Y&R Adam and Heather

[MarkH]

I'm sorry to start this thread out of the weekly, but this has been bothering me, and it doesn't really fit into the week.

In 2008, two of the most promising young characters in a long time were introduced: Adam and Heather. Moreover, they had a chemistry you can't BUY...

Now look at 'em.

Adam appears (these are my speculations) to be faking blindness, and he appears to be gaslighting Ashley (the only one who was nice to him). When he's not being vile, he's being sniveling (snarking about his lot in life). He was permanently weakened by getting so royally sucked in by Jack.

As the product of Hope and Victor, Adam should have been a fascinating psychodrama of moral inner conflict. And the slow building of a relationship with his difficult father -- a prickly man -- should have taken center stage.

Now, I fear we're on the road to ruin.

As for Heather, nothing crystallized her iredeemability more than Friday. Michael is trying to explain the extenuating circumstances with Kevin and she CUTS HIM OFF. She won't listen...she rattles off her open-and-shut case. Sanctimonious b*tch!

She's not interested in justice, she's interested in prosecutions. That is the worst kind of evil.

Now I just want them both GONE, and I want them to suffer in the leaving.

Even their sparkling romance now takes the Newman template: He emotionally abuses her, and she comes back for more.

Even this dysfunction could be interesting to watch...but not when they play 1-2 days a week.

What I want to know is this? Why why why would the show squander what could have been so great? Such attractive, able performers. In a show that usually makes so much sense to me, not ONE of the decisions made vis-a-vis these two makes a single iota of sense.

This part of the show outrages me, which is a rare emotion for me with regard to Y&R.

[Ann_SS]

Can't say I agree. I love Adam now. I like that he has a villainous quality. It makes him the strong Newman son despised by his father and siblings, but willing to take them out. He is the son most like Victor and is exactly what Victor deserves. I look forward to seeing Adam gaslight Ashley. It is deliciously vile and should be compelling viewing. I bet Adam sets up Estella to take the fall.

I have no opinion on Heather. I can her take her or leave her. She may or may not be Adam's future. I don't really care.

[Taiah]

I liked Adam and Heather at times but truthfully I can do without her on the show. I want Adam around though, villainous and rotten is ok with me. But gaslighting Ashley is not what I had in mind. That's cold lol.

[JSROCKS]

I disagree, Kevin IS guilty as charged, there was/is no way Heather could/should agree with Michael before any trial takes/took place and without proof. Heather may be sanctimonious but she is the ADA representing the people of GC against whom a crime has been committed ( although I thought bank robbery was a Federal offense). She IS the prosecutor for goodness sake and that's where her interest/focus should be. I agree with Heather about lawyers representing members of their family. Michael should let some one else handle this.

ITA with you. I also like Adam as he is but wish TPTB would give him some more history( outside of being Victor and Hope's son). Was he really the Harvard wonderkind he professes to be, was his time working on Wall St really all that or was it a mixture of sex/lies/drugs and some rock and roll. His relationship with Skye should have been explored more ( talk about a mis-opportunity). I understand the animosity between the sibs (Nick/Vic/Adam), but I think their story should/could be more tight, they are adults after all. They should quit the petty squabbling and bring out the big ammo ( what ever that is). The gaslighting of Ashley I can do without ( we just had that with Katherine) and if he sets up Estella that would be a slap in the face of his friend Rafe.

[Cat]

The gaslighting of Ashley really threw me for a loop. I can understand Adam bitching out Fauxtoria (a grown-ass woman still boohooing over the fact that her mom isn't chained to the mustache) and even triggering a possible blindness in order to get his ass out of jail. However, Ash has been kind to him and this is just cruel. Plus she's got a difficult pregnancy coming up. Why is he doing this?

I do have a soft spot for Chris Engen, though, so I am hoping we see more of those scenes we saw in jail between him and Victor. As for Heather, I think TPTB are hedging their bets in the event they can entice returning vets or new names, in which case she'll be gone. But it is a shame. The scenes where Heather discovered his blindness in jail were suffused with longing and chemistry.

