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

[DRW50]

Zendall Fan, I don't think every headwriter hates women, but you would think they did. I think those who do hate them so blatantly that it just creates an awful stench which suffocates all of daytime. As soon as Rauch and Sheffer were hired I knew what would be done to women. They just seem to despise women.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Anyone can be convinced to come back. Money talks, even though there's very little of it going around these days.

Y&R can do better and the show is in the crapper right now thanks to this current writing regime. Changes have to be made, and it starts at the top.

[marceline]

This thread is interesting to me because I don't watch Y&R and I never have but I remember how happy the viewers were when MAB came on board. The hatred for Latham was so acute and based on what I read well-deserved and MAB was welcomed with much fanfare. However now MAB is just as hated as Latham was. In the end I continue to think the real problem with soaps has been the lack of fresh blood BTS.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yes, it seems like every new writer gets a honeymoon period for the first 6 months to a year, after that, they either sink or swim. Most tend to sink.

If we accept that these shows are dead and let them continue on with the way they're conducting things without saying/doing nothing, aren't we enabling them to continue down their destructive paths? As a fan, I'd like to say someone out there tried to fix these huge problems plaguing these shows and tried to hire better writing and producing talent in an effort to make the "final years" better and more interesting. Sadly, no is trying, but I'm still holding out hope.

[aMLCproduction]

I perfer LML's Y&R to MAB's any day.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

As much as I despise MAB's Y&R, I do not want that hack bitch from the depths of hell (as DaytimeFan used to say) LML back at Y&R.

As I've said before Smith had his problems, but I'd sure welcome him back to Y&R at this point. SOMETHING has to be done to save this show creatively.

[JimTolkien]

I will say this I never complained about the show when LML was around. She was not perfect and her execution on some stories were not well done but I will say she managed to entertain me very much with some of her s/ls. And some were a bit creative even if it at times lacked the proper followthrough. I actually felt more energy watching her shows than I do now. And certainly it was never this predictable and never felt this rushed.

I guess my issue is I am completely unhappy with the ENTIRE show and choice of s/ls vs. unhappy with just 1 or 2 which is very normal and never one right after the other. The overuse of the younger actors and their characters who are about as interesting as watching a half-dead slug move from point A to point B when point B is a mile away is coma-inducing and make me just want to squish it and put it and myself out of our misery.

I am never going to love every s/l but the entire show is missing ITS HEART and perhaps that's why so many of us are emotionless!! We are supposed to be able to connect w/these characters some of us have watched for a very long time and feel something but how can you when the show has become 100% plot-driven!

[aMLCproduction]

Very good points. LML shows were exciting. Watching MAB's is like being in the doldrums the dark ages. It's depressing.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yes, MAB and Company have failed MASSIVLEY at incorporating some variety into their show. Almost every story revolves around some one-note psycho some some woman being victimized. Not fun or interesting to watch after a while.

[aMLCproduction]

The Dark and the Depressing

[DeeeDee]

Amen.

No, No, No, No, No, No!

Alden yes.

Smith no.

[DeeeDee]

Cause her show WASN'T Y&R.

[MoTheGreat]

Ewww!!!!! I won't mind Alden & Smith working with lazy ass MAB. It seem Hogan & whoever can feed her any old crap.

[edgeofnik]

A primary reason why soaps have gone down the tubes is that they are still clinging to the "women are victims" syndrome. No matter what cruel things are done to them, they pine, crawl back or submit to their torturer. This storytelling model does not work in today's world (or even in the world of the 1990s). Women are successful, make their own choices, etc. Even women who have chosen to stay home, usually have been in the work force, etc. I was not thrilled with LML, but came back when MAB started because it looked like the old Y&R was back, I quit right after the Sabrina S/L started -- it was so random. I came back with Sabrina's execution because the fallout was promising. Initially the Ash haunting looked great, but then to find out Adam was behind it was bizarre, but CE was able to pull it off. (MM not even close and the motivation is absolutely gone.) Ashley became his friend, confidant, stood up for him against Victor, etc. Phillip coming back was pushing me to edge of WTF. Then Patty/Jane kept getting worse and worse, but these last few weeks have been awful. I officially deleted from my DVR last week. Mind you, I have watched Y&R for long stretches ever since the Abbotts came on board. One of my top 10 soap scenes is Traci dumping the big bowl of ice cream on Lauren's head after Lauren ordered it for her. Now Traci, a lovely, untraditional character, is being victimized in the most horrible way. How cruel! And what a slap to Y&R's history! I really don't know what it will take to get me back this time -- not even sure the return of Dru could do it. It's all very sad. Ironically, just as I gave up on ATWT a couple of years ago, I've started watching it again -- it's far from perfect, but at least they have gone back to the roots of the roots -- the key families in Oakdale. Sorry for the long post, but your thread totally resonated with me.

[MoTheGreat]

Let's be real CKLily always was written as wanting man & a idiot. Remember she came back & people was trying to tell her about how terrible Kevin. She saw how sweet Colleen & JT was. What came out of CKLily mouth " She didn't want to be alone". & a idiot look at some of her pass action when concerning a man.

But the other females I agree with you on. They was so strong back then.