Y&R Report (January 20, 2018): 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.

So, Hilary has developed maternal feelings.  Yes sir, fans, the gossip queen of Genoa City wants to be a mama.  She's so smitten with baby Sam that she wants a child of her own.  Lily. on the other hand, has a problem accepting the infant.  One thing for sure, Hilary's plan to have a baby will cause nothing but trouble.  We don't know yet what she has in mind, especially where the father is concerned.  It can't be good, though.

Victoria Newman and J.T. Hellstrom have something going again, but will it work this time?  I highly doubt it. There are too many things against it.  For one thing, J.T. is keeping a dark secret.  It looks as if he's addicted to pills.  He recklessly washed down a pill with alcohol, (Maybe Mackenzie broke up with him because of a drug addiction).  We'll find out more about his pill-popping soon, but it doesn't bode well.  It can only mean trouble and heartbreak for Princess Victoria.and their shaggy-haired teenage son, Reed.  Reed was recently charged with a DUI.  He is staying with Victor and Nikki at the moment, but he's going to find out about his parents soon.  I think he'll react negatively, especially given his current state of mind.  Although, one never knows.  Victor and Nikki's discipline, hard work and structure may be doing him some good.

Speaking of the rebellious teen, will he get a haircut as his grandparents have requested?  After all, he wants to have a rock 'n roll image.  However, it's not that his hair is long.  It's that it's unruly. It needs to be shaped and styled.  (Note: Another teenager, Charlie Ashby, called him "Shaggy.").

Victor and Nikki are not thrilled that their daughter is back with J.T.  Billy Boy Abbott and Phyllis also know about Victoria and J.T.'s renewed relationship and have reacted in different ways.  Billy is not too pleased, but he is hardly objective.  He's pretty immature and irresponsible himself.  Yet he may be right about J.T.  After all, it takes one to know one.  As for Phyllis, she's hardly unbiased either.  She claims to be happy for Victoria, but I think she more happy for herself.  She's relieved that Victoria's occupied with J.T. instead of Billy.

We don't know how long Thad Luckinbill, the actor who plays J.T., is going stay with The Young and the Restless.  He's been involved with film projects., including La La Land.  He, his twin brother, Trent Luckinbill, and producer Molly Smith  have been quite successful with their company, Black Label Media.  Thad may decide to concentrate on producing films again.  If that turns out to be the case, he will be leaving Genoa City again.
     
Y&R head writer Mal Young kills off characters abruptly.  The latest to go is Graham Bloodworth.
He was trying to kill Dina with a poisonous injection, but she pushed the needle into him instead. Not surprisingly, Cluelass Genoa City police chief Paul Williams considers Ashley a murder suspect.  He's wrong, as usual.  Meanwhile, Dina's on her way to Paris to stay with granddaughter Abby for a while.  Will she ever return to Genoa City?  I wonder . . .

Here's my take on the Tessa-Mariah plagiarism controversy.  To me, the real issue is that Tessa stole Mariah's diary.  That was very wrong on Tessa's part, so I have to side with Mariah.  However, Mariah didn't need to scream at Tessa right in the middle of The Hilary Hour. Hilary didn't mind at all, though, because it was good for her show's ratings.

I've just got to try some of Cane's Aussie waffles . . . mmmmmm.  They must be delicious.


PETITION TO BRING BACK Y&R PREVIEWS

If you are disappointed that previews of the next episode of Y&R have been replaced by scenes from previous episodes, let your voice be heard.  There is a petition you can sign on Soahhub.  Just click on the following link:

https://soaphub.com/young-restless/petition-bring-back-young-restless-previews/

CAST NEWS

New characters on Y&R

Jason Canela

Two new characters will be making their debut on The Young and the Restless.  The show will be adding some Latin flavour with telenova star Jason Canela.  Jason has been cast to play a personable young building contractor named Arturo.  The 25-year-old actor, who is of Cuban descent, previously starred in the baseball series Pitch.  However, he is probably most recognized for his telenova credits such as Donde Esta Elista and Cosita Linda.

