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Y&R Head Writer Change: Mal Young Takes On Double Duty; Sally Sussman and Kay Alden Retire!
Photo Credit: JPI Studios
A major creative shift was implemented over at The Young and the RestlessĀ as the series has named their current executive producer, Mal Young to also head writer of the iconic number-one rated CBS daytime drama series.
Young confirmed the news on Twitter with a tweet simply stating: “Standing on the shoulders of giants. Exciting times. #YR”
The EP takes over from Sally Sussman and Kay Alden who amidst reports over the weekend are out and have officially ‘retired”.
Daytime Confidential first broke the news and had also revealed on Tuesday that Young’s material will begin to air in October.
Reportedly the Y&R EP pitched the powers-that-be at Sony and CBS long-story ideas and his vision which included: compelling storylines for the core characters which impressed the suits.
On the writing shift, Sony Pictures Television said in a statement: “Adding to his current responsibilities as executive producer, Mal Young will be stepping in to the role of head writer of The Young and the Restless. Ā He has made incredible contributions to the show since joining the team of daytime televisionās #1 drama.”
As for the outgoing head-writing team, Sussman will continue to concentrate on her documentary filmmaking career, finding success with Midnight Return, which has been playing in festivals and is now in selected theatres, and as for Alden, she is said to be concentrating on her personal life.
What do you think about Mal Young IN as head writer and EP … and Sussman and Alden OUT? Comment below!
A recipe for disaster.
Y-E-P…and it’s gonna get EVEN WORSE!!!!! Y-i-k-e-s.
we’ve seen in the past having one person write and run the show hasn’t worked. look at LML and MAB. it’s surprising their doing it again
That’s my take on it, too, Robert. This “model” of EPs who are writers and writers who are EPs seems to work, at some level, in nighttime TV, but I can’t think of a single instance, off the top of my head, where it has worked for the soaps. Soaps were at their zenith when the writers were writers and had the creative vision, and the production staff (including the network brass, broadly speaking) were responsible for executing the writers’ creative vision (and providing an objective, critical opinion when necessary). (And that’s without even starting to discuss the idea that on a soap, asking the same person to be EP and head writer may really be stretching that one person way, way too far. How could the show NOT suffer as a result?) Why Sony and CBS have to take two steps back every time they take a step forward, I’ll never understand.
That’s nothing against Mr. Young, who seems quite capable. I just think this is a really bad idea.
So is this the new euphemism to be used when veteran soap scribes are canned: they’re “retiring”? That’s what was said about Jean Passanante over at GH, who just left.
Well today’s episode (Friday, August 4,2017) was perfection. No Sad Sacks (Cane) and Silly (Lily).
Today we got to see the natural and easy chemistry between Jack and Nikki, Even though I know Jack will end up losing once again to Victor, I am enjoying their sweet romance which seems based on mutual respect and a friendship.
I also love the romance which is brewing between Tess and Mariah. Too often soaps try and force feed viewers a same sex romance but not so in this case. Tess and Mariah enjoy a strong romantic chemistry and their sexual confusion and feelings feel real and believable. Their scenes are well written and well acted.
I also enjoy what is going on with Victoria. They have made her an interesting woman again. Y&R is more good than bad and I hope Malcolm Young can sustain the level of quality we have been enjoying.
I hope not, Robert. No more disasters, please!!!! LOL.
I was thinking that there may be a good storyline in the works for Victoria, Billy and Phyllis.
The hot romance between P and B is headed for doomsday….
I think this is why this guy, whatever his name, was introduced—he will crash the idyllic world Phyllis has created for herself. She will burn when Billy finds out she manipulated that guy, Victoria and him.
You’re a man….I know guys do not take well to manipulation by a woman, or otherwise….especially if she/he is a lover.
Here I was, thinking Phyllis had turned a new page ….but, she’s back to her old tricks. Never a good idea. Sooo soapy. LOL.
Just when Sussman was finally getting the Bell vision and heart back into YR, they send her packing. Sad. I hope Young can do better than all the other “outsiders” who have tried to make YR fit their misunderstood vision of what it is all about.
They didn’t send her packing, she chose to leave on her own accord. Every report states both Alden and Sussman retired. And yet, people like you will try to add B.S. to a story where it does not exist.
Sometimes, when people are respected the brass will give them the option of “retiring” instead of saying they were fired– by the way the article is written it does sound like the ladies were politely shown the door– it wasn’t like the two said they were retiring and Mal jumped in to apply for the job– the article does make it sound like Mal approached the brass with his vision and they decided to go with him and the ladies “retired”
They were fired.
I agree, Douglas. Y&R is starting to pick up. Why mess with something that was finally taking leaps instead of small steps?
Actions have consequences, and I am glad to see Cain is getting his ‘payback’.
I, also, like where the theme of the ‘new’ story about youths where they get ‘trapped’ into forced prostitution, as discussed by Paul and Sharon, is going.
I had mentioned Jordan ( because of the ring he was wearing and the close up of it) being involved, on the other site….but, I don’t see the post. I think there’s more to Jordan than meets the eye.
Perhaps it was not in the right site. But, this would truly show that Y&R is picking up speed on stories that are real….that makes us aware of what goes on in the real world….not just about GC buzz and ads, and fashion, and Hollywood…..not saying I do not enjoy looking at fashion, gossip (LOL) and such….but, it is being taken a little too far.
