Y&R: Episode discussion, week of January 4

[Chris B]

So true! I can only imagine! I bet Sharon would shrug her shoulders, tilt her head and be over it in two days. Poor Noah would be like "Doris? Grandma who? You mean Miss Nikki? Ashley?" Of course this would be three months later because you know how Noah disappears whenever something important happens. But at least he made it to Zapato's funeral.

[Chris B]

Wednesday now so I've met Jo Jo.I guess this is the role Kim Zimmer turned down. Smart lady.

[MarkH]

Contract? Really? She's already overstayed her welcome... I'm having a hard time imagining a long-term story with Jo Jo. Moreover, I'm having a hard time imagining that the show will get any of its heart back with a sitcom character like that.

[alphanguy74]

Oh, I don't know.... certain aspects of Jo Jo remind me of Sally Spectra, she's no Darlene Conley, of course.... Darlene is irreplaceable. But I don't see this Jo Jo woman as much of a departure from the likes of Boobsie Caswell. (Leave it up to Bill Bell to come up with a name like BOOBSIE)

[DRW50]

I thought jcar03's original comment was about Daisy?

[DRW50]

Noah: I miss Grandma.

Sharon: It's OK. She's with Cassie now.

Noah: Yeah, I know, but...

Sharon: Life is hard, but we have to move on. A wise man once said, life sucks, then you die. Isn't that profound? I think Cassie would have agreed.

Noah: Can I at least...Mom?

(Sharon sees Kevin, Daniel, Ryder walk into the room)

Sharon: Oh, boys. I'm so, so sad. (eyes well up with tears) I don't know what I'm going to do. I'm losing control. Help me!

Daniel: What can we do?

Sharon: Have you ever been in a gang bang?

[MarkH]

[Gilda Radner on] Never mind. [/Gilda Radner off]

You know, Friday's episode was better than many. I think it was my favorite of the week.

One of the things many of us have been objecting to is the plot-driven rapidity of the Jack-Emily and Sharon-Adam unions. So far, the show hasn't really addressed the sickness of the rush, except tangentially. What I very much enjoyed about yesterday was that they put several kinds of insanity front and center.

Sharon CALLED Jack out for his hypocrisy (deserved), and I think the process exposed how impulsive and messed up Emily is. I mean think about it: She had no real ties in Minnesota. She jumps into a relationship with Jack. She continues to treat a woman who stole her face. It is nice to shine a lens on the fact that the doctor is just as messed up as the patient.

Frankly, Nick and Phyllis there was overkill, but as a drawing-room comedy it was a nice one-episode diversion. None of the performers at the GCAC (possibly excepting Driscoll) were weak, and having Hendrickson there as a kind of snarky chorus was a nice add.

As for the fire at the Rawlings House...I'm basically okay with that. (I'm not okay with the underlying agendas for it...making us suspect Daisy or her mother...making Adam a hero...relocating Shadam into Ashley's house). Truly, the set has been mostly mothballed lately...it started to show up again (after the Reliquary drama) around the time Brad was dying...then it stuck around for the funeral...then it sort of appeared less frequently than AussieColleen...and then it sort of randomly became Sharon's home. I like that house...but I feel no "attachment" to it.

I will much more miss Cassie's picture (I hope Adam can rescue it) and _maybe_ Fisher (if they go down that dark road again).

Honestly, knowing there is a mandate to bring down costs and use fewer sets, and also because the contrivance of putting Sharon in the same house as Faith promises some interesting scenes, I'm fine with this.

For me, the joyful part of all this has been Eileen Davidson. Every happy, cheerful, joyous, balanced word she utters -- we all know -- is a heavy layer of denial. I like that Ashley's even prettier and more made up than ever. It is beautiful symbolism for the facade behind which she's hidden. I know Davidson will rock when Ashley finally reconnects with reality.

I can't wait for Victor to find out that Adam killed his child!

Again, no defense of some of the obvious plotting going on...but for me yesterday was a demonstration of how solid performers can rescue even the most hackneyed plots.

But with Chance--we have a problem. The character (whom we barely know) is supposed to be despondent and angry. All I saw, IMO, was "tired" or "resigned". But I did like that we were shown how incompatible Chloe and Chance really are. She's a party girl, fabulous stylist, and she loved being in the thick of all that drama. But mopey Chance dragged her away (okay, she offered, but still..) for grilled cheese sandwiches in front of the tube.

I wish they had chosen to make Chance more interesting. I still think that letting Wilson Bethel play him would have been a more interesting choice (he seems a bit younger, and I buy him as a haunted veteran). But everything about the return of P3/P4 seems epically botched.

I guess the show also gets points for consistency. We continue to see that Eden and Noah are sexually involved...and in this case, fatally distracted by their lust. Eden will take the fall for this--maybe even Noah--and that's kind of an interesting dynamic to insert between Sharon and Noah again. I wonder if Daisy is -- for some reason not yet clear to us -- going to go after Noah?

[DRW50]

They probably didn't cast Bethel in the role because they didn't want to waste him on the part. I think Chance is only there to try to make us feel sorry for Billy, or see him as so fascinating and wonderful compared to dull Chance. Bethel has to play one of their dead-eyed, slightly unwashed, creepy leading men; they wouldn't waste him on a role they sneer at.

[MarkH]

You're priceless! So far, I have a hard time imagining Ryder as leading.

