Y&R: November 2016 Discussion Thread

[Darn]

It would be pretty typical soap to pair Devon with a white woman and suddenly give him something to do. So I hope they don't do it. He's already paired with a character that can drive story, no need to put him with Mariah.

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

Fair enough. This idea was not meant to be definitive but I suggested it because, Y&R already 'went there' and it wouldn't be out of nowhere. Also, who says that Sharon and Hillary would have to be best buds or even remain allies?  Alliances shift, especially in corporate America. I was also thinking that if Jill revives The Men's Line, after a struggle and possible court battle/mediation from Jabot, she could bring Chelsea in. Sharon and Chelsea have a sort of frenemy relationship and that would add even more interest.

 

My initial idea was that Sharon desperately needs to get out of the Newman orbit all the time. And putting her with the Abbotts wouldn't help since the Abbotts are often written mostly in opposition to the Newmans.

 

 

 

That's very valid too. I think the Hillary and Devon characters have good chemistry, they just haven't been written well as a couple. They were stuck with Neil then plunged into a questionable storyline of Hillary wanting to 'social climb' by getting a seat on some foundation board- very antiquated.

The pairing is not the problem, IMO, it's the writing for the pair that's the problem.

@ajsp35801 Not to be-labor the point but working for Chancellor Industries philanthropic arm would be just any random foundation, like what Y&R wrote, it would be connected but I understand that viewers might feel fatigued of the whole foundation-type story since Y&R wrote such a poor example.

 

Devon could do more than one thing. If you see the like of Beyoncé, et al. you know plenty of wealthy have lots of side hustles they involve themselves in. 

[ajsp35801]

 

I didn't want to be the one to say it but it's even more cliche for the white woman to have non-traditional attractiveness.  

[Fevuh]

Since I started watching again between 3 and 4 years ago  - Devon is about as interesting as a cardboard box.  I just don't get it.  I haven't been interested in anything he's done...not the Hilary with Neil angst, not Devon and Hilary cheating while Neil is blind, not anything.  Maybe the character was interesting when I wasn't watching over 4 years ago, but recently it's been cardboardbox-ville. 

 

Right now the whole show is just blah.  I mentioned before this month, sometimes the dialogue is improved so someone is tweaking it, but there are no stories on this show.  Christan's reveal was flat...Victor is a bore, Jack and Phyllis are a bore, I'm tired of Nikki and her constant hate for Sharon...I'm tired of everyone's hate for Sharon actually.  Alot of the people that so despise her have done far more deplorable things.  If Sharon's not doing something awful, then Victor is torturing her or goading her.  I seriously would be fine if Victor bit the bullet and was off the show.  Nothing they can write can redeem him for me...he's just despicable, but then again I've never liked the character or the actor and his God-awful accent that only gets worse as the years go by.  Peter Bergman's Jack was OK for years back-when...but since I've started watching his work has been barely marginal at times. 

 

Maybe it's because I stopped watching for about 8 years...but when I tuned back in again the acting was like --- cold sore noticeable.  My sister said the same thing.  She said one day....were Nikki and Jack always this bad?  And Victor?  I said, didn't you stop watching for a few years?  She said yeah...I just started again because you were working at home and said you started again....I said, yeah...it's because we were away for several years and when you come back you see how bad it is.  Sad, but I believe true. 

[DeeeDee]

People act as if Devon looked like Lamon Archey or Redaric Williams they'd care more.

 

But they didn't care about Lamon or Tyler when they were on the show & they don't care about Lamon or Tyler now that they're gone.

[ajsp35801]

 

By "they" you mean viewers? Or the show? Or both? 

 

Either way, despite whatever percieved deficiencies there are in Devon's looks, I think he's gotten far more interest from viewers and the show than both Tyler and Mason put together.  The show wasted them all like they waste every young male. I am still salty that the show didn't follow through with Tyler (and Leslie) all so they could try Neil with Hilary. Waste. 

