As for Mac, I haven't seen her yet beyond Friday's cliffhanger, but this is a cursed role. Mac is a goody-two-shoes; one who is SO good and SO saintly that if they were to show shades of grey (as Billy Miller has done with Billy), there would be an uproar. "That's not Mac!"

There's definitely a way to break Mac out of that mold now without angering longterm fans - she's been in Darfur, for cryin' out loud. Her sense of right and wrong is probably nowhere near as black and white as it was in her naive youth. I think I can see Mac acting differently from the previous Macs if that's built into her subtext. What she's seen/experienced has to have snapped her out of that "puppies and rainbows" sainthood she was so mired in the last time she was in Genoa City.

if they gave mac something - not even an adge, but some depth beyond her being a Saint, i would be happy.

Having seen episodes of Clem on The L Word, i am more than willing to give her some time in the role of Mac, esp since she flat out said she sucks in the begining because she was overwhelmed/scared/whatever else. IMHO, we judge actors way to early. Esp when you take in how seasoned pro's complain about the pace of a soap -- let alone someone rather new.

I love your avatar JackPeyton.

MAB has done a good job with humanizing a lot of characters, even Lily of late. I think we'll see Mac in a better light this time around.

There's definitely a way to break Mac out of that mold now without angering longterm fans - she's been in Darfur, for cryin' out loud. Her sense of right and wrong is probably nowhere near as black and white as it was in her naive youth. I think I can see Mac acting differently from the previous Macs if that's built into her subtext. What she's seen/experienced has to have snapped her out of that "puppies and rainbows" sainthood she was so mired in the last time she was in Genoa City.

Oh, ITA and would love to say that play out. Lord knows aid workers in parts of Africa have seen horrors and had to make sometimes terrible compromises in order to help as many people as possible.

But this Darfur thing has been written as a sort of afterthought thus far -- "Oh, sorry, Mac couldn't make it to her beloved grandmother's funeral cause she's out saving lil orphans in Darfur." You know? That's why I'm troubled that they'll just have Mac drawling "Ya, Africa was neat. It was a Once in a Lifetime experience blah blah." And which will never be referred to ever again. Only hinted at whenever Mac wears a pair of vaguely ethnic earrings or something.

if they gave mac something - not even an adge, but some depth beyond her being a Saint, i would be happy.

Having seen episodes of Clem on The L Word, i am more than willing to give her some time in the role of Mac, esp since she flat out said she sucks in the begining because she was overwhelmed/scared/whatever else. IMHO, we judge actors way to early. Esp when you take in how seasoned pro's complain about the pace of a soap -- let alone someone rather new.

I don't want to judge yet as it is WAY to early -- and I got psyched seeing CF on Friday in her jeans and travelling bag! I'm willing to give her whatever she needs to settle in the role. I'm just worried the writing for Mac will be limiting and by-the-book.

Edited April 6, 200916 yr by Cat

I think they'll work it in as they worked in Billy tramping around Hong Kong the last few years: mention it vaguely, but we'll see how it molded them in way that moves the story along. We see a lot of Y&R wouldn't be where it is now if Billy didn't go to Hong Kong and act a fool. Hopefully we'll see Mac's travails shape the plot just as significantly.

On Monday's episode, we really don't see anything more of Mac. She doesn't really get a chance to. But we'll see over the next few episodes.

Edited April 6, 200916 yr by rhythmchyc

Oh, ITA and would love to say that play out. Lord knows aid workers in parts of Africa have seen horrors and had to make sometimes terrible compromises in order to help as many people as possible.

But this Darfur thing has been written as a sort of afterthought thus far -- "Oh, sorry, Mac couldn't make it to her beloved grandmother's funeral cause she's out saving lil orphans in Darfur." You know? That's why I'm troubled that they'll just have Mac drawling "Ya, Africa was neat. It was a Once in a Lifetime experience blah blah." And which will never be referred to ever again. Only hinted at whenever Mac wears a pair of vaguely ethnic earrings or something.

I don't want to judge yet as it is WAY to early -- and I got psyched seeing CF on Friday in her jeans and travelling bag! I'm willing to give her whatever she needs to settle in the role. I'm just worried the writing for Mac will be limiting and by-the-book.

but the show didnt really have Mac to tell the story any more than that.

I hope that they actually use it to change who she is. As it should be.

There was a recent article about people returning from Darfur and having a hard time adjusting to living back here with everything they have. I doubt Y&R would tell that storyline, for some reason i just dont see it, but it would be fantastic to have Mac be rather... i dont know what the word is... damage? scared? something. but not go right into it. play it subtle. and then get into it. it would be a great way to re introduce her and also let clem define her mac. but i dont want it all PSA style. Id also love it if down the road a soap told a story about someone coming from Iraq and having issues - and not minor like OLTL's Brody.

^^ I'll look forward to it, rhythmchyc.

Oh, ITA and would love to say that play out. Lord knows aid workers in parts of Africa have seen horrors and had to make sometimes terrible compromises in order to help as many people as possible.

