Y&R October 2020 Discussion Thread

[Meredith]

I just thought it was weird that one minute Lola was telling Elena that she didn't know her that well and the next minute she's inviting her to live with her.  As soon as one of them finds a boyfriend, then the other girl will get kicked out or move.  This is why I have always lived with family members.  Friends can be so fickle and flaky.  

[Faulkner]

We need more genuine friendships on this show. I know it’s a budget thing (and more recently a COVID thing), but most of the characters on this show only interact with one or two family members or their romantic interests, and the result is a very shallow show. Amanda/Phyllis and maybe Mariah/Lola are the exceptions, with Mariah becoming the Myrtle Fargate of Genoa City.
 

Seeing Nick/Nate today made me realize how little we’ve seen of them together since the recast, and Devon/Abby got a scene the other day after what seems like ages. But you also have so many characters like Summer (who was friends with Theo), Chelsea, Rey (who has Nick of all people as his best man), Nate, Billy, Victoria, et al who just feel adrift. And this show has been historically known for its rich friendships like Neil/Ryan, Nina/Cricket, Paul/Lauren, Ashley/Olivia, Nikki/Katherine, Victor/Douglas, Dru/Sharon, Lily/Colleen, the list goes on.

[DramatistDreamer]

This word will never not remind me of Jill Abbott and her nickname for Nina Webster.

Speaking of Webster-

 

[soapfan770]

I’ve always liked Devon & Abby so I was glad to see them the other day as Devon drank following the aftermath but they’re so far and few nowadays. 
 

The Adam/Sharon/Rey stuff is dumb and unwatchable. There appears to be considerable vocal backlash to a Shadam redux we’ll see if JG panics on this one.

[ranger1rg]

I don’t thinkJosh Griffith is in a panic about any backlash at Shadam or anything else. I don’t think he’s takin* any cues from social media.

 

This has been the best week for Y&R in a good while, so I’ll take it. It has been lousy, but I’m not going to crap on good weeks, and this has been one.

[lucaslesann23]

He deactivated all his Social media when he came back.

and  i agree, I wonder tho if this is because susan dansby was brought on, Ik she hasn't been credited yet so maybe he just got a fire lit under his butt.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Dylan

[ranger1rg]

I think the fire under the butt is the reason, too. The ratings were dropping and those in power who could light that fire know we’ve been unhappy.

 

i don’t think writers should listen to social media and follow every whim, bu5 neither should they block it out. It’s absurd to think viewers don’t sometimes have good opinions. Also, if you get HUGE numbers asking for something or wanting something to end, maybe it’s time to at least CONSIDER it.

 

i do have a problem with social media when NOTHING seems good enough.

 

This week was IMO clearly an improvement over the past couple months. I don’t know how any regular viewer could miss the difference. Yet, I come here and see the typical “It sucks” posts — from lapsed viewers who aren’t watching at all or who claim they catch 5 minutes here and there.

[lucaslesann23]

i'm just happy stuff is finally happening, I hope Grifith keeps it up, im really curious what sweeps will be, 

 

Edited October 24, 2020 by Dylan

[Faulkner]

The keeping it up is the thing. An ok week is fine, and the Abbott-focused episode on Monday was strong, but we’ve all been soap viewers long enough to know how fleeting these sparks can be. B&B had an “ok” week recently, and that went to sh!t. Hell, some people praised the hell out of JG’s early material in his current tenure, and we see where things have landed. There are a lot of fundamental issues with the show that need to be addressed. I get that they were under the gun to deal with ongoing ratings concerns, which may have contributed to the Quad infidelity story peaking so quickly to a well-acted yet less-than-satisfying reveal. (The show really hasn’t gotten me that invested in seeing what happens to Elena and Nate after all of this. Devon and Amanda, maybe somewhat, given the Devon/Hilary history.) But will they fix their pacing problems overall? Problems with character development? Those issues take longer to figure out, and perhaps there were encouraging signs this week. But I don’t fault viewers for being skeptical and a bit impatient.

Edited October 24, 2020 by Faulkner

[Faulkner]

I think also, because they were rushed, the story climaxes of the past week didn’t feel that earned. As other people pointed out, it would have been more satisfying if other people around the Quad had found out about the affair and were wrestling with that knowledge over a few weeks at least. And we know that the Dina story didn’t have a proper conclusion due to COVID, but that’s simply unfortunate. Doesn’t change that the story could have packed more of a punch if they had a more thought-out lead-up. We have a very low bar for Y&R if we’re praising it for actually serving conflict and drama, when the three other shows have at least topped that bar on a more regular basis (even if the stories they’re telling aren’t actually that good).

Edited October 24, 2020 by Faulkner

[Taoboi]

THIS.

[ajsp35801]

 

I thought it was just me with Kyle. TPTB finally had a modicum of success with the Kyle character and handed him the entire Abbot story, including the company.  Mealor can't carry this. He just can't. 

 

I've always thought Bryton was a great KSJ mimic. Not sure if it's intentional or not, but you can tell who raised Devon. He reminds me so much of neil. 

[ranger1rg]

I think Mealor can carry plenty. It’s not his fault he’s been written as a whiner who is gobsmacked every time a female looks at him.

 

When Mealor arrived in GC, he was a lot more bad boy. That’s all been taken from him, and that is not his fault.

[Taoboi]

I agree with Ranger. Michael Mealor was great as a bad boy. It suited him as an actor rumors true or not. And as a character given how Summer treated him, he had the right to come back bad. That Summer came back as a bad girl too, they fitted more than than now.

 

He carried that well. Sadly, the writers are given him next to nothing now or writing that makes no sense.

Edited October 26, 2020 by Taoboi

[soapfan770]

 

Completely agree, I enjoyed when Kyle & Summer came roaring back in 2018 with a vengeance. I hated how the show carried on last year as pushing Kyle & Lola as the next big supercouple and now they’re nothing lol. Both Summer and Lola deserve so much better than dopey Kyle. 
 

I was so happy to see Lachlan Buchanan on Dynasty before COVID hit to date he’s still my favorite Kyle although the writing was even worse for his Kyle than it is now.

Edited October 26, 2020 by soapfan770