The Young and the Restless

The Young and the Restless (commonly abbreviated to Y&R) is an American soap opera that takes place in Genoa City, Wisconsin (named after a vacation spot that series creators William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell visited annually). It first debuted on the CBS television network on March 26, 1973, replacing Where the Heart Is (soap opera) and Love is a Many Splendored Thing. Y&R has aired over eight thousand episodes.

Production and writing

The key to the show winning the ratings week after week is due in part to the tight-knit writing and production staff. For the most part, the writers and producers of the show have stayed unchanged since the 1980s, with the only high-profile departure being William J. Bell himself, who retired from writing the program in 1998 after twenty-five years — although Bell stayed closely involved with the series, serving as executive producer and story consultant until his death in 2005.

Related Topics:
1998 - 2005

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The writers, in turn, have involved the same fan favorite characters (with few exceptions) in the storylines du jour. These long-term characters, in most cases, have been played by the same actor since their introduction, allowing viewers to invest not only in character but actor, as well. Even actors that took over long term roles from their original portrayers have managed to carve their own niche in the roles (notably Jess Walton, Peter Bergman and Susan Walters).

Related Topics:
Jess Walton - Peter Bergman - Susan Walters

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The writers of the show found their niche in the stories surrounding the Newman Enterprises and Jabot Cosmetics conglomerates, and focused on the problems in the relationships stemming from the business deals and love lives of its principal members. The show was twice nominated for a WGA Award for best written daytime serial and won it once, in 2003.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~