Y&R Episodes Discussion, Week of October 5, 2009

[MarkH]

One of the best stories--I seem to remember it took weeks--was when Traci had musical ambitious. Lauren was threatened, because she wanted to be Danny's top singer.

So Lauren arranged for Traci's musical teacher--with whom she practiced and practiced and did a beautiful version of The River--to tell Traci she had no talent!

And sweet insecure Traci believed it, and was crushed.

It was RIVETING TV, and it dragged out for weeks--but never dragged. (That's how I remember it).

Imagine if we could ever get a storyline like that again? Or even just of two teens/young adults who fall in love simply because they are in a tutoring relationship?

[DeeeDee]

:lol: :lol:

[alphanguy74]

And that's one thing that made the Lauren/Traci dynamic so great. Lauren was the "beautiful one" but she was shallow, hollow. Traci was the one that everyone LIKED, and Traci was the one who was far and away the better singer (Bregman's singing was not impressive to say the least) So the rivalry between two women who were equally matched was riveting. Mark, I remember like yesterday the episode where she sang "The Rose"... and the teacher didn't say she couldn't sing..... he told her that she could carry a tune, but basically wasn't good enough to sing in front of people. And then Lauren's psycho fan club manager paid customers money to walk out in the middle of Traci's debut at the torchlight club. DIRTY DEEDS. But Traci ended up having triumph in the end, and that's what I loved about it.

[DRW50]

You wouldn't have a story like that today because most soaps would feel ashamed of telling such a basic plot. They would want the type of fake, pseudo-aware attempts at hipness we get now. Bill Bell was a very earnest writer. He wasn't ashamed of going for basic emotions.

[MarkH]

Oh, damn, I remember those scenes!

Especially the look on Traci's face after she was told she couldn't sing! It is frozen in my mind's eye. I mean, those were the kinds of episodes where I'd RUSH HOME to see "what happens next"? Not because of an explosion....or drowning...but I wanted to see how Traci overcame her heartbreak!

Yeah, but I suspect we're agreed that this is a huge mistake?

[DRW50]

Definitely. I don't mind sophisticated shows, but they need to have a heart. Somewhere along the line, a lot of soaps seemed to decide they could be glib and smug and full of people who were hard to care about, because viewers would want to feel cool. I feel this especially with GH and with Pratt's AMC, and with most Sheffer shows. It's a very anti-soap attitude.

In the old soap days, 30-35 years ago, ATWT was unfavorably compared by the press to DAYS and Y&R, because those shows were supposed to be more with it. Yet all of those shows were sustained by their earnesntess, their commitment to basic soap relationships, pacing, and storytelling. All good soaps have that, they're just different on the surface.

[lmfan]

I think those stories were so good because they were so real. You could connect to them.

I remember when Traci was invited to the pool party by Lauren just to embarrass her. I was very tall and gawky at the time (5'10 at 14) and remember watching and crying for Traci and for myself because even though I did not have someone picking on me, I felt so insecure as a teen girl and shared those same feelings Traci had. I was so mad at Lauren back then. And there were girls like Lauren. Pretty girls who wore the latest fashions who were just brutal to other girls who were different or couldn't afford the latest fashions.

They also had teen actresses who were very good. Tracey Bregman said that her first close girlfriend was Beth and they would cry together when Lauren had to play a scene that was just so horrible to Traci because they took it too personally. But when they had their Christmas scene in Michael's dream last year, they just laughed at how mean Lauren was to Traci.

Those stories were things we could relate to unlike hysterical pregnancies or characters pushing thirty who never grow up and find themselves plotting one caper after another.

[MarkH]

I remember that like yesterday too, that pool party. Again, there was build-up, actualy party, and followup for days!

It also made Lauren's apology to Traci so meaningful to long-term fans. Sadly, I have this feeling that if the show were to do Kay's funeral again this year, one or both of them might not have attended (budget cuts), and the nod to history would not be made. There seems to be some difference in the operating philosophy this year. I wonder what changed--internally, in the team?

Yes. I'm really missing that now.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Not only is the honeymoon period long over for this current writing regime, but egos have seemingly gotten bigger and bigger to the detriment of the show and its writing. People no longer care about the show or quality, it's all about one's ego or just collecting a paycheck.

[lmfan]

It seems to have changed around the end of February and a few actors, both contract and recurring seemed to have been effected the most. Not only Lauren's but Michael's appearances are way down. Up to March, TEB was averaging about 6 shows a month and since then she is averaging 1 appearance a month. CLB is down to an average of 6 to 7 per month for the year and has at least forty fewer shows that the top performers. Look at Kristoff St John and Bryton McClure.

JT and Victoria and Gloria were being backburned but now have been put in play in various stories. Doug Davidson and now MTS are getting stories and play for now. Kristoff is being punished for speaking out, but CLB and TEB who have basically been towing the party line and not complaining publicly are still being ignored.

Yet, then they bring on recurring characters and play them heavily per story. Beth Maitland was great, but in about two months of work she will have almost as many appearances as Tracey Bregman for the year and her appearances were meaty not just three to four minute filler scenes like Lauren's. So while I think there has been some belt tightening as an excuse why we won't get scenes like the Lauren and Traci one at the funeral, it seems the writers are using this as an excuse to keep characters they really do not want to write for off canvas.

Look at Colleen's funeral. No way would Lauren and Michael have not wanted to pay their respects, yet once again they have Kevin and Jana there and not Michael and Lauren. Same as Lily's funeral and Kay's barbecue. Kevin and Jana have become the face of the family in Genoa City society per the writers. Is it all because of budget? I don't think so.

[MarkH]

I totally agree with this!

And Kevin was so glib and blase. Could Rikaart be more bored??? Emily O' didn't get a word to say, did she??

[DRW50]

Before we go to the next week's thread I wanted to say one last time that I really thought your banner for Colleen was a nice tribute to the character. I suppose I will miss the potential of the character more than the character herself, but still.

[lmfan]

Rikaart should be happy because this writing team loves him.

Nope, she just looked on with approval. This is where it is not a budget issue but one of propping by the writers. They already had Kevin in Colleen's dream and then the Scoobies visiting her in the hospital. Why did Kevin and Jana need to be at the funeral? At the same time we had a few lines by Michael and Lauren saying how bad they felt for Colleen, Traci and even Jack weeks apart in their bimonthly appearances but that was it.

So why couldn't Lauren and Michael have been at the funeral? They should have been. They should have been representing the family but the writers are so blatant about replacing Michael and Lauren with Kevin and Jana that they do things like this. And then have a throwaway line about Michael and Lauren sending a nice card or calling with condolences. It is such BS.

[MarkH]

Thanks. I will miss what the character was, and (like you) what she could have been. Although maybe not, the way they ruined her at the end ("Colleen Gone Wild"). But JT/Colleen was one of my favorite teen romances, and I will miss that it could never mature.

[BadZoe]

Who will die next?