“When Newbies Run Amok!!”
“When Newbies Run Amok!!”
In continuing with my series of articles answering the question, “why are soaps on the decline,” I’d like to now turn my attention to the problem of the Newbie. It is an ever present problem that has only increased over time as many writing teams, instead of giving the existing character something new and inventive to do, much rather bring a newbie on to “spice” things up. Usually, this has led to disaster. Newbies are being used as band aids to the bleeding wounds that are caused by numerous plot points, dead end reveals, and unimaginative storylines.
In looking at the problems associated with too many newbies (or the overuse of a few newbies) I would like to focus on the Young and the Restless. Sure, many soaps do it, but Y&R in the last eight months has so declined in ratings and quality that they need some serious help. Newbies running amok isn’t its only problem (it has many) but it is a definite offender when it comes to the newbies at the moment. Y&R in the last eight months has been on a steady decline in the ratings and the storylines have left MUCH to be desired. They’ve also, at many times in the past eight months, left me pissed off, disillusioned, and overall- bored. So excuse me if my article comes off a bit bitter. I do apologize (read: not really).
As I said in my previous article on why soaps are in the crapper: Balance is key. The problem with many soaps, and it isn’t really a new problem, is the lack of it.
I don’t know about you, but I have found myself coming upon a soap I stopped watching for some time, (usually b/c they do something STUPID like kill off, or put into a coma one of my fav characters. You listening One Life to Live? Bring back Evangeline Williamson!…but I digress), and I am TOTALLY lost for a good half of the show. Not because I can’t follow the plots (I mean, it’s hardly rocket science) but because I have NO IDEA who is who on the show. They’ll be whole segments of a scene where some newbie is giving her sob story, or kissing on some character that I KNOW last time I watched was with someone the audience actually knew, and I’m sitting there like, “Why do I give a damn?” Oh that’s right- I don’t. And heaven forbid the newbie is pretty much related to NO ONE on the show of importance and the story is revolving around them. Then, I’m really sitting there wondering what is going on and why the characters are written to care. (Note: Being related to the help on the show who in their 20 something years haven’t had a real storyline- DOES NOT COUNT. Flame me if you want- but that doesn’t make them a “legacy” character and somehow validate why they are front and center all of a sudden.) Also, I’m even more confused when every other scene with other characters, who used to have their own storylines to talk about, has them talking about one of the newbies- for most of the conversation. In other words- pimping them.
This, my delusional reader, is when a newbie has run amok on my soap.
There are various degrees of overkill. Some are not as bad as others. There are even times when a newbie’s entrance is so subtle that before you know it, I don’t hate them b/c they’re a newbie taking up space, but I simply hate them b/c they’re a shitty character! (I’m looking at you Tyra).
Young and The Restless, with its slipping ratings and plot points galore, has fallen victim to this practice. It is not so much the number of newbies they have added on the show in the past year, but what each newbie they have added has meant or done to the show with their presence. For every newbie that is added and given significant screen time and storyline- there is a REAL LEGACY CHARACTER, (or simply a character people have come to know), that is not getting the same.
The newbie overkill virus is one of the symptoms of the sickness that has taken hold of Y&R. It seems that, instead of writing engaging story lines for the characters that are there (and have been there for years), they rather bring in a new character to “stir things up” or whatever they think they’re “creating” with these contrived plot points with long lost relatives, boyfriends, and the like. It is totally possible to have newbies on the show, but there are some things YOU MUST avoid, or they will run amok. These rules, Y&R seems to be breaking left and right.
The rules:
1. Don’t change history just so a newbie’s presence can make sense. Y&R did this with the Cane character (and we see how that worked out) and they seem to be doing it again with yet another newbie coming onto the canvas. (Spoiler: Seems like Kay’s long lost SON is coming into town with Nikki. Yeah, you read that right. I said SON. And all this time we thought it was a girl…oh wait- it WAS A GIRL. The writers just decided to give our brains a big – FUCK YOU, and switch it up.)
2. A.)Don’t throw established characters under the bus in an attempt to make a newbie more appealing. B.) Don’t use established characters to pimp and justify why a newbie is still taking up so much screen time.
Writers, we are smarter than that. We recognize when an established character that we’ve come to know is acting out of character for the sole purpose of the newbie to continue to look smart, interesting, or appealing. Case and point: Chloe.
Somehow, no one else was able to figure out the holes in her baby making story, until ANOTHER NEWBIE (in the form of an established character) Billy came onto the canvas and figured it out. Lily was made to give Cane the go ahead to marry the woman, hence keeping this storyline going. AND THEN, when she was finally found out for all the crap she pulled, JILL DID NOT kick her ass to the curb!! JILL??!! Am I not to believe that Jill, in all other circumstances would have made an attempt to pay Chloe off and tell her to leave town. I mean, she’s done it before to others for less. Why not Chloe?
To add insult to injury another established character (Mac) is thrown under the bus (becoming the MISTRESS to her first love Billy) in opposition to Chloe. AAAAANNND- Billy is being made to be TORN between Chloe and MAC…Billy’s MAC. This is NOT MAKING SENSE PEOPLE. There is no way Billy should be torn. AAAAANNNNND (keeps getting better) the legacy newbie in town (Chance) is being made to fall for Chloe.
Wow- all this to try to make us believe that this character deserves all the screen time she’s been given since she’s been on. Let’s not even talk about how Chloe is living in the mansion while Mac still doesn’t seem to even have an apartment. That “mobile home” (read:trailer) DOES NOT COUNT.
