Y&R: Episode Discussion for the week of August 10

[alphanguy74]

Now, HERE is something we can AGREE on! Those nails have got to be the most distracting thing on a soap, EVER. Is this some new style I'm not aware of? Iv'e never seen anyone with the fruit loop nails aorund HERE, anyway. Or is this Eva's idea of her own personal style? Damn, if that's all the style she got... I'd rather bring back Lawanda Paige from the dead to play her part. At least I'd be laughin for the RIGHT REASONS.

[y&r_fan]

Exactly. Y&R is as stuck with MAB as B&B is with Brad. I don't believe for one second that MAB is writing the majority of the storylines right now. It all just screams Hogan Sheffer. MAB is just being lazy and okaying everything Hogan and Scott suggest. If MAB just cut them both loose and reinstated Jack Smith as co-HW (since Kay Alden is unavailable), all would be right with the world.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

The Bell's own B&B outright, Sony owns the majority stake in Y&R and covers the show's production costs and distribution.

If someone at Sony or CBS wanted her out, she could be forced out.

Jack Smith is writing scripts at B&B, so he's as unavailable as Alden. Unless someone wants to lure them both back

Maria's never going to get rid of Hamner or Sheffer, and we saw how horrible the show was when she was writing it by herself during the beginning and middle of 2008, when the show was hitting new lows in the ratings ever week. Her inexperience and bad pacing problems shine through. All three of them need to be fired.

Eh, forgot to take it to the Potpourri thread, but back on topic...

[Leia]

I disagree. I think the return of P3 was a disaster and completely missed the mark in terms of what it should have accomplished. When the news first broke that they were doing this story, I said it would either be a jump the shark moment of a brilliant success. I think we all agree it was a jump the shark moment however, I do think that there was some good achieved. First, I think the story refocused Cane's character which isn't a bad thing at all because I like him much better these days and I have a much better grasp on his backstory than I did before. It also eliminated one major gripe I had about Cane and that is that I never bought into him as a potential Phillip III in the first place.

Secondly, I think it did pave the way for Phillip IV's introduction but I think that is a case where we are seeing them do something right in connection with the disastrous P3 return. So far, Phillip IV's debut scenes were a bust BUT they seem to be plotting him well. In fact, I don't think that the only purpose of P3's return was to set up the future triangle and quad between Billy/Mac/Chloe/Chance. I think that set-up was already in place the moment they brought Mackenzie back. As soon as Billy saw Mackenzie and it was leaked that Kay and Jill were not mother connected biologically, it was obvious to me that they were building towards a Billy and Mackenzie reunion. I knew Chloe wasn't going to go unpaired (no one in that age group rarely does) so I wasn't surprised when they hired John Driscoll following Clementine Ford. From a publicity standpoint they used JD's arrival to mask the return of P3.

I went OT for a second because I wanted to weigh in on today's episode. Like Alpha said, I thought that Thom Bierdz was very relaxed in his scenes with TC and JD. I loved Nina's hypocritical rant about Chloe's rap sheet and how she tried to warn Chance about the perils of developing an interest in a woman like Chloe. I loved how Chance then clarifed what he admired in Chloe ending with the statement that Chloe reminded him of Nina which stunned her. And to have Nina of all people warn her son about the dangers of a woman chasing after Chancellor men for their money only for Phillip III to arrive and quip that he knew all about that. And finally when Phillip III explained to Chance how he perceived Nina at the time of their marriage was wrong and he has grown to truly respect her over the years was a gold. I've often felt that Chloe was a carbon copy of Nina Chancellor which isn't a bad thing in my book at all. It was a small moment but I loved it still the same. For the first time I bought those three characters as a family unit and a story with Chance pursuing Chloe could turn into a really good story for Nina and Phillip III.

I think the mother and son chemistry between JD and TC is so believable and natural. One thing that is never acknowledged on Y&R is they seem to really excel at casting the mother/son dynamic: Nikki and Nick, Jill and Phillip III, Billy and Cane, Kay and Brock, Phyllis and Daniel, Sharon and Noah and even Drucilla and Devon.

I don't know who said it upthread but I wanted to chime in agreeing that EH could definitely shine if they wanted to establish a future feud between Chloe and Jill. I'd also take Chloe versus Nina or even a combination of the three if we could secure TC permanently. I know its rather predictable to have Esther the maid turn out to be Katherine's long lost daughter but I'd suck it up gladly if it positioned Chloe as a force to be reckoned with and eliminated Gloria as an option.

Tyra and Devon. I wish they hadn't gone there. I agree with everyone on that point. Bryton is talented but he his character has been too neglected to thrust him into that kind of story and there just isn't enough history between the characters or a well though out story building up to it. Lusting after a relative is a character trait established for Devon but he never acted on it and in order for me to buy into this development there should have been some build-up.

The problem is where do they go with it now? The assumption is that they will backburner both Devon and Tyra. I will never understand why they didn't just bring Tyra on for Devon in the first place. I like Neil and KSJ but outside of Drucilla, I have never seen much romantic potential for Neil but they should have opted for the soapy but predictable angle of Neil falling for sister-in-law Olivia and played on their history together. You could have built some great conflict for Lily who would probably object to their relationship. Instead, they have totally wasted TLW. My unpopular opinion is that now that they went here with Devon and Tyra, they should play it up for all its worth. Tyra and Devon should continue with their clandestine affair for a little while and then let her volunteer to serve as a surrogate mother for Lily and Cane and have her pregnant with twins. She can suffer a miscarriage and they could draw out a Whose baby is it that could set-up Neil and Olivia growing closer in the fallout.