Jason will be making his first appearance on the show on Friday, February 2, 2018 on CBS and Thursday, February 1, 2018 on Global-TV (Canada)

Shanica Knowles

Also joining the Y&R cast will be Shanica Knowles.  The 27-year-old Miami native will play Simone, a singer whose career Devon promotes for his music business.  Knowles is scheduled to appear in several episodes beginning on Friday, February 9 (CBS) and Thursday, February 8 (Global-TV).

Shanica Knowles' credits include Hanna Montana and Awkward.  Contrary to rumours, she is not related to Beyoncé or Solange Knowles.


Catherine Bach (Chelsea's mother) announces her return to Y&R

Soap Central has reported that Anita Lawson, Chelsea's con-woman, troublemaking mother, is returning to Genoa City.  Catherine Bach, the former Dukes of Hazard star who plays Anita,, has announced on social media that she will soon be returning to the soap for a juicy new storyline.  Viewers have not seen the scheming Anita for a while, but she'll be returning at a very turbulent time in her daughter Chelsea's life.  I expect that Chelsea's secret about baby's Christian's true paternity will soon be revealed.  I can't imagine Nicholas Newman forgiving her for that.  The stage is being set for Nick to return to Sharon.

It's not clear how long Catherine will be sticking around, though.  It's also worth noting that the Instagram photo (reportedly showing Christian LeBlanc (Michael) and Gina Tognoni (Phyllis) that she posted has been taken down. News of Catherine's return was retweeted by Melissa Claire Egan, who plays her TV daughter, Chelsea.  Melissa Claire added an emoji of hands clapping in approval.


Donnelly Rhodes (Philip Chancellor) dead at 80

Donnelly Rhodes, the veteran Canadian actor who portrayed Philip Chancellor, has passed away at the age of 80.  Rhodes died of cancer on January 8, 2018 at a hospice in Maple Ridge, British Columbia.  He portrayed Katherine Chancellor's husband from 1974 to 1975 and voiced the character in two 1998 flashbacks.

Longtime Y&R viewers will remember that Philip was the founder of Chancellor industries.  His love affair with Katherine's younger companion, Jill Foster, sparked a longtime rivalry and feud between the two women.  In 1975, Philip died in a dramatic car accident after information his alcoholic wife that thee marriage was over.  Katherine was driving the vehicle.  Although she sustained injuries, she survived.

Donnelly Rhodes was born and raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force as an airman/mechanic.  He studied drama at the Manitoba Theatre Centre and graduated from the National Theatre School of Canada in 1963.  His stage debut was as Stanley Kowalski in a Stratford Theatre production of A Streetcar Named Desire in Stratford, Ontario.  Rhodes is known to Canadian TV viewers for his role as Detective Leo Shannon on Da Vinci's Inquest, a long-running CBC TV series.  He also starred in Danger Bay, a program about a marine biologist that was set in British Columbia.  In 2009, he had a recurring role as Dr. Sherman Cottle on Battlestar Galactica.

Donnelly Rhodes is survived by his third wife, Sara, his daughter and his son.

Some Y&R trivia: Donnelly Rhodes was not the first actor to portray Philip Chancellor.  The role was originally played by John Considine from 1973 to 1974.



NOTE TO READERS

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line.  I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them.  You do not have to use your real name.

My email address: jmadden16@yahoo.ca

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Victoria Newman (Amelia Heinle) sees to have a preference for irresponsible playboy types and ex-husbands.  She married Billy Abbott three times, although their first wedding in Jamaica wasn't legal.  Many years ago, she was bout to remarry ex-husband Ryan McNeil when he was shot and killed by a deranged woman.  Now Victoria is preparing for a second go-round with another ex, J.T. Hellstrom.  She told Billy that she hasn't been so happy for a long time.  Will it work, fans, or is Victoria setting herself up for yet another fall?  Let me know what you think by responding to the poll below.

Is Victoria making a mistake by becoming involved with J.T. again?

Yes, she's definitely making a mistake. He's not stable and reliable and he's just ending a marriage. He'll break her heart again.

Yes, there are too many things against it and it won't work, especially if he's hooked on pills.

No, Victoria and J.T. have learnt from the past and J.T. is more dependable than Billy.

