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Y&R: A Winters family reunion


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Unless you're willing to grab some serious Class-A dude who is down on his luck in primetime - a more desperate Taye Diggs, a (much) more desperate Blair Underwood, whatever, someone with prestige - I can't with recasting Malcolm. Shemar Moore is iconic. I never liked Y&R as a kid but even I would stop and stare at that dude any time he entered the frame. He is not at all the only reason Y&R had such a celebrated black audience but he is a big one.

Maria Arena Bell's next choice probably would have been T.K. Carter from the Hayley Mills version of Saved by the Bell, so I guess there's something to be said for small mercies.

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I'm sorry, but recasting Dru is somewhat up there with recasting Erica Kane. There's a certain energy that would be needed and the search would not be worth it, IMHO. Recast Phyllis? That's easy. I would have brought in Robin Christopher easy! There are so many because Phyllis was not a unique character and there is nothing unique about Redzilla! Susan and VR have "IT" and that "IT" is very difficult to find.

Speaking of recasts, I hear YR hired a 3rd party casting company to find the new Adam.

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Now I didn't say it would be successful. Lol. But they would try if she were a white character as important to canvas as Dru.

But I will say this. Black people who watch this show are their own worst enemy. They complain incessantly about the state of the Winters family but refuse to accept recasts for the MUCH NEEDED characters when actors have moved on or "burned bridges". I see some of the same folks (not you or anyone here) so excited about a GT as Phyllis because they just love her but refuse a recast Dru. Refuse to even consider it. Then lamblast KSJ for the Winters lack of story and unintetesting stories. Well what do people expect. He has no cast to play off. No rival, no real long term love interest, and two kids. One TPTB didn't even see as a full character and the other played by Chrystal "I am not black" Khalil. I repeat, what do people expect. Holding onto VR and SM is just as silly as folks holding on to BM and MM. Move on for the betterment of the show!

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I agree that is is iconic, but because he wasn't a great actor I feel there is room to successfully recast as long as they cast someone charismatic, sexy and that can act. Similar to what they did with Ridge on B&B. Boris Kodjoe, Lamman Rucker or someone similar (I'm sure there is someone willing to take the role) could do wonders as Malcolm.

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Y&R doesn't have to recast Dru to give The Winters interesting story.

All they have to do is recast Lily & give them equal airtime like their white co-stars.

Y&R could easily give Tonya, Veronica Redd & Ben Guillory sweet recurring deals like Tracy Bregman, Eileen Davidson & Beth Maitland but Y&R sees no value in any of them (outside of propping Neil's newest love interest) & Nate is constantly ignored because writing for multiple young black actors is apparently impossible. The ONLY way Nate will ever be recast is with the intentions of putting him in a love triangle with Devon. Beyond that it's better to keep him off canvas so he doesn't receive the same degree of damage other legacy characters have (Ricky, Lily, Heather, Abby, Noah, Daniel, Billy, Adam, etc).

However the problem with Neil's love interests is that they only pair him with whatever actresses of color are currently on the show (regardless of chemistry or level of appropriateness) instead of creating female characters who makes sense paired with Neil played by actresses who have chemistry with Kristoff.

He's not the most exciting actor in the world but he shouldn't be expected to make such dead end pairings (like Tyra, Sophia or Leslie) work when the only reason they're in those relationships is because they're the only non-white actors on a majority-white show.

There's a reason Neil's most popular post-Dru pairing was Karen. She was a character with potential played by a good actress who had decent chemistry with Kristoff. But the moment Karen was paired with Neil ALL of her previous connections to the canvas were severed so she could be the first in a long line of temporary speedbumps for rehashed Winters family drama.

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The character Nate has a better chance at being cast in a contract role right now than he EVER has. And it is for the reason you stated. Devon/BJ is now a viable romantic lead and his pairing with Hilary/MiM has taken off. He will need a rival after this arc with Neil has been told. I bet we see Nate on canvas before Feb sweeps 2015. TLW might even be afforded a chance to go recurring. Because no way would they consider the alternative of using Noah or Kyle. It will be Nate.

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The whole post was great but this is what it boils down to for me. Nate is one of the few that has managed to escape unscathed. Please let's leave it at that.

In the end, it doesn't matter one bit what the canvas needs because no character, especially not a black legacy one, will ever receive good writing.

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Bringing back Shemar is great for publicity and a reward for long time viewers but it also says that there is no interest in re-establishing the character of Malcolm beyond guest spots.

I still think that Y&R is salvageable but not with the current team in place.

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