~By Jen

… that is the question.

So, I have to admit that last week was a miserable week for me, it was rough. I kinda kept up on what was going on in cyber space but it was a hit and miss on what I would see. But, I DID pick up on the fact that it was confirmed that Mary Beth Evans is indeed coming back to Days of Our Lives for Alice’s memorial episodes (whatever that entails at this point). I saw it on Twitter from the official PR person from the show (I get all my news from Twitter). This was the first official notice from the show itself that she is going to be on, not just that she was “asked” to come back for the shows. So, considering I was in a miserable mood last week, this made me feel good, it made me smile, and I was happy. Not only was I going to get to see Mary Beth back on my screen, but I was going to get to see Kayla also! I should be happy, right? Well, then I started to read some of the comments/thoughts on it. Seems there is an item out there that it is possible that Mary Beth is one of the actors that could be back for “more” episodes than just for the memorial. Michael Bruno even placed her back in the “working” section of his site as “Kayla Johnson”. What does that mean? Two days? Two weeks? Or even more? No one is saying. Not only that, but speculation abounds on what “back for more than one show” really means. Even more frightening is what it might mean seeing how Stephen is not coming back with her. What will happen to Steve and Kayla? Will they even mention it? Will we have to learn something frightening like Steve is MIA again? Or even worse, are they are not even together? I personally don’t think it will be either.

I am a firm believer that you cannot trust these writers any further than you can throw them. They have given us NO reason whatsoever to trust them, NONE. This is the same team that just wrote our beloved couple off the show as if they were nothing more than day players never to be heard from again. Even more insulting is the way Mary Beth, Stephen and their fans were treated. That is where my beef lays with the whole thing. “Steve and Kayla” are fictional characters, the others are not. We have feelings, and as consumers of their show, we should be treated and respected as such (See Giddy’s Blog last week). But, this is not going to be a recap. This blog is going to be about why I am happy that Mary Beth is coming back (for however long it might be). Yes, I am happy.

The first thing I have to say is that I am a “post-Steve” Kayla fan. There, I admit it. It’s out in the open. Not that it was a big secret, but just so you have all the facts. I was able to enjoy “Kayla” minus Steve. Call me strange, weird, whatever… I have heard it all. Mary Beth did some really good work during that time and it would be a shame not to acknowledge it. But, I am not naive about things; I know how things work. I get that there is going to be “Steve and Kayla” fans, there are going to be “Stephen” fans, there is going to be “Mary Beth” fans, and then every other combination you can come up with. Everyone has a right to feel the way they feel on the situation. And supporting one situation does not mean you don’t support another. I guess I almost feel like Switzerland in this situation, because I really do see all sides of the argument.

On one hand, TPTB have shown us that they are not to be trusted with any super couple (see Bo and Hope currently). All it would take is one comment from Kayla that she hasn’t seen/heard from Steve, or they are having “trouble” and they are just taking a “break”. Now I can see this point… really I can, and as I said before, I don’t trust this regime running this show for one minute. But, I honestly do not think they will go this route. My thing is this… I just can’t worry about it. It’s not worth it to me to worry about it at this point. While I hold Steve and Kayla as “THE” couple over every other Daytime couple and I would hate to see anything tarnish that, I can’t get over the excitement over seeing Kayla, and more importantly, Mary Beth on my screen again. And honestly, to me at least, nothing they do to Steve and Kayla at this point will tarnish any memories I have of them as the greatest love story on Days of Our Lives or in daytime. Heck, many have proved that certain “things” can be ignored if need be.

I think a lot of the conversations are based on just what your personal threshold is of what you can and cannot bear to see. Everyone doesn’t have the same threshold. Everybody is looking at scenes from a different perspective. Some might look at a scene as a “Mary Beth” fan, some might look at it as a “Stephen” fan (or their respective characters), or as a “Steve and Kayla” fan. Where you personally come from has everything to do with what you are willing to accept or not accept. And again, it can be a combo of things. It’s not always so cut and dry.  Few things are.

On the prospect of Mary Beth coming back for an undisclosed amount of time, I am all for it. The thing we have to remember is that this is for Alice, a tribute to her. Steve and Kayla have a history with Alice. I find it an honor that not only did Days ask her back, but that Mary Beth is accepting a come-back just for her when we know in the past she has turned down such invitations for appearances. No one at this point even knows if her story will expand beyond just a tribute to Alice, so why panic? Because you don’t trust “them”, I get that… really I do. But my prize is just seeing Mary Beth again back in her Kayla persona for how ever long they want to give us. I guess I have proved by the above statements that I am not one that is afraid of Kayla minus Steve by enduring the 91-92 days. So, that is where I am personally coming from. Even though I really don’t think it is something we have to worry about. I am well aware that others come from different perspectives on the issue and I welcome them and I think I would even agree with them.