I will be as impartial as I can, Douglas, until something tells me otherwise.
I am skeptical — every time a show changes head writers it suffers in some way. Every writing change since MAB was let go has been a disappointment. I had real high hopes when SS and KA came back– and I am grateful to see characters act like real people again but the story lines have been uneven at best– not that I think Mal being the sole captain of the ship is going to help, nor do I trust a suit to know a good story line if it hit them in the face, but I am willing to see how it goes yet I am not jumping up and down for joy over this news.
I’m crushed for Sally and Kay. I was so happy to have them back and while some things were moving a little slowly, it was the Y&R that I loved. I stuck with the show through the awful Latham era so I won’t bail. I think Mal Young knows his way around a story. And by now he knows the characters. Very cautiously optimistic.
Sussman needed to go; her tenure was the shortest of any HW on Y&R and that tells me that Sony/CBS was as unhappy as fans. She was devoid of any creative vision for the show; it felt made up week to week. She had nothing for the veterans and A players. All the newbies were poorly introduced with barely any ties to the characters on the canvas. Mal may or may not succeed but I think he’ll collaborate with Janice Esser and rely on other veteran writers on the show to contribute to the overall vision of the show. We know Mal will be there at least until Sony moves Carlivait over to YR which will happen I believe, in next two years.
maybe now the show can get interesting again. everything has been slow and boring. i hope Mal can utilize the cast better than Sally did,under Sally the same few people was on everyday while everyone else got nothing. hopefully Sally leaving means the end of the Victoria hour
This…. is a mess right now. Sally’s regime has been likable and has brought back some consistency to The Young and the Restless, but it does miss some much-needed punch and excitement. In truth, I think Kay Alden would’ve been a better choice for head writer, and Sally Sussman as a consultant, but Sally’s regime was pretty good. I hated her TV Insider interview, though, as it smelt like she was holding her own personal grudge against the previous regimes, and her own tenure had its genuine bumps. However, the continued shake up of head writers is doing my head in, and it is time that CBS/Sony Pictures Television buckle down and create some damn consistency at this serial.
However, giving Mal Young the role of head writer, to me, is a mistake. Every single soap, including Y&R, that has allowed the executive producer to be the head writer, has been a mess. Brad Bell has proven that he cannot handle multiple job titles, and his sister-in-law, Maria Arena, nearly dismantled the serial. A fresh take could be brilliant; after all, when Mal became executive producer, following Jill Farren Phelps, there were excellent changes made, so I’m hoping this change continues. The Young and the Restless is rich with history, and there is obvious reason why it was given a three-year renewal, so don’t screw it up!
What I would do is hire a writer from the UK; UK soaps are edgier and don’t hide from shock-value, and US soaps need a damn shakeup story-wise, and the benefit of a UK writer could bring that to the forefront, and allow for The Young and the Restless to purely shine. I don’t want a continued, recycled ring of the same storylines and plot devices. Give us something new, edgy and worth-while watching.
Heres the thing, Sally came back, day one and showed the Abbotts at the breakfast table, then POOF, gone! Jack has been making goofy faces, Ashley has been in ZERO stories with a terrible “FLIRTmance” with Ravi, Tracy pops in for a visit and no Kyle? These ladies are legends but their time has gone! They brought no romance. Chuck Pratt was grilled and rightly so BUT he did insert action and drama. I would go young, respect the elder characters and develop some interesting youth into the show. Clean up the swamp, send the Winters kids and Reed on their way! Brink back Avery and send Chelsea away with her kid until Adam returns. Yes, bring back Adam! Navery rules!
Gawd no!!! Leave Avery and her cooking show off screen.
El Lame-o yes but outside that cooking show the women can act and her and Nick had chemistry.
Weren’t Lynn Marie Latham, Maria Arena Bell, and Charles Pratt also head-writer/executive producer during their tenures?
The past is prologue…
It’s sad that DT is losing yet another woman’s voice, but Sally Sussman’s documentary sounds amazing and is a Cannes Official Selection so her career is on an upswing. See here https://midnightreturndocumentary.com/
All of our current DT dramas are headed by men now, including EPs and writers, with only Shelly Altman still lingering over an almost entirely exec dictated show with newbie co-head writer Chris Van Etten.
Anyone who thinks the DT drama medium is still interested in writing for women may want to think twice.
While I have been enjoying certain character driven stories which pay fidelity to character history, much of Y&R has been downright depressing.
To paraphrase George Harrison from “A Hard Day’s Night”, Cane is a drag, a well known drag. What have they done to this once likable character who rebelled against his dad by being ethical? Have they dragged him down in order to prop up Billy whose popularity plummeted after he had an affair with his brother’s wife? Each day serves up a another plate of fresh hell for Cane and he’s turned into Charlie Brown (albeit an unsympathetic Charlie Brown) forever getting a bag of rocks while Trick or Treating. This is not fun to watch! It’s depressing! And where is his father Colin? I have said it before and I will say it again, both Y&R and GH are ignoring one of the great acting wonders of daytime–Tristan Rogers is a gem and his talents need to be utilized.
