27 minutes ago, Broderick said:

With Y&R's budget evidently being $2.38 per episode, it's a shame they've veered away from the Bill Bell Trademark of a lower-income family interacting with an upper middle-class family.  In the early days, most of the scenes were in the Foster house, the Brooks house, a nightclub, and a newspaper office.  Later, they added Kay Chancellor's house and the Prentiss house (both of which were extremely nice sets), but they were seen as "impressive enough" to overwhelm even Lorie Brooks, who was from the wealthier of the two main families.  

Y&R really lost its way (in my opinion) when they began trying to tell stories in which everyone is a zillionaire.  Especially on a budget of $2.38 per episode.  

JFP: the Haircut and the older woman-younger man epic romance. Shows lose their identity and become flat and generic. 

 

Edited January 9, 20232 yr by Sapounopera

Paul Rauch, from OLTL in the 80s, to SB, to Guiding Light; bright lighting, pastels, blondes, blondes, and blondes. A few big sets here and there too.  In addition, shows like GL and OLTL lost their diversity. 

Labine: comic-relief animals (Foster & Annabelle on GH, Todd’s parrot on OLTL); kooky female supporting characters (Lucy, Lois, Maggie, May Merisi); elevated, erudite dialogue; mob intrigue; dead children.

I’m sure there’s much more I’m missing.

Dena Higley: Post it notes.

Going back to the lack of a salt of the earth mom and striving for more daughter on Agnes Nixon's OLTL, I've started wondering if/hoping that this was part of the initial plans for Sadie and Carla.

23 hours ago, kalbir said:

@Paul Raven I had no idea Victor meeting Hope in Kansas was a redo of a Bill Bell Days storyline 🤯

I believe Irna herself told a variation of this story on one of her radio soaps. I believe the radio soap was 'The Road of Life' and had a Doctor character suffer amnesia and he ended up on a farm where he fell in love with a widowed woman - who also had a disabled sister-in-law living on the farm. I don't know if Bell had been working for Irna at this time, but evidently, this seemed to be a story he must have noticed and would later repeat twice to much success.  

Edited January 10, 20232 yr by BetterForgotten

Agnes liked her young love storyline where the protaganists were the innocent girl and the well meaning good guy who were manipulated by outside forces.But she really really only used it repeatedly on AMC.

I guess Meredith and Larry on early OLTL would qualify.

On AW , Steve wasn't the type. Loving had Stacey and Jack?

On AMC,first there was Phil and Tara. Then Cliff and Nina, followed quickly by Jenny and Greg.

But there really wasn't a next couple to follow that template. At one point when she took over the writing I think Scott and Becca were given that role.

15 minutes ago, Paul Raven said:

But there really wasn't a next couple to follow that template. At one point when she took over the writing I think Scott and Becca were given that role.

Scott and Becca definitely were. The last iterations, which Agnes was allegedly involved in, could be considered Pete and Celia and A.J. and Miranda at AMC 2.0. (Though AMC had apparently planned to subvert it according to Eric Nelsen by having A.J. come out as gay.)

I think Cooper and Steffi on LOV can also be classed as one of Agnes' young love couples with Cooper as the well-meaning poor little rich boy like A.J., though I am pretty sure she had nothing to do with Cooper and Hannah who also fit the mold.

Edited January 10, 20232 yr by Vee

Bill Bell had characters/storylines with elements from literature, film, and biblical allusions, but then again that could apply to all writers.

11 hours ago, Franko said:

Going back to the lack of a salt of the earth mom and striving for more daughter on Agnes Nixon's OLTL, I've started wondering if/hoping that this was part of the initial plans for Sadie and Carla.

I do agree that Sadie and Carla had the salt of the earth long suffering mom and the striving for more daughter with a twist.

I know Agnes Nixon also head wrote GL and don't think she used that template there.

She did a reverse variation with Peggy Scott (Fletcher) as the put upon daughter of a striving for more mother (Maggie Scott) on GL

She employed the put upon daughter and social climbing mom on AMC (Ann & Phoebe, Edna & Dottie, Opal & Jenny) and I believe she set up the Steffi Brewster/Deborah element on Loving

Edited January 10, 20232 yr by Soaplovers

11 hours ago, Franko said:

Going back to the lack of a salt of the earth mom and striving for more daughter on Agnes Nixon's OLTL, I've started wondering if/hoping that this was part of the initial plans for Sadie and Carla.

She also used that template with 

Ada & Rachel: Another World

Mona & Erica, All My Children 

Kate & Ava: Loving

Ava is an interesting situation, because when Marland wrote the character, it also felt heavily influenced by the work he did on GL with Nola. But Nixon seemed to view the character as another Erica Kane.

Bill Bell: Miserable grand dame resents younger beautiful woman for taking her husband. Stephanie/Brooke B&B, Katherine/Jill Y&R.

Edited January 10, 20232 yr by ironlion

@ironlionBill Bell also used vixen daughter all about the come up becomes involved with the upper class/wealthy man that her working class mother loves w/ Jill/Stuart/Liz and Brooke/Eric/Beth.

Edited January 10, 20232 yr by kalbir