News
Should Soap Operas Have a Docuseries Taking Viewers Behind the Scenes of the Writers’ Room and How Creative Decisions are Made?
Many of the often questionable or shocking decisions in storylines that fans witness on their favorite soap operas often leave them ready to sound-off on social media. But what if the world of daytime drama peeled back the curtain just a little, and let you see some of what goes down in the writers’ room; where you follow a particular storyline from how it was developed to how it resolved, or how it was left open-ended for more context?
To be clear: we’re not talking about a storyline currently still playing out, either. We’re talking about a story that wrapped up (for now) and how the creatives; from the executive producers to the writers, crafted the arc and why?
Take for instance the culmination of The Bold and the Beautiful’s Luna Nozawa’s (Lisa Yamada) great escape from prison in a laundry hamper, making it all the way to Will Spencer (Crew Morrow), only to tell him she lost their baby, then only to later be run down by a car (off-screen), to then later, Dylan (Sydney Bullock), the friendly school teacher copping to being the person behind the wheel.
Courtesy/CBS
As comparison, Netflix is set to release its second season of WWE Unreal (premiering Jan 20) which gives audiences a second glimpse at an unprecedented behind-the-scenes look at WWE creative, as it pulls back the curtain from what goes down inside the writers’ room, where the team crafts the storylines that take them through to a major premium live event such as SummerSlam, and television programming such as Monday Night Raw.
In it, fans also get a glimpse of how the WWE superstars stage their matches: from their moves, to the camera angles and more to tell their stories in the match and inside the ring; plus scenes featuring their real-life personas. The second season takes place leading up to, and at WWE SummerSlam which was held this past August. So, in WWE UnReal, they are not giving away any results, as the stories and matches have already happened.
During The Bold and the Beautiful’s Lawrence Saint Victor (Carter Walton), recent guest visit to the Michael Fairman Channel’s pro wrestling talk show, “What’s Up? Wrestling,” Saint-Victor, who is not only an actor on the CBS daytime drama, but also a writer on the B&B writing staff and a fan of the WWE, weighed-in on if soaps could be successful in using a similar formula to WWE UnReal to give fans more of an up close and personal look at what goes on behind the scenes.
“With WWE Unreal, it’s a controlled picking and choosing of what fans will see,” explains Lawrence. “But like how WWE UnReal season one showed how John Cena’s heel turn was decided, we got to see the pivot and we got to see them have to make decisions, which happens on our show. It happens on every show, especially shows that don’t have off seasons where you’re constantly twisting and turning the whole time.”
Photo: Netflix
“Sometime inspiration hits, or an actor does something and you go, ‘What was that? Let’s unpack that.’ There’s a multitude of reasons and some above my pay grade of why a decision changes,” shared the actor and writer. “Sometimes it can just be logistical. As writers, we don’t ask why, we just pivot. I think that’s the nature of soap operas. It’s the nature of WWE. You don’t have that ‘We finished season one, now we’re going to go away for five months and write season two.’ No, you’re in it all the time. It’s a fluid situation. So the pivot is just part of the nature of it.”
You can check out Lawrence Saint-Victor’s conversation discussing John Cena’s final match and tap out, soaps and the WWE writers rooms, and much more below.
Now let us know, would you want to see a never-before-seen look into the writers’ room of a soap opera – from taking a storyline from inception to the changes and evolution of it along the way – to its conclusion? If so, would you want to see 5 episodes – one each featuring all the current soaps: Beyond the Gates, Days of our Lives, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless featured; focusing on one or two major storylines from each soap? Or, would you like to see a series featuring just one? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
If American soaps leaned into a synergy with the WWE, that must be why a crop of them were canceled roughly 15 years ago. Those shows need nuance and sophistication so that they don’t look like an over the top circus, not a batch of heel turns. If the writers can tell us anything, it’s why they reject realism outright, when it can actually provide relatable boundaries in storytelling and encourage more creativity. Immortal super villains lost their appeal long ago.
Amen to everything you said, Soapster, and the only thing I would add is: “Immortal super villains lost their appeal long ago, and so did allegedly lovable mobsters and their codependent enablers.”
It’s been refreshing to see how well Beyond the Gates has been able to stick (mostly) to good old emotionally grounded storytelling so far. I just wonder how long it will be allowed to go on. I plan to enjoy it while I can.
B&B missed a perfect opportunity to extend the Luna story even with her demise. Writers sent everyone looking for her in the dark in a wooded field. Think of the drama and mystery if Luna(tic) had been found dead from blunt force trauma..? A great whodunit with a cast of suspects. In the end, Remy did it from the twisted notion of helping Electra hoping for her forgiveness, in turn, garnering a second chance with Deke. Traumatizing the teacher again was anticlimactic for such an intriguing character as Luna
I would probably watch it but I seriously doubt it would tell anything close to the truth about how the shows make creative and writing decisions. The network suits would never agree to show how they micromanage and kill most creativity.
You’d also need to have some truth-tellers to interview, but people like Harding Lemay and Bridget Dobson, who knew how the soaps used to be put together before all the interference started and would have the balls to talk about it, are long gone.
This would be more interesting than watching a bunch of the real housewives constantly kvetching.
Guiding Light
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
The tragic death of Hayden Panettiere last Sunday on August 21 continues to rock the entertainment world as her passing is still under investigation. Sadly, the former Guiding Light and Nashville star, died just days before her 37th birthday.
Now Grant Aleksander who played her on-screen father, Phillip Spaulding on Guiding Light a role he played on and off for nearly 30 years, shared a touching tribute with The Locher Room via Instagram, to his former TV daughter on her birthday on Friday, August 21.
