Trademarks of Different Creators/EPs/Writers

[Paul Raven]

Bill Bell: Miserable grand dame resents younger beautiful woman for taking her son. Vanessa/Lorie

[Planet Soap]

After taking husband, Younger beautiful woman forces her way into company during bitter separation: Jill at Jabot, Brooke at Forrester after BeLeif.

Bill Bell: red headed/dark haired psychopath uses sexuality to manipulate desperate man: Phyllis/Morgan & Dr.Tim Reid, Sheila & Mike.

Red headed/dark haired psychopath drugs and or rapes high status man in order to get pregnant: Sheila & Dr. Scott, Phyllis & rockstar Danny.

Edited January 10, 2023 by ironlion

[Paul Raven]

Bill Bell

Younger sister has insecurities due to weight problem/skin condition Traci/Katie.

De facto head of poorer family resents father who deserted Storm/Snapper

[Vee]

You can definitely make a case for Steffi and Deborah being another iteration of Agnes' classic mother-daughter unit.

[kalbir]

Also Stephanie/Brooke and to a lesser extent Nikki/Sharon.

Adding to Bill Bell

Mother that favors one son over the other: Vanessa, Cora, Stephanie

Upper class background/working class background romantic rivals: Ashley/Nikki, Caroline/Brooke

Edited January 11, 2023 by kalbir

[titan1978]

James Reilly- not so much in his earlier work, but post DAYS possession through Passions- Characters constantly talking to themselves.

Another trope of Reilly was running mini stories around the larger ongoing plots.  He did this at GL, DAYS, and Passions.  Examples like Belle’s kidnapping being another story told within the frame of Marlena cheating on Roman, without ultimately resolving the main plot, only extending it.

Bob Guza- we spent a lot of time in court with Guza.  Both in little trials and larger ones like Laura with Damian’s death, Luke on trial for “killing” Stefan, Michael’s trial about Claudia, the many Sonny trials.  We saw Alexis, Ric and Scotty in court a lot.

[Darn]

Isn't this just soap?

I guess Reilly's difference was characters constantly being on the cusp of finding out the truth. Every scene before a commercial break would seemingly lead into someone finding out some big secret. This would go on for 6 months at a time. Even if there was a side plot to extend the main plot the main plot would never lose focus because everyone was always reiterating what they were hiding and why.

[Kane]

I think Trisha & Steve would be Loving's example.

[Paul Raven]

Of course.

and Agnes often had an interloper who had designs on the guy

Jenny/Greg/Liza

Steve/Alice/Rachel

Cliff/Nina/Sybil

Although that triangle is SOAP 101.

[teplin]

Also the very liberal use of fake-outs, in which a long-awaited plot development would unfold onscreen only to be revealed as a character's dream or fantasy. 

[Planet Soap]

This is what soaps today lack the ability to do. Mini stories sandwiched in the main plot, so that it doesn't feel like the main plant is being endlessly prolonged.

For example, while we waited for Bobbie to find out Carly was her daughter, we got the Tony/Carly affair plot, Michael's paternity, and Jason/Robin's breakup inbetween. From that story was a springbord into Carly hiding AJ as Michael's natural father which also launched the Tony kidnapping and marriage to AJ stories. Today its just repeated dialouge and excessive complications that drag.

[YRfan23]

Don’t forget Jill/Nina 

[Sapounopera]

I'd say Jill/Nina is more like Brooke/Amber and Nikki/Sharon. 

The former wrong side of the tracks girl having to deal with a younger version of herself. 

Was Trish Clayton created by Bill Bell? Was she a Nikki prototype?

[kalbir]

Jill/Nina lines up w/ Nikki/Sharon and Vanessa/Lorie lines up w/ Stephanie/Brooke.

Brooke/Amber was Bradley's version of Jill/Nina and Nikki/Sharon.

Edited January 12, 2023 by kalbir

[YRfan23]

Totally agree!