Y&R JULY 2015

[slick jones]

They'd have to remember Jill exists, first....(ahem...three months+...ahem.....)

[Juliajms]

I loved the Adam/Nikki interaction today. When she got offended and said "I beg you're pardon?" and he repeated himself. Hilarious!

I'll miss the Phyllis/Avery relationship.

[BetterForgotten]

It's astonishing what a change in actor/actress can do with a character. It goes without saying that Gina Tognoni and Justin Hartley are two of the very few saving graces on this show and probably the best recasts in a long time.

I'm guessing it must be eating away at Stafford that Tognoni is well-received in the role and she's a big flop at GH, and that's fine with me.

[Ponds]

Gina totally owns Phyllis now, without all the repeating a word or sentence two or three times. Michelle is still playing her version of Phyllis as Nina now.

I also never thought they'd be able to recast Adam. I was pleasantly surprised by JH...he has all of the nuances we came to know in Adam. He may be a lot taller, but he's made me a believer. Bravo!

[Vee]

They'd be fools to take Michelle Stafford back. But they may, I don't know. All I know is Gina has made this effortless (and I must say it every time, she is wonderful with Peter Bergman). I didn't think it would work and I was wrong.

I think Amelia Heinle is actually playing the ice-cold Victoria quite well lately, but as others say it happened literally overnight. And any time she has to do her romance subplot (because that's what it's been reduced to now, a subplot), she's boring again. Old Man Billy actually has a fun, bitchy sense of humor the more put-out he's gotten about the Newman/Abbott and Gabriel situations - he has some great, dry delivery - but he's still too old and too wrong for the role, and him and Heinle are snoozeworthy.

It may be a deliberate choice on TPTB's part to backburn everything Victoria that is not actively related to the business story, and that's kind of a wise one given Heinle's lackluster history in the part. But it doesn't change the fact that IMO a better actress (and a better Billy) could sell both that material and an actual three-dimensional story for the character, as opposed to her simply becoming her father's toady and vicious, icy corporate drone.

They have several strong or at least superficially strong businesswomen on the show - Phyllis, Ashley, Victoria, and now Chelsea, who in conspiring with Adam/Gabriel is finally getting material worthy of MCE (and the kind of story I always wanted for couples like Todd and Blair on OLTL, as a side note). The question is finding stories and romances with which to properly distinguish each of them. Even Ashley, as the sort of ditzy COO, has some interesting stuff, not that I think she can carry major story. Sadly, Pratt seems to have zero interest in Camryn Grimes, who is the best young actress on the show.

[Mathewson]

How did I know Victor would walk away just like that? And Nikki is so wishy washy. At least she got it together at the end but we'll see how long that lasts.

Abby cracks me up! Girls like her probably lose their phone 10x a day while sober.

And Billy has no time for her silliness. It's great. It doesn't hurt that he's pretty but it doesn't bother me that Burgess Jenkins is too old for the role and he's witty onscreen.

Of course Chelsea is keeping Adam/Gabriel's big secret.

Stafford's Phyllis was just white trash and nothing else. That's all Stafford ever comes across as onscreen. It's amazing how casting can change one's mind on a character. I'm much more invested in Phyllis with Gina playing her.

[GMac]

Exactly. I am no fan of Burgess Meredith, but he has landed a few good zingers. He is still all wrong for Billy.

With regards to Gina and Camryn, it seems to me that Pratt isn't interested in writing for either one of them. Phyllis has had no story outside of Jack/Yack. It doesn't seem as though he's interested in writing for Hilary, Jill or Ashley either. Strong women have no place on this show. Hilary is reduced to a googly-eyed love struck simpleton. Ashley is chasing after her daughter's piece of ass.

SC/Stitch's usefulness has worn out and his insta-career change back to Dr. Stitch isn't helping things. His performances are stilted and boring. Send him away to stay with his mommy already.

Ashley had some spark with Joe earlier in the year. If they are keeping SE around, they should explore that a little more.

Nick/Sage are just zzzzzz. What's up with those faces that she makes, anyway? It's creepy.

The Adam stuff today with Victor was good stuff. I want Chelsea to have a tad more bad girl - like when she first showed up - and stop feeling so guilty about everything. Get a little more of the conniving bitch back into the mix, and she and Adam would be something.

There's something about the actress playing Marissa. Not sure I like her with Noah, but there was a little spark of something today with the soup that I was feeling. I hope they don't try to get her into goody-two-shoes mode.

I'm not looking forward to Yack/Marco showing up again. The show is better without that idiotic double schlepping around Genoa City.

I was going to mention something else I liked about today's show, but I forgot it already. lol

[Vee]

I think Scott Elrod is a wooden plank and the character is a scummy creep. He should be long gone, after a little more of a torrid, nasty affair with Lily.

I don't mind Marisa, but the character feels like an ABC soap transplant - sympathetic castaway from an outlandish story who sticks around.