Maybe. I'm not sure yet if J.T. can be trusted.

I don't know.

Other

Please Specify:

created here

That's all for now.  Please remember that he next installment of Y&R Report will appear in this space on February 3, 2018.



- Joanne

Farewell to Jerry Van Dyke

Jerry Van Dyke passed away on January 5, 2018 at the age of 86.  Although Jerry was initially overshadowed by the success of his older brother Dick, he managed to carve out an independent career of his own.  He was able to create his own niche in the world of comedy.  The staff of MeTV posted the following assessment of Jerry's career on January 8th:

It has been said that Jerry Van Dyke lived in the shadow of his older brother.  That sells him short.  While Jerry may not have reached the same level of headlining Hollywood fame, he worked in his own spotlight.  In a way, he used his perception to his advantage.  Jerry brilliantly portrayed second fiddles, dimwits, the insecure, and hard-luck guys.- all while oozing charm.  He could make a sad sack seem like a ray of light.

Jerry McCord Van Dyke was born in Danville, Illinois on July 27, 1931 to Hazel Victoria (née McCord: (1896-1992), a stenographer, and Loren Wayne "Cookie" Van Dyke, a travelling salesman.  His brother, Richard Wayne "Dick" Van Dyke, was born in 1925.

Dick of course, became a famous comedian, actor, singer, dancer, writer and producer.  However, his younger sibling possessed special talents of his own.  Jerry had an aptitude for stand-up comedy and he was a skilled four-string banjo player.  He pursued stand-up while attending Danville High School and developed a routine, including banjo-playing.  He took his act to night clubs and dives in the Deep South.  For a time he was a regular on the Playboy club circuit and then an opening act in showrooms in Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe and Atlantic City.

In 1952, during the Korean War, Jerry Van Dyke enlisted in the U.S. Air Force Tops in Blue and entertained the troops with his Special Services shows.  In the mid-1950s, he was employed at WTHI-TV in Terre Haute, Indiana.  He had his own show, a popular half-hour 5 p.m.variety program called The Jerry Van Dyke Show.  Jerry played the banjo and the drums and performed comedy skits,  using a newsman as the straight man in his skits.  He also served as a disc jockey at the station.

Jerry made his  television acting debut in 1962 in two consecutive episodes in Season One of the classic Dick Van Dyke Show - "I Am My Brother's Keeper" and "The Sleeping Brother."  He played Stacey Petrie, the shy, sleepwalking, banjo-playing brother of Rob Petrie, Dick's character on the series.  (In 1965, Jerry reprised his role as Stacey Petrie in a two-part episode).

After Jerry's 1962 appearances on The Dick Van Dyke Show and some performances onThe Ed Sullivan Show, CBS cast him as as a regular on The Judy Garland Show.  In 1963, he became host of the game show Picture This.  That same year, he was a guest star on an episode of the anthology series GE True, hosted by Jack Webb.  When The Judy Garland Show was revamped, Jerry left the series.

In 1964, Jerry played James Douglas in an episode of Perry Mason entitled "The Case of the Woeful Widower" (Season 7, Episode 23, Air Date: March 26, 1964).

Jerry in 1964 Perry Mason episode

Jerry Van Dyke made a fateful decision in 1964.  He turned down a lead role in Gilligan's Island, a comedy about 7 castaways stranded on a tropical island.  Sherwood Schwartz, the creator of Gilligan's Island and The Brady Bunch, wrote about offering the part to Jerry.  In his book, Inside Gilligan's Island, Schwartz stated that "Jerry seemed just right as Gilligan."  According to Schwartz, he phoned the actor, had lunch with him, discussed the project and gave him the script.  Jerry said he would consider it and talk it over with his agent.  "But," writes Schwartz, "Jerry's agent was Rosey - George Rosenberg.  Would he allow the promising young comedy actor the lead role in a series he himself didn't want to represent?  Of course not!

The part of Gilligan went to Bob Denver instead.  Although Gilligan's Island was panned by TV critics, it ran from 1964 to 1967 on CBS.  It became a huge hit with fans and developed a cult following during decades of syndication.

