Ledger Pop Journal - Celebrity News & Sports

Yeah, the writers strike is over. Good news for folks who watch prime time television. Almost a yawn for fans of soaps. Daytime drama went on week after week forwarding stories, hiring and firing actors and even axing the entire "Days of Our Lives" writing staff. For soaps, it was high drama as usual. How did they pull it off? Most daytime drama series had new scripts well in advance of the strike.

Writers Strike and Soaps: Cleaning Up the Mess

Once those scripts were depleted, network executives stepped in to help write new material. Several writers invoked a financial hardship clause in their union membership in order to return to work. The financial core, or "fi-core," allowed these writers to remain on the job while still maintaining their WGA membership. Other soaps kept on track by using "scab" writers -- non-union members or union members crossing the picket lines. The strike cost Los Angeles nearly $3.2 billion in direct and indirect costs, according to a New York Times interview with Jack Kyser, chief economist of the Los Angeles County Economic Development Corporation.


It is doubtful that "Young and Restless'" Lynn Latham will keep her job as head writer and executive producer. Since she joined the show last year, fans have complained that the stories are boring. Many story lines that she started faded away without endings. Gloria getting away with everything has irritated viewers. Niki wanting to turn off Victoria's life support so her daughter's baby could survive had viewers screaming, "Niki would never do that." And let's not get into the reliquary story line that still has lots of folks saying "huh?"

Dr. Herman Fishbein of the University of Miami Center for Autism is horrified that Victor's epileptic medication caused him seizures. According to the doctor, "Stories like that can make, do make patients leery of taking needed treatment. I had one patient saying she was going to stop her Dilantin -- which was working well for her epilepsy -- because of what it did to Victor. After some probing, she said Victor was a character on 'Young and Restless.' I understand drama, but I do not understand being irresponsible."

The folks at "Young and Restless" had no comment about Latham's status at the show.