On the issue of whether Mary Beth herself would agree to come back if she knew that it could possibly mean that Steve and Kayla were in some kind of trouble and “trusting” her on it. Honestly, I don’t know Mary Beth well enough to say one way or another if that is true or not. I know in talking with her and from interviews, both she and Stephen take the characters of Steve and Kayla very seriously and as many speculate, it’s that fire for the characters that put them at odds with the current team. There are many interviews with Mary Beth during her post-92 DOOL days where she was very open about her displeasure in they way Kayla was written during that time. She is not one to shy away from voicing her displeasure with things. So, based on that, you pretty much have to trust her on it. I know I do. I am sure when her and Stephen came back in 2006, there was nothing but good intentions. But, sometimes they just don’t always play out like we would like them to. Even saying that, I know from experience that I don’t even have to agree with Mary Beth all the time. From all accounts, her last days on the show back in 91-92 where not good ones at all, but you would never know that from her performances… never. She is a professional and she does her job as such. If she accepts a job, she will give it her best. I know that.

The question for everyone now is whether to watch or not to watch… basically it’s up to you. But, I know I will.

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~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?

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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 Giddy…

So….much to my shock I was informed yesterday morning that this was my week for “Blog Wednesday.” What?!?!? I have nothing interesting to say. Plus my readers are hounding me for updates on my fan fiction and now I am supposed to drop everything and come up with a blog idea? Well okay…because actually I do have something that has been weighing on my mind.  Will my readers forgive me for taking time out to share some random thoughts for the blog this week? I feel sure they will, especially since I know many share the same opinion.  Besides, it helps that I have an update in the works.

You know, the really great thing about a blog is that it offers an excellent opportunity to express oneself. These are my thoughts and I am speaking only for myself. If you don’t agree with me that is fine. I certainly respect your right to have your own opinions. The comment box is open and I welcome any and all feedback as long as it is constructive and considerate in its intent.

I’m sure it won’t surprise anyone to hear that I am a very vocal supporter of Mary Beth joining ‘The Young and the Restless.’ I have made no secret of that fact seeing how I have posted on message boards, bantered about it, sported a banner proclaiming such, and just generally been an advocate for it whenever and wherever I see the opportunity. That being said, I also realize that not everyone agrees with me. Again, that is fine. It’s your prerogative to want to see Mary Beth in primetime, on stage, or nowhere at all.

My argument is this: I am a huge Mary Beth Evans fan and I miss her. I want to see her now and I want to see her regularly. I also want to see her on a show that is worthy of showcasing her talents. Anyone who has followed her career knows that she can seamlessly pull off a wide range of emotions (anger, fear, sadness, strength, vulnerability, sarcasm, and outright humor) with little effort at all. With that said, why wouldn’t I want to see her on Y&R, the #1 rated daytime show? Stephen Nichols has said that, as an actor, it is a privilege to work on such a wonderfully talented and managed show. Why wouldn’t I want the same for Mary Beth?

I realize some fans feel that Stephen and Mary Beth don’t always have to be on the same show, and they are right.  They don’t. I respect their opinion even if I don’t agree with the logic behind such feelings. Stephen and Mary Beth have both done countless projects without the other, but the fact is many of their fans want to see them together.  With such unparalleled chemistry and proven success as an onscreen duo, how could we not wish for them to enjoy that success yet again? They were on Days and GH together and obviously garnered a strong and intense fan following with both shows.  But, beyond that, I don’t see the reasoning behind saying that fans want them joined at the hip. The overwhelming majority of their acting projects have been one without the other, and their individual and collective fan bases have been supportive of those projects as well. The bottom line is that Stephen and Mary Beth have repeatedly stated that they enjoy working together, and as a fan, I enjoy seeing them together. For those of us who have been around since 1986, it is a pity that some of us feel the need to constantly defend ourselves in wanting to see them working together again. The fact is that they work well together, and I for one enjoy watching the magic they create. Whether or not they would be paired on Y&R is not even the issue. Even if they never entered each other’s orbit, I would be happy, because I think they both deserve to be on a show that is worthy of their talents.  Top rated actors deserve a top rated venue.

I would also like to point out that Mary Beth mentioned going to Y&R long before Stephen got the gig as Tucker McCall. In the April 29, 2009 issue of Soap Opera Digest, Mary Beth said the following:  “I’m a hustler by nature. I hit the ground running. I’ve been on some great auditions- I went out for a Gossip Girls spin-off and I got a new agent, things I haven’t done in forever. I would love to go to Y&R, where Hogan (Sheffer) is writing.” 

