A Critic’s Review Of The Young and the Restless: Musical Couples & Disbelief

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: A Critic’s Week In Review

There’s nothing like the holidays to bring together groups of people who despise and otherwise wouldn’t associate with one another, and I’m thankful that The Young and the Restless took full advantage of the opportunity. I was especially thrilled at Traci “Sweet As Pumpkin Pie” Abbott (Beth Maitland) shooting a look that asked, “Really? Diane Jenkins? Here? Today? With the family?” and her enjoyment of Ashley Abbott’s (Eileen Davidson) acerbic interjections in spite of herself.

I’m also thankful for the less-than-delicate hints of storylines yet to come:

Things between Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) and Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) are decidedly chilly owning to his pathological need to play nursemaid to Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) — enter her ex-husband Daniel Romalotti (Michael Graziadei). Wonder where this story is going?

Likewise, Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) is icing out Elena Dawson (Brytni Sarpy) — who’s running into ex-lover Devon Hamilton (Bryton James) more times than is necessary — and spending all his free time with Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) who practically lights up like a Christmas tree every time he walks into her sightline. You don’t need to be a psychic to predict we’re soon to witness a game of musical couples.

I’d even bet my credentials as a soap opera journalist that it’ll be any day that Sally Spectra (Courtney Hope) and Nicholas Newman (Joshua Morrow) will call it quits and reunite with Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) and Sharon Rosales (Sharon Case) respectively.

Actually, you know what, since it’s Nick, I’m going to hedge my bets and guarantee you that he’ll either wind up back with Sharon or Phyllis Summers (Michelle Stafford). His heart will want what it wants at the time, and then it’ll want what it doesn’t have. That’s Nick 101, and Y&R tends to stick to a pretty reliable script.

Further Y&R Musings

* How could the Y&R scribes prime Victor Newman — and portrayer Eric Braeden — for the perfect, “Well, I’ll be damned,” moment [i.e. Abby Many Last Names confessing that she and Chance Chancellor are estranged] and not deliver?

* Just so I can get in clear in my own head, The Young and the Restless has merely transposed Noah Newman’s (Rory Gibson) initial storyline — and I do them a service by referring to it as a b — onto Daniel, right? It’s not just me who sees that?

* Selective Memory Much: What was with Daniel and Lily waxing nostalgic about their sojourn to California — he was on the run for a murder that he didn’t commit; R.I.P Cassie Newman (Camryn Grimes) — and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) doing likewise about, “the many,” Thanksgivings that Dina (Marla Adams) and John (Jerry Douglas) oversaw? Dina was miserable practically her whole marriage, disillusioned with motherhood, and I’m going to guess not much of a holly, jolly, holiday person.

* Surprise, surprise, Chelsea got everything her little heart desired — both of her biological children fawning all over her — and all it took was burdening her youngest with the news of her suicidal depression. It would be funny if it was so very sad and so very predictable.

* Well looky there, garbage person Devon is still denigrating Nate. Not a good look you hypocrite. Not a good look.

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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