Sometimes I find myself trying not to nod off while Nick and Chelsea are mumbling to each other and then enters Jordan who contributes to the somnolent atmosphere and I am zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
There is some good stuff transpiring here but not enough. If Malcolm Young can bring back some excitement, some enchantment, some HOPE! then I am all for it.
Harry, thanks for saying exactly what I’ve been thinking. What are they Thinking with Cane?! How much comeuppance can one guy take? If only that repulsive creep Billy got half of what HE deserves…but that’ll never happen with Victor/Victoria as his boss. Is she the worst boss on TV or what? And that underhanded ploy to keep Jack from hiring Cane was unethical and downright evil. Jack shouldn’t have caved on that one. I’m not a big fan of Cane but he doesn’t deserve this crucifixion, either. Colin or Jill should be in there fighting for him, instead of us having to endure the pitiful acting of the twins or the Grizzly Man non-charms of Scott Grainger.
You make excellent points, Soaphound. Before Cane sabotaged the commercial, they showed him feeling resentment that the trust fund babies (Victoria and Billy) were born with silver spoons in their mouths while he had to fight for every dollar he earned. This was good in that it generated character motivation and made Cane somewhat empathetic. Then they kind of lost that character driven story and they just turned Cane into a big ole dummy with no moral code. That’s not the Cane we know and love! I do think they did it in order to prop up Billy. Billy went after his brother’s wife relentlessly, it was willful and methodical and somehow we’re supposed to think he’s just a great guy with impulse control issues and that Cane is a d—(rhymes with ick).
Suffice to say, I do no like this storyline, Sam-I-Am.
i only watch the show in my “peripheral” view but ive noticed it sucks and has remained as boring for along while
I enjoy some of SS and KA storylines. But the pacing needs to pick up a bit. For example, the audience should be clued into what’s the matter with Dina.
Hi, Lou,
As usual, I doubt the writers know what’s wrong with Dina. They haven’t thought of a malady, yet.
It looks like the beginning of Alzheimer’s to me….dementia?
More to the point….who is Graham? Is he good for her or does he have a nefarious agenda? Is he hew son?
I like the writing…and, the pace is picking up, somewhat.
I thought this thing with Cane was going to go on until the cows came home. But, surprisingly and pleasantly enough, we are finally seeing results!! Too bad for you, Cane. Pack your bags…LOL.
I’ve always been a casual YR viewer, not even a fan really. The storylines have always been too dry for my taste. But when everyone erupted over the news of Sally and Kay, I thought that maybe this show will be worth tuning in for.
I watched the first few months of the new writing, and once again, I was bored out of my skull. But what really put a nail in my skepticism from the onset was when they had Devon in a coma, wake up with amnesia that lasted a week, only for the storyline to have not evolved or changed or affected in any way when all was said and done. I thought, what was the point of all the “drama” if all the characters were left all the same (Lily still hated Hilary, Devon was still angry at Hilary and wanted to leave her, and Neil played referee). Nothing *actually* happened. Ever since, I’ve felt that way about so many stories: what a flop “troubled seed” Reid has been, Cane’s ONS with a nobody out of the blue, Chloe’s terrible exit twice etc.
Anyway, rant aside, I can’t say I’m disappointed in SS and KA because as I said I was never invested in the show to begin with. But I am perplexed by the pedestal they were put on because I just did not see it.
me too ! i became a regular viewer when maria arena bell wrote the show . loved her writing . needed maria arena bell as writer not young ! a friend of mine in england used to watch eastenders when young used to write for it . the soap was awful , boring , sometimes with too much violence . an utter trainwreck . she only watched it because she had a crush on one of the actors .
i would have loved to have watched the soap from 1973 to 1987 , the brenda dickson years .
They were wonderful years Nicholas and Y&R unfortunately WILL NOT shine like it did back in those days which I so miss…
The Mal guy has more to his Writing resume than all others.
He will do very well..
Mal Young was an executive producer for Series of Doctor Who
and-
Aliens of London
Bad Wolf
Boom Town
Dalek
The Doctor Dances
The Empty Child
The End of the World
Father’s Day
The Long Game
The Parting of the Ways
Rose
The Unquiet Dead
World War Three
also-
Movies and TV shows: Holby City, Family Affairs, Born in the USA
Books: Sinbad’s Scrapbook: Secrets of a Window Cleaner.
Awards: British Academy Television Award for Best Soap and Continuing Drama, MORE
Nominations: Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series, British Academy Television Award for Best Innovation
He achieved record ratings for the series and for Channel 4. He also co-created and produced his own successful drama series for Channel 4, And The Beat Goes On.
He then moved on to become head of drama at the independent production company Pearson Television, where he oversaw work on ITV police drama The Bill and another soap opera, Channel 5’s Family Affairs, which he created, and was executive producer on C5’s legal drama series, the BAFTA-nominated Wing And A Prayer.
From 1997-2004, he moved to the BBC to become the Controller of Continuing Drama Series for the Corporation’s in-house production arm. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing the organisation’s in-house continuing episodic drama series. Programmes he oversaw for the BBC included the soap opera EastEnders; medical dramas Doctors (which he co-created), Casualty, and the latter’s spin-off series Holby City, which he created; police dramas Dalziel and Pascoe, Waking the Dead, and Merseybeat; anthology shows The Afternoon Play and Murder in Mind; legal drama Judge John Deed; rural-set Down to Earth; comedy-drama Being April; and science-fiction series Doctor Who.
