avanta7: (pong)
[personal profile] avanta7
I got in a conversation today about The Young And The Restless.

True confession time: I started watching this soap with my mother when I was about 11 years old. I watched it faithfully and religiously for over twenty years. Then I went to work for the federal government and no longer had an hour-long lunch in which to go home and see the show. I tried taping it for a while, but the tapes gathered dust, and eventually I lost track and lost interest.

Still, old habits die slow and painful deaths. As I told my co-worker, every now and then, when I'm home during the day, I'll tune in. But it takes me only about ten minutes to realize they're still hashing over the same stuff they hashed out all those years ago: Kay & Jill are still at each other's throats; Jack is out to bed the show's latest hot babe who happens to be the wife/girlfriend of his latest business partner; Paul is about to get his heart broken again; Nikki and Victor will marry and divorce and marry and divorce and marry and...well, you get the picture.

And then my co-worker says, "You know that Kay is Jill's mother."

What? What? WHAT?!? How on earth....??? She's a Foster! Poor Irish Catholic from the wrong side of the tracks, with enough ruthless ambition to seduce Kay's husband and get pregnant, claim a share of the Chancellor fortune for her child, and leave her poor Irish Catholic white trash beginnings behind with nary a regret.

Elizabeth, Kay's former housekeeper, is her mother. Her father (whose name I forget) was a cop. Snapper the doctor is her brother. Greg the lawyer is her brother. Jill is the youngest Foster and the only girl.

But no, said my co-worker. The story now goes like this: Kay got pregnant before she was married and gave the infant girl to someone who gave the baby to the Fosters who adopted her. Then Kay married and had her son Brock.

Wait just a doggone minute. Brock is older than Jill. Brock has always been older than Jill. Brock and Jill even had a fling many many moons ago. This means, chronology notwithstanding, not only did Jill have an affair with her own brother, she had an affair with her brother's father, and Brock is not only her son's uncle but her son's brother.

Do you hear "Dueling Banjos"? This story takes place in Wisconsin, not Deliverance!

I'm embarrassed that I even know all this stuff. And that I still care. Crap, I'm probably going to have to start watching the silly thing again.

My head hurts.

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 04:40 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] shendoah.livejournal.com
put the TV remote down, step slowly away.

I used to be addicted to Days of our Lives and Guiding light. I feel your pain.

*hears voice through loudspeaker*

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 10:23 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] avanta7.livejournal.com
"Step away from the television. Now!" Umm, yes, ma'am.

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 05:28 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] jas330.livejournal.com
I do the watch it when I'm home thing with Days and Passions.

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 06:45 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] madame-urushiol.livejournal.com
OMG. I can't believe my mother didn't call me to tell me that. She's been watching Y&R since the beginning, and even had me watching for a while, so I know everyone you're talking about. And Days. She also watches Days. The last time I watched, Danny and Cricket and Phillip and Nina were on.

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 10:25 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] avanta7.livejournal.com
I was so shocked I didn't think to ask my co-worker when this particular plot twist came to light. It may be very recent. It may have been revealed some time ago. *resists temptation to check Soap Opera Digest website*

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 03:01 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] texaswren.livejournal.com
Y & R was my mom's show, but I watched it a bit at the very beginning. I think we knew this at first, because when I read your post, my first thought was Yeah, I knew that. But, that was long, long ago, so I may be wrong. But, I think it was a story line that they let fade away in the early days.

My show was General Hospital. I started watching about 1962 or 63, Jessie, Phil, Dr Hardy, Audrey, and Audrey's grouchy old sister, whose name escapes me. I watched on and off for decades. By the early 1990's I was also addicted to All My Children and One Life to Live. But, they started getting really sleazy. I know the sleaze was always hinted at, but suddenly, it was so brazen. I just got bored and quit watching. I saw one of them during the holidays when I was cooped up in the kitchen cooking, and luckily, I didn't even recognize half the characters.

Really?

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 10:21 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] avanta7.livejournal.com
I think we knew this at first...it was a story line that they let fade away in the early days.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Really? I don't remember that at all, and I started watching this show at the beginning as well, when the Brooks and Foster families were the chief focus (Laurie, Leslie, Lance, Chris, Snapper, Jill, et al. and etc.) and Kathryn was still a drunk.

Of course, I was 11 when I started watching it. Some things may have escaped my attention.

Re: Really?

Date: Feb. 11th, 2005 10:24 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] texaswren.livejournal.com
Well, for a few years, I was deeply engrossed in several soaps, so I could have it mixed up. Wish Mom was still here-she would know!!

Date: Feb. 12th, 2005 03:36 pm (UTC)
From: [identity profile] annulla.livejournal.com
My little secret: I follow a soap, too. Eastenders. (blush)

I'm embarrassed to tell you that I know why Michele had to leave the country, how Mark got AIDS, why Carol disowned Bianca, who killed Barry (no, he didn't fall -- he was pushed!), why Alfie went to prison, why Pat & Roy's marriage was never consummated, who Zoe's father was, what really caused Arthur's death ... it is sad, isn't it?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/eastenders/

Date: Feb. 13th, 2005 12:27 am (UTC)
From: [identity profile] avanta7.livejournal.com
Sister! *embraces annulla*

August 2013

S M T W T F S
    123
45678910
11121314151617
18192021222324
25 262728293031

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags
Page generated Jul. 16th, 2025 10:06 pm
Powered by Dreamwidth Studios