Y&R: Week of March 9, 2009

[Cheap21]

Im ready for Karen to just go crazy on Neil and Tyra already. Icant beleive Neil had the gall to turn things around in her. She deserves better than his crap. Tyra needs to get her skank annoying self in a corner and stay in her lane. I really cant stand her

Love the shirt that Amber has been wearing.

[lmfan]

I don't get why Michael needs to keep helping Gloria either but that is what LML and now Maria keeps writing for him. When Gloria first came on the scene, he resented Gloria and didn't want her in his and Kevin's life. LML and Maria want Michael this way. That is how they write him and it has hurt his character. I do get why Michael protects Kevin. It has been established over and over again that Michael feels guilty for leaving Kevin in the hands of the abusive Tom when he took off at 18. I like their relationshio and CLB and GR play well off each other.

Lauren was wasted propping the teens. I didn't like her being the fairy godmother to them either, so why would I like her being minimized now. She is a good actress, and I never like seeing good actresses being wasted. I didn't like it when it happened to Jess Walton and Jeanne Cooper and I don't like it happening to Tracey.

Your example of Lauren in that scene at the christening is what she still could be. She was a decent person even back then, but she still had her edge. The writers took the former bad boy and former bad girl in Michael and Lauren and turned them into huge saps which is not true to the characters. Michael and Lauren were always two of the smartest characters on the show for years, and now they are nothing but talk tos and push overs.

As for Michael, his obsession with Christine, went on far too long and eventually he had to get over his obsession. You could never have a love story between Chris and Michael after their past. And Michael needed to change. It was normal and gradual but they have gone too far with Michael. Michael and Lauren were very popular when they fell in love because people had waited for them to get a love story a long time and they were smart, fun, sexy and snarky. That was until LML got her hands on them. But Maria has used them even less and continues to use them as mere props to lesser characters.

I think Maria is the one that needs to fix that.

[lmfan]

I don't get why the writers are forcing the Neil/Tyra pairing. They have not established why Neil would be attracted to Tyra beyond the obvious physical attraction of her being young and beautiful. The problem is Neil has never been that superficial before. It's like the show is forcing this triangle and it is also being written in spurts. On one week, off another week.

The show obviously likes Eva Marcille. It is certainly not because she is a decent actress because she is pretty bad. Maybe the network is pushing her, but it ruins Neil in the process.

[lmfan]

I don't want to be all negative, so I have to give props to Jeanne Cooper. I want Katherine to get her memory back, but I have been very moved by Katherine in the hospital being so frustrated about not being able to grasp her memories and prove her identity. This has been a heavy storyline for Jeanne but she has performed it beautifully.

Emily and Greg are also wonderfully real in their scenes dealing with Kevin's kidnapping. The show is lucky to have so many gifted actors and I like that they are using some of them so well. I much prefer these character based stories that let the actors shine then the constant affairs and illicit sex .

[DaytimeFan]

Greg Rikaart is sure selling his Crazy Kevin work...the mix of Judith Chapman with James Michael Gregory, basically Kevin's past and his present, is really effective in making me give a damn about the story. Thumbs up to whoever thought that up.

Tyra SUCKS! What a loser of a character, Eva Marcille is a terrible actress. Ego or no ego, Nia Peebles is fabulous as Karen, I am desperate to see her incinerate Tyra, Neil and Ana...those three are such tools. You Go Karen!

Finally, Victor and Adam...no offense to Joshua Morrow, Heather Tom or Amelia Heinle...but I've NEVER seen the chemistry that Eric Braeden has with Chris Engen reflected in any of them. When I saw Victor turn over that letter for Adam, well, I was a little moved. Victor LOVES Adam, he really honest to God loves that kid.

[Cheap21]

I hate the way Eva acts with her eyes. Her facial expressions especially today really bugged me

Im loving the Adam stuff too and Im glad the show is back to showcasing he and Heather bc it looked like they were goners for a second

[Bright Eyes]

Blame Tyra Banks!

[y&r_fan]

Co-sign.

But unfortunately I think we're stuck with Tyra. MAB loves her.

[y&r_fan]

Is it possible that Doug doesn't want to be frontburner? That's the only explaination I can think of.

Absolutely.

But I'm not worried. Just because she has been off-screen for a few days, doesn't mean they've dropped her storyline. The Colleen/Victor story has proven popular, and MAB is all about pleasing viewers. (Unlike her brother-in-law. )

If only Adrianne Leon were still playing Colleen. Then Braeden would be BEGGING the writers for the opportunity to share a scene with her. Because after all, everyone knows that 'fans' want her back.

[dm.]

I don't want to cause a fight or anything, but why is it that in almost every single post you have to mention Adrianne Leon? Are you obsessed with her or something? Do you think everyone likes her? We were only discussing the character, nothing else. Not everything is about Adrianne.

Marcille doesn't know how to act, but in Maria's eyes she was the new version of Dru and that's why she's still around. Not for long, I hope. At least they stopped showing Ana all the time.

[rhythmchyc]

Why even make this statement? We all know how y&r fan feels about Adrienne. More importantly, why not use the pm feature?

Why doesn't anybody use it?

As far as Eva, why not give her a chance to learn? Sharon Case was horrible but she improved leaps and bounds. We all know that there are actors out there more talented than Eva but it doesn't mean that she won't develop into one.

