Behind The Scenes At CBS-TV City ‘The Young And The Restless’ Takeover, And Where Sony And Farren Phelps Plan On Taking Your Soap, Highlight Hollywood News
Just part of the misinformation that SONY Studios allowed to go out there in the twitter-verse about Emmy Award-winning show runner Maria Arena Bell, was that she fired actress Eileen Davidson. Davidson now admits, “My initial tweet about being fired wasn’t true.” Not that Davidson was being dishonest, she was not. Eileen is a very professional actress and an incredible superb and beautiful actress. But she was being traded, because “Days of Our Lives” wanted to use her on a front-burner storyline, while Maria Bell, had other plans for “Y&R” for the next several months. Fans have wrongly lambasted Maria, but time will heal the wounds, and more importantly, the truth is slipping out day by day, thanks to at least one source of ours at Sony, that admits to us, that the studio’s honchos were willing to throw Maria to the wolves, or the fans, and try to come out smelling like a rose.
The problem however for Sony is in hiring Jill Farren Phelps as the new show runner for “The Young and the Restless.” Even more so than previous show runner Lynn Marie Latham, Phelps has a long list of failures under her belt, and a long list of burning the fans, who wanted to give her a chance. That won’t happen this time around. When Jill Farren Phelps tells the media a crock of lies, that she has no intentions of firing the vets on “Y&R” and placing them on the back burner. Fans are smart enough not to take this woman at her word, and even more intelligent enough to know that time proves she never keeps her promises to fans, and only kills off beloved iconic heroines and characters on the show. She virtually ruined “One Life To Live,” which is canceled. She worked for “Santa Barbara,” which was canceled. She ignored fans’ outcries on both “Another World,” when she killed Frankie Frame and again on “Guiding Light” when she killed the Bauer matriarch Maureen. 
Phelps has serious issues with keeping her word as a show runner. And her virtual destruction of “General Hospital,” has been saved by the current show runner, who is doing a magnificent job turning it back into a continuing drama and not “Shootout at the OK Corral,” which is what Phelps turned it into. She is a disastrous choice for William J. Bell’s “Y&R.” And as much as I miss Bill, I’m actually glad he’s not here to see the end of his show, and that’s where it’s headed under the steam of one of the most prolific show-destroyers in TV history. How Sony thinks this is going to affect the show in a positive way is far beyond anyone’s comprehension.
Lets see where Jill Farren Phelps took “General Hospital.” It’s the fourth rated of the four soaps, its ratings were not only down, but so were the key demographics. She was hated by viewers of “GH” for turning the show into the “Mafia” hour! At least two actors on “Y&R” were let go by her. Emmy Award-nominated actress Genie Francis, Genevieve on “Y&R” once was Laura Spencer on “GH.” Yes, that Laura, the one who once made the cover of Newsweek Magazine, when it was the Luke and Laura wedding. She let her go! And Stephen Nichols, who portrays Tucker McCall on “Y&R,” and on “GH” was Stefan Cassadine.
Compare that record to Maria Bell’s. And I am not talking about a few storylines fans now say they hated. There have been storylines on every soap including the iconic nighttime soaps of the 1980s “Dallas” and “Dynasty” that fans hated. Who loved Alexis for intentionally causing Krystle’s miscarriage? Who loved J.R. for calling Sue Ellen a slut every week? That’s what soaps are all about. Giving us turmoil, even things we hate, so that when we come out of that tunnel, we root for our favorites again. But what has Jill Farren Phelps given you lately? Or at any time that you could say you loved?
Sony’s arrogant handling of things speaks volumes. And lets see if Jill Farren Phelps will achieve these business goals in her (hopefully) very short tenure as “Y&R’s” show-runner, with Head Writer, twice released from his duties, Josh Griffith by her side.
Maria Bell led the show for five years, with highest margin of lead (in the ratings)at number one in the show’s history. Maria also won every demo more often than any other show runner in “Y&R” history. As show runner, Bell also led her team to a Writers Guild of America-win and an Emmy-win for writing. The show was on or below the production budget for the year.
Maria also had a history of successful compelling storytelling with core characters. And whether you argue these storylines you loved or not. You love your favorites, we all love the core characters. Now Sony has given Ms. Phelps the direction, she willingly is ready to go in, to gut and tear out our favorites for the hot guys running around without their shirt-look in Genoa City. Sure, we can enjoy that eye-candy but so long. What about stories? She offered so few at “GH.” The show turned only into the Sonny-Mafia hour. Can you now imagine every character becoming mired in physical violence? That’s her style. Gun violence is her forte!
And her head writer, Mr. Griffith has a long history at “Y&R.” Twice he failed, with very boring storylines and our Sony source already admits, “He’s not a leader. We don’t know how he’s going to lead his team. But one thing is for sure. Jill Farren Phelps is the executioner of many of the show’s favorites. That’s why she’s there and Maria Bell is gone. Maybe she should have played ball, and just cut some of the old guard go,” concluded a source who spoke with Highlight Hollywood.
