We all here on the baord praise soap past greats such as Doug Marland, Harding Lemay, Henry Sleasar, Bill Bell, Agens nixion etc. Did these great ever writers write any story flops? If so which stories were they?

If I had to choose Bell's three worst stories from what I've seen:

1. The Kurt Costner caper and subsequent Ashley/Kurt/Hope triangle there '97 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

2. Cricket torn between four different but rather bland men

3. Audrey North story that went nowhere

I mean Bell did have some sloppy and neverending stories like Blade/Rick, Matt's shooting, Phyllis' schemes etc. but at least they had their moments. None of the above seems interesting in the least.

I was wondering something, Again i apologize if this was asked before but, during a headwriter's tenure. Are there ever any stories specifically written by another Co-writer and not the head writer themselves. I know over on Y&R Everyone has the idea that the foulness of the show is all Hogans doing, while Maria is suppose to be headwriter. but where there any stories told during Bill Bell's, Agnes or other of the greats tenures that were done by someone else. I asked this question because while it is obvious for some soaps, but i remember not too long ago Peter Bergman gave an interview when they brought up The Keemo/Luan stuff. Of course Peter responded negatively to that story and said (along the lines of) "I just choose to ignore that story as i still feel it was SOME WRITER'S, weird fantasy they were trying to fulfill"

How does Bergman know that it wasn't Bill that thought of that story? I would be curious to know if even then Kay Alden or Jack Smith had a hand of writing stories when Bill was headwriter.

I was wondering something, Again i apologize if this was asked before but, during a headwriter's tenure. Are there ever any stories specifically written by another Co-writer and not the head writer themselves. I know over on Y&R Everyone has the idea that the foulness of the show is all Hogans doing, while Maria is suppose to be headwriter. but where there any stories told during Bill Bell's, Agnes or other of the greats tenures that were done by someone else. I asked this question because while it is obvious for some soaps, but i remember not too long ago Peter Bergman gave an interview when they brought up The Keemo/Luan stuff. Of course Peter responded negatively to that story and said (along the lines of) "I just choose to ignore that story as i still feel it was SOME WRITER'S, weird fantasy they were trying to fulfill"

How does Bergman know that it wasn't Bill that thought of that story? I would be curious to know if even then Kay Alden or Jack Smith had a hand of writing stories when Bill was headwriter.

Only in certain instances...I recall Hogan Sheffer saying Bryant's death on ATWT was all Passanate's idea and he thought it was a waste...or Corday blaming Tom Langan for everything wrong on his show...or MAB saying Josh Griffith had interfered with her writing same with Ed Scott and Dena Higley over on Days.

With the example you provide my guess is Bell had to rubber stamp it either way and must have though it was a good idea to do something different with Jack as he had done before with stories like Jack and Carol or Jack getting involved with the homeless shelter lady.

Only in certain instances...I recall Hogan Sheffer saying Bryant's death on ATWT was all Passanate's idea and he thought it was a waste...or Corday blaming Tom Langan for everything wrong on his show...or MAB saying Josh Griffith had interfered with her writing same with Ed Scott and Dena Higley over on Days.

With the example you provide my guess is Bell had to rubber stamp it either way and must have though it was a good idea to do something different with Jack as he had done before with stories like Jack and Carol or Jack getting involved with the homeless shelter lady.

And i don't think the Keemo thing seemed like it was that bad of a story (I've never seen alot of it.) It looks a little odd, but its not like they rewrote history to make the story happen.From what i know it was just something they never mentioned about Jack until it was time. I can see why Bergman didn't like it, but I just think its weird that he would call out Bill's writing like that (maybe thats not much of a shocker) I have no idea but i can see Jack Smith having more of a hand at that story, for some reason i can see Bergman being displeased with the writing for Jack under Smith's tenure

How weird that Maria complains about Josh Griffin, but everything Hogan has done (Which is dismantle people even more) is totally acceptable for her.... No logic in this whatsoever....

It wasn't the writing.

I don't see Hogan as being solely to blame for Y&R's downfall. Scott Hamner is AT LEAST as much at fault as he is. Hamner is the one with the boner for murder mysteries (Who killed Carmen? Who killed Plum? Who bombed the Newman jet? Who killed Ji Min? Who 'killed' Adam? Who killed Diane?) and dopplegangers (Phyllis/Sheila, Carmen/Ines, William/Jeffrey, John/Alistair, Katherine/Marge Part 2, Patty/Emily, Lauren/Sarah, Cane/Caleb). Hamner is the common thread between the two worst regimes in Y&R's history (LML/MAB) and I don't think he's held accountable anywhere near as much as he should be.

I don't see Hogan as being solely to blame for Y&R's downfall. Scott Hamner is AT LEAST as much at fault as he is. Hamner is the one with the boner for murder mysteries (Who killed Carmen? Who killed Plum? Who bombed the Newman jet? Who killed Ji Min? Who 'killed' Adam? Who killed Diane?) and dopplegangers (Phyllis/Sheila, Carmen/Ines, William/Jeffrey, John/Alistair, Katherine/Marge Part 2, Patty/Emily, Lauren/Sarah, Cane/Caleb). Hamner is the common thread between the two worst regimes in Y&R's history (LML/MAB) and I don't think he's held accountable anywhere near as much as he should be.

I give a lot of the blame to Hamner, but Sheffer did many shockingly bad mysteries on Y&R, so they blur together.

3. Audrey North story that went nowhere south

Sorry, I couldn't resist.

It wasn't the writing.

Yep. Peter Bergman's antipathy toward the Keemo story -- which wasn't sterling, IMO, but it certainly had potential -- had little to do with the actual writing.

Wasn't Audrey (Constance Towers) only on for like two or three days? I saw her tearfully confess to John that she sabotaged his and Dina's relationship but "did it out of love" and John said he wanted her "out of (his) sight!" and I don't think we ever saw her again. How did Dina end up leaving Genoa City? It seemed like it was over before it even really started. I have a couple scenes of her that survived on tape like when Katherine first called her in France (*brrring-brrring-brrring* Dina: Oui?), her arrival at Katherine's, her telling Jack she was leaving but then she didn't leave, after that, I have no clue...

Yes, Audrey was only on for a few days.

Ashley bitterly opposed any reunion between her parents, and Dina left town to spare everyone pain.

I'm assuming this had something to do with her true parentage? Or no?

Nope.

Ashley always had more issues with Dina than John, Jack & Traci.

This was one of Shari Shattuck's first stories as Ashley - just sort of showcased her most unpleasant aspects as an actress.

Wow, I had no idea that Connie Towers (AKA Helena LOL) played this mysterious Audrey North. It's a shame that she didn't develop more to what Bill probably wanted, cause she is a great actress and i'm sure the show could have used her more.