Y&R Episodes Discussion

[Toups]

Well, it better not be ruined.

Yeah, I Sharon should've had a bigger reaction.

Eh, GH can have their better dialogue and casting choices.....I'd still choose Y&R over GH. Y&R is bad right now, but not GH bad, the lowest of the lows.

[Khan]

Oh, God, no. I don't think even Y&R would be THAT predictable.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

And it also makes sense that this writing team ignored Sharon's mental problems for months, and never developed anything outside of her "great love" for Nick and now her being manipulated by Adam.

Nothing about this story makes sense, given the horrendous plotting and pacing of it all.

And still, they're not even dealing with Sharon's mental problems, it's all about selling her rushed degrading relationship with Adam and all about Nick being her "protector."

And we all know she'll never get over Nick, according to this writing.

Sharon is an emotional nutcase, I simply do not buy her dealing with that picture being damaged by the end of the episode it happened in.

And I hope none of this happens and they don't come here looking to steal your ideas again for future storylines...

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Well, Mark has a knack of speculating about stuff that pops up on this show like 4-5 months later, hence the constant teasing about Y&R stealing story ideas from him.

And the sad thing is, that's probably exactly what's happening...

[Khan]

Why, though, would they want Sharon pregnant again so soon (if, in fact, that's where this is heading)? Faith is still around, right? Just reunite baby and baby mama already!

"Who Shot Adam?," OTOH, would be good - but only if this show gives its word not to pretend that Victor is an actual suspect in the case. I said it before when Heather was convinced he'd killed Ji Min Kim: ain't no damn way Victor's gonna kill anyone w/o the whole stinkin' town knowing about it ("Yes, I did kill that bastard - AND I'D DOOD IT AGAIN!").

[MarkH]

If the recent past is fulfilled, she'll seem like she's over it, and then she'll run straight over to Fenmore's and steal a blouse.

[DeeeDee]

Sharon goes klepto when Cassie's drawing is broken but not when Cassie dies.

Totally Maria.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

They never fully explained why she stopped stealing, right?

So, another thing to add to the "what was the use?" list and another thing done for "shock."

[classicmoment]

That part of Sharon never made sense to me it has always been more plot driven than character driven imo. It's only a part of the character now because it has been used SOOO MANY times as a plotting device. It would make more sense if they delved into her hinted daddy issues.

[BadZoe]

MM is such a "terrific" actor that it could have been constipation. Or maybe the bloom is now off the rose and he's not hiding his lost love for the character writing that he was so in favour of when he started. Who knows, but there is no explanation for why he would decide to purposely destroy her dead daughters picture.

[Khan]

I still say this is getting exactly the sort of reactions that TPTB wanted. They want you to think that Adam destroyed the picture on purpose, and that doing so only makes Nick look more romantic or heroic in your eyes. Call it "skillful writing" or "shock value," but that's what it is. The only way you can subvert such purposes, therefore, is simply to remain indifferent to it all. ("Adam ruined Cassie's picture? Oh well. She never was that good of an artist, anyway.") That way, either they'll get more bold about it in the future, or they'll stop such ish altogether. As usual, I'm just saying.

[MarkH]

Now, I have to come out and say that Wednesday's episode SUCKED! I mean, it really, really sucked. There were problems within the episode, and problems of long-story. It sucked in almost every way.

Let me count the ways:

1. Kay was always charitable. Heck, Brock and Mackenzie even got her to volunteer at soup kitchens and homeless shelters...and after her own stint there, she started to do so intrinsically.

But selling Tannenbaums? It seems to me the writers now want Kay to be someone else--a ballsy dame who is good in business and who tells-it-like-it-is...but neither one of these personae connect well for me with the lonely lady who mostly stayed and Chancellor while others ran her business. I realize she has grown and all...but at this point Kay is used as a spicy, entertaining "device"--glue to bring the whole cast together--but she is no longer really Kay.

And I have trouble with Kay-Murphy as the ultimate love story...only because Jeanne has said in interviews that she plays against that. She views her love for Murphy as more gratitude and companionship...but he is not her social equal, and she feels that this should be a source of tension between them.

2. Tucker the billionaire would not go tree shopping like this. He later represented that as a "test" of Kay's bargaining skills. But why would he do such a test?

3. Gloria--as some of you know--I once loved. I still find her worth a smile. But ultimately, what we see now is soulless...conveniently rich in an easy-come-easy-go scenario, motivated by greed and nothing else. She's a sitcom character now, dropped into this show on slow days.

Yuck. Ted Shackleford (whose Jeffrey I hate) did wonders with his minimal lines: "Remember me?"

If I never hear the term "Lover man" again, it will be too soon. Why oh why was Gloria ruined thus?

And now she has set her sights on Jabot? Other than to even a score with Jack/Ashley and to be 'close to John' (GAG)...why? Why? Oh it could be entertaining enough (I'm not disputing). But why?

If only they could pay a little attention to building motivation.