I intend to watch the show for a while. It’s my job. But I know Ms. Jill Farren Phelps’s style, and what she’s known for. Sayonara, “Y&R.” The butcher of daytime TV is now in charge of the most popular and successful American soap in our nation’s history. Jill Farren Phelps, on keeping her word? Two words explain it all. Anna Lee!
Photographs are Courtesy: Link 81 Collection
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12 Responses to Behind The Scenes At CBS-TV City ‘The Young And The Restless’ Takeover, And Where Sony And Farren Phelps Plan On Taking Your Soap, Highlight Hollywood News
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I know for a fact that Maria DID NOT fire Eillen Davidson….I saw her first tweet..and yeah, I did look like Maria had pulled the plug…BUT Ms. Davidson had a 2nd tweet that explained it all…read it in the above story. Jill Phelps is a known butcher. She moves in with a meat cleaver when she takes over. She will bide her time before she starts letting the ax fall…This is what Sony hired her for. BTW…Sony’s T.V. line fell 17% this quarter. They should repair the hole in that dam, before letting the hatchet lady lose on American’s #1 Soap.
I’m losing interest and desire to watch Y&R very quickly as this story unfolds. The false accusations of Maria Arena Bell being responsible for letting Eileen Davidson go on the show, thus leading to an ugly campaign of irate fans blaming Maria too. It was SONY all along that is responsible for this train wreck of letting Maria go and hiring Failing Feren Phelps!! I’m certain this decision by Sony will ultimately lead to the death of my fav Soap.
Being a DOOL fan as well, I know that I can see Eileen in a continuing story that goes on with EJ. However, that role will be shortlived as the one or two characters she plays can not go on for a long time.. and to be brutally honest, I could not stand that storyline! My apology to ED is she reads this. I’m a big fan of Eileen Davidson… I just hated the storyline and characters she played on DOOL. So now I’m stuck with impending doom on Y&R and a ridiculous storyline on DOOL. So I’m getting doubly whammed by Sony on both my shows.
So called Brainiac Executives at Sony… your decision in layman’s term SUCK and those of us with brains know why you chose to do this. Taking a proven successful Executive as Maria, kicking her to the curb and hiring the infamous Soap killer, JFP, makes absolutely no sense! I know you want the “Veteran” talent out, they make too much money…. and bringing in much younger “unproven” talent who you can contract for a fraction of the cost. Ratings will go down; Media Buyers will want less advertising on your show; LONG time fans of Y&R will get disgusted with JFP’s storylines;.. thus, losing far more money, which you deserve, in the long run. Board members and stock holders will be pissed off and hopefully demand to kick your butts to the curb!
I had a hard time with this commentary. Mostly because it paints Maria Bell as the cat’s meow. First off the show may be number one but under her leadership the show hit historic lows on may occasions. The last 12 months being the worst. Also year to year Y&R lost viewers (sometimes 600,000-700,000 from the year before) while soaps like OLTL and B&B showed the opposite. I don’t know how anyone can say that was a successful run? Jeanne Cooper has been giving interviews this past week for her new book and herself admitted that Maria was absent from the set and agreed the show ultimately suffered. She said the show became about ideas and not about stories which I completely agree with. She refereed to the rapid aging of several characters over the last year as “Birth of A Nation”. If you have not listened to it please enlighten yourself and do so. I doubt Mrs. Cooper is the only one on that set who saw what was happening. Put quite simply Maria Bell was TOXIC for Y&R…as is that other vile writer Hogan Sheffer. I wish Maria all the best at MOCA. From what it sounds like she has been very good for that organization. She should stick to what she’s good at. Producing and writing not being one of them. This article gives the assumption that the show is about to be in trouble. News flash…the show HAS been in trouble for several years now. Frankly I’m not sure ANYONE can fix the horrible position Maria and her hacks put it in. At this point anything is better than nothing. JFP may not be the answer but Maria certainly wasn’t either. I think if Bill Bell were alive he would of fired her himself. She so badly went off track the vision he built Y&R on. Good riddance Maria!
I would love to have MAB on B&B. We are desperate on the show for a good writer. Bradley Bell is highly incompetent, dull and one sided, we are all stuck with the KKL/Logans/Bridge show for like 10 years, while other characters are fired for no reasons (ALL NO LOGANS of course}! Bell has a strain for bad decisions, one after another; he let Drew Tyler Bell go after he won an Emmy, and took Adam Gregory to replace him as Thomas Forrester, we still don’t know why. All the other characters are written to suit KKL/Bruk Logan show, Hunter Tylo has become her supporting actress and Ronn Moss only appears to enhance KKl/Bruk sl. I don’t know how on earth they could fire Anna Maria Bell, whilekeep somebody so biased on B&B, like Bradley Bell. We are all depressed because our characters get butchered in their personality every time Bell decides so,to bend them towards what he wants regardless of B&B fans and audience wishes! We have been BULLIED to watch this show has he pleases, stuck on hell triangle Liam/Hope Steffy we really hate for a yea, while the most gorgeous hottest couple ever on daytime (STILL >Steffy&Bill) have been broken off, for a couple horrible and boring and unattractive (Katie&Bill>KILL),just cuz HTom WANTS that! We don’t know what ‘s going on on B&B, but something funny for sure, all we know is that the only person who really deserve the boot is Bradley Bell; who instead of being professional he is busy to cater old vets and Emmy “whiners”! CBS should get their priorities straight, which means focus on > WHAT THE AUDIENCE WANTS! I really hope that CBS Studios will make this right for all of us, we deserve some consideration and respect after all those years we have been watching B&B!
