When it comes to The Young and the Restless, every fan has their own opinion – and Soap Hub is no different. For five days, we sat and watched the good, the bad, and everything in between, and now we offer you a handy review, and a cheeky critique, of Y&R’s week that was.
The Young and the Restless: The Critic Offers HIS Take
With the climax to Cameron Kirsten’s (Linden Ashby) reign of terror, The Young and the Restless certainly delivered the dramatic goods. Was it perfect? Hardly. And while I’ll most certainly be listing what I feel were detriments to the storyline as a whole, I’d be remiss if I didn’t give credit where it is due.
First and foremost, this week’s Y&R seemed to unspool in a fashion not so dissimilar to the cliffhanger-filled film serials of old, which made for must-see TV. And then, there was Sharon Case [Sharon Rosales] where she always should be, and that’s front and center.
I also must say, had the outcome not been spoiled for me days prior [the hazards of being a soap journalist], I would NOT have seen Sharon’s out-and-out murder of Cameron coming.
Where The Young and the Restless dropped the ball was in the construction of the tale. Rather than slowly ratchet up the tension, ensure the necessary beats were played, and make full use of the host of characters in Sharon’s orbit [think Mariah (Camryn Grimes), whose birth father was slain by Cameron, and the whole host of former Newman in-laws — in particular Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) whose banishment to the periphery when she’d been such a vital part of the original Cameron saga is criminal], it was full steam ahead.
As a result, it’s all come off feeling terribly rushed, an epic months-long thrill ride condensed into a handful of weeks [barely five by my calculations].
Further Y&R Musings
* Elena’s (Brytni Sarpy) delicious public dressing downs of Nate (Sean Dominic) and Victoria (Amelia Heinle) continue to delight. I honestly hope they never stop.
I’m also digging the tough love that Lily (Christel Khalil) has been dishing out to Daniel (Michael Graziadei).
* I know it’s become grating for some, but I’ll admit to still getting a kick out of the snapping and snipping coming from Ashley (Eileen Davidson), Tucker (Trevor St. John), Diane (Susan Walters), and Jack (Peter Bergman).
* Mark Grossman [Adam Newman] and Courtney Hope [Sally Spectra] are doing the work of their careers. Bravo to the two of them!
* Victor (Eric Braeden) seems to be on to Nate and Audra (Zuleyka Silver), which can only be a good thing.
Not so good is Victor’s piety. Why should he help Phyllis (Michelle Stafford)? Maybe because he’s got no room to judge her, let alone anybody. Maybe because after what he subjected her to via “Fake Jack” he owes her about a billion.
The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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