4. Continuity was off-the-charts bad. OFF THE CHARTS.

Examples:

- Neil was at the lot last night. Then again in the morning. Then he had time to lecture Devon at Crimson Lights (his reaction to Devon's failed course was the only consistent thing about him...and I love that. You always know Neil is going to "react" when anyone falls off the straight and narrow. Consistent characterization...since it is now rare...is a joy to behold). Then he went back to the lot??? Why the f*ck does he troll the lot all the time??? A major CEO???

- Emily: Long hair at Jack's. Then she teleports to the nuthouse (I'm glad they addressed the padded wall thing, because it is unrealistic and makes no sense), and her hair is up. (Obviously to get it out of the way for the blonde wig). Then, she teleports BACK to Jack's (has a whole day elapsed) with her hair back down...and later to carol (GAG # 1) and then to profess her love (GAG # 2).

The love confession....though we knew it was coming...just SEARED through my soul. Why ruin a new character so quickly?

- You all have addressed the issue of Walnut Grove suddenly having dorms. In which 18-year-old seniors live. Really? But Daisy is already a trainwreck anyway. I'm quickly losing interest in the mystery of her mother.

5. Lauren was buried alive by one psycho, and almost killed multiple times by another. Wouldn't she have some INSTINCTS?? Some cynicism meter?? Instead, she takes this Daisy girl into her home. Really? After multiple lies have already been revealed?

And Daisy. The girl can't emote. The girl can barely part her lips. I realize she is playing "close to the vest"...but I read no subtext. She sounds to me like there are marbles in her mouth. Sigh.

When I'm siding with that snarky Eden...we know things are going south.

That Daisy is a hideously nasty character doesn't help at all, either:

6. Devon "disappoints" Neil. Okay. As I said, I liked Kristoff's reaction. Except now there is subtext. They have recently disappointed one another with Tyra.

Except none of that subtext...that tenuousness of their relationship...plays on screen. That's more of a fault of the writing than the actors. What would it have taken for Devon to say an extra clause like: "I'm sorry to disappoint you again...especially after I so sorely disappointed you earlier this year with Tyra." And Neil could have said, "This has nothing to do with that. Tyra was a mistake we both made...but this failure to concentrate on your studies could ruin your life."

7. Jack's idyllic portrayal of his family breakfasts was wrong...but I accept this is his rose-colored glasses. I LOVED THE ABBOTT BREAKFASTS. But I think they were more conflict-riddled than his words portrayed...which is part of why I liked them.

It remains galling to me that he talks about this mythical family when he has turned his back on his brother, he neglects his sister in New York, and he has these two SONS lingering out there.

If even Amber can worry about her son (see the previews for Weds), how can Jack just neglect these boys? As with Paul's Ricky, this total neglect of the sons totally undermines everything Jack says and makes him seem like a hypocrite.

8. Patty likes chocolate truffles? She devours them? With that 0% body fat?

Why not reference something from when Paul and Patty were actually on screen? This made up chocolate sh*t is not a reference to the real past...and so it doesn't really build our sense of emotional connection.

Plus, for me, the Patty-Emily-Jack arc seems so obvious ("escaped psycho; switched identities")...so I can't really invest in any of it. Will Emily be imprisoned (e.g., in a cage in an abandoned warehouse), or will she be killed?

9. It irks me that even Paul and Nina are being ruined with that insta-kiss.

Yes, they kissed. Taht could be nice. But the niceness of it is complicated---since he was married to her best friend, and I don't think his issues with her are resolved.

NO MENTION OF CRICKET. Not a word. No sense of feeling funny.

Moreover, other than their chaste friendship (Doug Davidson can put the kibosh on sensual romances like nobody's business--he did the same with Eileen Davidson, except Eileen helped with that one), why are they kissing?

Tricia can play horny without difficulty (and yes, that needs to be part of the chemistry)...she's made breathless and intrigued. Does Paul seem horny? NOT ONE BIT. It's like he's kissing his sister.

CAN ADAM-SHARON, JACK-EMILY, PAUL-NINA have a FEW MONTHS to DATE? Can we see them get to know each other? Can we enjoy as their romances evolve? Isn't that what soaps are for???

10. Caroling. Why? And why Jack and Emily? Why?

I miss Danny and Gina singing us out into the holidays.

11. Kay's daughter. I wish the Grey Nuns could be buried under cases of Grey Goose for now. We really don't need more of this. And if it turns out that Kay's offspring is already on canvas (as has been speculated around her a lot)...well...sigh...why do we need to go to this well again so quickly?

Tuesday's show what just a highlighter--a bright beam--on the many problems of this show at this time.

ETA: Tony C. over at Usenet claims Wednesday's US show is much better, and starts to knit some hanging threads together. So maybe I just need patience. But Tuesday was so lousy....

[DRW50]

I'm glad you said what you did about Daisy. I don't like her either. I hate the deadpan, uber-cynical, shallow stuff. It's just a generic way of writing a teen, and frankly, she looks a lot older than a teenager to me.

[lovely_m]

Phyllis slapping Nick was so good. The man whore deserves it.

[Soapsuds]

That was the only good part of the whole show. She should have slapped him and slapped him until fades to black....lol

Who wrote today's show? Anyone know??