Y&R: Old Articles

[DRW50]

 

Tracey Bregman seemed to be having a blast playing those scenes. I wonder if Bill Bell ever regretted making Lauren a heroine, as she was a lot of fun as a naughty bitch. I especially loved her asking Jazz where Paul was, what Paul said about her, etc. He was so fed up with her. The bit when he said Paul was with a blonde (Andy) made me LOL. Her sparring with Amy was terrific, especially the end when Amy convinced her to keep Jack and his PI report in check by reminding her that Traci would turn to Danny again, and weren't there enough women already interested in Danny? Stephanie Williams also did a good job in those types of sparring moments when Simone on GH used to get into it with Lucy. 

 

The guy who played Rick wasn't much of an actor, which let the last scenes down somewhat, but MTS was doing more than enough acting for the both of them. She added so much tension and fear in every expression. It was also a weird throwback to see Victor in an era when people could tell him not to do something, like go out in a storm, and he would actually listen. (oh and Victor in that wet shirt is the only time I've ever found him attractive...). 

 

The scenes with Katherine trying to forgive Jill and instead using her hatred of Jill to fuel her decision about plastic surgery were just phenomenal. Such ugliness, such bile in that scene with Jill and Katherine, as Katherine tried so hard but Jill could not and would not let her. They took what could have been a vanity story about Jeanne Cooper's facelift and instead used it to set up all the material when Katherine found out about Jill and Jack and began the blackmail plot. What writing! And what gets me most is that the Brenda Dickson we see in the 1973 clip is not that far off from the Brenda we get here - just harder and more bitter (I love the way she has that line when Liz opens the door - asking if Katherine has died yet. She just delivers it perfectly). The jump from that Brenda to April 1986 Brenda is so severe, even though the 1986 episode wasn't even Brenda at her most...Brenda. 

 

Does anyone else think it's weird that no one but Jack was bothered by Traci dating her college professor? Ashley was indignant at him finding it inappropriate. Odd. Oh and there was that boring guy (Brian?) I forget about right after I see him. 

 

Speaking of Ashley, Eileen's hair and jewelry and wardrobe in these episodes is always a mess, but this looked good. Rick James videos were calling her:

 

 

 

I did a double take in the 1986 episodes as I did not know Jazz and Nathan were ever on the show at the same time. They were all supporting figures, sadly, but it was great to see that Paul was surrounded by so much diversity at that point, as well as a natural and fun partner in Andy. It makes the '90s revolving around Lynne, Mary, Cricket and sauerkraut seem kind of sad, doesn't it? I guess Bell felt that Nathan could replace Jazz. It's too bad as I really like Jazz. I wonder how much the budget was at this time that they could spring for prosthetics for Andy, Jazz, Nathan and Amy, just for one scene. Poor Stephanie Williams being put in yellowface. I wonder if this was some kind of...wink at the criticism they got for the whiteface story. And Jazz guest stars as Madea.

 

 

I know we've said this before but it really disappoints me that they didn't do more with Stephanie. She never seemed to fit into her ABC soap roles. She is a natural here, and I wish they'd seen that. 

 

Why did Lauren and Paul break up anyway? They seem so good here, and so right. (and damn Doug Davidson was hot in the '80s) 

 

 

I remember @DeeeDee posting before about Diane being removed from the canvas for Faren, and I could feel that here. Diane is insecure and Faren has the upper hand at every turn. I wonder if Bell was just so into the mystery lady stories - was Faren the first mystery lady on Y&R? In some ways Faren seems like a precursor, just in a sappier way than the later mystery ladies like Cassandra. Anyway, Alex Donnelly does what she can. Seeing this makes me feel that she was one of those ladies who looked better with the extra '80s hair.

 

 

 

I think it was also DeeeDee who said the reason they didn't do more with Matt/Nikki was lack of chemistry. I can see that here (especially when compared to her scenes with Jack). I have to admit that I just can't picture Victor ever encouraging his brother to go after Nikki - did his raging jealousy not start until later years? This seems like such a bizarre plot. Matt seems shoehorned into the canvas. I wonder how fans felt at the time.

 

Anyway, MTS again gives good work, and she somehow makes this outfit look adorable:

 

 

 

The Traci and Mamie scenes were so sweet. Veronica is 'my' Mamie, but I really appreciated Marguerite Ray here. 

