Y&R: Week of March 23, 2009

[Toups]

I disagree. I'm really enjoying it. It's giving Greg, Adrienne, and Emily great material to work with. Loved the angle of the shot of Amber in the closet. And tomorrow's US scenes between Kevin/Amber are pretty good too.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Today's episode was very good. I really liked Katherine and Murphy, they're so easy and comfortable around one another.

I'm enjoying the Kevin storyline too, it's dark and really f-ucked up in an intriguingly entertaining way. Greg Rikaart is selling it, Emily and Adrienne have also been good.

Also, the background music used in today's episode was very good, and the outdoor sets they use are the best outdoor sets in daytime, it looks so real.

I chuckled at Adam thinking that the portrait of Sabrina was Zapato. If only he said it looked like a man, since Sabrina, you know, looked like a man.

We finally saw Paul again, and I'm glad Nikki didn't take Victor's crap and dished it right back to him. Melody was fierce.

[DaytimeFan]

Money's got nothing to do with it. MAB simply isn't interested in writing for Lauren and a big part of that is Tracey's reluctance to sign a contract. She's lucky she gets the episode load she does.

[lmfan]

Well, I know most don't miss Lauren but for those who do and because there was some question about whether Tracey Bregman was on vacation, it seems she has been disappointed as has Christian that Lauren has been not used in this Kevin storyline. A fan met Christian after he did a play on Saturday and asked him about the lack of Lauren and he was emphatic that he missed having scenes with his immediate family. He said Tracey will be back on with scenes with Eden and some with the Kevin story, but they have all been confused and upset that she has been excluded from the current Kevin storyline.

Christian and Tracey have both asked the writers about their characters' storyline and Christian said that "they" meaning TPTB tell them that Lauren and Michael are popular and well liked as a couple by the fans, but still the writers refuse to write anything for them. They are confused and feel that Lauren and Michael fans should be upset. It seems not all are over the moon and happy with things on set.

Just like when Jeanne, Eric, Melody, Michelle and Jess have been upset when they have been ignored in the past or given little to do, I guess Tracey Bregman and Christian Le Blanc (in regards to Michael's wife and son) feel the same way. I doubt they will complain in the press because they never have in the past.

Again I know most are happy with the show and I guess that means we will continue to see less and less of characters like Lauren, but I just think that if they can find ways to use characters like Jeffrey and Esther, they should find ways to use a character who has been associated with the show for 26 years.

Nobody is asking for an A storyline as I know that will only happen for the Newmans, Chancellors and Abbotts but I don't think it is too much to ask that they are on at least once or twice a week and that if they intend to keep them as a couple, they deserve some focus just like other couples. The show can only get better when all the talented actors are used to their potential.

Ok, just wanted to share what I found out.

[MarkH]

I know nothing about the "inside" take on this story.

But it seems clear to me, from the Lauren-Traci scenes this last year, that the writers are interested in preserving Lauren's through line.

I tend to feel these things are cyclical. Lauren remains viable on both Y&R and B&B. When Traci's ready (I'm guessing this means when her kids are older, and she can work more), I'm sure it will all come around. Lauren is still getting better exposure than MAB's own sister-in-law, Lauralee Bell.

In this genre, what we all need is patience. The day will come for Likey again.

[lmfan]

There are also other actors on recurring like Murphy, Jeffrey, Noah, Eden and Abby who were or are going to get story. Ted Shackelford as Jeffrey had just as many episodes as Christian Le Blanc last year while on recurring. So why is Maria willing to write Jeffrey story and include him in this Kevin story, but Lauren is being ignored even though she was the main impetus along with Michael for Kevin turning his life around in Kevin's original abuse story in 2004 and 2005?

The show hired Tracey back as a recurring character in 2002. They did not ask her back as a contract player. She was put on recurring on B & B when she was on contract as well and later written out when she had no story. Each time she returned on their terms and was gracious about it.

Who knows if Maria even would want Tracey to be on contract at this point? Also, Tracey has said that she is more than willing to play heavy story and work around the show's schedule if that is what they wanted just as she did under Jack Smith. The show is lucky to have an actress of her calibre also and by her being on recurring they save money because they only have to pay her when they use her.

I don't think any actress should feel lucky when they are written out of a family story and given two episodes in six weeks. And if MAB feels that way then why isn't she honest with Tracey and Christian, for that matter, and tell them she has no intention of writing for them if Tracey is not on contract instead of telling them she likes them as a happily married couple as do the fans and then writing nothing for them.

[lmfan]

But Lauralee Bell does not want to return to the show. She has been asked and refused to return even though Maria says she would love her to come back. I met Tracey in person and she says she wants to work more.

