Y&R: Episodes Discussion, Week of Nov. 9th, 2009

[DeeeDee]

Maria's idea of originality is ouija boards & floating chipmunk heads.

It's like she has Down's Syndrome.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Most of us would like to block Hogan's DAYS from our consciousness, and I'm not surprised that show has recovered both creatively and ratings-wise with him fired. He's recycled much of the same inane crap that failed there onto Y&R. Clearly, he's now one of the biggest recycled hacks ever to be employed in daytime.

If only this writing regime can be fired and Y&R has a similar creative up period that DAYS is experiencing...

[classicmoment]

Yeah I tried doing this the last few days and then yesterday after changing chs so many times I had to ask my self "what have I done to deserve the punishment?" I have to go back to watching it on a more interactive level so I can shuffle and ff through things I just don't wanna see

I bet you TPTB looks at the Kevin or Michael characters and try to apply that logic to Adam's "redemption", the problem there is that the Newman dynamics are very different from the Baldwin- Fishers. They do their best to justify all bad deeds done, imo there is no need to try to unrealistically seperate these characters so much from their misdeeds because that is definitively who they are. Misfits. Downplay the annoyance of their plotting and scheming but keep them very flawed. People will either love them or hate them there's is no changing viewer's opinions after.

This writing team don't get Mackenzie. The actress has improved to ok,she still can use improvements but more importantly the writers need to give the character a more "in character" purpose with her making "in character" choices based on her being sriven by something more substantial. They really are mishandling this story and seem to not grasp this character.

Trying to make Billy this much of Jack 2.0 is overkill because Jack worked well with the dynamic of a John, Jill Abbott and a Dina (though not consistently in place). John was especially important to Jack's development, plus the character wasn't simply this outlandishly IMMATURE. He was a play boy, self serving, but Billy is really just an annoying LIL spoiled child please fix that.BM needs to show the character's heart a bit more too, I can't believe he only wants to show these layers of the character though we can very well tell the script calls for it.

HE needs thorough coachings about what's appropriate to bring to these scenes or just replace her with someone with talent, I don't care how much she may resemble ED

This thought has crossed my mind but Abby should be developed and handled uniquely. She's an Abbot (in many ways if not biologically) and a Newman, much potential for the character there.

[Juliajms]

Does she? I really don't see it. She has blond hair and blue eyes, but she is no where near the kind of beauty that ED was when she first started on the show. Don't get me wrong she's a very pretty girl, but MTS and ED were both breath taking in their glory days. Soaps don't seem to have those types of glamorous beauties anymore.

[classicmoment]

I've convinced myself this must be TPTB's reasoning

[Cheap21]

Im really liking Abby's friend. So far she's alot more appealing than either Abby or Eden

[classicmoment]

So just watching todays epi:

I'm FFWDin all Billy and Mac scenes such a difference from earlier in the year when BM just came on. I mean I FFWD LANE too but the difference is I like these two characters except Billy is fast becoming too annoying for words and Mac's purpose is to prop him.

This Ryder thing.... blah

Ashley I have interest in .

I don't know how but Eden became more annoying in this EPI.

The show on a whole, blah.

Always like Chloe but I laready see all these turn of events in hers and Billy's world is to prop Chilly and because Billy is fastly becoming annoying can't say I'm on that team though the chem is there

[JimTolkien]

Ok, this is pretty funny to me and sounds so childish LOL!!! One thing for sure, no one will be calling Y&R asking to be interviewed for the "Top 100 Places to Work in the US" LOL! I swear the more I hear lately about and from some of the actors, writers and everyone related to the show the more DISINGENUOUS everyone sounds and the worst part is, it is coming across onscreen from the actors and the product this show is putting out - some very subtle and some just blatant. Yesterday's episode was pretty terrific and then today it was so UNEVEN or should I just say schizophrenic!!

[MarkH]

So, as Hayley Erin starts to play a bratty snot, I'm liking her. She is not built for emotional scenes...but mouthing off and wounding her mother (BEAUTIFULLY played by ED)...she's great at it! I think we're turning the corner with Hayley. But she has to play a bad, nasty, selfish, superficial, arrogant girl. If they keep her in that rebellious vein, I think we're good to go. Eileen is really at the top of her game now. For example, Eileen was AS bratty with Abby's teacher as Abby was with her mom. Apple doesn't fall far from the tree...

I get the feeling Ryder is being framed for something. I get the feeling violence will happen to Lauren or one of the teens, and that Ryder will be blamed. But I get the sense that he is supposed to be fundamentally decent...and he won't be responsible. I picked that up from today. "I'm not your twin" he said to Kevin.

I'm not feeling the emotion in the Chance-bedside scenes. Not even from Tricia Cast. I do find it interesting that P3 continues to do what his mother said yesterday -- run, build walls -- and he can't really break that pattern. That would seem to doom his reintegration with his family, which is a waste.

I see all the Billy Miller criticism, and I agree. I find this surrogacy story to be out of the blue AND unworthy of Mac...and I find Billy's territorial p!ssing ("I want to be the one to plant the seed inside you, baby") to be nauseating. But you know what won me over about him today? That cute baby Delia. She was a total delight in that cute hat (such a Chloe way to dress a kid!), and her interactions with Billy were beyond beautiful. She was smiling at him and reaching out for him. It seemed to me that Billy must have been playing with her off camera...she really liked him. And that's what's charming about Billy Abbott and Billy Miller: He's a twitchy rascal and a bastard...but he's also got a child's heart, and he's a great playmate for adults and children alike. I see his appeal through all his dreck.

[Juliajms]

Y&R is becoming more and more like GH on screen and behind the scenes. It's a sad thing, imo.

[classicmoment]

I beg to differ about Billy Abbot. Maybe a child's brain, but not a child's heart. I would like to to think that with all the childlike self-indulgence children have, they can at least find some sense of loyalty to others. Billy does very adult things with snotty, bratty child-like logic

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Instead of character writing, we get caricature writing on this damn show...

[classicmoment]

Let's face it the people who loved these Soaps with pure vision and drive are all gone but not forgotten. They now all have to appeal under being competing brands without any unique competitive edge. They are establishments using fast marketting strategies instead of creative ideas to milk them as much as possible before they get the boot

[Cheap21]

Has Billy ever been written as this? Did he have a trace of sleazyness back in the day? I am just finding him too over the top. I wasnt watching back then but from what little I saw, he seems like a completely different character

[DRW50]

I'm not all that happy with Abby being written as a useless twit just because HE can't act, but it does give Ashley more material. The only problem is that this just reinforces how unnecessary the baby switch/gaslighting story was. Ashley doesn't even seem to remember the child's existence now.

Billy is a hurtful playmate because he uses and discards people until he needs them. I think this is a very dangerous type of person to have in your life. I would like to see them explore more of the fallout of the way he behaves, other than pity parties.

Not really, no. Little about him matches what he used to be, aside from blaming Jill for his failings.