+1

I think the difference for me comes down to the tale of Two Phillips. LML rewrote Phillip into Cane. MAB rewrote Phillip and made him gay but at least Phillip is still a Chancellor as he should be.

It's really hard to say which is worse but I stopped watching under them both.

LML didn't care.

Maria constantly uses BB's legacy as a shield for justified criticisms of her horrible "writing" but prior to Sheffer & Rauch's influence she wasn't so bad.

Now though her & her entire regime (along with many of the actors) need to be fired/recast ASAP.

So, did MAB or LML have a better vision for Y&R? Personally, I say Latham and was never one of the hatersl; however, I realize a lot of you disliked her version of Y&R. MAB has made the show 'hipper' in terms of Billy/Cloe speak but, in general, the show is a mess. Latham was far from perfect but it seemed like she had some sort of grip when it came to character driven story as opposed to the current regime.

As an aside, Latham would have been great for a multi-generational show like ATWT. She made Knots Landing and GC feel like communities and that is exactly what Oakdale needed. I don't think she is a bad soap writer but Y&R probably was not the right place for her. Granted, she did keep the ratings stable.

I'm just curious what you all think.

I liked much of what LML did. Many things were an improvement. Dialogue and individual scripts were sharper (I had always hated the dialogue under Bell, Alden, Smith, etc., so much so I didn't watch the show). One thing LML did that I liked was to give Brad an actual backstory. "George Kaplan" worked so much better than "Brad, the Serial Rich Girl Marrier."

I detest the current crapfest. There's no comparison. These people are true incompetents, brought in to destroy the show before CBS actually kills it. I have stopped watching it. I haven't seen an episode since March.

Edited April 19, 201015 yr by Jay

Someone said that the show still had some heart under Latham and I agree. Aside from her efforts to ruin the Abbot family, the show still had some sort of emotional connection. She seemed to wanna make the Gloria Fisher clan the new Abbot family right down to taking the house.

MAB has turned the show into a freak show and horror flick with all of these body doubles and gaslighters. Patty+Adam+Sarah equals Nightmare on Elm Street, Genoa City WI

I liked much of what LML did. Many things were an improvement. Dialogue and individual scripts were sharper (I had always hated the dialogue under Bell, Alden, Smith, etc., so much so I didn't watch the show). One thing LML did that I liked was to give Brad an actual backstory. "George Kaplan" worked so much better than "Brad, the Serial Rich Girl Marrier."

I detest the current crapfest. There's no comparison. These people are true incompetents, brought in to destroy the show before CBS actually kills it. I have stopped watching it. I haven't seen an episode since March.

Wow...totally agree but we are way in the minority. I never really liked Y&R except during the Latham period. The majority of fans probably wanna give us a beat down. I liked the Brad story and floved when his mother showed up. It might have been cheezy but I've never seen a soap deal with the Holocaust before. Also, Brad is was the only Jewish character that I've ever seen on daytime TV.

I don't think Latham would fit at As at all. Like Pratt, she has showed that writing for a primetime soap and a daytime one are vastly different.

Neither...they both sucked.

They are both heinous, but at least LML tried to write for my beloved Nikki. Women are a joke under MAB.

"George Kaplan" worked so much better than "Brad, the Serial Rich Girl Marrier."

...You can't be serious.

at least LML tried to write for my beloved Nikki.

And almost ruined her.

The ONLY thing that kept the character viable was MTS being her usual severely underrated self.

Another thing, say what you will about LML - I never missed a show. I was livid, but loyal. I have become a FF fiend and skip regularly now under MAB. Agree w/ DeeeDee that MAB's start was better, but now with the people she's brought in... AWFUL. This is not Y&R.

the show still had some sort of emotional connection.

One she DID NOT CREATE OR ENCOURAGE.

Anything & everything positive Latham ever did was direct result of luck or inheritance.

And almost ruined her.

The ONLY thing that kept the character viable was MTS being her usual severely underrated self.

Do you think Nikki would be in better hands under MAB if she tried to write for her?

I think the actors have saved both LML and MAB's asses on a daily basis. Jeanne and Michael Fairman made a weak story wonderful and brought MAB tons of goodwill (albeit briefly).

Edited April 20, 201015 yr by Ry1

I never missed a show.

Because there was no thoroughline.

Characters would disappear for months JILL while others would be on ALL the time GLORIA.

Whole episodes were devoted to breast moles & nazis & murder & break rooms.

There was NO basis in reality & worst of all NOTHING remotely resembling Y&R.

Do you think Nikki would be in better hands under MAB if she tried to write for her?

Maria's Nikki is pretty good (in terms of writing) except the divorce & the Mexican beach scenes.

In terms of airtime & misogyny not so much.

I think the actors have saved both LML and MAB's asses on a daily basis.

They really do.

Y&R has THE most unsung cast when it comes to awards.

There are several actors who are LONG overdue to be recognized but unfortunately never will.

Edited April 20, 201015 yr by DeeeDee

Because there was no thoroughline.

Characters would disappear for months JILL while others would be on ALL the time GLORIA.

Whole episodes were devoted to breast moles & nazis & murder & break rooms.

There was NO basis in reality & worst of all NOTHING remotely resembling Y&R.

I am incoherent right now, so bare with me.

But characters still disappear for months: Nina, Nikki, Olivia, Amber & Daniel haven't really been on this year, Malcolm, Jill (still to some extent), etc etc etc

And there is a basis in reality now with MAB?!!!!!! Alistair, Emily/Patty, Jana and Lauren in a cage, Sheila's kids with Tom, Ashley's "pregnancy", Jana's headaches, klepto one day then not the next Sharon, everything Kevin. Just scratching the surface here, you get the point! Come on!

Yes, I know LML killed John, made Glo a saint, and no one acted right... but what about the state of the characters now? Respect for history (ahem, Brad, Traci's only daughter, and maybe Adam) Sharon, Ashley, Kevin - to name a few... major trauma and then NOTHING. LML and MAB neither are worth a damn, it's all agendas and plot plot plot. And maybe it's because I suffered through LML and saw hope for a second, but this seems worse.

Both SUCK but I'm telling you, I can't put it in to words... it just seems worse now with MAB.

Y&R has THE most unsung cast when it comes to awards.

There are several actors who are LONG overdue to be recognized but unfortunately never will.

+1

Y&R has THE most unsung cast when it comes to awards.

There are several actors who are LONG overdue to be recognized but unfortunately never will.

Really, when I hear someone say this soap has the best cast it's usually Y&R. Though they can be thinking of a select few.