Smiles For Kyle: One Year Of Michael Mealor On The Young and the Restless

When The Young and the Restless brought Kyle Abbott back last year and decided he would now hate his father and prefer Victor Newman, we weren’t sure what to make of this change of character. However, the soap also hired the perfect actor to pull it off — Michael Mealor.

Mealor celebrated one year of Kyle this past Friday and we hope for many years to come because he’s the young leading man every soap needs and YR has found itself a messy triangle with Kyle in the center that fans can’t get enough of.

In one year, Kyle has gone from Abbott turncoat to heartbroken young hero and we’ve believed every second of it. From (accidental) naked modeling to tear-filled confessions of love, we’ve been here for it.

Mealor has chemistry with just about everyone Kyle interacts with. He has an easy rapport with Peter Bergman’s Jack and is so hilarious with Marla Adams’ Dina that for a while Soap Hub even gave them a smush name –“Dyle”.

It took a few months to see Kyle’s true vulnerability, but when he pretended to sleep when he won his bet with Summer (Hunter King) — a bet that would bring her into his bed — we realized that what Kyle really wanted was love.

And, he found it with newcomer Lola Rosales (Sasha Calle). And, in a way, he even found it with Summer, too. That’s why this triangle is such a compelling one. Both women love Kyle. One has a history with him and one is brand new.

And Kyle loves them both. He says he’s in love with Lola and we believe him, but there was something about that unexpected wedding night with Summer that offers the age-old soap trope of being in love with two women at the same time. Thus, the impossible triangle.

What happens next is anyone’s guess, but we’re happy for Michael Mealor to take us on this pure soap ride.

The Young and the Restless (YR) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes.