Soap Hub Performer of the Week for The Young and the Restless: Jason Thompson

There’s nothing like a stint in the county jail that will get you thinking about your whole life. Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson) had been arrested for the shooting of Chance Chancellor (Donny Boaz) on the Young and the Restless. While incarcerated, Billy took a long hard look at his life in a series of dream sequences in which his family, friends, and even foes tried to get inside his head.

Jason Thompson — Performer of the Week

Jason Thompson was able to play fear, anger, frustration, and joy in a stand-alone episode, which earned the Daytime Emmy-winner Soap Hub’s Performer of the Week honors for YR.

“I was framed! I didn’t do it!” shouted out Billy as he woke from his nightmare. Or was he awake? Adam (Mark Grossman) was standing outside his cell, taunting Billy, clad in an orange jumpsuit courtesy of the county. When Adam opened Billy’s cell with a mere tug of his hands, viewers knew that this was a fantasy. What was going to happen next?

Still in his jumpsuit, Billy appeared in the Abbott living room but soon discovered that he was in the future as Jack (Peter Bergman), Lily (Christel Khalil), and Amanda (Mishael Morgan) recapped Billy’s trial, which ended in a guilty verdict! Thompson played the harsh reality of what was potentially in his future.

Next, Billy teleported over to Crimson Lights where Abby (Melissa Ordway) could see and hear him. She promptly blasted Billy for shooting Chance (Donny Boaz). Billy tried to reason with his niece, but he was clearly frustrated by the fact that Abby was living in a world in which Billy had been found guilty in a trial that he didn’t live. Billy felt frustrated and trapped.

Later, Billy appeared in Victoria’s office, initially as an apparition, his ex, Victoria, and their kids, Katie (Sienna Mercuri) and Johnny (Holden and Ryan Hare), unable to hear him. When Billy “woke up” back in his jail cell, he had a visitor – Victor (Eric Braeden)! But was this Billy’s fantasy continuing or was this a real encounter?

Real or not, Victor taunted Billy with the idea that his father John (Jerry Douglas) favored Jack over him. Billy was furious at Victor especially since his own track record as a dad is spotty, at best.

Billy went to other locales and as he completed each leg of his journey, he grew more and more despondent over his current situation. However, it was his visit with late daughter Delia (Sophia Pollano) that packed the biggest emotional punch. Seven years after Delia was killed off, Pollano, now a teen, brings new levels to her character as she imparted wisdom on her lost dad.

Thompson shined in this scenario in particular. When he said if he could take any one day back it’d be the one in which he left her alone, which led to Adam fatally hitting her with his car, the actor’s voice broke a bit. If you didn’t know better, you’d swear that Thompson played that original storyline even though he didn’t come onto the show until a few years later.

Billy’s conversation with Delia and his subsequent visit as a phantom to the police station in which he saw his teen son Johnny (Matthew Erick White) getting into trouble with the law inspired Billy to fight for his freedom. During an elegant evening at Society with many of the people in his life, Billy witnessed a future in which he was a free man. These events inspired him to wake up and fight for his freedom! Indeed, by week’s end, Billy was exonerated.

Jason Thompson played a myriad of emotions in this episode. Kudos to the actor for showing that while his character may be down, Billy is never out! The Young and the Restless airs weekdays on CBS. Check local listings for airtimes.