Mark, your post has got me worried. Y&R has thus far managed to correct a lot of big mistakes but I am worried that they have an agenda here -- propping up Victor Newman and his "true" children at the expense of characters (and actors -- I count Eileen Davidson in there with CE and VB) with a lot of potential.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Oh please, what was she supposed to do? Tell Michael that it was OK for his brother to rob banks and run away from the law? Her job is not for the defense, and she has no proof to know whether or not Kevin is faking it. This Fisher-Family bias is getting old.

[jcar03]

I kinda thought the gaslighting would be Estella, the maid who doesn't like Ashley for some reason or another.

[juniorz1]

There's no reason for her not to concede to a psychiatric evaluation though or to even consider it. She hasn't spoken with Kevin and any judge is clearly going to see that mentally, he's not there.

I'm not exactly sure why he's doing this either, considering Ashley is the one who persuaded Victor to get him released. But the strange thing is, that's exactly what I find interesting about it right now- his motivations for doing it is the real story here. I'm taking a wait & see approach with this one.

No but she could have consented for the evaluation or at least listened to some of the facts. Mental illness ain't pretty and leaving it completely untreated in a jail setting is risky for all parties, not just Kevin. As whacked out as he is, any jail will have him evaluated anyway, but still.

As for the original post, I've been pretty meh on Adam/Heather from the get go. There are times, like the recent jail scenes, where I see sparks, but I don't think it's enough for them to carry their own story as a couple. Adam needs someone like Heather in his life, but she's an inter-changable character in my opinion.

[MarkH]

The b*tch wouldn't even let him talk. That's just plain rude and irresponsible. I'm beyond annoyed with her right now .

I have deeply enjoyed Engen and Adam. If he harms one hair on Ashley's head or her baby, he's dead to me. Dead! I'm so irritated with the ruination of these terrific next-generation characters and their talented portrayers. Just mad as hell, actually. That is not like me. I'm trying to trust that we're on a journey here...and it will all work out.

Heather was simply off the charts. I'm thinking she has a tumor or something. Just loony. HEAR THE MAN OUT!

I'd agree, except in their GCAC scenes they had such nice repartee. And they both have awesome bodies. Pure sex, intellect and compatibility. I hate it when this kind of thing is squandered.

Engen made Bloom a better actress and character. USE THAT!

[Eric200]

I am not really sure what the writers want us to think about Heather. She is honest but she is always pretty much written as a moron who gets a door slammed in her face by Victor in a comedic manner. She has pretty much been wrong in all of her cases and nobody on the show seems to even like her (Even her dad is like "eh better go meet with my daughter again")

[JackPeyton]

I liekd the chem test they did with Heather & Cane. And Heather & Daniel, but i loved Heather & Adam... they are just in desperate need of SOMETHING.

[y&r_fan]

That couple has always bored me. I'd rather see Adam with someone else. I could see Phyllis hooking up with him in an attempt to 'keep it in the family'. They could also pair him with Colleen to add fuel to the 'Colleen vs. Victor' fire. Hell, maybe even Chloe when Billy is done with her.

Sorry Vail fans - I think Heather needs a recast. Vail bores me to tears and I find her too childish to be taken seriously as an attorney. I've said it before and I'll say it again - Jennifer Finnigan would ROCK in the role.

[Paul Raven]

I like Chris Engen and Adam is an important character.

I'm not sure where MAB is taking the character(I'm losing faith in her long term planning)but this story,at the moment is holding my interest.

Victor is such a horrible character,that anyone who bears a grudge against him(especially his own son)gets points with me.I would like to see the adam character evolve over time.Please,don't make him too evil that he becomes yet another character that doesn't pay for his cfrimes.

As for Heather,she needs to be more than snippy ADA.More scenes with Paul,maybe a visit from April,her perspective on his involvement with Nikki,perhaps a new love interest(Rafe?)Heather is a legacy character and I think Vail has a lot to offer as an actress.

Adam and Heather just need more airtime and better character development.

[juniorz1]

Heather? A LEGACY character? I respectfully disagree with that one.

[MarkH]

The ONLY next-generation of the Williams family (not counting unseen Ricky) that we know of. Todd is a priest, Patty is missing (and lost the baby she was carrying with Jack), and we know nothing about Steve.

Yes, "legacy" in the sense of carrying on a core family.

Truth is, though, I'm thinking Heather and Paul will just disappear...and with it all traces of the Williams clan.