Why Has Y&R Been #1? Y&R Wish List
The Young And The Restless debuted during the 1972-1973 season in 17th position with a 5.0 household rating. By the 1987-1988 season, it had tied the television phenomenon General Hospital for 1st place with an 8.1 household rating. The following season, it become the highest rated daytime serial in households & among viewers. Y&R has since remained in the #1 position in both categories. What has been the key to THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS being America's most watched daytime drama for nearly 20 years?

Possible Reasons
1. Time Slot (11am Mountain/Pacific, 11:30 Central, 12:30 Eastern)
2. Appeal to all demographic groups (12-17, 18-49, 50+, Men)
3. Appeal to Black people
4. Storylines/Writing
5. Acting
6. Production values
7. Critical acclaim/buzz (reviews, awards, mainstream media attention)
8. Maintained identity
9. Lack of copycats
10. The Price Is Right as lead-in support
11. Lack of competition
12. Long-term vision in place
13. Balance among cast
14. Lack of interference from outside forces
15. Luck

Answer: The main reasons are #2-8, #11-14

Will Y&R ever fall out of the top spot? Not unless they disregard reasons 2-8 & 11-14.

Y&R Wish List
Writing Team: Head Writer: Lynn Marie Latham; Co-Head Writer: ?????; Associate Head Writers: Miriam Trogdon, Josh Reims, Paula Cwikly, Natalie Minardi Slater, Janice Ferri Esser, Scott Hamner; Breakdown Writers: Kola Boof, Dana Baratta, Jeffrey Bell, Patty Lin, James Stanley, Sara A. Bibel, Lynsey Dufour, Chris Abbott, Diane Messina Stanley, Joan Binder Weiss; Script Writers: Josh Griffith, Eric Freiwald, Sibyl Gardner, Vanessa Taylor, David Schulner, Michael Berns, Cherie Bennett, Jeff Gottesfeld, Sandra Weintraub, Linda Schreiber, Joshua S. McCaffrey, Kola Boof, Sara A. Bibel; Script Supervisor: Marina Alburger; Story Coordinator: Michael Montgomery; Story/Script Editor: ?????; Story Consultant: Natalie Y. Moore, Algernon Austin, Alfonso H. Moreno, Valerie Woods or Shaun Cassidy; Creative Consultant: Nancy Bradley Wiard or Matt Reeves; Writer's Assistant: Corey Marsh

Producing Team: John Fisher, Josh O'Connell, Matthew J. Olson, Josh Griffith, Peter Frisch

Executive Producer: 1st Choice: Edward J. Scott; 2nd Choice: Lynn Marie Latham; 3rd Choice: David Shaughnessy

Directing Team: Grant A. Johnson, Mike Denney, Noel Maxam, Sally McDonald, Andrew Lee, Dean LaMont, Tony Morina