But I do know what you mean about "slightly unwashed". At this point, Daniel/Kevin/Nick are creeping me out with their dirty, greasy, unshaven looks. When Nick had his hair ungreased during the holidays, I much preferred it. I think it might be time for one of his butch crops...just for a change of pace. At least Ryder seems to shave. JT has such light stubble, I don't know why they have him looking stubbly...especially now that he's a big Exec.

(But the same is true for J Jackson at GH...yes he looks young...but he's a beautiful man, and I wish they wouldn't insist on that stubble). It appears to be a fashion that extends well beyond the soaps or Y&R.

[JimTolkien]

Now that I am catching up on the show, I can comment.....

I love that Blind Adam does the saving and he sort of becomes a hero. Whenever there is an act of heroism and especially since Adam is "blind", there is bound to be some sort of research on the person to get some background information hehee , so for me the fire was perfect though I absolutely hate that they use Brad's house but then it sort of ties into the everything Sharon touches, she sort of plays a hand in its destruction.

For me, this is the kickoff of Adam's world starting to unravel a bit..he may or may not get caught for the babyswitching but he will get caught for something that will cost him. As for the babyswitching, appears to be making of one nasty story, whenever anything involves the Newman/Abbott families, it usually is. I just don't believe it will be as simple as handing that baby over to Sharon and everything will be peachy. And seeing as the writers appear to be playing the Ashley/Sharon/Adam triangle now and with Sharon making a scene at the GCAC the same club where she had her escapades in front of everyone including Chloe and Chance, that's bound to be addressed down the road. I love the "smoke & mirrors* the writing plays with the Sharon & Ashley characters.

MarkH, I disagree that Nick/Phyllis being at the club was overkill, I think they were put there for a reason, I guess we are not supposed to know why yet LOL, but their dialogue was interesting so it makes me think that there is more to this.

Can someone explain to me why Jill did not recognize Tucker being the businesswoman that she is but Jo-Jo the bounty hunter does LOL...seems to be more to that.

nuMalcolm was sort of jarring for me to see, it is going to take a while for me to adjust but I do love the temperament of the Neil/Malcolm scenes so far. I have never seen Darius before so I am starting with a fresh slate. I just hope they don't pen him in just to prop up the awfully boring Lame and he gets more to do. I really would like the Winters to get a good story for once.

And lastly, I simply CANNOT WAIT for Victor to return..and if as Scott Hamner said that Victor will be even more powerful and meaner, that is music to my ears because heavens know this show needs some excitement of some sort. I think the show seems to be showing a little improvement but I feel like there is no "ENERGY" or "EDGE" to the show that makes me want to tune in everyday.

And more Michael and Lauren scenes are always a bonus. I like the mystery around Daisy, she seems to be the bad one but I am not very impressed by the actress so far..hope that changes as they move her story along but I am not going to hold my breath.

[Khan]

You forgot the part where she shoplifts from PriceMart. ;-)

[lmfan]

I'm with Mark in that I liked Friday's episode better than most lately. The incredibly fast pace of the pairings of Sharon and Adam as well as Jack and Emily are ridiculous, but this show was admitting that and the scenes were kind of fun. I hate Sharon with Adam and the fact they are trying to redeem Adam in the most unbelievable way, but Sharon was right about Jack's hypocrisy even if he is correct about Adam.

I loved that Sharon was focused on Jack and not Nick and the snark that she was throwing Emily's way. Sharon is a mess, but the doc and her $.05 treatment is also. Plus, I thought snarky Sharon was funny. Still want her and Ashley to hang Adam by the nuts when they find out about the switch, but at least it was entertaining. I also agree Ashley is living in a state of denial and hope that her watching Sharon and Faith bonding may make her realize that she did not deliver a baby in the psych ward.

I so am not interested in Tawny coming to GC though. Amber is enough from that family tree. The one thing I did not like was Phyllis and Nick. They are so played out as a couple, and at this point whatever promises Nick makes to Phyllis sound insincere and while Phyllis understandably does not trust Nick, her passive aggressiveness, is getting old. They don't seem to even enjoy being with each other anymore. Marriage should not be that much of a chore.

As for Michael and Lauren, their story is really dragging, but at least it is good to see a couple who actually genuinely enjoys each others company without hidden agendas. They just work so seemlessly as a couple and kudos to Tracey Bregman for looking so good while working on crutches and with a broken foot. Plus, I loved her new snazzy office and wish they made the new set for the purpose of showing Lauren more in business mode again, but it is probably for this Daisy/Ryder/Mama Bear plot. I would love to see Lauren mentoring Chloe now that Chloe is out of work.

By the way, it was fun watching Chloe enjoy the fighting, but I am just not seeing a future between her and dudly do right. As for burning down Brad's house, I don't think it has to be permanently gone. Maybe they contained the fire to the first floor and after a few months of renovations can come back with the same set with a new living room. We know the reason they had the fire was two fold: To get Sharon living with Ashley and Faith and to ratchet up Daisy is the new Sheila story.

The actress who plays Daisy has to be short term. She just is not very good and seems creepy hanging around Lauren and Michael so much. I think they may want to keep Ryder around though so I can see him, in the end, protecting Kevin and his extended family, and being integrated into the Fisher-Baldwin.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Daisy is under contract now, so I think they're invested in her for a while sadly. It sucks, because she adds nothing to the show.

[jcar03]

It was. The JoJo character is only recurring per the Thursday end credits.

[soapydoc]

Daisy was always under contract.