Maria Arena Bell basically is counting on the fans to be blinded by all this "talent" so she and her minions can get away with the [!@#$%^&*] they pass off as writing. Y&R has officially taken ABC's crown in the realm of stunt casting. This show has taken it to a whole new other level.

Exactly.

After years of nobody (other actors, most fans & the soap press) caring about Y&R it's become Shady Pines for out of work soap actors with grudges.

They should be hiring Robin Strasser any day.

Can't we at least agree that in the 1980's (when Diane was introduced), a model's career was considered over by their mid-20's?

Can't we at least agree that in the 1980's (when Diane was introduced), a model's career was considered over by their mid-20's?

We can agree that runway models careers are usually over by their mid/late 20's.

But Diane was never a runway model thus not over the hill.

I think the only reason they hired Maura was to try and get some ATWT viewers. I'm sure they did research and conducted focus groups to determine which ATWT refugee could best be counted on to deliver some new viewers, just as they're probably doing now with AMC and OLTL actors. I think the whole procees was all very calcutated. That's the cynic in me talking, I guess. And for whatever reason, the writing, her performance...none of it ever gelled.

I think the only reason they hired Maura was to try and get some ATWT viewers. I'm sure they did research and conducted focus groups to determine which ATWT refugee could best be counted on to deliver some new viewers, just as they're probably doing now with AMC and OLTL actors. I think the whole procees was all very calcutated. That's the cynic in me talking, I guess. And for whatever reason, the writing, her performance...none of it ever gelled.

I think that is probably a big reason for her hiring. It's a vulture mentality, and it's always the same sad story because people who don't watch Y&R that much talk up about how fantastic is and _____'s loss is Y&R's gain, and then the stunts wear off and the daily grind of ugliness that is today's Y&R take their toll, and it's time for a new stunt casting.

Don't forget she ran over Paul and Christine.

I don't think she did- I believe it was included in this part of the quote:

The same woman that tried to repeatedly stalked, harassed & tried to murder ANOTHER woman after sexually assaulting said woman's husband

If by subtle you mean comatose, and when you say "muli-layered", you're referring to her hair, then yes. Otherwise, no. Don't get me wrong, I love Maura West. She was fabulous on ATWT. But she's never worked as Diane. She's all kinds of miscast. And I don't think she ever truly seems like she wants to be there. Granted, if I was given the material they've given her, I would be bored too. But she's underwhelming, nonetheless.

Uh, I don't consider any of her performances to be comatose and that crack about the only layers she had were in her hair is all kinds of wrong. The recast may have not been perfect, mainly like you and others have said because of the writing- but Maura wasn't, hasn't been, and never will be a lazy actress. She doesn't tank storylines either, unlike co-stars Braeden, Stafford, and Muhney. But then again, you had THIS to say about Genie's performance as Shriekavieve:

Genie is rocking it IMO. But that kiss was nurrrrsty! Only because of how bloody and bruised Robert's face was.

So your opinons about the acting on Y&R aren't really all that credible IMO.

Only a multi-layered actress could sell Diane's "falling in love" with the brain-dead beefcake Nick to the point she actually feels bad every time he rails at and belittles her for living her life after he dumped her.

Maura's the only reason Diane has any semblance of a conscience. It sure hasn't been written that way for her. Setting aside the age-appropriateness issue...it's certainly not Maura's fault she has more chemistry with Diane's female rivals than the males on this show. It's the fact there's too many women on this show that makes her expendable, not any acting issue. (Even if she's not happy with her story, at least she's professional enough to bring it...unlike some of the coddled Divos on this show.)

Brava! But I do think she has some fire chemistry with Morrow.

Oh, wow. Disgusting is the least you can say about this.

It stings all the more because this show used to be so so so good. What's that they say? The higher you climb....

Exactly. This show is pure crap and you're right that it makes it all the more depressing that the show used to be the creme de la creme.

I think Maura could have worked fabulously well on Y&R as a new character. But she was miscast as Diane from day one. She just doesn't have the fire Diane needs.

:lol:

And your credibility falls further down the gutter. Maura may have lacked a lot of things on Y&R but FIRE ain't one of em. Girl is a ball of freaking fire, no matter how much and how often the writing failed her.

I never understand the "this isn't Diane" train of thought. She was a desperate "over the hill" model who tried blackmailing and sleeping her way into the lead Jabot model job. Her idea of revenge was stealing sperm to have a child she felt "promised" to her by Victor. She tried to break up Jack and Phyllis by framing Phyl for arson...going so far as to endure a broken leg.

Other than the fact she managed to win once against Victor...I'm not seeing the difference. The fact she's no longer smart enough to hire a lawyer or lets every man she sleeps with call her a useless bitch to her face (which again, is the product of the misogynistic writing) isn't in Maura's control.