I don’t need to see his CV. He has brought some good to Y&R, but I think being EP and head writer is a recipe for disaster. There are only so many hours in a day. What’s next? Head cameraman and leading man?
hi Mo ..
I’d like that, Mal as leading man.. interesting indeed.
Question;
just whom would you like to be head writer for Y&R?
And– it has to be someone available to write, not a retired writer that isn’t going to come back. Some up and ready to write.
When are they ever going to give Cane some brains?! Doesn’t he realize that extortion is illegal? He should have gone to Paul … end of story.
And you know Y&R is in trouble when they have Dina reciting the freaking Kardashian/Jenner clan. WHO are you trying to impress, Y&R? You are not getting any younger in your viewers so stop trying to alienate the ones you already have who could give a rat’s you-know-what regarding anything Kardashian. Please!
OMG! Dina doing that was so ridiculous. Cringeworthy. No! She should have recited Housewives instead as Eileen was on that.
I don’t like Dina, never did.
The Kardashian recitation was ridiculous! She was a horrible, vain, cold mother and old age and dementia does not make her sympathetic in my book. No, I am not talking about Kate Jenner, talking about Dina!
I’m very skeptical about this change. I hope his vision for the show will fall in line with that of the late Great William J. Bell.
Both of thee ladies are highly lauded associates of Bill Bell. It does make me wonder. On the up side, when a producer and head writer are one and the same person, the soap seems to have a core vision that it tends to maintain more evenly through the year. I hope that this is the case for Y&R.
OH NO…WHAT ON EARTH??? I am so disappointed and so sad over this news…Well, I will see starting in October of what happens with Mal in place as head writer but if he doesn’t continue with Bill Bell’s way of writing which is what Sally and Kay are doing and I am very pleased with SS and KA other than, YES, not having the classic background music back…but if Y&R changes it’s course from what Y&R should be, I will quit watching…
Hi Kevin,
I think we had an exchange of replies on Facebook regarding the background music. I still haven’t managed to reach out to Mike Dobson, the former Y&R music producer who guess what, was rehired in June – yay!!! That was very good news except that I still cannot see anything from the old cues yet. Let me know what you think if you see my reply.
I was excited to hear that Sally and Kay were writing on the show but the stories havent changed much. Sally said she wasn’t going to put Phyllis and Billy together then puts them together. She said she was going to make Victor a softer and gently person and he still acts controlling and holier than thou. She wanted to make Lauren feisty and she was for a few weeks and now where’s Lauren? She made Ashley better like she said she wanted to but felt like she focused all her energy on Ashley. Mal stated the changes he wanted to make when he first started and has done it from shooting scenes outside, sets, etc. The man worked on Eastenders the longest running soap in Britain so I’m willing to give him a shot at writing compelling stories.
Sally was never running this show you need balance young being Hw & EP never works but in fairness they brought the crazy out of Sharon but yes I miss Paul I miss a decent story for Neil. But it is young people now I will always love my Y&R but maybe to stay on the air they need to make changes but I gut tired real quick of the Victoria & Billy show ugh
Young is ok….but I want better innovative storytelling. Tired of baby switches, paternity tampering, same old dynamic with relationships, etc. I miss the funny one liners, and surprises. Shocks like chole being Ester’s daughter, cane not being Philip, finding out Kevin was Michaels brother. It needs more twists and turns and less predictability.
Sorry, Diablo, but Coronation Street is the longest running soap in Britain. Eastenders started in the 80s, whereas, Corrie, started in the 60s…….a really good show that is fast paced is Hollyoaks….wish they would bring a version of that to the US……
Me too. Love Hollyoaks.
Thanks for the correction. š Also I’d rather see the iriginally show broadcast over her rather than an American version case in point Shameless. British version way netter than the American remake.
Anybody have any wild guesses why Maria Arena Bell couldn’t have been brought back? She was the one who came closest to what Bill Bell did. I guess we can take the ride and see where this goes. It’s not like we have very many options left for soaps, do we?
hi James..
It is not whom we want back but who wants to come back, and it has looked as the retired writers do not want to be back..
and having the great retired writers wanting to remain retired that leaves us with little to choose from to write.
totally agree with you at 200 % ; she was great for the show and made it exciting to watch . you were not bored watching it and it wasn’t predictable . i loved skye , the volcano and sharon on the run , ricky williams , diane’s return and murder , debbie morgan as harmony and genie francis as genevieve , also loved ashley’s gaslighting by adam . i remember the end of the episode when poor malcolm found out the baby wasn’t his and she cleverly used the song bless the beasts and the children by the carpenters .
She was also about to bring Sheila back before they got rid of her for Jill Farren Phleps. I was upset when she scrapped all of Maria’s ideas because it was years before Sheila came back to B&B. I wanted closure to the character because I never bought the story of how Lauren was just able to bust into a room and kill her with a single shot from a gun. Their rivalry was too deep for that to end that simple.
