Y&R/B&B: Pick Your Poison - Bell Family Edition

[ian]

Bill Bell - Legend of his genre. His descendants? Not so much. Brad's a hack, Lauralee's chronically underwhelming and while Maria wants to connect with his legacy she's no more related to him in writing than she is in blood. Marrying the creator's son doesn't qualify you for writing this show any more than scarfing down a whole box of Krispy Kremes and winning several Emmys makes you less of a rape-loving douchebag show-ruiner.

However, I got to thinking. Who is actually better or worse than the other: Brad Bell or Maria Arena Bell? I'd be tempted to say Brad because he can write well when he wants to, but Maria's debut was fairly strong too. Brad Bell knows his show well because he's penned most of its history, but that said he should be charged with Crimes Against Humanity for subjecting us to Ronn Moss every day, and 20 years of the R/B/T carousel. Brad runs out of steam much too quickly. His pacing is ridiculous and his magic moments are over before they've even started, and Maria, well... a lot of her flaws are quite self-evident around here.

Two part question: Who is worse: Brad or Maria and the clincher: If it was a choice between ONLY BB or MAB, whose Y&R would be remotely watchable?

[JackPeyton]

Talk about a rock and a hard place.

I chose neither.

[JellicleCat]

I would have to say Brad Bell is better. The Bold and the Beautiful may be crap now, but for a long time during the 90s it was my favorite soap and I didn't miss an episode. I never felt that way about The Young and the Restless under Maria Arena Bell.

[Cheap21]

Brad. As bad as many may feel B&B is, it isnt ruined. The show always has bad spells but it has a great ability of being able to easily bounce back to greatness. Maria's damage seems like it would take alot more work to undo

[soapfan770]

Brad, because at least a couple times a year he can still get a good 2-3 weeks out of a lot of crappiness. Plus his show was more reliable 1995-2005 when I still cared.

[All My Shadows]

Brad, by a country mile.

[alphanguy74]

It's hard to judge, because Brad has Autonomy for the most part, when Maria is basically forced to write the whims of Barbara Bloom.

[DaytimeFan]

No, MAB does not write to the whims of Barbara Bloom. If she did, the show wouldn't be as atrocious as it is now and that's coming from someone who doesn't like Barbara Bloom all that much. MAB doesn't answer Babs' calls.

Brad is the far better writer. He's had decades of reliable fun. Even when B&B is bad, it's never touched what Y&R has become.

He's also not nearly as arrogant as she is.

[Noel]

LOL! Barbara Bloom. I miss that ol' broad.

[sheilaforever]

I really do not want to comment on either one of their writing qualities right now because both have hit a slump for very different reasons (MAB seems immune to criticism and has a luckluster team whereas Brad could still do his magic if he went back to longer story arcs) though but this comment really struck me.

Maria really comes off as newly rich arrogant b*tch in most of her interviews. Brad on the other hand is always praising his felloiw writters and actors whereas Ma Bell always says "We on Y&R...", "I along with Paul Rauch..." etc.