Y&R: Episode discussion, Week of January 25, 2010

[classicmoment]

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! x1000

Didn't even realize that was him

I loved the scene where Jill said she loved the view from his home as if someone is trying to take the attention off the actual set

Why are they still here? I guess they support lame stories. Look someone needs to give these writers a choice Amber and Daniel or Kevin and Jana why do we need both couples. If they new how to develop characters they would find something fresh to connect onto the canvas and work with

Zima is not doing it I'm sorry she carries this look as if something is always funny I watch the scenes with her "deceiving" Lauren and wonders what is it that compells Lauren to her, it is certainly nothing in Zima's acting that is carrying out that part of the story. Nichols already shifted how this character is anchored, first wise decision this show has made in a really long time is bringing him on.

[Juliajms]

I agree on all points. I'm thrilled SN is on board, but Zima must go. I really think that instead of Lauren's daughter she may be related to Phyllis and if that is the case they need to recast. Recast or kill her off, I do not care which, but the idea of this girl becoming a long term cast member is simply depressing.

[MarkH]

To quote the oft-expressed sentiment around here, "Don't given them any ideas". Lauren did not have a miscarriage after Scotty, that I recall. The little boy that Sheila switched for Scotty ("Dylan") died. I suppose they could reverse that--but why?

You all are so much more sophisticated than I. I think the set is an interesting/different choice (bedroom + office), and it says a lot about the kind of workaholic AND "playa" AND poor work/life balance kind of guy that Tucker is. In the end, it speaks volumes about how lonely the man is...and this explains a lot of his vindictiveness. He is obviously impaired in the ability to form attachments, and this is the real reason he's calling out for attention now.

I like the look of the wood, the view out of the window, the depth of the set--right down to the elevator alcove. I guess I have Ikea tastes, and that must be a bad thing... I much prefer this set to, say, the Jabot sets or Indigo or even the GCAC. It's bright and visually interesting to me.

There should be an arrogant, child-like petulance in the "subtext" of all of Tucker's scenes. I'm not sure that is being played/written yet.

I actually didn't love SN's first day. I didn't like the sunglasses (although it made me wonder if Nichols was trying to move the characterization to the more "mentally adolescent" and "attention getting" framework I mentioned above), and I especially didn't like when Jill LAUGHED at his mean "joke" about "you're all fired". Why would Jill laugh?? Or at least smile? Makes no sense...

[Juliajms]

I thought Jill smiles out of sheer relief. She looked horrified for the seconds she believed he meant it...which begs the question why didn't he mean it? For the seconds that I believed it my thought was "OMG, they are actually writing Tucker with a brain". Why the hell would you keep on all the people who are loyal to Katherine. No way I believe someone like Tucker would be so foolish. At the very least Neil, Kevin and Cane should be out the door.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

You know how it is with this awful writing regime, a character can act a certain way one day, and then the next day, they either have no personality or a whole new personality to suit whatever nonsense this hack writing regime wants its audience to buy.

[Cat]

Oh, didn't you get the memo? Bad-ass Brainiac Cane "tricked" Tucker into believing that he'd be loyal to him. All within two minutes. Yeah, he's "in."

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Word.

How f.ucking lame.

[MarkH]

Well, you know, I thought Tucker was channeling MAB (when she took over from LML), and offered a decent reason for not firing everyone right away.

I totally agree with your assessment from the LML era. Dru going nuts and cutting clothes. Nikki suddenly (over night) backing away from Victor's plan to make Jack a senator and deciding to run against him. Nikki calling the police on Phyllis and having her arrested on her wedding day. The complete re-design of Victoria (with Heinle in the role). Etc.

I don't perceive quite the same unexplained, unmotivated character changes these days. For example, Sharon as a forgetful slut-ho is something that I see the foundations of in stories from 10 years ago. Or Ashley's current state (denial) emerges (for me) logically out of her decades-long battle with mental illness.

Of all the characters, the one who feels most "off" to me is Victor. I had enjoyed the fact that he also had a mellower side...but we never see that anymore.

I do believe Kay-as-businesswoman and saint is a major movement away from what she once was...but that is an evolution that really started with LML (and MAB is just keeping it up).

[DaytimeFan]

I've noticed that clothing has really gone downhill, I wonder if the actors are having to bring their own clothes or something because it's really atrocious. I've also noticed that some of Kay's jewelry has been showing up on Nikki and Lauren, a necklace here, a bracelet there, but it's something I've picked up on.

You're right, anyone whose bargain shopped knows you can find excellent clothes for next to nothing. What I've noticed is that the clothes FIT so poorly. Not one thing has been tailored.

Jacklyn Smith for K-Mart looks fabulous, if it fits. Nobody on this show is wearing a thing that fits. It just goes to show how lazy everyone is on this show now.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Please...

Character motivation just doesn't matter AT ALL these days, it's all about "how shocking can our plot be?!"

These nonsense and absurd plots come before character history and character identity on this show, these days.

All of the characters on this show have become caricatures under this current writing team. They all only seem to have one facet, none are layered characters.

Latham ignored Katherine for a great deal of her tenure towards the end, if Maria wanted to move Katherine back to who she truly is, she had all the opportunity in the world.

[bellcurve]

That purple number Ashley was wearing in yesterday's show looked like something they stole from an 70's PGP Soap. It just reeked of cheap, tacky, and thoughtless.

And Sharon wearing all black except for the cardigan? I know she was supposed to be casual, but come on! Sharon case has a gorgeous body. At least put her in other colors.

Y&R has always prided itself on aesthetics. I know the budget cuts are really hurting the show, but that doesn't mean one should give up!

[Y&RWorldTurner]

And for the record, why does every story involving Katherine from this writing regime involve her being hurt in some way where everyone has to gather around her to support her? Didn't we get enough of that last year towards the end of the Kay/Marge storyline (which started off promising, but became a mess at the end)?

I f.ucking hate to see Katherine as the Patron Saint of Genoa City. That is not who she is and that this is not who she will ever be to me. I love her, but no, Katherine can be a bitter and nasty woman. The fact they this writing team keeps throwing Jill under a bus to make Katherine seem like some angle enrages me and pisses me off more than words can describe.

This hack writing regime does not understand the fundamentals of these complicated relationships and characters, and what made Y&R, well, Y&R to so many of us.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

It's shameful how OLTL with its budget and being ABC's bastard child soap can have better wardrobe and lighting than the #1 soap in daytime.

Y&R just reeks of bad management from all levels.

[DaytimeFan]

And look at DAYS. A bottom of the barrel budget and not one person is poorly dressed. Everyone looks great.

[bellcurve]

It's MAB's view of Kay Chancellor through her relationship with Jeanne Cooper.

Maybe that's the way she constructs all the stories on Y&R.