Y&R: Should LML Stay Or Go?

[R Sinclair]

My heavens! That's like... like... the William Morris of literary representation!

[heatherwebber]

Well it does seem extreme doing deaths like that back to back.

The acting & emotional content dealing with the deaths has been superb.

I'm not sure I like or hate the plane crash though. I'd say it's just there.

I did like the much-hated reliquary story. I enjoyed all of it even if it did have stops & starts. I enjoy intrique and international espionage storylines harking back to when GH was great (before it became a morally-challenged mob mess of men running around with guns and threatening people every 2 minutes.)

I didn't care a lot when Carmen got killed because I never liked Carmen much. But I did find the story itself interesting and didn't figure out the mystery as I usually do on most soaps (even from the best writers like Pat Falken Smith.)

And unlike many posters I love Amber and think she brings a certain peppiness and zest into the show. I love her chemistry with Daniel. I hope if she comes back that they explore that.

So I've had little to complain about unlike just about every other soap on the air.

But clearly a lot of viewers have problems. I just don't grasp exactly what they don't like because what they're posting is not what I'm seeing. I'm very interested in figuring out just what is upsetting them all.

[heatherwebber]

I don't think Kay will return soon. Isn't her contract with ABC for consulting tying her to them for a certain time? Maybe not. I don't know.

[Sylph]

A jaw dropping fact, isn't it? And she has not one, but three agents. A funny person she is...

And Kay Alden is repped by a lovely boutique agency on the East Coast. Still, they made fantastic deals for her. 

And when you're mentioning William Morris... Do you know who's one of their clients? Darren Star.

[Sylph]

Yes, well, you know, it's nice to know other people's opinions, but you should stick to your own. At least in this casee. If you like what you see, then just enjoy the ride and don't worry. De gustibus non disputandum est.

[Sylph]

Here's a quote for you Heather from a Usenet group:

[skiman12082004]

I love LML. For the first time in years I am consistently watching Y&R. I always thought the show was boring, but under LML I can't seem to get enough. As for the two deaths back to back, that happens in real life all the time. I'm loving the show right now. So I hope she stays!

[heatherwebber]

Thanks Sylph. I agree Y&R has a faster pace but I don't see any other comparisons.

I watched the ABC shows for years. They all stink horribly now.

The main trouble besides bad writing is the darkness. They're all nasty & almost sick in the darkness. It's not just the morals turned upside down on GH, but both of the other shows seem to revel in getting nasty & dirty.

But I still don't see anything similar from ABC to Y&R. Maybe the ABC of old before this version of ABC took hold. But not the ABC of now.

I see integrity & vision on Y&R just a faster pacing. Despite some starts & stops in the stories I still find most of them interesting and well constructed. But that's me. Obviously others don't agree.

[PJA]

Y&R is nothing like the other soaps on the air...it has it's own identity and even with some the changes that LML has implemented, it still has it's own identity. The main difference is that the show is faster paced but it still has the same type of storylines it always had. The problems that I have with the show are probably problems that will be there no matter who wrote the show (characters I hate and not enjoying every single storyline.)

[DavidsMuse]

That's what I'm going to do! Since I don't have the longtime Y&R viewers' complaints (the show I ran away from in horror after 30+ years was AMC), I really do want to enjoy the ride! I started watching Y&R two years ago with Cassie's death, and while I do agree that LML's storytelling is very different from KA/JS, I like what I've seen/am seeing regardless. Especially compared to the vapid black hole that is AMC, Y&R is overall still the best!

[Sylph]

Well, I'm sad to inform you, LML is staying, since AMC doesn't stand a chance now that Jim and Babs are taking over. But maybe, just maybe...

[Sylph]

I posted this in new head writers thread:

From SoapCentral.com:

[dm.]

It's true... LML has delivered some good storylines... I loved Jana and everything connected to her. She should return as soon as possible to boost the show. She is an amazing character. Also, I loved Michelle Stafford as Sheila. Dru's "death" had to be done due to Victoria Rowell's quitting. And the newest thing is Nick's plane going down. It seems like LML had a huge storyline every few months and it's a good thing. Still, people complain about her writing because they think she's writing stories and then just puts them aside in the next episode (primetime). Still, LML didn't do anything bad on the show yet. We'll have to wait and see.

[sheilaforever]

Excuse me!?

- Killing of John Abbott - to use him as ghost!?

- the Reliquary mess with Brad's thigs to kill!?

- the who-whores around-the-hardest-contest among Nick/Phyllis/Sharon/Bradf/Victoria et al.

- "Pheila"

- having Dru gone off a cliff and forgotten the day after

And that's just the short list of huge storyline stinkers...

[dm.]

Neil grieves for awhile. Phyllis did good as Sheila (if you ask me). The reliquary thing wasn't that bad. All these storylines seem to be a primetime material. I guess you could say LML is experimenting. There are always good sides and bad sides. Some people like her writing, some don't. If CBS doesn't like her, they'll fire her. But I guess they don't have anything against her. Time will tell. If she screws up more stuff (like you claim), then maybe.