~By wawame

It just doesn’t get any better than that, does it?  Every emotion you could possibly feel all wrapped up in a five minute span.  After all this time, their characters and their stories still rock me to my core.  But, someone thought the concept needed fixing.  So, they fixed it.  Romances the caliber of Steve and Kayla’s eventually came to an end.  Soaps have never been the same.

In my opinion, and much to my dismay, soap operas are broken.  Not a day goes by that we don’t read some comment or article reinforcing that notion.  Overall viewership is down, and come September, another one of the daytime serial dramas that has seemingly been with us forever will come to an end.  Soap operas are definitely broken, and yet no one who is in charge of writing these American icons seems to know why.  In fact, TPTB seem to sit back and scratch their heads in wistful denial while blaming the viewers (or lack thereof) as, one by one, soap operas continue their path to extinction.  It’s been implied that some of us apparently don’t ’get it’; an implication that the storylines of today’s soaps are a tad too ‘smart’ or ’cutting edge’ for our liking.  Add to that, the twenty or so of us online posters that continually complain of these ‘smart’ and ‘edgy’ storylines deserve little consideration.  We may be viewers, but unless we are one of the extreme few who have a Neilson box or belong to a focus group, our opinions are moot.  Speaking of, did you know that in 2009 there were only 25,000 total American households that participated in the Nielsen daily metered system, representing over 114,500,000 American households that had televisions?  That’s right… 0.02183% got to decide what the remaining 99.97817% got to watch on their TV.  But such is our gauge, and we accept it.  Still, you would think that since a soap writer’s income can depend on the success and longevity of their stories, they would at least contemplate what those ‘twenty’ or so angry online folks are saying.  In fact, by Neilson Rating standards, those ‘twenty’ would represent approximately 100,000 viewers… viewers that just might fall into that oh-so-coveted 18-49 demographic.  The thing is, we know it’s more than ‘twenty’ that are screaming for change… a hell of a lot more.

It’s a pity that TPTB sometimes turn a deaf ear or discount such a large representation of their viewers, seeing how the vast majority of both past and present viewers (online and not) have a good idea of what it will take to help save our soaps… or at least give them a chance to go out in a blaze of glory.  Viewers are, after all, the very life blood of soaps.  We know what we want.  Apparently, so do the actors who made our soaps great.

“The things that they remember are not the wildly imaginative things.  They are the stories that deal with the human heart.  That’s what the show should be.  That’s what the stories should be.” – Bill Hayes (Doug Williams - Days of our Lives)

Supercoupling, no doubt, will always remain “an important part of daytime,” believes Byrne (Martha, ex Lily – ATWT). “The Luke and Lauras, the Bo and Hopes, the Lily and Holdens, the Josh and Revas … That is what people remember about soaps, the love stories. Even with all the different groundbreaking stories that have been told, the first thing people talk about are the supercouples, following them on their journey over the years. It’s a huge part in daytime.”

So what happened?  Why is the concept of ‘supercoupling’ now considered nothing short of a myriad of curse words, a sure formula for eventual failure?  They were the epitome of romance and every soap had them.  Every soap is remembered for them.  They personified the glory days of soap operas and gave many their highest ratings.  Now we are continually served what is touted as ’true romance’, where in reality, what we are being served is nothing more than lust-filled trysts; acts so shallow that even the most dedicated fan can’t help but scoff.  The majority of today’s couples are nothing more than two bodies that pass in the night.  They marry and divorce countless times, all within the span of a few months… sometimes a few weeks, but not before cheating on the one they swore they would love forever.  The thing is, we don’t expect our rooting couples to be perfect, but we do expect them to be at least ’rootable’.  But there are no true romantic heroes or heroines (anti- or not) to root for. Now, we only have characters who are painted the dullest and darkest shades of gray; characters who turn on a dime and change their undying devotions as much as they change their underwear.  True romance seems to be a thing of the past.  It left when the formula writing for supercouples became taboo.  Slowly and surely, the viewers started leaving, too.

