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.

I'm not saying that it wouldn't have worked but part of the Chet story was that Chet's true colors/motivation were purposefully ambiguous originally and it took some time for Victor to figure that out, buying the show more time with Victor away. I really loved that, although I was fairly certain Chet would turn out to be a villain. Besides, this was a short term thing. I don't know why the show would want to delve into all of that only to finish it within a few weeks. Chet worked fine for what the purpose of the story was.

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.

I never said that wasn't the case. But why is that a bad thing? I may not have loved it because Ramona was way too young for Victor, but Mysterious Woman Appearing And Playing A Part in The Hero's Escape And Then They Have Feelings Etc. is classic soap/drama staple. Don't see anything wrong with that!

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.

Oh, I LOVED that, if only for MTS' wonderful acting in that scene. Nikki was at her most pathetic best. Victor on the other hand... that's an example of the Victor we started getting 24/7 just a few years later and Braeden was deplorable in it.

I didn't have a problem with Victor's hypocrisy. Nikki/Brad had a huge past and they didn't just sleep together... they had an affair. So I can sort of see his point.

Katherine blamed Brad for coming between Nikki and Victor from the moment she found out what was going on between Nikki & Brad.

The whole notion that Kay Alden was boring or that she didn't have any good stories is, in general, completely erroneous. I don't even know where people come up with that.

No one can seriously say that the Victor/Diane divorce fight, Chancellor Estate fight, the Newman Takeover, the Cassie custody fight, Michael's redemption, Matt Clark's return, Tricia's descent into craziness, Victoria's stalker, Mac and Billy's introduction, the Glow by Jabot stuff with only the best teen group in daytime, JT/Colleen weren't great stories, or smaller, character-based tales like Tony/Megan or Nina writing her first book and her relationship with Tomas, weren't beautiful.

Alden had her clunkers. Diane, Ashley and Nikki running around Genoa City wishing to slurp up Victor's sperm, Olivia being thrown under the bus continuously, Malcolm and Neil fighting over yet another woman, etc, but all of that was still SO much better than anything then and certainly now. Of course, I won't even touch stories that seem so unlike Alden they MUST have been Smith's decisions, like Brad and Olivia having an affair while Ashley had cancer, or Brittany stripping or... dear God in Heaven, Jill are mother and daughter. But it'd STILL take all of that over a decade of daytime drama since.

Alden was far from perfect and not the second coming of Bill Bell but she was able to, by and large, write a really good show (with many moments of brilliance) that stayed true and loving to Y&R's nature, she had a knack for creating new characters that REALLY worked and I bet most of these casual viewers with all their claims wouldn't even be able to tell the difference between a Bell episode and an Alden episode.

Ed Scott got rid of Alex because he viewed her as a threat to MTS and because he felt she looked too old.

Riddle me this: when did Bill Bell (and everyone else) know he was sick and how much longer did he keep working before he couldn't anymore? Because, if my suspicions are correct -- namely, that he knew well before 1997-98; that Kay was HW'ing (or at least Co-HW'ing) years before it was official (like, say, mid- or even early '90's?); and that Bill's final titles as Executive Story Consultant and EP were in-name-only positions -- then those who THINK there are clear differences between his Y&R and hers might be in for a shock.

Riddle me this: when did Bill Bell (and everyone else) know he was sick and how much longer did he keep working before he couldn't anymore? Because, if my suspicions are correct -- namely, that he knew well before 1997-98; that Kay was HW'ing (or at least Co-HW'ing) years before it was official (like, say, mid- or even early '90's?); and that Bill's final titles as Executive Story Consultant and EP were in-name-only positions -- then those who THINK there are clear differences between his Y&R and hers might be in for a shock.

I started watching Y&R in 2000. The show was a soap masterpiece. Over the years, it's clear to me that it was not KA's doing. I'm sorry, I know most of you guys disagree and have the dates and proof that it was indeed KA's pen behind all of that. But to me, WJB was still heavily involved. That is until 2002. When it became apparent KA could not run the ship without WJB, she was joined by Smith, Saughnessy took over and we know the rest.

Years later, KA joined B&B and it suddenly became a dark, depressing show. Think of the Logan drama, Storm donating his heart to Katie. Sorry, but that doesn't sound like Bradley at all. Brad's had his major clunkers, but those dark years must have been influenced by KA's taste. Once she left the show, it flourished again.

