Y&R: Week of August 25, 2008

[Sylph]

This is totally in contradiction with a thing you said the other day — and I'm too lazy to search for a post — where you say the show started going downwards again.

[MarkH]

Leniency in all things IS NOT BAD. Second chances, paying attention to context, looking on the bright side. Sylph, where can I mail you some Elavil and Prozac? (This is just a joke...I love your dour tone, as it counterbalances my pie-in-the-sky)

This is so important. Y&R is doing the best it can with corporate interference. I do not understand why people personalize to HW or EP.

Leniency is okay. AND, there is no "one right answer" for ANYTHING. The Dobsons had moments of genius...and they were a team. More than one doesn't have to be a problem. Look at the team writing the primetime show Lost. I get the sense the team actually fuels each other.

Thank you Cashton. That is how I feel!

Yes, y&r_fan...you help remember the pain. For me, my disaffection for LML began with Pheila. It was cemented with the senate tale. I was okay with the body story...but who killed Plum? WE STILL DO NOT KNOW. They should tie that story to David Chow and be done with it.

I DID love "Nick Van Winkle". Joshua Morrow's heartbreak after his amnesic return from the dead...his agony that he had lost both Sharon and Cassie...Little Noah so joyous that his dad was back to buy shakes for...I still get a lump in my throat with those scenes. Of course, I am talking about 1-2 days of quality here . And Barbara Bloom, mysteriously, was the BDW for that one good episode!

The Kevin flip-flop on Jana and the Phyllis-in-jail story...yes, I am still filled with dismay over them. I was so sorry LML was unable to hold it together.

No, it's just that I'm stepping back and taking a longer view.

Look at my chart.

THEY FAILED to hold the momentum of 8/6. That is clear. Some days were a total dud. I didn't even like the Ashram scenes...they didn't make me feel a thing.

But, in the main, the show has had more good moments than bad in August. And the bad can increasingly be localized to things like Lily Winters...which means the "cancer" is being isolated, and that gives hope for its removal.

Plus, don't expect consistent opinions from me. I'm a mess of contradictions .

[marla0518]

the difference would be Phyllis is Nick's wife, why wouldn't she move into the Ranch house with him and their daughter if Nick had gotten the Ranch????? Besides it's Heather that TGVN gave direct instructions to NEVER step foot in HIS house again!!!

[Sylph]

You know what actually drives me off the edge? You and brimike being a couple of Pollyannas in here, like little Irish sprites jumping around all happy and energetic for no reason, trying to be diplomatic in every single possible situation. I just don's see that as, let's say, normal. You two must have posters, posts, opinions that irritate you. And I believe it is OK to reply bluntly and directly to the person involved as long as the rules of SON are not broken.

I just know you two dislike people, but you just go around acting like the whole world is at piece and Mozart's serenade for mandolin is playing in the background while the shepherd's flute is accompanying it.

That's the problem.

P. S. Yes, as always I was offended again: how can I get that Prozac thing as a light joke? Are you implying I'm a psychotic who should be in an asylum? What is this?!

[MarkH]

Thank you! Seriously, your post gave me the best laugh I had all day.

I really did mean the Prozac thing as a joke, because in the moment I was picturing you as a brooding Heathcliff, unable to see the bright side. I thought it was funny. For the record, Prozac can be a friend to many who are FAR from psychotic.

You are right...I even have one person on ignore! (Except, I keep clicking that person's posts ANYWAY, because I have no discipline).

I know you won't believe this...but I really try to live my life differently. If someone says something I disagree with, I still first listen and evaluate. As a flaming Liberal, I regularly listen to American conservative talk radio. Not because I agree...but because I enjoy hearing the other side, getting a little hot at the misstatements. In the end, it helps me affirm what I believe.

So it is here. Even when I disagree, I see no need to discount the opinions of others. It just helps me to better understand my own position.

I do think I am a little Pollyanna though. I own that! But I'm somehow not seeking to change it.

[brimike]

I love how trying to understand other people and see the world from other perspectives, and learning diplomacy suddenly means you're abnormal. I'm pretty jaded and cynical in my real life, to be honest. But that's with people I've known, in flesh and blood, over many years. So I can show them the good, the bad, and the ugly in my personality, and they love me anyway.

I don't expect that on a soap message board. You guys don't know me. In fact you have no idea what nationality I am, what race I am, how I handle problems in my life... and that's okay. I don't know it about anyone on here either, and I like it that way. So while we all share this corner of the 'net, I see no reason to beat each other down or spread negativity. Jesus, we're in the middle of a recession, everyone's broke and scrambling, we're still in the war from hell, many of us (myself included) spend all day in front of our laptops... what possible reason would I have to act negatively towards anyone I've never met in real life on a soap message board? This is where I come to escape all of that for a few hours a day - where I learn how others think, where I hear differing opinions, where I like having my mind changed about things I hadn't looked at from all angles.