It seems that, somewhere down the line, someone decided that the concept of ‘supercouples’ was detrimental to soaps.  In fact, it has been stated that supercouples ‘eroded the genre, making it predictable and boring’.  Ken Corday of ‘Days of Our Lives’, titan of the very soap that attained enormous success because of the ‘supercouples’ concept, stated, “I’ve never believed in it. Either people are involved in a good story or they’re not. They’re an interesting couple or they’re not.”  Well Ken, many are still waiting for that good story… those of us who haven’t already left, that is.

Do I think bringing back the ‘supercouple’ concept will save soaps?  It sure wouldn’t hurt. But I’m wise enough to know that supercouples themselves do tend to have a limited shelf life, considering soap writers have a limited concept of how to write for a happily married couple.  (Boring, they say… though my long and happy marriage has been anything but.)  I know that when two characters achieve such status, it is unthinkable for the invested viewers to accept a break-up, infidelity, or to accept without question that their preferred couple simply fell out of love.  Heaven forbid they should remain faithful as a married couple and struggle with life’s sometimes unfair demands.  Soap writers might actually have to think outside the box if that were to happen.  Shudder.

It’s the core ingredient that defines a supercouple that can help save the genre.  It’s that basic ’supercouple’ ingredient that is so painfully absent from today’s soaps.  It’s what made supercouples so popular and unforgettable; the fundamental component that so many watched soaps for in the first place.  That ingredient is romance… true, unadulterated, blissful, and sometimes painful romance.  It is the one thing that so many who post on the soap boards continually, consistently, and animatedly beg for; a good story with real romance… long-suffering, angst-filled, passionate, rewarding, and unmistakably real romance.  It defined every supercouple that existed.  Even still, we’re not asking for a new generation of supercouples, we’re just looking for the ride.  Writers don’t have to give us inseparable pairings, but surely they can give us the romance.  We may not get to eat the cake, but at least let us taste the icing.

Do I want a rewrite of Steve and Kayla?  No.  Their story is not ‘broken‘, so I don’t want it ‘fixed’.  Their story cannot be duplicated, nor do I want it to be.  ‘Days’ had a chance to expand it, to recapture what Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans could undoubtedly deliver.  But, ’Days’ blew it… big time.  Never has such a golden opportunity been wasted.  Now that Stephen in on The Young and the Restless as the infamous Tucker McCall and Mary Beth has been cast as Sara Garrett on The Bay, I find myself ‘wanting’ again.  I find myself wanting to feel what I once felt when the concept of ‘supercoupling’ was indeed the norm.  I want to see real and true romance play across my screen.  I want to feel my heart flutter as I witness a stolen glance.  I want to ball my fist in frustration when yet another tender moment is so rudely interrupted.  I want to hold my breath after what seems to be forever, a first kiss is shared… or the first one in a very long time. I want to wipe my tears when the inevitable break-up comes about.  I want to cry when they cry, and laugh when they laugh.  I want to live my fantasies through the characters, week after week, month after month, year after year.  True romance never grows old and it’s never, ever boring… especially since there are so many ways to write it.  Dedicated viewers have proven as much, seeing how so many have stuck around and tolerated the lunacy, all while hoping that one day, true romance will make a return.

“My most vivid memory of my time on Days of our Lives is that every time I walked into a meeting with a long story and sat down beside Al Rabin (‘Days’ producer), he’d say, ‘Well, where’s the romance?’….”- Leah Laiman, ‘Days’ Head Writer ’86-’88 (quoted from ‘Days - 25 Years of Romance’ magazine)

I wish Maria Arena Bell and Hogan Sheffer would ask that question.  I’m hoping Gregori J. Martin will, too.  (Considering his vision and the talent he has already signed, I actually hold hope that he already has.)  Regardless, half the answer is already on their shows.  If anyone wonders why there are those who want Mary Beth to join Y&R and/or Stephen to join The Bay, I suggest reading last week’s blog by Liz.  Stephen and Mary Beth certainly have the chemistry.  They definitely have the work ethic.  They clearly enjoy working together, having stated so time and time again.  And, they definitely can spin gold when given little more than straw.  We, the viewers, can have what we so desperately miss if TPTB were to ever consider the possibility.  I hope they do, because something tells me this may be one of the last chances we will have in seeing the caliber of soap opera romance these two actors can deliver.  From their first encounter or when they reacquaint, through their trials and tribulations, to the ultimate payoff, to their inevitable end (or is it?)… these two actors, if the writing is there, could once again make a permanent and indelible impression deep inside our fluttering hearts. 

