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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.
Days of our Lives long-running cast member James Reynolds revealed on the November 10 edition of Entertainment Tonight that he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease and his character of Abe Carver will now be going through an on-screen Parkinson’s battle as well.
Speaking with ET’s Nischelle Turner, the 80-year-old actor and Daytime Emmy winner shared how he attempted to hide the warning signs dating back to 15-20 years ago when he would have, “What they call the hallucinations. My wife (Lissa) would say, ‘You were hitting me last night in bed,’ and I would say, ‘What?!’ I was having these really horrible dreams.” Reynolds also added that he realized falling out of bed was an early symptom of Parkinson’s too.
Discussing the on-going tremors that have become more noticeable over time especially in hands, James shared that when he finally told the Days of our Lives cast they were nothing but “extraordinarily helpful and supportive.”
Photo: ET
SCREEN LIFE TO MIRROR REAL LIFE
Now with DAYS about to launch into Abe’s Parkinson’s storyline, Reynolds hopes that he can turn his experience into something positive by encouraging others facing the disease to keep fighting. During the sit-down, Reynolds co-star Jackée Harry (Paulina Price) recalls her reaction to learning of Reynolds’ real-life diagnosis and how she has continued to search for new treatments to inform James about.
Although Parkinson’s disease currently has no cure, there are medications and treatments can help those manage symptoms and improve quality of life. The condition progresses at a different pace from individual to individual.
As discussed in his conversation with ET, Reynolds cited Michael J. Fox and Alan Alda as two high-profile celebrities who have brought awareness to the disease.
Photo: JPI
In story on DAYS, Abe in recent weeks had been experiencing tremors which led to seek help and a diagnosis Dr. Kayla Johnson (Mary Beth Evans). Soon Abe and others will find out of his battle with Parkinson’s. Although on the promo for this week’s DAYS, Abe is seen telling Kayla, that he will do something, “when the time is right.”
James Reynolds is one of the most prolific performers, being the longest-running Black Actor in a role on a television series, not to mention his aforementioned Lead Actor Daytime Emmy win in 2018, and being inducted in 2025 into the Daytime Emmy Gold and Silver Society of honorees.
You can check out James’ in-depth conversation on his Parkinson’s diagnosis below.
Share your thoughts for James after learning of his health battle, and what do you think of Days of our Lives incorporating the disease into Abe Carver’s Salem storyline? Let us know in the comment section.
News
Michael Easton Pays Homage to ‘One Life to Live’ Cast and Those From Llanview We Lost in Candid Photos
Michael Easton remains one of the soulful individuals we know. Not only is he an accomplished actor from his various roles on daytime soaps, primetime and films, but he is graphic novelist, a director, writer and a photographer.
In a surprise Instagram post on Tuesday, November 10, Easton took a trip back to Llanview and the beloved One Life to Live with a series of photographs that he himself took and showcased in a touching display.
It was on One Life to Live that Easton first portrayed John McBain, a role he played from 2003-2012, and then, he would play the role for another year after OLTL was canceled and he took the character over to General Hospital until 2013. With all the ABC/Prospect Park legal disputes going down at that time over who owned the rights to the characters, eventually Easton became Silas Clay on GH, and later Hamilton Finn.
Photos: Michael Easton
Now, Easton is sharing some fantastic snaps he took 21-years ago when the OLTL cast recorded a benefit album to help those affected by the devastation of Hurricane Katrina.
The photos include: the late Phil Carey (ex-Asa Buchanan), Renee Elise Goldsberry (ex-Evangeline Williamson), plus the late Kamar de los Reyes, who was Easton’s best friend and the former Antonio Vega of Llanview.
In addition, there are images of six-time Daytime Emmy winner, Erika Slezak (ex-Victoria Lord), Timothy D. Stickney (ex-RJ Gannon), Bree Williamson (ex-Jessica Buchanan), Tika Sumpter (ex-Layla Williamson), Robin Strasser (ex- Dorian Lord), the late Patricia Elliot (ex-Renee Buchanan), Melissa Archer (ex-Natalie Balsom) and Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr Manning), Kathy Brier (ex-Marcie Walsh), Ilene Kristen (ex-Roxy Balsom) and even Melissa Fumero (ex-Adriana Cramer), Trevor St. John (ex-Todd/Victor Lord Jr.), Robert S. Woods (ex-Bo Buchanan), Catherine Hickland (ex-Lindsay Rappaport), the late Nathaniel Marston (ex-Al Holden), Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair Cramer), and Eddie Alderson (ex-Matthew Buchanan).
Photo: Michael Easton
In his post, Easton shared in full: “FOUND A MEMORY (part one) stored on an old Nikon camera. In 2005, the cast of One Life to Live recorded a benefit album with all the proceeds going to those affected by Hurricane Katrina. Not being nearly as talented as my fellow actors (looking back what a badass cast it was) my contribution was to take photographs of their amazing faces.”
