Members YRBB Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 OK, so I have got to thinking about the ever popular and infamous "Victor's Sperm" Storyline that went on for years and years on Y&R. Many people ridicule this S/L (as if there aren't worse ones) but I don't think they're right. Surely, the premise can sound really laughable, but, whoever watched the show for years and watched the story unravel and evolve, would definitely think that it was very well done, no? Obviously, people's opinions are respected, but those who actually watched it whole, what did you think? Sure, the whole sperm-chasing thing was funny, but the way it was set up and carried was classic soap. I loved how the story was set: Jack gets a scare of testicular cancer, so he deposits sperm in case he wants to have kids later on. Meanwhile, Victor receives a letter from the lab, telling him that the sperm he deposited before his vasectomy (in case he wanted to have another kid) would be destroyed, unless Victor wanted it otherwise. Diane, who was at the time living in the penthouse, found out about this and decided to have Victor's child (insert short laugh). She took the sperm (pretending to still be Mrs. Newman), bought this freezer and kept the sperm in the penthouse because she wanted to impregnate herself. Nikki snooped around the office that Diane kept the sperm and found the freezer. Victor found out his sperm was missing from the lab and went ballistic. While all this was going on, Jack treated Ashley with a Christmas cruise. Shock of shocks, Ashley had a 6 hour waiting period between her flight and the cruise, but, for some reason, didn't mind it. Ashley went on a cruise and she came back pregnant. She wouldn't tell anyone who the father of the baby was, explained it was a one-night-stand and decided to keep the baby. Anyways, Diane got pregnant and all and she told Victor that the baby was his. Furious, Victor waited until Kyle was born to take a paternity test, which shockingly revealed to him that he wasn't the father (and even more so to Diane). Victor ran Diane out of town. But not before Diane accused Nikki of switching the samples and they got into the fabulous "Sperm Catfight." When Diane returned, the shocker was revealed: Jack was Kyle's father (I knew that for 2 years, even since that episode ended with Victor's sample and, underneath it, Jack's). But, what I couldn't have foreseen is that Ashley took the sperm! I don't remember how she found out. And I'm not too sure I liked it that she did. But, wasn't it so awesome? If any other soap did this S/L, it would have been hideous. But, Y&R managed to perfectly balance the craziness of the plot with the stellar writing. What do you guys think? Am I just crazy? lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 I totally hated this storyline and it got the ball rolling on Ashley's character destruction. This storyline is the one Kay Alden is most ridiculed for, and rightfully so. I hated the way it portrayed strong women like Diane, Ashley, and Nikki as nothing more than insecure tramps. UGH! Alden apparently had a bad hard-on for Eric Braden and this story was definitely testimony to that. Though, given what Latham's been dishing out this past year, it certainly looks like a golden moment in Y&R's history. Oh and Alex Donnelley needs to come back as Diane! She's fierce! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DaytimeFan Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 I'm glad YRBB posted because I agree, I actually liked the storyline too. And yes, it was one of the more "oh no they didn't!" moments on Y&R but I think had Kay Alden been allowed to follow through with the storyline as she wanted it would have been fabulous. What a lot of people don't realize is that Ed Scott pushed for Alex Donnelly's dismissal which is why the story ended so oddly. Additionally, the 'Sperm' storyline wrapped up in 2001, Jack Smith became Co-HW in 2002 and he just ignored it, shafted Eileen Davidson for quite some time and pitted Diane (now played by the lovely Susan Walters) against Phyllis. When Eileen Davidson was fired by LML she noted in her exit interview in TV Guide that she liked the 'Sperm' storyline and thought, like I did and still do, that Kay Alden had a greater plan in mind for that storyline and that it would have opened up other avenues for Nikki and Ashley and Victor (a triangle Alden obviously loved). Finally, even if people hated the storyline, one must admit that the 'Sperm Catfight' was FANTASTIC (http://youtube.com/watch?v=98de6devaO8)...Alex Donnelly ruled, I miss that growling voice of hers. She really should come back, she looks better than ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TC Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 Good points YRBB. But on a personal level I can't get past thinking of how yucky Victor's semen would be. (and how he'd moan making it) just... EWWWWWWW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 I know by 2000-2001 Alden and Ed Scott couldn't stand one another, which could've contributed to the uneven quality at the time. I had no idea he was the one behind Alex Donnelly's firing, I always thought that was made by CBS/Sony. UGH! I miss her! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NeoAngelicLiz Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 OMFG...NO YOU DIDN"T! LMAO! I'll never look at EB the same way again... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 Amen. Alden & Scott disagreed about a lot toward the end. TPTB wanted Alex gone cause they felt she was "too old", plus they also wanted to de-age the character & actress to be a doormat for Phyllis/MS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sheilaforever Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 This storyline was totally degrading to all woman involved. These were actually all core woman on Y&R except Victoria and Jill. LOL! That said, it made great moments and was a HUGE umbrella-story what Bill Bell and Kay Alden - who has to keep this story as her vice because most people pin her down to this one story - were/are masters at. It was by not my favorite storyline, I disliked it a lot at times but overall it paid off its dues and left me ambiguant. And comparing this story to anything on Y&R these days has it look like gold dust... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angel Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 I remember reading about this story on Soap Opera Weekly when I was in 8th grade and being weirded out by it. But I loved the cat fight that DaytimeFan provided the link for. I would love the recreate that scene except without the sperm references, lol. Cat fights are fun! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 Nikki and Diane has two other catfights, I believe. The other famous one was at Gina's, where Brad had to break them up. Youtube has it, but it's in French. Stafford was so lucky Walters was in the role of Diane when they fired Donnelly. Donnelly's Diane would've roasted Phyllis! Here's the French catfight at Gina's, but it isn't as long as the one at Jabot. "> " type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" width="425" height="350"> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 She did. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Y&RWorldTurner Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 ^Wasn't Donnelly fired by the time they started the whole Phyllis/Diane thing or was it in Donnelly's final stages on the show? I never thought Susan Walters quite understood how to play Diane, she wasn't as good as Alex, that was for sure. I'll never understand why they wanted to de-age the character, when Donnelly had been playing her since 1986, what a stupid move. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members angel Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 AWESOME!!! I posted some catfights on VideoBash Yeah I love Alex as Diane. They just wanted to de-age her. Diane (played by Alex) can catfight her way out of a paper bag. Didn't AMC did the sperm storyline first? I remember saying sperm in a cup to my mom during that story and she yelled at me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members YRBB Posted October 5, 2007 Author Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 Yes, I remember that catfight, such great fun! Well, from what I remember, the big vendetta between Phyllis and Diane started when Susan Walters joined the show. I liked Susan Walters, it's not as if she wasn't good, but I always wondered what miracles Alex Donelly could have done if she were in her place. I didn't know they wanted to de-age the character, what a weird and stupid move for Y&R. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DeeeDee Posted October 5, 2007 Members Share Posted October 5, 2007 Nope. They hated each other LONG before that. Sue Walters is/was to Diane what Brenda Epperson is/was to Ashley. More like since 82. Eh, no. It began way before that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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