Hello to all of you! Below, you will find the open letter that will be submitted to TPTB of CBS and Sony Pictures regarding the current frustration with the writing of The Young & the Restless. Please read, and "sign" in the comment section. Whether you choose to use your name, or your message board name, we ask that you also include your city of residence. Thank you for your help with this!
Michael Andrews
Daphne Yuhas
Saturday, August 20, 2011
Young and the Restless Open Letter
An Open Letter, to CBS & Sony Pictures, about “The Young & the Restless”
To The Executives of CBS and Sony Pictures,
We are fans of The Young & the Restless. We are wondering why we feel we are at war with the writers and producers of this once proud and honored show. We have attempted to encourage Maria Arena Bell (MAB) and other head writers, Scott Hamner, and Hogan Sheffer to write better storylines that make sense and are character driven, not plot driven. We have written, called, emailed, sent Facebook messages, and tweeted. All of which has fallen on deaf ears. Do you really even care about the show anymore?
We have been subjected to interviews where we read what the writers are promoting only to put the magazine down in frustration. We have wanted to launch the laptop to the other side of the room. We have scratched our heads, and we have questioned the abilities of the writers, to actually be creative instead of rehashing the same old drivel every year. The writers state they are character driven in their storylines. We know that it is not true. It’s all been plot driven, with no respect for the character and the history of the character AND certainly not the history of the show.
This is NOT how to write a show. This is how to RUIN a show. There are times the only reason we know we are watching a character, on our screen, is by looking into the face of the actor portraying them NOT the behavior or dialogue being spoken. THIS IS A PROBLEM.
Jamey Giddens' column, on Daytime Confidential, 8/15/2011,http://daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/ 2011/08/15/what-the-hell-is-going-on-with-the-young-and-the-restless basically stated what all of the fans, of this once glorious and proud show, are so bent out of shape about. Mr. Giddens is the ONLY member of the daytime soap press to talk about the lack of care, attention, love, scripts, and character driven storylines that it has obviously resonated with the fans of the show as evidenced by the large number of people who’ve commented on Mr. Giddens’ blog. Also, on 08/29/11, Jamey Giddens once again pointed out the glaringingly poor writing, character assassinations, and stunt casting that Maria Arena Bell has continued to do to this show. You can read his very, very frank blog at the following link: http://daytimeconfidential.zap2it.com/2011/08/29/ratings-rants-and-raves-how-maria-arena-bell-is-letting-a-getting-out-of-soaps-abc-come-c?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter
Why are we frustrated, let’s look at the list.
1. (Daphne and I want to make it perfectly clear that we are NOT blaming MAB for the absence of Melody Thoms Scott. We blame Sony and CBS for that. So, this first one is really directed at Sony/CBS, not at MAB).
Why haven’t we seen Nikki since June 3rd? Nikki is a beloved character. It makes no sense that she would be off canvas this long. Quite frankly, your ratings are going down, down, down with each passing week that Nikki is not back on the show and back on screen. You have been treating the veterans of this show like crap for far too long and it has to stop!
2. Why are we watching Mrs. Chancellor become a shrew? We are surprised that Jeanne Cooper is allowing MAB to basically destroy the character. MAB is "hacking" Katherine as a character and is dumbing a legendary actress like Jeanne Cooper down. If I were Jeanne, I’d walk. I wouldn’t put up with the foolishness MAB and team is writing for Katherine Chancellor.
3. We have been subjected to so many characters’ histories being rewritten by a woman who is obviously not honoring the history of the character in question. Katherine is a perfect example. Others u ask? How about Sharon, Cane, Lily, Victor...
4. We have been promised storylines for characters such as Phillip II only to have that storyline basically dropped like a hot potato. I really feel bad for Thom Bierdz who was subjected to the crass storyline that MAB gave him when he returned to the show.
5. The amount of bed hopping is nauseating. Sex with whomever, seems to be the panacea in Genoa City. Where are the love and the romance that this show was known for during the years that Bill Bell Sr. wrote the show?
