Y&R: Old Articles

[DeeeDee]

The writing had moments but not enough to mitigate the bus all three women went under for Victor. From a technical standpoint it was a fairly structurally sound umbrella story that went on for years but it also damaged so many characters so thoroughly it wasn't worth it. Plus now that Kyle & Abby aren't even the same age it renders the original whole story even more irrelevant.

[DeeeDee]

It was cut very short. He was meant to be a lead but because Shari didn't have chemistry with him (or anyone else) he was paired with Hope & eventually banished. Which was sad cause Leigh brought some much needed normalcy to Y&R.

[DRW50]

it's weird how chaotic the show was at that time, and that they banked so much on Shari. Was it because she was married to Ronn Moss?

Do you know what the story was supposed to be with the short-lived Grant Cramer character, the lab guy, they first threw Shari at?

[DeeeDee]

She was youngish & Y&R wanted to SEX Ashley up so the show kept propping her until it became readily apparent she wasn't going to work.

Mainly. It also was easier for them to write Ashley as a perpetual teenager (which really began the ruination of the character) with her in the part.

They were supposed to have a sparring to love relationship but it was dropped (thankfully).

[DRW50]

Were you surprised when they brought him back? I know he was in the buried alive story (and of course some films). I can't say I was that blown away by his work with Lauren. He was fine but not enough for a return.

[DeeeDee]

Nope. Bill was fond of some actors so it wasn't really a surprise.

Pretty much.

Cramer was a character actor not a leading man.

[yr9190]

So, was Bill's health partially the reason why some of Y&R's early episodes (mainly the 90's) had some messy elements like bad continuity and those ridiculous sequences of having characters "teleport" very quickly to one scene to another?

[kalbir]

I remember not liking most of the storylines from September 1996-June 1997, save for the Jabot/Newman corporate wars and Michael Baldwin's return. Things picked up in the summer of 1997 with Malcolm and Olivia's wedding and the custody battle for Daniel. That summer Days came within 0.1 or 0.2 of taking Y&R out of the #1 spot.

Shari Shattuck was one of the worst recasts ever. She turned Ashley into a boring b---- and she had no connection to any of the actors they tried to pair her with. I felt she got the part and lasted as long as she did because she was married at the time to Ronn Moss.

[DRW50]

This is from an early 83 Daytime TV. I wasn't that interested in the article (if you want to see it let me know), I just love this photo, which I hadn't seen before (now someone will tell me it's in 300 different places).

[Paul Raven]

Grant Cramer (Shawn/Adam) was afriend of the Bells.His mother is 40/50's actress Terry Moore who claimed to be married to Howard Hughes and who (I think) did get a payout because of it.

Adam flirting with Ashley in the lab reminded me of Ashley's first story when she worked in the lab with Brian. That story went nowhere also.

Talking Bill Bell,I often wonder where he would have taken the Abbotts and Newmans throughout the 2000s to today.

Not excusing the rubbish we see onscreen now,but it does get harder as the years go by to give vet characters and long running stories new twists to keep them fresh,

Imagine if the Brooks and Fosters had have remained throughout the 80's after their original stories wound down. We saw with Leslie/Robert how that worked out Would Lorie and Lance be remarrying ala Victor and Nikki? Would Greg be onto his 5th marriage?

.Bill Bell was smart and/or lucky enough to basically start with a clean sheet of characters when he brought in the Abbotts etc. and not face that problem.

Same with Days.He was basically gone and the challenge of writing interesting stuff for Bill/Laura,Doug/Julie etc once they were together was not his.

Re Salena- she was a smart ,dynamic woman played by a good actress, Not a lead but strong and believable as a cop.

[DRW50]

I think the Abbotts would have had potential if their younger generation (Billy and Colleen) had not been ruined and if the show had not let Ashley and Jack begin to stagnate. For one thing, they shouldn't have still lived in that house. I had a lot of issues with John Abbott, mostly that I thought he had served little purpose (beyond scolding) as his kids got older, and I can understand why the show was at a loss of what to do with him, but the Gloria story was a big mistake and it's still bizarre to me that anyone felt the way to end the story was with John dead and Gloria as the victim of the evil Abbotts.

At this point I would bring in Keemo, phase Jack further into a supporting role (or write him out altogether), bring Traci back full time, have her adopt a troubled teenage girl, pair Ashley with a younger, dynamic man who is a big contrast to her but who genuinely respects her, write Billy out for at least a year or two, and fix the embarrassing writing for Abby that entails a woman who looks 30 continuing to behave like a very immature teenager.

I would also like the Abbotts to cut ties to the Newmans as much as possible. I would like to see Ashley and Jack, with Ghost John's blessing, destroy Jabot, inside and out, and start all over. The Newman/Abbott stuff is so played out and any scene with Victor mumbling and huffing as Jack purses his lips is about as thrilling as a test pattern.

Edited June 13, 2011 by CarlD2

[Paul Raven]

I pretty much agree with everything you said Carl.Why Keemo has been ignored all these years is a mystery. Killing off Coleen,destroying Billy,having Jack marry Emily,Ashley marry Victor etc have been further nails in the coffin.

The Newman/Abbott war should have been put to rest until a new set of circumstances arise that put them back into each others orbit.- rather like Katherine and Jill who didn't have much involvement for a few years until Jill married John and the battle was renewed.

When MAB first started and we had the potpourri thread I proposed Keemo coming back and he and Dina working together.Keemo aligned with Dina as he felt rejected by Jack.Traci returned to GC as the turn to matriach.Have Jack involved in business/family affairs and lay off the romances and marriages for a while.

Billy/Mac should have played out with them realizing that they had grown apart and have Billy try to make things work with Chloe.

[DeeeDee]

Disgusting agendas are the reason Keemo is & remains MIA.

Billy/Mackenzie should've stayed together. Chloe should've been paired with Phillip.

If Bill Bell were still writing The Abbotts would still be frontburner & The Newmans wouldn't be ruined.

Edited June 13, 2011 by DeeeDee

[DRW50]

Is it Peter Bergman who worked to block any Keemo returns, or does no one care enough to even propose bringing him back?

[DeeeDee]

Both.