Y&R July 2017 Discussion

[Vizion]

I find it bizarre that nobody here seems to have an issue with this. Is it because it's Sally? Cause if Pratt's episode counts for some of these women looked like this....

 

2017 Episode Rankings
Gina Tognoni (Phyllis Summers) 66 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90

Eileen Davidson (Ashley Abbott) 60 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90

Mishael Morgan (Hilary Curtis) 60 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90
Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman) 54 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90
Sharon Case (Sharon Collins) 52 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90
Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea Lawson) 52 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90
Judith Chapman (Gloria Bardwell) 43 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90
Melissa Ordway (Abby Newman) 43 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90
Tracey Bregman (Lauren Baldwin) 40 vs. Amelia Heinle (Victoria Newman) 90

 

For the most part ALL THE WOMEN ON THE SHOW get an equal amount of airtime (though for most it's a bunch of nothing) and disappear for weeks at a time except one. It's absolutely ridiculous that she's been on damn near 40 more episodes than MTS, SC, MCE, etc. And I believe she has only had ONE episode off the entire month of July so expect that number to grow and grow.
 

[ajsp35801]

It's no secret that AH is on what feels like every day. But what I don't understand is why she gets so much flack for it while her leading man who might be a few episides behind her doesn't get any. Why is JT allowed to slide? Why doesn't he get complaints? 

[Vizion]

 

He is on too much too but I was mainly focusing on the women and the lack of story that Sally gives any of them BUT Victoria. Each of them might have a week or two of focus and then they disappear for 3-4 weeks or they have background supporting scenes where they do nothing (Sharon Case actually had an episode where she had NO dialogue, she just sat there and smiled for an hour). 

[edgeofnik]

@Vizion SSM promised lots of Victoria in her 'preview,' so I'm not surprised. Though I am shocked at the huge gap.  I'm historically one to slam AH, but since LA-reboot she has delivered- it helps that it's been mostly biz and not pining over kids or Billy. 

 

The fact that GT ranks #2 and has nothing noteworthy to show for it is sad. Phyllis is just fodder for Billy's problems and Jack's snipes. Phyllis should be driving a story. GT has been on for almost 3 years and has been wasted. 

[YRBB]

 

+1

[Juliajms]

People mention it fairly often.

[Vizion]

 

So...I'm not agreeing with this narrative and it's honestly not why I posted the episode counts.  Gina has done more than fine on this show. She led episode counts last year. She was the main focus of a whole triangle that lasted an entire year. She got her Emmy, the entire story of Victor's trial and reveal of Victor/Marco and what was done to Phyllis was all EB and GT (hell PB didn't even get much there) so I can't agree with the idea that she's gotten nothing. There are a lot of other people who have gotten a lot less in recent years. 

 

She isn't getting much under Sally (then again IMO, 95% of the women on the show aren't). 

 

I've seen a lot of "AH has been good since LA" I mean, I guess, but I don't know what it says that the bar is so low that she gets applauded for going what, 3-4 weeks without being awful?

 

And yes I also agree that the writers have stripped, not just Phyllis, but most of the women of the show of personality frankly. I guess Hilary is the exception maybe, but while I love MiM, I don't get the praise for the writing for Hilary. She's a busybody, she's moving around a lot, she isn't drive any story whatsoever though. Playing sidekick to Juliet, interviewing Julie Chen and crying in a corner while Devon screws Mariah is great?  Anyway, but look at the awful 180 they have done to Mariah. Phyllis has been made bland, Lauren is void of anything, I'm not even going to start on Nikki, Chelsea never had much of a personality anyway, and while I'm glad that Sharon isn't crazy anymore they don't have to make her into someone who just pours coffee and listens to Scott, Mariah and Nick's problems.

[StepBack]

Anyways,

 

I know it's a bitchy scene but this was always one of my favourite Sharon vs. Nikki scenes that I just found. Actually that whole year was great, minus the loss of Heather Tom :- (

 

 

[ajsp35801]

 

I see what you mean. And I do think the focus is lopsided. Happens for the men too. I've been complaining for over a month now about Devon's "story", the little there is, centering Mariah. He disappears quite often or have little to no dialogue while she discussses his business. With this regime, one will never be confused about who they want to elevate or push. AH is most definitely atop the pile. 

 

Agree about the writing for Hilary. Something else I frequently complain about. It's terrible IMO. But Mishael Morgan manages to make it all work by turning crap to entertainment. I never tire of watching her even when the writing is bad. That says something. She deserves the praise for that. 

 

I agree about Phyllis. She does noting but sex Billy. 

[edgeofnik]

@Vizion ITA about Cassiah. The Snarky Mariah that started on the show would've shot back at Hilary something like: 'You're working. Good. I'm an invited guest. Have fun out here, while I'm in there.' 

 

@ajsp35801 MM is gold. She definitely rises above the written page. And I really enjoyed her interaction with EB. While I'd like to see her drive a story, at least THS, allows her to interact with everyone on canvas. 

[ajsp35801]

 

Mariah was changed to sell her as better than Hilary and deserving of her life to make this pairing with Devon work. It started before then but they really amped up her saintliness when she got in story with those two. 

[Juliajms]

I agree it seems that way, but aren't characters like Hillary almost always more popular than the "good girl"?  If anything I think Mariah is the character who's popularity has suffered.  The only reason I find the character even a little interesting at this point is that CG is an unusual type on soaps.  She was better when she was harder.  It's hard to know what TPTB are thinking, but if nothing else they must have enough experience to know that well played vixens end up being the ones audiences root for.

[Aback]

Every regime has LOVED AH. My bet is that she's CBS's pet, for some reason. And I don't see where she has improved. She's still the lifeless walking line-reader I remembered. Everytime she does business scenes, it's cringe-worthy.

 

The writing for Hillary is awful. The girl has no empathy or friends besides her love for sanctimonious Devon. The other one who does not have a real personality is Juliet.

 

And yeah, Phyllis is not being written in character - they don't seem to understand what 'manipulative' means. I'm shocked at all the things a long-time writer like SSM just can't get right.

[ajsp35801]

 

I don't think Mariah has suffered much. She's gotten the rootable writing and I think many folks have followed suit. Sure, there is always a market for a vixen. They're sexy and fun.  However, they usually get far better writing than Hilary to push them to that popularity.  I think Hilary is more polarazing than popular at this point.  Love or hate but she just can't be ignored. And I doubt she'd be classified as boring. That is a fete in and of itself. 

 

I don't think TPTB thinks that at all. When they want us to love a character,  we know it. Hence, the show is riddled with reformed bad girls made into heroines. I think they want us to love to hate Hilary. When they are ready, if ever, for us to just love her, I'm sure we will see a change in the writing for her  character. JMO. 

 

With Phyllis, do you think it might be a case of Sally being uninterested in GT in the role? Or perhaps the direction of her character is being dictated by higher ups. Surely SSM knows Phyllis and what she's capable of. 

[Juliajms]

^ Yeah, I don't read other soap boards, so I don't have a good feeling of what the online audience is thinking these days. I see a bit of soap twitter, but I've really cut back. I really only know what I like, which is both Hillary and Mariah, but they are ruining Mariah for me quickly.  I want to see that cynical woman who was betrayed by the person who helped raise her, not Cassie 2.0, in personality if not Newman connection.