Y&R: Episode Discussion for the week October 19

[Sylph]

I love the classiness of this post.

[DRW50]

alphanguy, I think that what they did with Jill was to drum up publicity that would make the soap press more likely to paint her as a diva and a burden to the show's budget. If they said, "Well, we're dumping Jill unless Jess takes a cut," then the story would not have looked as much like, "How dare Jess Walton think of leaving the show in the lurch, and when Jill has this story coming up!" And of course then when Jess did re-sign, we realized that Jill's story was...pretty much nothing. Jess was the first of the vets to be under the spotlight, and they managed to spin it in a way which put the heat on her, even though she really had done nothing wrong, and which made them look magnamious for slashing her salary and guarantee. Now that that's over, I can see them continuing to phase her out, although I hope I'm wrong.

BTW, I don't know if you've read it yet, but We Love Soaps is interviewing Doug Davidson.

http://www.welovesoaps.net/2009/10/doug-davidson-interview-part-one.html

[Y&RWorldTurner]

WORD. COMPLETELY AGREED!

I don't know how anyone can call Y&R a stable show right now, when it's exactly comparable to Latham's final months and nowhere near the show it used to be. Even the production values are sucking ass lately. Look at the tacky ass bright lighting that washes everything out. I thought Rauch wouldn't f.uck with it, but I see he gradually worked it in. The show looks awful right now. The show is also way too bizarre with storylines that piss on the intelligence of viewers and require too much suspension of disbelief - something we've had to do A LOT this year.

And yes, Beth Maitland was good and it was nice to have her, but it still doesn't change the fact she was brought on simply to prop and sooth yet ANOTHER unnecessary death on this show, and one whose impact seems to be forgotten already and will be completely useless once the main actors start leaving.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

One could also argue that going from a thread that was almost completely positive a year ago where people liked the show, to a thread that's almost completely negative and all about firing the current writers a year later isn't a good sign...

[Cashton]

Let me define a hater so people won't be too quick to put themselves in this category - as Chris B, you are not. A hater is a person who exists on the board soley to drive hatred towards the show and clearly does not have any hope or enjoyment from the show save to spread their dissatisfaction of said show. A hater generally delights in the failures of the show and actively seeks out new ways to decry failures. A hater usually has 95% bad things to say and 5% good things to say to at least have an air of objectivity. Is a hater a fan? Yes! Completely fanatical about attacking the show tirelessly and tediously as though it means something and is creating change.

Disliking the show or a storyline and saying why (not using the same SON catchphrases that have been said about every writing team) makes you someone who is objective, in my opinion.

Of course these are my definitions not others but I just wanted to define whom I was regarding haters. But i'll be the first to admit that perhaps the post was inappropriate for Y&R discussion and probably rude. But to see the same 5 or 6 people continually run others away (there used to be many folks who posted here every day, a couple even who personally messaged me they can't stand the hate and are out). So truly sorry if I offended.

I'll let you all have the last word, and I'll only post on the show - the good and the bad, as I always have.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fbKqpNqVjQk

[DRW50]

Those poor people at Restless Style. Their new boss is a leering, insecure brat who was already boozing it up at the end of the show. Wasn't he an alcoholic at one time? I can't imagine what it must be like to work at that magazine. No wonder they all looked terrified and confused while Phyllis was speaking. What do you get paid at Restless Stlye anyway? If the outfits today were any indication, your salary is the costumes from a Minnie Mouse and Ugly Betty lookalike contest.

Are they already having Jack move in on this new therapist? Really? SH is doing a good job, and I liked seeing her put Victor on blast (and Braeden seemed to enjoy the challenge), but them pushing Jack towards her so fast, even though the woman who has her face raped him and killed his niece, makes me believe she's going to become a psycho. And she said she could speak for herself, and a woman standing up for herself = evil with this team.

John Driscoll looked cute today. Mackenzie, why did she have that rat tail hanging off the back of her head, and why is she dressed like Mary Ryan Finelli during the bad recast years? I wouldn't have minded a Chance/Mac pairing.

Sharon Case is doing a good job, and her hair looks better, but I'm still having a hard time with this endless stuff about dead baby woe. Eileen is also doing well but Ashley seems very spacey. I don't really get why either of them have any real trust for Adam. The guy creeps me out, especially the looks he gives people.

[Scryber96]

Chance needs to be written out asap!

I don't care how upset he was with Chloe, you just don't waste good cannoli like that.

He needs to go.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

It's all apart of their plan to phase Patty out and keep Haiduk as this new character.

Patty is not a longterm character, I don't care what anyone else says. The fact that they're establishing Haiduk's new character tells me she's the one here to stay, not Patty, you know, the character with actual connections on canvas and a fan presence. I think this is their way of admitting they screwed up with Patty badly and wrote her into a corner that they don't know how to write her out of, so they get to keep Haiduk, while Patty goes.

