November 3 - 7:
We seem to have moved up a gear or two this week as November sweeps approach and storylines build toward their pinnacles. It's been a welcome change of pace, as Y&R has seemingly been in sleep mode the past few weeks! I'm still finding the odd jarring space in story telling, as well as dropped plot points. For instance, weeks ago, we saw Billy watching Gloria's every move where his grandmother was concerned, but that has never been addressed again. Jack gave Gloria one more day to come up with Katherine's stock - this happened two weeks ago - and the issue hasn't come up since then. Is their partnership dissolved? Are they still trying to takeover Jabot together? Things that make you go grrrr…
Sharon/Jack: First she didn't want to row his boat anymore, now she has gone to Paris without him! Good on Sharon for reaming Jack out. As much as she didn't want to think badly of her husband - everyone has a breaking point! Not only did she catch him lying, but mothers tend to take it badly when their kids are caught in the crossfire, and by attacking Victor again, Jack let his 'tunnel-vision' completely blind him to how his actions would affect his stepson. My only question is, why does he seem so stunned that Sharon is completely fed up with his crap?! After years, nay decades, of plotting against Victor, Jack always comes out worse for wear, and always winds up alienating those who care about him due to his uncontrollable behavior. Speaking of which…
Jack/Adam: Or should we say, 'Dumb and Dumber'? Can't either of these two idiots see that all it is going to take to sink them is for Frank the Forger to get picked up on some other charge and make a deal with the cops?! He may not have the tape anymore as evidence, but a quick peek into Jack's cell phone records would be enough to confirm that they were all in contact regularly in the weeks and days before the diary was published! Hello?! My guess is that they won't wind up in legal trouble though - it's more likely they'll experience some 'Mustache-style' justice! Sweet touch having John show up and taunt Jack by asking if it was all worth it, now that he's lost his wife. John's ghost is such a you-know-what disturber!!
Adam/Heather: …and let's meet 'Dumbest'. She's getting married to a man that only a few days before she had warned to 'clean up his act' or she wouldn't stay with him?! Not to mention that he had never once said, "I love you"! He's manhandled her in the past, her father doesn't trust him, and she knows darn well that he may be marrying her in order to keep her from testifying against him! That said, it was a lovely proposal, and as much as I would like to see it all pan out for them, the word on the street is that Adam's character is yet to hit 'rock bottom'. What I like about this storyline, and the Adam character, is that his motivations are always murky. One minute he comes across sympathetic, the next ruthless, the next vulnerable…
Victoria/Nick/Nikki/Ashley: I found it strange that Nikki would go ask Ashley for anything - she despises the woman - much less send her after Victor, but what the hey - for the sake of getting Ashley back to Genoa City, I'm willing to go along with it! Also odd - that no one followed Nikki on this trip, even though she was traveling overseas and the authorities believe Victor to be there as well! And why was Nick acting surprised on Friday when the priest told him that Ashley was also looking for Victor? He set up the meeting between her and Nikki himself so it would look like magazine business! While we're on the subject, isn't Nick currently holding down two careers? Why is he off traipsing around France looking for a man who doesn't wish to be found? He just got hired back at Newman and all of his time there has been spent plotting with his mother and sister, or he's been away. Restless Style, meanwhile, was left to Phyllis and Nikki to run, but Nikki hasn't step foot in the place since then! All this after Nick proclaimed that no one should make any big sacrifices on Victor's behalf. Mind you, things have gotten a little graver since the diary excerpts came into the picture, but still, how is Nick finding Victor going to help him get out of murder charges? Better to let him stay in hiding! Another question - How is it that all of the Newmans instantly decided that the diary excerpts were forgeries? 'Cause that's the first thing that leaps into my mind when I read something incredible, "Can't be true - it's a forgery." Yup.
Cane/Chloe/Lily/Billy: And so it begins. By that I mean the slow death of Billy's soul via association with the Lily character! Did anyone catch the ENTIRE episode where the normally energetic and charismatic Billy sat at a laptop typing out sappy lines to 'Falloutgirl'? Pair that with the ludicrously unbelievable scenario before that, wherein Lily invites Chloe to sit down with her and Ana at what must be the ONLY table in Crimson Lights, and I've had e-nough!! Please tell me on what planet would this group end up sitting together in a coffee shop after everything that has gone down?! Then there's Cane, after Lily has tantrum #569, cornering her yet again, and declaring that he and Chloe live completely separate lives - oh really? Then why are they always together like they're joined at the hip?! Please, it's the same thing, different location, every week with these two - stop the torture! My take: Christel Khalil is a talented, award-winning actress, capable of much more depth than these post-adolescent hissy fits the writers are giving her, and an edgier Lily might be much more appealing as a match for Billy.
Tyra/Neil/Karen: As much as Neil came through for Karen this week, telling her they would adopt if they want kids, something tells me it's going to be short-lived happiness. Karen can obviously see what we can't - Neil and Tyra have 'chemistry'. Tyra 'came out' this week, so to speak, acknowledging to Ana and Karen that Neil is a great catch of just the variety she'd like to have for herself! Her irritation with the police officer seems to have dissipated as she accepted a date with him. Either that or she sees it as a way to pique Neil's interest. He sure seemed to have a jealous air about him when he heard her accept the officer's invitation, so maybe it will work. In a recent Soaps.com poll, the majority of voters said they liked Tyra, but not with Neil. Interesting.
Michael/River/Gloria: Definitely the outstanding scenes of the week, if not month, perhaps even the year, were those of Michael confronting Gloria after he discovered she had testified against Lowell. His volcanic mash-up of anger and heartbreak was absolutely tangible, and her desperate pain as she relived the choice she had had to make was nothing short of raw. I cried, and I know many other viewers did too. Daytime Emmy Awards here they come! One thing that truly bothered me, though, was Lauren's reaction. Essentially, she had no reaction! This devastating scene is being played out right in front of her, involving her own husband, and I, the viewer, am crying, and Lauren's facial expression hardly changes! Who wrote it that way?! C'mon! Kudos, however, to the writers for not letting this particular secret leak out ahead of time - much more moving that way! Amazing also, were the scenes at the jailhouse as Michael witnessed his parents' love for one another. Just excellent stuff!
Paris: I know things will pick up next week, but the scenes in Paris so far have been a major yawn. What would make the writers think we want to watch two days worth of Ashley by herself walking and gazing at a photo! Sharon and Nick met up and their conversation was as dull as dishwater! Eden, meanwhile, whined about the tour group as Noah made faces full of consternation. This was not what I was expecting - I had envisioned lots of crackling innuendo between Nick and Sharon, more flirtatious and upbeat behavior from the teens, and something more of a bang when Ashley and Victor met up (although that may still happen - hehe). By the way, did anyone else notice Sharon's outfit when she met up with Nick? It looked like she was missing her bottoms! Always chic Sharon definitely pulled off the look, but I had a little giggle at the first impression!
Aside from the missing plot points, missing characters like Paul and Brad, and the still noticeable periods of dullness, the show has improved this week, in my estimation. Notably, the pace picked up (maybe they read my suggestion last week), the storylines started building instead of just dragging, and there were some really excellent moving emotional scenes, which is what keeps us tuning in! Good job writers! Looking forward to next week!
Don't forget to leave your thoughts or your own rant! It's all in fun, so it makes no difference whether you agree or disagree! Please keep the guidelines in mind when commenting. Be sure to vote in the poll as well - did you know that in a recent Soaps.com poll, nearly half of 1000 respondents wanted to see Nikki help heal Victor's broken heart over anyone else? Ashley was a close second choice with 33% of the tally.
