The Soapgeist: Sept 28,2009

[DRW50]

The people who run this show seem to have severe contempt for Jill, they're never going to give her story.

[alphanguy74]

Your'e talkin to the choir on that one, honey! His little swimmers shouldv'e been going down for the third time TEN YEARS AGO.

[JackPeyton]

Im sorry, but Y&R can without a doubt go on without EB and Victor Newman.

The key is good writing, good story, good devolped characters poised to take over a void left.

Sop can Y&R in its current state take it? Hell no.

But if this was normal, amazing, Y&R then yes.

the same goes for Lucci at AMC.

and as for that role on B&B... wow, they sure do like awful name actress' dont they? Martha Madison? ALW? Amanda Baker? Sarah Brown? Jeez.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Maria could surely budget her show more wisely, or else there wouldn't be so much renegotiation of contracts mid-cycle. If Maria knows her show is running into money trouble, why does she keep on adding more people to her show and why does she refuse to trim her cast? All of it adds up, and while Sony handles contracts, she could always save money from her end of things, but she's not. Half of the cast hasn't had a real storyline in years, aren't used substantially, yet she keeps them around and adds more actors to the contract cast. It all adds up over time, someone has to recognize the incompetence plaguing this show from Maria's side. If she expects that not trimming her cast and adding more actors to the cast isn't hurting her show's budget and partly causing established actors like Braeden having to renegotiate their contracts way BEFORE they're up, then she needs to learn some basic management skills.

[Paul Raven]

Whether Braeden is popular with male viewers or not is probably of little interest to Sony/CBS.The only demo they're interest in Women 18-34.

There is no advertising aimed at men during the soaps.

As for Victor leaving,this could be a good thing. Really,after 30 years,the character has run it's course.Watching a 70 year old man blustering about as the leading man no longer holds my interest. A Who killed Victor? story could be compelling.

[Cat]

I was going to say! If Y&R weren't in the current creative void it is in now, if it had Nikki, Kay, Ash, Jill, Jack and other long-time vets in strong SLs, then the loss of Victor could be mitigated in part. Victor is less popular than he was in the 80s. He is still popular and a huge symbol for the show, though. And, most importantly, his character still drives story.

Swear to God, when I saw those names (Sarah Brown excepted), I was appalled. Corky from GH? Hell to the NO. The day she gurgled her last was the day I broke out the champagne and gave a toast to monkey viruses. Amanda Baker? Babe without the personality? B&B is not the place for all that vapidness. Jennifer Gareis, Texas Battle and Ronn Moss already have that covered, thanks. Martha Madison can act but unfortunately has zero chemistry with any male actor. And even Sarah Brown, acting opposite Squirrel-hair and Poncho? Can you imagine the weirdness?

[JackPeyton]

yes,

and yes.i agree about MM she can act - i just never felt her have chem with anyone on a sexual/romantic level. even those amazing affair scenes with JKJ's Philip and Hope catching them was only sexy because JKJ brings sexy wherever he be. ZAnd im still shocked GH didnt recast bunny with Lauren Woodland, because i liked Courtney just hated ALW. I also dont understand the SrBr like, but ill ignore it because of the Tamara love.

[Cat]

LOL, thanks.

JKJ and MM were SO hot. The Belle-Philip affair brought me back to Days.

If they are looking to cast somebody on B&B, I submit Priscilla Garita's name instead of the above-mentioned no-talent no-hopers. I never want to see Baker or Willis darkening my TV screen again.

P.s.: LOVE your Sami-EJ banner. JS is delicious.

[JackPeyton]

OMG YES! PG is fantastic. In fact after she wraps B&B she can go to Days and take over as Arianna.

and ty, im more of a james/ali fan than a sami/ej fan now.

[alphanguy74]

What many don't realize is that Braeden's salary is a HUGE burden on the budget. He only is the highest paid because he's a good negotiator, NOT because he's the star of the show. I think many viewers like me, who watched in the 70's... don't see him as that neccesary, because the show was GREAT long before he came on the scene. I kind of would LIKE to see Victor go, but ONLY if he can get a TRUE comeuppance. I know they have scripted some innocuous exit, but ti's my hope if the deal falls through, they can at LEAST bring him back long enough to give the character the sendoff, and the viewers the payoff... they deserve.

[DRW50]

Victor will never get comeuppance. In the eyes of Y&R, he is a hero. That will never change.

[DeeeDee]

She can but as awesome as Jess & Jill are she isn't the star.

Just like Strasser isn't THE star of OLTL or Canary of AMC.

They're HUGE stars but there's a reason Erika Slezak & Susan Lucci are still employed.

TPTB's horrible mismanagement have made that almost impossible.

[CSF]

I have to agree with you. However, if TPTB had treated the character of Jill much better then Jill could have easily slide right back into the center of Y&R's orbit. She is the only original character and for the most part, as you have said, longtime fans of Y&R who have been watching before EB, would consider Jill the face of Y&R and Katherine as well.

Bill Bell considered the killing off of Phillip III to be a huge mistake and I agree. However, Jill should still be fully involved with the Abbott's. She is Billy's mother. She was Colleen's step grandmother. Jill should be just as front as center and EB. It's a pitty he may be walking, but I wouldn't miss Victor Newman as much as I'd miss Nikki or Jill. And as for the rest of the Newman's (with the exception of Nikki), good riddance!

[alphanguy74]

When it comes down to brass tacks, Melody, IMO is more important than Braeden. LEt's keep in mind, she was on a full TWO YEARS before Braeden even darkened Y&R's doorstep. I don't know how ANY show could paint Victor as a HERO. I see him as someone that always wins... but does that make him a hero? NO. PAUL should be the hero of Y&R.... the "perfect man" that all the middle aged women swoon over (My mother certainly does) Brock originally filled that role in the 70's. If I were in charge of this show, I would go ahead and take this opporotunity to LET BRAEDEN GO. I would hurry up and do some emergency re-shooting, using scenes of Braeden, alone and half conscious in hsi hospital bed, and shot a new solo scene of Maitland coming into his room embittered by what has happened, her forgiving nature finally snapped. I would alternate between the shots of him in bed (that they already ahve in the can) and shots of her, giving a heartfelt speech to him about WHY she won't give him Colleen's heart.... and finish it up with soemthing like this: "Victor, all of your life you've controlled people, manipulated people, played God with people's lives... and for WHAT? Your life is behind you, and what meaninful thing have you given to the world? Greed? Anger? Pain? Vindictiveness? And now I should give my little girl's heart to you so can live to hurt my family, and all those who love you all over again? Or so you can live to make more money, and indulge your greed and your lust for power for more years to come? NO. Not this time. This time, it's someone else's turn to play God with your life. You promised before God to protect my little girl, and now she's GONE..... and your'e the cause of it. I never wanted to make this decision, I never thought I could do this to another person. But Victor... my little girl's heart is going to go to someone who DESERVES it. Someone who is worthy of a second chance, someone who has their whole life ahead of them, and has hopes for the future. Someone who can be good for those who love them. Your'e nothing but a toxic man, and Victor.... your time has come. Goodbye. Forever." (And she marches out of his room)

Now this would set off a whole NEW round of Newman Vs. Abbotts, Adam, Nick against Billy, etc... all kinds of good story could come out of something like this, and WE'd really relieve the strain on the budget by freeing up Braeden's salary. So there..... and thannks for letting me indulge by dialogue writing fantasy.

[CSF]

I think that's a great idea! Victor doesn't deserve Colleen's heart and I honestly don't care for Victor!