I also don't buy Jack wanting to establish anything with a woman that looks like this, this fast.

Eh, not like Y&R makes much sense anymore anyway.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Who on SON hasn't stated why they don't like something on this show? I don't see anyone in this thread simple saying "this show sucks" and not backing up why that's their stance.

Compared to a year ago, when this thread was generally positive, at least 90% of the posters who posted in this thread still post. Posters like caramia, rhythmchyc, damarex and a few others have quit watching the show as they get too fed up with its story direction and bad writing.

This thread is free for everyone to post about the show, no one is trying to censor anyone. If anyone doesn't like the general tread of the thread, that's their problem. No one is telling them to stop posting. They can contribute to this or any other thread as much as they want, even if they're in the minority in terms of their opinions.

This discussion is probably better for the potpourri thread, and I think Toups will start moving posts again. LOL!

[Sylph]

Pretty much.

[MarkH]

Yup.

Now the fall from 6 to 4 million has to do with many things--most of them are industry-general. But Y&R has experienced MORE decline than most other soaps--and that's not just because they had more to lose. Their slope of decline has been steeper. There have been three particularly disastrous regimes: MAB+JG, LML-post KA/JS, and Kay Alden solo. These three regimes were pure bleeding. Some of that is likely due to creative factors.

But here's the thing. I'm a Y&R lover...but even I can see that they're now plucking at the heart of the show. Sony thinks "It worked for DOOL, it'll work for Y&R". But DOOL never really had a major sense of its history...even with many vets. Y&R is just rooted and steeped in stuff that happened 10, 20 and 30 years ago. If you squander the ability to mine that, you throw away the show's identity.

Look how hollow Colleen's death was--in part because of no flashbacks and no real tie to the past. Casting stability is part of that formula.

If they want to make a new show about characters named Daisy and Tucker (no spoiler...we don't know who those folks are), then create a new show.

[MarkH]

Toups is gonna move these posts again

See, at this point, I believe your scenario is too optimistic.

I feel it is all part of the plan for Patty to drug the sane doctor, masquerade as her.

Nobody will believe the doctor because she's "crazy".

Patty will then wreak more mayhem.

Yawn,

When Patty goes brunette, you'll know the switcheroo story is starting.

Maybe Sheila/Sugar/Pheila can come back too, so that we have two of these sh!tty psycho storylines going at once!

[Cheap21]

Ewwwww! Now she knows she's wrong for wearing that in public! GL just ended. Its way too early for her to be letting herself go

[Y&RWorldTurner]

That's all very possible too.

With Y&R these days, when it comes to storylines and this writing regime, I've learned that it's best to expect the worst...

[MarkH]

Okay, I'm still anti-doppelganger. But...

Haikduk's scenes today with Braeden, Bergman (and Davidson) were amazing. I loved how she calmly and facilely put Victor in his place. And of course Jack.

She was very strong, but very polite and professional. One got the sense that she was a "force".

If that continues, we may have something here.

Funny that Jack later called himself the "boy I once was". It's a compelling change in the character, but it's more about Lester-to-Bergman than true maturation. I'm glad to see Jack, though, so full of recognition for the pig he once was. The bones of Patty's decay are quite plausible, still. Jack was HORRIBLE to an innocent girl who idolized him. That kind of abuse CAN destroy a life.

So, I very much liked Jack's confessional scenes with Emily. That was some real human interaction. And I loved Emily's insight..."Did you want to tell me, or tell this face?" BAM!

Why was TGVN back in full bastard mode, though? I didn't buy any of Muhney's line readings in the hospital...I felt nothing from Adam (which goes back to reinforcing the psychopath idea...that he's disconnected from his emotions). I do think acting against Braeden is likely intimidating.

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I also got genuinely excited when Paul stayed behind to talk to Victor. THAT'S a soap moment--two characters settling a score! A moment of legitimate anger. I was more intrigued by what Paul would ask and Victor would say than anything else that happened on the show. I like that Victor is back in form...and that Paul won't grant him his atonement by spending....

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I love that church set, and I loved Sharon Case in it. That brown jacket with the navy top was just a perfect color on her. And then when we saw this with the fitted jeans and brown calf boots...I just thought she was a vision. (I don't usually notice that stuff, but she was so pretty today). And her hair seemed nicer--the curl at the ends (I'm so not eloquent about these things). I love the growing dynamic of Ashley-Adam-Sharon. The emotional beats between Sharon and Ashley prove to me that this baby switch can be what I want it to be...something where we feel for EVERYONE in that story. Sharon mentioned getting a "new job".

I wonder what that will be? I'm thinking Jabot, to be near Ashley.

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Chance/Chloe/Billy/Mac. Meh. I'm not feeling any of it. I'm not feeling Chloe and Billy, I'm certainly not feeling Mac and Billy, and Chance is just too new and underdeveloped. Here's hoping forthcoming events infuse this with some depth, but I suspect it's more shock and awe.