3. When storylines and or couples are no longer working don’t just throw a newbie in there to somehow “stir” things up. This is like putting a band-aid over a bleeding gash. If a couple or storyline is not working, adding someone the audience doesn’t know to the canvas will NOT HELP, but just further complicate matters.
Example 1: Cane and Lily: Until recently they have had no internal conflict between them. They were a fluffy couple. So what does TPTB do? They bring in Chloe. Then all the baby drama starts, yada, yada, etc. etc., and I’m STILL wondering why we went through all of that in the first place.
Example 2: Victoria and JT. Wow- this couple is really boring. Most of the audience wonders why they are still together. What do the writers do? They add the newbie Deacon (who I have to admit is hot and one of the few newbies I like) to the mix. Now Victoria is all of a sudden bonding with this guy out of NOWHERE. How about we establish that JT and Victoria had problems in the first place? That is b/c up until these recent events; all we saw was them being a happy couple. A LITTLE BUILD UP WOULD BE NICE!! It’s sloppy writing.
Example 3: Daniel and Amber. Now…I won’t let my personal bias get in the way, (maybe a little bit, b/c Daily- Daniel and Lily- was thrown under the bus so this one dimensional couple could be placed together) but this couple doesn’t have the connection to get enough people to care about them. Hence, why they are always placed in the Scooby Gang (them, Jana, and Kevin) with no real story of their own. So what does TPTB do to “spice” it up? They bring in Deacon! Now Deacon is manipulating Amber to do some really STUPID stuff, more naive than she normally is, and Daniel is standing around huffing and puffing. It’s contrived to be honest.
Soon to be Example 4: Y&R has recently put out a casting call for a young woman to come onto the canvas who is high school age. I’m pretty sure this is to nip in the bud the dismal young couple that is Eden and Noah. When in reality we don’t need a newbie to do that. Let the two of them break up, kill Eden off and send Noah’s spoiled ass to boarding school. Neither of these characters will be missed.
Example 5: Billy and Chloe (no words….no words…). Well, this couple clearly failed. But TPTB aren’t ready to throw in the towel. So what are they doing? Bringing in good wholesome boy Chance to try to win Chloe’s heart. So what is the result? Me sitting through scenes of two newbies (I don’t care if Chloe’s been on for a year, she’s still new to me) wondering why I should give a damn.
What it comes down to is balance. When there is some newbie that I don’t know on the canvas, as a regular audience member, I am already suspicious of them. This is yet another example of why Prime time shows fair better. When a new character is added they aren’t usually made front and center. There aren’t enough episodes in a season to be devoting whole hours to some newbie that the audience may or may not like. I get that soaps are on all year round, five days a week, but just because you think you have a lot of time on your hands, doesn’t mean you should throw quality to the wind. Y&R needs to realize that they have a huge amount of characters on this show they do not use enough (Colleen, Paul, Michael, Lauren, etc.) and the audience would like to see more of them.
Then again, maybe I’m just delusional.
15 Responses to ““When Newbies Run Amok!!””
Leave a Reply
Subscribe
Recent Comments
- Wicked: But what would they do with them? *shivers* >_<
- Gene: Where is the Devon s/l? Hell needs to be fired.
- Al: If I got those jeans, I would put them on EBay. Some HO would bite, LMAO!!!
- Kare: I love that this -> =)) actually means something to me. I think we use that smiley a teensy bit too much....
- Ash: WHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY YYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!! =)) Some please deliver US from this fool!
Billy and Chloe are not a fail. They have amazing chemistry together. But somehow we are supposed to believe that Billy would be hung up on Mac’s lame personality. I know you don’t like Chloe but she brings excitement to the show. Not her fault Mac has the personality of dry toast and is as exciting as a root canal.
The whole point of soaps is drama. Without it you have a boring show. But I agree that I hate when they rewrite history to fit their story.
And why would Jill kick Chloe to the curb? Jill has no room to talk since it is half Kay’s house too and Kay is Chloe’s godmother.
I very much enjoyed reading this! All too true.
The makeshift “not seeing eye-to-eye” (as JT put it) tension between JT and Victoria was the most pathetically contrived drama I have ever seen. However, I think we can all understand why she went after Deacon without much of a buildup. Hell, if Deacon was here right now, he wouldn’t even have to say “hello.”
Colleen needs a decent s/l. So do Michael and Lauren, and one where they’re not just chasing after their family.
Hmmm, some things to think about. I’m not sure I would call Billy a newbie, since he’s been on the canvas on and off for 18 years. Unlike Kate, we actually saw him growing up and his backstory wasn’t rewritten.
Deacon is new to Y&R but follows Amber’s history which was apparently imported into the show. Perhaps a questionable choice, but not as artificially imposed as some others.
Kate is a polarizing character. On one hand, she can have funny lines, and stir the pot sometimes. Unfortunately, all of the hyperpole around the actress’ performance in the “soap press”, and the scenes in which her contrived relevance is thrust upon us, it just makes you feel manipulated into caring about someone you don’t get.
I think Daniel Goddard is actually the best of the newbies, he got crap writing, and no character development, but he figured out how to latch on to an existing character(Lily), and parlay that into a cottage industry of fans pulling for him as a person, even though they hate his character.
While Lily may have been more popular than Cane when they got together, at least he added to her popularity, and didn’t just suck her dry of her fan equity, like Chloe has done in all of her pairings. Every male she is paired with is less popular now than before she came along, Billy, Cane, and even Chance, deteriorated every day with her.
Newbies are important, but a lot of wasted development on Chloe could have gone into characters that brought more popularity to the table to start with. Eva Marcille, Tatiyana Ali, and Nia Peeples, all had a significant fan bases before they came to the show and if written appropriately or adjusted (like Chloe has been countless times) they might have even added to Y&R’s popularity.
