Y&R: Week of April 20, 2009

[Khan]

Except Tom Casiello. He's probably eating this [!@#$%^&*] up like candy, the rat-bastard.

[MarkH]

It was a great episode .

But, one wonders why Branco is being so effusive. What is the agenda?

I'm probably being naive, but I think Branco is just doing his schtick to promote what he thinks is the last remaining exemplar of consistently good soap.

From the blog days, I think Branco thinks that Casiello "gets it". It's not just that Casiello has a blog--it is what he said in that blog, and how he responded to the customer.

(As a contrast, look at Dena Higley's blog).

Still, since Casiello himself has been pretty humble on his own blog, it would be nice if Branco didn't give him more spotlight than he seems to want.

I personally liked all the things that Toups mentioned. I really liked the clever staging and pacing of the myriad Ana-story elements. It flowed like good theater.

[Khan]

Here's a hint: It involves him, TC, and the two of them lying naked on 800-count Egyptian cotton sheets. ;-)

[MarkH]

That seems like a perfectly fine justification to me .

But, actually, this is where I got into trouble with Mr. Branco over on Usenet.

Because someone made a comment like yours above, I think about Mr. Branco and Kyle Lowder.

I "laughed" and played along.

Mr. Branco came into Usenet, called us all inappropriate and homophobic, and that we represented what was wrong with internet fans today.

The thread continued, with other Usenet posters claiming that Branco's occasional public drooling made him fair game for these kinds of comments

---

But here's the thing. I think Branco is God's gift to soap "journalism" or "press".

No, really!

Nothing else out there generates the same kind of interest (love or hate) as Branco's column. People flock to it, discuss it, critique it.

He's generating buzz...something that is so desperately needed for this threatened genre.

Through all of his (self-admitted) hyperbole and emotional-lability-for-public-consumption, he conveys a real love for the genre AND a demand that it be excellent.

How are these bad things? (For the record, I also think Carolyn Hinsey is often good for the genre, with her brand of criticism. Although, unlike Branco, her love for the genre doesn't shine through as much).

I don't want to make this a thread about Branco, but I do feel, sometimes, that "the evil that men do lives after them, the good is oft interred with their bones"

[Khan]

Translation: "How dare Kyle blab all over the Internet about what we did last night at the club? The big butt!"

What's the worst thing Branco could do to me? Label me a homophobe? Number one, that'd be ironic. Number two, I've been called much worse by much classier people. And number three, so what?

And for the record? There's journalism, there's "journalism", and then there's what he does, which is the cyberspace equivalent of scribbling "Mrs. Tom Casiello" over and over again in his notebook during fourth-period biology. If what he does attracts buzz to these shows, then these shows are better off remaining well-kept secrets.

[Cashton]

Oh Chaka! LOLZ!

[rhythmchyc]

I also loved how y&r cast Dylan's sister's mother, that thief, as the judge. She has a great voice and it was an ironic choice for anyone who remembers her.

[Cashton]

I totally remember her. I see her all the time in Burbank. She's very sweet..

[alphanguy74]

Now, here's a question. Ana today.... could this child's acting have BEEN more wooden? The scene where they walked in on Neil and Karen's hysteria, and this girl just deadpans... "It's all my fault", she didn't show any remorse in her eyes, face, in her voice.... she probabaly convey's more emotion when she goes the the Burger King and orders a whopper! And Bryton wasn't much better.... all the courtrrom scenes just going through the motions like a zombie. Wer'e lucky that those two are so inconsequential to the story, or they might have brought an otherwise fabulous episode down. But luckily Peeples and St. John saved the scenes and directed all attention to THEM... heck even Marcille was good today!

[brimike]

I have to be honest - both Ana and Cane needed acting coaches today. If the thought of what happened to Ana today made Lily or Cane wonder if that would be Delia in ten years, then GREAT! Because Ana looked positively fine and bored with everything that was going on, and Delia would be too!

I understand Cane agreed to drop the suit, but the way he treated Chloe like some life-long friend was infuriating. There wasn't a trace of nuance at all in those Cane/Chloe scenes. It should have been really sad and touching to watch Cane drop the suit and say good-bye to Delia, and instead I was screaming at my television that after stomping around town for months, now he's just all sorts of peachy to walk away with no problem! I would have been fine if it built to that, but Cane had that drugged-out goofy smile on his face from the second he pulled Chloe aside to tell her. There was zero arc from Goddard.

Definitely the two weak points for me as well.

[rhythmchyc]

Whenever I see this girl I see Cassie who even as a child would convey the deepest sorrow. It's as if every Black person in the

cast has been robbed of their souls. They're all shells of themselves. So hollow. Maybe they all need to get pushed off a cliff and come back to life recast. Even Neil.

[CSF]

Not sure if anyone else noticed this, but at the end of Y&R today, the song accompanying the montage consisted of the words “bless the beasts and the children.

Y&R’s opening theme originated as a music cue from the 1971 movie titled Bless the Beasts and the Children. Not sure if this was just a coincidence or what, but thought it was interesting. Just a little Y&R history fact.

[rhythmchyc]

The actress who plays the judge definitely has a sparkle in her eye. She seemed like the down to earth type. It's cool that she's nice.

[alphanguy74]

No, it wasn't a cooincidence, it's another nod to HISTORY. The instrumental version of that song from the "Bless The Beasts And The Children" soundtrack was used as background music often in the 70's, and was used last in 2003 when Snapper, Greg, and Jill were leaving the mansion to take Liz for her brain tumor operation (the Foster family reunion they did for the 30th anniversary). The original version with lyrics that was recorded by the Carpenters was also used in 1982 when Snapper said a final goodbye to his son, Chuckie.

[CSF]

I think that's pretty neat that they did that. I didn't know they've used it in the past, I guess I never was really paying attention. I love when soaps play homage to their history.