Just curious if anyone on this board has heard anything about John McCook leaving B&B anytime soon? The way the storyline with his coma is unfolding, I'm wondering whether he's going to retire along with Flannery. If McCook, Flannery, and Lang leave, how is this show going to survive??
Nelson, have you heard anything about McCook's or Lang's retirement plans?
I read an interview with McCook that Carolyn Hisney did and he said that Brad Bell assured him that Eric would wake up from the coma and that he wasn't being written off.
The last few years, Brad Bell has been letting the younger cast members take over during the summer giving his vets, Flannery, McCook, Lang and Moss, time off until fall rolls around.
Supposedly, all four will be featured prominently once summer ends.
Couldn't come soon enough because this show is on my hit list.
No wonder Eric is in a coma, he must have read the scripts Wagner, Tom and Brad have been writing.
This message has been edited. Last edited by: MARKPGH,
I tuned out about a week after Storm's death, and only peaked here and there since then. Why does it seem impossible for both Bell soaps to be good at once?
Neither of the Bell soaps are that good. Sure, Y&R managed to kill off two annoying characters in one swoop, but everyone blaming Nikki is ridiculous and the rest of the show isn't meshing very well. What was the point of bringing in Skye if she was only going to be murdered? Why isn't Gloria in jail? Where is Ashley? Drucilla? I've never bought the Jack/Sharon/Nick/Phyllis Restless Style mess (the assumption that the corporate world is so scrutinized by the media is laughable...putting Victoria on the cover. LOL.) Amber's still shreiking here and there; Chloe is a one-note character trying to come between the dreadfully boring Lily and Cane, Jill's insta-son. I want someone to tell me what's so exciting about this show.
As for B&B, Brad Bell continues to get by with hack writing and terrible plotting all in the name of worldwide audience. Turning B&B from The Stephanie Show to the Katie Show has not washed with me. Katie is nowhere near as intriguing or domineering as Stephanie.
Meanwhile, Felicia, Thorne and Ashley are left on the backburner. Where's Jackie, btw? Or Rick? I think if Bell wanted to revamp the show, he should have (as I've said before) married Felicia off into another family and introduced some viable long-term characters. So while we have Heather Tom shoved down our throats, Leslie Kay and Eileen Davidson are left with very little. I just don't think this was a smart decision.
GIVE MERYL #3!!!!
Posts: 3502 | Location: Atlanta, GA | Registered: December 15, 2002
I think it was a good idea to deemphasize the character of Stephanie. She has become a liability. As much as I enjoy Susan Flannery (on the whole), her Stephanie has become monotonous and predictable. Stephanie is such a pathetic, sexist creation of a woman (not that the other characters aren't) that I can't imagine any scenario that would interest me in her character again. The same thing has gone with Stephanie from the beginning. The same could be said for Brooke and one reason people suffer from Brooke fatigue. Putting Katie front and center (despite Tom's talent) is not the solution to either problem.
I don't think much will change unless Bell allows a strong writer to take over the reins.
