A Critic’s Review Of The Young and the Restless: Sweet, Sweet Flashbacks & Empathy

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

Thursday’s offering was a real treat. Beth Maitland and alter ego were front and center, the Abbotts [save for Allie] were all corralled in the one room, and there were some cutting references to all but forgotten lore [Brad and Ashley’s entanglement for example]. And the flashbacks. The sweet, sweet flashbacks.

My gripes? Kyle (Michael Mealor) and his moody ‘tude really irked, I could have done with even more historical references [how good a man was John? Well, he forgave his son — that would be Jack — for sleeping with his wife (that would be Jill), a storyline that was evoked years later when Billy slept with Jack’s wife, Phyllis], and it was all for naught. And exercise in futility.

Though the episode ended on a rather positive note, spoilers tell us that as early as next Monday the Abbott siblings will be back to backbiting. It was a great, welcomed episode, but, ultimately, a pointless one. Still, the flashbacks.

Further Y&R Musing

* Am I alone in yearning for scenes of a character, any character, to publicly stick it to Nate (Sean Dominic) and/or Victoria (Amelia Heinle) on a semi-regular basis? And if Tucker (Trevor St. John) could always be in the background snickering and pulling faces, all the better.

* Again, I issue a complaint regarding a program called The Young and the Restless being so derelict in their investment in their young cast. Hi ya, Reylynn Caster! Bye ya, Reylynn Caster!

* How I appreciate hearing Sharon (Sharon Case) grouse about spending a year post-Rey serving coffee and doling out advice and rejoice in finally feeling alive and activated again. It’s almost as if someone at Y&R is finally listening to fans’ [and this humble-ish critic’s] concerns and attempting to do something to alleviate them. Almost.

* Mark Grossman [Adam Newman] and Courtney Hope [Sally Spectra] are continuing to deliver in spades, but it would behoove the writers to soften Sally’s sharpish delivery as her outright spiteful damning of Adam is making it a mite difficult to empathize.

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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