It is nice that you are positive, but Maria Bell has been in charge for a year and half and has done nothing with them. I think Devon is the only one with less story during her reign. I do give her credit for trying to give almost everyone a story. Even JT and Victoria, who have no story now, had story and a wedding last year, but what has she done with Michael and Lauren as a couple?

If I knew there was a Likey story in the offing I could be patient, but see I and many Lauren and Michael fans have been patiently waiting for them to have their own story for years now and it hasn't happened so one wonders if it will ever happen under Maria's reign.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Murphy is directly linked to Katherine, who is very frontburner right now. It makes sense he would be on as much as her. Noah, Eden, and Abby don't have any storyline going for them, they're lucky to get 6 episodes a month, and their scenes are very filler.

If she's used in a heavy storyline and they have to pay her a set fee per episode, it can actually be more expensive than if she were on contract and getting her guarantee.

MAB said in SOD last week that storylines involving character who hadn't been on much were coming up, maybe Lauren is one of those, maybe she's not. But the focus in Kevin's storyline isn't on Michael, Lauren, Gloria, or anyone else - it's obviously mostly to display Greg Rikaart's talents, and he's doing a good job.

It seems this thread has phased out the Tammin/Christen off topic discussion over the past few weeks, which is good. However, we now seem to get into this Tracey and Christian don't have a storyline off topic dicussion too much in recent weeks. This dicussion doesn't belong in the dicussion thread or deserves to take this thread over, it's better off as a serperate thread alone.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Who would've thought that a year ago, hell even four years ago that Jeanne Cooper would be leading episode counts on this show, and Jess Walton would be on as much as she has? I know I waited a long time for TPTB to finally give something to both actresses, who both play the longest standing characters on this show.

The cast is big, and we're lucky we get as many characters who are actively invovled in the storylines as we get. Maybe Michael and Lauen will get a storyline soon, maybe they won't, we'll just have to see.

Again, this is off topic discussion, which tends to consume this thread.

[lmfan]

Fine I won't interfere in this thread anymore with my complaining. I would hardly call me bringing up this topic once a week taking over the thread, but to each their own.

It just seemed to me that Lauren's ongoing absence from the current Kevin story was an appropriate topic for the thread since it is happening on screen and in this week's episodes. But I get it, people don't really care and don't want any downers when they are happy with the current storyline so I will refrain from sharing my opinions on this matter.

I hope you are right and they will use Lauren more although I have to disagree that Lauren is not an important part of the Fisher-Baldwin family or not an important person in Kevin's life. Of course this is a Greg Rikaart vehicle but Lauren should be a supporting player in this story just like Jana, Michael, Gloria, Amber, Daniel and Jeffrey. To me there is no excuse for her absence especially when Jeffrey is now part of the story.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I agree that Lauren should be on more, and she deserves a storyline where she is the main focus, not someone in the Baldwin-Fisher family. However, when the topic shifts squarely to Lauren not having a storyline and it goes on repeatedly, it should be in its own discussion thread, since it doesn't directly relate to this thread. I have no problems with you stating your opinions on the show or on the storylines.

Lauren deserves better, but if they haven't realized that in years, will they now? But again, if Katherine, at Jeanne's age, can make a resurgence, then so can Lauren. I think the Baldwin-Fisher family pollutes Lauren, I'd kill to see her elsewhere on the canvas, but that's just me.

[DaytimeFan]

Tracey returned to Y&R in 2000 as a guest and then since 2001 on recurring, not 2002. In 2003 Jack Smith offered Tracey a contract and she turned it down. Tracey can say whatever she likes about working heavy storyline, but MAB does not want to write for someone who has said, as recently as last fall, that she'd be open to leave Y&R and go back to DAYS if the storyline was right.

Also, the Nielsen surveys that ousted LML were also the same surveys that did a number on Christian Le Blanc's status as a lead. Since Tracey is basically tied to Christian's story, she suffers.

I like Tracey Bregman and Lauren...I just don't care to *ever* see Happy Homemaker Lauren, she and Christian Le Blanc have zippo chemistry and are rather nauseating together. There's potential with Lauren, without question, but unless she's willing to sign on that dotted line or Judith Chapman gets fired I think Tracey Bregman is straight outta luck.

[Soapsuds]

Gawd I couldnt agree with you more about Tracey and Christian have zero chemistry. They are nauseating and boring as hell. I dont know whose bright idea was it to pair the two. I'd rather see Tracey than Judith. I am so sick of Judith's acting and character.

[YRBB]

Yes, I was coming on just to say that. That street looked so real, there were moments I thought it was outdoor shooting!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Yes, I've noticed they've been using lots of these realistic outdoor sets over the past couple of months or so. When Michael and Daniel stood across the "street" from a "shop" in today's episode, at times, I thought the "shop" was real.