If I called the shots: Y&R

[catsmeouch]

This is a fantasy but it's worth reading. Here's what I'd do if I controlled Y&R:

1. FIRE Paul Rauch, Hogan Sheffer, and Scott Hamner.

I'd leave Maria Bell as head writer for now, just to see what she can do without them. Her first few months writing the show solo was pretty good.

2. REHIRE Edward Scott as executive producer.

3. FIRE Amelia Heinle, Clementine Ford, Michael Muhney, Daris McCrary, Daniel Goddard, Christel Khalil, Stephen Nichols, Stacy Haiduk, Yvonne Zima, Marcy Rylan, and Eden Riegel.

4. REHIRE Vail Bloom as Heather Stevens and make sure she's on contract.

5. RECAST Victoria, Mac, Daisy, and Abby (with a TEENAGER). (I don't have any particular choices in mind---sometimes newcomers are best.)

6. BUMP Judith Chapman and Kate Linder to recurring. (I know Esther's been on for YEARS but she appears so infrequently that she doesn't need a contract).

7. HIRE an aged Nate Hastings and put him in a triangle with Devon and Roxy. Make a commitment to telling good stories for the Winters/Hastings family regardless of their being African-American.

8. BRING BACK Traci and Oliva to Genoa City full time (but as recurring players). Move Traci into the mansion and have Steve live there off-screen (and pop in when needed).

9. BRING BACK Cricket and Danny. Listen, they're one of my all-time favourite couples and I want to see them back at least for a month and have them remarry. Hey, it's my fantasy!

10. MAKE BETTER USE OF Melody Thomas Scott. Nikki needs a story, and it doesn't need to revolve around Victor or second-rate love interests like Paul, David Chow, Joshua Landers, etc.

11. HAVE Jack come out on top for once. He's always the loser. Enough! Re-masculate him.

12. HIRE Andrea Evans as Tawny Moore. Reveal her to be Tucker's twin sister (and Katherine's real daughter).

13. BRING BACK Kimberlin Brown as Sheila, at least for a 13-week contract, and undo the horrible "Pheila" story once and for all.

14. HIRE a teenaged Kyle Abbott. Reveal him to be gay. Have him help Noah discover his bisexuality.

15. HIRE a teenaged Ricky Williams. Reveal him to be gay. Pair him with Kyle. Form Ricky/Kyle/Noah/Eden quad.

16. CONTINUE the Paul/Nina romance. Have Nina look for her stolen son. Reveal the long-lost son to be JT.

17. HAVE Gloria discover Ashley isn't John's biological daughter and use this information to torment Ashley.

18. POTENTIALLY reveal John Abbott to be alive. He's actually comatose in a hospital in another city being looked after by DINA.

19. MORE shirtless scenes with Ryder.

FINALLY,

20. REHIRE Victoria Rowell as Drucilla.

[Cat]

You know, it's your fantasy and I'm down with that. Not everything on that list may be to my strict personal taste -- and there's stuff I'd never even thought of -- but I'm happy to Co-SIGN and +1 on pretty much everything here. Yes, even bringing back Cricket. I'd rather watch Cricket any day of the week than hear one more utterance by Christel Khalil or Yvonne Zima.

I love Stephen Nicholls and Stacy Haiduk (as Patty) but Stacy's story is done here, and I'm not feeling SN in this undefined Tucker role. Best of all is the Victoria Rowell suggestion. I don't give a f*ck what goes on backstage and who likes/hates who and why -- that is all high school bullsh!t. But front-of-house, Drucilla missing is so noticeable. It's the elephant in the room. And for the Winters family, it is a gaping wound.

(I would also add -- a little less "Victor wins everything, always", a little more "Abbotts get Jabot back."

[MoTheGreat]

Personally I'm tired of black triangles. Where their storylines only effect the black people. If they do bring back Nate, he should get with somebody that isn't involved with somebody in his family. Unles he comes back gay & want to see if he can steal Cane from CKLily. He's upset that CkLily is Malcolm daughter. He felt that she took the only father he knew away from him now he want her to hurt. After turning Cane out he dumps him.

Lily leaves to regroup after Cane latest betrayal & Recast Lily comes back with more of an edge.

[YRBB]

Jack on top?

I'm sorry, but he's a strict bottom.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think the main problem is Maria Arena Bell being the weakest leader EVER, and the fact that her massive ego gets in the way where she thinks everything she writes is gold and no one can second guess it. She's the root of all evil at that show, and only serves to highlight Sheffer, Rauch, and Hamner's WORST tendencies.

They ALL need to be fired.

[DeeeDee]

You are what you eat

[bellcurve]

+1

[Cat]

OMG... that mental image. My retinas are scarred.

[Sylph]

I think in order to "fix" this show Augean stables recipe is now the only choice. Meaning massive kill-offs, write-offs, writing team cleansing, directors fired, casting people fired, lighting people fired, everyone fired.

[CSF]

Word to that. Sony really needs to clean house and dump all four of those hacks out of Television City.

[YRBB]

Unfortunately, yes.

And I say "unfortunately" because you know that ain't happening--save for a miracle.

[Sylph]

Yeah, because, you know, you can't do fixing, meaning re-writing the re-writes, because people will all go: Lord, what boredom! Now they're gonna undo that! Writers, puhleez, I know the end of your re-write story so could we please skip to the real deal?

If they keep themselves busy delving into old [!@#$%^&*], it's going to make people go away.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

But if Tom Casiello and Micahel Muhney get fired, who else is going to do this show's PR and twist things in the show's favour? Who is is going to explain the sloppy storytelling on Twitter of all places? :lol:

[Sylph]

Well, no, I meant in case someone like Curlee comes, wha's she going to do? This mess is beyond her powers of repair. She can't fix this.

All she can do is fire and move on in her own direction.

I can't see her "fixing" unfixable dreck.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

This show won't be fixed, because no one cares and ultimately it will go off the air in this same repulsive direction.

All we can do is hope that a genuinely well-intentioned regime ever comes in there and delivers something consistent and recognizable. But even that would be a stretch.