And it could damn sure help with the ratings… just like this did.

Copyright © 2011
This content is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this content on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is on any other site than www.snandmbe.com it makes the page or post you are viewing an infringement of the copyright.

-By wawame

It’s been a rough week.

Spring is certainly in the air, along with massive amounts of pollen.  Tax season has come and gone, yet there are still some that remain to be done.  Graduation plans are heating up, as is the trepidation concerning year-end exams.  And there’s always a fundraising event going on as the school’s volunteer organizations put forth their final effort in making seed money for next year’s start-up.  Such was the case this past Friday night.

Band Bingo Night… wouldn’t miss it for the world!  Not only is it loads of fun, but the initial investment of around $40 to play usually means that I, the hubby, the boychild, and my wingman (dear and cherished friend) walk out with about $100 in combined prizes.  This Friday night was no exception.  Only one thing was different.  That thing was…I started itching.

Approximately two weeks ago, I had some overdue dental work done.  Yes, I am a total wimp when it comes to someone prodding around in my mouth.  Blame it on a youth spent dealing with braces.  Blame it on an old-school dentist whose working philosophy regarding Novocain was, “Less is more”.  Whatever the reason, I hate going to a dentist with an unparallel passion.  But, having no other choice, I went to a new dentist, and immediately fell in love.  He was perfection.  He was gentle, kind, and more importantly… he was pain free.  When it was all said and done, he gave me my instructions along with a prescription for Amoxicillin.  All was right with the world.  Ten days later, I was all set to play Band Bingo with a bright smile and new lease on life.  But, life had a different idea.

Just as the fourth game began, the itching started.  It wasn’t bad at first, just totally inconvenient.  What I was sitting on was itching the worst, so a few quick trips to the ladies room mandated that the hubby and boychild tend my cards.  Soon, I began to wonder if I was going to have to spend the night in the ladies room, considering the itching became non-stop.  But there was Bingo to play, so I persevered.  I sat there squirming in my seat as one number after the other was called, until the itching became so intense, I actually contemplated excusing myself and stepping outside into the courtyard.  Only a wall of glass was separating me from what promised to be utopia.  I knew no one would notice if I stripped down and rolled in the wet grass so to soothe my inflamed skin.  No one would even look my way, not when there was a chance for the illusive ‘O-75’ or ‘N-36’ to be called.  No one would care that, if the said grass didn’t offer me needed comfort, I could simply roll over to the small patch of pea gravel that surrounded the non-working water fountain, and burrow my now whelped body into the cool and abrasive stones.  There was a country ham to be won, coupled with an oil change, so the partially naked woman rolling around in the courtyard would have been of little concern.

The boychild left the game early and was good enough to run by the grocery store and purchase me some Benadryl.  I popped a couple of tablets before the last game, but relief was nowhere in sight.  Later that same night, I sat alone and half-naked at my computer, back-scratcher in hand and curse words on my lips.  The itching was only getting worse.  Finally, I went to bed, and a miserable hour later, I finally fell asleep.  Hubby had to work the next day, so I kept the moaning down to a low roar.  Little did I know that the real nightmare would begin the moment I woke up.  So, let’s just cut to the chase.