Despite my misgivings about CK as an actress, I also think that the cancer story was good for her character. She is a wounded heroine instead of simply a victimized one and perhaps through that I can learn to root for her again especially if they do an interesting story like the one in my scenario.

Most importantly, if they can't figure out anything else to do with the black folks on the show, just stop isolating them. Let Devon befriend Cane, Billy and Daniel. Let Tyra butt heads with Lauren, Chloe and Amber over fashion (why isn't Eva playing a model?). I would rather seem them consistently used as supporting characters until they can get a clear handle on where to take them next. Let's be honest here, if they used them, they would have a better chance of developing them into a well-crafter umbrella story. The reason we have a Winters and Barbers clan in the first place is because Mamie the maid was a supporting character to the Abbotts first. When in doubt, go back to the basics.

[Paul Raven]

So Chance rocks into town and immediately becomes a plain clothes detective.Can that really happen?

Looks like Det Wallace might be on the way out.

Was the MJ/Todd scene trying to soften/redeem her in some way?Too late.

MJ wanders around town but only Gloria recognises her.Gloria and Jeff need to leave town,rather than being squeezed into another story.

Liked that Paul got to have talks with Todd/Victor/Nina etc wouldn't have been surprised if he was off air straight away.

This week has been better without Kevin&co.

Some promising developments like Billy & Jack trying to help Ashley,Sharon being urged to seek help.

With some decent writing,things could get back on track.

[Leia]

I don't think Chance could become a detective that fast. I do know that with his military background, it would make him a more ideal candidate but he would still have to go through the long process just like everyone else. I'm willing to overlook it as I'm actually glad that they didn't have Chance secure a position at Chancellor right away and took the time to give him a profession outside of the family business. I'm hoping that is a sign that they are attempting to give him an identity of his own that is influenced by his family history but defined by his character developments.

I agree that Billy and Jack trying to help Ashley was a nice change as is the idea of Billy and Jack working together against Victor.

Some very promising developments indeed if it continues.

[rhythmchyc]

So for today's show, the ditzy teenage blond finds out about the camera (that's not even hidden inconspicuously enough) Adam had up, y'all.

Maybe Abby should look into detective work. She seriously got her eye open all the time, what with being suspicious of Eden and Adam this entire time. Apparently none of the maids thought it weird that there was a camera on the wall for months.

Oh, and of COURSE, Victor and Ashley. And Jack, Nikki, Rafe, Heather, and the countless other supposedly intelligent characters, with solid vision, who've walked in and out of the ranch over the last few months.

I. Can't. Take. It.

Hey Maria. I hate your show!!! You've infected it with stupid blind disgusting crazy people. Get the steppin'.

[rhythmchyc]

I don't get it Toups. The clip will be on today's U.S. episode.

[Sylph]

So... Now... Who's left liking this show? Sheilaforever, alphan, Toups...

[FrenchFan]

Count me in. I still like Y&R.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Too true...

[Leia]

I hate a lot of what is going on but I do still like Y&R

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think all of us in this thread love Y&R, but most of us hate the state it's in right now and only want it to get better, which is probably unlikely in this daytime climate. But we're all hoping for the best!

[Soapsuds]

OMG....Estella bugging the Victor mansion...hahahahahahahaha...the stupidiest thing I have ever heard. MAB has lost all her marbles.....Victor looks pathetic and dumb.....

[Y&RWorldTurner]

OK, who else is hoping Sharon's dumb ass goes to prison for 10 years? I can't stand this b!tch anymore, her self-pity is annoying. It's her fault she lied about the paternity of her child, FOR NO REASON! What the hell was her motivation for doing that? Nick could have still been with her and been there for Summer and Phyllis at the same time. Then there's the travesty that's become Phyllis. For someone that hates Sharon so much, she can't stop talking about her.

The need to end this stupid quad, LIKE NOW. All of these characters have been zapped of personality and they're all running around in circles. Phyllis needs to stop blaming Sharon for everything, it's coming off like the only reason she wants to be with Nick is because she wants to win the game over Sharon, not because she's in "love" with Nick.

God, Patty Jane just needs to go already. What a lame ass cartoon character. There's no longterm potential there anymore, get this b!tch off my screen! Then her "blackmailing" Victor? Pathetic. Yeah, like she's ever going to win over Victor.

This gaslighting story just gets WORSE. Didn't Victor have the ranch swept and checked numerous times for bugs and spy-ware? Only now are they discovering these camera and sh!t? This is pathetic and lazy writing.

Ashley is so f.ucking stupid, it's hard to feel any sympathy for her. Her stupidity and how the writers have manged to take away every ounce of personality she's ever had has made her unsympathetic. And she's seriously still blaming Estella for pulling off an operation like this? What the f.uck EVER!

GET RID OF ADAM! Please, this one-vote villain is becoming a huge bore with no redeeming qualities. This character, like Patty Jane and Deacon is severely botched. It's time for this idiot head writing regime to cut their losses and toss these characters and move on from these inane stories.

Oh, so is Jack back to being Sharon's dootmat now? I knew standing up to Sharon wasn't going to last long. Jack Abbott is so much better than being Sharon's doormat or a prop for Patty Jane, this is sickening.

Overall, this show is a bloody mess. Someone please tell me that the only way is to go up after this show hitting rock bottom? Eh, whatever, I'm sure this is only the tip of the iceberg and things will get worse with these writers...