Michael continued, “In lieu of a proper photo studio, our friend Richie Hersch was kind enough to loan us his bar, Prohibition, on the upper west side for the afternoon to have an impromptu jam session. It was a beautiful time and I look back fondly on those moments, even when it takes finding a camera to awake the memory.”
With sorrow, Easton also shared, “It also brings up a little heartache as some of our friends are no longer with us and although they live in our hearts it’s nice to see them again and remember how perfect they were.”
This was followed by PART Two of FOUND A MEMORY with a carousel of images from Easton in a second post, which included: candid shots of Melissa Fumero, Dan Gauthier (ex-Kevin Buchanan) Paul Satterfield (ex-Dr. Spencer Truman) along with Trevor St. John, Nathaniel Marston, Kamar de los Reyes and many others.
Take a look at the One Life to Live cast images from Michael Easton below.
Then let us know, does it make you miss the beloved ABC soap opera even more? What did you think of Michael’s photos of the cast? Share your thoughts in the comment section.
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On Tuesday, November 10, Matt Cohen (Detective Burrow, The Young and the Restless, and formerly Dr. Griffin Munro, General Hospital) stars in a new holiday rom-com alongside soap alum Brittany Underwood (ex-Langston Wilde, One Life to Live) in Christmas at the Zoo.
The holiday movie streams beginning today on Tubi. In story, an entrepreneur brokering a sponsorship for a zoo’s new Humboldt penguin habitat finds herself caught between business and romance after falling for a compassionate zookeeper during the holidays.
Cohen visited ABC 7 Chicago’s Windy City Weekend and chatted with hosts, Josh McBride and Val Wilmer about his role in the story which was filmed in Chicago at the famed Brookfield Zoo.
Courtesy/Tubi
FALLING FOR THE PENGUINS
“There are not a lot of rom-coms that have been told like this, almost entirely about the Brookfield Zoo,” explained Cohen. “And if you know anything about Chicago, the Brookfield Zoo holds it down. This is a zoo that truly cares about the animals. The caretakers are amazing. And this movie’s going to make you cry. It’s going to make you laugh.”
Matt expressed he was touched by the animals during the filming, especially the penguins! “I’m in the mix of a lot of penguins and I knew them all by name,” the actor shared proudly. “I’ve got a real way with the penguins that would surprise you. I became like a real zookeeper during this thing. It was wild. I got passionate about it.”
Photo: Tubi
DOES THIS ZOOKEEPER FIND LOVE?
Explaining the epicenter of the story, Cohen shared, “The premise is very simple, It’s a man that works at the zoo. He care very much about these animals. The female lead comes in, wants to change things for the animals to make more money, make more profit. That hurts my heart. I can’t let that happen. I got to protect them during that process. Maybe we fall in love or maybe we don’t. I don’t want to spoil this Christmas movie. But, it feels good because the animals are the center of this thing. ”
At the end of the day, the rom-com is all about love for the animals, and if his character finds love! “It’s the center of this love story. It’s about helping them, not ourselves,” explained Cohen. “So, if were you an animal lover before this movie? I am a dog lover, a cat lover. I never knew I was a penguin man. I am a penguin man. I love giraffes. I love people. Go to the zoo. It feels good.”
You can catch Matt’s conversation on Windy City Weekend below and the trailer for Christmas at the Zoo.
Now let us know, will you be checking the movie out and would you like to see Matt have a more prominent role in Genoa City under the new head writing regime at Y&R, or if not, join another soap? Weigh-in via the comment section.
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‘The Young and the Restless’: New Co-Head Writers Talk Drama, Romance, and Intrigue Ahead in Genoa City on the Eve of Their Debut Script
‘Days of our Lives’ Veteran James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis
Michael Easton Pays Homage to ‘One Life to Live’ Cast and Those From Llanview We Lost in Candid Photos
Y&R’s Matt Cohen Talks Role as Compassionate Zookeeper in Rom-Com ‘Christmas at the Zoo’
Y&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS Preview: Episodes From New Co-Head Writers, Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor, Begin to Air
Y&R’s New Head Writers Share Vision for Genoa City: Contemporary Homage to Bill Bell, Mixing Heightened Escapism and Grounded Reality
‘General Hospital’ Casts Ayla Bullington as the New Avery Jerome-Corinthos
‘Days of our Lives’ Kyle Pryor Debuts as Dominic Marino and Says of Alleged TV Mom, “Deidre Hall is the Absolute OG, Amazing” (Exclusive)
‘Days of our Lives’ Celebrates 61st Anniversary: EP Ken Corday Teases New Character’s Arrival in Spring 2027
‘Days of our Lives’ Veteran James Reynolds Reveals Parkinson’s Diagnosis
Y&R’s Matt Cohen Talks Role as Compassionate Zookeeper in Rom-Com ‘Christmas at the Zoo’
Alice Halsey Returns to ‘Days of our Lives’ as Rachel Black – Find Out How Long!
‘Beyond the Gates’ Daytime Emmy Winners Ambyr Michelle and Tamara Tunie to Chat Live on the Michael Fairman Channel
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