In 1965, Jerry Van Dyke appeared in an episode of The Andy Griffith Show as a banjo-playing deputy sheriff named Jerry.  In the episode, entitled "Banjo-Playing Deputy" (Season 5, Episode 32, Air Date: May 3, 1965), Jerry fills in for Barney Fife, the regular deputy.  Don Knotts, who portrayed Barney, had left the show in order to pursue a film career.

Jerry never became part of the permanent cast of The Andy Griffith Show. Instead he opted to star in My Mother the Car," a fantasy sitcom about a lawyer named David Crabtree (played by Jerry) who purchases an antique car (a 1928 Porter), which turns out to be the reincarnation of his deceased mother.  David's mother, Gladys, was voiced by Ann Sothern.

Critics savaged My Mother the Car and it has been labelled one of the worst American sitcoms ever. The show aired on NBC for a single season between September 14, 1965 and April 5, 1966.  Thirty episodes of the series were produced.  Unlike Gilligan's Island, though, it never found an audience.

To be fair, Jerry Van Dyke had no way of knowing that Gilligan's Island was going to be such an enormous hit.  "This My Mother the Car script," he declared in a November 15, 1993 People magaazine article," read like Neil Simon compared to the Gilligan's Island script."  "I became known as the guy who did the worst show in the history of television," he told writer Tom Gliatto.  "At least it took the edge off being Dick Van Dyke's brother," he quipped.

Unfortunately, Jerry Van Dyke gained a reputation for choosing clunkers.  In 1967, Jerry starred in another short-lived comedy series called Accidental Family.  In Accidental Family, he played the role of Jerry Webster, a widowed comedian who purchases a farm where he can raise his son while not on the professional tour circuit.  That same year, he also appeared as Howie in an episode the Marlo Thomas sitsom That Girl.  In 1968, Jerry had guest role in the Jim Nabors sitcom Gomer Pyle, USMC.  He played a nightclub comedian named Jerry Ball in an episode of the series entitled "Gomer and the Night Club Comic" (Season 4, Episode 27, Air Date: March 22, 1968).

Jerry in publicity photo for Accidental Family

By the 1970s, Jerry's television career was on the downswing. As the decade began, he found himself co-starring with Andy Griffith in an ill-fated drama/comedy called Headmaster.  The series, about a headmaster at elite California private school, only lasted for 13 episodes in 1970.  So, Jerry decided to return to stand-up comedy, spending much of the decade performing in Playboy Clubs and cruise ships, and headlining in Las Vegas and Reno.

Jerry guest-starred twice on The Mary Tyler Moore Show, in 1972 and again in 1973.  He played Mary's boyfriend, Wes Callison in episode entitled "But Seriously Folk" (Season 3, Episode 8, Air Date: November 4, 1972).  He returned as Wes in an episode entitled "Son of 'But Seriously, Folks'" (Season 4, Episode 7, Air Date: October 27, 1973).

In 1979, Jerry Van Dyke was a member of the cast of a short-lived comedy called 13 Queen's Boulevard.  Only nine episodes of the series about the residents of a Queen's, New York apartment complex were ever produced.  Jerry portrayed a character named Steven Winters.

In the early 1980s, Jerry made guest appearances on TV series such as Fantasy Island (1981), The Love Boat (1982) and Newhart (1983).  In 1986, he played the role of Tucker Agajanian in Fresno, a five-part min-series that parodied prime time soap operas such as Dallas and Dynasty.  In 1988, he portrayed Mr. Merken in an episode of Charles in Charge, a sitcom starring Scott Baio.

In 1982, Jerry Van Dyke suffered a major disappointment when he failed to land the role of George Utley, the dim-witted handyman on Newhart, a hit comedy in which Bob Newhart portrayed a Vermont innkeeper.  Although the part of George was originally created for Jerry, it went to Tom Poston instead.  "We were living in a house that was being foreclosed on," Jerry told People magazine in 1993.  "I thought that show would save my life."