I have very mixed feelings about this. When Maria Arena Bell was the sole captain of the ship, Y&R was a disaster. Take any story from 2011 or 2012 (Diane Jenkins murder, Phyllis’ hit and run revisited, etc.) and nearly all of them were horrible. She rewrote history and changed characters to suit her stories. And the worst crime of all, she hired great actors and then saddled them with terrible characters and stories that did not utilize their talents (Maura West, Genie Francis, Stephen Nichols, Debbie Morgan, Darnell Williams, etc.).
Since then, Y&R’s writing teams have been one miss after another, until Sally and Kay came on last year. And while not everything they have written has been stellar, Y&R has gone back to its roots and found what made it #1. Maybe the intention from the beginning was that it would only be short-term to steer the ship back in the right direction after Josh Griffith, “Jelly” and Chuck Pratt-astrophe nearly crashed it into an iceberg.
So far, Mal Young has been doing terrific work as EP. Not only has the writing improved, but the visual style of the show, camera work and direction has too. If he can keep up this work and maintain the show’s history, characters’ integrity, and all around production value, then I think Y&R is in great hands. Regardless, I think we should give him a chance. And who knows, he might only be temporarily taking the position until they find someone worthy of the position permanently.
I so agree with you Jimmy.
COULD ALL OF YOU END THE DOOM AND GLOOM AND THINK POSITIVE!!!!!!!!!!!!! ?
I will try, JK but it’s hard when Kane is written like Eeyore standing in a rain storm.
THANK YOU HARRY FOR A GREAT LAUGH……I HAVE TO AGREE….KANE IS WORSE THAN EYORE IN A RAIN STORM!!!!!!
Now I am going to forever envision Cane wearing a pinned on tail with a pink bow tied around the bottom.
Glad to hear about this… I enjoy the more character driven stories… time for a rant, and then praise:
RANTS:
1. The fact that Cane and Lilly are suddenly broke is beyond ridiculous. When have those two ever complained about money probs?
2. Also, the character of Cane is just awful to watch… lying on top of lying… did he learn nothing from last week?!?! It’s incredibly frustrating.
3. Nick’s character is almost unwatchable. His “BRO” attitude with his son is completely tiresome… never any kind of Dad/Son dynamic… just “BRO” ad nauseum.
4. Let’s please give Neil some redeeming quality… his near monotone/lifeless delivery of his lines is getting beyond old. Not much to enjoy watching there!
5. Charlie and Maddy: I get that their new, but Charlie (in particular) really needs to up his game.
PRAISE:
1. Loving the reappearance of Marla Adams (Dina) to the cast! Her bitchy back-and-forth with Jill a few weeks ago made me HOWL with delight! SO funny! Had to watch it over and over! Great to see someone take the matriarch role and do it so well!
2. Nice to see Y&R possibly bringing a lesbian tryst… it would be among the first gay story lines they’ve ever ran with that could have serious legs. Lots of potential here as Camryn Grimes and newcomer “Tessa” seem to work very well in scenes together.
3. Jill freaking Foster-Abbott-Atkinson. Nuff said! She’s completely in command of every scene she’s in. More, please! So funny, fierce, bawdy and bitchy. LOVE!
Way more to praise than to snipe about… I LOVE my Y&R! Just throwing it out there!
Spot on!
Hey kalamaty…EXCELLENT OBSERVATIONS!!!!! Oh…and here are a few rants of my own…
1. At this point, Cane is nothing but a WHINY IDIOT!!!!! I mean…using his own children’s future college fund to pay off that creepy-looking blackmailer Andre…how STUPID can one man be?!?!?!?!?! Jackass.
2. At this point, I wish that Lily would file for divorce. ENOUGH ALREADY!!!!!
3. Nick…ANOTHER IDIOT!!!!! To me, Nick and Noah look more like older brother/younger brother. Truly dumb.
Take care.
Jesse and not Andre.
Preach! š LOL
Totes agree with the Nick/Noah thing!
BTW… Lilly has no room to whine and complain…. does the name “JOE” ring any bells, you hypocrite!? How soon they forget!
I don’t understand why Cane didn’t consult his father about Jessie’s blackmailing. Who better than the best blackmailer in the business to help Cane out of that jam? Cane was never stupid but they have made him dumber than a box of rocks.
Kalamaty, you said it all for me–thank you.
And I wonder why they don’t pair Ashley up with Neil? I see some potential there.
I have complained about Abby in the past but lately she seems to be perking up and I no longer fast forward through her scenes.
Why didn’t Lily ask Cane what he invested in? I don’t understand why they don’t have more savings as I would suspect Cane got a decent salary as does Lily and she did manage GC Club.
I agree about Charlie–his acting is not good.
No to Mariah and Tessa.
Love Marla returning!!!!
Love Jill!!! At least she’ll be back. Hope Colin comes with her.
kalamaty…I forgot about Lily sleeping with Joe…MY BAD.
Later.
Hi, Kalamaty,
Yes, at first, I saw the situation as you are….that is, Lily doing the tango with Joe.
However, Lily did forgive Cane; even with Juliet’s pregnancy ( where the paternity issue is still iffy with me).
But, Cane’s misdeeds, for lack of a better word, did not stop there. It was the lying which contributed to Lily’s and the viewer’s disdain.
If you remember ( not that I’m condoning cheating) Lily came clean–about everything.
