Y&R Episode Discussion for the week of July 13

[alphanguy74]

Yes, that's TRUE... some people will do anything to suit their agendas. And I've noticed that almost every single person who has thought Bierdz' acting was bad, were also the same people who hated the SL in the first place. We all know how fabulous Jess Walton is, but for her first 5 years, I HATED her... because she wasn't Brenda, it took me that long to stop calling her the "Jill impostor". When your'e prepared to not like something, it's hard to see clearly. But all I see is a bunch people who hate liver and onions going to and all you can eat buffet, sampling the liver and onions.... and saying the cook is incompotent. But I'm glad Maria likes him, so he'll probably stay for YEARS. If Ron Moss can be on daytime for 20+ years then Thom is a shoe-in. I think Phillip and Rafe would make a nice combo... they can help each other.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I could see how it would be hard to get used to Walton after years of Dickson, and they're two very different actresses, and good in their own ways.

But I think the Bierdz situation is different. A lot of people hate the storylines yes, but they aren't hating the acting of the women invovled in the story, they just think Bierdz is horrible. He has drawn the most criticism, because really, he is the centerpiece of the storyline and the one person that that history has been rewritten to suit, and many beleive he's just not delivering on the acting.

I think a lot of people have given Bierdz some time, and thus far, to them, he isn't very good. I think most of the people here have done that, but I could be wrong.

I don't know about Rafe and Phillip III, Rafe's still a recurring bit player, and he practically doesn't exist out of Adam's orbit. They also seem very hesitant about properly develpopeing this character and he was introduced since last fall. I really beleive that Rafe's time will end when this Adam storyline comes to an end. I can't see him fucnting properly after that.

The fact that they only singed Bierdz for a 6 month contract seems telling to me. It seems like they wanted to use a gay actor for a gay character just to create buzz and exploit the same massive rabid following that Nuke, Bianca and Otalia have. Because really, what's the use of making him gay, and assuming they don't extend his contract, and just using him for 6 months? What long-term impact could that possibly have?

As they've shown with the Rafe/Adam on-screen sex/kiss ban, they don't want to display gay affection on this show. Nelson said it was Maria's choosing, not the network, so if she has very little confidence in terms of showing stuff like that, how does it bode well for the portrayal of possible gay relationships on this show?

I'm not buying the give it time excuse, on a show were psychos run rampant, where people cheat constantly, and where murder seems to happen every few months.

We see straight characters being seduced and having sex through seduction all the time, so why is it different for Adam and Rafe?

[DRW50]

When did Billy become close enough to Katherine to start calling her "Grandma"? He got on well enough with her when he was with Mackenzie but at that time he only knew her as Mrs. Chancellor. He left town soon after he found out he was related to Mackenzie and Katherine. He came back briefly in 2006 but didn't seem to spend that much time with her. Now he's forged such a close grandmother/grandson bond with her (in the few scenes he shares with her) that she's still Grandma to him?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Y&R doesn't operate on logic, everything must be re-written!

I guess with Cane, though he's not Phillip III and I do not like him, I could understand why he called her Grandma since we saw them forge a bond, but Billy and Katherine were never that close, and everything you mentioned is true.

Everything about this show is so problematic...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Ooops, wrong thread...

[MoTheGreat]

I know Billy & Katherine haven't had that many scenes because his man whorish ways. But the little bit they did have I like their vibe. I like the hospital scenes. & there was another scene. They just come off as still be related.

Or it could be my hatred for reunion Billy & Mac making me see something more that isn't there.

[DRW50]

I have a hard time remembering Billy is related to most of these people because he doesn't seem to care about any of them or ever spend time with most of them. I think they have him as nice to Katherine because that's their one attempt to make him seem like a nice guy, but it doesn't say much when he the only person he's nice to is an 80 year old woman who has always been in his corner.

I would definitely rather not see Billy/Mac together, so if this does lead to another relating, fine by me.

[lmfan]

I can understand that view when Philip was a troubled teen and new father, but those same characteristics in a nearly 40 year old man makes him a loser as a man, and a coward. He quit on his life because it was too hard and now is taking little repsonsibility for the hurt he caused with his actions. He should have already bloomed and been dealing with life for a good two decades now. I just want Nina to smack him and tell him to grow up and stop whining.

I don't think the acting is good at all, but he gets no favors from the writers when they act like after 20 years of not being in his son's life he would do what he did all over again. That is just so incredbly selfish and he keeps blaming what he did on Katherine and Jill. I get that they are a tough pair, but come on and take responsibility for your actions. The best scenes for him is when he is acting opposite Jill, Katherine and Nina, but they are still not very good. The scenes today where he was yelling at them to accept Cane was a bit much, and I couldn't figure out his reaction when P4 walked through the door. It seemed like he was confused that he had a son. I think my biggest problem with P3 is his absence of regret where his son is concerned.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think my biggest complaint about Bierdz's acting is that he plays every scene the same exact way, and it's not very flattering. Even when scenes call for him to be different and to express a different emotion, he's always the same way. Very stiff and monotone acting. He doesn't know how to play a variety of things, so he's the same way in about every scene.

