Y&R January 2017 Discussion Thread

[KMan101]

Maybe they can leave Summer in Belize ...

[cassadine1991]

In what way?

until they recast. 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

Can you remember the last time Y&R had a crash victim being rescued in what looks to be natural daylight, wheeled on a gurney where the camera actually acknowledges the path from the outside of the hospital and through the sliding doors, all the while showing the patient's P.O.V. while going back and forth from the EMT/Doctor's view of the patient back to hazy P.O.V. of the patient?

 

I cannot remember the last time I saw this on an American soap but I can recall British soaps doing this frequently.

 

Usually accident and action scenes are done at night on U.S. soaps. Devon's crash happened at night but most of the key scenes concerning the crash/aftermath- on the way to the hospital-- were done during the day, and the sequence from the rescue site to the hospital and through the emergency doors looked fluid, contiguous (very few cuts) and were all done from an exterior.  That generally does NOT happen on American soaps.

[ajsp35801]

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. I'm very impressed with Mishael Morgan. She's managed to keep Hilary in character (the one we've known this past year) and sell Hilary's worry and love for Devon. That takes skill cause it's easier to fall into being too saccharine in scenes like these. I don't think that'd work for who the show has pushed hilary as. 

 

Devon's accident was very well done. Bryton sold that rescue scene. Looked very realistic. 

 

Sharon as the voice of reason is nice. She's sane and it's past time. But I think it's glaring how Mariah has been treated after the incident versus Hilary. Hilary had to get verbally beat on by her abuser who hates her. Mariah got reprimanded with love by her mom. The propping for Mariah continues. 

 

Why am I being subjected to those long ass Villy scenes talking about nothing? Victoria was very unbothered to have found her son on her door step with him having stole a bus ride across the country. I just need more from AH. If you've got to tell me that a couple has chemistry then they probably don't. With that said, Reed is well cast. 

[BetterForgotten]

Is it fair to say that Mariah is basically Cassie with a different name now?

[cassadine1991]

I thought people wanted for Mariah to be seen more since Pratt hardly used her? 

[DramatistDreamer]

I have to add too that often times I used to complain at the lack of direction on this show over the past 7, 8 years but the past few episodes, I can tell that the director has been putting in work. JMO but the scenes between Hillary and Neil in particular looked like they had some effective guidance--It seemed like MM was guided to give all she could give in her scenes in today's episode.

 

And the scenes/sequences with Devon's rescue looked to be pretty well shot. It's not the easiest thing to shoot in exterior daylight, which is why so many action scenes on soaps are shot at night, where they obviously take place in studio.

I know Y&R had been experimenting with technical changes since he took the position and even since SS and KA started, I've notice music cues like an acoustic version of Nina's theme and different fade transitions between scenes (some of which work, others not quite) but today's episode, quite a few technical aspects came together nicely.

[ajsp35801]

 

Yes and no.

 

Yes, because I imagine this is exactly the characterization they'd have for Cassie. 

 

No, because she's not written as a Newman. None of them care about Mariah. 

 

I think MiM was given direction and she followed it. Her portrayal worked well. But KSJ seemed to be acting against the material. Hilary mentions his kidnapping her and Neil brushes it off like no big deal as opposed to showing remorse. I doubt that was the writer's intent. I also felt like Neil wasn't very upset when finding out his son was in a horrible accident. I expected more. 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

 

Hmm, interesting thought. I didn't mention KSJ too much (only his character) because the scenes seem to be mostly about Hillary. Neil seemed subdued like he often is.  I can't really speak to what choices KSJ made or whether they were scripted that way but  in terms of him pushing against the material-- that's an interesting point.

 

MM is newer to the show and probably more apt to take direction. Not all, but many of Y&R's long-time actors are pretty set in their ways, I think many of the women would be open to direction but I could see a few male veterans bristling slightly to taking direction-- especially if they think it is in any way a slight against their abilities.

[ajsp35801]

 

That was just one example. There were a few that gave me pause. Made scenes a bit awkward. 

 

But yeah, I can see the older characters, male and female, fighting against direction. They think they know the character better that TPTB and in most cases are correct. 

[soapfan770]

 

You'd have to go all way back to Ashley's car accident in 2003. 

[Paul Raven]

That can be frustrating for the writers when a scene is taped and for whatever reason doesn't come across as intended.

 

Jason 47 posted letters Bill Bell wrote to Betty Corday expressing his disappointment (and anger) that a scene hadn't played as he's outlined,either because of the actor or director etc

[ajsp35801]

 

I'd love to read those. Can you point me in the direction?

 

I'm sure it is frustrating. Only about 3 years ago did I realize that actors can change an entire story with their portrayal. They can change viewers perception with something as simple as replacing a genuine smile with a smirk. There has to be a level of trust between writers, directors, and actors to tell a story clearly. 

[DeeeDee]

 

The kidnapping was so out of character for Neil I wonder if Kristoff is simply at a loss about that whole period of Neil's life.

 

Expecting actors to establish emotional thoroughlines without a proper understanding of the character's motivations is a huge undertaking.

 

Remember how upset fans were about Sharon's behavior until the writer's gave the character (and Sharon Case) a semi-plausible (for soaps) excuse (mental illness)?

[ajsp35801]

 

I agree. I think many actors struggled to find character motivation under Pratt's plot point Y&R. With that said, remorse for a bad deed doesn't require understanding of what was behind said bad deed.