I was never comfortable with what Cane did to Billy, his own wife, Victoria and Brash and Sassy. He sacrificed and sabotaged an entire company with all its ramifications to satisfy the thirst for his hate/resentment of Billy.
I could never understand this fake sibling rivalry when Jill is Billy’s mother, not Cane’s….especially for the fact that Cane came into Jill’s life as an adult and under false pretenses. I hope this is the end of Cane’s tenure. Can’t stand him.
Cane has always been sort of a snake. I never liked him….now I know why. His less-than-honorable machinations, just under the surface….that sneaky, sidelong glance of his……his conveniently, quiet demeanor….bbrrrrrr…..chilling!!
WHAT???!!! Doesn’t seem like a good idea. How will he be able to do two full-time jobs and do them well? Also doesn’t sound like Sally has retired.
I would like to hear Mal Young’s future view of Y&R. I am sorry about Sally & Kay. So much fanfare was tossed around about their return to the show. Going back to the glory days of Y&R. Sadly, I think that was the one time only Abbott breakfast. Time to stop the start of storylines and give us what is promised.and stop of storylines and gives us
I was trying to write time to stop the start and stop and give us what is promised.
I thought that was a pic of Patrick Duffy..lol
Kay Alden is special. She should be a lifetime consultant for back story.
I so agree with you April
I don’t think Victor should be totally changed because the show would be absolutely dull. Plus, I hate what has happened to Cane since Lilly acts as if she’s been holier than thou.
The show did seem to change for a while ; however, it seems to have slowed. Even thou some things are good about it, I ‘m looking for more excitement.
should have brought back maria arena bell both as head writer and executive producer ! fools ! i happen to know the soap eastenders which is a british soap on which young worked on . it’s awful and has nothing alike in any way , shape of form with our soaps here in the united soaps . Young will be a disaster mark my words .
Looking forward to Mal’s vision for Y&R! I’ll be watching till the last light in GC goes out… so entertain me, Mr. Young!!!
Quit the teeny bopper crap. Need crooks and action
Nobody is ever satisfied. When MAB was writing for Y&R everyone whined. Then JFP and CP came aboard and did their number on the show. It was mostly a screaming failure but they did get some good scenes from their cast. I totally liked that part of it. JFP and CP introduced too many new characters and it made the show forget it core cast. With Sussman and Alden we got back some of the A listers, Nikki and Victor, Jack, Ashley, Billy, Phyllis, Victoria, the Winters clan. All those people saying the core is not being utilized must be watching a different show. For goodness sake, even Jill got a great storyline. Sharon and Nick and their clan are working great. Look I know changing writers again is going to be an adjustment. But the stories can’t stay mired in the past. Mal Young writes well. I have seen a few of his shows from the UK and they are entertaining and good viewing. I look forward to his ideas. Keep in mind the Head Writer is not the one who actually writes the lines or scripts. The Head Writer comes up with the storyline ideas and concepts for the characters involved. Y&R has been handed a few lemons as far as Executive Producers and writers BUT they always make great tasting lemonade. I love Y&R and I am ready for what the new chef will bring to the kitchen.
I’m sorry, Mateo. You make some good points. I will try and buck up!
You’re right…Fans will never be happy…How much you want to bet with Mal Young taking over, they’ll still complain?
I think they should have made Kay Alden head writer. She knows the show just as well as Bill Bell and nobody can tell the story of GC residents like her. I was excited about Sally Sussman coming knowing she wrote for the show years ago, but was highly disappointed in her story telling. It wasn’t watchable anymore.
My comment is this: there are no real men on the show, (characters) actors are good, but the male characters they play are are weak. The women on the other hand are very powerful and in charge and always have the last word. Make both men and women equally interesting. (Stop emasculating the men.) Also, between Ashley and the tall boy toy, they have absolutely no chemistry. between Nikki and Jack, there is no chemistry, the elderly actress that plays Nikki looks tired and sleepy, he looks bored. Not the actors fault, it’s the writer’s fault.
Send him into retirement…He is not equipped to run the young and restless. He has made changed to the soap that after 40 years of being on air, it is unrecognizable…He has either changed characters, long time vets are leaving, and the newcomers are front and centre. Somebody in the higher up needs to give Mal Young his walking papers.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric
General Hospital’s Dominic Zamprogna (Dante Falconeri) opened up about the burgeoning love triangle forming between his Port Charles alter-go, Elizabeth Webber (Rebecca Herbst) and Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) after recently aired scenes, plus his hopes for the future of a Dante and Liz pairing, during his appearance on the Sunday, April 23 edition of the That’s Awesome podcast with Steve Burton (Jason Morgan) and Bradford Anderson (Spinelli).
On last week’s episodes of GH, Ric has made the decision that he wanted to propose to his ex-wife, only when he showed up at Elizabeth’s front door, he misread the scenario he walked in with Liz tending to Dante’s injured leg from the softball game. From there, the legal eagle’s jealous streak is reemerging which may cause him to act out and do something unforgivable, or will he take the high road? Stay tuned.
Speaking with Steve Burton and Bradford Anderson about where Elizabeth stands in the annals of the long-running soap, Zamprogna said, “She’s up there with Steve and Maurice (Maurice Benard) as one of the most legacy-filled people on the show.”
