Unpopular Opinions

[Rye]

21 hours ago, gingerella said:

It's been this bad for decades...

I have to disagree. The writing obviously fell off precipitously after Bill Bell, but they were still employing writers who understood the format and were able to craft soap SLs, albeit much less skillfully.  They were still making compelling shows, things like Delia’s death, which was about 10 years ago, were still really well done in a way that is entirely beyond the current state of the show. They were also still investing in the show monetarily, new elaborate sets, clubs and lounges and pool decks, new office sets, etc. You’d also still see kids on camera all the time, even when they weren’t directly involved in a SL.

Now they’ve cut down the studio space to the point where law enforcement and the DA work on cases in a public bar or coffee shop, if there’s any legal action it has to be relayed in after-the-fact dialogue, doctors are never seen at work, and children just are not seen period. They scarcely even hire extras, how often is the coffeehouse totally empty? And, obviously, the writing is totally insufficient for a daytime drama. There’s a huge difference between a weaker soap opera writer and a writer who has no idea how to write for a soap.

It seems like CBS decided they could guarantee x-amount of ratings/ad revenue as long as they air these characters to stupid housewives for an hour a day. They made an executive decision that Y&R viewers will never stop watching as long as they have the actors they’re used to seeing, so they don’t have to spend money on literally anything else. They’re just going to produce crap for as close to free as they can and stack the checks until people finally stop watching. But they’re pretty plainly not trying to make a soap opera anymore. That’s to say, I don’t see a scenario where they decide to “right the ship” and reinvest in quality programming for Y&R; it’s clear that type of content is dead. They’re just waiting until it’s more economical to replace it with a reality show.

As someone who grew up watching it, I would like them to cancel it now. I don’t want people who don’t care about it and don’t have any respect for the format or the actors or the viewers cannibalizing it like this. 

[babyhouseman]

3 hours ago, Rye said:

They made an executive decision that Y&R viewers will never stop watching as long as they have the actors they’re used to seeing, so they don’t have to spend money on literally anything else.

Budgets are declining, and there are so many entertainment options now. Talk shows and games shows are cheaper to produce. Even the soaps that died weren't as bad in their final days in terms of storylines. 

[Rye]

17 hours ago, babyhouseman said:

Budgets are declining, and there are so many entertainment options now. Talk shows and games shows are cheaper to produce. Even the soaps that died weren't as bad in their final days in terms of storylines. 

I think that’s what bothers me so much about it. Any other genre, if a network lost interest in making the show, they would cancel it. CBS’s decision on how to handle Y&R (and B&B, though the international audience for B&B probably changes some of the economics and profitability projections), is just so wildly condescending. “Oh those are unsophisticated women who don’t know any better anyway.” It could not be more obvious that they think anyone who watches soap operas is an idiot. It’s so offensive how they’re handling this, and so disrespectful to the 50 years of talent that went into creating and maintaining it.

We know it’s dead. Just wrap it up better than this, that’s all I’m asking.

[lurkerbee]

I absolutely loathe Diane and in reading other topics on this forum, that seems to be an unpopular opinion. I loathe her to the point that I'm even rooting for Phyllis, who I also dislike. Whenever she's on camera I can't reach for the FF button quickly enough (unless she's sharing a scene with Tucker, who is fun to watch). She's even ruined Jack for me. Part of my dislike stems from their resurrecting her from the dead, which is something I hate about soaps, and another part is that Susan Walter's acting style grates. It bugged me when she was Mulva too. It makes me feel that nothing Diane says is genuine.

[MsMalin]

For me it is the lesser of two evils. I am basically neutral on Diane but rooting for her because Phyllis is against her. And Ashley has been a total witch lately.

[SweePea59]

I hate DianeJenkins mostly because she is being played by an unnecessary recast. If they had brought back "the real" DianeJenkins, played by Alex Donnelley, then I am sure I would be team Diane. I consider myself team Tucker and I pray that he is playing both DianeJenkins and SyPhyllis.

[jewel21]

For me, this is the real Diane Jenkins. I don't know the other actress who played her. I definitely prefer Diane to Phyllis or Ashley. Those two witches could burn for all I care, and they could take Tucker with them. I hate how swarmy and messy he is, I just want to kick him in the teeth. 

[Js Nana]

On 7/22/2023 at 9:23 AM, lurkerbee said:

I loathe her to the point that I'm even rooting for Phyllis, who I also dislike.

I don't like either Diane or Phyllis - I would describe Phyllis as a human train wreck who takes out innocent bystanders, and I would describe Diane as a cunning opportunist who can turn on the charm.

[Js Nana]

On 5/21/2023 at 10:54 AM, Rye said:

Just wrap it up better than this

The first scene in the first episode of Y&R (3/26/1973) showed a car-jacked, beaten and robbed Brad Elliott (Tom Hallick) riding in the cab of a semi-truck after being picked up from the side of the road by the driver.  When the driver tells Brad that they're entering Genoa City, which is the end of the line for him, and asks him where he's headed, Brad replies "Looks like Genoa City."  My suggestion for closing out of Y&R would be to show Brad Elliot having returned to GC for a trip down memory lane after learning that the Abbotts, Newmans and Chancellors have all suffered spectacular falls from fortune, and the rest of the close-out can show Brad traveling through GC, looking for old landmarks and recalling the Brooks, the Fosters, the Chancellors, the Abbotts, the Winters and the Newmans through conversations with GC old-timers and flashbacks.  The last scene of the last episode can be digitally spliced with the first scene of the first episode to show now Brad leaving GC in the cab of a semi-truck passing 1973 Brad in the semi-truck that brought him to GC, with the piece of music from the 3/26/1973 scene playing - - how it began will be how it ends.

