After 2001, a time came when the show went downhill (remember the fakeMac/stepfather fiasco? Sean being recast?), and it was still Kay Alden in charge. I don't see how someone who is a gifted writer (as she apparently proved in the 98-2001 era) starts producing sloppy material. And keeps doing it. She's moved to B&B now, and she's not doing wonders. Okay, Brad is the boss there. But so what? You couldn't see a hint of that beautiful 98-2001 era in any of KA's co-HW gigs.

So my idea is that BB supervised KA's work big time, dictating storylines when needed, up until 2001. Then his health issues got really serious and he left everything in her hands. That's when the show started spiralling out of control (KA and ES power-struggling, people recruiting Jack Smith, and so on). I'm sorry but that's my opinion and nothing you guys have said so far has changed my mind.

Giving this a second thought, I feel Bell wouldn't have just walked away from Y&R, as I said it was his baby, from all I have heard and read of the man it sounds like he would have stayed hands on as much as he could for as long as he could, but the nature of his health problems makes it too hard to tell how involved he might have been and for how long. It is quite possible Bell laid out some story projections for Kay and made decisions about elements where possible, but that Kay was ultimately in charge. So some story-lines and character decisions Bell may have been heavily involved in during that 98-01 era you mention, and others not so much.

Edited October 16, 201213 yr by will81

Im sure Bell maintained overall creative control. Im sure Kay worked closely with him. As evidence over the Michael Damian dropping.

It is an interesting question. Bill Bell never faced the challenge of writing for characters for the number of years he would have faced had he been able to stay on at Y&R.

At Days he set up Bill/Laura.Mickey and Doug/Julie and saw those stories through to resolution (happy marriage) but left after about 10 years for other writers to work out what to do next and how to integrate those popular characters into a new set of storylines.

At Y&R he chose to drop all his original characters (save Jill and Katherine) after 8-10 years so he didn't have to come up with years and years of story for the Brooks and Fosters. Would Lorie have gone through marriage after marriage like Nikki?

The Abbotts and Newmans came aboard and Bell wrote for those characters for about 18 years-his longest stint.

I wonder whether he would have made some bold moves and removed some characters from the canvas rather than have them fall victim to damaging plots or was he talented enough to keep them fresh for another 20 years?

We definitely know that Jill and Katherine would not be related.Phillip would have stayed dead and Cane would never have existed.

The Mac/Billy story would have gone in a different direction.

I agree with you. But he wrote for Kay and Jill for 25 years which is longer than how long her wrote for the Abbotts and Newmans.

But I think he dropped the Brooks and the Fosters because he didn't want to go through more recasts and also felt that Y&R had moved past them, no?

Brad would still be alive and the same goes for Dru, Cassie and Colleen. There never would've been the Pheila or Sarah Smythe fiascos. I doubt Phyllis and Nick would've ever been paired. No Gloria.

Giving this a second thought, I feel Bell wouldn't have just walked away from Y&R, as I said it was his baby, from all I have heard and read of the man it sounds like he would have stayed hands on as much as he could for as long as he could, but the nature of his health problems makes it too hard to tell how involved he might have been and for how long. It is quite possible Bell laid out some story projections for Kay and made decisions about elements where possible, but that Kay was ultimately in charge. So some story-lines and character decisions Bell may have been heavily involved in during that 98-01 era you mention, and others not so much.

I can't imagine Bell approving of the sperm stealing storyline. Yes he had Ashley break down over and over and have an abortion she didn't want to have, but surely he had moved the character on.

I can't imagine Bell approving of the sperm stealing storyline. Yes he had Ashley break down over and over and have an abortion she didn't want to have, but surely he had moved the character on.

I can see him approving and even coming up with it, I mean it was a great saga and it made sense for Ashley to do that in soap universe IMHO.

Edited October 17, 201213 yr by Hotness

To me it made little sense and destroyed her character, but then I didn't see ED's first run, so I might have felt differently if I had.

Ashley had wanted his baby so I guess in the grand scheme of things I could buy that she would do that. It was still overall ridiculous. Too bad Abby doesn't matter in the grand scheme of things like she should.

Ashley had wanted his baby so I guess in the grand scheme of things I could buy that she would do that.

Except Ashley wouldn't.

That was a HORRIBLE retcon.

Bill would have NEVER done the sperm story.

This reminds me of people proclaiming that Nixon was the one who really wrote something because it happened to be interesting. Please. Whether Kay Alden (or any Headwriter) was at the helm is not a matter of belief. Kay Alden was the headwriter, end of story. Bell's involvement went as far as being the story consultant and the senior executive producer. Besides, what's your rationale behind the "change" in 2002? You liked the show up until 2001, ergo it must have been Bell? Come on!

+1.

The writing itself wasn't the problem.

It was the CASTING.