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Y&R: New Head Writer


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That is it, yes. It's no secret, it's old news.

That's why they weighed in with LML, etc. first off - someone dramatically different - then with retooling the show dramatically towards a Fronsian ABCD bent. Remember, Barbara Bloom and Frons were in a sort of cheerful 'competition' for years. Now the whole show is built on flash-in-the-pan couples, on focus groups, and on actors that some of the people at the top allegedly know are insufficient (Heinle, Christel Khalil) but fear removing as it might damage their ABC-style couples cred.

That's also why they hired Jill. She is peppy and cheap money-wise, she can drown the old expensive show's budget and 'outmoded' style in a bathtub - bring on the tacky music, the exterior shots - and she also brings with her the superficial renown and imprimatur of the glossy ABC flagship soap which won a slew of Emmys due to JFP's calculated block-voting. Bloom and now the post-Bloom CBS no doubt saw JFP and Guza's GH the way most of the press did - sleek, stylish, well-renowned and modern. They wanted to bring that cheap yet snazzy glamour to the 'new' Y&R, and they know she will cut costs. She also brought more ABC stars as they continue their obsession with emulating the old Frons approach, in the hopes of youthifying the show and revolutionizing it.

But I disagree with others: While Jill brought him in, I'm sure Sony/CBS ran a check on Pratt, and I'm sure they know what he's done. It's not like they were clueless. They know what he did at GH, and apparently they were most dazzled by his primetime work, like too many soap execs so often are - Melrose Place! 90210! Those ABC Family shows! To them that is glamour, style and modernity and they are lucky to have him, even if it means paying him a shitload. They don't really like Y&R, but they would like to make it cheaper, hotter, sexier and younger while they have it. Pratt is perfect for that, in their eyes. They don't think he will kill it or ruin them. They think he's too good for it.

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There has been a battle between the Bells, Sony and CBS regarding Y&R for years. The Bells used to have more say, but when budgets were slashed, Sony took more control. There is still a battle going on between CBS and Sony, it shall be interesting to see where things stand in six months.

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B & B for production tips.. yes... but B & B for actual writing, characters, and plots... negative.

I am surprised that Kay Alden tried for the job again. I would have assumed she would have learned that submitting a bible, or long term projection, wouldn't have worked.. it didn't work when she tried for the AMC head writing gig. Though I worry that had she gotten the gig, the show would have revolved around Victor again.. like it did when she was sole head writer before. Though I do have to say that she did wonders for the Dennison siblings that Bill Bell introduced near the end of his tenure with no clear cut purpose for either of them... plus came up with the idea of pairing Jack/Phyllis.

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Didn't she talk about her bible in an interview? If ABC played there cards right and accepted her, and allowed her to write and not micro manage (Yes this is me being theoretical) could you IMAGINE the publicity:

BELLS PROTEGE NOW ON RIVAL SOAP!

I would have bought every issue of that SOD!!

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