Y&R: Is It The Breakdowns?

[MarkH]

Well, I'm glad you said this (scripts and even stories seem okay)...because I tried to watch today's show with a jaundiced eye, but I found much to enjoy.

I like the idea that Gloria will buy Chancellor/Jabot stock, and might even work with Jack

I like the Nick-Jack rivalry, and I like that Nick (with his mother's help) gave Jack a little taste of his own medicine today

I like the buildup of Sabrina's ex-boyfriend mystery

I like Victor being Victor, and beginning to intervene in the Chow mystery

I like that Chloe is being a big old trouble causer, although I hope her story is not as predictable as it presently seems

I like that Amber is now doing her own little version of "Crime and Punishment", where her self-sabotaging guilt is gonna wreck her relationship with Daniel

I like that Phyllis and Amber are going to begin a rivalry/battle of the bitches...that could be good

I like that Vincent Irizarry's David FINALLY has a soul...tortured...moist eyes... Now I find him compelling (David we hardly knew ya!)

With all those entertaining elements, it gets me through the episode with a smile on my face.

Of course there are huge problems we have to deal with. Few stories are moving forward with much momentum (but I like that we're finally seeing careful Bell-like setups again, including the slow setup of Sabrina, Chloe, Amber's tales). I also like, structurally, that it is the young women driving story. Bill Bell always understood that was the recipe for good soap. Indeed, his quote (paraphrased from memory in Bill and Susan Hayes' autobiography) was something like "the heat off a young woman's brow" can drive soap stories for years.

It was so terrific to see Victor again be Victor...his manifestation of "tenderness" is to worry about his loved ones and worry begets control. But so far he was right about Nick (Nick IS being fleeced by Jack!) and he was right about Nikki (she IS being fleeced by David!). Thus, much as we hate it, the fact that Victor is *right* is part of his charm.

I guess that is why I hope HE is being fleeced by Sabrina

[Y&RWorldTurner]

The Restless Style crap needs to end, and we need Jack, Phyllis, Sharon, and Nick in seperate stories of their own, and each couple needs major conflict and to be broken up. Y&R has way too many mismatched couples at the moment, and Maria Arena Bell doesn't seem too fond of breaking any couple up.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Oh also, I think a better experienced and equipped Executive Producer can and will benefit Y&R's writing and execution. I've been saying this for a while, I hope the speculation that Josh Griffith is out isn't false, he's a major problem at that show. He has no producing experience and I feel that he's pushing a certain agenda at the show and favours certain characters and couples. Y&R needs a real Executive Producer again, someone who can help better the storyline executions, which seem to be lacking at the moment.

[DeeeDee]

Amen.

[PJA]

I think the show is much better becuase the storylines are actually moving forward. I place the blame on MAB since she is ultimately the headwriter, and she's the one who waited a whole two months to move stories forward.

[JackPeyton]

is Y&R perfect? no.

is it better than it has been ina few years? yes.

is it getting better and actually starting to go soemwhere? yes.

this show has been hacked away at for what? 2-3 years? its gonna take at least 1 to get back to almost its old self, and we are what? 6 months or so into MAB hw stint and she has done wonders, i am willing to give her more time because the progress she has made is amazing.

[MarkH]

Well, I'll take a more cautious perspective. MAB and JG have brought back some of the feel and character of the show. Key examples: Victor is Victor again (although he held on pretty well except for the epilepsy, which I liked), Jill is Jill again, and Paul is Paul again. These are all good things.

It sounds like we're heading toward a production style (e.g., longer scenes) that are closer to the show's identity. I am also impressed that the writers are now visibly SETTING UP short- and long-term story, which is a kind of planning that was long absent from the show.

But the show still has so much to accomplish. The lack of momentum and *drama* between, say, February and July 2008 doesn't befit a great storyteller. The addition of Sheffer brings some hope, if only his track record weren't so spotty. (But, on the other hand, he has something to prove now...so maybe that will motivate him for consistent greatness).

So, JP, taking your words and making them a bit more dire: I think this team has--at best--another half a year to prove themselves. Moreover, I don't know if ANYTHING is going to repair that recent 0.5 ratings hemorrhage. Maybe nothing could have prevented that (the whole genre fell, and the TPIR lead-in is falling)...but I can't shake the feeling that the lack of excitement in the last six months also did some of the damage.

[DeeeDee]

Bingo.

[DaytimeFan]

Co-sign that one.

PS: Is that Pam Grier?

[Queen]

I'm a tad perplexed to see people constantly saying Victor is Victor again(it's not just on this board). I'm trying to remember when he stopped being Victor. He never went through a radical change the way Phyllis has. Or Jill.

[MTSRocks]

^^^LoL, agreed. The only change Victor has had is that once again his airtime has increased! And heyyyyyyy isn't this the time of the year that EB goes on his annual 2-3 weeks vacation? What gives.

[DeeeDee]

Yep

[juppiter]

In a way, isn't this a sign of the old? Y&R until Latham was the most conservative soap out there... very reluctant to do anything major, which is why it was often described as being solid, classy, and entertaining, but boring at the same time. Smith was considered a radical writer; he was the first attempt at stirring the pot to modernize Y&R. The lack of quick fixes to Latham's problems may be a blessing in disguise, as shows like DAYS and AMC have suffered musical head writers all wanting their own vision to prevail.

[lmfan]

New poster, but long time lurker. I think Y & R is showing some improvement but we are getting way too much Newmans and Gloria. I know the Newmans are a staple of the show but do we need to see them every day? As far as Judith Chapman as Gloria, she is talented but I hate the way they are catering to Gloria and Judith at the cost of talented actors in Christian Le Blanc, Tracey Bregman and to a lesser extent Greg Rikkhart. CLB and TEB have proven time and time agin that they can deliever, and I know how people love to throw up CLB's hamminess but when given good writing Christian has and can be fantastic. But he has been given little to nothing to do for two years. He is less than a supporting player nowadays. Every single episode Michael and Lauren have been in this year has been about or effected by Gloria in some way. Then they finally hint at a story for Michael looking for his father, give it three or four episodes of very short scenes and then backburn it and Lauren and Michael again. I don't get why they put no effort into Michael and Lauren. The writing for Jill, Paul, and even Katherine has improved but nothing for Likey.

[dm.]

I agree. If anything, MAB seems to be fond of putting more couples together... and then trying to threaten their relationship with either weird or useless little things that only make the couple stronger.

I sooooo want to see Phyllis/Nick, Jack/Sharon, Jana/Kevin, Sabrina/Victor and Nikki/David broken up...