This thread has been pretty dead this year, so we need to make up for lost posts!

LOL! True.

I guess it's because every other writer is a Casiello too. Uninteresting.

If Y&R didn't list their breakdown writers, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference of who writes what. When the show sucks overall, you're not going to get many good episodes. I tend to believe that staff writers are capable of great writing if given the opportunity.

I think some writers definitely have a unique way of writing and you can tell. It helps though that Y&R lists their breakdown writers, you can go back to past episodes from these same breakdown writers and compare them to ones they've written more recently. It's the fairest way, I think, to judge breakdown writers.

I'll use DAYS as an example here. For most of Sheffer's tenure, the show was really bad and there were a ton of bad episodes - just pick and choose anything from Mid-Jan 2007 to July 2007. Then around September 2007 the show slowly started improving and the staff writers were able to write better episodes. Were those breakdown writers and script writers "crap" for writing episodes from Mid-Jan to July? I don't think so. They were given crap storylines to write.

I'm in the opposite direction, I think when a show's stories suck, the time for the breakdown writers and script writers to step up to the plate is then.

It's widely known that Santa Barbara was never the best or most cohesive show story-wise, but the show had such unique characterization and snappy dialogue for most of those early years that set it apart from everything else in daytime and masked the hell out of some of those ridiculous stories. In other words, for years, it was the day to day writing that brought critical acclaim and consistency to the show.

I know it's unfair for us to compare UK and US soaps, but just the other day, Sylph and I were discussing former EastEnders writer Sarah Phelps in the EastEnders thread. That show hit a very rough patch story-wise from 2003 to 2006. However, the one thing fans could always count on was Sarah Phelps delivering a killer episode. The press in the UK was so against the show at the time, there was a huge backlash as to why the show had gotten so stale, the only thing they could agree about during this time was that writers like Sarah Phelps, Simon Ashdown, and Tony Jordan could be counted on to deliver episodes that transcended the bad storylines and made people know why they liked or why they were entertained by these characters in the first place.

Some parts I loved from her interview with Walford Web:

http://www.walfordweb.co.uk/item.php?id=2357

Your scripts for the show were highly acclaimed by our forum members, and often in the wider domain, at a time when the show was under regular criticism in the press. In fact, you’ve often been described as a stand-out writer on the show at that particular time. How aware were you of the praise your scripts usually received? Did that praise ever increase the pressure on you when writing a new script for the show?

That’s lovely praise and it means a lot, thank you. It was a tough time for the show and I felt really passionately about the fact it was having such a tough time. I suppose it made me really want to pull all the stops out.

No, the praise didn’t add to the pressure, it just made me feel very proud. Inspired me, in fact.

Do you have any advice for any budding writers out there who may be reading this?

Writing can be a pretty lonely profession. Mostly it’s you, sitting in a room, talking to yourself. And you have to sit there, pummelling your way through it. You have to put in the hours, so find the part of the story that makes your blood bang and the hairs on your arms stand up. Write that. Don’t write with the idea of pleasing someone else or because you think it’s what that someone else might want. They honestly do not know, no one knows. That’s the alchemy of it all. Always, always write what’s true to you. Be your own voice. In essence: WRITE FROM THE HEART!!!!

Good luck!

I'll use Beth Milstein, Meg Kelly, Fred Johnson, Judith Donato, Jodie Scholz, Bettina F. Bradbury, and yes, Casiello, as examples. They were on that DAYS writing team from Jan-July, so when they had the opportunity (September and later) to write something good, they did. Milstein wrote the breakdown for John's death episode (Oct 17) which I thought was just excellent (script by Donato). Then Casiello followed up with John's funeral (Oct 18/19) which was top notch, one of the best funeral's I've ever seen (script by Scholz). And then Johnson followed up that episode (Oct 19/22) some awesome Marlena/Belle/Sami & Phillip/Belle scenes (script by Bradbury). And Meg Kelly's January 16, 2008 episode (a script by Judith Donato) with John/Marlena in the hospital was really good. It was the same group of writers who wrote crap and then later wrote some really awesome stuff.

But Toups, those were all special events episodes and their aftermath. It's pretty hard to screw up special events like funerals, though it's been done. I think the true test of a writing team is when there isn't some funeral or wedding going on, when there's build up to a story and the characters feel true to themselves.

I guess we approach this from opposite ends.

I trust the staff writers to do a lot of great work. I only wish they were given better storylines to write for. They've proven that when giving the chance, they'll knock it out of the park.

Maybe at past shows, but personally, other than say Janice Ferri Esser and Natalie Minardi Slater, have the others proven anything at Y&R?

