Y&R: Discussion for the month of January

[JaneAusten]

I don't see how any of this is unique to Y&R or maybe no one is claiming it is. Days is the worst.You have had the same 3-4 characters interacting primarily with each other for the past 3 years. And those 3 take up 70 percent of what happens on that show. At least I can say the characters and actors Y&R showcases are people I know for the most part and is a wider range of characters. No it's not perfect and there are stories I wish would get more like the Cane story becase that's why I tuned back in. But Y&R has always been diff from any other soap I've watched. I've never really had or have to this day a fave couple or characters. I just enjoy watching almost everyone for the most part.

[Antoyne]

DAYS doesn't really have this issue...the only story negated on their for the most part is Chad being Stefano's kid.

[JaneAusten]

Not true. The Melanie Nathan stuff never got much focus for months and weren't they supposed to be some grand love story. Not saying I liked them. Bo/Hope go in cycles and this prison story is an example of a story that went on for months with not much and just really ramped up the past 3 weeks. Sami/EJ/Rafe have been the focus of that show for 3 years now and those 3 seem to get 70 percent of the airtime. And sadly the only time those 3 are remotely interesting is when Stefano or Nicole are part of the storyline.

[DeeeDee]

Touche.

But the thing about pre Jack Smith/Latham Y&R was that it told umbrella stories that allowed for plenty of that kind of interaction.

For instance it's insane how the Newmans have gone through HUGE things Noah coming back from Paris, Victor's crimes, Adam's crimes, Abby's drama, Nikki's alcoholism, Nick's divorce, Sharon kleptomania, Victoria's marriage yet the interaction between them is hollow.

Same for The Abbotts, Winters, Williams, Chancellors & horrid Baldwin Fishers.

[P.J.]

^^^^obviously, some shows have been better at umbrella stories historically, and arguably BellSr's Y&R was best at using the entire canvas (I'd say DM's ATWT, but BellSr obviously did it longer).

I think the lack of compelling story on any level is a bigger problem for Y&R right now. I know my opinion is skewed because I'm tardy to the party, but I don't think there's one rootable couple on that show right now. I know it's supposed to be Billy/Victoria, but all that girl does is whine. The story isn't going to improve if she gets to whine to someone other than Billy, Nikki and Abby.

The show has a lot invested in the character of Adam. I don't think MM has enough acting chops to make it pay off. He's got dead eyes and a boring monotone voice.

The one actress (and I'm leaving MW out of the discussion) that I thought was interesting got her ass canned and thrown into a volcano.

It is interesting, that in the three months or so I've watched everyday, I've never seen Nick interact with Abby as his sister.

[DeeeDee]

That's the thing if Maria could write anything remotely resembling a coherent umbrella story her weaknesses wouldn't be as prevalent.

Instead though she's centered her entire show around relationships most of which are hollow heavily due to the lack of a central coherent umbrella story.

Y&R used to be a show where characters could exist in many different stories & have several motivations for their actions now solid actors are blamed & subsequently fired (John Driscoll, William Russ, Clementine Ford) for Maria's horrible writing.

Tardy or not you definitely have a point there.

And unfortunately given Maria's latest interview things are only gonna get worse.

This isn't Victoria.

It's Amelia playing Amelia with the NAME Victoria.

It's not even that she isn't exactly like Heather's Victoria so much as she's SO nothing resembling the character VICTORIA.

But it's what TPTB have wanted for years so much like Scottie Pippen it will never change.

I think he has the talent to pull it off but lacks the writing to get the character out of the corner Maria's written Adam into resulting in Sharon getting trashed via the current Skye Vs. The Volcano debacle.

Independent Women on Y&R?

TO THE LAKE!

EXACTLY.

How many times has Nikki or Victoria seen Noah? Olivia & Lily? Paul & Heather? Jill & Billy? Devon & Neil? Jill & Phillip?

UGH.

[P.J.]

The Jill/Billy thing is way disturbing. Especially as Jill whines about family and gushes over Cane's babies. One gets the feeling she doesn't know Delia exists.

However, I don't care how bad MAB's writing is, she's not to blame for Driscoll's blandness. I knew from the day that hire was announced it would be horrid. The guy just has no presence in any role.

It figures----today with Goutman directing, Diane finally has a little snap in her step.

[Taiah]

Well Paul did see Heather this week. They listened to the cd of the nite Chance got 'killed'. He was pulled out a minute to help her Nancy Drew wannabe ass.

[DeeeDee]

Exactly!

Nor did Jill spend more than 5 minutes with Phillip once he came back from the dead.

Even when Liz died it was CANECANECANE then FENMOREFENMOREFENMORE.

It's sick.

He can't support Nina but as soon as Cricket is back he'll be breathing down her neck.

[Cat]

Maybe Jill barely knows Delia exists because Chloe was such a rude bitch to her while living under her roof? Not to mention the way Billy constantly belittles and bitches about his own mother behind her back.

If I were Jill, I don't know if I'd want them hanging around everytime I went to pick up that little girl. "Give me back my DOTTER, Jill. You're, like, totally holding her wrong."

Also, Billy hardly knows Delia exists himself. Only when ScarecrowToria started whining about her uterus and baybeeeeez was he all "Uhhhhhhhhh, Chlo? How about you give up Delia so that Victoria can raise her as her own. Whaddya say?!" *sh!t-eating grin*

[aMLCproduction]

Did Heather have an orgasm when Ronan admitted chance is alive?

[cattykittens]

Jill "forgets" about most of her family and relationships. The problem is lack of screen time for Jill. She is the most "connected" character on the show, especially since the Fenmore revelation, but she can't tend to a fraction of her relationships because they won't include her in the episode.

Once upon a time she was on as much as Jack and Victor, that's been cut by more than half. Her home is the Chancellor mansion and she has deep connections with Nina, Ester, and Katherine. Chloe and her granddaughter live with her too. She was part of the Abbott family for years and knows Jack & Jabot well. She was close to Billy through high school, normally she would be involved w/him and Victoria. Her "adopted" family Cane, and Lily, and now babies, and still adding... Colin. And now Lauren and her whole extended family. There is no possible way she can be involved with her own life on-screen unless they double her episodes. But TPTB don't care that much about Jill so they just ignore all her connections to the point where it becomes bizarre. When Chance "died" she didn't get one scene where she was able to grieve or talk to anyone. Newer viewers probably had no idea she was his grandmother. And when Katherine was at the hospital w/Murphy, she doesn't want Jill visiting? That was ridiculous. Etc., Etc., Etc,.

[lovely_m]

Reguarding this black market baby thing, why in the hell did Billy think that Victoria would want it? If I recall, she wanted a baby that was biologically theirs. So how is this insta-baby going to stop her whining? It's not theirs. Victoria will whine more when the baby gets taken away.

Don't you mean TO THE VOLCANO!

[DeeeDee]

Touche!

[DRW50]

Exactly. For most of Delia's life the only time Chompers interacted with her was when he almost dropped her after boozing it up. Even now he cares more about a black market baby than his own daughter.

Billy treats Jill like garbage and at best barely tolerates her - the show feels she is unworthy of being in his storyline. So I can't really blame her for not being around him or the daughter he treats as a mistake.

I still don't understand why they gave Billy and Chloe a baby. It provided no story, and somehow, Chloe is even more of a cipher than ever.