And how many doppelganger stories did Bill Bell write?

That lazy plot device,along with 'back from the dead'was a horrible legacy from the 80's that contributed to the lack of quality we see today.

Bill did Kay/Marge. Some might suggest Blade/Rick but they were twins. No others come to mind.

And I agree, doppelganger stories are lazy. Along with WTD, returning from the dead, and retcon kids stories-shockingly all stories YR have done in recent years. US soaps really need to gravitate towards UK soap models, heck, our old soap model, and get back to realism. Sensationalism in soaps need to be used rarely and for special occasions. Perks for viewers.

I want a soap that focuses heavily on human relations than soap tropes that has made the genre a joke. A part of me dies each time an A list American celebs raves about loving UK soap, but I understand why (as I love them too). They are rooted in reality and tend to stick to history.

Rant over.

I totally agree with you. It'd be seen as "boring". Just like heaven forbid The Walking Dead actually pauses for a moment to give us some character insight.

I do think that's why I often lean towards the UK soaps at times. I think the soaps are making a better effort now, they sort of have to, but there are so many lazy cliches and tropes they fall back on.

Fun gala involving almost all the cast, tuxedos, gowns, martinis, omg FLOWER SHOTS!! Did somebody kidnap JFP?

It almost felt like Y&R the last two episodes. It was glamorous and eventful. Gotta give JFP props for Cane & Lily's suite -- apart from one exposed stone wall on the side (lawd, Jill loves her some exposed brick or concrete walls ), it looked like a luxurious hotel room and the FLOWER SHOT from the red roses to Lame entering the room literally made me squeee.

OK, the lighting is still a tad too bright and the background music ranges from meh to appalling (Nadia's theme notwithstanding) but... baby steps, honey.

I was changing my view on Chloe every five seconds. Her struggle at the gala is completely relatable especially with all the town loudmouths braying about "DELIA DELIA DELIA you are so brave considering DELIA DELIA DELIA was roadkill two months' ago." OTOH, Chloe is such a ranging bitch to everybody --- the way she treats poor Esther is horrendous -- that I immediately stop feeling sorry for her. And now she has run off with Connor and taken his passport with her. Bye loon! Cue Chelsea's bosom-heaving panting and "OmigodOmigodOmigod ConnERRRRRRR! Anxiety attack!"

Mishael Morgan rocks my world as Hilary (closely followed by Cynthia Watros). She's jealous and uber-protective of Jack, Devon is jealous about her kiss with Jack, she's jealous about Devon's steamroom hookup, I am all over this. And I loved PB's reaction to the kiss. He played it just right, even though I saw sparkage in the kiss. Also, the way Jack eyed up Kelly. The old horndog is back.

Chloe's dress looked good, so was Leslie's, Chelsea looked amazing in black with her glossy long locks when she answered the door to Avery but then got a spray tan, put on some red postal sack and it was back to the strip mall. Speaking of sacks, WTF was Victoria wearing? I know we're not allowed to discredit AH's looks here but suffice it to say that her new bangs make her look more unkempt than ever. That, and the lack of jewels. WTF?! She's billionairess Victoria Newman! Even teen wonder Summer was wearing more grown-up bling than her.

Victor and notCassie? I got nothing.

Edited February 17, 201411 yr by Cat

As I was travelling, I still have trouble catching up but let me stress that the show is leaps and bounds improved in February...

Let's face it, we are just given a mean old bag of chlichées and tricks like the doppelgangers, Carmine being alive and I could go on (with twists that one can see 100 miles ahead) but it is watchable. Period.

The departure of both Muhney and Miller has jump-started the show, if only because they had to wrap up that TERRIBLE Delia story. It was trite, moody and beyond boring. Now, Amelia looks like a kindergarden teacher next to David Tom but they are at lot less awful than expected and David Tom is doing wonders in the role. I like Stitch. I LOVE everything related to Hillary. She and Sharon joking that they are both two homewrecking b*tches!? Coolest friendship since Sharon/Dru...

The arrival of Ian Ward is very predictable but working for the actors. Dullan/Avery are bearbale for once and Hunter King is always good.

