Y&R: Week of May 04, 2009

[JackPeyton]

I disagree tho.

I do think Mac is closed off. And unhappy. But thats just the basics, there is nothing deeper than that... so far anyways. I dont see that its because things she experiences when doing her work or because she never got over Billy (and thats bullshit, IMHO. Mac very much got over him and ontop of JT). I just assume. And thats all story, IMHO.

I think Clem is playing a closed off unhappy women. And playing it well.

None of us will really ever know if that was direction or what she took from the script. I just hope they add more layers and depth and she plays it. I seen her play a wide range on The L Word. Someone kind of sarcastic and a little bit of a bitch to someone falling in love with another woman and her shock about it. to her confession of love and heart break and eventuall dreaded run in with the ex. She was fantastic full of spunk and charisma, and raw and honest.

[Khan]

God knows I'm having a tough time enjoying CF as Mac. (If I'm paying attention more to her hair extensions than to her performance, something's wrong.) However, OTOH, if there haven't been any more "upbeat" moments with Mac, perhaps the fault lies not with her, but with the writers and/or directors?

[Khan]

Why assume, though, that that's a reflection on the story's pace? Perhaps, the consensus is, "the story's fine, but CF just isn't selling it"? To me, at least, there is a difference.

[JackPeyton]

Exactly.

Because if the writing called for unhappy/moody/depressed/shutoff/icequeen/etc... and she was all upbeat and happy and flirty then she would not be doing her job. The few times she has been able to play soemthing other than sad she has done well, IMHO. Like in the scenes at Jimmys where she wanted the job, a few moments with Kay.

[brimike]

Oh, COMPLETELY! I wasn't blaming CF - I was absolutely blaming the writers (for not giving her at least a couple scenes in her first few weeks that give her an opportunity to show some life) and the directors (for not guiding her to be more lively, especially in the wedding scenes with Brock and Kay).

I understand there's a dynamic to play during the wedding prep between her and Amber (where Amber is the hyper, energetic one, and Mac is the more refined, restrained one), but a little bit of excitement in a "Mac-way" would have really gone a long way into getting me onboard.

[Khan]

No offense, brimike, but I've never known Mac to be even the least bit...excitable. She's more Eeyore than Tigger or even Pooh, know what I mean?

[JackPeyton]

Complete and utter word.

and sorry if i seem all crazy Clem Ford fanboy on yall, but i just rewatched the Shane/Molly love story on youtube, and damn. I loved that coupling. The one person i felt took Shane on toe to toe and threw her off was Molly. If anyone watchs to watch it, it is all on youtube. (But, FYI, there is some graphic girl/girl love making, lol. I was shocked youtube hasnt pulled it yet)

[Cat]

I like Clementine Ford thus far. She feels like Mackenzie to me.

Plus it's early days. I've seen her in, what? Five scenes? Half the time she has no dialogue, she is just reacting to what people are saying/imposing on her.

I know on soaps everybody wants to watch a young ingénue who is devastatingly stunning -- a hair-tossing Kendall Hart or Brenda Barrett or sidecracking Maxie Jones or Chloe. Mac is not that kind of character. And that's cool. Y&R is an ensemble cast.

(I was going to say that if I wanted to watch the same kind of characters spout the same dialogue over and over, I'd tune into GH. But GH has been ok this past week, so...)

[JackPeyton]

hahaha... oh man, you are so correct in this. Thats exactly who Mac is.

The only time they ever showed her smile and happy was when Kimsey was in the role - and the show was blasted for it. "Mac cant be sexy! Mac cant smile! Mac cant laugh! Mac cant have sex!!"

LOL at the last part!

[rhythmchyc]

Exactly.

I really wish there was more of an internal struggle, too. However, if she doesn't feel anything for Billy anymore, I get that. Then, Billy's just a sick little boy who's basically as crazy as Chloe is, which would be well and fine. But I don't get that clearly enough. Everything is so jumbled.

But I don't think she's been given enough material to really explore Mac's livelihood. And unlike Chloe, when she first came on the show as an extra for Lily, Mac came on full blast with all this history behind her. I don't see them developing her with as much gusto as they propelled her onto the screen.

She's a prop for Miller, maybe Hendrickson. That's all.

[MarkH]

Exactly!

Exactly! I think people don't like Mac. And that is a problem CF can't fix. She's playing MAC.

Exactly. It really feels a lot like a no-win.

I think some tender Kevin-Mac scenes, where she is an encouraging and supportive friend, could really go a long way toward fixing this.

[brimike]

Well, I don't want to see her dancing on tables or anything. LOL! Believe me, I watched all the Macs, and I understand she's never going to be a certain kind of character. But I haven't seen anything in the last four weeks that shows any kind of joy in her life, even in a "quiet" Mac sense. And for me to root for someone in their bad times, I want to see them in their good times too.

That being said, I am being patient. In spite of the opinions I'm voicing, I'm willing to see where this goes over the next few months. I'm not sold on Billy/Mac, but I am sold on keeping Mac around and seeing what they can do with her in adulthood. I just want to see a little more balance in her character, so she's not so dismal all the time. Even if they want to keep the Darfur thing alive, it's perfectly reasonable to have a scene where she finds herself relaxing/at east/content, and how that reflects on the time she spent overseas. I don't need her whooping it up, in a completely out-of-character way, but there are levels of happiness and "fun" besides depressed, and utterly manic.

TOTALLY agree!!! That's exactly what I'm looking for.

[DeeeDee]

Drunk Jill :wub: :wub:

[Khan]

And if that doesn't work, then we'll steal a page out of B&E's book and turn Mac psycho. (Hey, it worked for Annie Dutton!)

[JackPeyton]

Oh, i fully agree.

I just wish they would play up the darfur angle in her story.