Y&R Episodes Discussion, Week of October 12, 2009

[Paul Raven]

And why do we assume this is Rauch's doing?

[DRW50]

If every soap he is at for 25 years of his career involves avoiding storylines for black characters as often as possible, and some of his first acts at OLTL involved firing an original cast member in the parking lot and running another off the show, I don't know who else to blame. It's a pattern.

[Cat]

Yesterday was the first time in a while that I sat back and properly enjoyed the episode as an entity. I liked the Wisconsin fair with the giant pigs, I liked Michael unable to throw (ROTFL), I *LOVED* seeing Lauren, I liked the whole set-up. Those were much-needed scenes after all that gloom.

I also (don't kill me) like the Chance-Chloe-Billy-Mac quadrangle -- even though Chance is still woefully underdeveloped. I am starting to love Clem Ford as Mac. And even though Miller does that teeth baring/gnashing thing, I do like him as Billy and like the idea that Chloe and Billy bring out the worst in each other.

The less said about the Shack scene the better, and I think we are pretty much agreed about the Patty doppelganger thing. Trepidation! Although Stacy Haiduk looked absolutely gorgeous and I am superficial like that so I had to point it out.

The previews for today's US show do NOT bode well. Adam and the Terroni nonsense. Damn. I thought the Terroni story was finished! Can't they finish it off-screen?

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Exactly, I love your posts BadZoe, you have an effortless way of explaining things. They knew months ago before Patty did all these things that Haiduk was a well-received actress, they could have changed the outcome of much of her story so that the character was not written into a corner and did not need a doppelganger months before all of this was taped. They refused, and now we have to suffer though another inane story that's not based in reality and requires even more suspension of disbelief.

[alphanguy74]

Cat, I think it seems to be ready to finish.... I certainly hope so!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I think there's another part to this Terroni mess that will be explored for sweeps. Watch, you know the idiots in change can't resist it.

Seriously, this Terroni crap is the WORST story on soaps at the moment, and probably the worst story on Y&R and soaps in general this year.

I've yet to encounter anyone that seriously enjoys it.

All of the characters involved are directionless messes that outlived their purpose on the show years ago, and they repeatedly get the same stupid crap to do over and over again.

Also, Y&R doesn't need an art centric story ever again. But you know Maria can't resist it...

This storyline has been going on since what, April? Even with a relatively slow build, it still sucked and made no sense. Goes to show how the execution and plotting on this show is messy as hell.

[alphanguy74]

You haven't met my mother. YES... she LIKES IT. She loves the scoobies, I have no idea why.... but she really likes this Terroni SL. It must be because she likes Kevin so much. She adores that poor little wounded bird.

[MarkH]

Yeah, I'm a little surprised that some folks here are doubting that going off meds can take a CONTROLLED psychotic into an UNCONTROLLED one. That's the whole reality of schizophrenia for many folks--their under control until they stop taking their meds. This is the reason for aggressive research into once-monthly shots, etc.

The story that has emerged for me is that Patty was always struggling with emotional balances (something we know from when she was a teen). Heck, she left town rather than live with her demons.

At some point, she had a rough enough life that she had a damaged face, and was under the care of a psychiatrist. One can imagine several scenarios: an abusive boyfriend, a suicide attempt.

It also makes sense that a kindly female psychiatrist would induce substantial transference. So it makes sense that Patty would pick that face.

(I'm not defending the sixth doppelganger in recent years; I'm simplying saying this makes more sense than a lot of other stuff).

If makes sense that the psychiatrist would put her on meds, and this would keep her controlled. Not perfect -- but controlled. And it makes sense that if she went off meds, she might decompensate.

Y&R has done a lot of outlandish stuff in recent memory, but this whole medication thing is actually quite reality based.

For example, some of the recent school shooters and young-girl abductors were psychotics who had gone off meds.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I'm not doubting what you've said Mark, but I don't feel they have any intention of plugging in Patty's back-story and her missing years. If they do, they'll skim over it and she'll be shipped off.

The whole purpose of this doppelganger, IMO, was to keep Stacy Haiduk on the show as another character, while Patty goes off to a nuthouse to be occasionally mentioned.

The new character, once her relation to Patty is explained, will be the one that jumps front and center as Patty fades away.

And yes, I have very little faith that this writing regime will do an in-dept character-driven storyline that examines every aspect of Patty's past and what drove her to this point. It will probably be more like a 5 minute talk, if it does indeed happen.

[dm.]

Yep, it's a thing I'm missing the most. Sure, there is always stuff that you can't explain even in real life, but in this soap there's so much character changes, silly plots, unrelated scenes that you just don't know what you're watching. I can connect the dots myself (there's no need to explain stuff - something like Passions always did), but still there needs to be a reasonable way to start a storyline, develop it in the best way possible and have it end without making it feel like we're going through 6-month cycles followed by another big change.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

And the "change" is almost always someone dying in order to drive story. How lame and predictable.

[Juliajms]

I like Kevin and I even like the Scoobies, but the art story doesn't interest me. I kind of zone out whenever it's on, so I've pretty much lost track of what the hell is happening and why.

[MarkH]

Okay...well all that art stuff was basically tedious. I cannot say how much I dislike the Gloria-Jeff dynamic. But it seems we'll finally edge one step closer to understanding what the "sword of Damocles" that Ryder's mom holds over Deacon's head is.

If she is letting her son rot in jail, she must be a rotten one.

I didn't enjoy the cabin-quad much either. And I have to admit that when Chance spelled out "virgin", I was actively embarrassed. I've gone on record with my general lack of comfort with that plot, but why is he broadcasting it thus? So he could be holier-than-thou about Billy's "empty" encounters. Yes, it seems clear we're rapidly heading toward a Billy-Mac break, but I just don't get Chance.

I look forward to Braeden giving a more energetic out-of-bed performance. I hope we still get to see that.

[lmfan]

Paul Rauch obviously has some influence. Sean Kannaan had lunch with him and told Paul he was looking for work, Paul said he would see what he could do, and voila Deacon was written into the show. Maybe Christian Le Blanc, Tracey Bregman and Kristoff St. John should have lunch with him and maybe he can put a good word in for them with Maria.

[lmfan]

Just what we need. Story for a bunch of new characters connected to Kevin while his old family and the vets he supposedly was brought on to support continue to get nothing. Well, I can't say nothing. They do get to go to fairs to talk about the wonders of the Phick relationship. Yep, those scenes were semi cute by my god will MAB ever allow Michael and Lauren to focus on themselves and their own family? They just float from one character or couple to the next propping away. Watching Michael referreeing the bickering between Victoria and Adam on Monday was an all time low. It's one thing for CLB to prop the likes of Eric Braedan, Jeanne Cooper and Michelle Stafford but now they have him propping Amelia Henle and Michael Muhney. I think he might have had three lines in the whole show. Now that's insulting.

I agree with that scene with Chance and scrabble. No way would he advertise his virginity. That was just dumb.