Y&R Promo: Diane's Murder: So Many Suspects

[Mr. Vixen]

I agree with what you are saying, JaneAusten. I love Maura West. She was outstanding on ATWT, and I think she's a really good actress. But for a long time,I never thought she was "Diane Jenkins". Mostly, it was because of her age. Also, because I was a big fan of both AD and SW in the role. However, in the last few weeks I finally thought MW was really gelling in the role. When Diane returned, MAB wrote her as the town mattress. A weak, pathetic slut. And that's NOT who Diane was. But in the past weeks, where she's actually gotten to be a stone-cold-bitch, I have been enjoying it.

Do I think Maura West was the best Diane? No. I still think she would have fit better in another villainous role. Am I sad to see MW go? Yes, I am somewhat. She wasn't ever really given a chance to grow. But what I am upset about FAR more, is the fact that MAB feels the need to fix a miscast by killing off a character that's been integral to Y&R and it's history for over 20 years.

[Khan]

This promo brought me back to SON, but for all the wrong reasons. I cannot believe how much this show has devolved. If MW wasn't working as Diane, then - here's a thought - just send Diane out of town again!

Watch it be Patty, though, as the culprit. She probably killed Diane in order to make Jack happy. :-(

[DRW50]

People feeling an actress was miscast doesn't mean they want to see the character murdered.

The problem is that this has been done so many times, and most viewers know that, like every other "mystery" on this show, it will lead to absolutely nothing. Not one "mystery" started while the wretched trio has been with the show has ever lead anywhere, to anything.

The other problem with the material - beyond the shockingly bad writing and acting from most involved - is that the story is just one long "This bitch deserves to die" mantra. We are supposed to see women as being dirty whores who deserve nothing less than brutal murder. This goes way beyond any character, just as Y&R expecting viewers to love seeing a woman sexually molested after she had a miscarriage went way beyond any feelings I ever had about Ashley.

Khan I wish you would post more.

[JaneAusten]

You know whats sad about all this. And no MW getting let go to me is not terribly sad. I love her but she was still not a fit for the character and I would suggest not a good fit for the show. She still even with her meatier material seemed out of place. (That has nothing to do with killing off Diane by the way which is a separate issue).

Its how Y&R which was a show I always felt rose above the standard soap cliches like dopplegangers, bringing people back to life, killing off popular characters for a cheap short term ratings boost, its something that separated them from the rest, has now become the epitome of all those things. The thing is the show still has the ability to do what made the show what it was. They still have a lot of the characters and roots around but they choose to "ABC" the show and go with the short term cheap soap cliches and gimmicks. Maybe its just a nature of the times or maybe MAB is a distant relative of Brian Frons.

[DRW50]

I don't think MAB gives a hoot. I think she got what she wanted - which was to "save" Y&R, undo a lot of what may have personally annoyed her over the years (such as Kay/Jill being related, or Phillip's death), throw in some references to art and museums. After that she may have been more than happy to turn the show over to the hacks Hogan and Hamner. This show has their handprints everywhere.

[P.J.]

I think a lot of people could have gotten past the age issue if the writing for Diane hadn't made her seem superflous. It was easy to bitch about how she didn't "fit the part", when all she was given to do is play mattress tag. They didn't need for her to be "Diane" when half the men in GC are content to bang anything in a skirt anyway.

Y&R fans (like most) are purists. They want Abby and Kyle to be the same age, they balk at Jill not being Liz' daughter, they'd never accept a recast Neil suddenly being the younger, goofy brother. Maura's fans were more interested in the performance, and they saw the humanity she tried to pump into the writing.

Once Maura got to explode, more viewers could appreciate her talent. And on a gut level, many fans will balk at any mother's death, unless she's an ax murderer, in the process of threatening a child.

Personally, I hope a lot of people see the same thing I do---Y&R desperately needs more characters who are willing to take on the GC "establishment" and call them on their crap who aren't Satan themselves. This town is filled with stuffy prisses who are obsessed with Victor and/or Sharon.

I do find Maura's dismissal sad---it's a case of backstage politics winning over substance.

[Cat]

Well said. And ITA.

I would even go as far to say that Maura was far too talented and on point for many of the oversized egos at Y&R, especially the ones who coast through every scene except the Emmy reel ones. They know that she was one of the Emmy-winning megastars on ATWT with a loyal fanbase and probably felt threatened. What is sad for this Y&R viewer is that I felt MW added something positive to the canvas. She is clearly a huge talent and if I were her, I would beg my agent to let me see the casting agent at Mad Men because I think her well-spoken, glamourous, East Coast style would really jibe well over there.

Meanwhile, we are still stuck with the horrible Phyllis and god knows why they still haven't written off Greg Rikaart, Liz Hendricksen, Eden Reigel, Genie Francis, Daniel Goddard and a host of others because they are really awful.

[Cat]

Watching today's US episode, it struck me how they were harping on about how Diane had 10 blows to the back of her head (God, gag me now. The misogyny is sickening. What was striking was how Michael was really the only one to stand up for Diane when everybody was yapping on about how hated she was) and wow, what a coincidence, there appear to be that same number of suspects! It reminded me of Agatha Christie's Murder on the Orient Express and how the victim had 20 knife blows as the 20 people on the train sought to get revenge on him in one ritualistic moment.