A miserable day was spent going from bed to computer, and then only so I could look up and gain tons of useless knowledge concerning ‘hives‘.  Finally, it was time for hubby to come home.  Nothing could prepare him for the sight that awaited him.  Had I not been in such misery, I might have actually enjoyed the look on his face.  There he stood in stunned silence, as his wife of twenty-six years looked at him with her one good eye, considering the other was now swollen shut.  I might have smiled had my bottom lip not been three times its normal size.  In his wide-eyed wonderment, he was only able to mutter five meager words, spoken as if the hives had caused my IQ to drop at least 40 points… “Have-you-called-the-doctor?”  What a dolt.  There was no doctor to call.  It was a Saturday.  No doctors exist on Saturdays, only over-priced emergency rooms with eight to ten hour waits.  Apparently, it wasn’t my IQ that had dropped.  Again, he tried to communicate.  It was then I opted to share my vast knowledge of hives.

“Dur-deck,” I replied, but he didn’t understand.  What an imbecile he can be.  “Dur-deck… Dur-deck,” I repeated.  Again, he shook his head so to signal he was oblivious, and I began to wonder if this marriage was going to work.  Finally, realizing that he just wasn’t going to get it, I opted to write the one simple word.  It didn’t surprise me that, when I took out my pen, he drew back, as if wondering if I was going to write something down or impale him in the chest.  Believe me; it could have gone either way.  He sighed in relief when I handed him the note, and without so much as a ‘howdy-do’, he ran out the door to go chat it up with the local pharmacist about the pros and cons of Zyrtec.

The itching was relieved rather quickly after the first dose, but the swelling lingered.  More than once I caught my beloved husband staring at my larger-than-life lips.  Dream on, Bingo Boy, it ain’t gonna happen.  Finally, when he knew that I was no longer in danger of choking for breath and that he certainly wasn‘t going to benefit from my new Angelia Jolie look, he went to bed.  That’s when I had time to think.

Why, after all these years, did I get the hives?  This isn’t the first time I’ve taken a penicillin based medicine.  I’ve never had a problem before, so why now?  And why did the hives suddenly appear after taking the said medication for ten days?  Ten days?  I hadn’t eaten or drank anything different, so food allergies were not an issue.  Am I to believe that I developed a later-in-life allergy a full ten days after starting the medication?  Something just wasn’t right.  And then it dawned on me.  It wasn’t the Amoxicillin, and it darn sure wasn’t anything I had eaten.  I hadn’t broken out in hives because of something I had had, but rather something I hadn’t had.  What I hadn’t had was Tucker McCall on my TV screen.

That’s right.  I got the hives because of Tucker McCall withdrawal.  It makes perfect sense.  Call me an addict; I don’t care.  But, it’s as plain as the swollen nose on my face… Tucker McCall withdrawal can cause a severe case of the hives.  Now, I am left to wonder if I am the only victim.  I dare say not.  There are more than likely thousands, if not millions of others who have suffered the same fate as me.  It was bad enough when Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans left Days, and nothing short of a miracle that I didn’t break out then.  But, I will say this; if I ever start itching again, I will hop on the next flight to Los Angeles.  There, I will join countless others who are whelped and swollen, clawing at their skin as if their very life depended on it.  Together, this band of big-lipped fans will storm the Y&R studios at CBS, shaking our half-emptied bottles of ‘Dur-deck’ as we demand more screen time for Tucker McCall.  In unison, we shall roll across the cool concrete floors in search of relief… a relief that only more Tucker McCall screen time can deliver.  It will be a sight for sore eyes, or in most cases, eyes swollen shut.  Rest assured that our mispronounced demands will be for more than just a once or twice a week token appearance.  Stephen Nichols is much too talented not to be seen on a regular basis, and I’ve got the hives to prove it. 

Take heed, Powers That Be… take heed.  Don’t say I didn’t warn you.

Copyright © 2011
This content is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this content on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is on any other site than www.snandmbe.com it makes the page or post you are viewing an infringement of the copyright.

You want to know more about Tucker?  Check out Restless Style to learn more about the mysterious character of Tucker McCall.

As he’s fond of reminding people, Tucker McCall came from nothing to become one of the world’s most successful – and powerful – entrepreneurs. But now, a serious ethics breach in the past threatens to unravel McCall Unlimited, Chancellor Industries and McCall himself. And that’s just the beginning. A Restless Style Exclusive…  Click here to continue reading

~By Liz…

Y&R, I’ve got some baggage I need you to help me unload.

No pressure though. Really.

My name’s Liz, and I am a long time soap opera viewer (i.e.  a viewer with a lot of baggage). I started watching soaps as a 9 year old kid who had to wait for the babysitter’s show to be over before we could head to the park. Fortunately or unfortunately, that was in the ‘golden era’ of soap operas as I see it, the 80′s, and a high standard was set. The babysitter soon had me hooked on Days of our Lives’ Bo and Hope and then a couple of years later, Steve and Kayla;  but I did love the entire show. After Days aired in the afternoon, I would sometimes watch Another World and Santa Barbara too.

On any soap I stumbled across, romance, adventure, suspense and family drama was intensely emotional, perfectly balanced, rich with complexity and FUN to watch. The characters were relatable, wildly charismatic, and instantly made you care for them, root for them. Daytime TV families became part of our “extended families” as viewers; these were shows that appealed to multiple generations. There were over the top characters and plots but they only served as mere “side stories” to balance out the drama and the richness of the central storylines.  Today’s soaps on the other hand, serve up a lot of those side dishes, minus the meat, minus the rich flavor.

After years of being fed a lot of tasteless garnish, I got to the point where I stopped caring about daytime dramas in general. The medium I once loved just lost so much heart and soul… it became one huge cliche after another. The devil came to Salem and I thought that was an apropo representation of  whatever possessed the writers and producers to ruin the daytime television I once loved. Despite producers’ and networks’ claims to the contrary, I honestly came to believe they just don’t care what the viewers think and say, as long they get their key demographic and are able to draw in advertising dollars. The networks and producers ignore us and then blame the drop in daytime viewership on things like OJ Simpson, a variety of shows to watch on cable and increased competition- never pointing the finger where it belongs: the lack of quality programming. I am not saying there weren’t other factors , but I think the  change in daytime storytelling takes most of the blame for alienating long time viewers (in particular the focus on vapid, flat, teen-centered melodrama, campy/unrealistic plotlines, never ending cliche triangles, sci-fi B-movie style special effects nonsense).   It’s been said that the ultimate expression of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again, and expecting a different result each time. Daytime seems unwilling to change the trite and lazy storytelling, and yet expects the viewers to continue caring?  The reason we don’t watch in the long haul is simple: there’s nothing that grabs hold of our hearts and attention. I don’t expect to see any writing or any show resembling the 80′s era; I doubt anyone expects that. I just want soaps to put a priority on quality rather than shock value. It’s not asking for a lot.

For years and years (after quitting Days) I watched soaps just to see my favorite actors (Stephen Nichols and Mary Beth Evans) on whatever soaps they were on (respectively and together);  Stephen and Mary Beth made tuning in to any show worthwhile, because they always injected heart and humanity into their characters whenever it was possible and gave us SO many breathtaking performances.  I learned not to invest too much in the shows as a whole however, as I would inevitably get frustrated as viewers were seemingly ‘punished’ for expecting things as simple as motivation, momentum and continuity. [The only exception I saw was the way Mary Beth's Sierra was written at As The World Turns.  That unfortunately was a (mostly) recurring character, so we didn't see enough of her].

Here I am in 2010 and Stephen Nichols has joined an incredible cast of actors, playing the role of Tucker McCall on daytime’s #1 soap, The Young and the Restless.  I am trying to have some faith.  It does seem so different from the soaps that scared me away from caring about daytime TV. I am excited to see Stephen and  I know he will make this role memorable, as he always does. But it’s hard to get too invested in the show as a whole. As I’ve said…I’ve got some baggage. I know I’m not alone. There are a few million of us viewers who have tuned out over the past decade or two.

My fears and impressions so far as a new viewer….

