Older Episodes: Richness and depth of Y&R characters from earlier decades

[DOOLWill]

Watching these older episodes are just amazing! Finished the episode from 1981 and OMG what a treat that was. The depth and layers of characters are amazing. I feel like most of the characters nowadays are one dimensional and not properly developed. I hope the writing team is also watching these older episodes.

[TunerEyes]

i too just re-watched it. Had missed a part of it and I think I like the close ups and kind of dramatic filming style from back then. Vanessa at one point got up from her couch I think and moved such as it made me think of her as a frankenstein creation adjusting her body parts for the first time. I just really enjoyed the whole episode.

[Mysterio]

I would rather have a subscription service to watch Old school YR at least from 1984 to 2014 than watch modern day YR for free. YR has a writing problem. You don't need new sets. You need character story and Vets mixed with their offspring. Paul/Michael/Lauren/Jill/Kevin/Chloe should be on more with their own story. Out of them all at least when Jill is on. She is written well. I am sure if YR pitched a great story for Jill. JW would take it on.

When I see a Newman centric episode. I just FF. Its the Newman's vs Adam. Like why is Adam even in Genoe City. Its not like he has friends. Everyone has a sort of conflict with Adam on some level. So why stay when your life is like that. Adam is rich so its not like he needs the cash.

[Forever Fan]

The subscription service is a good idea. I don't know if CBS Access has the bandwidth to post classic soaps. But if it does, I'm sure there are many soap fans who would pay to see the early years of Y&R and B&B.

[mariem202]

Because the show needs characters like Adam, characters the fans either adore or hate and gets everyone buzzing. The Adam vs Newmans episodes the last few months have been among the rare ones to get over 4 million viewers. Phyllis has no friends either, should she leave? I don't get that mentality. Every show needs a troublemaker, Every soap has them as main characters. They so needed Adam, they tried to make Nick him when he was gone.

[thecourt99]

I agree and I want to see the episodes where Michael Baldwin terrorized Christine. Those were AMAZING

[Forever Fan]

Michael Baldwin was one scary dude, and yes I'd like to see those scenes as well. Bell created some dark characters. In today's environment, predators like Michael Baldwin and Kevin Fisher are not redeemable. They'd be sent to prison, like Ripley Turner, never to be seen again.

[57A Keolu Drive]

Yes, these old scenes were so much better! I started watching this show since the summer of 1981, and I didn't recognize some of the characters. But, it was so much better.

[ekek]

I am enjoying it. I was an occasional viewer back then because I worked. But i recognized everyone but Phyllis. Different actress. But her behavior clued me in fast. Boy Sheila was tame back then.

[janesBydiction]

I'm going to go a little against the grain here. I honestly wasn't into a lot of it. The weird facial closeups, the extremely loud melodramatic music, the slow dialogue, the dark lighting. Much of classic YR feels quite dated and archaic to me. I don't really care for much of YR today, but the stuff from 1991, for example, is a hard pass for me.

[muffpuff]

Love every moment of these old shows, they totally hold my attention. Sigh, an era over.

[bronxgal]

I'm going to go a little against the grain here. I honestly wasn't into a lot of it. The weird facial closeups, the extremely loud melodramatic music, the slow dialogue, the dark lighting. Much of classic YR feels quite dated and archaic to me. I don't really care for much of YR today, but the stuff from 1991, for example, is a hard pass for me.

I will go against the grain too. The closeups on very word bother me to no end and the music cues are too much. And the conversations that don’t end.

While today’s show is not perfect I like it and prefer it actually. But it is nice to see some of the characters when they were younger. And classic characters again.

[Artista]

Hands down, YR is the suck nowadays. No wonder soaps are in trouble. YR made the mistake of changing up something that definitely didn't need fixing. The good ole days. I would love to watch again from the first epi.

[thecourt99]

They changed because the audience changed as other soaps were cancelled. Then they found that they changed too much, and began losing their base. They haven't been able to blend what they used to be with what they want to be.

[littleliz]

I know the sets were spectacular but what keeps me glued to the old Y&R is the writing. That is what is missing
from the shows and the actors are mature and not the routine millennials. Their love lives are more interesting
to me.

[ncposton]

One thing I noticed watching the classic episodes is not everyone is rich, and I liked seeing inclusion of characters from across the economic scale.

[DOOLWill]

I totally agree. Y&R always had characters from different socio-economic backgrounds, young and old. This continued till early 2000s and then it was gone.

[not so young]

Agree about the varied economic background. I think this help make the show relatable.

[leehaven24]

Yes, the writing was amazing, but the acting was too! Our Actors brought it every day. I think our actors would LOVE some great stories to tell.