Courtesy/ABC
HOW DANTE AND ELIZABETH CAME ABOUT
Dominic jokes it’s a far cry for where Dante and Elizabeth previously, recalling, “We had some scenes together years ago and we were both laughing. Becky’s like, ‘Well, I guess we’re not going be paired up anytime soon.’ I remember we laughed immediately after they yelled ‘cut,”‘and said to each other, ‘Well, so much for that!'”
Fast-forward to early 2025 and as Zamprogna remembered it, “Elizabeth Korte (co-head writer, GH) came up to me at the General Hospital Christmas party, and I think it was a year and a half ago and she said, ‘We’re going to have you in scenes with Elizabeth,’ My internal monologue is going, ‘I’m not with Lulu (Alexa Havins) anymore and Sam’s (Kelly Monaco) gone, so maybe they want to see if this works.’ I didn’t want to get scenes with Becky and try to find the chemistry. I just wanted to play whatever honestly was written and came across for both of us and hope it was what people liked, and I don’t know if it is … or not.”
Knowing how beloved Elizabeth is to the GH faithfuls, Zamprogna added, “She got a big fan base with Ric … and a big fan base with with Jason … and you know, you’re going to piss somebody off. But, didn’t Ric drug Elizabeth and put Carly in a panic room?”
Photo: ABC
DANTE AND ELIZABETH PAIRING COULD STIR UP STORY FOR OTHERS IN PORT CHARLES
In closing, Dominic felt that the wide-reaching tentacles of a Dante and Elizabeth relationship is something he is 100% down for. “The triangle thing; I was happy to hear it was with Ric and her, because I felt it’s important to have her the top of it as opposed to Dante, Lulu and Elizabeth.”
Zamprogna added, “When you get into relationships on a soap, things seem to fizzle out a little bit, The buildup is what’s the fun part, and the getting to know each other, and the people who are affected by this coming together. When with this case it’s going to affect: Ric, Sonny, Lulu. There’s so much more story here. To me, it’s going to be a fun story to play.”
You can check out Dominic’s visit to That’s Awesome with Steve and Bradford below.
Now weigh-in: Are you rooting for Dante and Liz, or Dante and Ric at this juncture of the story, or neither guyĀ for Elizabeth? Let us know your thoughts and picks via the comment section.
While Smitty tries to hold the fort down in his marriage to congressman Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon)Ā and their two teenaged children, Samantha (Najah Jackson) and Tyrell (Jaden Lucas Miller) on Beyond the Gates, Emmy-winner Mike Manning has also landed another feature film role.
According to Deadline, Manning has joined the cast of Deify with 6 other new cast members for the indie psychological horror film starring Neal McDonough and Skeet Ulrich, which was previously announced last week.
Joining Manning as the latest cast addition are: Dennis Haysbert, Ashley Greene, Ā Casey Harnett, Kirk Avecdo, Anji White, anf Nicholas Chimera whoās directing the pic also has a part in the film.
WHAT’S THE STORY OF DEIFY?
Taking to his Instagram with the news of his casting, Manning shared, “A movie about a cult? What could possibly go wrong? Come for the enlightenment. Stay because they wonāt let you leave. DEIFY is comingā¦”
The movie is currently shooting in Chicago and in story, “a cult leader is put on trial after causing his devoted followers to be burned alive. The film is inspired in part by events surrounding the 1993 Waco, Texas, standoff between members of the Branch Davidians church and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, one of the largest civilian firefights ever recorded on American soil.”
MIKE MANNING IS A DAYTIME EMMY NOMINEE
In addition, the multi-talented Manning is a producer on the feature. Previously, Mike was nominated last month in the Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for the upcoming 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards. He previously won an Emmy for his role on The Bay and for being a producer on the digital drama.
Mike’s previous credits include the role of Charlie Dale on Days of Our Lives and the Manny on This Is Us, plus various primetime and screen credits.
So intrigued to find what role Mike will play in the upcoming horror/cult film, Deify? Enjoying him as Smitty on Beyond the Gates? Share your thoughts via the comment section below.
General Hospital
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trinaās Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)
At the conclusion of today’s August 21 episode of General Hospital, Trina Robinson (Tabyana Ali) sings a lullaby to baby Dez, that went into a montage to close out the episode as her father Curtis Ashford (Donnell Turner) reports to Pentonville and winds up in his jail cell.
However, in a fun fact, the song entitled, “A Lonely Heart To Give” was actually written by none other than former One Life to Live and General Hospital actor, Patrick J. Gibbons.
Daytime fans first met Gibbons as Sam Manning on One Life to Live. At the time, when he started on the soap, he was just 5-years-old. Gibbons played the part from 2010-2013 on ABC and Prospect Park’s editions of the show. Fast-forward to 2018, Gibbons shows up on General Hospital as Wyatt Hoover, the scout who seemed always be injured, but in the thick of the drama. Patrick had appeared on GH multiple times as Wyatt including: 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023.
Photo: ABC
FROM HIS GRANDMOTHER’S DEATH CAME THE INSPIRATION FOR HIS SONG
Now in 2026, General Hospital fans are getting to learn about another side of Gibbons’ talent as a songwriter and guitar player after “A Lonely Heart to Give” debuted today! Michael Fairman TV caught up with Patrick, who is now a senior at Penn State entering his final year as a finance major, to get the back-story of how his song wound up on GH!
