Y&R Let Eva Marcille be free

[dm.]

She may be a nice person, but she proved in these latest scenes that she doesn't cut it, IMO.

[MarkH]

Sadly, I agree. I tried to feel for her on Friday, I really did. But I didn't.

[dm.]

Me too. Knowing that Peeples is gone next week, I was trying to find a way to make the best out of what we're left with, but it's impossible to do so, especially after the way Karen leaves GC. I don't care for Neil & Tyra, and Marcille can't even do good when she's with Bryton, or anyone for that matter.

[nassaunew]

^^^I was expecting the show to backburner Tyra even more now that the custody battle is over and Karen is gone, but it seems like Eva's going to be in more episodes during May than she's been in the whole year so far.

I agree with lmlfan that TPTB hired Eva and are keeping her on the show because of her recognizability outside of the soap community - for example, her recent engagement made E!, US WEEKLY, etc., and she appears in magazines and blogs.

The lack of Victoria Rowell and Shemar Moore on Y&R supposedly caused the show to take a major hit amongst black viewers. It would not surprise me if Eva and Jamia Simone Nash - who also has a bit of a name in entertainment (sang at the Academy Awards recently) are being used to build up that important demo again.

I'm not saying that these are good reasons for the show to keep EM, but I think these are the main reasons.

[ChitHappens]

I don't know if EM needs to be free, but the audience certainly deserves relief from this character and the equally horrid Anna. As a black woman, I can't help but be slightly disgusted with these morbid stories for black characters and the boring ass characters who try to tell them. Tyra looks like a wet dog when she's sad, and she should not have been brought in as this passive/agressive twit who needs a married man to stand up for her. Where's her fire? No one can replace Drucilla, but is edgy too much to ask?

It absolutely reeks! There is absolutely nothing to enjoy about this story, and all of the players are ridiculous! I just don't know how many ways Neil can tell Karen he does not want to be married to her w/out actually saying it.

Someone please help me understand who is rootable here because I don't see anyone! Ugh!

ANDREA

[Taiah]

I honestly don't think TPTB want a fiery black woman on the show. Just look at the main two left now, EM and CK. And we rarely see TLW's Olivia whose merely a sounding board now. I do think Tyra should've been more on the edgy vixen side but I don't think EM could pull that off either.

[Cat]

Normally I would be beating the drum alongside you guys re: Tyra and Anna.

However, judging by Friday's US episode, I was impressed -- by Peeples, Marcille and the little girl who plays Anna. The latter in particular has been very low-key in recent months, holding back on the cutesy and coming across as a bright, normal tween.

Marcille, I think, would be MILES better as a vixen... seducing Neil and sticking it to Karen in order to get a better life for her and her baby. I don't buy her over-the-top wuv for her daughter -- but I do buy her flirtation with Neil. It is like she's playing with him.

And, another unpopular opinion: Nia Peeples has been excellent.

Honestly, I do not have a problem with these three actors/characters. It is Devon and Lily I am bored by.

[ChitHappens]

AGREED, but I do think EM could have pulled it off.

I agree with this as well. I think EM should have been given the opportunity to play a vixen. As it stands, vixen is not written so she has to play the schlock that is directed. However, unlike you, I am still, bored with the lot of them!

But if we are going to be honest - black characters are not brought on for the purpose of stories, their sole reason for being is to increase the audience for the white characters. Knowing this, I have no idea why I expected YR to do better than what they are actually doing.

ANDREA

[Cat]

I think Y&R set a precedent when the developed the story of Olivia and Drucilla and Nathan way back in the day... I don't know whether it was the actors more or the writing, but these characters... they felt well-rounded to me. I was invested.

There have been moments on the Bell soaps (as well as some others) where the black characters have been nothing but ciphers, though. There have been scenes way back when -- say, between Kay and one of the Winters on Y&R, or Stephanie and a hispanic character on B&B -- where it felt like the white character was patting the black character's head, all "Well done, you! Look at how open-minded we are, helping you out po' black folk out." I have actively cringed at some scenes on B&B. It's not something I could put my finger on, but it felt condescending. I'm not black, so maybe I read too much into those scenes... but given the Winters' MIA plotlines (up until Thursday and Friday), I worry sometimes about a return to that.

Does that sound weird?

[miajere]

Neil Winters...the clarence thomas of daytime? I say let crazy Tyra stick around, let her go loose, let her go crazy. Neil can stay the fiercely protective boyfriend to his crazy girlfriend that will threaten his reputation around Genoa. Lily can be the voice of reason. She still has potential.

[MarkH]

Wow. I have to think about this. I have this intuition that you have given me REAL insight here. Seriously! I never thought of it this way. Wow!

Thank you for writing this.

[miajere]

With any soap I've ever watched and still do, I was brought in through those characters. They're gone now or no longer written for; and when I look at the core, they are who they are because of said friendships, rivalries, romantic relationships. Mamie got me into Y&R, and is probably the only reason I'm pro-Abbott not Newman. I sometimes wonder if I've been "bamboozled".

[JSROCKS]

If you don't mind, could you please explain this analogy.

[miajere]

I'm reluctant, but since I brought it up, why not. I'm slightly obsessed with the Winters and their representation of AA families in America and in the corporate workplace. I know quite a few AA executives who work from home, watch, and relate..

....Neil Winters represents the middle class conservative AA of the soap world- much like Clarence Thomas was, and he's supported by his peers and is welcome to a seat in the executive world, but it's dependent on his loyalty- his ability to fit in and work well with others. What's so great about Neil, is no matter how hard he tries to assimilate, control his family life, move up in the ranks, he's always going to experience blocks. In fact the majority of his promotions come not because of the business he brings in- but his loyalty- his long term standing with the Newman company.

I compare him to Clarence Thomas not just because I believe Y&R is conservative view of black America, but because his role in Newman is titled as an executive, and he's responsible for accounts, but he's hardly ever written to carry them out. He is, in and of himself, a token (quite like Clarence Thomas was). What Y&R does so well, perhaps subconsciously, is write for him story line that many AA men and women in similar positions can relate to. i.e.Getting passed up for the Newman board of executives was quite genius.

But how is it, of all the Winter family members, and strong actors, is Neil Winters the head of this household? Is it because of Kristoff St. John's amazing acting? The raw emotion he emotes? We look at his family- Malcolm, Dru, Mamie, etc- and in comparison he is the weakest of all said characters. What a driving force Drucilla Winters was? The 'ying' to this existentialist 'yang'. She threatened everything that ever mattered to this man- his pride...and her dear daughter sits in a similar seat. She's not her mother's daughter in the least, and follows suit in order to fit in the same lifestyle.

It seems right for people not to care much for Neil absent Dru. And now we're presented with Tyra- a woman with whom Neil has had an affair with because of this nihilistic existence, and she stands to either keep his life in quiet dignity-owning a bar and working for the most powerful man in Genoa City- or rip it to shreds? And who is her daughter- a girl abandoned by her mother. Tyra's quite the little savior. A slight nose turn up to lower class America.

It's interesting to say the least because there is no other family or character like this on television to survive this long. He is a case study indeed. My personal feelings about Clarence Thomas I leave out. Perhaps I've thought too much about it. It's possible that Neil Winters is just another boring dude on the soaps.

[JimTolkien]

AMEN!!! What an astute observation, thought I was the only one who got this. My hope is that MAB has torn Neil down this way to rebuild the character somewhat and move him in another direction preferably from Newman. I would like to just one see Neil be recognized for his talent and smarts and get a chance to be a powerplayer in business like he should have been all along. Don't care where he goes just as long as he leaves egomaniac Victor Newman behind who giveth and taketh away like he breathes.