Y&R: Discussion for the Month of March

[chicklitsandfantasies]

[DramatistDreamer]

Can't poor writing play a part in this to a certain extent though?

I'm not speaking of MCE so much as I am of others like DW and DM who were also said to lack life and/or chemistry.

For me, personally, it is sometimes not as easy to separate the lack of chemistry from anemic storytelling, especially if you have relatively decent actor.

[DRW50]

I'm sure it has something to do with it, as most of the new characters were flops. I tend to notice it more with the AMC alum because all of them were breathlessly hyped before their arrival.

[Ann_SS]

I don't buy the generalization about "AMC actors not fitting in." There are far more useless characters and no talent actors swanning their way around Y&R. I think that Liz Hendrickson, Billy Miller, and MCE have been wonderful additions to Y&R. They are talented actors, particularly Miller, but have been let down by some dire writing and pairings. I thought that LML had struck gold with Chloe and Billy, only for her to shuffle him along to dire Mac and now he has been stuck with horrible Victoria forever. Chloe in turn is now wedge to sexless dreadful Kevin. MCE has done the best that she could with mediocre MM and now she is stuck with bland SB. At least, she has a spark with DG, but that seems to be on the backburner for the time being.

[DRW50]

Chloe was in three or four pairings before Kevin and none of them seemed overly popular. Billy was in a few before Victoria. I think they both had a very noticeable lack of connection not only with love interests, but also most of the people who were supposed to be friends or family. I was surprised at just how bad Miller was with most of the Abbott actors, and how little he gave them. Hendrickson was the same with Kate Linder. I think in some ways the writing has adjusted to their lack of abilities and connection. MCE is just mostly there, for me, she hasn't had as many pairings or stories as Chloe or Billy, but I can't say I ever cared. Part of that is the writing though, and not her fault.

Eden Reigel and Jeff Branson also failed to connect. Debbi Morgan as well (Darnell Williams never seemed to have a story in the first place).

They aren't the only ones, and I don't put that on them, just on the idea for years that anyone coming over from AMC was going to kick some butt and make Y&R great. This was especially loud when Miller and Hendrickson came in, and I have yet to see them show value, after years of stories and pairings. I actually liked Hendrickson quite a bit on AMC, so I don't know what happened, but I can only guess that AMC simply had better writing for her and also kept her away from too many relationships with men; chemistry with men has been her biggest weakness on Y&R, IMO.

[sheilaforever]

Not to forget that the ABC/AMC blunder truckload started with Vincent Irizarry...

Most of them have been mega-duds.

I personally do not mind MCE. Other AMC rejects have irked way more. I guess the actress is not too shabby but the character is extremely disposible. As Adam is not uberpopular with me either and she has no purpose besides being a baby machine for him. MCE and Daniel Goddard do have chemistry as she does with Steve Burton but I couldn't care less about either them and a possible pairing.

[DeeeDee]

Nikki Chow

[kalbir]

All My Children to Y&R in the last 10 years: Keith Hamilton Cobb, Amelia Heinle, Vincent Irizarry, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Billy Miller, Stacy Haiduk, Eden Riegel, Jeff Branson, Debbi Morgan, Melissa Claire Egan, Darnell Williams. I don't think I'm missing anyone.

[Ann_SS]

I don't agree with anything that you said about Liz or Billy. I think that they have done a good job with the poor writing and mediocre acting partners that they were giving. Frankly, I have never seen this idea that AMC actors were supposed to make Y&R great other than from you and others here. Lots of actors move from soap to soap over the years and I have never thought it was a big deal or have any deeper meaning beyond the soap hiring an actor they like and/or trying to capture their popularity in hopes of luring some viewers.

[DRW50]

This was talked about quite a bit with the Nellie Olsen/DC crowd in 2009 and 2010. How Miller, Hendrickson, Reigel were showing AMC who was boss, Miller was AMC's loss and Y&R's gain, and so forth. It seemed to taper off after Reigel was a huge flop with viewers. But for a while it was a theme.

Anyway, I respect your opinion on the matter and I apologize if it didn't come across that way.

[Ann_SS]

See, I definitely do not see them as representing the attitudes of general online or offline audience. They are wack fanboys with specific agendas as they compete to become semi-soap media with insider contacts through the actors they champion. They gin up fake conflict and chatter so that they can grab a share of the online soap audience.

No need to apologize for anything. I think that we are having a pretty civilized debate, disagreeing while respecting each other's opinions.

[Soaplovers]

With all the recent talk about bringing over AMC alumni and reasons for why they might not gel with viewers over at Y & R.. it makes me wonder if perhaps the viewership for Y & R and AMC are different?

Most of the people referenced were very popular over at AMC especially Vincent I and Eden, but flopped when coming over here. Part of the reason they flopped here is due to character and writing (especially Eden playing 'sexy' lawyer Heather LOL), but I also think that perhaps the chemistry isn't there. It makes me wonder if any of these people were screen-tested, or if they were hired just based on their marquee name?

I know Maura West was forced on the show, and she's a great actress.. but she wasn't Diane. So instead of creating a new character, they basically recast Diane.. deaging her so that she was years younger then Nikki, Phyllis, Jack, Patty, and Victor and taking away Diane's snarky personality. Plus, bringing on Diane led to the write-off of Skye (an interesting character in her right... not saying that Diane's arrival was the cause but shortly after Diane comes back.. Skye is removed from Jack/Phyllis orbit then eventually is 'murdered' then falls into a volcano not too long after).

[chicklitsandfantasies]

Skye sliding into that volcano was so stupid and I'd take her over Chelsea.

[Taiah]

I'd take Skye over whiny Chelsea too. Chelsea being peddled as some reformed con woman whose lead around by her scheming bestie is crap on so many levels.

[chicklitsandfantasies]

I so thought Chelsea was gonna be revealed to be Skye last year but instead MAB had her and Adam sitting around folding baby clothes.