Y&R: Question about the ratings drop

[jimmyk311]

Ok, so I was watching this video and I have to ask you guys a question about this fact or myth that I'm always hearing about.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYYDIDckogk

I wanted to asks did the viewership really drop when Moore and Rowell left the show?

I always read and heard claims from DC, Branco, and so on that "Rowell took 2-3 million viewers from the show" or "Moore took one millon viewers with him" but I never saw any proof of this or debates about it. I wonder if drop has more to do with behind-the-scenes changes than anything else?

Is it true or are people really smoking the pipe? And, do you think Rowell and Moore can really bring viewers back if ever came back?

[Chris B]

IIRC, when Victoria Rowell left the show did see ratings losses throughout the summer, but they rebounded by the end of the year. I'd say it was no more than 500,000 viewers. I do think that she was a ratings draw and I attribute a lot of LML's success on the character of Drucilla. Now if she returned would she have the same impact? I doubt it because MAB and co write a show that is too dull and vanilla to service the character. I can't imagine how she'd be written. I'm thinking it would be a mess.

[DeeeDee]

Look at the horrible way TPTB write for all the other female characters.

If they aren't dependent on men they're helpless victims.

[edgeofnik]

This is a hallmark of all soaps, which is one of the reasons why they are out of touch. As far as the 1MM+ loss when SM left -- it was the culmination of three things the happened in about three months: 1) Ryan's death; 2) Mac recast and 3) SM leaving. (It also didn't help that they sent Neil into this horrible alcoholic/living on the streets story -- but that brought VR and CK to the canvass.)

[Chris B]

Dru is more than just a woman, she's a black woman which created a whole 'nother problem. Can you imagine her returning in January and by December only appearing in 30-40 episodes? I don't think I could handle that, but it's what would happen. She would get a "big" two week entrance story then appear once or twice a week and like Nina, her life would be centered around Lily. I just see total disaster when I think of Dru's return.

[MoTheGreat]

Even though I would love to see Dru back in the form of VR but I won't be watching because of my dislike for CKLily. I tried them the first time around & didn't like the mother & daughter chemistry. & when CK came back when VR was still there I stop watching. But I'm just one out of many so I don't know how VR return would take.

2nd I won't trust these hacks with Dru. They can't write for the black characters they have now. I just can't picture what they would write for somebody like Dru.

[DeeeDee]

Pretty much!

[DeeeDee]

Exactly.

Tonya got NOTHING for 6 months then tossed out like garbage & Darius will fail.

Horribly.

[DeeeDee]

They wouldn't.

With Rauch around minorities are dropping like flies.

[MoTheGreat]

I know what they would write for her. But VR wouldn't allow it. They would write her as a sidekick to Lily. Just to come out once in a blue moon to one of CKLily many crisis.

[aMLCproduction]

This thread hurts my heart. I so love Dru but everything that has been said in here so far is sadly true

[DeeeDee]

Indeed.

[aMLCproduction]

Who would have ever guessed that Y&R would have a white out. No dots in the snow.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

As great as she is, Dru is better off not being apart of this shiteous version of Y&R going on right now.

I'd hate for her to have a poorly planned return storyline and then be victimized months later.

So many of us would rather discuss how bad Y&R is and the troubles with the show than the actual episodes themselves - that says a lot. Y&R isn't working as a show, and its writing team is to blame. Nothing is ever going to change unless these writers are replaced, and that may never happen. We might as well accept that Y&R won't be getting any better anytime soon.

[aMLCproduction]

Thats where I am at with it.