I'm no fan, however KA is light years better than what we've seen on Y&R for the last decade, that's for sure.

I started watching Y&R in 2000. The show was a soap masterpiece. Over the years, it's clear to me that it was not KA's doing. I'm sorry, I know most of you guys disagree and have the dates and proof that it was indeed KA's pen behind all of that. But to me, WJB was still heavily involved. That is until 2002. When it became apparent KA could not run the ship without WJB, she was joined by Smith, Saughnessy took over and we know the rest.

Years later, KA joined B&B and it suddenly became a dark, depressing show. Think of the Logan drama, Storm donating his heart to Katie. Sorry, but that doesn't sound like Bradley at all. Brad's had his major clunkers, but those dark years must have been influenced by KA's taste. Once she left the show, it flourished again.

I'm no fan, however KA is light years better than what we've seen on Y&R for the last decade, that's for sure.

She may have been on the staff, but Brad was the HW and EP. I think you are giving her not enough credit at Y&R and too much at B&B. Let's not forget some of that darkness finally won Bell those Emmys. Which he truly wanted.

Oh I absolutely disagree with any claims Kay Alden was bad for B&B. That show was in the gutter for years when she arrived and she completely revitalized the show. Ed Scott too. It can't be a coincidence that the show suddenly got better when the Y&R people arrived. Brad a Bell was going in circles with the same few characters. It wasn't instant, but I definitely credit Alden and Scott for setting B&B up to be what it is today.

I heard Alden told brad bell that the show needed a strong b story... and I think she helped create Bill/Katie.

Didn't they suffer with the whole Brooke thing after she left?

Oh I absolutely disagree with any claims Kay Alden was bad for B&B. That show was in the gutter for years when she arrived and she completely revitalized the show. Ed Scott too. It can't be a coincidence that the show suddenly got better when the Y&R people arrived. Brad a Bell was going in circles with the same few characters. It wasn't instant, but I definitely credit Alden and Scott for setting B&B up to be what it is today.

I think Brad has always had a firm hand at B&B. Alden's arrival and departure probably had minimal impact, though credit must be given to her for not dropping the ball during the WGA strike when she went fi-core and was interim HW. Her presence at Y&R, however, was immeasurable. She may not have had the storytelling chops of Bill Bell (few did), but she understood the show's history, its characters and the knew how to play all the beats. That was probably her greatest strength IMHO. It's sad to see Chuck Pratt and JFP through away so many moments that Alden could have worked miracles with.

A little OT, but once and for all (LOL!), did Kay Alden ghost-HW AMC after she left Y&R, and did she actually submit a bible that Frons HATED because it was character-driven? Whatever the truth to any of this, that has to qualify as one of soaps' urban legends. I remember posters swearing up and down that they could tell by the change in the show's tone that she was writing behind the scenes. Whatever the reality was, I would like to see what she could've done with the show.

A little OT, but once and for all (LOL!), did Kay Alden ghost-HW AMC after she left Y&R, and did she actually submit a bible that Frons HATED because it was character-driven? Whatever the truth to any of this, that has to qualify as one of soaps' urban legends. I remember posters swearing up and down that they could tell by the change in the show's tone that she was writing behind the scenes. Whatever the reality was, I would like to see what she could've done with the show.

I've heard the rumor that she submitted a bible but never heard the rumor that she ghost-wrote. I would have loved to see her work on AMC and to see how well she would have worked with Agnes. She seems, from judging by her archive interview, that she loves the genre. !@#$%^&*], she even had her dissertation topic surrounded by soaps!!

How did AMC's tone change that suggested she was working BTS? Wasnt she a creative consultant for ABCD though??

As much as I like Kay Alden and feel she needs to back at Y&R, the one thing I hated about her writing is how she was obsessed with Victor and would throw characters under the bus to make him superior. Lorie Brooks was the only woman in the history of the show to screw over TGVN and they bring her back and have her mooning over him and saying crap about how she regretted leaving him at the altar. To add insult to injury they have her being married to Max and supposedly never reuniting with her true love Lance Prentiss after all the stuff they went through back in the day.

They also brought back Julia having her swoon over him as well and downplay their abusive marriage.

I wanted to vomit.

I always find it...interesting to watch on YT those clips of Julia concerned about Eve Howard's agenda with Victor. You'd think someone in Julia's position would be ready to cheer that nutty woman on, lol!