I do agree w/ lmfan in how forced the triangle is and how Neil is behaving so uncharacteristically. That was a really poignant statement. It seems that Maria and the writers failed to fully research the Black characters when she took this job. They really need to go back to day one and see who these people are. Then, we'll see a real shift.

I do hate how yet another wife has been cheated on and how yet another wife is fighting for her marriage and how yet another wife is frustrated to the point of near hysteria. It's being well-played but a bit worn out.

[MarkH]

I HATE HATE HATE Clint. I always have...since his last appearance 2 decades ago. The problem is that buffoon thing. That said, kudos to MAB and team for moving on from the Kay thing (and Roger and Annie...welcome worn out), and using Clint in a CLEVER way -- channeling Terrible Tom. The only false note, for me, is how quickly Clint figured out what made Kevin tick...he was never that smart before. But now Clint is so evil, so heinous, that I personally wish to off him! (Don't worry...I can tell the difference between fantasy and reality). I have not hated anyone this much in a long time...which is a good thing, because last week I was just rolling my eyes at him. I cannot wait until his brutal, bloody, ghastly murder (my speculation).

My hope is that Jana kills him. Ostensibly, it will have been to protect Kevin and herself...but since she had a headache a week-or-two ago...and hopefully if she has a headache at the time of brutally/horrendously killing Clint...we can at least surmise that that "1% of residual tumor" in her brain might still be very much alive.

I hate Tyra so much too. That said, it's not like Clint...I just want that awful no-talent b*tch gone!! She's worse that nu-Abby and nu-Eden, and that's sayin' somethin'.

Yeah, Victor was tender with Adam. But Victor is a rotten b*stard for how he treated Adam to this point. Also, my emotional investment is somewhat blunted on the fear that Adam DID this with some "chemical" Frank got him. Do you think that is what happened? I have a hard time believing Adam would do that to himself...but what else might Frank have "gotten" him?? Still, regardless, kudos to the writers for evoking the emotional core of Adam--and Victor's attachment to him--by referencing our dear, lamented Hope.

Can we send massive petitions that Tyra must go? I mean, storm the studio? Something? Every time that b*tch is on my screen I can't stand it. I'm now remembering the last female who evoked SO MUCH antipathy in me: Brittany Hodges. For YEARS I suffered while that ill-conceived character and poorly cast actress highjacked my show. At least Tyra is not on every day. But it is still WAY too much.

I want Kristoff (and Doug Davidson) in front burner stories...but NOT like this...

In another post, you said MAB likes to please her fans. If you were not being ironic, then this Tyra thing does not compute. NOT A SINGLE VIEWER, ANYWHERE, as near as I can tell, has expressed a modicum of affection for her.

I guess you have a point re: Sharon Case. But Sharon's problem was her weak lack of emotion and dewy milquetoast nature. Tyra...it goes beyond that...the grating voice...the expressions...the lack of any emotional subtext.

Moreover, because it ruins Neil (I always viewed him as the stalwart example of a strong Black father...I remember how he tried to resist Carmen Mesta for his commitment...he was SO ramrod straight that he lost his wife (Dru) because he wanted her to be a stay-at-home mother...). Neil is human...he has frailties...but I cannot believe he'd squander everything for this Tyra woman.

I think you're right...the HISTORY of these characters (and their emotional histories) is not being respected. Part of the problem is that Kristoff basically stands alone. It is clear to me now that Christel Khalil is playing Lily as she WANTS her (in a recent SID interview, I think, she said that while she doesn't mind if Lily gets angry...she always wants Lily to return to sweetness; and there, ladies and gentlemen, is why the character is ruined). No other veteran African American characters are left to ground Neil (monthly appearances from Olivia do not count).

There are interesting differences in Phyllis and Karen's reactions (although I agree the two stories are too similar). But Phyllis is finding her confidence--it seems--in this situation. She actually seems in control. Lately, there has been little hysteria. Karen, on the other hand...seems to be devolving.

Obviously, the only solution (sigh) is to ship Devon, Ana, Tyra and Karen out of town. Then, with the Winters stripped down, we need to find a new arc. My sense is this (and they almost went this way, before Dru's last return). I think Neil needs to return to drinking, and get stripped down. He needs to lose Indigo and Newman. Then, in recovery, he needs to meet someone new. Hopefully, this will be a woman who is as screwed up as he is. Out of dysfunction can come a tortured romance that ... slowly ... leads to healing for both. I'm not sure that can work...but the current tale must be jettisoned.

[MarkH]

double post

[soapydoc]

As long as you have that steaming hot avatar, I am very open to as many double posts as you can possibly muster.

[BadZoe]

What a good show for Today US. I cried at the end it was so beautifully written and acted.

Neil and Tyra is exactly why I don't like Nathan Fillion's new show Castles, the writers try and tell us there is chemistry but none is actually shown on the tv. Nothing bothers me more than being told what I am supposed to think. Chemistry is something that just happens, it cannot be manufactured out of thin air. Another thing that really bothers me about the pairing is the extreme age difference. Tyra is in Neil's daughter's age group so to me he comes off as a dirty old man.

I too am getting sick of all the affairs. Y&R is like a giant orgy these days. I like the sex scenes but everyone cheating on everyone else is getting ridiculous. But Monday's (US) show looks incredible!!