Y&R: Week of November 24, 2008

[MichaelGL]

Yeah I thought something was fishy when I caught that a few weeks ago. Whenever the opening would play, instead of showing "Sharon Case" whenever her picture would show up it would say "ron Case". Fortunately SoapNet doesn't do the whole stretching out of the screens.

[MarkH]

NBC primetime, at least our affiliate, starting doing that last year. Suddenly, it was clear I was missing huge chunks of The Office, ER.

That's how we ended up with a widescreen HDTV.

Clever! Watch the broadcasters do this more and more to force us to get new TVs.

[Soapsuds]

The best part of the show was Phyllis and Jack. Does Jack know what Phyllis did to Paul?? LOL...I dont think he should be threatning her that way...LOL.

I feel sorry for Adam. I still dont like how his story played out. It should have been Nick wanting Victor's love as Adam got it all from Victor.

[dm.]

I wish that eventually Jack and Adam get an upper hand on Victor. I don't want to see him win again, but I guess it's the only thing that could happen.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Can you imagine Eric Braeden's bitching if Victor loses? LOL!

[dm.]

That would be great to see. But it ain't gonna happen.

BTW, did anyone see the promo for Phyllis' storyline? "It's war, sweetheart!"

I love it.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

For a while it was the combination of the writing and Stafford not caring to act. She was phoning in material for a good year and a half, as were many lazy actors.

Then Paul Rauch came and probably set her straight, as well as other. I know he extended rehearsal time, brought back acting coaches on set, and he's present when most scenes are taped. Latham and Griffith by contrast, took away the acting coaches, dealt very little with the actors, and were hardly guiding the actors on set.

Again, it shows how much more efficient a show can be when there's a producer who knows what he/she is doing.

[dm.]

Rauch has been doing wonders for the show. Ever since he started (the ep with Nick/Phyllis is bed) every single episode was produced beautifully. It started with the music and moved on to greater things.

And to think---people were upset when they hired him.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Rauch has a reputation of being a no nonsense [!@#$%^&*], but he does his job. His persona may rub some the wrong way, but when given the chance, he knows how to produce classic soap opera.

He may have had a liking for bright lights at OLTL and GL, but he's kept Y&R's signature look in tact and made the show a lot more closer to it's classic image.

Again, all these little things, from the better lighting, better music, better acting, better directing, and better producing of the greatly improved writing on the show adds up.

[DaytimeFan]

I think it helps that Rauch knows his bosses (the Bells) and respects the vision Bill Bell had, they were friendly rivals. He knows Y&R isn't 'his show' and that it never will be. Rather, he is doing a beautiful job stewarding the show to greatness.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Here it is:

[Soapsuds]

Victor being loose? In a trampy way?...lol...I think you meant loses.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Oops, fixed...

But Victor is loose as well for an old goat...

[MarkH]

Previews for the Tuesday US show Olivia and Ashley having one of their timeless confidante sessions.

I basically like that.

But I feel they never really got over Olivia's affair with Brad. I remember there was some "forgiveness" scene after the affair, and a few confidante scenes before Williams left the show...but it wasn't really handled. And Davidson said (in press interviews) that she couldn't really let Ashley forgive Olivia.

Last week, we saw that these skillful, history based writers could script a genuine forgiveness scene between Lauren and Traci.

I think we need a scene like that between Liv and Ash. Olivia needs to initiate it...apologizing, feeling terrible. Ashley then needs to own up to her role in it (her reaction to the cancer--pushing Brad away--gravitating toward Victor).

This conversation would serve two functions. First, we really need some heartfelt forgiveness to move the story forward. Enough time has passed since the affair...and everyone has moved on to new partners...that it would believable. Second, it would refresh the audience on history (after all...Victor's rejection and that whole arc was one of the last times Ashley was left 'in pieces', to quote John from last week).

I don't think they need to give it more than a few minutes, but I'd like that ugly history to be addressed and forgiven, so that I can buy these two as friends again.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

When Olivia left, she and Ashley were on good terms again, yes there might have been some awkwardness, but I don't think they need a conversation about the affair with Brad. They've claimed they're over it, so why bring it back up? If they didn't fully resolve it when Olivia left in 2005, they'll never expand upon a forgiveness scene.