of terror. Y&R is not Passions, for years Y&R was the only soap that had a level of consistency to it, and respected the knowledge of its viewers. Viewers have simply been asked to suspend disbelief too much and too constantly with the inane storylines this writing regime comes up with.

Y&R simply does not feel like a soap anymore. Gone are the build up to storylines, the emphasis on character motivation, the gradual pacing that teases the audience into want to turning in the next day. Y&R is not a primetime show, nor does it have the budget to model itself after one. We want our daily soap opera back that's proud of being what it is - a daytime soap!

Maria Arena Bell is an amateur that has no Head Writing training, and her massive ego that refuses to acknowledge any problems with her show, is not doing the show any favors.

Hogan Sheffer and Scott Hamner have disastrous track records at various other soaps. Many of the pacing issues and victimization of women issues have been very prominent on Sheffer's past shows, and on Hamner's Port Charles. Who really came up with the bright idea that all of these people would mesh well together over the long haul? I do not see the reasoning in subjecting this show to being led by three very different, polarizing, and dammging Head Writers who all seem to have a different agenda. Hence the choppy and disjointed direction Y&R has taken over the past 4-6 months.

IF we must keep Maria Arena Bell, since she's married to one of the show's owners, then it's time for her to admit to some mistakes and fire Sheffer and Hamner, and hire a better Co-Head Writer. Preferably, ONE Co-Head Writer, so there isn't too many conflicting visions plaguing this show at any one time. Cutting her breakdown and scriptwriting team in half and replacing a few staff writers with better, more established talent would also be wise. The day to day writing has been atrocious over the past couple of months, and this writing team is seemingly full of people whose work do not mesh well as a team and do not get the essence of what Y&R is.

One does not need to go into Paul Rauch's disastrous history as a soap opera Executive Producer, and how tacky Y&R has looked from a production standpoint recently. The awful Colleen stuff today was horribly produced.

Anyway, if Maria Arena Bell MUST stay, it would be wise of her to hire someone that knows Y&R inside out as her Co-Head Writer. Kay Alden and Jack Smith might have had their detractors, but they wrote a hell of a more of a consistent show that offered variety and stories that were true to the grain of the show and the daytime soap opera form. There's also a host of former Bill Bell proteges like Rex M. Best, Meg Bennett, Michael Minnis, and others who I beleive would do a adequate job of crafting storylines for Y&R. Also, there's also trying to, at least trying to lure a big name writer from daytime's glory days back to the genre or trying to find a real storyteller that is trained in the basics of soap opera writing.

This thread was not created to start any fan wars, or any posts about how daytime is dying and how nothing will be done to save it and we just need to accept it ( ). This thread is about acknowledging that the current writing and producing regime at Y&R has failed the show in more ways than one and some changes need to be made behind the scenes to better this onetime virtually flawless daytime institution. Daytime deserves better and Y&R fans sure as hell deserve better than what we've been getting from the current writing and producing regime.

This is an appeal to Barbara Bloom, Steven Kent and Steve Mosko at Sony, and Bill Bell, Jr. Do something to SAVE Y&R! The show is in ruins and deserves so much better. Get the show a new Head Writer and Executive Producer.

Edited September 18, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

What's the use of accepting reality if the results still stuck? You'd think they'd want to try to fix what's obviously broken before it all eventually dies.

Oh, because results are always going to suck. A miracle of miracles must happen in order for Y&R to have a "storyteller" HW. The probability of that happening is something like 0.0001%. Meaning, it can happen, but the probability is incredibly low.

What happened to that thing you were saying... About how you were going to stop watching Y&R after the summer if it doesn't get better? Something like that?

Bellcurve has it right in that what Y&R is trying to do, JFP does very well. She knew how to do big deaths on a lot of her soaps. She knew how to introduce edgy male characters. She knew how to have fast-paced stories with action. She knows how to budget. She generally knows to hire good actors, although those actors are sometimes not the best fit for the roles. She knows how to do sex scenes. She knows how to phase out vets and phase in people who can take their place. She knows how to crack the whip with actors.

Whereas someone like Sheffer I think just hates soaps period, JFP likes soaps, but isn't really satisfied with the status quo. At her best, she can blend the two together. And I'm not saying I am a huge fan, but I think on a show which is the right fit, she works. The Y&R of today, the Y&R that Sony wants, is a much more clumsy version of what JFP has done for a long time.