Well, I can see my article has got some feathers rustled. I don’t mind people not agreeing with me. That is the point of free speech. But I won’t tolerate ignorance. This goes to the Vince poster whose post (which I deleted) went on a rampage about the actresses. Let me explain something to you- opinions are like assholes- everyone has got one. You may think EH deserves an Oscar while others think she needs to take a hike off of Y&R. Thing is- that IS NOT WHAT MY ARTICLE WAS ABOUT. Reading is fundamental. My article was about the time and energy given to NEW characters that the audience knows very little about while established characters (NOT ALL LEGACY) get the backburner. Get a clue. Ragging on CK, and other actresses who do not play the Chloe character just shows immaturity on your part.
Newbies are defintely part of the problem. I liked Deacon on B&B, but why would I care about him in GC? He isn’t even the same character…and now he is blackmailing Amber to have sex with him, having ONS with Victoria, getting in fights with Daniel…who cares?
And Kevin having another brother? What? Why?
They have now taken 3 Emmy Winners and given them a story about adding random relatives in the last year: CLB (Michael) with River and Eden, Bryton (Devon) with Tyra and Ana, and now GR (Kevin) with whoever his brother is.
Amber & Jana have no relatives on the show and are pretty much pointless most of the time. Sabrina, pointless and annoying in life is even more so in death….and seen more than Colleen and Devon.
Then Chance is just…boring. I tried to like him, I wanted to like him…but he is just emotionless. TPTB should have shown us dealing with P3’s abandonment of he and his mother instead of becoming insta-dectective.
EH media praise in the soap press since joining Y&R…..
Daytime Confidential’s Female Entertainers of 2008
No. 1: – Jeanne Cooper – The Young and the Restless
No. 2: Finola Hughes – General Hospital: Night Shift
No. 3: Erika Slezak – One Life to Live
No. 4: Debbi Morgan – All My Children
No. 5: Elizabeth Hendrickson – The Young and the Restless
Elizabeth Hendrickson was the double shot of espresso the young crowd on The Young and the Restless desperately needed in 2008. The All My Children grad perked things up the moment she arrived in Genoa City as snarky, stylista Chloe. This past year the energetic Hendrickson managed to make the saccharine-sweet Cane and Lily (Daniel Goddard and Christel Khalil) love story bearable. Chloe provided the rebound pairing with a much needed obstacle and prevented them from becoming the biggest snorefest on CBS Daytime.
The reveal that Chloe was really Kate, the daughter of Chancellor housekeeper Esther (Kate Linder), and namesake of the legendary Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper), smartly fastened Chloe to the framework. Hendrickson never so much as flinched during the plot twist. She quickly made you understand how Esther’s sweet little bambina could grow up to be a bitter, bitchy glam goddess, by balancing Chloe’s venomous reaction to the mother she felt abandoned her, with the young woman’s painfully obvious feelings of hurt and abandonment.
Chloe is a throwback to classic soap vixen archetypes like All My Children’s Erica Kane, Another World’s Rachel Davis and Y&R’s own Jill Foster, women who came from nothing, and who will stop at nothing to have it all— much to the chagrin of their long-suffering mothers and generally less-than-fab rivals. A delicious new layer to this confection was added when fellow fire cracker Billy Miller made his debut as Billy Abbott, Cane’s half brother, who just happened to share a past with Chloe. With Hendrickson and Miller to add the right balance of spice to an otherwise bland mixture, the Billy/Chloe/Cane/Lily triangle is poised to be daytime’s hottest quadrangle in ‘09.
No. 6: Kim Zimmer – Guiding Light
No. 7: Maura West – As the World Turns
No. 8: Adrienne Frantz – The Young and the Restless
No. 9: Melody Thomas Scott – The Young and the Restless
No. 10: Kirsten Storms – General Hospital
——————————————————————————————-
Soap Opera Weekly- Editor’s Opinion- September 2nd 2008 issue
Love or hate her onscreen antics–and most viewers hate ‘em–Elizabeth Hendrickson is psycho-fantastic as the mercurial Chloe. The character’s sick obsession with Cane and her determination to wreck havoc on sweet Lily has pumped life into a couple that was always darling, but admittedly a tad boring. Who doesn’t want to see Cane and Lily expose Chloe for the lying, manipulative witch she is? Just not too fast–the ride is so much fun!
———————————————————————————————–
Soap Opera Digest- Thumbs Up- August 5th 2008 issue
Girl Gone Wild
“For months, Chloe has been the thorn in Lily’s side.From all those Fresh Face shenanisgans to even trying to seduce Devon, Chloe’s wanton ways and jealousy- driven delusionals have transformed her into a bona fide bad girl. Chloe’s attempts to break up Cane and Lily took an even more outrageous turn when she got Cane drunk and awkwardly tried to have sex with him–in the front seat of his car–after he passed out. The momeny was icky, crazy, and fabulous. When Lily later asked what happened, Chloe’s respone was just as excepted: naughty and unapologetic. “Oh. We had sex.” she stated with a wicked gleam. Chloe’s absurd plan to make Cane her baby’s daddy will surely unravel, but watching her chicanery has us entangled.”
————————————————————————————————
SID- Best/Worst of 2008 (Y&R)
Best Newcomers: Chloe may be an abrasive vixen and Billy a Smilin’ Jack Junior, but their portrayers, Elizabeth Hendrickson and Billy Miller, are casting at it’s best.
