Y&R April 2019 Discussion Thread

[Antoyne]

One complaint I have is Sharon hearing the news offscreen. With Neil’s death, they’re finally acknowledging Dru’s existence by name and they were close. Because they wanted to erase Dru they stopped having Neil and Sharon interact which was stupid. Sharon Case though was another cast member who looked truly upset during the funeral.

[ranger1rg]

Just an outstanding tribute to KSJ in every respect.

 

The Wednesday and Thursday U.S. episodes had me in tears from beginning to end. The writing was on point — those writers know Neil and they knew Kristoff — and the actors delivered with so much heart and love.

 

Who broke me? Christel. And Bryton. And Shemar. And Eric Braeden. And Eileen. Just beautiful work from them and everyone else.

 

Even Daniel Goddard was moving. I think the writers gave him a speech because he was close with a Kristoff, and I really respect a decision like that. CBS and Sony have shown the fans a lot of love with this tribute to someone we all cared for so much. I really think they deserve our thanks for all of this.

 

Has it all been perfect? Nothing is, but in the spirit of it all, I won’t mention any little thing, and I won’t refute some of the nitpicking I’ve seen here. Honestly, it’s all been better than I ever imagined it could be, even though it’s heartbreaking.

 

This week has reminded me why I have loved Y&R for decades. 

[Paul Raven]

Re the post funeral episode

 

I was impressed with Bryton and Khristel - very restrained but heartfelt performances.

 

I get that Shemar/Malcolm was distraught but I didn't see the Malcolm I remembered. There wasn't a smile or any light and shade. (Or am I just being too critical?)

 

Would have loved to have heard some of the old music as this episode felt like classic Y&R

[DeeeDee]

Outside of the extended Barber/Winters/Hamilton family & Victor, Ashley, Nick, Jill, Victoria, Sharon & Nikki all should have spoken. Neil was legitimately close with them all.

 

I've never cared for Christel but she was solid today. Shemar & Bryton were really good.

 

It was weird seeing Leslie expressing regret over not marrying Neil when she's currently happily married.

 

Jack & Neil as friends (much like Lauren & Phyllis) has NEVER made sense.

Stan Shaw was a welcome presence.

[Faulkner]

Yeah, it would have been nice to see Victoria talk and mention Neil’s friendship with Ryan. Still the deepest Victoria/Neil stuff feels so long ago, way back in the HT days.

 

There was a lot more focus on Jack than there should have been over the past couple of days. The show values Peter Bergman as an actor, I get it, but Jack’s addiction and sobriety loomed much larger than was warranted in Neil’s tribute.

 

I’m not a Victor fan, but when EB shows tenderness or grief, it is truly beautiful to watch.

 

I know they are waiting on Neil flashbacks, but I still think one or two would have enhanced things greatly.

 

GT was wasted on Morrow and Thompson. She and Shemar would have sizzled.

 

[frequentsoapfan]

Shemar really brought it in yesterday's episode.

[Vee]

I've seen a fair amount of soap funerals that correspond with a RL death, but that's probably the rawest cast I can recall in recent memory. At least half the ensemble was down and out. Even Josh Morrow, who I don't credit with much deep thought, was losing it from the jump.

[ajsp35801]

 

JM has been devastated by this. Michael Fairman did podcast with most the cast calling in. JM cried his heart out talking about KSJ. 

[Vee]

I believe it. They started around the same time. I just thought he might do the Nick thing on camera and be a bit more of a pillar. Nope.

[Faulkner]

I really can’t remember another soap funeral like this one tbh. Where the loss of the actor and the character seemed so interchangeable. Even the dialogue seemed to be referencing KSJ as a man as much as Neil.

[Fevuh]

Me too.  I loved her as Dinah on GL and she got a raw deal out of this I feel.  Basically Stafford gets to go work wherever she wants.  I don't watch GH but (this won't be popular) - whatever character she played just got a step up if they really casted Cynthia Watros.  I have never watched GH but as soon as I heard they ousted Gina for Michelle Stafford, I was hoping Gina would get her role on GH.  But, I have felt for a long time that Gina should be Primetime or Film...and I hope she gets it. 

[Vee]

 

 

Definitely the case for Eric Braeden, Bryton, Christel Khalil and Shemar. Christel breaking down in the pews to Bryton quoting Neil/KSJ got me. That was no stage direction. The great character actor Stan Shaw, just a guest player with a personal connection, was also very affecting.

 

I find DG and Cane indicative of everything wrong with the show and how it's handled those families - headlined today by an inadequate white man. But Goddard and Kristoff were close, and I respect them doing that but keeping it brief.

 

Peter Bergman was not a wreck but he kept it so classy and earnest, and the whole rehab thing aside which is just story that is inconsequential here, what got me there was talking about Neil's (actually KSJ's) generosity. We have so many stories of that now IRL re: Kristoff. He also gave those poor folks on-set a chance to breathe. Underrated moment.

 

MTS, Eileen and Sharon should've been up there. I get the idea with Victoria but I didn't need Heinle up there.

 

If CBS is serious about course-correcting and honoring their black canvas now (SPOILERS: they're not) then they should just ask Rowell back. It's not like they haven't been throwing all the rules out left and right in the last couple years. But alas.

[ajsp35801]

 

I'm hearing that MTS filmed hers but it was cut. And I can't be mad because I'd rather have had the people closest to KSJ and Neil have the time and not rush versus getting a montage of speeches that blended together 

 

I honestly think the show sees this as the end of an era. Neil, Olivia, Dru, and Malcolm are the past. I'm not even sure the show knows what the future is yet. But part of me is glad that CK has decided to step back a bit. I'm hoping it's not permanent. But what that does is allow the show to get rid of Lane and Daniel Goddard. They can take this mediocre white man out of their orbit and allow the black characters to be leads in the family. Stretch the writers to be more creative for those characters that they just find it so hard to write for. 

[DeeeDee]

Now would be a good time to do a soft reboot of the Rosales family as well.

 

Now that Mia (thankfully) & Arturo are gone, the best way to keep the family around is to slowly introduce the parents, then maybe a year or two from now reintroduce a recast Arturo.

[ajsp35801]

 

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