Oh, and they wrapped up the Carmine murder story, too. Not if ANYONE ever cared. Now onto something new and fresh. I'm looking forward to the GALA and some actual good storylines - I still keep my fingers crossed but by now I kinda feel what we are getting from this headwriting combo. Some nice acting moments in blah-to-so-so stories. But It could be a lot worse, so let's go this route for the time being.

Cat,

Chloe is now coming off as a brat throwing tantrums. I want to understand the grief, but for some odd reason, I'm turned off. At first I was in her corner and liked what EH was doing with the material. Now, it's like "who let the snapping turtle in".

Hill trying to explain why she kissed Jack cracked me up. I was very pleased with the way Jack responded because now EVERYONE can rest easy that the show is not going there! I am going to love this father/daughter relationship when Jack loses Summer. Devon is hot and he was gettin it! He and Hill are going to be smoking. Esmerelda (God, I love that name) didn't give 2 sh!ts about Dev until he said he owned the place. Hill is right but Devon doesn't appear to be a dummy with his cash. Esme just might get knocked up as HeVon get together. I can live with that even if she's lying.

The ending Friday with the gunman was kind of cheesy, but we will see where it goes. This aint no Metro Court Crisis, JFP.

MCE is stunning, and I can see why she's chosen as the new "it" girl. She has that old Hollywood glamour, especially when she wears her hair to one side.

Is it me or has CK gotten a rack adjustment?

Edited February 17, 201411 yr by ChitHappens

I also think that Esmerelda will get pregnant just when Hilary decides she wants to give Devon a whirl. Considering his past and the issues he has with his bio parents, he is the only character on the show that it is believable in 2014 that he would feel the need to marry her "for the sake of the baby". I will take that story. But I don't think for a second that Esmerelda's baby will see the outside of her uterus if she is pregnant. And if it does, no way would it be his at the end of the day.

I know this Bonaventure SL is still in play. I also get the feeling that Devon's jealousies might get him involved in that some way. Maybe there is a lawsuit and Victor is forced to take the company public to raise the funds. Jack and Jill are planning to buy a big enough portion of stock to get a board seat. But at the eleventh hour, instead of going public, Devon buys into it thereby keeping the company from Jack and Jill. Hilary is pissed and poor unsuspecting Jack has no idea why Devon would stab him in the back.Devon"s excuse is he is saving his grandmother's legacy. Or is that way beyond anything that they would ever think to do with Devon?

I agree that Chloe is very hard to like. But I still like how EH plays it. Grief ain't pretty. I think Chloe's behavior is spot on. Sad to say, but I have wanted to strangle a few grieving people IRL (same tragedy, different people).

CK...Nah. I think that she just had a push up bra on.

I also love CW. She is engaging and is NOT one note like some of the other actresses on the show.

Edited February 17, 201411 yr by ajsp35801

The departure of both Muhney and Miller has jump-started the show, if only because they had to wrap up that TERRIBLE Delia story. It was trite, moody and beyond boring. Now, Amelia looks like a kindergarden teacher next to David Tom but they are at lot less awful than expected and David Tom is doing wonders in the role.

ITA -- we were stuck watching them bare their teeth at each other like two constipated gorillas for two solid months.

I loved David Tom during his first run on Y&R, but I am having a problem -- can I say it? -- with his voice. He sounds like a 12-year old Valley girl. Maybe that's why AH looks like his teacher next to him. Having said that, his interaction with PB, JW, MTS, even EB has that little extra zing because of the history.

Chloe is now coming off as a brat throwing tantrums. I want to understand the grief, but for some odd reason, I'm turned off. At first I was in her corner and liked what EH was doing with the material. Now, it's like "who let the snapping turtle in".

LMAO! She is so unpleasant to be around. Yes, I know it's the grief amid all the made-up memories of Chloe wanting to buy Delia a doll with brown eyes for Valentine's Day and eating french fries with mayo, not ketchup, blah blah blah, and all this other stuff we never, ever saw. But the fact is, Chloe has always been a miserable bitch. It's just that before, everybody would tell us what a sunny, spunky, truth-telling, wonderful human being she was. Now they are all "She lost her daughter. She cray." I hope they keep showing us what Chloe is really like and owning it because I'm ok with hating her.