Something like a young woman dying the same year as her father, in the same way, she would have been all over that. As it is now, the way the story was told, it was basically carried by Beth Maitland. If Beth had said, "F!ck this," and pulled a Braeden or a Morrow and tanked the whole story, then it would have just died a slow, lingering death onscreen.

Oh, because results are always going to suck. A miracle of miracles must happen in order for Y&R to have a "storyteller" HW. The probability of that happening is something like 0.0001%. Meaning, it can happen, but the probability is incredibly low.

Oh I know, but at least, try to better your show before it finally leaves the air. Which no one is doing. Can anyone say this is the best Y&R can be, even in these times?

What happened to that thing you were saying... About how you were going to stop watching Y&R after the summer if it doesn't get better? Something like that?

I went into this before, I decided I'd still watch the show if these are indeed the final years. It's a big habit to break, and I refuse to let any fanbois push their agendas on to me by saying that I should shut up and not watch if I find no enjoyment. Basically it's a habit, no matter how horrendous the writing and overall show is.

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.

The point is: JFP's stunts and flash do nothing for the long term ratings. She gets a bump for a week, but can't follow through. The show returns to its dismal ratings, and continues downward. I'm not a fan of DAYS, but at least the uptick they've seen in their ratings recently is protracted and sustainable (or so it appears at the moment). They're building on something, while keeping and growing their audience. That's the whole point. They're getting positive buzz, and doing it on a shoestring. Even Corday has returned to the Bill Bell mantra: put two dynamite actors together with an appealing story and good script, add a waterfall -- and who needs the waterfall? It's the actors and story. Phelps can light the actors, ad her torturous music montages (talk about one note), use her slick camera angles -- it doesn't matter a damn if the audience doesn't buy the story. It will always be about the story, and its emotional connection to the audience. Frankly, it still amazes me that the woman has a job, considering the shows she's wrecked. Keep her away from Y&R.

Considering both Sheffer and Hamner are very active in Y&R's creative direction, Jill looks like a step- up from those two. Not saying I want her at Y&R and only her, but at least she'd budget the show better, cut dead weight characters, and make it all look aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, the trick would be pairing her with a strong HW that has an opposite approach to her. Like Nancy Curlee did on GL in the early 90's.

Bellcurve has it right in that what Y&R is trying to do, JFP does very well. She knew how to do big deaths on a lot of her soaps. She knew how to introduce edgy male characters. She knew how to have fast-paced stories with action. She knows how to budget. She generally knows to hire good actors, although those actors are sometimes not the best fit for the roles. She knows how to do sex scenes. She knows how to phase out vets and phase in people who can take their place. She knows how to crack the whip with actors.

Whereas someone like Sheffer I think just hates soaps period, JFP likes soaps, but isn't really satisfied with the status quo. At her best, she can blend the two together. And I'm not saying I am a huge fan, but I think on a show which is the right fit, she works. The Y&R of today, the Y&R that Sony wants, is a much more clumsy version of what JFP has done for a long time.

Something like a young woman dying the same year as her father, in the same way, she would have been all over that. As it is now, the way the story was told, it was basically carried by Beth Maitland. If Beth had said, "F!ck this," and pulled a Braeden or a Morrow and tanked the whole story, then it would have just died a slow, lingering death onscreen.

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JFP may like soaps, but she doesn't understand them. That's the sad, cold, hard truth. As for knowing how to do "big deaths" on a lot of her soaps, name one. Maureen Bauer on GL? Right, that was a winner!

Considering both Sheffer and Hamner are very active in Y&R's creative direction, Jill looks like a step- up from those two. Not saying I want her at Y&R and only her, but at least she'd budget the show better, cut dead weight characters, and make it all look aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, the trick would be pairing her with a strong HW that has an opposite approach to her. Like Nancy Curlee did on GL in the early 90's.

The mess that GH is today doesn't give me any more confidence in Jill than in Hogan or Hamner, maybe less. It's a moot point, anyway. No way Y&R would consider this woman as an EP.

Maureen's death was actually very well done, for the most part. She should never have been killed, it was a horrible mistake, but the death was well executed (no pun intended).

