Y&R: Potpourri Thread 3

[Paul Raven]

Carl Williams disappearance and amnesia was a total rewrite.Then,having bought into it,the whole thing was dropped anyway.

I have no recollection of Carol being a widow.I thought it was just assumed that Skip was offscreen.

I think Leanna,like Chase Benson just vanished.

Another character that got a lot of build up and story was Brittany Norman,George Rawlins niece.I think she disappeared during the whole Who Killed George? saga.

[DRW50]

Wasn't there also a woman who disappeared during the initial Michael/Christine sexual harassment story, and we were supposed to think Michael killed her? She was never mentioned again.

Derek, the one who date raped Christine, fell out a window and died, but they heavily implied he was still alive. That was never mentioned again.

[DeeeDee]

:wub:

[Chris B]

I also edited out that shameful Awards/Nominations section. She's never been nominated for an Emmy either for writing or producing. And we all know she can't be nominated for a WGA award, so that wasn't working for me.

[DeeeDee]

That's almost as bad as Latham's Case Of The Thigh Killing Reliquary Fencer.

[Chris B]

Both are pretty bad with very limited redeeming qualities.

Latham - I didn't like most of her attempts at being politically correct (especially on Knots Landing), but I loved her attempts at diversity. It wasn't perfect, but I like that she seemed to truly value those characters and understand their importance. ESPECIALLY Dru. I wasn't crazy about how she wrote Dru/Neil at times and what she chose to gloss over (Malcolm/Dru), but that was part of her overall suckage.

MAB - The good is that she's brought back a lot of characters under the guise of honoring history. Unfortunately, they'll all wasted or killed off and their history is re-write in the most preposterous ways.

I just wonder how the next HW will be. Unlike AMC I'm sure every hack on heart will be chomping for the gig. If this is a trend then maybe Kriezman will be free by then.

[DeeeDee]

Latham gave The Winters a LOT of airtime but everything else from her writing to her production was so horrible it totally undercut the actors.

And let's not even talk about poor dead Ji Min.

Diversity was a fad to her like everything else.

The only vet Maria did right by was Tricia & Nina's success was mainly cause of Tricia NOT Maria.

[MarkH]

From the episodes discussion...this is NOT a spoiler.

I do not expect SN to stay with Jill either. It's funny, because I think they're about the same age...but Nichols has the body of a (built!) 30 year old, and that ain't gonna play.

I somehow expected them to put him with Ashley. I think that would work, too. They have similar backgrounds, he's got that "magnate" thing going on, and it would be a thumb-in-the-eye of Victor.

What about Neil, you say? Well, I know how I'd write it!

Neil is IN CHARGE of Chancellor. Thus, Neil should basically make it his life's mission to take down Tucker. He should show a bit of a "ruthless" side, since he learned at the hand of the master. It is NEIL who should be coordinating the attack on Tucker (not Victor).

So, if Neil basically becomes Tucker's primary adversary (and I think there would be nice chemistry, if they allowed KSJ to play STRONG, in his battles with Nichols), then having Ashley dally with both men could be...classic.

The other spin on this that I'd take (in behind) is that Ashley wants Jabot back...she was even trying to do an end-run around Jack in Kay's IPO (remember?). So it would be interesting if they'd show that -- in addition to legitimate interest in both men -- Ashley has a second agenda. Whether Tucker or Neil "wins", they'd both be in a position to help her get Jabot back.

THAT is (IMO) the kind of complex, multi-layered, multi-agenda story I'd like to see.

[MarkH]

Your wikipedia edits notwithstanding, I DO NOT SEE A REGIME CHANGE IN THE NEAR FUTURE.

Why?

1. Y&R is trending down (to be sure), but no faster than any other soap (excepting DOOL, which is the "miracle" of the moment). Thus, I don't think any "panic buttons" are being hit.
2. On issues as varied as "speed up the pacing" to "make Adam less blind", CBS is WINNING. They make requests, and MAB honors them. Hell, Sony said "Make Victor unredeemable so we can write him out on a dime", and she did. As a faithful lackey to her corporate sponsors, Sony/CBS are very please. They're not going to make a change.
3. The Bells own 49% of the show. She's not as easy to dismiss as -- say -- Chuck Pratt. That is going to give her holding power.
4. DaytimeFan implied (when the MAB switchover happened) that the Bells were basically given "managing partner" status by Sony. While that could change, I think Sony still has the horror of LML's mismanagement (THAT is what got her fired, not ratings or storylines) in their rear view mirror. If Y&R is a stable shop, Sony is going to alter the "managing partner" arrangement only under extreme circumstances. Thus, MAB is safe.
5. Given that Bell is the managing partner, they're not going to fire their daughter-in-law. HELL, if Brad Bell can preside over the utter and total bullsh!t that is B&B (and see his US ratings decline above the average rate, and lose all kinds of international licensing deals)--and STILL not get fired--the managing partners (Bells) are not going to fire Maria. Uh uh.

I realize that the wish for regime change is deeply felt amongst some of you, and I understand! But I simply do not see -- from a political/economic stance -- how it is going to happen. We all realize Y&R's 4.0 HH rating over Xmas break was a seasonal fluke -- but the point is that Y&R _can_ still hit 4.0. That's all the beancounters will care about. MAB has not scared away the base. She's done a "maintenance" job...and the 12-month average trend ratings support that.

What I can much more likely imagine is that -- if a sacrificial lamb is eventually needed -- the Bells will provoke a Rauch retirement, or not renew HS/SH. But again, I consider this unlikely.

1. Rauch must be ruling with a tight fiscal fist...so he is keeping expenses down, performers on time, etc. If production values are down a bit to save $$, the Bells/Sony don't care. They want that.
2. Heck, Brad Bell all but promised in his last interview that production values were going to fall on his show (fewer sets, more two-person scenes).
3. SH is again the "mouthpiece" for Y&R in the latest "Spring preview" issue of SOD.
4. Sheffer is a plot engine, and he's a hoot on the weekly writer's calls. (and yes, that matters to Maria, who wants a lack of drama and who likes to laugh--again she has said these things in her interviews)

I believe everyone is staying put. I'll even put my neck on the line and say MAB/Rauch/SH/HS will ALL still be under contract on 12/31/2010. (I could be wrong, but I really don't think so).

[DeeeDee]

[lovely_m]

Is this Maria or LML?

[DaytimeFan]

I hate to say it Mark, but I think you're right. We're stuck with Ma Bell from Beverly Hills until she cracks under pressure.

[DRW50]

How can you be a plot engine when you don't know how to pace a story and when you have to either ignore or half-heartedly clean up your own failures? If anything the show is badly damaged due to his lack of plotting. Everything goes out the window for the same old tired concepts (awesome Victor, psychos with no apparent motivation, women victims/sluts, smirky alpha male posturing, fun with DNA, rinse and repeat).

[MarkH]

LMAO!!

I thought for sure you'd use a picture like this,

Thanks for getting my point. I'm not necessarily saying it SHOULD happen (although I am a fan of organizational stability...I don't believe in quick, reactive change)...but my thinking like I imagine the "beancounters" and "stakeholders" think leads me to conclude that this regime is in for the long haul.

Not saying "plot engine" is a good thing. But tossing out new sh!t every week keeps the sausage factory running.

And indeed, it leads to a "plot driven" show that can often sacrifice development and slow buildup because the plot keeps churning.

[Sylph]

Hamner will stay because he is a sycophant and Sheffer will stay because he covers Maria's laziness. Simple.