As the 1980s drew to a close, Jerry was cast in his most memorable TV role, the one for which he is known to younger viewers,  From 1989 to 1997, he played Assistant Coach Luther Van Dam, opposite Craig T. Nelson.on the sitcom Coach.  The not-too-bight Van Dam worked with Coach Hayden Fox (Nelson) as they oversaw a college football team, the fictional Minnesota State University Screaming Eagles.  Jerry's role on Coach earned him four Emmy nominations.

Jerry with Coach co-stars Craig T Nelson (centre) and Bill Fagerbakke (far left)

In 1997, Jerry portrayed his Luther Van Damme character in episodes of The Drew Carey Show  ("Drew Gets Married," Season 2, Episode 18, Air Date: February 26, 1997) and Grace Under Fire ("Vegas," Season 4, Episode 19, Air Date: February 26, 1997).

In 1999, Jerry appeared on Dick's crime/drama series, Diagnosis Murder.  He portrayed Stacy Sloan, the annoying brother of Dick's character, Dr. Mark Sloan, in an episode entitled "Sleeping Murder" (Season 7, Episode 2, Air Date: September 30, 1999).  Jerry's appearance on Diagnosis Murder was quite the family affair because his nephew, Barry Van Dyke (Dick's son), also starred in the series as Steve Sloan, a homicide detective who helped his father Mark solve crimes.

From 2000 to 2005, Jerry had a recurring role as Big Jimmy Hughes, the father of Jimmy Hughes on the sitcom Yes, Dear.  In 2008, he made a guest appearance on My Name is Earl as a character named Jerry.  The episode was entitled "Stole an RV" (Season 4, Episode 4, Air Date: October 2, 2008).

In 2004, Jerry appeared in a reunion of The Dick Van Dyke Show, along with Dick, Mary Tyler Moore, Rose Marie, Larry Matthews and Carl Reiner.  The television movie, entitled The Dick Van Dyke Show Revisited, aired on May 11, 2004.  It was hosted by Ray Romano.

From 2010 to 2015, Jerry played the role of Tag Spence in eight episodes of the The Middle, an ABC comedy starring Patricia Heaton of Everybody Loves Raymond fame.  Dick Van Dyke appeared in a 2015 episode of the series entitled "Two of a Kind" (Season 6, Episode 21, Air Date: April 22, 2015) alongside Jerry.  Dick portrayed Dutch Spence, Jerry's character's estranged brother.

Jerry Van Dyke was married twice.  He married his high school sweetheart, Carol Jean Johnson, on January 22, 1957.  They had three children, daughters Jerri Lynn and Kelly Jean and a son named Ronald.  After a lengthy separation, Jerry and Carol divorced in 1974.

On December 21, 1977, Jerry married his second wife, Shirley Ann Jones (not the singer/actress of The Partridge Family).  The pair met in 1970 while Jerry was performing at a supper club in Hot Springs, Arkansas and she was a local country singer.

On November 17, 1991, Jerry's family suffered a terrible tragedy when his daughter Kelly Jean (born June 5, 1958) reportedly committed suicide in Los Angeles.  The 33-year-old was found hanged after a struggle with substance abuse issues.  Kelly Jean was an actress who performed in adult films.  She had a history of drug problems and had been to rehab and her relationship with her father had been strained.  In his 1993 interview with People, Jerry said he had had no idea how desperate she was.

Kelly Jean Van Dyke  Photo credit: Redheadenuf..

Jerry died of heart failure at his ranch near Hot Springs, Arizona.  His wife, Shirley Ann,, told CNN that Jerry never fully recovered from a "horrible car accident." a couple of years ago in which he was seriously injured.


END NOTES

* Jerry Van Dyke was an enthusiastic poker player.  He hosted a number of poker tournaments for ESPN during the late 1900s and early 2000s.

-* Jerry and Dick both battled alcohol abuse.

* 92-year-old Dick Van Dyke visited his ailing brother over the Christmas holidays this year.  It's been a difficult time for Dick because Rose Marie, his beloved colleague from The Dick Van Dyke Show, passed away on December 28, 2017 at the age of 94.


- Joanne                                                                                                                                           

Internet TV Digest #6

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This is the sixth of an occasional feature on TV Banter called Internet TV Digest.. Internet TV Digest contains recent news, information and discussion about online television.