But this Darfur thing has been written as a sort of afterthought thus far -- "Oh, sorry, Mac couldn't make it to her beloved grandmother's funeral cause she's out saving lil orphans in Darfur." You know? That's why I'm troubled that they'll just have Mac drawling "Ya, Africa was neat. It was a Once in a Lifetime experience blah blah." And which will never be referred to ever again. Only hinted at whenever Mac wears a pair of vaguely ethnic earrings or something.

It's an INCREDIBLY fine line, because nobody wants to see whole scenes of a PSA regarding the horrors in Darfur. (Paging Luke and Noah on ATWT) I don't want to be preached to. It's got to be incredibly difficult to incorporate it into her character without it sounding like Bono will walk into the scene at any moment with a 1-800 number flashing at the bottom of the screen.

It's an INCREDIBLY fine line, because nobody wants to see whole scenes of a PSA regarding the horrors in Darfur. (Paging Luke and Noah on ATWT) I don't want to be preached to. It's got to be incredibly difficult to incorporate it into her character without it sounding like Bono will walk into the scene at any moment with a 1-800 number flashing at the bottom of the screen.

as someone who just said i dont want a PSA... i will say this.. i will accept minoir PSA-ishness.

such as Mac telling about the conditions in Darfur and how she kind of guilty staying in the mansion. and how people pay $9 for coffee eight times a day but cant donate a little bit of money, etc... Because that is rather normal for people when they return from a place like that.

but that is a, as you said, INCREDIBLY fine line to walk.

what does Mac do exactly? I wouldnt mind her going to med school after her experience.

It's an INCREDIBLY fine line, because nobody wants to see whole scenes of a PSA regarding the horrors in Darfur. (Paging Luke and Noah on ATWT) I don't want to be preached to. It's got to be incredibly difficult to incorporate it into her character without it sounding like Bono will walk into the scene at any moment with a 1-800 number flashing at the bottom of the screen.

LMAO. I don't want that either! Y&R is my fave soap but they do hit you over the head with the PSAs.

I guess... I want as well-hued a treatment as Billy has gotten. He has exploded onto the canvas, IMO, and I love him as Billy. The transition felt real because BM ran with the role and made it his own. It felt like a clear-cut, full-bloodied character from the get-go. Plus it helps that he looks like Peter Bergman & Terry Lester's love child.

Mac is... subtler. More problematic, maybe. As jp said, I like the idea of scars or damage slooooooowly making themselves known to us over time.

ETA: And definitely, jp. She needs a job. A purpose. Not like Lily who at 22 is already Cane's trophy housewife in all but name. Seriously, is she in college? Or just keeping Cane's windowless house?

Edited April 6, 200916 yr by Cat

LMAO. I don't want that either! Y&R is my fave soap but they do hit you over the head with the PSAs.

I guess... I want as well-hued a treatment as Billy has gotten. He has exploded onto the canvas, IMO, and I love him as Billy. The transition felt real because BM ran with the role and made it his own. It felt like a clear-cut, full-bloodied character from the get-go. Plus it helps that he looks like Peter Bergman & Terry Lester's love child.

Mac is... subtler. More problematic, maybe. As jp said, I like the idea of scars or damage slooooooowly making themselves known to us over time.

ETA: And definitely, jp. She needs a job. A purpose. Not like Lily who at 22 is already Cane's trophy housewife in all but name. Seriously, is she in college? Or just keeping Cane's windowless house?

Why are all these 21 year olds obsessed with getting married and having babies? Are the writers trying to get rid of SORAS?

ETA: And definitely, jp. She needs a job. A purpose. Not like Lily who at 22 is already Cane's trophy housewife in all but name. Seriously, is she in college? Or just keeping Cane's windowless house?

Cat, don't get me started on Lily. That character needs development, stat.

I'm willing to give NuMac a shot. However, something needs to be done about her "look". First stop, the eyebrows.

JackPeyton: Your avi ROCKS!! yes, Maxie. We know. Now please, STFU!!

Edited April 6, 200916 yr by S&BFanForLife

Why are all these 21 year olds obsessed with getting married and having babies? Are the writers trying to get rid of SORAS?

That's a Bell family trait and shown on all their shows, good women should aspire to be wives and mothers, as young as possible. College is just somewhere to go to find a wealthy boy to marry.

I want Mac to be just as badly damaged as Billy but instead of turning it outwards to sex and booze, she's internalized it.

That's a Bell family trait and shown on all their shows, good women should aspire to be wives and mothers, as young as possible. College is just somewhere to go to find a wealthy boy to marry.

I want Mac to be just as badly damaged as Billy but instead of turning it outwards to sex and booze, she's internalized it.

Internalized it only to have it explode somewhere.

If only she met a hot young African doctor to bring home with her. Then, when she'd eventually dump him for Billy, he'd fall for Lily's innocence and break up that dull couple. Then Cane will go back to the outback and bartend and Y&R will live happily ever after.

But, no, she really should've met a young hot African doctor.

YOU OLD FOOL!

Welcome back Jill.