If Y&R is going to keep going on a killing spree, then she is better at it.

Considering both Sheffer and Hamner are very active in Y&R's creative direction, Jill looks like a step- up from those two. Not saying I want her at Y&R and only her, but at least she'd budget the show better, cut dead weight characters, and make it all look aesthetically pleasing.

Of course, the trick would be pairing her with a strong HW that has an opposite approach to her. Like Nancy Curlee did on GL in the early 90's.

Poor Alvin. I feel never in your lifetime again will you see the Curlee-Phelps alchemy you so desperately seek. Just like the Lemay-Rauch alchemy, Monty-Marland alchemy...they're all done.

The mess that GH is today doesn't give me any more confidence in Jill than in Hogan or Hamner, maybe less. It's a moot point, anyway. No way Y&R would consider this woman as an EP.

GH seems to be all Guza and Frons. Even when Wendy Riche was at GH, Guza's writing was still very much in the vein it is in now. GH, though dark and misogynistic, doesn't seem like a JFP show, at least story-wise. I think if it were, the FOJ's like Rick Hearst and Robin Christopher would have never been let go and without story for most of their time there.

In a perfect world, none of these people should still be active in the daytime industry. Sadly, people don't want new talent and aren't actively seeking it out or training it.

Y&R today seems like a poor man's GH (with all the death and stunts) without the stellar scriptwriting team and deteriorating production values.

The mess that GH is today doesn't give me any more confidence in Jill than in Hogan or Hamner, maybe less. It's a moot point, anyway. No way Y&R would consider this woman as an EP.

Why not?

Because Rauch is doing such a fantastic job with his trashy bright lighting and his greenscreen heaven? Oh yeah, and the acting is just so superb on Y&R these days.

And picking someone with the Bell Pedigree doesn't give me any hope either. Look at how well THAT'S turning out so far!

Poor Alvin. I feel never in your lifetime again will you see the Curlee-Phelps alchemy you so desperately seek. Just like the Lemay-Rauch alchemy, Monty-Marland alchemy...they're all done.

Oh, I know that. LOL!

I'm just not taking a defeatist attitude that this is the best Y&R or soaps in general can be in this climate.

Soaps didn't need big budgets in the 50's, 60's, and 70's to tell really gripping character driven drama. Hell, Ryan's Hope looks like it was produced on a budget of .5 cents, but the story was generally so gripping that it was hard to notice anything other than the tight storytelling. And even then, Labine/Mayer faced tons of network interference, but they still managed to put out a creative and solid product.

Oh, I know that. LOL!

I'm just not taking a defeatist attitude that this is the best Y&R or soaps in general can be in this climate.

Soaps didn't need big budgets in the 50's, 60's, and 70's to tell really gripping character driven drama. Hell, Ryan's Hope looks like it was produced on a budget of .5 cents, but the story was generally so gripping that it was hard to notice anything other than the tight storytelling. And even then, Labine/Mayer faced tons of network interference, but they still managed to put out a creative and solid product.

Oh I'm not disagreeing. I look at FrenchFan's summary today, and tears nearly come to my eyes.

I think it could happen, but it won't happen. I have given up. Now, it's like a lawnmower that you hope has just enough gas in it to go a few minutes longer....and then it is done.

Maureen's death was actually very well done, for the most part. She should never have been killed, it was a horrible mistake, but the death was well executed (no pun intended).

If Y&R is going to keep going on a killing spree, then she is better at it.

I agree, it may have been a long term error on Jill's part, but Nancy Curlee and Stephen Demorest wrote the hell out of it. To this day, I think it was truly the last great written death in daytime. I'm not taking about the long-term effects, but the story itself and how was it executed and scripted.

People like to dismiss it because of what it did over the long-haul, but it was superbly executed and made sense with the way it was written.

Maureen's death was actually very well done, for the most part. She should never have been killed, it was a horrible mistake, but the death was well executed (no pun intended).

If Y&R is going to keep going on a killing spree, then she is better at it.

Again, you're missing the point. No matter how well executed (thanks to Curlee and team), killing Maureen was a tragically flawed decision that cost GL in the short and long term. This isn't the kind of decision making I have any confidence in. If a "horrible mistake" is "very well done," does it make it any less a "horrible mistake." Absolutely not.