Y&R: Week of May 18, 2009

[Sylph]

It's a classic soap tale (terribly overused): someone uses someone else for a scheme then falls in love. The fact that it would be two men isn't something that would make it a bomb of a story. All the more because of the reasons I've just outlined.

Who on Earth suggested this absurd tale of Adam being gay? Now that he's been recast, maybe they will go in that direction. But with Chris Engen, that would have never been a plausible story.

[dm.]

Maybe with MM it will be, but I couldn't see it with CE either.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I doubt they'll go gay with the character at all. If they do, poorly planned and it would have little build-up. For all her faults, Maria sure gives us build-up.

[Sylph]

I'm sitting here and for the last few days look at and read in sheer puzzlement these posts about this possible gay storyline on Y&R and can't believe what I'm seeing. So much blabber and empty talk about something that hasn't even begun. And people already have ideas about it and what they should do. Zero talk about what's actually happening.

With this pace and these kind of comments people are going to run these kinds of tales right into the ground.

Someone said in another thread unrelated to Y&R, it was said in general, stories about gay people on US soaps do not work. Fans will always be disappointed. Someone has yet to prove that statement is false.

[MarkH]

I think you're both right, at least vis-a-vis Cara Mia's theory, based on what we have seen so far.

To be clear, my assumption (and that of many others, it seems) is actually that Adam is NOT gay or bisexual. My assumption is that he is using someone else's sexual attraction to him as a benefit (like J.R. Ewing, Abby Cunningham...). My assumption is that Adam has no genuine feelings for ANYONE. So, for me, the "unique" part is that he is a sexual user who is "equal opportunity"....he preys not just on heterosexual attraction (Heather), but homosexual too (Adam).

As for the "falling in love" bit...well...that is a stretch. Right now, I agree, it seems implausible. But the recast offers new opportunities in this regard...plus the story is only beginning. So I can't fully evaluate how ludicrous this is until I see what they lay out.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I believe that was me.

And it is true, and I have very little faith in Maria and company to do a "gay story" justice.

[Sylph]

Whereas falling in love is totally divorced from reality, this part of the story isn't really good either. I have just told you: yes, Adam is scheming and all, but does he really look like a person who would pretend to be gay? Not in a million years would I believe in that. With Engen. With this new one, it's gonna suck too. No build up, no nothing. And I'm not talking six months build up. For such a tale to work, you would need years...

[Sylph]

Here it is.

[dm.]

Sure, Adam might just be using Rafe to get what she wants... but if a man has any interest in another man (and doesn't cringe while doing it) he is at least bi. Unless, of course, they go with the "this is a soap" routine.

Hmmm.... but who else tried these days? We only have the horrible Passanante pissing all over that storyline; and at least with GL it works. So who is to say that it might not work...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

ATWT and AMC both bombed horribly with this storyline. GL is still building their's and since the show is canceled, it won't come into fruition.

They can barely do romance with their straight couples, you expect better with a possible gay couple?

Maria is not a socially-conscious writer either, so who knows what the hell she'll do.

[dm.]

They can do romance... they just chose the wrong couple to give all the attention to. So yes, it sucks...

That's where Hogie and Scottie jump in!

I don't know what to say; let's just wait and see.

[MarkH]

Agreed. But he could hide his cringing. I mean, actors do it all the time. So if Adam is an 'actor'...sufficiently focused on getting his goals that he'll now do anything...then he could kiss Rafe, but not show his revulsion. That wouldn't make him bi. The actor would have to very carefully play the revulsion with his eyes and body and when other characters aren't looking.

[Sylph]

That's too much work for a story. Too much work for a person to make himself/herself believe in it.

Best stories are those organic, simple ones where you Wow! at how uncomplicated yet terrific they are. E.g. people were trying to get off the Island on Lost for several seasons then comes your brilliant twist: We have to go back! That's a story. Not I have to force myself to believe they have to go back.

And yes, I've just quoted Lost as an example.

[Sapounopera]

Your example works fine, since soaps could learn a lot from Lost, a show that uses soap opera elements in a brilliant way.

[Sylph]

Thank you, Elsa. I think I quoted a very nice example.

People probably thought The end of this show will be: they finally leave the Island. But nope. That would be disastrous and would make the show stale: Again on the Island? One more season trying to get off the Island? You are not serious?!?! Damon & Carlton did a very clever thing.