[lmfan]

I think when they play their favorites, especially in repetitious storylines, the audience gets sick of them. I don't get how they are not going to go over contract limits for some of these actors when they use them four or five days a week if they keep focusing on them in all their "A" stories.

[detroitpiston]

WTF? Are we even supposed to like Phillip? Seriously, what a douche.

Ugh to Lily/Cane/Devon scenes

And Stacy Haiduk is too hot and too talented for this show.

[Greg's GL]

Just caught today's show.

alphanguy - First of all, let me say that I can understand why you thought TB was better today. Really. HOWEVER, his "acting" today did nothing to make me change my opinion of him. No hard feelings, OK?

Now, I really enjoyed today's show. I thought it flowed very well.

I like Adam/Mary Jane as they were played today. Two people that really don't like each other very much and don't trust one another, but work together to (sort of) achieve their goals. Mary Jane pouring Mr. Kitty some milk at Crimson Lights was too funny!

It's good to see that MM has the some sibling rivalry chemistry with JM and AH. I can't recall JM/MM sharing scenes since the recast so I was interested to see how they played off each other.

And call me crazy, but I am really liking Cane since he's been cast out of favor among the residents of GC. DG has done a very good job with playing the beats of the story as well. Normally, I'm throwing [!@#$%^&*] at the TV when the loser from down-under shows up, but I have liked him lately.

Another "call me crazy" moment - I really liked the Devon/Lily scenes at his place today. First time in a long time that I didn't want to FF these two, but I found the scenes to be very genuine. A nice conversation between brother and sister.

Finally, for the short amount of time we saw JD/Chance/Phil IV, I loved loved loved Nina/TC's reaction when he came in the room. What a fantastic actress she is. I fuckin love that woman. And her rolling her eyes when Cane announced he was leaving GC? Priceless.

I was thinking the same thing!

[alphanguy74]

That's hilarious! He's had what... 4 or 5 episodes? It's also the same people who pronounced him a bad actor after 20 seconds on screen, uttering 4 or 5 words. It's just amazing how brutal people can be.... reminds me of all the people ont eh sony board who never wanted Beth Maitland to appear because she's fat... never mind how fabulous an actress she is. But anyway... the decision rests with Maria, and I predict she'll either extend his contract or let him remain on recurring at the very least. As long as he's there in some capacity, I'm good. I tell you what I want to see.. we NEED Liz Foster in this SL in some capacity. she's really needed now, since her grandson is alive, could you imagin the tounge lashing Liz would give him? And when we get to the reveal of the Patty Jane SL (When everyone in CG finds out who she is) we DESPERATLY need Mary Williams to be there, if not be the lynchpin of that reveal....I've been having fantasies of Mary Williams kicking Victor in the balls REALLY HARD. Where the hell is Carolyn Conwell, has she dropped off the face of the earth? In these scenes today with Patty Jane, it's obvious she's in desperate need of help, and unconditional love from SOMEONE.

[alphanguy74]

No hard feelings at all... I understand your feelings. Maybe some of the problem for some is that Tricia Cast is like this blinding supernova, casting shade on everyone around her. Dare I say it... she has been outshining Walton on more than one occasion.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

But even in 5 episodes, very little about Bierdz and his acting has changed. Tricia Cast didn't need settling in, even though she was gone for close to a decade and acted very little since her time off the show.

Bierdz has had clear problems settling back in and most people haven't seen a marked improvement since she's been back. It's one thing to be green and uncomfortable 20 years ago, it's another thing to be stiff and out of tune 20 years later. Bierdz did say he had a few acting teachers in that interview you posted earlier in the week, so what's really his excuse?

A lot of people simply don't like his acting, and unless they see a marked improvement, I think very little is going to change in regards to their opinion of his acting. Especially when he appears to be playing all of his scenes in the same way and his delivery and voice are so grating, I've been hearing that a lot.

Even if they write him out in 6 months, since they went through all the trouble to re-write history for him and to use him just for these 6 months, I think it would be wise if he made occasional visits and came back to celebrate the holiday's with Jill and Katherine from time to time. Now that's he's alive, it would be bad storytelling if they refuse to acknowledge him after he leaves again.

They should have been using Liz a lot more and they should have put Juliana McCarthy on recurring. Jill needs someone to talk to, it seems like most people either hate her or tolerate her these days. I think they're slowly phasing Jill out, but I could be wrong.

Carolyn Conwell is retired and Doug Davidson said a few years back that she doesn't want to act anymore. Since they won't be recasting, I guess Mary will be living off screen, unless they decide to write her death in.