Y&R: Episodes discussion., Week of June 29,2009

[Juliajms]

Nick should have been way more upset. He should have been completely devastated. Nikki, Victor and Victoria should have all been there reliving their worst nightmare, instead they were acting like Summer broke her pinky or something.

[Toups]

I still actually Heather so I hate it when she always goes after these cases that make her look stupid. I wish for once she actually gets to go after someone who actually did the crime. LOL Poor Heather.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

LOL! We finally agree on something, I do not like Vail's acting either. It's so boring and stiff. She'd be better suited for soft-core porn.

It can't be the directing, Mike Denney directed both episodes and he's one of the best directors in daytime period. I really don't see how he could botch two episodes.

[Toups]

*gasp* Somebody dissed Mike Denney? *raises pitchfork*

[brimike]

I'm not saying the writing doesn't come into play, but things like Nikki's attitude when she walks in, and the way Victor hugs Phyllis - those things (for the most part, unless they involve a story point) aren't indicated in the script. It's up to directors/actors/producers. The script doesn't say "Victor gives Phyllis a casual embrace and a few pats on the backs as if he senses she forgot to wear deodorant this morning", it probably just says "Victor hugs Phyllis" or "Phyllis finds comfort in Victor's embrace" or whatever.

Something weird is happening during taping for these big group scenes. It's bizarre.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Maybe the actors all hate one another, which wouldn't surprise me.

Eric Braeden is Eric Braeden, and Melody was probably in tough contract talks when this stuff was shot and it might have had an impact on her and those around her.

[brimike]

Probably good theories.

Speaking of Mike Denney, I re-watched the show tonight - and TALK ABOUT YOUR OPENING FLOWER SHOTS! Good GOD, it was like opening the show in one of Charo's headdresses. I didn't even notice it until the second viewing, and then I couldn't get Sylph out of my head (which was terrifying in its own right).

[Toups]

The first thing you see is a close up of the flowers, the camera zooms out and trucks right at the same time. Beautiful opening shot. I love visual beauty like that.

[Sylph]

What do I have to do with flower shots?

[MarkH]

I know I am late to the party, but finally a few comments from me on this episode:

1. I agree with others that Jill as manicurist is silly. It was funny for a day, but what I'd like to see is Neil have the strength to fight for her at chancellor, and for her to make a real contribution...while battling Neil for control.

2. Victor was deliciously evil with Jill, appropriately twisting the knife on the EXACT issues ("That's not what you're concerned about. You're concerned about leaving Katherine...You're not her daughter. That has been proven. Yet you're dependent on that connection to her because it gives you status and relevance, doesn't it? ") she felt in connection to Kay.

3. Long frozen blood carried around in a pocket...wouldn't work. I hope the writers say "the sample was tainted...it was obviously stored too long", and this puts an end to this part of Cane's ruse.

4. Bravo Lily! Check that damn Blackberry! And bravo Nina, for acknowledging that Lily's history with men is ALMOST as bad as Nina's. I almost swooned when the legendary David Kimball was mentioned!!! Is he so famous that even Lily knows about him? I'm surprised she instantly knew about that psycho.

5. Sharon is pure evil. Period. Anyone who could look at Nick's pain in that moment and perpetuate the lie...

6. BRAVO to the writers for realizing we needed everyone at the hospital! While I agree with the rest of you that the emotional beats weren't fully played (why didn't Nikki and Victor share a tender moment?), kudos to the writers for realizing that the impact of this event needed half the cast in one room together! It set up some nice stuff, though, like...

7 ... Mary Jane dragging Heather down that Munchhausen-by-Proxy avenue! Good move! Mary Jane is a SMART and resourceful villainess. Can you imagine how fully Phyllis is going to destroy her when she finally realizes what MJ has done to her and her daughter??? I can't wait for Ninja-Phyllis to move into action.

That said, I wish Haiduk had played a bit of subtext with Heather...even a voiceover. "My poor sweet niece. I hate to use you and deceive you this way, but I need to get Phyllis away from Jack!" But I realize Mary Jane's connection to the canvas has not yet been established.

8. I wish they'd remind us why Neil and Nina have a connection. As far as I can recall, their only shared history was Ryan McNeil. I know the actors have a longer history (Bad News Bears), but they should remind us of the tie.

That said, the tie is dangerous to expose. Neil, Cane and Nina are all contemporaries. But Cane (who is ostensibly P3's age) is married to Neil's CHILDBRIDE DAUGHTER. Ick.

That would be almost as bad as involving P3 with Rafe. Ick.

