Why wasn't Kay Alden as respected by TPTB as Bill Bell

[YRBB]

Well, in all honesty, it probably would have been best for Sheila to just stay gone, both from Y&R and B&B, after that show's 2002 stint (the 2003 return was utterly, UTTERLY ridiculous and bad). But it so desperately needed a shot in the arm, something like that could have helped. Scotty could have factored in at that point and I'm sure Alden would have created a great Scotty.

In any case, to answer the original question, it was simply a matter of the network wanting to get rid of everything that made Y&R what it was and forcing it to be more like those ABC things. Whether it was because they never got the show (and its style) or because they wanted to appeal to a younger demographic, or probably both, they wanted to completely demolish the show. And they did. BOY, did they ever. #1 for decades be damned.

[Khan]

For me, the number-one issue with the Chet story was how much the writers had to strain just to keep Victor out of commission...

Victor: I would like very much to walk off this mountain.

Chet: Uh, can't.

Victor: Why not?

Chet: You won't make it down with that busted [leg/knee/whatever].

Victor: Very well. I will drive down the mountain. May I borrow your truck?

Chet: Uh, can't.

Victor: Why not?

Chet: Truck's busted.

Victor: Very well. I will radio for an airplane to come for me and repair your automobile.

Chet: Uh, can't.

Victor: Why not?

Chet: Radio doesn't work.

Victor: May I send up smoke signals?

Chet: Uh, can't.

Victor: Why not?

Chet: We're in the Land Before Time. No one will see your signals.

Victor: I see.

Chet: Besides, no airplane can land here. The landing strip was washed away in the last flood.

...and I don't even wanna get into what happened when Victor suggested using a rowboat.

But that was pretty much the convo between the two, day in and day out, for what seemed like months. Victor kept thinking of ways to leave, and Chet kept thinking of excuses for why he couldn't. Add that Ramona person to the mix and I was done as far as that story was concerned.

[slick jones]

One of my closest friends at the time was a guy named Chet. We worked day shifts at a bar while that story was going on. I remember him telling me after a month of that crap day in and day out, he wanted to go by a nickname, because he hated hearing his name over and over...

[YRfan23]

Scotty would have stayed on longer if Alden brought him back too.....well.....maybe longer then 6 months....I'm sure someone like Lathan or Maria would have done something awful to him, which is probably why he's best to remain off canvas.....even if I dream up 3 years worth of story ideas for his character....haha

The ABC formula just doesn't work on the Bell shows period....no one has ever understood that and that's the reason the show has been gutted for more then a decade now.

[YRBB]

LMAO! I can't blame you for this at all, for this was my recollection as well, although it was more of an impression than anything else (and I loved the story as it was happening). In reality, they did a great job planning out those three months of episodes and Victor realized/discovered Chet's tactics pretty quickly but it just felt like forever. It's OK, I appreciated the soapiness of the whole thing. But I can't agree with Ramona. I liked her.

[YRfan23]

LOL, I enjoyed that......

For what it's worth keeping Victor out of commission was worth to get those awesome scenes of Chet bashing in Victor's broken ankle with a rock and his own foot....

i know i'm a terrible person....haha

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[YRBB]

It wasn't nearly that bad.

[YRfan23]

LOL, I enjoyed that......

For what it's worth keeping Victor out of commission was worth to get those awesome scenes of Victor beating the s**t out of Chet then him bashing in Victor's broken ankle with a rock and his own foot....

i know i'm a terrible person....haha

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[YRBB]

Me too!

SERIOUSLY, though. Watching Victor actually be defeated (well, almost) for such a long time was great. At that point, Victor wasn't the undefeatable alpha male he soon became. Chet was more than his (physical) equal... mostly. And Chet was easy on the eyes, with them jeans and such. LOL

[YRfan23]

It's just hard not to root for somebody kicking Victor's ass for a change since he always has to kick everyone elses asses without them fighting back fairly....even if he was suppose to be the "hero" here....but that's why I think Victor was the best under Alden.

'

[Khan]

I don't know, I just saw Ramona as yet another slam piece for TGVN -- even back then, Victor seemed to have this pesky habit of screwing every woman who'd so much as hand him a cup of coffee -- and another token from the Department of Ethnic Diversity.

[Paul Raven]

Maybe the whole Chet story would have worked better had Chet been someone from Victor's past that we had seen eg Michael Scott or Matt Miller.

[YRBB]

It sounds as if you're judging the show then by today's standards. How can she have been just another slam piece when it took them almost a year to have sex?! And the diversity comment is especially not true. Ramona was a solid character on her own right, played by a good actress, that could have done more if the show didn't have so much on its plate already. She wasn't just there to add diversity, especially considering things were still OK on that aspect back then. Besides, the locale has to be considered as well--this was New Mexico!

[YRfan23]

The one scene that people always seem to shame Victor for (and I'm included) during Alden, is that scene where he walks out on Nikki after he learns she slept with Brad while he was away I guess.....that aired early 2000.....but Victor also slept with Ramona behind her back and that was never made an issue I believe....

Even Katherine, the one person that should have been ready to shame Victor on his hypocrisy, I think blamed Brad more for coming between Victor and Nikki.

[Khan]

Oh, come on. Like I'm the ONLY one here who could see the "!@#$%^&*] Reserved for Victor Newman" sign over Miss Sopapilla's head from the first moment she was onscreen.