Y&R: April 2017 Discussion Thread

[detroitpiston]

They've been using Scott as a by proxy Dylan replacement which is completely unnecessary. I expect him not to last too long, Sally claims to love TEB/Lauren but she delivers her nothing but failure.

[edgeofnik]

 

Sally only brings out Cricket for these espionage stories - first Dylan, now Scott. I had no idea GC was the epicenter of the fighting organized crime/terror. How about bringing Cristine and teasing a Paul/Lauren/Michael quad? Or Christine going through an IVF or a surrogate baby storyline (using Tessa). Sally doesn't get that viewers want stories that matter to character we love (or love to hate).

 

Y&R is chock full of history and plenty of stuff to pull from where we get these characters' movtivation. That's what makes RAsh so blah. Ashley would never consider a relationship with a younger subordinate (like the sperm thief S/L) - it goes against everything we know about Ashley's character. She would be better with Ben2 - a strong smart business guy who could help her takeover Jabot when she discovers Jorm - something she would view as unforgivable after what happened to John and Abby. Instead, B2 was used as propping bate for Ravi, who Sally called Ashley's 'soulmate,' but would lead her next love. If someone can explain how a soulmate is a stepping stone to love and not the other way around, I'd love to know 

 

Speaking of sperm thief. Nikki should be outraged that Victor put Abby in charge of NE. There really needs to be more conflict and resentment from Nikki towards the daughter of the only living woman who ever seriously challenged Nikki's reign. Heck, have Nikki drop by NE and start second guessing Abby with 'Not only am I on the board, but I've learned enough from being around Victor to know you're doing this all wrong! After all, I RUN the Newman family (at least until EB returns and I forgive Victor)! Now get out of MY chair and back into the tabloids.' 

[slick jones]

I think Benjamin Button is a typical jackass that thinks everyone should trip over themselves to be near. So many characters on so many shows are like this. If Noah were the one with Ashley (as Many have jokingly--or not in the past mentioned) that put Ben in his place--would the reaction be the same? Hochman has been rude to Ravi several times, why wouldn't he speak up, much less speak to what he has knowledge of?

 

As for Ashley not getting involved with subordinates, she's dated men from her lab that worked under her in the past---why not someone now?

[Soapsuds]

The whole going to NY is just to prop Ravi. Ravi had no business in NY....Ashley invited him. The way Traci was gushing all over him was just awful. I saw zero in their kiss. Hell even Eileen didn't seem excited about the pairing in her interview. That's telling.

[ajsp35801]

 

I think Sally has been overruled BTS with story direction and focus. 

[DeeeDee]

 

+1.

[edgeofnik]

 

The men - Ben and Dr. Tad Martin - were her intellectual, emotional and experience peers. Ravi is very young and emotionally immature - Ashley wouldn't even consider being involved with someone that young and green because the scales are too unbalanced. As has been suggested, if they can pivot Ravi to the Devon, Noah, Mariah, Abby group, I think the character could add his nonjaded view to that group. 

[ajsp35801]

It's going on 6 months of building this Ravi and Ashley romance. And I don't feel anymore connected to it now than I did his first day. It's a waste of a very good build. 

[Vanguardian]

[Soapsuds]

Speaking of...it's shame that Mariah is being wasted on Kevin. She is one actress that can actually act and she does nothing on the show.

And Lord GR can't act!  His reaction to him possibly being the father in the preview is awful!

[edgeofnik]

'Scott I know you're the only living connection to my dead bro, but I've been so darned busy I couldn't spare 5 minutes to check in on you after Kevin/TGVN rescued you. Now let's pretend we're on Scandal and talk secret govt agencies, Ok?' 

 

Until Christine mentioned it, I had completely forgotten that connection.

[Soapsuds]

Yeah, I had forgotten that they were related. And I have been watching the show for many many years. It makes no sense that Christine wouldnt be there when Scotty arrived in GC.

[edgeofnik]

 

I'm glad I'm not alone!,Was about to edit I watched when it was revealed that Scott Sr/Christine were related AFTER they were engaged!  During today's scene, I was trying to figure out how Chris was related to Scott through Paul! Then it hit me. 

[Soapsuds]

Ha ..same here...I was like how are they related....LOLOLOL.  I guess Sally missed the boat there in explaining it to newer viewers. She is so good at that.

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[LondonScribe]

I only saw this now so pardon my tardiness.