9. I loved how, in the depths of this, Phyllis still had the presence of mind to get possessive with Nick and shatter his "Faith dreams". Her inner b!tch is ALWAYS in control!

10. I loved Victor getting all "TGVN" on Jeffrey! "You take your decaying body and slink back to the swamp you came from" And yes, it was very clever of the writers to give a nod to the fandom's anti-Gloria stance by making her MUTE. But God Bless Judith Chapman. When Victor told her she "picked the wrong side", she did all she needed to with those delightful trademark bug eyes!!

11. I know he's not popular around here, but I think Goddard is doing a marvellous job of playing dishevelled, at-the-edge Cane. I also think it was quite silly, how the test-tube switch got done. But let's face it, the poor BDW/SW had to figure out how to make it happen SOME way...so this was as good as any contrivance. At least they had Nina be smart, instantly calling him on touching the test tube. This regime has REAL LOVE for Nina, eh?

There seems to be an accomplice...a third person (I guess from the bar) that Cane keeps calling about Langley. Is this a meaningful plot point?

12. I don't know where Kay's symptoms are taking her, but I liked that this was a true nod to her medical hstory. And, per previews, by the next show she is in the hospital. So they're no longer playing stupid "ignore my symptoms" games...AND it puts Kay in the same environs with the Newmans/Summer. More delicious cast integration!!

13. I still like how Nina-Cane are playing subtext. She thinks he's a user, but his resistance of cash has her puzzled. He is seriously trying to give her some comfort AND protect his ass. Mark my words...I think there could be a viable romance between these two in the future.

14. I found Victor's exchange with Mary Jane odd...as it has been odd. One day he's nice to her, the next day he's ordering her around, the next day he's firing her. Now, he's "discovered", and I believe the real TGVN would ship her out of town. Instead, he just tells her to be "careful". But then he sees Kitty and says "Good. I wouldn't want history to repeat itself." What does that mean?? Does Victor know about Patty's backstory and her shooting of Jack?? If so, why would he unleash this on his family and Genoa City??? This whole beat doesn't compute for me.

[Greg's GL]

Mark - enjoyed reading your entire post, but wanted to comment specifically on these points.

- I really, really hope that the blood he's been carrying around does NOT succeed in his "passing" the DNA test. If it does and "proves" he's a Chancellor, I will be a little pissed. Your scenario is what we NEED to see with this part of the story.

- Admittedly, I can't stand that !@#$%^&*] from down under (Cane). But ICAM with what you've said about his performances since this thing started. He's been doin a good job portraying a man that's fixin to get his ass in a sling (hmmm....wait a minute....getting a mental picture of Goddard in a sling :-) ... ANYWAY. Yeah, he's doin a good job with this part of the story.

- Kay's sickness isn't bothering me so much. Said it before...sayin it again....

- Nina/TC is awesome. I love the way she plays off Jill, yesterday with Lily and this obvious tension she has with Cane. They should try to get her to stay, even though the cast is bloated. Shed some dead weight and bring Tricia back full time already.

Did you notice the look on Jill's face when Lily was asking her about Cane's "Uncle Langley" and his calling him 40+ times? Hmmmm.

[brimike]

.

They have

I would actually love this idea. Especially with the venom she spits at him - there's lust in there somewhere. I buy an explosive relationship there more than I do in Lane.

I remember you posted something once about how the show getting back to what it should be isn't just about "references to twenty years ago thrown in for no good reason, and bringing flower shots back". It stuck with me for some reason. LOL!

[Leia]

I can't agree more! MarkH your post was sublime and I'm glad that I'm not the only one who likes Cane

[MarkH]

What really struck me was how much stronger Tuesday's show was than Mondays'. Partly, the writers were blessed with many more cast members, but the script was written to allow both plot movement (e.g., Lily's discovering Cane's blackberry) and character interaction (most notably the hospital and Chancellor sets).

[BadZoe]

Mary Jane is a nut job, she probably stuffed Kitty herself.

Maybe Y&R is planning something new and innovative with Nikki and instead of being

I was hoping that Cane would end up sitting on his test tube and it breaking. That would be an even bigger pain in his ass than Lily is.

How can people expect the Newman's to react over Summer the way they would over one of their "legitimate" grand children like Noah and Cassie. It must also be boring for the actors to once again be called in to play the same hospital scenes they've been playing every year, for the last 10 years. Hell, they were there doing them just last week with Vicki being unconscious. It must be like being on B&B at this point and really hard to get new enthusiasm for the material.