Y&R Report (May 24, 2014): The Latest on the Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama.  Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT:  Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet. Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.

It's a battle for control on The Young and the Restless between two very different men with very different methods.  Victor Newman uses brutal violence to get what he wants.  He is a bully and a thug.  Ian Ward, on the other hand, is a snake-in-the-grass.  He uses psychological control to lure the vulnerable to his "path." It's a very interesting contest because Victor has never faced an adversary like Ian Ward before. The Black Knight may have finally met his match. Oh yes, the battle between Victor and Ian is also a battle of smirks. Those two are experts at smirking.  Let's call it Smirk versus Smirk.  The expressions on their faces are absolutely priceless.  I really enjoy their scenes together.

The Chloe storyline is drawing to its inevitable tragic conclusion.  Although after her talk with Kevin at the movie theatre, it appears that she will go quietly to the Fairview mental hospital, it will not be that easy. One viewer, Fifi from Collingwood, Ontario, thinks that Chloe will discover that Victoria is pregnant.  She will assume that Billy is the father (we don't know yet) and go berserk.  She may harm Victoria or cause her to have a miscarriage.  Well, Fifi, we'll see if your theory is correct.

Princess Victoria Newman is in a dire crisis.  Her friendly doctor is there to help or hinder her (depending on your point of view).  The enigmatic Dr. Ben Rayburn is always ready to offer medical advice and a shoulder to cry on.  What is Dr. Stitch'em Up's deep, dark secret, though?  Kelly knows and she claims that he "killed" a man.  Was it in cold blood?  Was it in self-defence?  Was it accidental?  Was it intentional?  Was it medical malpractice? We will soon find out . . . I hope.

I don't think that the good doctor is so good at all.  He's definitely not a paragon of virtue, nor is he a as devoted a medical practitioner as he appears to be.  Nobody's perfect, but this guy really has a dark side. Whatever he's hiding, it's something very nasty and it could ruin his reputation.  Perhaps he's trying to conceal it from the police or else he'll have to go to prison. Perhaps he'll lose his license to practice medicine.  At any rate, he's determined to keep it hidden and his wife, Jenna, left him over it.  Two women are disgusted with his past actions.  

I also think Dr. Stitch is a pushy guy.  Not that the Princess is completely blameless but he is pushing his way into her life at a time when she's confused and vulnerable.  He is taking advantage of her vulnerability and he's very intrusive.  He had the gall to look at her private medical records.  By the way, isn't it amazing how easily soap characters are able to gain access to hospital files or switch test results or steal someone's medical samples?

How did you like that big romantic scene between Cricket and Paul?  Paul seems as clueless about romance as he is about police work.  The Cricketmeister had the candles and music out and she wanted some attention. The Genoa City police chief was completely oblivious.  All he could do was blather on and on about Ian Ward and Dylan and Victor.  I must say, he seems more attentive to Nikki than his own wife. Whenever Nikki calls, he always drops his highly questionable police work and goes running to her side.

What's the deal, Neil?  Are you going to sacrifice everything for the sake of Hillary?  I wonder, though, is Hillary trustworthy or does she have an agenda. Are her feelings for Neil sincere? Has this leopard changed her spots?  It seems she's also harbouring an attraction for Devon.  If he expresses his true feelings for her, will she be able to resist?  I don't think so.  What do you think, fans?

VIEWER FORUM

SP from British Columbia says

Lily should let her father, Neil, make his own decisions and accept the consequences.  However, that would nullify the conflict between them and ruin the story.

You are right, SP.  Lily is crossing the line, even though Neil's behaviour leaves something to be desired.  

CAST NEWS

Big news!  A new Phyllis has been chosen to replace Michelle Stafford.  She is two-time Daytime Emmy winner Gina Tognoni, a former star on One Life to Live and The Guiding Light.  Gina played Kelly Cramer on OLTL and Dianh Marler on GL.  Now she takes on the plum role of the scheming redhead (She's probably going to have to dye her hair red to play the part).

Since Gina is scheduled to be seen on the show this summer, we know that it won't be too long before Phyllis comes out of her coma.  That means big trouble for Sharon and for Kelly.  As for Jack, he is going to be caught between Phyllis and Kelly.  Will he remain loyal to Phyllis or stick with Kelly?

Gina Tognoni

Dr. Stitch 'em Up's ex-wife, Jenna, will be showing up in Genoa City.  Newcomer Stephanie Lemelin has been cast in the role.  She will make her first appearance on June 13 on CBS and on June 12 on Global in Canada.  Get ready to see the doctor squirm!

Here's some breaking news.  Daytime Confidential has reported that David Tom has been let go as Billy Abbott.  He will be replaced by another  newcomer to daytime television.  The new Billy Abbott is . . . drum roll, please . . . Burgess Jenkins.  Jenkins has a recurring role as Randy Roberts in the TV series Nashville and he was a regular in Season 7 of the Lifetime drama, Army Wives.  He portrayed Staff Sgt. Eddie Hall on Army Wives.

Burgess Jenkins

                                                                      Photo Attribution:  JJackman


The firing of David Tom is not entirely surprising.  Fan reaction to him has not been positive at all.  He's really just started in the role of Billy and hasn't had the opportunity to grow into it. Certainly Billy Miller is a far better actor and had much better chemistry with Amelia Heinle (Victoria).  David Tom, unfortunately for him, has been constantly compared to Miller and that has been a lot to live up to.  Tom never really had a chance. Disappointed Billy Miller fans have been quite hard on him.

What does David Tom's firing mean for the show?  Well, apparently, the character of Billy is being taken in a new direction . . .whatever that means.  Anyway, good luck to Burgess Jenkins.  I hope his tenure as Billy Abbott is longer and more successful than David Tom's.

BEST LINES

Leslie:  What is your end game?  What do you want?

Ian Ward:  Well, you'll have to wait till the end to find out.


Nikki:  Victor, you can't take the law into your own hands.
Victor:  I wouldn't have to if Paul Williams did his job.


Billy's comment on the sparring match between Stitch and Victor in the gym:

"I'm hoping for a double knockout."

Y&R REPORT READER'S POLL

How do you feel about Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe) leaving Y&R?
	I'm disappointed. I really like her.
	She's a good actress but I don't like her storyline.
	Good riddance! I won't miss her at all.
	I don't have any strong feelings about it.
	I don't know.
pollcode.com free polls

Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear on Saturday, June 7, 2014.  Enjoy what's left of the May sweeps.

- Joanne