Gibbons explained he wrote the song in honor of his grandmother who passed away a few years ago with whom he was, very, very close with. “Randomly, my grandmother had a downfall and passed away during the second semester of my sophomore year. I was in my dorm a lot and I was just playing with my guitar. And at the time, I was really into finger-style playing. I wrote the lyric and music to it (with a little help from my guitar teacher Lou), and my mom showed the rough demo to Frank Valentini (EP, General Hospital). He’s like an uncle to me. Frank loved it so much he said, “Finish that up. I want to hear the whole thing, and I want it on the show.”
MAKING MUSIC FOR GENERAL HOSPITAL
Gibbons and his parents took the next steps! “So now, all we needed was a female voice, because I thought that would fit the song well,” Patrick shared. “At the golf club we go to my parents were at a dinner. They liked the singer that was performing and spoke to her about the song, and she says she would like to bring it to her ‘boss’ who ended up being Eric Bazilian of the Hooters fame!” (Bazilian also wrote the smash hit song “One of Us” for Joan Osborne).
Next, “We went in the studio and recorded it and the song came together and it was beautiful. We loved it. They loved it at General Hospital and now they’re putting it the show and they are coming in with a piano, instead of a guitar. Paul Glass, the GH musical director, has been keeping us updated over the last six months of how it was coming along, and when it would air, and how GH put their own arrangement to it. I can’t wait to see and hear what they did with it.”
Photo: JPI
PATRICK’S ONE LIFE TO LIVE FAMILY
Everyone knows that the One Life to Live extended family share a very tight bond, and Patrick said he does stay in touch with a few of his former One Life to Live co-stars, especially those from the Manning family! “I stayed in touch with Kassie DePaiva (ex-Blair) and sent her little videos here and there. She was like my second mom for five years. We keep in contact with Kristen Alderson (ex-Starr) over X the most, and she can’t believe how big I’ve gotten. Like, none of them can! (laughs). I also loved working with Roger Howarth (ex-Todd) and Trevor St. John (ex-Todd and Victor Jr.), and to me since I was so young, they were just my friends, ‘Roger and Trevor,’ not Todd Manning or Victor Jr.”
It was a trip to California and a visit to Port Charles that ultimately led to Gibbons second soap role of Wyatt Hoover. Patrick explains, “In 2016, Frank Valentini invited us out to Los Angeles to visit the set of General Hospital. I think he heard me say, ‘This is so much fun. I miss being on the set.’ He goes, ‘You should come out. I’ll bring you on the show. We can make you a character.'”
A few years later, Patrick’s dream became a reality! “Then, by the summer of 2018, I was playing Wyatt, the scout, and shared scenes with Wes Ramsey (Peter August), and the best was when I shared a scene with Roger Howarth and Michael Easton (ex-John, OLTL and ex-Silas, Finn et al, GH), it was like chemistry from the old days.”
Photo: PGibbons
IT’S ALL IN THE NUMBERS
As to his future aspirations, it’s a career in the finance game that has piqued Gibbons’ real-life interest. But never say never to a return to acting. Patrick explained, “I’ve always enjoyed numbers. And on top of that, one of the biggest parts of finance is being personable and outgoing.”
He continued, “That’s one of the greatest skills I developed growing up. I really love the markets. I’m super interested. I’m never going to close the door to acting. I’m always open to that because I just love it so much. It’s such a great art.”
Take note! If there are any investment bankers or private equity folks among the GH faithful looking for a young analyst next year, Patrickās DMs are open. You can find him on X at @PatrickJGibbons.ā
So, what did you think of the song sung by Trina on today’s GH that was written by Patrick J. Gibbons? Did you enjoy Patrick’s performances as One Life’s Sam and GH’s Wyatt? Would you like to see him back on GH at some point? Let us know via the comment section.
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Shares He Was ‘Happy to Hear’ of The Triangle Storyline Developing Between Dante/Elizabeth/Ric
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Preview: Kelly Sullivan Debuts as Dylan’s Mom; Suspicion is Raised About Carter and Steffy
‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Mike Manning Lands Role in Indie Horror Feature ‘Deify’
GH and OLTL Alum Patrick J. Gibbons Reveals the Story Behind Writing Trinaās Song on ‘General Hospital’ (Exclusive)
‘Guiding Light’s’ Grant Aleksander Shares Heartfelt Remembrance of TV Daughter, Hayden Panettiere On What Would Have Been Her 37th Birthday
‘General Hospital’s’ Maurice Benard Talks: New ‘Sonny’ Storyline, His Contract, and Three Characters He Would Want to See Back in Port Charles
How John Oliver’s ‘Days of Our Lives’ Guest Star Turn as ‘Devlin St. John’ Came to an End
‘Veronica & Julian’ Feature Starring ‘Days of Our Lives’ Alums Nadia Bjorlin and Kyler Pettis Releases Key Art and More (Exclusive)
John Oliver Recaps His ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘General Hospital’ Soap Opera Experience on ‘Last Week Tonight’
‘General Hospital’ Alum Bryan Craig Cast in ‘The Weapon’
‘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
THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy and Carter Get Lame Excuses From Their Spouses, and Try to Shake Off Their Night Together
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