 

This batch of 84/86 episodes also made me appreciate Eileen Davidson more. I won't lie, Brenda Epperson will always be my favorite Ashley, but Davidson is just fascinating to watch in these episodes. She is always moving, always going, both vulnerable and tough all at once. And so intelligent too. She is also given a perfect balance of corporate, family and romantic life. 

 

One thing I notice in these episodes is you got a ton more ACTING from the ladies of the '80s. Starting in the late '80s/early '90s you got cooler, more introspective performances from so many women like Tonya Lee Williams, Nina Arvesen, Kimberlin Brown, Brenda Epperson. I loved their work, and I still do. It's just I didn't realize how different the women on the canvas were from one decade to the next. 

 

The show as a whole seems a bit looser and freer in these years (as loose and free as Bill Bell can be, anyway). I like it a lot.

[Soaplovers]

In regards to the change of acting of the females/males.. we can blame Auntie Jack for that since Peter Bergman was a New York actor coming to an LA based soap where acting wasn't top notch (except for Lauren/Traci.. no one else really won emmys).

 

Original Alex

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  I despised Maura West being cast in such an iconic part.

[DRW50]

 

That's probably true...

 

I just can't even tell myself Maura was playing the same character. Even Susan Walters wasn't the same. They never should have even tried. Typical Y&R of the last few decades. I still can't believe what they did with Maura...

[slick jones]

Does anyone recall when Marilyn Alex (Molly Carter) appeared as Brad Carlton's mother?

[YRfan23]

What??? I didn’t know that...was this during the weird nazi story?

[slick jones]

No, back when he started or possibly during the Lisa story in fbs.

[YRfan23]

That's crazy...i didn't think MA was on the show before she was Sheila's mother......

[titan1978]

I’ve gone back a few pages and can’t seem to find the link to these episodes.  Can someone please tell where to find them?

[yrfan1983]

Here you go: https://plus.google.com/collection/gOdXSF

[titan1978]

Thank you!

 

PB has never been as compelling as Terry Lester’s Jack.  He plays all the layers that we know of from Jack- smug, crafty, even sanctimonious, Lester just does it better.  He is way more sexy, and you still root for his Jack in a way I just don’t with PB.

 

I am always here for Lauren as a bitch.  They softened her over time for sure, but Bell kept her edge through the 1990’s on this show.

 

I am also here for wet Paul and Andy, even Victor was sexy and compelling in that episode.

 

It is fascinating to watch Brenda’s Jill kind of between her original portrayal and vamp Dynasty Jill.  I do think Jess is a stronger actress, but I like the haughtiness Brenda played every time she felt she was on top.  But when she crosses into vamp camp it can be cringeworthy.

 

That confrontation between Katherine and Jill was incredible.  That Jill, 1984 Brenda is awesome!

 

Longtime viewers- had the Katherine Jill thing been kind of dormant for a while

before this period?  I didn’t start really paying attention until Nina arrives, so I have spotty memories of things before that.  

 

I wonder if Jeanne Cooper got nervous at all about how dark Katherine was getting, how far she would go.  It’s not like she hadn’t seen Bill Bell turn a dark older woman into a psycho and they ultimately be written out.  He had done it a couple of times by this point on the show.

 

Danny was never as cool as he was in the opening credits drawing.

 

After all this time, I stil feel that Ashley is Victor’s true soul mate, even though I also think for Nikki he is hers.  With either Brenda or Eileen it’s pretty clear in the way he plays it.

Edited August 19, 2018 by titan1978

[yrfan1983]

Katherine/Jill went dormant in early '80 when Bond Gideon took over the role, and didn't start up again until late '82 when Katherine toyed with Deborah Adair's Jill before Jill's marriage to John. Then it was quiet for a bit again until Brenda D returned in Sept '83

[DRW50]

Is this Victoria Rowell in the Chevrolet ad?

 

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[YRfan23]

looks like her...

[Darn]

 

Yes and Obba Babatundé, who plays Julius Avant on B&B as her husband.

 

And I was just trying to figure out how old VR was in the commercial and wow she was 31 when she was cast as Drucilla? I always thought she was like 20...wasn't Dru supposed to be that young?

Edited August 24, 2018 by Darn

[Soaplovers]

 

I wish the feud had kind of died because by the 90s..it got a little redundant.  I think because Kay got painted as some saint even though she killed a man.

 

I liked both characters better when they were in separated orbits.