B&B: Will we see another head-writer of the show in our lifetime?

[kalbir]

Bradley best era was Fall 1994 rebound from the lull through the first half of 1995 when all his big storylines culminated. Tanking started second half of 1995.

[Anooj]

For me, Bradley’s best era is mid-1999 through mid-2001, while at least 1996 and 2002 are very enjoyable trash. 1994 and some of 1995 represent a major fall in quality compared to the Bill Bell era, but I’ve actually rather liked what I’ve seen of 1996 so far through the vault (I originally began watching the show from around the 1998 episodes onwards).
 

1994 and 2003-2008, maybe some of 2010, are bad, but relatively competent compared to what come after. 2013-2015 were a relative improvement over 2009-2012. 
 

Late 2010 through 2012 and everything from late 2015 onwards is really terrible. I’ve not watched the last few years.

Edited December 7, 2024 by Anooj

[Maxim]

The most unbearable period, other than 2022-2024... Is the 1994-1995 princess Leila and the aftermath storyline. Nearly made me stop watching the classic era. Cringe after cringe after cringe. And it began the horrible habit of Taylor of dying and resurrecting.

[dragonflies]

I think we will if and when Brad retires lol

[Maxim]

Maybe there will be a surprising turn in the poll!

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[Maxim]

I am obsessed with the trash that is 2002. It's my guilty pleasure. Breacon and Brooke on the terrace with Oliver in 2010 are the two storylines I can re-watch every year... just for the sake of the unintentional comedy.  Pose! Pose! Pose! 

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[Anooj]

2002 is an interesting case of love-hate. It’s easily one of the show’s Top 5 years in raw entertainment value, what with the Massimo drama & Ridge going over to Spectra, Brooke’s affair with Deacon, and Sheila’s return. All of it was very riveting to watch. But each of those plotlines had a questionable flipside: The Massimo retcon was perhaps a mistake in hindsight even if it brought great drama (until Ridget, anyway), Breacon ruined Brooke as a character by taking her scandalous tendencies way past the moral event horizon, and Mary’s instant 15-year SORAS felt like the show’s continuity was collapsing in on itself (especially since the Tridge kids weren’t SORASed at the same pace, and she was thrown in a love triangle with her former babysitter who was by no means that greatly aged). 

Edited December 7, 2024 by Anooj

[Maxim]

What are the top 5 years in entertainment value for you? 

[kalbir]

Bradley took over in 1993 and the lull began after Catalina Island and lasted until Fall 1994.

Hunter Tylo being so in and out from 1994 to 1998 seemed to have derailed so many storylines.

[Maxim]

Absolutely. So much stuff was derailed and ruined. I... to this day... struggle to understand how they allowed that... They should have just recast after the first fiasco or just kept her dead. As much as I loved OG Taylor... her dying, leaving and re-appearing was just too much.  

[Planet Soap]

 

Reason why I really enjoyed 98-02 Brooke & Deacon, the departure and return of Sheila,Morgan/Taylor/Tim Reid, Brooke/Thorne/Macy triangle, Rick & Amber to name a few. I don't know why it feels like a switch suddenly flipped by 2003. 

I love this storyline recap from that era. I wish soaps still did this now to help get audiences caught up. 

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Edited December 8, 2024 by Planet Soap

[Maxim]

I loved Morgan, especially the end of the storyline. The sleeping with Ridge, because he read an email by his wife allowing him to... was horrible writing, but the rest of the storyline was goood.

And I agree about the switch in 2003. After Portofino and the beginning of Ridget... it tanks.

[Planet Soap]

The email was DUMB! 

2003-10 was bearable. Loved Stephanie's fake heart attack and discovering she was the true owner of Forrester. Loved Betty white as her mom. Brooke accidentally smashing Oliver was also great. 

Bold & Beautiful is among my top five favorite soaps. I know it's not the best. It's trashy salaciousness -- basically Inside Edition whereas ATWT was 60 minutes..

But for a period of time B&B was entertaining trash. Once Bold pivoted to Liam/Hope/Steffy, and Susan Flannery --the person who carried the show on her back-- left, it was all done. 