————————————————————————————————
Soaptownusa.Com- Best/Worst of 2008 (Y&R)
Most Improved Character: Chloe has been improved immeasurably over the last few months. Originally a cardboard, hyper, New York fashionista, Chloe has finally been made into a real person with multiple facets, and feelings deeper than mere annoyance over cold coffee. Granted she’s committed some vile acts, and she hasn’t yet been redeemed…but she’s begun to be explained. By showing us more of what makes her tick, she’s been given the potential to eventually be rehabilitated.
————————————————————————————————
Soaps.Com- Best/Worst of 2008 (Y&R)
Best Move of 2008 – the hiring of Billy Miller as Billy Abbott – this guy has chemistry with the frickin’ furniture! Runner up is the hiring of Elizabeth Hendrickson as Chloe Mitchell. Both of these actors are extremely good in their complex roles, and love them or hate them, these characters consistently deliver that much needed ’spice’ to the canvas!
————————————————————————————————
TV Guide Canada-Best/Worst of 2008- All Soaps
BREAKOUT PERFORMER: Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R)
BEST SECRET: Chloe is Esther’s daughter, Y&R
————————————————————————————————
TV Guide Canada- Soapers of the Year for 2008
The sky may be falling, but 2008 still managed to deliver some memorable stories, performances and backstage scandals. Did your favourites make the cut? Last week, TV Guide.ca named The Young and the Restless’ Maria Arena Bell Entertainer of the Year. So, here are the rest of the best personalities that made 2008 heaven — and sometimes, hell — in our annual Soapers of the Year list.
1. Maria Arena Bell, The Young and The Restless’ head writer and executive producer.
2. Sri Rao, General Hospital: Night Shift head writer.
3. Trevor St. John (Todd Manning, One Life to Live)
4. Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki Newman, Y&R)
5. Eric Braeden (Victor Newman, Y&R)
6. Darnell Williams and Debbi Morgan (Jesse and Angie, All My Children)
7. Van Hansis (Luke Snyder, As The World Turns)
8. Agnes Nixon, soap creator
9. Ron Carlivati, OLTL head writer
10. Special Effects and CGI
11. Chuck Pratt Jr., AMC’s head writer
12. Martha Byrne (Lily Snyder, ATWT)
13. Eileen Davidson (Ashley Abbott, Y&R)
14. Tristan Rogers (Robert Scorpio, GH:NS)
15. Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe Ashby, Y&R) A superstar is born.
16. Victoria Rowell (ex-Drucilla Winters, Y&R)
17. Andrew Miller and Eden Riegel, Imaginary Bitches
18. Tamara Braun (Reese, AMC; ex-Ava, Days of our Lives)
19. Roger Mooney, OLTL’s set designer
20. The fans.
————————————————————————————————
TV Guide Canada- 2008’s 55 BEST ACTORS IN SOAPS
In honour of Canadian Thanksgiving, TVGuide.ca thought we’d pay thanks, in no particular order, to the best actors currently working in our business right now.
1. David Canary (Adam/Stuart, AMC)
2. Colleen Zenk Pinter (Barbara, ATWT)
3. Robin Strasser (Dorian, OLTL)
4. Robert S. Woods (Bo, OLTL)
5. Kirsten Storms (Maxie, GH)
6. Tristan Rogers (Robert, NS)
7. Kimberly McCullough (Robin, NS/GH)
8. Lisa LoCicero (Olivia, GH)
9. Rick Hearst (Ric, GH)
10. Susan Flannery (Stephanie, B&B)
11. Michael Park (Jack, ATWT)
12. Maura West (Carly, ATWT)
13. Joseph Mascolo (Stefano, DAYS)
14. Jane Elliot (Tracy, GH)
15. Pamela Peyton-Wright (Addie, OLTL)
16. Ilene Kristen (Roxy, OLTL)
17. Trevor St. John (Todd, OLTL)
18. Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki, Y&R)
19. Christian LeBlanc (Michael, Y&R)
20. Greg Rikaart (Kevin, Y&R)
21. Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R)
22. Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, B&B)
23. Justin Deas (Buzz, GL)
24. Kim Zimmer (Reva, GL)
25. Sarah Brown (Claudia, GH)
26. Renee Jones (Lexie, DAYS)
27. Darnell Williams (Jesse, AMC)
28. Debbi Morgan (Angie, AMC)
29. James Scott (EJ, DAYS)
30. Kathy Brier (Marcie, OLTL)
31. Timothy Stickney (RJ, OLTL)
32. Carolyn Henessy (Diane, GH)
33. Erika Slezak (Viki, OLTL)
34. Michael E. Knight (Tad, AMC)
35. Alicia Minshew (Kendall, AMC)
36. Beth Ehlers (Taylor, AMC)
37. Alley Mills (Pam, B&B)
38. Melissa Fumero (Adriana, OLTL)
39. Genie Francis (Laura, GH)
40. Anthony Geary (Luke, GH)
41. Gina Tognoni (Dinah, GL)
42. Marcy Rylan (Lizzie, GL)
43. Catherine Hickland (Lindsay, OLTL)
44. Eddie Alderson (Matthew, OLTL)
45. Michael Graziadei (Daniel, Y&R)
46. Peter Bartlett (Nigel/Chuck, OLTL)
47. Arianne Zuker (Nicole, DAYS)
48. Lesli Kay (Felicia, B&B)
49. Jon Hensley (Holden, ATWT)
50. Chris Stack (Michael, OLTL)
51. Eden Riegel (Bianca, AMC)
52. Crystal Chappell (Olivia, GL)
53. Robert Newman (Josh, GL)
54. John-Paul Lavoisier (Rex, OLTL)
55. Eric Braeden (Victor, Y&R)
————————————————————————————————
2009 Soap Opera Spirit winners
OUTSTANDING FEMALE ACTOR IN A NEW ROLE OR RECAST —TIE—
Tamara Braun (Reese Williams, AMC)
YaYa Da Costa (ex-Cassandra Foster, AMC)
Julie Pinson (Janet Snyder, ATWT)
Tamara Braun (ex-Ava Vitali, DAYS)
Lisa LoCicero (Olivia Falconeri, GH)
Kathleen Noone (ex-Patricia, GH:NS)
Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe/Kate Ashby, Y&R)
Elizabeth Hendrickson: “I am so very thankful for being recognized for this award. I can’t believe I’ve been playing Chloe for a year — time truly does fly by when you’re having fun. And a very BIG thank you to the fans for watching and accepting Chloe into your homes and hearts.”