I guess it's the idea Maura's not bringing "layers" to the role is what I'm bristling at. The ONLY reason I've endured watching this crap IS seeing what Maura brings to this thankless character and craptastic heap of strung together words. There's a plethora of lazy actors beating the crap out of the ONE note they've found in their characters. Maura ain't one of them.

+1

But I do see a difference: Diane was NEVER a slut nor did she use sex to gain money like a common hooker. She always had a sexuality that she used to her advantage with men, but not like this. The Diane of old NEVER would have shown up to Grambo's in a trench coat and removed it to reveal her bright red and black lace bra and panties like this version did. It just wasn't and isn't her style.

I dont get why Y&R keeps hiring these A list actors and expecting to turn this sh-t into gold

No doubt, ESPECIALLY when all it does is prove how atrocious the writing actually is, considering these talented, A-list actors can't even bring it to life and make it work.

Edited June 19, 201114 yr by juniorz1

We can agree that runway models careers are usually over by their mid/late 20's.

But Diane was never a runway model thus not over the hill.

True... Cheryl Tiegs was in her early thirties when she did that huge campaign for Sears back in 1979-82.

But I do see a difference: Diane was NEVER a slut nor did she use sex to gain money like a common hooker. She always had a sexuality that she used to her advantage with men, but not like this. The Diane of old would NEVER have shown up to Grambo's in a trench coat and remove it to reveal her bright red and black lace panties like she did. It just wasn't and isn't her style.

Are we talking about the same Diane who screwed Jack the night before his wedding? And I hate to tell you, but she DID use sex to gain career placement/money. By sleeping with Jack, she persuaded him to build an entire Jabot advertizing campaign around her, and not Chris Brooks who his father wanted to head up the campaign.

Edited June 19, 201114 yr by alphanguy74

I think the only reason they hired Maura was to try and get some ATWT viewers. I'm sure they did research and conducted focus groups to determine which ATWT refugee could best be counted on to deliver some new viewers, just as they're probably doing now with AMC and OLTL actors. I think the whole procees was all very calcutated. That's the cynic in me talking, I guess. And for whatever reason, the writing, her performance...none of it ever gelled.

that's exactly why they did it, and the problem keeps being that they are STUPID and don't realize that it NEVER works. If they wanted to snag some ATWT veiwers, they needed to sit down with Proctor and Gamble and hammer out a deal and get one or two of ATWT's CHARACTERS and bring them over to Y&R (along with the actors who play them, of course) P&G would do it, they would get some money for doing virtually nothing, and milk a bit more revenue out of a completely dead property.

And I hate to tell you, but she DID use sex to gain career placement/money.

Diane used sex ONCE to get her foot in the door (and even then she ended up falling for Jack) unlike characters like Jill & Lauren who constantly used/uses sex to get what they want.

Edited June 19, 201114 yr by DeeeDee

Are we talking about the same Diane who screwed Jack the night before his wedding? And I hate to tell you, but she DID use sex to gain career placement/money. By sleeping with Jack, she persuaded him to build an entire Jabot advertizing campaign around her, and not Chris Brooks who his father wanted to head up the campaign.

I admit I wasn't watching then, but from what I've read of the character at the time, that was one isolated incident. When Alex Donnelly returned in the 90s, there was none of that. Diane was a smart, calculated businesswoman. Yes, she had some tricks up her sleeves and did sleep with Jack and Victor, but she didn't go whoring around town. She did NOT overtly use sex to get what she wanted- she relied moreso on her brains and savvy. The story you're talking about took place nearly 30 years ago and I don't find it relevant. Had she seduced and banged the hell out of John Abbott back then, maybe you'd have something there.

When Alex Donnelly returned in the 90s, there was none of that.

She was the same way initially too. She always about using her intelligence first & sex as a last resort.

It was hardly one incident---she had an extended affair with Jack while he was married to Patty. She then married Andy and cheated on him with Jack.

I understand that she returned to town with a career under her belt. But it's not fair either to simply throw out segments of her history because it was so long ago. She used whatever she had to her advantage. In that respect, I don't see a difference in Diane's actions from then to now.

It was totally one incident.

The initial sex with Jack was to get Diane in the door at Jabot.

The rest of their affair she had genuine feelings for him & she cheated on Andy BECAUSE she still had feelings for Jack (despite loving Andy too) so nobody is "throwing out segments of her history because it was long ago".

Also the difference between Diane then & Maura's Diane is that Diane (outside of that one initial instance) only used sex as a last resort. Not so much with Maura's Diane.

Edited June 19, 201114 yr by DeeeDee

Did Maura and Scott relocate to LA when she got Y&R? If so, it's a shame they gave up their lives in NYC, though I guess her best chance, probably her only chance, for work, is in LA, whether it be soaps or prime time. Wonder if Frons is considering her for the rumored Kate recast on GH. That might be a role better suited for her, and I could see her having chem with Maurice. Of course, GH will probably be off the air by Sept 2012, so not sure if that would be a good move for her.