Y&R: Week of May 25, 2009

[dm.]

My selection of most boring and useless characters goes somewhat like this: Devon, Cane, Victoria, Lily, J.T., Tyra, Neil, Colleen, Ana...

I am sad over the fact that it's basically the entire Winters family, but the writing is stupid and it's hard to go through their scenes. There is only one lady that could save that family. Victoria, J.T. and Colleen are all easily dispensable.

[alphanguy74]

I don't have a problem with Vail being on recurring status. She can serve the same purpose Glen Richards used to. I think the overblown cast is a big problem, and I think the first two that need to go are Chapman and Shackelford.... followed quickly by Bright-on and Marcille AND her devil spawn. Heck, if one wanted to re-constitute the Winters family, I'd go for bringing back Marguerite Ray after you dump the above three actors I mentioned. Veronica Redd might be a better choice, Redd had great chemistry with Walton, Ray and Dickson were a DELIGHT to watch, I'm not sure that quadrangle is interchageable. Jana could be killed off, with a return of her brain tumor. you can do a tear-jerking Ali McGraw thing, give Rikaart some great scenes to play, etc... I still think a compelte meltdown and subsequent suicide for Phyllis would be the cherry on the cake of my decade, but somehow, I think Doug Davidson mgiht be the one on the chopping block, which is unfortunate, because he is such a great actor. (And I love watching the bulge in his jeans!)

[rhythmchyc]

I don't think the cast is bloated; I just think there's a lot of junk wasting space. If everyone was used to their fullest potential, then it wouldn't feel like this.

[dm.]

The problem with this is that she isn't that believable in the ADA role, so why keep her for something that nobody is going to like her for?

As for the Gloria and Jeff thing, I wouldn't mind keeping them as comic relief.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't like Heather, regardless of the ADA role.

They just need better writing, and then maybe half of the cast would, you know, actually have a purpose on this show.

God, I'm so waiting for Sony to screw the Bell's over and take control of this show. The Latham situation was not Sony's doing, Bill Bell, Jr. signed off on it and Barbara Bloom pushed for it. I'm waiting for Steven Kent to screw over Maria and Billy for their poor management skills.

[dm.]

Really?

You want that to happen, don't you? I'd take MAB's stuff over that crazy stuff any day of the year.

[Darn]

Haaa, well, honestly I forgot Gloria and Jeff (and JT and Victoria, who would be on the list) were on the show. And I would have included Lily but really only because CK is just such a bad actress. So so terrible, her acting in and around the wedding was just...I felt like I was watching Hannah Montana.

I would write off JT and Victoria, happy and in love and with their child, then bring Vicki back in a few years as a single mother (because JT died or something, who cares) played by someone who could act, preferably Heather Tom.

I think it has a lot of expendable characters but I don't think there are too many characters, just too many weak ones.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Fact is, Maria and Billy are wasting money with their million man cast and million man writing team. In this economic climate, they should be cutting costs in places they can, but they aren't. Sony needs to put their foot down and give it to the Bell's straight.

Latham wasn't hired by Sony, that was all Bloom and Bill Bell, Jr's doing. Steven Kent needs to get a real writer in there, and someone with good management skills that knows how to hire and fire the right people.

If ratings fall soon with the gay storyline and if the Phillip III storyline flops, I can see Sony getting more involved.

[dm.]

Meh, whatever. Sounds to me like you'd like anything (even LML stuff) to take over the show just to stop Maria, because as of a few days ago she's become the source of evil. Then again, I might be wrong.

[MarkH]

I could get behind your list.

For a recurring DA, I'd rather have a different actor. I feel Vail was at her best as the Jabot lawyer. They should actually have switched her over to modeling, like they do every other woman there (Julia, Chris, Nikki, Christine, Lily, Colleen, Diane, Dru, etc.).

I do feel the Winters is missing a strong matriarch. Aunt Mamie--even if recast, or Della Reese would work for me. Della seems a bit frail to be full time, though.

I am 100% behind Jana-as-Ali-McGraw. I proposed that myself a while back. I think that would be amazing, and OBrien and Rikaart would knock it out of the park.

It seems to me that Davidson is "saved", at least through the summer. I'm guessing his contract cycle comes up again at the end of the year (as it did last year), and that will be a choice point. Some of it probably rests on whether MTS re-signs and if Christine returns.

I personally would not like this. I have not seen any show flourish under corporate control. Didn't even Santa Barbara go down after New World stepped in? Sony runs Days. Is that a strong show?

I wonder how long the Bells-as-managing-partners agreement is signed for? It clearly began 12/26/2007 or thereabouts, so I'm assuming it would either have annual, 3-year, or 5-year cycles.

[rhythmchyc]

When Jana's brain tumor begins to act up again, she should start a serial-killing spree, first blowing up Crimson Lights with all the Fisher/Baldwins. Then, fleeing Genoa City and blinded by her bitterness and madness, she ends up at Jimmy's bar, spotting Cane about to close shop. She mistakes him for Kevin, unsure she was successful in her past crime, and bashes his brain in with a few bottles of Foster's.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

When did I ever defend LML and her writing?

For very good reason, the show is faltering on many accounts and Maria continues to ignore her problem areas. She's not a master storyteller some like to believe she is, and she's clearly wasting money on a lot of areas of this show.

[rhythmchyc]

:lol: :lol:

[dm.]

I was thinking about LML-similar stuff. We need to cope with the fact that we won't get a better writer because it just doesn't happen in daytime. It's one of those things that are so easy to come up with on forums, but almost impossible in real life.

I never thought of her as a master storyteller, just better than most of daytime at the moment.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Sony is NOT the majority holder when it comes to DAYS, that's Corday Productions. They do however own a majority share in Y&R, I believe.

Santa Barbara reached its creative heights and Emmy glory when the Dobson's were thrown out during those initial years.

If the costs don't come down and Maria and Billy don't so some cast and writing cutting, Sony may be forced to intervene.