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A Critic’s Review of The Young and the Restless: Endgame And Emmys

The author’s opinions on Y&R are his and his alone. They’re suitably scathing, fairly humorous, and normally bang on target.

the young and the restless critic's review for december 4 – december 8, 2023, three images, devon, nikki, and billy.Devon Hamitlon, Nikki Newman, and Billy Abbott.
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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

Count me among the viewers anxiously anticipating Aunt Jordan Rides Again, the sequel to last week’s camptastic Avenging Eve. I’ll take virtually anything over yet more squabbling between C suite executives, megalomaniacal corporate raiders, corporate shareholders, and the pawns in their games…unless said squabbling is going down between the likes of Mamie (Veronica Redd) and Jill (Jess Walton) or lead to more scenes like the one in which Jill barreled her way into the Abbott mansion and joined in the family’s reindeer games. (Refresh your memory on that here.) At least then, my attention is focused.

I’m also warming to the idea that Tucker’s (Trevor St John) endgame is merely sowing seeds of discontent and then sitting back and watching as the infighting amongst the Abbotts (particularly Billy [Jason Thompson], Jack [Peter Bergman], and Kyle [Michael Mealor]) and Jill and Mamie leads to their own downfalls. Now that’s diabolical! (And what does it say about Diane [Susan Walters] that she was the first to suspect something of the like?)

Further Y&R Musings

* Given the revolting charade put on by Victor (Eric Braeden), how is it that Nate (Sean Dominic) continues to be painted as a villain akin to the Anti-Christ? As for him being “ambitious and ruthless as they come,” since when does Victor see that as a bad thing? And considering what his own spawn have gotten away with, how could Victor say, with a straight face no less, that being family “only covers so much.” (Also, given Devon’s [Bryton James] past, he’s not one to judge.)

* How has news not leaked of the Newmans’ misadventures in Ohio?

* I understand “the passage of time” and all that, but do you mean to tell me that neither Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) nor Victor could recognize the music she shimmied to back in her days as a stripper at The Bayou?

* I love how Victor granted the possibility that maybe conducting an affair with Eve (and then tossing her aside like a piece of garbage) is what brought all this chaos to his family’s doorstep.

All joking aside, I do appreciate the writers acknowledging the holes in their own story. Of course, there are so many more ways to exact revenge on one’s enemies than the one Jordan put all her efforts into, and it is a wonder why she waited “a lifetime” to put her plan into motion. It’s little touches like these that make me (a bit more) willing to suspend my disbelief and go where the plot takes me.

* If Victor really is so concerned about Nikki’s sobriety, why not remove all traces of alcohol from the ranch until such time as the temptation isn’t so great? And given all the talk about Nikki’s alcoholism, why not address her MS?

And speaking of MTS, she’s continuing to do the work of her career. If ever there was material worthy of that elusive Daytime Emmy, it’s this.

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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