Y&R: Old Articles

[Broderick]

There's an old saying that "absence makes the heart grow fonder".  Soap writers used to understand this, and after a major storyline, a character was sidelined for weeks (or even months) before moving into a new storyline.  But somewhere along the line, most of the writers (including Bell) adapted the adage that "if this character works, he/she should be a constant on the show". 

MOST of Bell's characters should've been given a rest and then worked back into the storyline as needed.  There should've never been a Shari Shattuck or a Kurt Costner or a Rafael Delgado or a Luan or a maid with a mop on her head stalking Nikki's OB/GYN-Husband, because in my opinion all of those characters were a sign of grasping at straws for established characters instead of "resting them" and creating something new.  Bell knew how to create characters, but I suspect he got tired and lazy.   

[Soaplovers]

I remember the actress that played Luan had an interview where she made mention of her small, but meaty, part in the Joy Luck Club...and seeing that proved the actress could have played a colder Luan left bitter at being abandoned by Jack...and seeking comfort with John.  Thus setting up an interesting hostile vibe between Luan and Jill..with Jill in the position Dina was in back in the 80s.

I actually think the Diane/Jack story from 1996 didn't fit Diane's character...and it should have been Patty in that role.  Diane should have been in a different position..like a modeling agent since she was a model in the 80s.

And I agree Ashley should have been rested after late 1995 until she was ready to be played again by Eileen in 1999.  And have her 3 years off the show drive story for her.

I also think Bell knew he was struggling with writing the Abbotts..and I think in 1997 he was laying the ground work with introducing the Dennison's as a new family using Jill (who was the element that ushered in the Abbotts back in 1980).  What doomed that family was the miscasting of the father..while not writing to Sabyns G's (Tricia) strengths as an actress (Kay Alden wisely used Tricia's constant weeping that she did in 1997 to showcase the character's gradual mental collapse over an almost 5 year period).

[YRfan23]

I wonder if Bill Bell should have taken more of an Agnes Nixon approach to his writing duties those later years…I know Bell was very hands on with Y&R from its conception (as well as B&B until he handed the reigns to Bradley) but it seems like he could have given himself more of an “executive HW/Consultant” position like Agnes had during the 80s/90s with AMC. I might have the facts wrong but even going way back it seemed like Agnes never had onscreen credit for writing AMC/OLTL those earlier days and most of the writers listed were her co-writers and associate writers etc…

[titan1978]

It’s quite remarkable that Alden reset the show by having the Abbots fight for Jabot, Billy aged to make a new generation, and Jill/Katherine fighting for the estate leading to Mac’s arrival.  She took all the neglected characters of the last several years when Bell was still the final word and reinvigorated the show.  It was so entertaining again there for a bit.  And she was right there with him when the show was not as tight.

[will81]

I think we also have to take into account that Bell was sufferring from a horrendous disease that probably started affecting him by around 1995, and he probably wasn't even aware of it initially. I do think that had a large impact on him and the show and ultimately led to him stepping down as HW. So we won't ever know what the show might have been between 94 - 98 had he not been ill. 

With Agnes, it is confusing as to how much Wisner Washam was doing on AMC. I know she was there up until Loving or even a little bit after that show started, and she came back and forth to AMC over the years, but I have always wondered if she was really just looking in on Wisner and co but not doing the daily grind so much and if that's the case, when did that start. I get the feeling she somewhat abandoned OLTL once AMC started, though I could be wrong there too. I always got the feeling OLTL was second best to her true love AMC. 

Yes Alden did reinvigorate the show. You can see the marked difference in 1998, which is pretty much a return to form. However I am convinced her run was marred by Sony and or CBS interferrence. The kind JFP talked about recently. Ratings for soaps were tanking across the board around the time Alden took over and I bet she was under a ton of pressure to deliver. I am also convinced that is how Jack Smith was eventually able to take over. 

[YRfan23]

Yeah that's what I was trying to say, Bill was doing the daily grind with both Y&R and B&B, yet I always get the impression that Agnes was more behind the scenes, and just guided the writers of AMC so they could try to maintain her vision etc... It seemed like Bill was in that studio everyday with his writers trying to make the best show possible. 

[will81]

Yeah agree, he was definitely much more hands on. You can tell during the Bell era that others may have suggested stories and stuff, but no one made a move without his okay and no one made decisions about characters in any way. I like Alden's era, but it is obvious Bell was very much in charge during his tenure and not just a figure head. 

[yrfan1983]

Hi, does anyone have May 30, 2013 that they can upload to the Vault?

I would just love to see these fabulous scenes again

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"Traci arrived outside Phyllis' penthouse, and she ran into Lauren. Lauren said that she'd been thinking about how she'd bullied Traci in their younger days. Traci called it ancient history, but Lauren pointed out that they'd never cleared it up. Lauren confessed that she'd treated Traci horribly, but she had seen the other side of bullying, and she didn't know if the hurt ever went away. Traci initially said that she had no residual side effects, but then she recalled that she'd recently been at a restaurant, thinking about ordering dessert, and out of nowhere, Lauren's cruel words had flooded into her head.

Lauren hated the things she'd said, but Traci asserted that she was no longer the insecure girl who'd turned to pills, and she'd moved on. Lauren mused that she'd never forgotten, and Traci agreed, but she was glad the subject of bullying was getting attention. Lauren apologized, but she knew that it couldn't make up for the pain she'd caused. Traci said that they couldn't change the past, but it was never too late to become a better person. The women hugged, and Lauren received a text message from Fen, asking her to meet him at Crimson Lights.

[SoapDope]

This has been posted several times over the years, but I will post it again......LOL

 

 

[will81]

Always loved this. I know Bond, Deb and Jess were stronger actors, but no one played Jill like Brenda. 

[titan1978]

This is my favorite version of Katherine too- so full of contempt for Jill and willing to hurt even the dearest friend if it means she is hurting Jill.

[yrfan1983]

I just noticed an anonymous angel added 5/30/13! Thanks a million! 

So this is actually just 1 scene, not multiple scenes. This is a scene that could never be achieved on the Y&R of 2021. It's just beautifully written and acted. Nothing earth-shaking - just a tender moment between two people with a lot of history. I could feel the real-life affection that TEB and BM have for each other.

[will81]

Same. She would even dismiss her own son when he would tell her that her vandetta was self destructive. She was so full of bitterness and contempt. She was utlimately willing to destroy herself just to bring Jill down with her. This is why when Jill raged at her in 1998 over Phillip and everyone in town was like "Leave poor Katherine alone" I was like fuming, steam was coming out of my ears, haha. Of all people Jack at least had her back for a little bit. 

[titan1978]

It’s also the only place I prefer Brenda’s Jill.  When Brenda mentions Phillip, there is genuine emotion and sadness quite often.  She plays how important that was to Jill and how haunted she is by what happened.  Sometimes she also played like she had a tender spot for Katherine, even after everything that happened.  By the time Brenda left she wasn’t doing anything subtle with Jill.  But she still was at the point of the episode posted.

[j swift]

 Certainly no one would accuse Brenda (or her turban) of being subtle here

 

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