Y&R: Week of November 10, 2008

[rangethatrover]

And by the way, did someone slip Sharon some speed or is she just tripling up on the Dexatrim?

She is as peppy and happy as a pig in s+it since she landed in Paris.

She put the gay in "gay Pair-ee" .

[Cat]

The key is class and consistency, I think. It's still too early to say whether MAB and Sheffer really are Bill Bell's heir apparents. It has only been, what, 9 months? And a rocky first trimester. I don't want to jump the gun but, considering LML's efforts to derail the show, I'm sure Bill Bell is watching from the Breakdown Room in the Sky and thinking "Woah. Nice save."

[DaytimeFan]

I gave up on the second coming of Bill Bell a long time ago.

That said, the show is fabulous, as fabulous as it's ever been since Bill stepped down, it reminds me a lot of 1997/1998, the transition between Bell and Kay Alden. Fabulous balance of the cast, every story is kicking into overdrive...I am just loving it. I only wish CBS would promote it to get viewers back!

And if this is Paul Rauch's doing. God bless Paul Rauch.

[MarkH]

I obviously agree here. The music has made a shocking difference, hasn't it. It really is like offering water to man coming out of the desert.

You know what I think? She's free of Jack. She's with her family--her son and her one true love. She is not consciously aware of it, but she is blissfully in love, and finally where she feels she belongs. Wouldn't you walk with a lightness and a joy if that happened to you?

I love Sharon anyway. Even though I'm a Phick fan.

I'm not interested in 'saviors' anyway. The question is: Is the Y&R team putting out a good product? Are they being true to the brand, and are they trying to extend its' shelf life? I think the answer to all those questions is yes.

Although I earlier complimented the use of the veterans, the truth is that EXCESSIVE reliance on vets is what has killed B&B. Y&R is smartly playing the vets front-and-center during sweeps, but they have a good deep bench of newbies. I even think there are really two writing teams...a "classic" veteran writing team, and then a "newbie" writing team. That all works for me, because the show doesn't feel fragmented. If they can honor the past, move stories forward, AND build a foundation for the future...we're good!

I honestly don't think it is Rauch. I think, CREATIVELY, it is MAB. She has a powerful team that she is slowly refining and getting perfect. She gave the LML team a chance, but since then, she is slowly pruning and making it right. She's finding the right writers for the right characters.

I think STYLISTICALLY it is Rauch.

But that is a perfect blend. Isn't that what made the Lemay-Rauch Another World so good? (I'm asking). Lemay handled the creative side, and Rauch created the realization of Lemay's world in the most beautiful, realistic way he could.

Assuming this team continues to grow and get better, it will raise the questions:

- what held MAB back earlier this year? (someone upthread suggested she was repairing LML damage, but I think it is becoming clear that being saddled with LML writers and Josh Griffith--and fighting with him--didn't help either)

- what has derailed Rauch on shows like SB and GL? Because it appears he is being given what he needs to make Y&R shine.

I have to say, I keep slapping myself, saying "don't get too hopeful...take each day at a time..." because I really cannot let myself believe this show is "fixed" and is going to continue to maintain and get better. I truly believe corporate malfeasance (probably as an over-reaction to ratings) will yet come down the pike....

Thank you for reminding me of this. I remember LOVING when Kay Alden took over!

Too bad it didn't last. Was she responsible for those Dennison girls ?

[BadZoe]

I think the Sabrina character might have worked if they had introduced her and integrated her with the cast instead of forcing an awful pairing with Victor right away. She was always moving in for him to have the opportunity to kiss her and it was creepy. As an almost 30 something, I can't imagine suddenly falling in love with and wanting to get it on with grandpa aged men, no matter how much money they have. It might have worked a bit if she was shown to be working with her mother and was an opportunist. Victor is better off paired with women born in the same quarter century as himself.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Rauch is only handling the production and probably gives insight into some storylines. In other words, his job is to execute the written material and make the changes he sees fit.

I think Rauch had a lot to do with Erin Sanders' firing, I just can't imagine him (or anyone else) being pleased with her performance.

I also think it's no coincidence that the overwhelming return to classical Y&R background music happened when Rauch joined the show in early October. The directing on the show also got better, and for the first time in a while, many of the actors acted with a certain zest and energy that was lacking for a while.

A friend and I were watching Y&R the other day, and he commented on how much dept the show had in its production again and how the new sets (the dive bar, Murphy's trailer, the doctor's office, and the specially created sets for Noah and Eden that serve as their Paris setting) looked realistic, big, and layered.

We both also mentioned how much different the Abbott living room has looked since Rauch joined. We both thought it looked bland as hell under Latham and Griffith. However, under Rauch's production, it looked a lot more textured and rich, and totally fitting of wealthy family.

I wonder whatever happened to Sabryn Genet, she was great.

[MarkH]

You're right, Crazy Tricia, in the end, WAS great!

But we had to endure YEARS of dull Keith, Megan and Tricia to get to that point. Come of think of it, didn't Bill Bell still create those characters before leaving?

[DaytimeFan]

I don't recall when the Dennison's came to Y&R...but I do know that Kay Alden is the one who 'finished' Tricia...oh was that storyline ever good. Sabryn Genet was an epic crazy.

Tuesday's US episode is great. Especially knowing that Erin Sanders is fired, it's even better. The whole show takes a turning point with this episode, it's excellent. MTS and JW sell the hell out of searching for Katherine, Nick and Sharon and Phyllis...Oh My, Stafford is going into high gear, you can SEE that she's getting into it. Victor and Ashely...delicious. Finally, Kate Linder CAN ACT...after 26 years she finally got to show it! Daniel Goddard on the other hand...

[BadZoe]

I loved the show today, Tuesday US. The only sore spot was the stiff acting of the soon to be gonner.

Of course, MTS gets me going like she always does. I think Nikki is going to be hitting the bottle very soon.

[Becki]

Mark, I agree with all your points....and I also agree with DaytimeFan who said the show is as great now as when Bill Bell was in charge. It's so nice to watch the show and feel like I'm watching Y&R again. Jill, Nikki, Esther, Ashley, Victor, Nick, and Sharon....it's like old home week. LOL...and I am very very pleased to see it.

Great show today and I'm looking forward to the remainder of the week.

[KLN]

*excited and giddy*

[YRBB]

Yes, Megan, Keith and Tricia were William J. Bell creations and, as far back as summer 1997 were prominently featured (at least Tricia and Keith were). Keith was in a relationship with Jill Abbott and Ryan and Tricia had fallen in love or whatever, sending Nina into overload. Megan made sporadic appearances, very supporting part. Sabryn Genet, even back then, was very good, but the character didn't have a lot of meat for her to sink her teeth into. One of Alden's greatest successes was creating the Tony/Megan pairing: I thought they were sweet together, and I rooted for them. However, that pairing was what brought the crazy Tricia to us and you could see it as far back as 1999. Tricia's apparent, but never admitted, attraction to her sister's boyfriend, then fiance, then husband was a great underlying reason for all the hate that Tricia had for Tony and for her efforts to break Tony and Megan up (with Grace the Whore's help). From the moment Tricia started hating Tony and then Ryan was gone from her life and she started hanging from windows and then she met Matt Clark and all the wonderful stuff... God, she was dynamite!

[DeeeDee]

No it wasn't.

Yep.

[YRBB]

Then, what in your opinion was that did? Because I seem to remember that the way she behaved concerning that pairing definitely was the start of her slow descent.

[GregNYC]

The character of Phyllis was much more interesting under LML. Michelle Stafford won her Emmy under LML. These days, Phyllis is very boring.