 

As the Head of Continuing Drama at the BBC from 1997-2004, I'd say his record was mixed. Getting the gig off the back of his slightly more 'dramatic' and sensational stewardship of Brookside (body under the patio, Jimmy's grim drug addiction, Barry Grant killing Sue Sullivan and her baby, etc), he was always going to oversee heightened drama and initial rising ratings. I'll try and mine my hazy memory to break down some of what occurred:

 

Eastenders.

He (may have) hired the much respected and admired Matthew Robinson in 1998 from Byker Grove (yes, a teenage soap/drama) and it provided storylines such as Grant and Phil's plunge into the Thames and the former's exit from the show, the Saskia Owen murder and Steve's letting Matthew Rose take the blame, Tiffany Mitchell's death, the introduction of said Mr Owen and Billy Mitchell. 

 

Under Robinson's successor, (the implausibly 'ordinary' sounding for a senior producer) John Yorke, it's argued the show became even more popular. The Slaters arrival, Who Shot Phil, the axing of the Di Marcos, the introduction of the Truemans), Mo and Trevor's long-running domestic abuse storyline, Ethel's euthanasia at the hands of Dot, as well

as Dot finally letting go of Cotton and getting married to Jim. Even towards the end of Yorke's tenure in 2002, stories such as Steve's explosive exit and Mel leaving, most likely pregnant with Phil's unborn child kept the viewers watching. 

 

It was the appointment of Louise Berridge in the summer of 2002, that the wheels started to come off. The stories initially kept the viewers coming such as the Halloween fire that killed Trevor and Tom Banks, Billy and Little Mo's romance, Kat and Alfie as well as the death of Jamie Mitchell and the introduction of Dennis Rickman in a story that I felt started to write Den Watts back into the show before Leslie Grantham had agreed to return. Then there was the ill-conceived Ferreira family and the overruning of the square with gangsters (seemingly taking the lead from Guy Ritchie films, hugely popular at the time). Den Watts return brought about an initial spike before the 'hold on, he's back from the dead, what's the malarkey?' kicked in. 2004 was when Berridge lost the show, the viewers and many of the cast. 

By that time, Mal Young had taken a role elsewhere.

 

Also in that time, he oversaw the creation of Holby City (the baby sibling of Casualty) and afternoon 'cosy soap' Doctors, as well as being the man we have to thank for having Doctor Who back though he wasn't at the BBC when it made air in 2005. 

 

I mentioned Casualty in passing but it deserves its own paragraph. From its debut in 1986 to about 1993/4 the show had pretty much been a serious drama, that dealt with issues that faced the NHS, even with its increasing predilection for end of series incidents. With the introduction of serial drama producers, such as Corrine Hollingsworth (read Eastenders, Eldorado, Family Affairs) the show started to flirt with such a format, with growing frequency, but never really committed to it. The show almost lost original cast member Derek Thompson (Charlie Fairhead) who remains to this day, to showing such soapy skin. 

 

But in 2001, it was Mal Young's appointment of former Coronation Street and Emmerdale producer Marvyn Watson that tipped it past the point of no return. The much-loved theme tune was given an overhaul, for the first time, characters were placed in the opening titles and from Series 15 to Series 16 (his first) about half the cast changed with absolutely no explanation, the private lives of the characters were seemingly more important than the patients and deaths became commonplace. It was jarring but it's probably why the show ultimately remains on the air today, even if it's punch has become a feather-like tickle. 

 

Though the nature and scope of his influence varied (at Brookside, he still had to consider Phil Redmond, who was still fairly hands-on, whereas he more or less called the shots at the BBC) I would examine his storytelling and production style as one of getting the viewers to decide what they wanted. Didactic, strong social messages or heightened, sensational and explosive stories that drew people back for more. Most shows he had reigns over, either directly or as an overseer of other producers, shifted to the latter. Some have dialled it back and found a 'happy medium' whilst others cannot possibly do so, lest they are prepared to lose those who prefer the heightened drama while not getting back those who prefer the older style of television. This is what happened to The Bill on ITV (nearly 7 years gone and I still miss the show badly).

 

I previously attributed what I saw as a recent tonal shift in Y&R to the departure of Tracey Thomson, but writing this post, I wonder if it isn't the network executives, Mal Young's old storytelling sensibilities kicking in (lest we forget, he started out as a scriptwriter, then storyliner/story editor at Brookside) or a combination of them all.

 

For full disclosure, I'm still enjoying the show more than a fair number of the contributors in this thread, it seems, but recognise it still has work to do in order to be where it could be.