[Js Nana]

4 minutes ago, Js Nana said:

the Abbotts, Newmans and Chancellors have all suffered spectacular falls from fortune

Imagine Victor in a nursing home threatening to take over at the now defunct Newman Enterprises because his children never visit him; Nikki running a geriatric sex club and resort out of the Newman estate; Jack hawking homemade beauty products on QVC after Diane drops him and takes up with a Colombian drug lord who likes kinky; Chance working as a security guard and living in a converted garage after Sharon throws him over for someone 15 years younger; Abby, Devon and Dominic, a public school student, living in the smallest condo unit in a carved-up Chancellor mansion; Ashley and Tucker on the FBI's most wanted list for running scams; Billy and Chelsea running a mental health pod cast franchise; Nick working the midnight to 6AM shift at the local 7/11 after Sally leaves town for greener creative pastures; Victoria relying on the kindness of strangers while bumming her way through European resort towns; Nate becoming a chiropractor whose patients frequently sue him; Kyle trying to get a low-level job in wife #2's (Lola) business after failing miserably as the pool boy at the country club he once belonged to; Summer modeling for any third-rate fashion house that will hire her; Adam working the poker tables in Vegas; and Traci blissfully producing best-selling self-help books while living in style in New York.

[Joimiaroxeu]

10 hours ago, Js Nana said:

Imagine Victor in a nursing home threatening to take over at the now defunct Newman Enterprises because his children never visit him; Nikki running a geriatric sex club and resort out of the Newman estate; Jack hawking homemade beauty products on QVC after Diane drops him and takes up with a Colombian drug lord who likes kinky; Chance working as a security guard and living in a converted garage after Sharon throws him over for someone 15 years younger; Abby, Devon and Dominic, a public school student, living in the smallest condo unit in a carved-up Chancellor mansion; Ashley and Tucker on the FBI's most wanted list for running scams; Billy and Chelsea running a mental health pod cast franchise; Nick working the midnight to 6AM shift at the local 7/11 after Sally leaves town for greener creative pastures; Victoria relying on the kindness of strangers while bumming her way through European resort towns; Nate becoming a chiropractor whose patients frequently sue him; Kyle trying to get a low-level job in wife #2's (Lola) business after failing miserably as the pool boy at the country club he once belonged to; Summer modeling for any third-rate fashion house that will hire her; Adam working the poker tables in Vegas; and Traci blissfully producing best-selling self-help books while living in style in New York.

11 hours ago, Js Nana said:

The first scene in the first episode of Y&R (3/26/1973) showed a car-jacked, beaten and robbed Brad Elliott (Tom Hallick) riding in the cab of a semi-truck after being picked up from the side of the road by the driver.  When the driver tells Brad that they're entering Genoa City, which is the end of the line for him, and asks him where he's headed, Brad replies "Looks like Genoa City."  My suggestion for closing out of Y&R would be to show Brad Elliot having returned to GC for a trip down memory lane after learning that the Abbotts, Newmans and Chancellors have all suffered spectacular falls from fortune, and the rest of the close-out can show Brad traveling through GC, looking for old landmarks and recalling the Brooks, the Fosters, the Chancellors, the Abbotts, the Winters and the Newmans through conversations with GC old-timers and flashbacks.  The last scene of the last episode can be digitally spliced with the first scene of the first episode to show now Brad leaving GC in the cab of a semi-truck passing 1973 Brad in the semi-truck that brought him to GC, with the piece of music from the 3/26/1973 scene playing - - how it began will be how it ends.

Neither of these posts appear to have anything do with the topic of this thread, Unpopular Opinions. There's a thread called The Way We Wish It Were: We're Writing It Over Thanks! which is perhaps the appropriate place for speculative imaginings about past and future Y&R storylines.

[Rileyjo]

J S Nana, where’s Phyllis in this scenario? And Michael and what’s her name, his wife? I hope Adam is successful. Sorry I know it’s not the right place to post this. But enquiring minds want to know

Oh, I just need to say I like Sharon and Chance. I just like the actress and feel like the character has been sh*t on for years now. I like that she has her own storyline

[bayviewbubba]

I have no idea which thread this fits in, so here's my question:  Why do Y/R & BB do so many mirroring story lines?  I've noticed it for a few years now, and the latest is the "is Victor losing it?/ is Eric losing it?" twin story.  Is it that they put one story up on the board and then see who fits it on each show?  Are the writers shared between shows?  

It is just annoying.  If I only watched one show it wouldn't matter, but don't most US viewers watch both?

[SweePea59]

On 9/19/2023 at 3:39 PM, bayviewbubba said:

Why do Y/R & BB do so many mirroring story lines? 

That's been going on for a very long time. Maybe someone at Sony tells them both to go in the same direction, unbeknownst to the writers of each show? Maybe there's a spy? Isn't MTS's hubby still at B&B, maybe she's the leak? All I know is that B&B always does it better, no matter what the parallel coincidental story is.

[Joimiaroxeu]

Quote

Maybe someone at Sony tells them both to go in the same direction, unbeknownst to the writers of each show?

Sony has no say in what goes on at B&B though. It's still owned by the Bell family.

I figure the connection is through the Bells because they have retained a smaller stake in Y&R. They probably have some input on the storylines since they have the institutional knowledge of both shows.

However, Sony is mostly calling the shots at Y&R because they control most of the production money and receive most of the ad revenue.