The sad thing is that MAB prob thught how clever and Old School she was being in coming up with this scenario (of course, nobody would get prosecuted if such a scenario were to occur! Can you see Victor, Victoria, Phyllis, Nick, Adam or Jack ever going to jail for this?!) without fully understanding how it will ruin her lead characters even more than they already are.

[DRW50]

I saw one comment on Diane's death that said, "The bitch deserved it." I think that is the message of this storyline, and I'm sure the show has done a great job in making many viewers feel that way. If Y&R of today is good at nothing else it's making you hate characters.

[Cat]

That's interesting because watching the SL play out, it hits me how Diane really did NOT have this coming. I mean, what, a few mean-spirited texts, a little light blackmail here and there? Victor treated her horribly, as did Nick. I actually felt that she was the wronged party in the whole sorry affair. And as for deserving it, are you kidding me? There are so many other characters who have done far, far worse. I'm surprised one of the Abbotts hasn't gunned down Victor yet for Colleen's death -- and that's just for starters. If the intention was for me to hate Diane, then Y&R failed at that, too. Quel surprise.

And those scenes when Murphy pulled her out of the water with her mangled, bloody head and grey, flattened face -- it was horrible and inappropriate, in a way. It reminded me of college studying female images in media and advertising (a filler class but I enjoyed it), they had some company advertising pantyhouse, and its models were photographed as dead corpses, their legs splayed open and poking out of dumpsters and dragged along river banks. These ads were quickly pulled because of the outcry at the time (mid 1990s). Diane's death and the way it was set out reminded me of that nastiness.

[JaneAusten]

I don't ever think Maura fit on the show and I realize thats a personal opinion.She didn't really gel or connect with anyone at least not in my watching aside from CBL and actually MM towards the end. It doesn't take away her talent or that I agree with you that she tried like hell to sell this character. I kind of don't blame her entirely for not fitting, I think many of the actors she worked with just seemed very disinterested in scenes with her. While I realize they villianized Diane at the end big time, I think Maura gave it her all and did a great job.

And ICAM about the others you mentioned. There are at least those 5 and actually more that are far more expendable than MW/Diane.

[P.J.]

In some way, I agree Maura didn't "fit" on the show. She brought an energy to her scenes every day, when most of the cast seems to be content to sleepwalk through five months of scenes to get to the one "big week" they know they're going to get. Whether that's a NY vs. CA, ATWT vs. Y&R or just how Maura is vibe....it stood out.

Of course Diane didn't gel with many people....she wasn't written to gel with them. She only pulled off a miracle and made Braeden seem indulgent and bemused for three or four weeks.

And the "monster deserved it" attitude bothers me as well. Nick, Jack and Tucker are all grade A users, but Diane's the "whore". Vic's a ruthless sob, but he's outraged Diane's gone after Nikki, KNOWING he only married her to protect Sonny and that he screwed Nikki during the marriage. Phyll---I could go on and on. Even the Sainted Nikki and Ash have had their whorish moments, and yet Diane's the root of all evil. Vicki and Abby (the greed sisters) are outraged? GMAFB.

[edgeofnik]

It's funny, I believe the posts in this thread pretty much sum everything up. MW is a fine actress. Diane is a legacy character that was written horribly. Soaps continue to treat women as sluts, while men are studs. Is it any wonder why women have moved away from the genre in droves during the past 20 years? It's really amazing that Y&R still has 5MM viewers a day, considering the train wreck for the past three years. I was pushed to the edge with Philip, then Sarah sent me away almost for good. Came back briefly when MW appeared only to see the horrific writing and dumbing down of the character. I've just kept in touch via the boards. And don't feel like I'm missing a thing. (I did watch MW's scenes on YouTube last week.) Not sure anything - barring a Dru/Phyllis showdown will bring me back, which is kind of a shame.

[JaneAusten]

I think Maura gelled with Christian LeBlanc but while he obviously doesn't get any juicy material, he at least seems energized in scenes. I thought they particularly had a nice spark together and that couple be why.MM I thought has been more energetic away from Sharon and maybe thats why they seemed to click more as of late.

As far as the women are whores, its pretty universal. Sharon is, Nikki is, Diane is, the list goes on name any other soap but how about Victor or Nick or Billy. Aren't they as bad or worse? Has it always been women having sex on a soap opera being far worse than a man bedding a ton of women? Then you have the likes of characters like Adam, EJ on Days, TOdd on OLTL who has done despicable things to women yet all get trotted out as gods gift to women. Its just odd how the misogny in daytime seems to have gotten so much worse over the years while in primetime, you have more and more examples of fully actualized smart intelligent women where you don't have to be the perenial victim or slutty or overly bitchy or overly agressive to be considered well rounded and interesting.

[soapfan770]

It's sad because Victor, Billy, and Nick are WHORES. They are SLUTS. Too bad no one has ever called them that, and probably no one ever will.

Anyways, I didn't feel like starting a new topic on this one but I've heard next week Kevin and Chloe are suppose to break-up. The most boring couple since the days of JT and Rachel Kinsey's Mac even beating Cane and Lily will finally be done, although not after creating a lot of damage(Jana's death). When will the show fire Elizabeth Hendrickson?