2019: The Directors and Writers Thread

[lucaslesann23]

so their just glossing over Sarah Bibel lol. Ouch

[Chris B]

 

On Twitter there is a rumor of Mulcahey being the new HW and also a rumor of James Harmon Brown being there to trail Sara Bibel. Whatever the case it's obvious Josh Griffith won't be staying, but I'm not sure I care who takes over. I can't picture anybody truly making Y&R viable again. They have gone through so many HW changes that it's hard to be confident in anybody put in that job.

[Khan]

 

Unless he's been promised creative autonomy, I can't picture Patrick Mulcahey agreeing to head-write any soap ever again.  I'd LOVE for him to be Y&R's (or DAYS') HW, but I can't see it happening in this current climate.

[VanessaReardon]

Mulcahey is a great script writer. He’s not a headwriter. 

[LondonScribe]

I can usually get a grasp on the strengths and weaknesses of writers over the years, but I don’t know a great deal about Patrick Mulcahey, in terms of his strengths.

 

For those who appear excited about the (at the moment, remote) possibility of him moving over to Y&R, what’s the appeal? What’s strengths does he possess that would make him a good get or even potential Head Writer?

 

Many Thanks.

[RavenWhitney]

Maybe Brad Bell will take over Y&R as senior exec producer. Keep Morina in place. Drop Griffith as co exec producer and HW. Bring in a new head writer and give Mulcahey story consultant and scripts. Why would the Bells let Mulcahey go; he's the best script writer out there and can contribute to story.  I see Patrick going to Y&R in some capacity for a change of pace after 10 years on BB  He worked with Esser when she went to B&B briefly when Latham was firing all Bell proteges. 

[lucaslesann23]

JGs contract is up in January so i hope they have someone picked out. I also think they should keep tony as EP.

[Khan]

Patrick Mulcahey has been a HW before -- at GL, after Nancy Curlee had retired.  Unfortunately, he quit after a short period of time due to interference from (I suspect) P&G and/or GL's then-EP, JFP.

 

 

First of all, let me go on record as saying that, next to Frank Salisbury, with whom he worked at GL and SB, Patrick Mulcahey is the best script writer ever to work in this business; and that ANY soap would be too damn lucky to have him at this point, regardless of capacity.

 

Above all else, Mulcahey's scripts display an inordinate amount of intelligence, wit and insight into character or characters.  Just like with his mentor, Douglas Marland, I never find myself saying, "He/she wouldn't do or say that," when I watch Mulcahey's work.  In fact, there have been instances (like, off the top of my head, the stuff he wrote for GL's Ross Marler) when his work helped me to understand, or understand better, even a character I THOUGHT I knew and had watched for years.

 

Moreover, Mulcahey seems to understand (from comments made in interviews) that "family dynamics" (tm @vetsoapfan) and not super-couples or gimmicks are the bedrock of this genre.  Ergo, if he WERE to take over as Y&R's HW -- which, again, I doubt, given the current climate -- I would be fascinated to see how he would write for the Newmans and Abbotts.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Khan

[lucaslesann23]

what do you think YR Will do?. I wonder if they will promote from within or choose a brand new writer

[sheilaforever]

Sorry to be blunt: Jack Smith is OLD. He had a great career and did some great work over the years. But his scripts inr ecnet years were beyond washed out and money-wise he should not be dependent ona  job and give some newer writers the spotlight-.

[Khan]

 

Honestly?  Not a damn thing.  Josh Griffith is still there, IMO, because 1) he must be good friends with Steve Kent and 2) nobody else wants the headache.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if JG and Anthony Morina are there 'til the end.

[lucaslesann23]

So like ABC with GH. Shelly had to retire before they got a new HW right?

[Khan]

 

Pretty much.  Unless Josh and Tony retire, or just plain quit, I think we're stuck with them.  Doesn't matter that the ratings are dropping.  Josh and Tony will just pull some more crazy [!@#$%^&*] out of their asses to impress Steve and keep their damn jobs.

 

If I had my druthers, I'd promise Patrick Mulcahey creative control and whatever else he wanted to get him to agree to be HW.  Then, I'd do the same for Ed Scott to come back as EP.

Edited November 19, 2019 by Khan

[lucaslesann23]

I wonder what happened with Josh. His other regimes were much better but he had MAB and JFP helping him too. Is the writing room just surrounded by Yes men? 

[Khan]

 

I don't think anything happened to Josh.  I think he's always been this mediocre.  Even when he was co-HW'ing OLTL w/ Michael Malone.  He might be a good scriptwriter, but he's never been my idea even of a DECENT HW.