Soaps are nowhere without antagonists and The Young and the Restless has had some grand ones over the decades. Remember how Ian Ward shook up Nikki’s life? The impact Cameron Kirsten had on Sharon’s life? And Sheila Carter turned Lauren Fenmore’s world upside down!
Young and the Restless Shake-Up
The latest bad guy to come on the scene is Ashland Locke, played by veteran actor Richard Burgi, and YR is richer for his presence.
Conflict For Kyle
Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Summer (Hunter King) were mostly conflict-free. We kind of don’t understand the fuss about Sally (Courtney Hope), who truly isn’t trying to come between the lovebirds. But Ashland is definitely poised to disrupt Kyle’s life. The media mogul is highly suspicious that Kyle slept with his wife Tara (Elizabeth Leiner) and that wouldn’t sit well with anyone!
Power Players
Jack (Peter Bergman) and Victor (Eric Braeden) will always be rivals but they’re not currently in a major battle. Ashland, however, stands to be a foil to both men. Victor refused to allow for help to be called after Ashland had a heart attack and it’s an easy bet that Ashland will want some revenge.
Jack will likely step up and protect Kyle from Ashland’s threats, so these two could go a round or two – especially as the welfare of Jack’s grandson (Harrison – if Kyle’s truly the boy’s dad) could be at stake!
Dance Cards
It’s clear that Ashland and Tara’s relationship has seen better days. If and when it comes out for certain that Kyle had a fling with Tara, it’s possible that their marriage will be kaput – whether or not Kyle is Harrison’s dad. Ashland could be paired with a number of Genoa City’s leading ladies if he were to become a free man.
And we’re happy to sit back and enjoy some on-screen chemistry tests! Imagine Ashland dating Ashley (Eileen Davidson) as she takes a more subtle approach to make sure her nephew is safe. Since Ashland works in media, it’s possible he could connect with Traci (Beth Maitland) as she’s a successful novelist/writer and works at Chance Comm.
Also, Nikki is not too happy with Victor these days as he simply stood by and did nothing while Ashland was suffering a heart attack. While it will take a lot more than that to put a dent in Victor and Nikki’s marriage, imagine what might happen if Ashland decided the best revenge would be to romance Victor’s wife away from him? Then, a Victor/Ashland showdown would be inevitable! The Young and the Restless (YR) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes.
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