6. Victor is really going to try to keep Kyle because he hates Jack so much? We know damn well Victor would never do this to anyone, not even his worst enemy!
7. Adam is attempting to destroy Sharon when in reality, Adam hasn’t even paid for the crimes he committed against both Ashley, Sharon and many other people.
8. The character of Sharon, played by the wonderful Sharon Case, is now unrecognizable to long time viewers. The character of Sharon has been ruined and damaged beyond repair. The Sharon that fans know would NEVER, in a million years, have gotten involved with Adam after he kidnapped Faith and passed Faith off as Ashley’s baby.
9. After all Lily went through to be with Cane, would she honestly walk away from Cane that easily?! Begin an affair with an over grown child who does not want children? Come on!
10. Where are Neil, Malcolm, Devon, and Sofia?! Have they been banished to Siberia forever?
11. With the potential storylines for Neil and Malcolm, the only thing the writers could come up with was a “Who’s The Daddy” storyline?! Geez, MAB obviously doesn’t care for diversity on the show.
12. Why doesn’t Devon have a storyline?
13. Eden Riegel is a wonderful actress, we will grant you that. However, once again, the casting director and MAB have completely miscast Eden in a role that she should not be playing. It’s rather sad that the writers have made Heather a “wimp” of a character now. It’s almost laughable.
14. The talent of Tristan Rodgers and Genie Francis is being wasted. Genevieve is really too campy.
15. Big name stars are hired and then they are not used properly within the show or they are completely miscast in a role that they shouldn't even be playing. If I were Debbie Morgan, I would be a little afraid and worried.
16. The rotation of storylines is very one-sided. Fans call the show the Newman Hour.
17. To say that Maura West was disrespected is the understatement of the century. Someone once asked who fires Maura West? WE agree, and would love an answer.
18. Where are Charlie and Matilda Ashby? Why didn’t they have a 1st birthday party? They are loved but forgotten characters, unfortunately.
19. Do we really know why Chloe is being such a bitch toward Billy? You really need to get to the root of why Chloe is being the way that she is. “I’m just protecting my daughter” excuse can only be used for so long. We don't think you can...actually. We want to see the fathers of the show celebrated. Why are Billy and Cane not allowed to be with their children?
20. Seriously, why did Phyllis have to have Lucy? Does it make sense? Not to us. The writers have shown us how creatively bankrupt this “writing” team is, actually.
21. WHERE IS THE ROMANCE? THE MAJORITY OF COUPLES ARE SEPARATED, UNHAPPY, OR ABOUT TO BE DIVORCED. LOVE IN THE AFTERNOON STILL NEEDS TO BE A PART OF THE SHOW. Genoa City IS NOT a place we would want to send our worst enemy.
22. Lastly, Maria Arena Bell promised back in 2008 to update and have a new Y&R opening montage and yet, 3 years later, it still hasn’t been done! She continues to break her promises and it is getting rather old.
We, the fans of this once storied and glorious and honored show do have a lot at invested in the show as well. But obviously, it seems that the brass at Y&R (meaning MAB and her writing team), really do not give a flying flip about the fans, and what the fans want for this show. Well, CBS and Sony Pictures, it is high time that you start listening to the fans and put a stop to the "bloodshed" that MAB is spilling out and on to our TV screens. Y&R has shed a smashing 780,000 viewers since last August. If that doesn’t scream GET MAB OUT OF Y&R, I don’t know what will. Her dearly departed father-in-law is most definitely rolling over in his grave and is probably furious at what his daughter-in-law has done to his show. It’s appalling and disgusting that she has been allowed to do this.
It is time for the brass at CBS and Sony Pictures to start listening to the fans and fire MAB along with Hogan Sheffer and Scott Hamner. We would love to see Ed Scott back to Executive Produce the show, and also bring Kay Alden and Jack Smith back to head write the show and turn Y&R around before it’s too late.
Sincerely,
The Undersigned Fans of The Young and the Restless
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