Veteran fans of The Young and the Restless know that some of the show’s most compelling tales have had a business backdrop to them. A boardroom-meets-bedroom storyline can involve multiple characters and play out over years. Maybe it’s time the show launches a new business tale?
Young And The Restless Boardroom Battles
Remember when Victor (Eric Braeden) took over Jabot after Jack (Peter Bergman) turned his family’s company public? Jack retaliated by marrying Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), hoping to use her as leverage against the mustached mogul in exchange for Jabot. The “problem” was Jack fell in love with Nikki along the way. The two were going to make a go of their marriage but it didn’t survive Nikki miscarrying their baby after she and Victor argued over Victoria (Amelia Heinle).
Naturally, this led to further animosity between Jack and Victor, eventually prompting Victor to leave town after his feud with Jack turned physical. Victor was carjacked and wound up on Hope’s (Signy Coleman) farm, which led to their love story and the birth of Adam (Mark Grossman)!
Y&R’s Tuvia V. Safra
Another example of a solid boardroom storyline is when Abbott’s Tuvia cosmetics line went up against Newman’s Safra. Victor played illegal hardball, arranging for retailers to be bribed into pushing his brand over Jabot’s.
A pregnant Ashley (Eileen Davidson) was driving out to the ranch to confront her ex when she was hit by another auto. She lost Brad’s (Don Diamont) son, Robert. A furious John (Jerry Douglas) punched Victor for indirectly being responsible for his grandson’s death.
These two stories were powerful not because viewers were interested in which cosmetics line did better or how Jabot was faring on the stock market but because of how they affected the interpersonal dynamics among the players. Viewers got swept up in the emotional elements of the business stories.
Currently, Young and the Restless has competing media companies – ChancComm and Newman Media, but how about something that involves a direct battle between longtime enemies Jack and Victor? The two have been cordial lately, which is all well and good. However, watching these two do battle is great conflict!
Y&R: Everybody Wins
A solid business storyline would have both Jack and Victor interested in the same goal and involve many characters. Perhaps whatever Jack and Victor are competing over would call for more screen-time for Ashley, Nikki, and Traci (Beth Maitland). There are others, too, who could be drawn into a tale like Jack’s son Keemo (Philip Moon) and/or Victor’s brother Matt Miller (Robert Parucha) or Victor’s former wife Julia (Meg Bennett).
Viewers have enjoyed the Jack/Victor rivalry for years, watching each man get the upper hand over the other and then, watching the tide shift to the other’s favor. The soap stays on top by giving its viewers what they’ve come to expect – with a twist. Once a boardroom storyline gets going, viewers hop on for the ride and enjoy the thrills!
The Young and the Restless (YR) airs weekdays on CBS. Check your local listings for airtimes. For more about what’s coming up in Genoa City, check out all the latest that’s been posted on Y&R spoilers, and for an in-depth look at the show’s history, click here.
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