I'm not a Pollyanna, and in fact, in my "real" world, I tend to be the guy who brings people who act that way back down to reality. But here, I don't want to fight. I don't want to struggle, nor do I want to be offensive or defensive. I want to watch the human condition unfold on eight daytime serials and discuss the consequences and repercussions with thoughtful, intelligent, open-minded people who appreciate both good story... and the lessons to be learned from bad story.

Apparently, that makes me weird. So I'm weird. I'd rather be weird than the person who gets off popping everyone's balloons, or telling people they're wrong all the time.

This is just sad. I've always known this site to be so open-minded, but in the last week, it seems every thread I go into has degraded into silly bickering over stupid plot twists. Clearly, some lines have been crossed on numerous sides, but I'd like to think that others are just having a bad day and taking it out on me, because I can't possibly understand why anyone would get off on proving somebody they've never met in real life wrong, just for the fun of it.

P.S. I have no idea how these "warnings" work on threads, because I've been at 0% since I started on here a few years ago... but if I've done something in this post to incur a warning, I fully accept it. Maybe it'll give me more of an edge, stop me from being such a lenient Pollyanna.

[Sylph]

Because it is. Because I don't really believe you want to know the other side. And your posts proves it — you just made a decision you don't want to "fight" with others no matter what. You basically said "I really don't care about others, I just want it to seem that way." Maybe I misunderstood. Probably I misunderstood.

This is just not diplomacy, that's celibacy. Sort of. Forcing yourself to be kind is worse than being rude.

[MarkH]

Oh my goodness! I need that on a t-shirt!

[MTSRocks]

Blaaaah!

[brimike]

And you just compared fighting to sex. That speaks volumes.

[MarkH]

Oh my goodness...this is as good as watching Mason Capwell spar with his daddy!

[Sylph]

No, I didn't. You misinterpreted the trope — and here's where Y&RWorldTurner will go ballistic again — I used the noun celibacy because in its definition it contains the deliberate abstinence, the choice not to do something. It had nothing to do with sex. It had nothing to do with sex because, clearly, you don't know the difference between celibacy and chastity.

[Toups]

Take this to the PM, boys. Let's get back to Y&R. Jeez.

[MTSRocks]

This is beginning to feel like an English lecture.

[Manny]

*looks to see if people are still bickering, discussing, whatever you wanna call it, then comes out*

Okay...

So I just watched Thursday and Friday and I have to say I really enjoyed most of those two episodes.

I really hate how Heather is now suddenly okay. I mean, what was the purpose of her two day stay at the hospital? What was the purpose of that dramatic collapse? Seriously... I expected a lot more from this. Hopefully, her symptoms reappear and she has some illness..

Sharon and Nick are SO GETTING BACK TOGETHER SOON! It's so obvious that they are setting up their reunion. And Phyllis is madly jealous and I love it! I also love the destruction of Jack and Sharon's marriage. It's gonna be so good.

The power struggles at Newman and Jabot are awesome! I just adore when Y&R does these business storylines. It's always so fun to watch. I had no idea Brad is going to be the new CEO of Newman. I was so surprised! Pleasantly, because it should bring much drama.

Whoever said that Victoria became so whiny ain't lying. I don't know if it's Amelia or the writing or directing, but my God... HT's Victoria cried too, but yet somehow she was strong at the same time. I don't know how to explain it.. lol

This little feud between Newman kids is great to watch. I love to hate Adam! It's so fun to see him gloat in front of Victoria and Nick, but yet I still hate him for being so bad. lol

The outdoor scene with Nikki and Victor was great. They need to do more of those outdoor scenes. I remembered some other notable outdoor scenes.. like Jill running through the fields to stop Billy and Mac's wedding or Ashley's car accident.

I like how they did the whole Kate/Chloe reveal. Can't wait to see how it continues. Should be fun to see Jill vs Chloe. I'm glad they did this, because now not only will Chloe be involved with the Lane storyline, but also Jill, Kay, Esther... and that will help the story, but it's funny how I love all the other players in the story, except for the "main" characters (Lily and Cane).

I FFed through Jana/Kevin/Lauren stuff. Don't care about them at all. (I care about Lauren, but Jana/Kevin crap bores me. - I guess that's an unpopular opinion on this board.. lol)

Finally, I am back to Y&R full time after... God.. when did I stop watching? During Pheila stuff I think.

Loved this week. Sure, it can be better, but I still enjoyed most of it. And with those cliffhangers we got, I'm sure the drama will continue this week as well.