Some days I tune in and try to watch the whole show and am riveted to the screen by scenes such as Adam’s downfall and the whole town of Genoa City confronting him. Other days I am bored to tears by talk of stocks and acquisitions that I couldn’t care less about (until or unless these talks are tied into some relationship issue/story).

Y&R is rich in history, and many of the characters have been on the show for quite some time and have significant ties to the core families in Genoa City. The show has a large cast as well. This makes me nervous. Will Tucker be given the opportunity to become a key figure among the many other, longtime characters? Will the writers find time to have fun figuring out who Tucker is and deliver the rich story he merits (as Katherine’s son, played by a daytime icon like Stephen)?  Then there’s the airtime: Stephen’s been on an average of two days a week on most weeks. This concerns me as well. On one hand, I appreciate that the Y&R writers understand that they have to develop his story slowly, carefully. Too many daytime shows throw new characters at you…and it’s too much, too fast. I think audiences resent that on the whole.

On the other hand, sometimes I feel like they build up Tucker’s story, and then lose momentum by not continuing the scenes (at least a little bit) into the next day.  I wish we knew more about his past than we do at the moment. All we really seem to know is that he still hates Katherine for abandoning him. Why is that?  Has he had a difficult life? Is Y&R going to get to that at some point soon? Or are we to assume that he just hates Katherine for leaving him and to believe it’s simple as that?  I think exploring that backstory would add so much to the current story. I know I should just sit back and relax and enjoy the ride….and I am trying to have faith that Y&R writers have a plan for Tucker, trying to believe that they are stucturing his story a certain way on purpose.  So many shows don’t do that.

What’s giving me faith: most of the characters on this show have gray areas; they are complex characters who resemble human beings…not completely good, not completely bad. The bad guys have heart and complexity, the good guys have their weaknesses.  I have to believe that’s what lies ahead for Tucker; a complex past and a rich future.  The women are quirky, complex, strong, resilient, assertive and vulnerable, too. Already Stephen’s chemistry with Jeanne Cooper as mother and son is just more than you could dream up; it’s perfection and I am loving their dynamic and their scenes together.  I see so much potential for the role of Tucker as a whole…I hope his story really takes off soon.

Who knows, maybe if and when that happens, I may just be able to unload the baggage and enjoy watching daytime TV again?

What are your thoughts? I would love to hear them! Are you a long time Y&R or daytime viewer- what’s your perspective? Tucker fans, do you share my concerns or do you have other concerns… Or do you think it’s all good so far?

Copyright © 2011
This content is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this content on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is on any other site than www.snandmbe.com it makes the page or post you are viewing an infringement of the copyright.

photo: JPI Studios

Micheal Fairman is on a hot streak right now with the interviews!

This week we have a very insightful interview with Maria Arena Bell and Paul Rauch, co-executive producers of the Young & the Restless.  It’s a great interview about the show and the daytime genre in general.

Most importantly ( to us at least ) they discuss the recast of  Tucker McCall with Stephen.

MARIA:

Honestly, in watching Stephen in the role, he is Tucker McCall.  He is the character we had created.  It was one of those things that was not fitting with what that character needed to be.  There is no accepting what is not quite right, and the way it was going to impact the storytelling was what is important to me.

Read the full interview HERE.   It is a very good read.

Dying to ask Tucker McCall aka Stephen Nichols a question?  Now Soapnet is letting you do just that!

Click HERE and go over to soapnet.com and post your question!

STEPHEN NICHOLS HAS BEEN CAST AS TUCKER McCALL ON

‘THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS’ !!!

Casting carousel at The Young and the Restless. TV Guide Magazine is reporting that Y&R has recast the role of Tucker McCall, currently portrayed by William Russ, with daytime favorite Stephen Nichols. Nichols will first appear on Jan 27.

The Y&R execs have kept their statements brief. Co-exec producer/head writer Maria Arena Bell says: “William Russ is a talented actor and we enjoyed working with him. However, we decided to take the character in another direction.” Adds co-exec producer Paul Rauch:  http://daytimeroyaltyonline.com/topic/8230220/1/