Edited June 10, 201015 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Well that's the last time I mention you know who. He is taboo around here or can't be talked badly about. My point is that ATWT script writers are doing a much better job than Y&R is doing. It's a shame the HW at ATWT never got axed cause the day to day writing of ATWT is good. I can't say that about Y&R.

Some of Y&R's script today....

Nick: You doing ok

Sharon: I am fine

Phyliss: Lets's go

NicL; See ya.....

Not exact but the show didnt flow......Nick used the word ...Yo leaving..or something like that..sounded so stupid....lol

I think many, not all, of these writers are miiiiles below their UK counterparts.

I definitely agree, hence why I mentioned our Sarah Phelps discussion from the other day. She fits this situation perfectly.

But the UK soaps are written so differently, so it's not really a fair comparison.

Edited June 10, 201015 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

While we're at it: why Daran Little bombed the way he did on AMC is still a mystery to me.

Anyway, I really hope Penelope Koechl didn't just come back to daytime to say goodbye to ATWT. She's a stellar scriptwriter, I've always thought so. I hope another show can benefit from her talent with ATWT's demise, but then again, maybe ATWT was the show she just "got" and it won't be the same on other shows.

I don't watch any of the US soaps regularly anymore, so maybe I shouldn't even care...

While we're at it: why Daran Little bombed the way he did on AMC is still a mystery to me.

What exactly did he even do at AMC?

His Coronation Street scripts were lauded, and Bryan Kirkwood liked him enough to have him script a few episodes of Hollyoaks, then a Hollyoaks Later episode, and of course he's now joined EastEnders.

What exactly did he even do at AMC?

Well, he must've done something! If he was there for several months. Right?

Furthermore, do you remember the infamous rumour about one of his suggestions? At which apparently everybody laughed in the writers' room.

Anyway, I really hope Penelope Koechl didn't just come back to daytime to say goodbye to ATWT. She's a stellar scriptwriter, I've always thought so. I hope another show can benefit from her talent with ATWT's demise, but then again, maybe ATWT was the show she just "got" and it won't be the same on other shows.

I don't watch any of the US soaps regularly anymore, so maybe I shouldn't even care...

I thought her first script was outstanding. It felt like the ATWT of old. I wonder what she could have done had she been the HW of ATWT.

But Toups, those were all special events episodes and their aftermath. It's pretty hard to screw up special events like funerals, though it's been done. I think the true test of a writing team is when there isn't some funeral or wedding going on, when there's build up to a story and the characters feel true to themselves.

Yeah, those were specific episodes. But even if you look at an ordinary episode from Jan-July and then one of September and on, there was a difference. The show was much better.

I guess we approach this from opposite ends.

Yeah, I guess we do. I believe that better storylines leads to better breakdowns which leads to better scripts which leads to great episodes.

I thought her first script was outstanding. It felt like the ATWT of old. I wonder what she could have done had she been the HW of ATWT.

Even when ATWT sucked for a good part of the mid and late 90's, I always remembered her name and work. Her scripts always stood out, she's definitely an example of a writer who tried to make something of the crap they've been dealt.

Edited June 10, 201015 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

ATWT has some good script writers on its team right now

Penelope Koechl

Susan Dansby

Josh Griffith...he is an awful HW but he is a great SW.

Some of Y&R's script today....

Nick: You doing ok

Sharon: I am fine

Phyliss: Lets's go

NicL; See ya.....

Not exact but the show didnt flow......Nick used the word ...Yo leaving..or something like that..sounded so stupid....lol

You also have to remember that SW's don't write every word of the script. The scripts go to script editors who make changes, and then it goes through more hands. I don't think Script Editors get enough credit for the good or bad that comes out of scripts. That's why I stopped blaming script writers for certain words in a dialogue because there's a chance they never even wrote it. And I know this is hypocritical, but if it's positive, I'll totally give the SW credit! LOL

You also have to remember that SW's don't write every word of the script. The scripts go to script editors who make changes, and then it goes through more hands. I don't think Script Editors get enough credit for the good or bad that comes out of scripts. That's why I stopped blaming script writers for certain words in a dialogue because there's a chance they never even wrote it. And I know this is hypocritical, but if it's positive, I'll totally give the SW credit! LOL

Sharon/Nick/Phyllis scenes although not intense as Barbara and Emily today but it was like night and day........... The Em/Babs scenes were miles better than the crap between the Sharon/Nick/Phyliss triangle. I felt like I was watching a boring play with Y&R today while ATWT seemed so much more soapy to me. Even the supposedly intense Victor/Adam scenes fell flat...like who cares moments.

Edited June 10, 201015 yr by Ruxton Hills

ATWT:

- Janet Iacobuzio last listed as Script on June 8

- Janet Iacobuzio first listed as Associate Head Writer on June 9