————————————————————————————————
PB (Jack) gives props to EH (Chloe)
This is from the Best and Worst of 2008 issue of Soaps in depth.
SID: Other than your own, what do you think was your show’s best storyline this year?
Peter Bergman: The storyline that I’ve been most engaged in is the entrance of Chloe. In she comes, we’re not dead sure who she is, she finds her way into more than one social and work circle, she meets this young Chancellor man—Katherine’s grandson and Jill’s son–an up and coming star at Jabot, and decides he’s it. She manipulates things by telling him she’s pregnant with his child, he responds exactly how she thought he would, but then she’s exposed as the daughter of Katherine’s maid, Esther, and the baby isn’t really his. Stunning! I happen to think Elizabeth Henderickson (Chloe) is terrific. I think that it only promises great things ahead.
————————————————————————————————
The Year In Soaps Magazine- Best of 2008
Best Baddie
1. Stefano, Days
2. Jerry, GH
3.Chloe, Y&R
4. Trent, Days
5. Carlo, OLTL
Biggest Surprise
1. Chloe is Esther’s daughter on Y&R
2. Trent is Max’s father on Days
3. Sonny quits the mob on GH
4. Marcus is Donna’s son on B&B
5. Chloe claims Cane’s her babydaddy on Y&R
TV guide Canada- The Nelson ratings- June 8th, 2009
—Elizabeth Hendrickson. Stop. Is a phenomenal actor. Stop. She doesn’t get enough credit. Stop. When Billy confessed his affair with that super-slut Sharon to Chloe, Hendrickson took what could have been an over-the-top soap scene and turned the episode into a Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Wolfe? update for young adults. Stop. This bitch needs an Emmy like yesterday. End Stop. Well, let’s hope it doesn’t stop here. Memo to Y&R: In my eyes, Billy and Chloe are the end game, which is why I hate that Billy’s full-time job appears to be to treating Chloe like trash despite the fact that Miller and Hendrickson ooze sexual heat and chemistry.
Top 18 2010 Emmy Front Runners:
1. Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R)
2. Jess Walton (Jill, Y&R)
3. Billy Miller (Billy, Y&R)
4. Greg Rikaart (Kevin, Y&R)
5. Crystal Chappell (Olivia, GL)
6. Lesley-Anne Down (Jackie, B&B)
7. Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R)
8. Justin Deas (Buzz, GL)
9. David Canary (Adam/Stuart, AMC)
10. Arianne Zucker (Nicole, DAYS)
11. Shenell Edmonds (Destiny, One Life)
12. Peter Bergman (Jack, Y&R)
13. Stacy Haiduk (Mary Jane, Y&R)
14. Carmen LoPorto (Jack, One Life)
15. Sharon Case (Sharon, Y&R)
16. Bree Williamson (Jess, One Life)
17. Zack Conroy (James, GL)
18. Trent Dawson (Henry, World Turns)
—————————————————
TV Guide Canada- The Nelson Ratings- June 15th, 2009
Top 5 Actresses to Watch:
1. Martha Byrne (Andrea, GH)
2. Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, Y&R)
3. Stacy Haiduk (Mary Jane/Patty, Y&R)
4. Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe, Y&R)
5. Crystal Chappell (Olivia, GL)
——————————————————–
Soaptown weekly article- June 15th, 2009
“Chloe is one of the few characters to improve with the change in writing. She is pretty much the only GC resident I find to have any rooting value…although at this point I wish she’d give Billy the boot and find someone better. However, she (as played by Elizabeth Hendrickson) remains the bright spot in this dismal show. I hope TPTB see her value and don’t allow Chloe to be destroyed like so many of the rest of the characters.”
——————————————————–
Soap Opera Digest- Blogging with Janet- May 28th, 2009
“YOUNG AND RESTLESS owes a major debt of gratitude to ALL MY CHILDREN. It all started back in 1989, when [AMC] fired Peter Bergman (ex-Cliff Warner). Y&R wisely scooped him up to play Jack Abbott. Three Emmy awards later — Bergman won outstanding lead actor honors in 1991, 1992, 2002 — they’re still reaping the benefits of landing one of the most premiere talents in daytime. Last year, Y&R scored two more stellar AMC castoffs: Elizabeth Hendrickson (ex-Maggie/Frankie) and Billy Miller (ex-Richie). The divine duo, who have been brilliantly coupled in a push-pull, love-hate relationship, hit it out of the park on a daily basis. As a Y&R viewer, I’d personally like to thank AMC for the cast cuts. Because their loss has certainly been the Genoa City soap’s gain. ”
————————————————-
Soap Opera Weekly- Comments from Peter Bergman- June 16th issue
“The Young and the Restless’ Peter Bergman(Jack) points out that All My Children’s recent losses have been Y&R’s gain. Billy Miller (Billy; ex Richie, AMC) is “spectacular, one of the greatest additions to the show in years. Can I also say I think Elizabeth (Hendrickson, Chloe; ex Maggie/Frankie, AMC) is wonderful?” raves the actor.”