[piperisthenewsookie]

Exactly. Somewhere along the way Hillary had a lobotomy and now Devon's her caregiver. That's how much sexual chemistry those two have.

Yes, please, more empty, meaningless hot, nasty sex for Joe and Lily. They sure looked like they enjoyed it the first time around.

Someone should tell Eric Braeden that smug smirking and angry scowling, if those are your only two expressions, do not equal acting. The smirk especially is really getting old. I know Victor feels superior to everyone but he looks like a jackass smirking all the time.

[Soapsuds]

This show needs to really fire Burgess. He is one awful actor. He is in no form Billy Abbott. He comes off as a brand new character that is not related to anyone on the canvas.

I use to like/care for the Victor character but now he is such a disliked character in my book. Pratt has just ruined him.

[Mathewson]

They need to fire Braeden. He's such a robot with no personality aside from arrogance. My coworkers think he's smug too but they also think he's "hot" and "scandalous". Ugh!!!

Abby, you're not fooling anyone. I can't respect her or take her seriously.

I wish Mariah was around today to hear Abby constantly congratulate herself.

Is it just me or do all pregnant woman on soaps (especially Y&R) manage to have the flattest stomachs? Can't they try to be a little more realistic?! Sage is still useless and so is Kelly Sullivan but at least she's far better than she was on GH.

Jessica Collins and Avery will be missed.

Y&R is hardly quality lately but how is it on the same level, much less worse, as GH?

[slick jones]

Burgess (Meredith) Jenkins is an okay actor, but he's cast in the wrong role. Heinle continues to irritate me.

I appreciate the use of vets, but this regime is ignoring four that should be more prominent:

1. Obviously, Jill, as I know I repeatedly post, but the fact is, Jess is needed. Jill should have spent one scene with Marco and said..."Hold It right there!!! I don't know who you are, but you are definitely not Jack Abbott"

2. Devon..Yes Devon, he's been on for over ten years. He was finally getting story, and "boom" he's nowhere to be found..I realize Mischael Morgan has been on leave, but wouldn't it make more sense for Devon to continue playing story while Hillary was working at Jabot's NY office. They could have had skyped conversations to fill her episode quota, and it would not have been so awkward. Devon is back to a Wednesday Winters, and Bryton should be on more often.

3. Camryn Grimes. I know she was on and off as ghost Cassie, but she's been around since 1997. Mariah showed she had a lot to offer, but UpChuck has been too busy pushing Bummer and Scabby and ignoring Mariah. Her backstory may be jumbled, but Mariah was infused with a backbone and a killer sense of humor that are not even shown.

4. Finally, Tracey Bregman...wasted in the Michael is dying story. Either put Michael in the ground, or give him a new story, But Lauren has always been a force. She had chemistry in a couple of scenes with Scott Elrod, Lauren/Joe/Ashley would certainly be more interesting than what either lady has going right now.

The vets:

Victor has become every character Joe Mascolo has played since 1982.

Nikki has three mantras: a. "I need a drink"

b. "Victor, I need to be away from you"

c. "Victor would never do that"

Jack is relegated to "coma of the month club"

Michael is dying...he's whining...he's sorry

Neil quits. Neil lies and signs forged papers. Neil quits. Neil wants to save the day.

Nick..I'll never wear a suit again...I'm reporting to work for Newman...

Victoria has been lousy since the word "reliquary"

Billy flip flops

Avery never mind

Sharon/Dullan had mild chemistry from his arrival...Sharon Case continues to shine through all of her personality changes/bi-polar episodes, etc...

Paul shouts a lot, Christine ...meh

Newbies/Young crowd

Kevin is nearly 40..his creepy relationship with all of these young'uns reminds me of his pedophile days...

Summer/Kyle/Abby need an acting coach

Stiffy Stitch is boring and lacks chemistry with co-stars

Justin Hartley and Gina Tognoni are fantastic as recasts, even though Phyllis' story makes her look foolish.

MCE does her best with her material

[cassadine1991]

So.. Today's episode... Yeah...

[GMac]

What? I didn't DVR it, sounds like I didn't miss anything??

[piperisthenewsookie]

GMac - Jack opened his eyes and spoke with Stitch. He doesn't want his family or Phyllis to know he's awake but he wants to talk with Victor so Stitch summoned Victor who came to the hospital. Stitch and Victor met Kyle coming out of Jack's room and Kyle expressed outrage that Victor would be allowed anywhere near Jack's room. Stitch told Kyle that Victor was there to see Abby and Victor walked away and doubled back. More on that tomorrow I guess. Earlier that same night, Stitch continued his conversation with Ashley in the park and they almost kissed. They would have but Stitch got a call. Victor finished his conversation with Marissa in her room at the GCAC. She denied she has any romantic interest in Noah and Victor told her to leave town. Abby and Summer had a heart to heart, I guess all is forgiven there. Mariah and Kevin were on today digging up dirt on Marissa in an attempt to protect Noah who doesn't want to be protected probably because he has the warm fuzzies for Marissa.