Hill trying to explain why she kissed Jack cracked me up. I was very pleased with the way Jack responded because now EVERYONE can rest easy that the show is not going there! I am going to love this father/daughter relationship when Jack loses Summer. Devon is hot and he was gettin it! He and Hill are going to be smoking. Esmerelda (God, I love that name) didn't give 2 sh!ts about Dev until he said he owned the place. Hill is right but Devon doesn't appear to be a dummy with his cash. Esme just might get knocked up as HeVon get together. I can live with that even if she's lying.

It def is more father/daughter, but there was something in that kiss (on her part especially) and that's what makes it uncomfortable. She is protective of him and wants to be the one person Jack can depend on. However, the f/d relationship is the one I love best between these two. I love their scenes together. I love that it involves Jabot, too.

Esmeralda is such a typical gold-digging, diet-pill-popping model. LOL, what a cow she was to Devon until he was all "I own this place."

The ending Friday with the gunman was kind of cheesy, but we will see where it goes. This aint no Metro Court Crisis, JFP.

Could have fooled me! Did you see the previews with Paul in a bullet-proof vest? I immediately got 'GH EXPLODES!' vibes.

MCE is stunning, and I can see why she's chosen as the new "it" girl. She has that old Hollywood glamour, especially when she wears her hair to one side.

She is Hollywood-bombshell beautiful, and this past week wearing little actual make-up, she looked downright gorgeous. Her hair is always glossy and fabulous. But the spray-tanning is turning her mahogany ("Do you know? Where you're you're going to? Do you like the things that life is showing you?" lol) and the nails can be distracting. Like, she's crying over the love of her life and suddenly all I can see are her heavy-duty nails in Vamp by Chanel as she clutches her forehead.

Is it me or has CK gotten a rack adjustment?

Maybe CK finally got that stripper/pole-dancing SL she's been lobbying for all these years. OMG, yay! Holla!!

Edited February 17, 201411 yr by Cat

I want Altman/Passanante to succeed and the show is marginally better than under Griffith...but it still pretty much sucks. Boring is the key element. They never take risks. None of the stories are all that entertaining or engaging. And, sorry but David Tom does suck as an actor. He's got very limited range and is trying to force high caliber acting...it's kind of painful to watch. I give the actor credit for stepping into the role but he's over his head...

GET LILY OFF my Screen...who is that actress having sex with to keep her role on Y&R????

I want Altman/Passanante to succeed and the show is marginally better than under Griffith...but it still pretty much sucks. Boring is the key element. They never take risks. None of the stories are all that entertaining or engaging. And, sorry but David Tom does suck as an actor. He's got very limited range and is trying to force high caliber acting...it's kind of painful to watch. I give the actor credit for stepping into the role but he's over his head...

GET LILY OFF my Screen...who is that actress having sex with to keep her role on Y&R????

This is more entertaining then Passions-lite AKA GH

I am enjoying Lily more now because she does other things besides kiss and cry over men.

Only half? I'd say 7 of the 9 I couldn't stomach at all....

LOL. I can sometimes sound scathing so I was trying to be a little forgiving on this one.

You're right though, I cannot think of one single story out of that list that I'd ever want to watch again in life.

Jean just started it takes six months to really see the influence. The ratings are fantastic. Give it time. She's a seasoned vet she's been doing this for 22 years.

I only caught the first few minutes today, but liked what I saw. Victor just blows my mind. It's one of many things I have a problem with on soaps. People make the same mistakes over and over again, not in a way that's simply human and true to their nature -- but in ways that make them appear so colossally stupid. I'm supposed to believe this guy has the brain matter to run a multinational conglomerate? No. This is not Raymond Tusk here.

Edited February 17, 201411 yr by rhinohide

I've seen that anime before

Jean just started it takes six months to really see the influence. The ratings are fantastic. Give it time. She's a seasoned vet she's been doing this for 22 years.

So was Josh Griffith, even Lynn Marie Latham and look at how those stints went