Are Billy Abbott and Chelsea Helping or Enabling Each Other on Young and the Restless?

On The Young and the Restless, Billy Abbott and Chelsea have decided that they are great for each other. They are helping each other with their mental health, with their social health, and with their parental health. Sure, sure, they’ll go to therapy and whatever, but, in the end, all they really need is the other’s support.

Young and the Restless: Either/Or

Except is what they’re doing supporting each other’s good habits…or reinforcing each other’s bad ones? Let’s remember that Billy (Jason Thompson) initially broke up with Victoria (Amelia Heinle), the one-time love of his life, because he felt she wasn’t supporting his whims with enough enthusiasm.

When Billy wanted to quit his job, Victoria didn’t immediately jump up and down and clap. When he looked like he was about to fall off the gambling wagon, Victoria expressed concern. Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) never does that. But maybe she, you know, should?

Billy Abbott and Chelsea Lawson: Bad News

It works the other way, too. Billy supported Chelsea when she wanted to tell Johnny (Paxton Mishkind) that she was his biological mother. Let’s put aside for now whether that was best for Johnny. Was it really best for Chelsea? Billy didn’t consider it one way or the other. He just said, “Yes.” But this is not an improvisational exercise. This is life. His, hers, and his son’s.

Did Billy give any thought to the wisdom of the action? No, he supported Chelsea, the way she supported him quitting his job and starting a podcast. (Isn’t Billy a little old for that? Isn’t that more of a Gen Z fantasy?)

That may seem like a good thing. Until one of them goes on another self-destructive bender, which they are known for. Will the other one still play cheerleader, then? Or will they have to put their foot down? And will that be followed by the usual, “Why don’t you believe in me?” tantrums? We just don’t see any way this relationship, as is, can end well.

The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. For an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.

The best place for true soap fans to be is our Facebook groups. Have you joined? If you love soap spoilers, gossip, and fans as dedicated as yourself, check out Days of our Lives Fans, General Hospital Exclusive, The Young and the Restless Fans, and The Bold and the Beautiful Fans.