2006: The Directors and Writers Thread

[Chris B]

You may not want to spill this, but could you tell us, is it someone we will be impressed with or disappointed?

[EricaKane4life]

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You may not want to spill this, but could you tell us, is it someone we will be impressed with or disappointed?

Chris, I don't have proof, so I don't want to say anything.

Plus I don't want to piss off Errol and Toups with anything that isn't true.

I'm not even 100% about Kay Alden. But I almost am.

[jfung79]

Not sure if this is the right thread for this, but I've made a "Richard Culliton playlist" on YouTube. It includes all the videos (from a variety of soaps) I can find there that are either:

a. from a time on a soap during which Richard Culliton was head writer or co-head writer; or

b. from an episode that I know Richard Culliton was the credited script writer for, on a show he wasn't head-writing -- so far there's only two of these, from ATWT this year (slasher reveal, and the second day of Luke coming out to Kevin).

c. of credits, and is included in the playlist because one can see the name "Richard Culliton" in them -- so far there's only one of these, AW credits from early 1985

Has anyone tried doing this with other writers? Here's my Culliton playlist:

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=1D34A14E103B2F0B

[Toups]

Y&R:

- Janice Ferri Esser back as Associate Head Writer on October 30

I think she's back as an AHW writer now (but maybe has a higher rank than Cwikly, Caseillo, SSM, Bibel who are other AHWs) and she is listed every day again since her name is now above Natalie Minardi Slater.

The Y&R credits are really weird now. It goes:

1st page: Alden, Latham, Smith

2nd page: Hamner

3rd page: Esser, Slater

4th page: the episode breakdown writer and script writer

Hey, that's really cool. I don't think there's a playlist for any other writer.

[Sylph]

Have you ever sent an email to that Y&R address asking about this? I would send it but I don't know if that's the right one. Someone ought to know...

[Chris B]

I take the credits to mean...

Alden, Latham, Smith, Hamner = Co-Headwriters

Esser, Slater = Associate Headwriters

Then the breakdown/script writer

The show has had four co-headwriters before so I don't know why they didn't just list them all together. Once Alden and Smith are removed from the credits I guess it will be easier to read.

I also don't understand why they put Executive Producer in the mix with all the credits at the beginning of the show. Previously, the show would go to a black screen at the end, show it, then roll into "Next on The Young and the Restless." I just gets lost in the beginning for me.

[Sylph]

Yes, it pretty much something like that. But we all want certainty.

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Once Alden and Smith are removed from the credits I guess it will be easier to read.

Yeah, we'll get some clues from the change onwards.

In primetime, it's easier. You know what does the EP in opening credits do, and you know that the EP in the end credits is the show-runner.

[Toups]

But Esser must have a bigger title than the other associate head writers because they aren't listed every day; they're just listed whenever they write the episode breakdown. Someone here said Slater is the script editor and that's why she's listed everyday. Maybe Esser was promoted to Script editor and now Y&R has two of them??

Yeah, it's weird that Co-Executive Producer Josh Griffith is listed before the director and Scott Hamner is listed by himself?

LML messes up the credits.....can she do anything right?

[Toups]

Y&R:

- Kathryn Foster last listed as Producer on November 1

[Toups]

Another FOL has joined the Y&R writing team.

Y&R:

- James Stanley first listed as Associate Head Writer on November 3

[DaysForever]

Wah. How many FOL are there going to be?

Y&R will soon be unrecognizable.

[Soapsuds]

I believe he wrote for Knots Landing. I am not sure though.

[Toups]

The writing staff is already unrecognizable. Almost all of Bill Bell's verteran writers are gone. How sad for what used to be the most stable writing staff for 20 years.

Yes he did.

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0822505/

[Chris B]

But what is the big deal with the writing staff leaving? Y&R just reached 6 million viewers with Fridays episode. More and more people are tuning in and there's a refreshing feeling to the show.

Losing someone like Jack Smith is not a bad thing. As I was mentioning in another thread, he got rid of Heather Tom, Ashley Bashioum (both for stupid reasons) and Eric Braeden, Jess Walton, Jeanne Cooper, Kristoff St. John and Victoria Rowell almost left the show under his watch.

People say Y&R is unrecongnizable with Latham, but thats how it was becoming with Smith. By the end of 2005, Y&R was like JER's DAYS. Can you imagine if Smith were still around and he let all of those heavy hitters leave the show? I love Latham's focus on the entire veteran cast as opposed to a bunch of newbies like many writers (including Smith) give us.

As for the others leaving, this is common with any soap writer coming onto a show. They bring on people they work well with. I don't recall what James Stanley did at Knots Landing, but KL was always known for being the best written primetime soap so they're looking in the right place for writers. It's not like they're replacing great writers with hacks. They're replacing burnt out writers with some great talent.

[Soapsuds]

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But what is the big deal with the writing staff leaving? Y&R just reached 6 million viewers with Fridays episode. More and more people are tuning in and there's a refreshing feeling to the show.

Losing someone like Jack Smith is not a bad thing. As I was mentioning in another thread, he got rid of Heather Tom, Ashley Bashioum (both for stupid reasons) and Eric Braeden, Jess Walton, Jeanne Cooper, Kristoff St. John and Victoria Rowell almost left the show under his watch.

People say Y&R is unrecongnizable with Latham, but thats how it was becoming with Smith. By the end of 2005, Y&R was like JER's DAYS. Can you imagine if Smith were still around and he let all of those heavy hitters leave the show? I love Latham's focus on the entire veteran cast as opposed to a bunch of newbies like many writers (including Smith) give us.

As for the others leaving, this is common with any soap writer coming onto a show. They bring on people they work well with. I don't recall what James Stanley did at Knots Landing, but KL was always known for being the best written primetime soap so they're looking in the right place for writers. It's not like they're replacing great writers with hacks. They're replacing burnt out writers with some great talent.

I agree Chris. I am loving the new changes to Y&R. I found it very boring with Smith and Co. I didnt particularly like how the Brad storyline turned out but of course there has to be a clunker in there once in a while.

As for James Stanley, I didnt like his writing at KL. Although, when he did come in to KL the show was on its last legs.