I break down Y&R eras as follows.

 

Surviving Years 1973-1982: Cast changes, 1 hour expansion, early 1980s ratings drop in the face of increased competition from the huge rise of ABC.

Thriving Years 1983-1998: Thriving for the most part, save for Cricket eating the show (Summer 1986-end of 1989), Nick and Sharon eating the show (Fall 1994-Spring 1996), the lull (Fall 1996-Summer 1997). Rise to #1 by toppling the ABC big three one-by-one and holding it's own against time slot competitor supercouple-era Days. Ratings dominance from the end of the 1988 writer's strike to the start of OJ, but the dominance would be threatened in the aftermath of OJ by the huge rise of time slot competitor Reilly's sci-fi Days.

Tanking Years 1999-2005: Writer changes from Kay Alden to Jack Smith. Storylines that caused long term damage, ie. Jill's parentage, Cassie's death.

Not Classic Years 2006-: LML, MAB, JFP, Mal Young, etc. John Abbott's death marked the end of an era.

Edited November 8, 20205 yr by kalbir

I think 1988-1995 are classic years, pure gold. amazing stories and characters:

 

Lisa locking brad in a cage for weeks

the wonderful and talented Brenda Epperson 

the death of Philip the 3rd

Katherine-Rex

Marge 

David Kimble and Nina

Cassandra Rawlins

Sheila-Scott-Lauren

Victor presumed dead in 1993

The arrival of Phillis!! 

 

I was hooked and didn't miss an episode.. 

 

 

Since Y&R hit number one, I'd say 89-93 was 1st tier, 97-01 2nd tier, 94-97 3rd tier, 02-05 4th tier. Overall, late 80s to very early 00s Y& R was a long and solid period. 

 

Outside of Victor and Nikki, does the show have any other couples that reach SUPER status. I really don't consider Nick and Sharon a super but just couple. They've been on and off too many times to care at this stage. An argument can be made that Neil Dru constitute as a super couple.

 

General Hospital and All My Children were putting them out like a factory.

Edited November 7, 20205 yr by ironlion

@ironlion I would say Victor and Nikki are Y&R's supercouple, even though I think Bill Bell did not intend for them to be one. Of the big 1980s trends, Y&R didn't really jump on the supercouple bandwagon as they did for Dallas/Dynasty influence (which Y&R got right as it set in motion Y&R as we know it today) and action/adventure (which doesn't really suit Y&R) . General Hospital started the whole action/adventure/supercouple craze in the early 1980s and Days took those elements to a whole other level from 1983-1990. 

55 minutes ago, kalbir said:

@ironlion I would say Victor and Nikki are Y&R's supercouple, even though I think Bill Bell did not intend for them to be one. 

What about Danny/Cricket? 

@Faulkner I don't consider Danny and Cricket a supercouple. Remember Cricket's first pairing was with Phillip, not to mention Phillip, Danny, Chase, Scott all pursued her in the late 1980s. 

@Faulkner they never had the power of say Sonny & Brenda or  Jack & Carly etc..., to me. 

 

IDK what it is, maybe Y&R just breaks couples up too frequently for them to gain that following. (Victor & Nikki being the exception). 

 

Edited November 7, 20205 yr by ironlion

Bill Bell didn't do 'super couples' because they are limiting story wise.

 

Victor and Nikki split a few years after their uber wedding and it worked because it was character based.

 

57 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

Bill Bell didn't do 'super couples' because they are limiting story wise.

 

@Paul Raven Would u consider Ridge/Brooke/Taylor super? 

5 hours ago, kalbir said:

@ironlion I would say Victor and Nikki are Y&R's supercouple, even though I think Bill Bell did not intend for them to be one. Of the big 1980s trends, Y&R didn't really jump on the supercouple bandwagon as they did for Dallas/Dynasty influence (which Y&R got right as it set in motion Y&R as we know it today) and action/adventure (which doesn't really suit Y&R) . General Hospital started the whole action/adventure/supercouple craze in the early 1980s and Days took those elements to a whole other level from 1983-1990. 

Im glad they didn't join the adventure craze for the most part. Evey soap cant be the same, nor does evey storyline (fantasy, action, sci fi) work for every show.

Edited November 7, 20205 yr by ironlion

I would say 1992 was the end of the 80s golden age era...and the start of the next era which spanned till the late 90s/early 2000s.  

3 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

I would say 1992 was the end of the 80s golden age era...and the start of the next era which spanned till the late 90s/early 2000s.  

Yea, 1992 was awesome until May when Sheila left... then it was not that eventful for most of the year, until around October with Olivia's health crisis, and Ryan/Victoria's secret marriage started to become known

4 hours ago, Soaplovers said:

I would say 1992 was the end of the 80s golden age era...and the start of the next era which spanned till the late 90s/early 2000s.  

I have to agree with this, while Y&R was never really a campy soap to begin with, it still had some of those OTT elements into at least 1992/early 1993. I feel by mid 1993 with Victor's "death" and Jack/Brad trying to gain control of his company, shifted the show to more business stories that Y&R became more well known for compared to the other soaps. 

I got some Daytime TV magazines from 73/74. I haven't gone through them properly yet and they join the pile of 70's magazines I have yet to scan, but at a quick glance I have some cast information to share.

 

In both the Sep and Nov 1973 issues

 

Dorothy Adams is listed as Ma Henderson from the end of June 1973, which matches with Bruce Henderson arriving to town in June as well. I assume this was for the Liz cancer scare storyline which I assume took up most of the summer since there were so many pre-emptions due to Watergate and a writers strike as well. I think the Jennifer/Bruce affair story may have started around this time too (Bryna Laub in her early 74 synopsis suggests they reunited the previous summer).

 

In the June 1974 issue

 

Robert Clary's last airdate is listed as March 22, 1974 and the actor playing his killer is listed as Peter Maxmillian but no character name given. So Clary was on for one year Mar 26, 1973 - Mar 22, 1974 and I guess Peter Maxmillian aired most likely the week of Mar 18??? but not confirmed. Depends how long between the time Pierre was injured and when he passed I guess. 

 

Tom Selleck is also listed as Jed Andrews in that issue

 

Also one of the Daytime TV issues covers the debut of Y&R, though there is nothing too exciting there I will try to get it scanned soon

 

I have a backlog of magazines to get up (including SOD 91 - 96) and I also bought more Daily TV Serials Magazines and a few Rona Barrett Daytimers issues as well so hopefully I will get there eventually now that I am on holidays.

Edited November 9, 20205 yr by will81

Sorry double post

Edited November 9, 20205 yr by will81

On 11/8/2020 at 9:09 AM, ironlion said:

Would u consider Ridge/Brooke/Taylor super? 

Well that was a triangle that was (initially) written to provide weight to each coupling, whereas any  3rd party in a supercouple was merely an interloper to be defeated.

4 hours ago, will81 said:

Dorothy Adams is listed as Ma Henderson from the end of June 1973,

 Poor Ma Henderson, never receiving  a visit or even a mention from those uncaring Fosters. I wonder if Ma was in the original bible or a strike creation (Conboy?) Maybe for BTS reasons Bill ignored her after that...