Y&R Report (Jan.18, 2014): The Latest on the Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama.  Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT:  Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.

Wasn't little Connor cute at his christening . . . ooops  . . .  I mean "blessing" or was it "naming ceremony?" Anyway, it was just like the Big Man to show up at the ceremony and disrupt everything.  That's just the way Victor operates, isn't it?

It seems as if Phyllis will be coming out of her coma soon.  She has been responding to music and her doctor thinks that this is a positive development.  That must mean that the part of the fiery redhead is being recast. It's becoming more and more likely that Michelle Stafford is not going to return anytime soon and that a new actress will take over the role.  Having said that, I remind myself that there are always surprises ahead.


Supermodel Summer's life was on the line this week.  Jabot worked her much too hard. Those slave drivers! They drove her to drugs!  After consuming too many "energy" pills, she collapsed on the stairs, had a cardiac episode and lost consciousness.  Don't worry! Her two daddies, Jack and Nick, come to the rescue with some help from Sharon.  Phew!  She's going to be all right!  Her health crisis is over.  After the death of Delia, there was no chance of the loss of another young character.

For a 19-year-old, Summer sure been through a great many crises, although she hasn't been divorced yet. Remember that Victoria Newman eloped with Ryan McNeijl at the age of 16 and she was divorced by the time she was Summer's age.  Victor always called Ryan "a punk."  He calls Billy Boy Abbott  "a punk and a playboy."


THE STAGES OF SUMMER

Summer Ann Newman was born on an elevator on December 19, 2006, the daughter of Nick Newman and Phyllis Summer Newman.  Daddy Number Two, Jack Abbott delivered her.  If soaps went on real time, Summer would be seven years old, but it doesn't work that way on a daytime drama.  Soap characters are prone to RAS (Rapid Aging Syndrome).  Poor Summer has lost 12 years of her life.  The character is now 19.

Stage One:  Supergirl - This is the nickname given to her by Daddy Number One, Nicholas Newman when she was just a child.

Stage Two:  Superteen - Summer grew up extremely fast.  Suddenly she was a typical teen, hanging out at the coffee shop with Courtney and Fen.  Then she developed this huge crush on 20-something Kyle Abbott.

Stage Three:  Supermodel - Summer is now in the Supermodel stage of her life. Lights, cameras, action! She may become a star!


Why do the Y&R writers have a tendency to leave stories hanging?  The latest example is the Jill kidnapping. She was abducted by someone, handcuffed and robbed of her cell phone.  For days, this has just been left hanging.  Where is the continuity?  By the way, her kidnapper must be Colin Atkinson as Tristan Rogers is soon to returning to the show.

I like the idea of the Winters family running the Athletic Club.  It's time the writer's came up with something better for this clan.


The controversy over the firing of Michael Muhney from his role as Adam Newman continues.  Some extremely serious allegations have been made against him and if they are true, he deserved to be removed from his job.  Sexual harassment, of course, can not be tolerated.  Yet, even if he were not guilty of such misconduct, it is obvious that Michael has been a disruptive force on the set.  His demeanour and his attitude have upset and alienated several of his castmates.  His presence on the set, it seems, was toxic.  One of the regrettable aspects of this regrettable saga is that Michael is such an outstanding actor.  His portrayal of the
character of Adam Newman is so intense, it's almost eerie.  It's as if Muhney is so into the character that he is possessed.  It's as if Adam is under his skin.


Y&R CAST NEWS

Ignacio Serricchio, the Argentine-American actors who portrays Genoa City police detective Alejandro "Alex" Chavez on the Y&R, has landed a recurring role on Fox TV's Bones.  Serricchio will portray a very prominent forensic anthropologist from Cuba who comes to the U.S. seeking asylum.

All the best to Ignacio.  Yet, I wonder why he was permitted to accept an outside acting role and Billy Miller (Billy Abbott) was not.  Perhaps Billy Miller asked for long periods of time away from his role.

Former One Life to Live star Chris McKenna will be joining the cast of the Young and the Restless in a yet to be specified role.


VIEWER FORUM

Here's an observation from Helen of Scarborough, Ontario about Dr. Ben "Stitch" Rayburn.  Helen says that for a doctor in residency, Stitch spends a great deal of his time in coffee shops eating cookies. Helen also thinks that Clueless Paul Williams' office is rather dumpy for a police chief.

She made some other interesting observations about the old episodes that were shown at Christmas and New Year's.  The impact of cell phones on the show really becomes evident, she said, when viewing shows when they were not around.  She also noticed the large number of people in the episode with the Colonnade Room. They was a slew of extras back then.  Soaps can't afford to pay as many background actors now.


I also received some feedback from regular contributor CC from Etobicoke.  CC writes:

Is the actor who plays Chavez (Ignacio Serricchio) moving on because he is slated to play a part on 'Bones'?  Not that it matters because it appears they write his Detective Chavez role as they go along.
Noah's former girlfriend (Adriana) was his nutty sister.  That role balloon burst quickly.  Could have been a good storyline but they killed it. Who knows why?
Now Courtney and he are connected?

CC, it seems as if Courtney is going undercover to help Chavez bust the drug ring.

As far as I am concerned the casting of both blondes who play Summer and Courtney, one worse than the other, must have been the result of somebody owing someone a favour (it was rumoured that Executive Producer Jill Farren Phelps knew her from another contact) or a deliberate attempt to sabotage the shows popularity.
Actress who plays Courtney is a better actress but doesn't appear to have all the other required parts although they may be acquired in time.

Don't even want to speculate as to how Hunter King's'career is going to go from here on but she should keep other options open.

This week's Delia/Adam/Chelsea/Billy storyline is slowly letting the fizz out of Adam to allow for an easier separation for the fans.

I can feel the fans' separation anxiety waning.

Who will be the next character to end up at the bottom of the staircase?

Good thesis topic for for a Masters Degree in TV and Film: The Importance of the Staircase in Drama!

As for the Michael Muhney situation, CC writes:

It's time for the broadcasting executives to put standard practices in dealing with these kinds of situations as there seem to be more and more of them.
Being let go does not have to be a seemingly first line form of discipline.

CC has also pointed out to me that there is a website Y&R fans might like to take a look at.  It's called Soap Opera Network.  www.soapoperanetwork.com


BEST LINE

"These papers are to Victor-proof The Peanut."

- Adam explaining why it was necessary for Chelsea to sign the papers making Jack the legal guardian of baby Connor.


That's all for now.  There's lots of drama coming up on the Y&R.  We'll see how the Adam storyline plays out.  Victor already knows what is son has done but has agreed to keep quiet in exchange for access to baby Connor.  Question:  Does the Big Man sincerely want to be a grandpa to Connor or is he just looking for someone to succeed Noah as the current heir to the Newman dynasty?

Don't forget to check out the next edition of the Y&R Report on Saturday, February 1, 2014.


- Joanne