Y&R April 2018 Discussion Thread

[SteelCity]

That's why her motivation has to be something other than Devon. Or at least have her manipulate her way to his arm.

[ajsp35801]

 

Hilary has been conniving her way through town the past 2 years. And it was terrible. 

 

I agree with @Roman. Hilary needs a purpose. She had none and nothing to fight for or connive for. And still doesn't if it's not devon (or some man). 

[SteelCity]

Hilary needs a motivation otherwise she's essentially just treading water until she gets back to Devon, since he's the only character she's allowed to be intimate with. I personally thought she should have been paired with Joe Clark and they could have been a villainous power couple.

[ajsp35801]

 

Hilary has been intimate with more than Devon. She was thrown under Jordan within 2 weeks of meeting him last year.  

 

Had Hilary been paired with Joe Clarke she'd have been sent packing with him. What would Hilary and Joe Clark have done together? Raped Avery? Schemed to break up Lily and Cane?  He served no purpose himself. 

[Soaplovers]

I agree Hilary needs a purpose and/or goal... but our lovely writers seem incapable of providing her one except for Devon... the ball and chain that limits instead of enhances the character of Hilary.

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

That's most characters though.  Lily/Cane fans and Lauren/Michael fans don't seem to understand this because they complain "why can't tptb leave them alone to be a happily married couple?" but then when there's nothing for any of these characters to do, they also complain "why can't tptb find a good story for them?".  

 

Vixens in the second golden age of soaps were so watchable because they often had a lot to fight for so, even if you disagreed with their actions, you could still kind of understand their motives.

 

One of the reasons I never really liked GC Buzz/THH story was because the show was basically given to Hilary in the divorce yet I still hoped that we'd see Hilary take the reins and build up the show into a media empire but it wasn't long before Jack/Jabot had a stake in The Hilary Hour and was lecturing Hilary on respectability of her "brand".  Hilary is no longer calling the shots.  Soon after, HWG is taking over and it's as if Hilary is a glorified employee.

 

If the show had remained fully independent, Hilary would've had more to fight for but MY is not about that life. 

 

The only woman who seems to own her own business is Sharon, which tells me that Mal is most comfortable with a woman running her own business as long her 1) husband gives it to her and 2) she is serving people (a la Crimson Lights).

[Dax7000]

Y&R has always had some bizarre issue with females in positions of power. Katherine technically was a boss, but she frequently hired men to run Chancellor for her. 

 

I was quite annoyed when Lauren became subservient to Jack. Jill, who really should be shown as a ruthless and powerful businesswoman, basically does nothing. 

[StepBack]

 

You guys wanted classic Nikki. Classic Nikki always does this when Victor is hurt. For the record, I hate it too. I wish she was banging Arturo.

 

Thad Luckinbill is just killing his scenes. Such a nuance and layered performance that some people can't even see how emotionally abusive he is.

[ranger1rg]

 

TL has been great. Let’s also credit Mal Young for delivering on this story — not rushing it, not making it black and white, etc. The dialogue writers have been incredible, too.

[Roman]

this right here. she so man hungry and comes off as psychotic. the angry black woman syndrome. and they write her as if she has no heart or soul. for me, I no longer believe it when she says she's turning over a new leaf, because that will last about 3 days before she does something really foul. but then the writing seems to want to make Lily this heroine of some sort. the conversation she had with Mia...she nailed Lily. and Lily just stood there trying to defend her sorry behavior. she's such a hypocrite, and question....does she want Devon? the way she's written IMO is that she in competition with Hillary for Devon. sounds like the same thing that happened on Eastenders, between Sharon & Daniel, her stepbrother.

[Khan]

 

Unfortunately, all that Dina will remember about Traci's bio dad is that "he had a broad face and a little round belly,
That shook when he laughed, like a bowlful of jelly."

[ajsp35801]

 

The role they are writing Lily in is usually one reserved for an ex girlfriend so that's why she comes off like she wants Devon herself. This occurs because 

 

A) TPTB are more invested in lily vs Hilary than they are in Devon and Hilary as a couple. I see folks complaining about being paired with Devon as hindering Hilary. But really the hindrance is the show justifying Hilary existence by having her as Lily's rival and giving lily story. Even last year when Hilary and Devon had minimal interaction, Hilary was still involved in story with Lily and Cane. Lily is her connection to the Winters. It's not Devon. 

 

B  ) TPTB have never invested in any romance for Devon in the past to provide even the tiniest bit of believability that another woman would be competition for Hilary for his affections to play the role lily has been given. This new girl Simone falling into that same category. 

 

Hilary as a vixen is a huge fail for all the reasons you listed.  Why folks want her to keep being written the way she has the past two years is beyond me. The show clearly can't pull it off. Much like Sharon's bipolar, every subsequent story digs the character further in a hole so deep that it has become an embarrassment and the character a joke. I see the next story they are building to showcase "Vixen Hilary". Scheming to break up Devon and a day player and ruin his relationship with a "nice girl". And we are supposed to root for her? Why would viewers do that? We have no reason. 

 

 

[DramatistDreamer]

 

I agree with what you've said in regards to Lily and Hilary.  We know that the two have chemistry but TPTB seem stuck in this vortex of Lily and Hilary being in each other's lives, even when it is completely unjustified.

 

As for the Hilary the Vixen angle-- I propose that Y&R hasn't written a good vixen character since the 1990s.  Drucilla Winters was something of a vixen and she was complex, the way a good, compelling vixen should be written.  I think she was the last character of that mode.  Y&R hasn't truly written a proper, good vixen since then.

[Cat]

THIS! Hilary gives Lily a justification for her existence on this show. And not gonna lie, CK perks up when she has to play opposite MM. Who wouldn't?

 

ITA about not having Hilary as a vixen. She has been embraced by the viewers and she has grown far beyond the vixen stereotype. For me, she is a woman with professional ambitions and personal flaws, but also very human and more than capable of maintaining thriving, meaningful relationships (friendship, business and otherwise) with others. A lot of that is thanks to Mishael and her chemistry with literally every breathing thing on the canvas. At the end of the day, I just want Hilary as a human being on my screen, not an archetype.

[ajsp35801]

 

To today's writers, Vixen equals scheming and sex. Nothing more.  Characters like Dru were sexy and scheming (when necessary)  but they also had huge hearts and people that they loved that loved them. Honest relationships. Had the show resisted having Hilary go after Jack romantically, that could have been great.  But scheming and sex prevailed over heart in the writer's room.  I'm still searching for that heart Hilary had prior to the show deciding they wanted her to be a social climbing bitch. Where is it? Without it, she's not a vixen anyway. She's just a villain waiting to be turned crazy that will go out in the blaze of  glory. 

 

In saying that, I think the writing has been much better for the character for months now. Let's see if it lasts. 

 

I get why the show is committed to Hilary vs lily. If the show wants to continue their rivalry indefinitely then these two characters will need to have periods of peace. Times where they come together to do what's best for Devon/winters family. Instead, we get Hilary trying to destroy lily year after year with no moments to soften their relationship. It should develop into a mutual respect with ups and downs. When they are up, it's tranquil and they have a common foe. When it's down, it's all out war. Here's to hoping Simone No Last Name can bring about this truce by being that common enemy. Juliet could have been that. But water under the bridge. 

 

@Cat MiM has managed to do something no new actress (to daytime)  has done in many many years. Hilary has her own vocal loyal fanbase. I can't remember the last time that happened. It speaks to her talent. Vixen Hilary needs to go, IMO. I don't want a saccharine doe eyed heroine either. But the show can't do vixen. They don't even know what one is.