I cannot fathom how B&B remains the #2  soap. Must be carry over from The Young and the Restless and audience loyalty? Retaining that position must have poisoned Bradley's mind into thinking he's doing a good job, the same way Y&R's cast thinks the show is good because it's still #1.

[Maxim]

YES. YES. YES. AND YES. AND YES. ON every single point!

1. The email cheapened the entire storyline - made it unrealistic. Who sleeps with his wife's best friend, because he read an email from his wife allegedly allowing it?! Even if your wife is okay with it, you should not be. And the whole idea of giving another woman a baby to cure her trauma from losing your baby years ago... is just... absurd. Morgan should have acted like a proper antagonist... and done this in another way. Ridge is not the hardest one to seduce. It should have been something like this and not the stupid email. The part about Taylor being kept in captivity, I LOVED. It gave Hunter Tylo very strong moments acting wise. She shined in that storyline. I am sad to say... pretty much all her material after her-resurrection in 2005 was... not at that level. Mostly because of facial restrictions - too much work done, that denied her the ability to emote. She started the crazy head-shaking to compensate for it.

2. Stephanie's fake heart attack remains one of my favorite storylines. It's such a sweet-piece-of-cake of a storyline - short, but incredibly tasty. I wished it could have gone longer - for 3-4 months and not everything happening in a month. The confrontation in the climax of the storyline is probably the most iconic Brooke/Stephanie showdown in history. I remember showing this scene in school to everyone on my phone, I was sooo impressed. Haha.

3. Susan leaving really left a huge hole right in the center of the show, a hole... that was never filled. Brooke was never going to become the matriarch, we all knew that. And her character lost steam, when Stephanie was gone. Brooke didn't have her arch-enemy anymore or even more importantly, she lost the counter-point to her behavior. The show became too one-sided. The element of scandal was fading. Taylor didn't work as Eric's girlfriend/Stephanie substitute. It just didn't. Because Taylor had a completely different vibe - she was not a menace to Brooke. And Stephanie WAS. And that's why they worked so perfectly. These two women - KKL and SF carried decades of the show on that chemistry. 

 

Edited December 8, 2024 by Maxim

[AMCOLTLLover]

I loved the Classics so much for it’s Camp and writting. But something between 91-93 felt boring.

What really hooked me again was Taylor‘s Return as Princess. Im Upset so many hated it here

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 I enjoyed it so much and 1994-95 was so strong. 
96-97 were hit or miss. 98-2002/03 was a strong era again with a lot of flaws but equally great stuff. It was well balanced. But After Macy died and the custody battle has been finished and Amber and rick’s relationship destroyed i gave up. 2003-2005/06 was weird. I don’t even mention Taylor‘s return as one of the reasons. Thomas and Gabriela or whatever her Name was had so much potential but they gave up on it too fast. BUT what on Earth did they do to Amber‘s character and watching Bridget and Ridge being snowed in in the cold and waiting for them to Kiss to have Proof that’s something going on? Like wtf was that ? Clarke/Amber Scenes were Hilarious but nah. 2006-2009… I enjoyed Rick vs Ridge… Phoebe and Rick.. BUT the egg Storyline, Phoebe‘s Death, Taylor killing Darla in a Hit and run and then being an item with Thorne . Who Wrote This Crap ?
Brooke‘s Rape and Stephanie being quiet a reason for it to happen really hurt My love for This Show. 
 

My mom got me hooked on Days and B&B and they were my First Soaps with our German ones BUT brookes rape and the egg Story really destroyed everything i loved about this show. The Camp I Can Overlook and some flaws in the writting BUT that? Never.

what got me back was 2010-2012 with Hope-Liam-Steffy and the Show felt Fresh again. We even had Dollar Bill freshly Introduced in 09 and being a Great Addition to the Show. 2012-13 was dull. 2014-15 was Strong but 16 flat!

2017-18 with the spectras 2.0 I really had high hopes and it started off Great and of course they lost interest in writting for them and gave up. Since 2019 I Couldn’t Care less anymore and just keep up and Watch here and there.

i don’t ever think Bell will Retire. He will be there until he dies 

Edited December 8, 2024 by AMCOLTLLover