Y&R: Week of October 20th, 2008

[Sylph]

Discuss!

[YRBB]

I am positively shocked!

[Rhiannon]

Will someone please make Vail Bloom and her mole go away?!?!

[detroitpiston]

What a boring episode.

Heather was much more fun when she worked at Jabot.

[MTSRocks]

Yeah...I like Vail Bloom, but those scenes would have worked better with a stronger actress. Very boring Monday US show indeed though.

[YRBB]

It must have been boring, 4 posts by Monday night!

[Sweet_VeeVee24]

Didn't watch the show at all, but I'll take your word for it...

Did get a cool email from Chris Engen (Adam) today....He's simply a sweetie

[MarkH]

Awesome, awesome show on Monday. It worked on a number of levels for me:

1. Thom Racina wrote, and Andrew Lee directed, but there were real homages to the past. I'm wondering if this is the work of the returned Natalie Minardi Slater.

Nick and Victoria were talking about the devastation of losing someone you love to violence, and the vengeance motive it can inspire. But could it lead you (i.e., Victor) to KILL? Nick says yes, Victoria says no. But here is the cool part...Nick mentioned the loss of Cassie...and his thirst for vengeance (against Daniel). Victoria turned around mentioned losing her love, Ryan, to Trisha's violence before her eyes. But she was not vengeful.

This was actually a few minutes devoted to appropriate history. Color me shocked!

2. They are setting up Jack for a massive fall. We have already seen how he is hiding all traces of his connection to the "diary", making Adam use his phone, be the only one to be seen by the forger...

Now, Adam has written a (fairly heartfelt and angry) introduction to Victor's "diary". He talks about how the Newmans showed him the cold shoulder, which is completely true...and how this has motivated his anger ever since.

Jack was all smiles and congratulations to Adam, for writing with such "passion". But as soon as he was out of earshot, Jack called Adam a "schmuck".

Hmmm...what is Jack's motivation for hostility toward Adam, OTHER than the Newman blood coursing through his veins?

This kind of unmotivated animus is going to, karmically, get Jack in trouble!

3. Heather IS annoying...no question...but the scenes with Heather, Nikki, Michael, and Victor (on the cell phone) were pure gold.

Victor was being all Victor...telling Nikki he was severing ties, but NOT out of affectionate grounds ("I meant what I said to you on the beach in Mexico!"). He told Michael to keep his retainer ('the money means nothing to me"), and he was cutting off all ties.

Then, when Victor learned that Heather was in the room, he DEMANDED to talk to her. He ORDERED Michael to put him on the phone with that "ambitious assistant DA".

AND THAT WAS THE CLIFFHANGER!!!

The writing team TOTALLY understands what gets us to tune in tomorrow. Not explosions, crashes, murders.

Nothing but the simple, squealing delight of watching Victor ream out that young b*tch Heather. Can't wait!!!!

4. The only false note, for me, was the arc involving Paris, Eden, and Noah. Now, Kevin Schmidt is pure cuteness, and he plays a teenaged boy brilliantly.

. Eden is Eden...that's not the topic here.

But suddenly there is this whole discussion of how Eden has been "keeping" news of the French field trip from Lauren. Huh? Hasn't she only attended about two days of classes? Where would Eden get the $$ to go? (I guess the rich Fenmore legacy?). Would Eden have a passport? I thought she was "off the grid"?

Of course, this is all a contrivance to set up

...but still...that was a little piece of plot driven nonsense that detracted from an otherwise totally fun show.

I can't wait to see Victor verbally abuse Heather tomorrow!

[MTSRocks]

Well if you should appreciate anything about tomorrow's U.S. episode, its the wonderful musical scores used, especially during the Katherine/Gloria scenes. I thought Chapman played those scenes excellently, and she reminded me of a young vixen Jill. Those scenes, and Billy/Cain were the best parts for me.

[baller]

Ok as a Heather and Vail fan, I wasn't a fan of the scenes just because I'm SO tired of the character being the whipping girl--dude, her father didn't even put her first. Like someone said, Heather working at Jabot worked, I wish they would have kept that, or do something else with the character.

I've actually liked Eden from the start--but I thought today the scenes were much stronger and cute between Noah and Eden. Seemed as if the actress was feeling more confidant and it worked well.

[MarkH]

I agree with your Heather point. I think she worked best (was most likeable) at Jabot. THAT SAID, if the goal is somehow to make Adam and Heather the two "castoffs" (abandoned by their fathers, socially isolated--in part because of their own brittle natures, vengeful), and to have dysfunction flow from that, I'm okay with it.

I am starting to fear that Adam is not a long-timer...why are they writing him as such a "schmuck"?

I don't know about Eden. I agree she seemed a bit more comfortable...but I just don't find her appealing. I'd like to see 'quirky' not ... 'irritated'.

I hope you are right about that casting scoop!

[y&r_fan]

I don't see Adam going anywhere any time soon. Brad has always been a "schmuck" and he has been on the show since the 80s. But the thought of Adam leaving does have a certain appeal. IMO, he has become the Scrappy-Doo of the Newman family.

Eden is still nails on a chalkboard for me. It's not so much her acting as it is her voice (although her acting is still far from Oscar worthy). I find it hard to believe that ANYONE has a voice that annoying (aside from a certain former Y&R actress).

[JackPeyton]

this show was awful on monday, and all of last week.

I hope it gets good again soon.

[Cat]

Jack calling Adam a "shmuck" behind his back is what really surprised me. Jack used to revel in being the "real" father figure for Victor Newman's brood. He was also Daniel's mentor for a while and still acts that way with Noah and Billy. I'm not sure why he's turning on Adam who, let's face it, has absolutely nobody apart from Heather at this point. I think he's setting him up to take the fall for the fake diary because that whole scheme is inept and ripe for exposure.

Plus, his obsession with imitating Victor's voice and thinking up the diary entries... it's creepy.

LOL at Victor calling up Michael and Nikki and barking orders. They really do leap when he orders them to jump. I wish Y&R would develop the current relationship between Nikki and Paul, though. Seeing Nikki on an adventure, thinking on her feet in Rio, having Paul bail her out... has Nikki ever felt more alive? It strikes me that Paul could be very good for Nikki, pushing her to take risks in a way Victor has never allowed her to do (which was one of the reasons why I loved Nikki with Bobby Marsino).

I am just about ready for Cane and Billy to start scrapping, so I am looking forward to today. The Chancellor household/Chloe/Jabot stuff is what has me watching, to be honest.

[MarkH]

Me...this Victor story has me watching.

JP called Monday's show awful...I'm amazed we could watch the same ep and have such polar-opposite opinions.

"Let me speak to that ambitious young assistant district attorney!". Then in the preview, "Listen carefully (or was it "Be quiet"?) or you will never hear my voice again."

I haven't waited with such anticipation for the next show in FOREVER. I can't WAIT to see Victor ream her out!

That is what a cliffhanger should be, IMO. Even the dastardly Jack provokes a REACTION ("you miserable louse! I hope you get what is coming to you!"), which is what I want my soaps to do.