——————————————————-
Soap Opera Digest- It’s only my Opinion- June 23rd issue
“But sorry, Y&R—the new Mac is not working. She plays so much older than Billy or Raul, even though the actors are all the same age (30–I looked it up), and she has no chemistry with either one. They clearly bore her. “We’re friends, and I DO love him, ” Mac insisted to Katherine after getting engaged to Raul. Is he a fiance or a pet? Meanwhile, Chloe is terrific in this storyline. Why would Billy want vapid Mac over spitfire Chloe? “
OMGee Vince, and I still find her vapid. Thanks for the documentation. You can put down Christel Khalil, and Tammin Sursook all you want, but Tammin outsnarks EH, and Elizabeth Hendrickson would be out of her depth in Lily’s cancer storyline.
Anyone can write a great review in this phony soap industry. The people writing these reviews are the same folks who have been calling Maria Arena Bell the Barack Obama of soaps, and her incompetent team who has dragged this soap into the ground the fabulous four. Yet Y&R continues to scrape the bottom of the barrel in ratings.
And for all of EH’s underserved praise, she hasn’t once been voted favorite actor in any of the soap magazines that are run by fans, who watch the show and pay the bills.
It’s nice to have friends in high places who are willing to prop you up, but until you stand and deliver, it’s all just hyperbole.
The fans of this actress would do well to let her prove herself, instead of constantly shoving her down our throats. Being friends with folks in high places has its advantages, and we know how prone to lies this industry is.
I think EH has proven herself in spades. Love her or hate her she still creates a stir. She came in as a temporary character and is now a contract player. And Chloe (EH) shines on her own. If anyone needs to be propped it would be Mac. She drags any scene she is in down but yet we keep getting her boring self shoved down our throats.
Eva Marcille also came in as a day player and got a contract. Contracts can be canceled as Nia Peeples learned first hand. I appreciate that you feel differently than I do, but I don’t think contract status is indicative of anything.
Get em Moni….I’ll cosign all day, everyday.
Vince, you have a lot of time on your hands buddy…WOW!
You and Carolyn talk about EH proving herself and all the accolades she’s received, yet the character has no direction…which is what CKR was talking about in the first place. MAB and company choose to bombard us with this character and they don’t even know who she is…..today she’s the “spitfire”, tomorrow she’s the victim, the next day she’s the independent “don’t need a man” woman and the following day she’s plotting and scheming….Who is she? Who is this character? Tell me.
Carolyn, you talk about Mac needing to be propped. She doesn’t. Mac is a legacy character, an established character. MAB and company have destroyed her. CKR’s outrage at “Mac” being thrown under the bus for an underdeveloped newbie, is justified. It doesn’t matter who’s playing the character, whether you like or dislike CF’s portrayal, the idea that an established character can be railroaded to prop some newbie is a huge slap in the face of fans. And make no mistake, the character of “Mac” had many fans. You may not be one but there were many.
CKR, I enjoyed your post.
Moni — I agree with every word you have said in each post.
Vince — are you initials NB? Lol!
Stephanie — you’ve believed the lie: female characters who are bitchy (e.g., Woe Valentine), aren’t interesting and do not create “drama!” They’re actually predictable, obvious and cruel. Hogie and MAB are destroying our collective imaginations by pimping Woe because we KNOW how she’s going to act. Woe IS and always WILL BE an insincere, emasculating, selfish, manipulative, pathetic, desperate, biotch. I know what she’s going to do before she does it. How can that be interesting? That’s NOT drama. That’s a reason to turn off one’s tv! And, not surprisingly, viewers are doing so in droves.
CKR — yes, you have stirred the pot! Good for you girl! You are right on so many levels, including, people not knowing how to read texts. Lol!
Y&R is in huge trouble and newbies are simply one spoke in the wheel — as your series has pointed out. The problem is that they are introduced with no vision or purpose but to create angst via plot points. Not every newbie is problematic, but many are: Deacon, Woe, Ryder, Tyra/Ana, etc.
Imho, one of the reasons Y&R is heading toward a 2.9 is because they have believed the hype of EH and the criticisms of CK/TS. In response to the “critical” praise early on, they have backburnered characters long time viewers have come to love (Colleen), for a character who the average women watching soaps would NEVER befriend in real life. Why would I as a viewer emotionally invest in a character I would hate if I actually met her? Moreover, the perpetual pimping of an unlikable character, at the expense of legacy characters, makes viewers resentful!
I don’t care if they introduce new characters, in fact, before Kate became Woe, I liked her. She was good as comic relief. But the praise came in too soon before she could deliver as a lead. EH is not a lead.
Moni is right — EH’s portrayal of Woe is vapid. I feel like I’m watching someone in acting class 101! Lol! The two weeks in the summer she wasn’t on I watched Y&R EVERY SINGLE DAY!!! It was so freeing knowing I wasn’t going to see this character the writers have caused me to hate by their endless and pointless pimping! I don’t care and Woe and frankly, I never will.
I know many will disagree with me, but I really believe the rewrite of Woe as Kate Valentine and the “redemption train” that followed (and continues, btw), is making long-time viewers turn off.
Get rid of Kate and her spawn, Deacon, Ryder, etc., and give me what I want to see writers: the Winters and the Abbots, boardroom drama between the Abbots, Chancellors and Newmans, and romantic pairings that are not awkward (Bloe) or incestuous (Tyra and Devon)!