It was back in 1996-2000 that Panettiere played the role of Phillip and Beth’s (Beth Chamberlin) daughter, Lizzie Spaulding. When Hayden was on-screen her performances were outstanding even as a little girl.
Photo: CBS
Aleksander began, When I think of Hayden the first image that comes is of her running down the hall in the studio with a huge, toothy grin on her face. Literally bursting with joy. And that’s what she gave to us. Pure, infectious joy. That and a talent that belied her years.”
“She was a natural with an instinctive understanding of acting that most adult actors can only dream of possessing. But that’s not what I’ll remember most about her. It’s that sunshine she brought to all of us that were lucky enough to be in her orbit that will stay with me, expressed Grant.
He concluded with, “I’ll always cherish the years I got to be her tv Dad. I wish I could have seen her one more time just to tell her how proud I was of her. She’s left us way too soon. We can only hope that she’s finally found the peace that eluded her in her short life. Rest in peace Princess!”
Michael Fairman TV previously shared emotional tributes from many of Hayden’s co-stars here, plus Jonathan Jackson (ex-Lucky, GH and ex-Avery, Nashville) who wrote a beautiful tribute to his former co-star.
So, do you remember the scenes between a young Lizzie and Phillip on Guiding Light? What did you think of Grant Aleksander’s words? Let us know via the comment section below. Here’s just a sampling below, of how great Hayden was with her scene partner, Grant.
Days Of Our Lives
Sydney Malekeh Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’ in Mystery Role: Who Do You Think She’s Playing?
There’s a new gal coming to Salem, or is she new and a recast? That’s what inquiring minds from Days of Our Lives fans have been trying to figure out since the Peacock soap opera dropped an Instagram video heralding actress‘ Sydney Malekeh’s arrival in Salem.
The soap did confirm that viewers will first see Malekeh on the September 9 episode. In the video, Malekeh is seen going set to set from her dressing room and in to the halls of Days of Our Lives studios.
What we do know id that Sydney has been acting professionally for 6 years and had appeared on Grey’s Anatomy, Apple TV’s Shrinking and the HBO Max’s The Sex Lives of College Girls.
Plenty of Malekeh’s DAYS castmates jumped into the comment thread with positive emojis symbols or written excitement including: Paul Telfer (Xander), Linsey Godfrey (Sarah), Sal Stowers (Lani), Conner Floyd (Chad), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Christie Clark (Carrie) and more now that fans will finally see her on-air. Since Days of Our Lives tapes 10-11 months in advance, Sydney would have started taping the show sometime back in 2025.
DAYS fans think perhaps because the actress’ name is Sydney that she might be playing the grown-up daughter of Sami and EJ. That character hasn’t bee on the canvas since 2021.
So, who do you think Sydney Malekeh might be playing on Days of Our Lives? Drop your casting director thoughts via the comment section below.
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UPDATED: ‘Bachelor Nation’ favorite Tyler Cameron is one of two new additions to the cast of Dancing with the Stars upcoming season 35. Cameron will hit the ballroom dance floor and so too will dancer/actress Jenna Dewan.
Cameron is best known as the runner-up in Hannah Brown’s season of The Bachelorette, the winner of Special Forces: World’s Toughest Test and starred in his own Amazon Prime home renovation series, Going Home with Tyler Cameron.
Tyler’s casting comes five years after his best friend and former ‘Bachelor’ lead Matt James competed for the Mirror Ball Trophy with pro Lindsay Arnold on season 30. US broke the casting news.
Photo: JPI
FULL DANCING WITH THE STARS SEASON 35 CAST REVEAL ON GMA
Dewan is best known for starring as Nora Clark in the 2006 dance film Step Up and for her television roles in Supergirl!, The Rookie, and The Witches of Eastwick to name but a few. Jenna began her career as a back-up dancer for Janet Jackson, Pink, Missy Elliott, and Christina Aguilera before moving into acting.
The full cast of Dancing with the Stars is set to be revealed including pros and celebrity contestants on the September 2 episode of Good Morning America. However, already confirmed are: “Summer House” star Ciara Miller, “Love Island UK” alum Maura Higgins, ‘Jimmy Kimmel’ sidekick and comedian Guillermo Rodriguez and Savannah Bananas player Jackson Olson.
Thursday evening August 20, TMZ is now reporting that actresses Julia Stiles and Tatyana Ali have also joined the cast. Ali is remembered in the recurring role of Roxanne on The Young and the Restless from 2007 to 2013.
Last season’s Mirror Ball Trophy went to Robert Irwin, the wildlife conservationist and son of the iconic Steve Irwin, and his pro partner Witney Carson. Dancing with the Stars hopes to repeat the success of season 24 which had stellar ratings in 2025.
Dancing With the Stars season 35 kicks off with a back-to-back premiered on ABC and Disney+ starting Tuesday, September 15, and Wednesday, September 16, at 8 p.m. ET.
So, who else would you like to see join the celebrity cast of Dancing with the Stars? Share your picks via the comment section below.
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
Sydney Malekeh Joins the Cast of ‘Days of Our Lives’ in Mystery Role: Who Do You Think She’s Playing?
‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)
Tyler Cameron Joins the Cast of Season 35 of ‘Dancing with the Stars’
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John Oliver Recaps His ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ Soap Opera Experience on ‘Last Week Tonight’
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
‘General Hospital’ Alum Chad Duell Admits That He Didn’t Expect the Role of Michael Corinthos to be Recast, and Would Consider Working on Another Soap (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL: Ric’s History of Jealousy Where Elizabeth is Concerned Has Come Back Around
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Days Of Our Lives1 week agoHow John Oliver’s ‘Days of Our Lives’ Guest Star Turn as ‘Devlin St. John’ Came to an End
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