INTERNET TV DIGEST

What's new on Netflix this January?

It's a new month and a new year.  This January, Netflix will feature the Batman series of films, all four movies in the Lethal Weapon series and the Godfather trilogy.  There will also be a new season of TV originals including One Day at a Time, Grace and Frankie and The Adventures of Puss in Boots.  In addition, subscribers will be able to watch the complete five seasons of Showtime's Episodes, the second season of Colony and more episodes of Eastsiders.


FX  CEO claims that peak TV is overshadowed by Internet

John Landgraf

Yesterday FX Netowrk CEO John Landgraf stated that television continues to produce a record number of original series but is distracted by technology.  He declared that even worthwhile TV is a "sideshow" to what he described as the "daily three-ring media circus."  He addressed concerns over viewer's decreasing attention span and "dwindling intolerance for dissent."  Landgraf  made his comments at the TV Critiscs meeting in Pasadena, California.  He also said that the total number of cable, broadcast and streamed series reached an estimated 487 in 2017, a seven per cent increase over 455 in 2016.  The 117 streamed series from 2017 from rapidly growing streamers such as Netflix and Amazon represented the largest increase (30 per cent over 2016).  Those statistics are certainly worth noting.


Amazon is ready to bid for streaming rights to Premier League

Amazon is set to bid for the streaming rights to English footfall.  According to Bloomberg, the online retail giant is preparing  to add to its growing list of sports.  It is set to bid for Premier League broadcasting rights next month and will likely compete against UK broadcasters Sky and BT.  If successful, acquiring the rights to Premier League would be Amazon's biggest sporting deal after Thursday night NFL matches and ATP Tennis.  However, the bidding is expected to be high and the rights to Premier League soccer will be very expensive.


Hulu takes over streaming rights for "Lost" from Netflix

The complete six seasons of the ABC supernatural drama Lost are now available on Hulu.  On January 4th, all 121 episodes of the series became available to Hulu subscribers as part of a deal with Disney/ABC.  Netflix originally made a deal for the rights to Lost back in 2009, but Netflix's subscription-streaming rights to the show expired.

Disney acquired a 30 per cent stake in Hulu when it made a $52 billion blockbuster deal with 21st Century Fox.  It now has majority control of the decade-old video streaming company.  Hulu is now restricted to the United States,  according to Variety, there is speculation that Disney might try to expand its new acquisition into international markets.

Lost, which aired from on ABC from 2004 to 2010 is the winner of many awards, including Emmy and Golden Globe awards for best drama series.  It follows the adventures of the survivors of Oceanic Air flight 815, en route from Sydney and Lost Angeles.  The plane crashes on a mysterious island in the Pacific.


- Joanne

Y&R Report (January 6, 2018): 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.

Hello fans. I hope you enjoyed the holidays. For some Genoa City residents, such as Sharon, the New Year began explosively.  When she discovered that her boyfriend, Scott, was ttwo-timing her, she took a really hard line with him. In fact, she hit the roof.  It's quite understandable that Sharon would be angry at both Scott and Abby.  She was deceived and betrayed.  However, I don't think she needed to get into a physical fight with Abby in a public place.

Sharon has made some improvements in her life since Dylan left.  She has been running the coffee shop and taking psychology courses.  She seems much stronger and independent.  Although Scott's betrayal was a huge disappointment to her, did she have to resort to a cat fight with Abby at the Athletic Club?  It wasn't necessary and was more like the old Sharon would have behaved.  Now that she's finished with Scott, she'll probably end up going back to Nick Newman eventually.  If so, I hope she takes her time about it and that she doesn't accept him back on his terms only.  She should not reunite with Nick out of desperation or to please Faith.

Scott Grainger has to be the most disappointing character of 2017.  When he first returned to Genoa City, I admired his expertise as a hard-nosed journalist.  He seemed interesting and exciting.  Now he is just a cheating louse.  His excuses for what he did to Sharon were flimsy at best.  At first he claimed he didn't know whether he was going to survive when he and Abby were trapped in the storage locker.  His latest excuse is that he has feelings for both women.

