If Brian Frons hated any story ideas that Kay Alden might have had for AMC, then it's probably because they weren't "juicy" enough for him -- and by that I mean, no gimmicks, no natural disasters, no Shocking Reveals, no baby switches or insane bitches running amok. Everything she suggested was nice and character driven and boring (by Frons' estimation and not ours). Otherwise, I think Alden would have adapted nicely to Agnes Nixon's brand of storytelling.

The sperm stealing would have been right up his alley.

Liza, Brooke, Dixie, Erica wanting Adam's sperm?

Probably, yes.

I think Kay is a great writer but AMC isn't a show I would have liked seeing her at, considering her Victor deification. AMC already had enough of that type of writing in its last 15 years.

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.

It's really interesting to think/speculate about this. What we do know is that Bell considered her his right hand, that she often seemed to know/sense what he wanted or needed to do and that she deemed her worthy of succeeding him and headwriting the show. In other words, she was an indispensable part of Bell's experience in headwriting the show and played a major part in it.

As far as her co-headwriting, I'd love to know. What's clear is that, in 1998 there was a hugely noticeable upswing in energy, writing and excitement as soon as she was 'officially' made co-HW, following two rather droll and uninspired years (still tons better than most else) so I don't know where that leaves us with the speculation. Maybe 1996/1997 were more about Bell's worsening health than anything else and Alden didn't yet have sufficient control over the show.

Probably, yes.

I think Kay is a great writer but AMC isn't a show I would have liked seeing her at, considering her Victor deification. AMC already had enough of that type of writing in its last 15 years.

It does make me wonder how she would've done the business stories (Enchantment, Fusion, Cortlandt, Chandler, Cambias)

It does make me wonder how she would've done the business stories (Enchantment, Fusion, Cortlandt, Chandler, Cambias)

Brilliantly.

I don't think AMC was ever a business soap. The corporations were mostly just used as a backdrop for fun and camp and the occasional story of Adam or Palmer being penniless for a few weeks.

I don't think AMC was ever a business soap. The corporations were mostly just used as a backdrop for fun and camp and the occasional story of Adam or Palmer being penniless for a few weeks.

She could have done that well. I don't think she'd go to AMC and decide to have it compete with Y&R's type of business stories or make it any kind of major focus.

Probably.

I think she would have been best suited for a show like OLTL.

Alden was also really lucky that she was headwriter just before most soaps were forced to slash their budgets.

The set design & costumes during her tenure were the best in Daytime.

I bet she would have been fantastic on Guiding Light after the Curlee era dream team left. I can see her style working well there with those characters.

Probably.

I think she would have been best suited for a show like OLTL.

Wonder what she would've done on that soap

Probably.

I think she would have been best suited for a show like OLTL.

She likely would have done a lot for Vicki and Dorian. However, Alden was clear that she was an AMC fan, not an OLTL fan.

That's interesting.

It's hard for me to picture her at what AMC became by the time she was done with Y&R.

The sperm stealing would have been right up his alley.

I knew someone would bring that up.

To this day, I believe that particular story did not originate with Kay Alden. But I do give her and her team credit for grounding it and giving it some logic. Because, in another writer's hands, that story would have been all about turkey basters, knockout drugs, wacky fertility nurses, and electric cattle prods.