I completely agree that there are way too many newbie’s running around on this show. I do not mind new characters you do need them otherwise you get incest like on B&B and nobody wants that. Now I regards to EH. As far as I am concerned her character is a fail. She has been on over a year given great dialogue got everything her heart could ever wish for and yet still is not that popular. Yes she gets accolades from the likes of NB but he is the same that person that called MAB the Obama of soaps. In my opinion eh is a big reason chloe is such a fail. The girl cannot show emotion and so her snark and bitch comes off as very flat and one dimensional. That’s why a character as insane as mj can be popular, Stacy Haiduk humanizes her character she makes you understand her plight and you know damn well mj is crazy that is something eh has failed to do. Then there is the fact that she does not have chemistry with her male costars, something eh has said herself. Yes chilly may have some fans but not nearly the amount they should have given the fact they have had since last September when Billy came to town.
She had this very same problem on AMC. She played Maggie Stone a character that was more of the good girl type. She was given numerous front burner stories but failed to catch on with viewers, similar to her problem on Y&R. Then TPTB decided to write a murder mystery for sweeps and since EHs Maggie was not a popular or central character they wrote her off but before that they paired eh with Eden Regal and Bam took off. Now the story had already been written so they could not change it but after Maggie died they thought eh had finally finally caught on with viewers and so they brought her back in the form of Maggie’s twin Frankie. Once she returned to the canvas they had the same problem as before her pairings did not work because there was no chemistry and she could not display emotion. The storyline where Jonathon abused Frankie could have been brilliant but eh failed to deliver. Eventually after months of trying they made Frankie gay because they knew it was the only thing that eh could sell.
Hello all,
I understand why people don’t like Chloe. Those of you that have been watching the show for over 20 years know that Chloe is just the younger version of all the women veterans, like Jill, Katherine, Nina, basically every female on the show. What Chloe did to “lane the most loved couple on soaps”, wasn’t anything different or outrageous that any of the women in GC have done. So I laugh when people are so pissed off at what she did! Chloe is the character that you are supposed to dislike and like, just like Jill was liked and disliked when she was the “vixen” years ago. Even if you hate her, people still find the time to post about her and create names like “woe” to describe her. That is exactly what the writers want you to do. Discuss the character, if she was useless, no one would talk about her. There wouldn’t be blogs about her, she would just disappear like some characters have done in the past. When I go to the message boards, there are like 5 different threads about this character everyday, and some of them just have hate and some have love. Just shows that the actress and the character are doing a good job to generate that much buzz. If she wasn’t she wouldn’t be talked about this much. If there were message boards back when Jill was sleeping around years ago, she would have been hated just as much as Chloe is right now. When I first saw Chloe, I liked her right away, and I didn’t mind her screwing over Lane, because this is a soap, and who wants to watch Lane hold hands all day. It was sweet in the beginning, but you have to have some drama. IMO.
Cane and Lily: With Chloe inserting herself and being a bitch, was a classic soap move that has been done so many times. So I just sat back and enjoyed watching the drama unfold. Even if you hated Chloe, you have to admit that you couldn’t wait to see what would happen when the truth came out about her baby and what the reactions would be from Cane and Lily. That kind of drama is why Chloe was so effective in that relationship. You might have disliked her to the point where you wanted to see her fall. So she wasn’t useless.
Chloe and Billy: I didn’t like the Chilly relationship at all. I do not take any pleasure seeing a man put down a woman, and i think that the writers went a little overboard with it. The writers should have showed Billy having feelings for Chloe when they were married, but instead, they showed that he didn’t give a damn about her. So it’s unbelievable that now he would have feelings for her. Moreover, I don’t mind Chance falling for Chloe. Why not! I mean Chloe hasn’t had anyone love her, she has had two failed marriages and abuse from Billy, why not show her with someone else? Phyliss has done some horrible things, but men love her, so i don’t know why it would be surprising that someone would fall for Chloe?
Mac and Billy: It’s obvious that has been re-written, and I think it’s because of the negative response from the viewers. A lot of people including myself didn’t see the chemistry that i was hoping for these two, and there seems to be such a popularity with Chilly, that they had to change gears. It’s not surprising that Billy would fall for Chloe anyway, because she’s the mother of his child, and they cause a stir on boards. If they didn’t they wouldn’t be talked about. As far as Mac being thrown under the bus, I don’t see it that way. Mac is the most boring character on the show right now for me. If it wasn’t for Billy, she would go nowhere. Even when she first arrived, she wasn’t doing anything interesting! So, in order to make her interesting they made her do something out of character, by making her the mistress. I mean, it’s not that terrible, every woman on this show has been the mistress at some point, or will be. I know it sounds terrible, and i hate saying it because i am a woman, but that’s what soaps have been about for years. If we hated it that much, we wouldn’t be watching them. We do for the drama. Mac needs to do something out of character to develop layers and mistakes. She can’t stay the same forever and never make a mistake! If she did, no one would care!
Finally, yes the writing on the show hasn’t been great, but we are all still taking the time to post about the show and talk about what we don’t like and like. If we didn’t care and hated it that much, this board wouldn’t exist. I always defend Chloe on one of the Y&R message boards, because she is really the next generation of women we have have seen over the years. She is nothing different. Just re-watch what Nina and Jill have done. Not trying to make anyone like Chloe. But also understand, that Chloe has been on the show for only a year, so it’s not like she is established yet. Look at how long it took the veterans!
Love your post ivy, very insightful and interesting perspective. Most of us loved to hate Chloe when she started instigating with Lane, and loved EH as a great character actress a year ago.
What people like me hate about this character today is how the writers, the press and tptb in general, seem to be bending the universe to make things work around her.
Lane has never been the same because their break-up was not believable since we knew Cane never slept with Chloe up front, and it just made everyone look really stupid.
