Article: Teens: Why Y&R Gets Them----And ABC doesn't...

[soapfan770]

In light of recent spoilers I thought it might be appropriate to post this:

[DRW50]

It's funny, because I was much more caught up in the Sharon/Matt/Nick/Amy story than in anything with Billy or Mac. Sharon was, after they hired Sharon Case, a very sympathetic and fairly complicated young woman, Matt was totally believable as the young sociopath, Nick was a square-jawed hero with feet of clay, and Amy was a decent supporting figure who played a big role at the climax of the story.

I never cared about Billy/Mac. I resented that this story was done on the back of Jill. If they did have chemistry it was lost under Mac's lower lip - she was nicknamed Mackenzie Frown. Billy verbally abusing Jill day in and day out. I stopped watching Y&R regularly because of how manipulative this was and how unpleasant it was for me to watch.

[DeeeDee]

Good as that story (and Bill's writing) was it succeeded mainly due to the actors (especially Case & Cibrian).

It really wasn't.

In fact it was the best stuff Jess & Jill had in YEARS.

They EASILY had as much chemistry as Nick/Sharon or ANY ABC couple (especially the beloved Liz/Lucky)

That wasn't ever the case though.

They BOTH gave as good as they got & was some of best work of both actors careers.

[DRW50]

I think at the time I was just so tired of various people yelling at Jill or telling her she was wrong, as she dug up dirt on Mac, and all the stuff with Billy yelling at her about not being a good enough mother. It seemed contrived to me.

I will admit I am biased in Jill's favor and I can see where it was not so one-sided. But I remember at the time one of the soap magazines asked why John did not step in when Billy was viciously tearing into his mother.

[DeeeDee]

But it wasn't contrived (in the least) & she WAS wrong.

Also Billy didn't yell at Jill about being a good enough mother just to yell at her. He had real issues with her (some her doing & some not) made worse by HER stubborn need to control him (just like she did with Phillip).

And for everyone that yelled at Jill she yelled right back at & often attacked (usually unprovoked) so again she gave as good as she got.

That's the thing it was never one sided.

Billy was a jerk to EVERYONE not just Jill for a LONG time.

John DID step in MANY times when Billy became out of control especially toward Jill.

And the show constantly reinforced John wanting them (Jill & Billy) to grow close & his willingness to work with Jill to parent Billy on both their terms.

[DRW50]

I see what you mean. I sometimes think I have some chemical dislike towards the Billy Abbott character...I don't know.

I do realize that Jill had a much better time in that period than she has in the last decade.

[CSF]

Love that last line.

[DeeeDee]

Which is understandable but Billy was a jerk then cause he was a teenager & was doing what teenagers do (be jerks).

The difference is that he had in character reasons (insecurity) in addition to being a jerk for his nastiness.

Alden did an awesome job with Jill (as she did most of Y&R's female characters) & Jess played the hell out of her.

But she always avoided making Jill a convenient punching bag & always tried to keep Jill sympathetic (if not always likeable).

[Cheap21]

so this Y&R teens of 10-15 years ago and not the ones today? Good bc if they were making that comparison for the recent crop of young characters, that would be completely laughable bc as poor as ABC has been, what they have had has been better than Y&R's pathetic, lame attempts