Of course I would love to see Mary Beth on primetime, but I am also realistic when it comes to such things. I agree that, in principle, she would get much more exposure on primetime and that she certainly has the talent to be successful on any show that is smart enough to snatch her up.  But primetime is a mess, as much as daytime is, if not more. I am also realistic in considering the most likely venue for getting to see her on a regular basis is on daytime. The grim reality is that there are simply not an abundance of primetime roles for anyone, regardless of age or gender. The even grimmer reality is that there are virtually no primetime roles available for 40-something actresses whose primary exposure has been on daytime TV. Other than the occasional guest appearance, I don’t think we are likely to see Mary Beth starring on a primetime show.  If by some miracle we did, there is no guarantee that the show or role would last.  Y&R has been around for over 37 years, and promises to be around for years to come.  No show in primetime can come close to making that claim. Primetime execs simply don’t know how great she is and that’s a shame, but again it is the reality.

Mary Beth has said repeatedly in many different interviews how much she loves daytime, and I am inclined to believe that she is being sincere. We all know she wouldn’t say it if she didn’t mean it. Of course she wants to do things that challenge her as well, but I don’t see that as her closing the door on daytime by any stretch.  Y&R would definitely be a challenge. From what I have read, it seems to me as if she would like to do both, which is all the better for us because we would get to see her more!

As for Y&R specifically, Mary Beth is quoted as saying, “Look, I’m game for whatever, and Y&R is such a good show.” (http://www.theatermania.com/los-angeles/news/02-2010/mary-beth-evans-wedding-belle_25096.html). Again, according to the interviewer that is a direct quote from Mary Beth. To me that sounds as if she is not only saying she would go to Y&R if given the chance, but that in fact, she would welcome the opportunity. I am also inclined to believe from her quote just prior to that where she speaks of a fan campaign that she is not opposed to such. Who knows whether or not it would work? I know that Maria Arena Bell has said in an interview that they do care what fans have to say, so who knows what impact if any a campaign would have? But I certainly don’t see where it would hurt.  Even still, when it is all said and done, if Mary Beth did get an offer to join the cast of Y&R, the decision would be hers and not that of her fans.  I for one would love to see her given the opportunity to make such a decision.

I think the bottom line is that we all love Mary Beth and we just need to support her constructively and positively, regardless of whether we want to see her on daytime or on primetime.  She deserves no less.

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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.

Today 2/19/2010 is Stephen’s Birthday!  

In honor of Stephen, share with us some of your favorite Stephen moments!

~By Jen…

….we said goodbye to our beloved Steve and Kayla with no fan fare and little explanation as to where they went or why they left. It was a sad, sad day in the fandom known as Steve and Kayla. Not only was there no goodbye for them or from them, but we were led to believe that they would just pick up their preemie infant son and head across the world to some underprivileged country in Africa. Don’t they realize that Steve can’t wear his leather jacket in Africa?  As much as I believe that Steve and Kayla would indeed ride off to save the world together (or at least one village in Africa), I find it hard to believe or imagine Steve and Kayla being in some small unnamed village in a third world country. I guess our favorite couple had enough of being in the hospital, trying to support a distant daughter, dealing with a psychic brother, and living in the all around kooky town of Salem. It was just too much for them. They simply had to pack it up and head out of town. Who cares that they had a kidnapped daughter who desperately needed them, a brother and friend going through a tough time, or that Kayla was the Chief of Staff?  No matter. They simply weren’t needed.

In all seriousness, I continue to miss Steve and Kayla almost every day since that fateful day last year when they just disappeared into thin air. More importantly, I miss Mary Beth and Stephen. We recently got Stephen back on our screens, and strangely enough, we actually do get to see Mary Beth tonight on Nip/Tuck.  I still hold out hope that one day we will get to see the magic that is Mary Beth and Stephen together doing what they do best… entertaining us as the magical team they are.

Even though they got the shaft at Days, I would not give up one single moment of them returning to our screens as the iconic couple known as Steve and Kayla. They were reunited, they had a son, and they were happy. That is the prize in all of this. They are, and always will be, my all time favorite soap opera couple.

In the spirit of the anniversary of their last day.. let’s discuss where Steve and Kayla are right now.   What are they doing?  In short, just exactly where are Steve and Kayla in your mind?  Leave a comment. We would love to know your thoughts!

Their legend WILL live on….

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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!

JPI Studios

Stephen has a new audio interview with Michael Fairman about his return to Daytime and to Young & Restless.  There is also a transcription if you can not listen to it.

http://michaelfairmansoaps.com/2010/the-young-and-the-restless/the-stephen-nichols-interview-the-young-and-the-restless/