Y&R: April 2014 Discussion

[Cyberologist]

I like C. Watros so I just took to Kelly; I haven't seen Cady McClain in years so I don't know if she can keep me a fan of the character. As for Morrow he was quite bad for many years but he got better IMO; now he's adequate...I've always liked his dialog he says the darnest things...eg when he first finds out Dylan is his brother and they weren't getting along he goes,

"I had to put up with Adam, now this?"

[soapfan770]

Monday's episode was the first I had watched in a while, and it was to me surprisingly decent as I enjoyed the whole thing really.

However, after five years of watching Passanate on ATWT I have to believe if her ultimate weakness of telling long-term storylines is coming to pass. Oh sure her tenure had some moments at ATWT but all was so relatively short lived.Oh sure we'll have those good episodes from time to time and great performances when we need it, yet the whole show show feels aimless as it moves from month to month.

I've been very easy on JFP at Y&R as I've held no standards and I've appreciated her reigning in the egos that needed it but it's been so apparent to me that but for such a strong EP we have such weakling HW's. Surely out of all the unemployed soap writers out there we all we can muster up is Jean Passanante and some second string writers that Phelps is familiar with? Oh there's no doubt so far they've been better than most of what got screened during the Latham and MAB eras but ultimately being just a mile ahead of them isn't cutting it. I know they're all in unfamiliar territory because there's a reason why Y&R has been #1 for the last 25 years, but wouldn't it be nice to reach out to those who made it #1?

[QueenOfHearts]

Victor/Nikki/Jack is long past redundant. My mom stopped watching awhile ago because she was tired of the same people from the show's prime playing out the same story over and over decades later.

[ajsp35801]

This. I love the vets but Victor versus Jack is old. I am plain tired of that dynamic. It is unintresting.

[ChitHappens]

CM is going to be miscast here, and I'm sad about it already. Hell, I would have even taken Tamara Braun, and I have not seen much of her work. Seems like she might fit better here...or even age the character a few years and bring in Robin The Great Christopher. I just don't think Cady will fit YR.

[Ponds]

Y&R seems to love AMC leftovers!

[Khan]

Nope. She won't.

[sivad40]

Why not? I'm just curious because notice some people keep saying that but not going into great detail about it.

[Khan]

IMO, several actors (and especially the ones who are veterans of ABC soaps) are struggling on Y&R, b/c they do not fit the mold of classic, "old Hollywood"-style acting and beauty that Papa Bell established long ago on his show. That's not to say I prefer one type of actor over another; I think both have their strengths. But each also has his (or her) place.

By and large, actors on ABC soaps have been earthier and more raw, in disposition as well as in physical appearance. They're pretty, they're attractive -- they're occasionally sexy, even -- but they're also grittier by comparison. With some exceptions, they aren't what you might call "glamorous." They don't approach their look or their work, again, the way that actors from the golden age of Hollywood might have. Actors on Bell soaps (and to a lesser extent, on DAYS) do. (Or they did, until Judy Blye Wilson, who has been influenced by her years working for ABC, was named casting director.)

As Jeanne Cooper once told Michael Fairman, Bill Bell wrote and produced Y&R with a Midwestern sensibility. He believed his duty was to entertain the average, middle-class viewer who, more often than not, lived a life of outrageous fantasy. Even if they fantasized about being a mobster or criminal, their ideal was Humphrey Bogart or James Cagney, not Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro. To Bell, viewers didn't want to see actors who looked and behaved like themselves. They wanted their elegant and glitzy fantasies played out on-screen by actors who were flawless. Which is why even the sound of an actor's voice was important to Bell (as Kay Alden once told an interviewer) and why even ostensibly blue-collar or larger-than-life characters such as Y&R's Liz Foster (Julianna McCarthy) or B&B's Sally Spectra (Darlene Conley) had a certain, prepossessed quality that you just don't see on other, less stylized, more grounded (for lack of a better word) shows.

Of course, that's just my take. I'm probably wrong, and I'm probably not doing my end of the argument any justice either. Perhaps someone can explain it better than I just did? If so, then please, have at it, lol.

[Soaplovers]

I do think CM could play Kelly especially the pathetic, grief stricken portion. Dixie went over the edge with grief after a double whammy of losing her brother Will plus finding out her husband Craig was conning her. She went on downward slope of sleeping with random men, having blackouts, etc. It got so bad that she lost custody of JR to Adam for a spell until she got help.

However, CM has stated in the past that she doesn't like to play pathetic characters anymore and that she sees Kelly in a different way then Watros did. The key will be if she has chemistry with Jack, Stitch, and Jill. If not, the show can change gears like it did when Abby was recast last spring and didn't have chemistry with the detective.

[JONNYSBRO]

That's what everyone said about cady as rosanna on ATwt. Everyone calling her miscast and then what was supposed to be a short stint turned into three years and an Emmy to boot and she showed straight out and proven everyone wrong.

[Faulkner]

Spot-on, but I actually think CM could mold herself to the Bell style more than most ABC alums. If I'd only seen her as Dixie, I might not think so. But her work as Rosanna makes me think she could do the old Hollywood yearning bit. Not that she'll be successful, as I think the role of Kelly feels ill-defined.

[slick jones]

Okay, so I'm back after five days laid up and a hateful 27 hours in the ER with a vengeance. I caught up on 4 eppys of Y&R and here are my thoughts:

Lauren: Your eggs had better be sunny side up! You have already messed up two kids' lives [ Scotty hiding from/falling in love w/ Sheila, Fen's inability to come out...

Kevin: Give it up, She's just not that into you. I think your nephew is waitin for you in the cloakroom.

MCE: beautiful and talented actress.

CHELSEA: USER! Used Victor's money

Used Billy's sperm

Used Adam

Used Dylan

Used Chloe [not a big fan of Chloe's but I find it heinous that with all Chloe lost including her mind, Chelsea's taking the only thing she has left that is hers, the partnership. W/o Chloe, she never would have had the business}

This character needs a short rest. Use a condom this time, and stop whining

Victoria: HYPOCRITE!!!!!!!You signing a paper [Not divorce papers, mind you...Separation papers] makes it okay to sleep with someone

while Billyis the bad guy. I ain't got no time fo' that[love that line]

Nikki, Paul and Jill rockin their leading and supporting scenes. Beautiful seeing them both driving and supporting roles.

Beautiful ending montage Monday to the show's theme. Let's see JFP dust off some of our other favorite cues rather than the dreck her music team has come up with.

[ChitHappens]

Hevon

How soon before Hill kicks Lily in the throat? Fire her, Devon! Do it!

I'm missing the Stitch/Bricky chemistry that I'm hearing is so wonderful. Is anyone else missing it? We all know that AH is completely worthless solo, but rushing her to Stitch was a bad idea. BTW, I am really beginning to dislike him.

Won't miss CW's crooked face at all, but I'm not looking forward to CM!

[Khan]