i have endured just like all the STILL fans and STILLers, and the viewers that love STILL, the shame and disgrace of having to watch a show that took a wonderful and beautiful romance and two hot leading actors (bill & steffy) and deliberately murdered their characters and s/ls just to please certain people on the show, kkl,rm,htom. they are a disgrace to the viewing audience on how they want to monopolize the bnb. as long as i have been watching tv and the soaps, never in the history of tv period have i seen this type of show that is catered to three people and the logns. as a die -hard fan of STILL i will never give up on them ever. it hurts me to my heart that bell is heartless and cold and don’t care about the others actors and has no balance on the show. STILL IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING THAT WERE WRITTEN FOR bnb. and STILL is the only reason that i will ever come back to watching the bnb again. don’t get me started on how bell murdered tay. i love tay and i hurt for her too, just like my STILL.
I enjoyed B&B and mr.Ball writter but miss Steffy and Bill together
Can ANYONE fire please “Brookster” BELL???
I am a longtimeviewer and i don´t know, how many times in the last year, i did not watch, only on weekends per dvd-recorder,because of beeing aible to press the FF-button, cause otherwise i could not stand this oneside written KKL-LOgan-Hatie-show! I remember a scene were all three Loganwoman were laughing how great they are and for the first time i real want to hit my TV outside the window! Insted i pulled it off for the rest of the week!
More than over 3!!! Years i am waiting for this show going back to the roots and showing a balanced soap with good storylines, ALL actors include, with morals and with a feeling that viewers wishes are heared!
But no, BB is ignoring all other Fanbases when they are NOT LOGAN followers! Many Countries stopped buying BB and fans are fine with that, cause this show is real trashy now! Bell killed the best couples again and again only for making his personal heroine KKL in every single sl involved and serving RM & KKLs wish, to be the next matriarch couple on this show. (The fact that TRIDGE won so many polls, like STILL,too, send us NO-LOganfollowers only one signal: we are trash for bell and if we don´t like the sl´s he is fine with losing us as fanbase.
BELL mentioned often CBS is on his side, but hey: than CBS is okay with losing viewers to other channels, too! So for what watching longer??? I don´t eat this MORAL-sl´s that bell likes to send us, don´t drink, no pills, no texting while driving, but hey: be a whore (brooke) and liar (Hatie) and a cheater (Hope) and you get it all. Oh my gosh: RENAMED this show in “The Logan-Show” and hey: maybe this is a total new advertise for KKL, Hthom and RM…. After 3 years without new material STILL fans are celebrating their SuperCouple with selfmade old episode fanstuff (videos, pictures, ideas… go on the www, BELL!) What do you think will happen, when we fans get again this supercouple back? I BET, ratings will raise because this means DRAMA, baby, DRAMA!!!!
but instead of listen, bell is killing the show day by day… worthless to discuss a onesideshow….
i want my STILL back.
I believe the days of all the remaining soap operas are numbered. People are watching that reality crap TV and lots of people have stopped watching daytime soaps. I really hate it. Y & R has always been one of the best. However, lately story lines seem a little lame. I am really afraid for the new lady to be coming on board with her history. It won’t be long before we will be saying good-bye to the Y & R. I have been watching it off and on since the late 70′s/early 80′s. Will hate to see it go.
[Laurie, GREAT comment! Wish we had more like you! Please stay the same, don't change! Tell the truth, as you feel it and believe it, and doing it respectfully and with genuine class! Thanks, Editors]
I want the STILL storyline back and I don’t like it that B&B is repeating the old stories just with new and younger characters! The writing and the story lines are really poor. I love this show I am watching it since 18 years now I want it to get it is good quality back
Mr. Bell doesn’t care about B&B anymore and doesn’t take the viewers serious this is really sad. If he doesn’t want to do this job he should let some one else do it
as long as the stories will be dictated by the spoiled actors B&B will continue to suck. Bell is not able to create interesting textures and is literally insane because of the triangle. Batie are the pair most ridiculous and absurd of all the soaps, why they still exist? Perhaps only and exclusively because Heather Tom wants them, because there aren’t other explanations. B&B would be better with another creator and without certain actors who have mounted a bit ‘too much their head through undeserved awards. Give us back the pasison and the drama, we want Steffy and Bill together, is the public that continues the soap and the public wants STILL! The soap is sinking without them and thanks to certain actors and this absurd and obscene triangle