The writers have continually rewritten Chloe’s backstory to give her a raison d’etre where neither the actress nor the writers had created one. Everyone loves a bad girl who owns her crap, but to say she did everything for Delia when she rubbed her belly in Lily’s face for 8 months and never showed any affection for the child until after it was born. Rather, she trekked up a mountain, 8 months pregnant, and I’m sorry that doesn’t speak to maternal instinct. It’s hard to believe a character as self absorbed in thought and actions as Chloe did everything for a child she wouldn’t protect when she was coming into the world.
Also, the way the writers seem to bend the earth to fit this character just seems above and beyond, as does the soap press praise that for many doesn’t seem warranted. Michael Muhney and Stacey Haiduk absolutely deserve that kind of praise because they have created something extraordinary in a very short time, with very little backstory, or rewrites, and their characters remain sympathetic and skillfully acted. It feels like manipulation, instead of honest praise for EH at this point. A proportionate response is necessary for credibility here.
We’re not brand new, we know soaps need bad girls like Chloe, but I personally think she has a long way to go before comparisons to Jill, Phyllis, or even Nina are appropriate. Give her time to prove herself, and like Sammy on Days, she may in time be an insanely popular character.
Thanks for responding!
I agree that Chloe needs development. I think I read that Chloe was supposed to be a temporary character when she first arrived. The writers didn’t expect her to be so popular, and had to come up with a back story for her quickly. Chloe being Kate Valentine, was a great spin for me, because I forgot that Esther had a daughter! I think the reason why Chloe is getting so much press and reviews, is because we haven’t seen a new “fresh” bad girl in awhile. Sadly these writers keep recycling stories for the already existing bad girls that we have already seen them do. Phyliss’s and Sharon’s recent actions are not that unbelievable because these characters have already done it in the past. With Chloe, since she is a “new” character, her being bad is exciting to watch because we still know nothing about her. We know everything about the veterans, so it’s not that exciting or original anymore, unless the writers stop recycling. IMO. Chloe right now can be unpredictable if written right. I think it’s fair to say that Chloe is the “new” Jill (most of the veteran women), because the writers are obviously writing the young characters as replacements for the veterans. From Amber’s relationship with Katherine, Nina telling Chloe she is just like her, John Abbot telling Jack he is the leader of the Abbott clan, Billy being the new Jack. These characters are slowly replacing the old and the old is the more experienced. Jack giving Billy advice is like John giving Jack advice and so on. I don’t have a problem with new additions to the canvas, because you need fresh blood, or everybody will be sleeping with everybody and you would start to question relationships. Are they related? Weren’t they related?, you know what i mean. Already we have weird relationships. Moreover, how many times are we going to see the same character make the same mistakes! We need new characters for the new generation that haven’t been watching Y&R as long as we have, make the same mistakes as the veterans so it can be new to them!
The whole Cane and Chloe’s baby, was a horrible re-write. To me it was just like Ashley becoming “suddenly pregnant” when we all knew she wasn’t capable. Anyway, I don’t think it had to do with propping Chloe, because if it did, Chloe would still be talking to Cane about how she wasn’t so bad after all, blah blah. She would be saying things like, “I am not crazy”, you are!” She had her dig in two episodes, because everybody was hating on Cane at that time. Chloe, doesn’t talk to Cane or lily, and isn’t even in their present storyline. So i don’t see where people are saying she is being propped when Chloe doesn’t even interact with Cane anymore?
Also, it’s not like Chloe has many friends and is well liked by people. You don’t see Lily and Chloe shopping or having lunch, she still doesn’t like her, and still remembers what she went through with her. Lily brought it up with her talk with Cane the other day.
Chloe is always going to be the extreme with things, in terms of her going up to the cabin and confronting Billy and lily. Of course! If she did the right thing and stayed home, and waited, it wouldn’t have been that interesting. Her going up to the cabin was the turning point for a lot of characters and the truth coming out. They did the spin with her possibly dying because of her irresponsible behavior, and made us the viewers say, “Why the hell would she put her and her child in danger for a man that doesn’t love her?” Chloe is always going to be the irresponsible and impulsive one, just like Billy. Billy has done a bunch of things without thinking, but that’s what makes these characters interesting. We the viewers are always going to think the responsible way, but as a soap, irresponsible and selfish people that do crazy things are always going to be entertaining. And let’s get real! That baby was unwanted at first by Billy and Chloe. But I do believe over time she bonded with the baby and is now loving towards her. Despite her antics at the cabin, she did express concern during the delivery, and said she didn’t care what happened to her as long as Delia survived. If Chloe is still on the show in the next 20 years, Delia is going to be pulling the same crap, and you will hear Billy and Chloe telling her all the stupid things they did when they were young. Just like we see Nina and Philip telling Chance about their past.
Speaking of lack of maternal instincts, another example is Phyliss turning her back on Summer, and allowing a stranger kiss her daughter is as irresponsible as it gets! But it’s a soap and you have to overlook some of those things. HA!
I don’t see the writers trying to bend over backwards to fit her into the storylines. She isn’t even on the show a lot anymore, and like I stated above doesn’t even interact with Lane. So who is she really involved with? Chance, Mac, Billy, and sometimes if we are lucky to see them, Katherine, Esther, and once in a blue moon Murphey. Billy is the one that is actually involved in every storyline! They are bending over backwards for him more than anybody. But I am proud of the actor and love him and don’t mind seeing his gorgeous smile everyday!
Finally, I think EH does deserve the recognition she is getting. She is bringing to life a character that is the bitch and she is doing it well enough to be talked about on every message board. That is saying something! If she wasn’t talked about, then she doesn’t deserve it and is not doing her job right.