Lauren's wish that Scott and Sharon would break up.has come true, although she is not particularly thrilled about her son being involved with Abby.  Notice, though, that she has not chastised her sonny boy strongly for being a two-timer.

It's good to see more of Beth Maitland (Traci Abbott) on the show.  I hope she'll show up more often, not just during the holiday season.  I have to say I've also been enjoying the performance of Marla Adams as Dina.  I realize that the Alzheimer's storyline is not everyone's cup of tea.  Some people find it unsettling and disturbing.  However, it is difficult to dispute that Marla's performance as Dina is absolutely outstanding.  She is truly believable in the role and I think she is deserving of an Emmy nomination.

Here's some good news for CBS soaps.  The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful closed out 2017 with some of their best ratings of the year.  According to Nielsen, Live Plus Same Day Ratings, Y&R attracted 4.8 million total viewers, its largest weekly audience in almost a year.  We'll see if the trend continues into the new year.  If it does, then head writer Mal Young must be doing something right.



CAST NEWS

Graham (Max Shippee) returns to Genoa City

Max Shippee is back this month for another stint as Graham Bloodworth.  That means bad news for the Abbott family as Graham will continue with his dirty tricks and scheming.  He's already engineered the kidnapping of 2-year-old Christian.  The Abbotts are up against a formidable enemy in Graham.  He knows Dina better than her own children and he is able to use Diina's illness to his own advantage.


Michael Masini appears as Tony Kingsman

Michael Masini has joined the cast as Tony Kingsman, a professional who interacts heavily with Ashley Abbott and happens to be Michael Baldwin's nemesis.  Could this be a new romance for A.A.?  I think so, provided he stays around long enough.  He's more Ashley's style than Ravi because she is somewhat snobby. Tony is a lawyer and has a lot more social status than Ravi.  He is self-confident and bold.  He told Ashley that he likes to win.  Ashley admires those qualities in a man.

Michael Masini (born in 1975) had a recurring role as Joey on Passions from 2004 to 2007.  He's a New Jersey native who attended California State University.  He also played hockey for the Vail Avalanche, Boston Jr. Bruins and the Amarillo Rattler of the Western Professional Hockey League.

Michael began his career in television commercials.  He has recently appeared in episodes of NCIS and Rebel.  I hope he is signed to a contract with the show because I think he would be a great addition.  If you agree, let CBS know.  Some characters on Y&R, such as Eric Braeden (Victor Newman) and Kate Linder (Esther) became permanent cast members due to positive fan response.



Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Lily (Christel Khalil) finds herself in a quandary.  Just as she is making significant progress in patching things up with Cane, she is offered a great career opportunity.  The problem is that it involves travel to Paris and other places in Europe.  The feminist response to her predicament would be that men are rarely required to sacrifice career opportunities.  However, does it always have to be an either/or proposition?  Does it always have to  be so complicated?  For example, couldn't Cane meet her in Paris for a romantic rendezvous?  Couldn't she work out some way to shorten the trip while still accomplishing a great deal and advancing her career?  In real life, this kind of compromise would be possible but probably not on a soap.  There has to be conflict.  What do you think?  Respond to the poll below.

Should Lily go to Paris?

Yes. It doesn't mean she has to give up getting back with Cane.

Yes. Cane's not worth it. He broke her heart and he has poor judgement.

No. She shouldn't put a reunion with Cane in jeopardy.

I don't really care.

I don't know.

Other

Please Specify:

PollMaker

In the last edition of Y&R Report, the poll question was whether you preferred previews from the next episode of the show or scenes from previous episodes.  Those who responded expressed a preference for previews from the next episode.  That is my preference too, because it's great to get a sneak peak.  In an ideal situation, viewers could enjoy both, since both have merit (Flashbacks from previous episodes set the stage for today's show).  Unfortunately, time constraints do not allow for an ideal situation.  It has to be one or the other. Still, this is another opportunity to make your opinion known to CBS.



NOTE TO READERS

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them  You do not have to use your real name.  

My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca

That's all for now. The next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, January 20, 2018.


- Joanne