Y&R January 2020 Discussion Thread

[Paul Raven]

Back to sets.

With Crimson Lights being revamped, that leaves Sharon's cottage and the Abbott house as the only  long running sets?

 

Has the tack house or Chancellor home been shown recently?

[mango]

Maybe throw Victor's office in the mix? Although it does seem smaller and the fireplace is less regal than I can recall.

[Taoboi]

Crimson Lights should have been changed. Maybe light updated. Cuz that picture...looks like a local coffeeshop here actually. lol. 

[Chris B]

Y&R won the Writers Guild Award for the Neil memorial episodes. Honestly, they should be ashamed to even submit those episodes, which I’m sure will probably score Emmy wins. To use the black cast to win awards when you don’t feature them otherwise is truly shameful. I know every soap treats minorities poorly, but considering that we know they’re the backbone of Y&R’s success it’s particularly frustrating. 
 

Those episodes showed how powerful those characters are and to see them languish all year is just insane to me. 

[VanessaReardon]

Agreed! It’s disgusting that Y&R is using Kristoff’s death to win awards! If he hadn’t died, they’d have nothing to submit. Deplorable. They should all be ashamed of themselves. 

[ranger1rg]

I’m sorry, but it’s just frickin ridiculous to say Y&R shouldn’t have submitted the Neil episodes. The fact that those eps have more black characters means they shouldn’t have submitted them? Huh???

 

If they DIDN’T, you’d say it was because there were too many blacks in those eps. Your entire point is bull$hit.

 

They submitted their best episodes. They won. They deserved the win. NO daytime awards are given for the year’s work. They’re ALL for specific episodes.

[Aback]

 

I agree. 

[Chris B]

 

I feel the same about when they do a big stunt episode and submit and win. To me that may get the award, but it's shameless. I miss the days when Y&R was known for submitting GREAT episodes, not stunt episodes. And my point isn't bullshyt, it's reality. Those episodes don't represent anything about the year and those characters aren't valued by the show which is proven by screentime over the year. My point is, if they were good enough to submit for WGA and I'm sure the Emmys, maybe you should look at those cast members and treat them the way you would if they were white. Don't trot them out for a heartbreaking situation like this, make it the norm. Each and every actor who appeared in those episodes had value, why not build off that legacy? That is a very valid point.

 

If you don't think there is an issue with how Y&R writes for and treats it's black actors you're either willfully blind or delusional. 

[VanessaReardon]

For me the big difference is that the regime at Y&R is exploiting a real life unexpected tragedy to win awards. I don’t recall a soap ever doing this before. Yes, soaps constantly do stunt episodes (Emmy bait). But they were never based on real life cast member tragic events. I still say shame on the show for using Kristoff’s death to win awards. This will probably happen at the Emmys, too. Ugh! 

[DramatistDreamer]

This will come off as harsh (depending on your P.O.V.) but it just seems odd to me, at least that the show seemed to place more value on KSJ after he was dead than they did in the last several years he was alive. That may be why some people see it as exploitative or somewhat unseemly to submit his memorial episodes for an award show. 

Just an observation.

 

It's kind of like the kid who doesn't do sh*t all year (or does sh*t work all year, depending on your P.O.V.) and when a fellow student that he barely acknowledge dies in a car accident, the kid writes a poignant essay, gets plaudits and then decides to enter the essay for consideration into a national essay contest. 

[ranger1rg]

I NEVER said there isn’t an issue with the way Y&R treats black actors and characters. I never cam CLOSE to saying that. I agree with just about everyone here that so many mistakes have been made over the years with black actors that it’s a sin. It’s just a complete shame — so don’t try to turn me into your enemy, or worse.

 

My point is that EVERY show submits stunt or special episodes for the Emmys and other awards — every year. That’s how the awards game is played, both by the show and by the actors.

 

Winning this award in no way makes up for ANYTHING else regarding black actors and storylines. No one watching all of a sudden thinks Y&R has learned it’s lesson and turned a page. The show doesn’t think we’re satisfied either. They’re not stupid or naive. 
 

Those shows were beautifully done, making us feel the loss of a character, and more importantly, the loss of a good man. For those few days, black actors were given their due, and we again realized how they enrich our soap.

 

if you want to complain and protest how blacks are treated on the show, that award is not the thing to go after. Use it to support your more than valid views. Don’t trash it and come across like another complainer who’s never satisfied.

 

Y&R is better when our black actors are as front burner as anyone else. Those episodes prove it. Use that proof when you b*tch. Will they listen? From the way things have gone, it’s doubtful. Still, i know they won’t listen if you dump on this award. 

 

[Chris B]

 

Ummm, I specifically said that the quality of those episodes proves how viable those characters are. I didn't say the episodes were bad, I said it was distasteful to trot them out for clout and ignore them the rest of the time. I stand by that!

[Vee]

They weren't frontburner beyond the memorial episodes. That is the whole point.

 

When Y&R is praised for token effort, have they ever responded with substantive effort?

 

If you say they won't listen to critique of exploiting and discarding the black cast after several special episodes, and we agree they won't learn their lesson on their own, what avenue is left to the audience to make their voice heard? Because guess what: Your posts haven't changed anything, either. 

[DramatistDreamer]

Is anyone complaining and protesting, though?  Everyone knows that Y&R won't change how they do business but people are allowed to express their views on a messageboard.  JMO but I think it's a valid critique. It is what it is.  I think most people have given up on Y&R ever changing, still, it is an interesting point of discussion.  It's also interesting to look at the reasons why there is more active discussion of this topic gets more engagement (and awards consideration) than Y&R's other storylines.