[edgeofnik]

 

ITA - about Hilary - but something doesn't work with that pairing. It's not like Devon has had nothing to do, it's just not been interesting. Puttinf Devon with Mariah links him to the Newman universe through Sharon because she's destined to be with Nick or Adam again. (If the Chancellor family existed it'd be different.)  Hilary + Jack or, better Billy (hello Jill) puts her on Team Abbott. Both Bryton and MM have significant fan bases and I think moving them to the 2 core families opens up possibilities for two actors who deserve better. Don't even get me started again on how Lily at 28 is written like a 50 yo. 

[Soapsuds]

Hillary is a keeper but I've never cared for Devon or the actor in the role. I wish SSM would dump him.

[DramatistDreamer]

Why must everyone be linked to the "Newman universe"? This is problematic and one of the reasons why the writing has been deficient in every way for so long.

This is why Lauren and Paul have been spinning in circles. The writing needs to get out of a Newman-Abbott centric universe and spread the interest around.

This show has been stuck for 7-8 years now. Don't keep employing the same techniques that got things stuck in the first place.

Devon hasn't had a good story written for him since Dru died, IMO. I can go on about the deficiencies in the writing for many of the characters but it would take too long.

I'd really love to have a good honest conversation about how soaps have fumbled Black male sexuality but that is for another thread, for another time.

[ajsp35801]

 

Devon has had nothing to do all year. He's been sidelined and written out of every story in favor of pushing Hilary with another man. His divorce papers were served through Neil for God's sake.  He gave Neil papers in a10 second scene so Neil could get these big dramatic scenes with Hilary. Where do they do this? Am I the only one who noticed he and hilary barely shared scenes for about 9 months. And now that they do share scenes, his role is as her father. She does it all while he stands around doing nothing but chastising her when he's allowed to speak.  Surely, I'm not the only person that notices this. 

[Darn]

Black male sexuality? On a soap? Ha! Black males are essentially asexual on soap operas and black woman exist to be the best friend or put in their place by multiple people. I loved Dru but watching nearly every character treat her like a pest was exhausting (I see shades of this in how Hillary is treated). Especially in a world where a legit psychopath Phyllis existed and had two men fighting for her love. 

 

Devon is already related to two (allegedly) main families.  All that needs to happen is to write something interesting for the character.  I've only been watching for two weeks and literally all but he's gone is follow Hillary around and tell her to stop doing not nice things. 

 

I hate all this talk on the show that basically boils down to "those dastardly Newmans!", no its Victor being a sociopath, Nikki being a b!tch and their kids being vapid mouth breathing plot points. Them being painted as the sun in the Y&R universe makes no sense. Aside from Victor and Nikki the entire family is badly cast (good on Josh Morrow for keeping this job for 20 years, he's very cute but will never be a good enough actor to be the son of these two legendary characters) and an albatross on this show.

[ajsp35801]

 

I think this stems from the show not writing for anyone but Newmans and Abbots so fans thinking that in order to get anything worthwhile, a character must be one or linked to one. And I agree with you in that it's a terrible position for the show to be in, which has led most characters being related and the show being creatively bankrupt. I mean really, how many times can the show tell the same or similar stories for the same characters. 

 

 

[Darn]

 

They don't seem like a couple at all,  you're right he's very paternalistic with her.

 

I'm really sick of the good guy getting with the bad girl and then expecting the bad girl to totally change who she is. I wish they would lean into the idea that he likes that she doesn't follow the rules.  Make that be what he finds most attractive about her.

[ajsp35801]

 

No, they aren't written as a couple. You wouldn't even know they were married if not for the unscripted acting choices Bryton James puts into the scenes like a small kiss when walking away or an endearment in one of Devon's lectures. The problem is the writing! Not their lack of chemistry or ability or looks. 

 

Devon has said he likes that Hilary is fearless, ambitious  and doesn't  bow down to the likes of Victor despite the fact that Hilary was not the bad girl when she and Devon fell in love (They changed her character mid pairing).  His behavior doesn't match that at all. The writing is just atrocious for them as a couple. If I didn't know better, I'd think it was intentional so that fans could root for Mariah to take Hilary's life (husband, business, and career).  It's clearly set up for that.

[piperisthenewsookie]

Devon is written like a woman traditionally would be.  He has no edge what so ever.  Bald, bland, boring.  When he and Hilllary have a kid, Devon will be the one walking around with the Baby Bjorn, getting coffee with the other moms.