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

[cara mia]

Yes, the acting was wonderful. TC, JW, and even DG did very well today.

[alphanguy74]

The acting was a dream today. Melody Thomas of course, cried like a champ. And after visting all the major soap message boards, I'm THRILLED to see that out of ALL of them, Alvin and Sylph were the only TWO who thought Thom Beirdz did a horrible job today. My hope for mankind is restored.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Um, no, go to the other threads like the one in the spoiler section and you'll see who else hates his acting. Also, try the "unpopular opinion" thread and the potpourri thread.

I could say, only you, Mark, and brimike excused his acting today. I didn't see anyone else praising it, and even Mark and brimike just seem to understand it, they didn't give him praise or anything.

[alphanguy74]

I said you were the only two who hated it. I dind't praise it, I said it was just OK. From what I've seen, most people either like him, or thing he's mediocre. Nobody else is really HATING his performance.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

We're all just calling it as we see it, so why are those of us who hate his acting being singled out again? It's all subjective.

[brimike]

Woah. Leave me out of it.

Guys, I'm not on a "side" here. I just stated my opinion. Alvin thought he sucked, and I respect that. Nobody should be picking sides, or saying "Well, nobody but these three people say this" and the other side says "nobody but these four people say THIS either".

*sigh* Can't we all just get along?

[rhythmchyc]

Let's see what he does on Monday please? Jesus.

[cara mia]

I don't think people are expecting TB to be the second coming of Paul Newman! As long as he hits his marks, doesn't mumble and has the same chemistry with JW and JC, he'll be fine.

I not happy about the gay romance spoilers for

I was so looking forward to the gay storyline when I thought it was going to a triangle with

Now it's just Dead on Arrival. I'm already bored by the idea of Rafe & MM's Adam. Not nearly enough chemistry for me. I have VERY LITTLE interest in Rafe and

The only possibility that might hook me is P3 and NuAdam

is just going to thrown into that stupid boring

UGH! And now MarkH has a very plausible theory that P3 and Rafe are just going to leave town in 6 months, taking the gay scene with them! Goodness, what was the point of all of this? MAB is such a freaking idiot. She thinks the whole coming out thing is done. No, it's not! HOW STUPID IS SHE! I am so damn mad. How the hell could she think that

My Goodness! Does she watch the news? Does she know is going on the world around her? What an terrible stupid horrible decision to not make

I am so disappointed by what is going to transpire on our screens versus what I had hope would transpire.

[brimike]

But again, as much as I love the concept of this, I'm having a tough time seeing what the scenes on-camera are. P4 talking to his family about his translating? Bringing on a day player general or sergeant who scolds him for being gay? I think it's a wonderful story, told from the point of view of somebody actually in the trenches. But the soap doesn't have the budget to show the barracks in Iraq (and I shudder to think what it would look like).

I'm not arguing that it isn't a fantastic story, but on a soap budget, I'm just trying to understand what I would actually see on-camera.

[cara mia]

Of course this can be done. And this is where you need to have the guts to make the characters diverse in their perspectives. What is Jill encouraged P4 to lie so he could keep his job? What if Nina pushed him to be honest? What if P4 and Devon became friends and that bothered Neil? What if Chloe fell for him and tried to "convert" him? There are million places to take a young gay military man. What if P4 was sneaking around trying to date Rafe? P4 could be found out, go through a military discharge and then integrated into the cast (maybe become a cop or head of security at Chancellor). It would be something that would haunt the character and inform him. It would also force the audience to reconsider their support of Don't Ask Don't Tell -- how ridiculous it is that this law is keeping men like P4 from serving.

[brimike]

I can see all of that. I guess I see scenes, but I don't actually see a story.

Mind you, I feel the same way about P3 too. I'm not saying P3 is better than P4. I see good scenes. I don't see a good story.

[DRW50]

DADT is too hot to handle. There are anti-gay activist groups who would probably raise a big fuss over this issue. And as brimike mentioned, there's little drama which can play out onscreen. The current stories are not being told in a way which will cause extensive controversy from those who oppose gay rights, because many who oppose gay rights or homosexuality can look at Rafe/Adam (which so far has mostly been offcamera and has same-sex relations as being for twisted reasons), or at

, and be fine with what they're seeing.

I'm bothered by the lack of interest in making viewers care about Rafe, or about dropping the

. I think, so far, the gay element has been used more as a way to get attention than to delve into the issue. That's why I can't agree, yet, with the idea that they're treating homosexuality like anything else.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I guess there we have the difference of those who look at the big picture and those who try harder to see some good in inane plots. In the grand scheme of things was reversing Phillip III's death really worth this type of character assassination? Did they really have to reverse one of the most iconic moments of this show's history that drove story for YEARS, just to make Phillip III into a someone who abandoned his infant child and someone who sent an impostor to fill his place in a family that though was dysfunctional, loved him very much? I just can't get passed how ridiculous this whole thing is, how it hurts the Phillip III character in the long run, how it rewrites MORE history, and how lame it all is to just enjoy scenes. But that's just me.

[Sylph]

How on Earth was that scene of reveal good? How? All I saw was sloppily written, losing momentum as seconds pass by scene that crashed and burned. A scene that was supposed to remain for ages will most likely end up in the trash tomorrow.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Agreed, but we'll probably be singled out for this again.