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.
Well, it's the February sweeps and the Newman and Rosales families are in turmoil. It was a miserable Valentine's Day for some of Genoa City's most prominent citizens. The Gang of Four - Nikki, Phyllis, Sharon and Victoria - were all arrested, although we are still not certain whether J.T. Hellstrom is dead or alive. He may be alive because all four women are not going to languish in prison. They are major characters and they are too important.to remain in jail for long. If J.T. is alive, there will have been no murder and the four female conspirators will be freed.
We all knew it had to happen sometime. Mia gave herself away. She blurted out Arturo's name during an intimate moment with Rey. Let's face it, though, Rey has wanted Sharon all along. Mia's misstep has given him the perfect excuse to hook up with Sharon and the opportunity to reveal his true feelings for her. He admitted that he and Mia had never really been honest with each other since they'd gotten back together. Sharon then confessed to Rey that she felt the same way about him. Then, always the detective, he handcuffed her for her part in the presumed murder of J.T.
That was quite an altercation Abby had with Mia on Valentine's day. Mia was drunk and wild, but Abby wouldn't let up. Mia's behaviour was predictable. Abby, however. should have walked away from her inebriated nemesis. In many ways, she was worse than Mia. Arturo was not impressed by all the insults that the two women hurled at each other. He was appalled by the open hostility between them. It was very embarrassing for him.
In an interview with Soap Central, Jason Canela (Arturo Rosales) made some comments about Arturo's love triangle with Abby and Mia. Jason, who recently celebrated his one-year anniversary on Y&R, made the following remarks: "Personally I do wish that Arturo an Abby are able to fight through whatever obstacles they go through as a couple and really stay true to each other, because I think it's a message that is needed in today's world . . . They're going to go through their ups and downs, but to show them sticking it out and working it out with each other to make it through to the other side, that would be cool. But again, that ain't my job!" As Victor Newman would say, it ain't gonna happen. Abby and Arturo will not marry and live happily ever after. That's almost impossible on a soap. It was exceptional that Nick and Sharon stayed together for about ten years, until Cassie died and Phyllis interfered. Even then, if you remember, Nick cheated on Sharon with her best friend, Grace Turner.
Speaking of Sharon, until she became embroiled in the J.T. mess, she had been doing really well. She was running the coffeehouse. She obtained her psychology degree and was counselling at a distress centre. Now she faces the possibility of going to prison and she is involved with a married police detective whose wife is unpredictable and desperate.
We have another mystery on Y&R. Who attacked the lovely Lola? Her only enemy appears to be Summer, but I don't think Snowflake did it. That would be too obvious and despite all of her escapades, Summer has never shown any inclination to be violent.
CAST NEWS
In Memoriam: R.I.P. Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters)
It is heartbreaking that Kristoff St. John is dead at the age of 52. He recently returned to Y&R after taking a leave of absence after a breakdown related to his son's suicide. His death was shocking because he appeared to be getting his life back together. In September of 2018, he announced his engagement to a Russian-born model named Kseniya Mikehaleva.
To me, Neil Winters was at his best when he was with Drucilla (Victoria Rowell). They had real on-screen chemistry. They first met when Neil was an up-and-coming junior executive at Newman Enterprises. Drucilla was rough around the edges in those days and she worked in the mailroom at Newman. I remember their first encounter there. They bumped into each other and Drucilla dropped all her papers. They were, shall I say, so young and restless back then.
It's unfortunate that Victoria Rowell left Y&R in 2007. She was written out of the show when her character fell off a cliff, during an argument with Phyllis (who else?). Drucilla's body was never found and she was presumed dead. The Winters family, especially Neil, hasn't been the same without her. In fact, I don't think there has been a really good storyline for Kristoff since Victoria Rowell's departure.
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| Kristoff (Neil) and Victoria Rowell (Dru) in the early days |
During Kristoff's illness, fans wish him well. They offered him support. They thought he had dealt with his demons. They thought he had gotten his life back on track. Sadly, it was just an illusion. It was not meant to be.
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Rest in peace, Kristoff St. John. You will be missed.
Is Adam Newman about to return?
Adam Newman supposedly died in a house explosion. As we all know, characters don't always remain dead on a soap. Adam is a very popular character and many fans want him to return - but will he? A new casting call on Y&R has sparked rumours of Adam's return. The show has sent out a casting call for an actor to play the role of "Jeremy." Jeremy is described as a stunningly handsome" and "supremely confident" man in his early 30s to early 40s who has "obsessive ambition" and is willing to do whatever it takes to get what he wants." That certainly sounds like Adam, but it could also describe a new character. Many soap characters have those characteristics. So, before Adam fans get too excited, remember that nothing is official.
If Adam does come back to Genoa City, it is virtually certain that a new actor will play the role of Victor Newman's ambitious son. It seems that there is little chance that any of the three actors who have portrayed the adult Adam - Chris Engen, Michael Muhney and Justin Hartley, will return to the show.
Chris Engen left The Young and the Restless in 2009 because he felt "generally unhappy" about his contribution to the show. He stated that he had "great and greater difficulty making any sense of the challenges they were asking me to face." There were reports that he was uncomfortable with an upcoming homosexual storyline.
The next Adam, Michael Muhney, was fired in 2013 amid allegations of sexual misconduct involving castmate Hunter Kiing (Summer Newman), while the most recent Adam, Justin Hartley, has risen to fame on prime time television with a starring role on This is Us.
If the character of Adam returns, then his wife, Chelsea, will probably also return. Melissa Claire Egan, who played Chelsea left the show to pursue other opportunities. Since then, Chelsea has vanished after returning to her con woman ways. She is on the lam with son Connor and her storline has not been resolved.
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| Michael Muhney |
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| Justin Hartley |
Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL
I don't think the tribute to Kristoff St. John (Neil) was satisfactory. It wasn't long enough and it was just tacked on to the end of the show. It didn't do him justice. They could have devoted an episode to him, with the actors on the show reminiscing about him and sharing memories, as they did with Jeanne Cooper (Mrs. Chancellor). On February 20th (CBS) and February 19th (Global TV) in Canada), there will be a special episode in honour of Melody Thomas Scott's 40 years on Y&R. It will be a trip down memory lane with plenty of flashbacks.. If the show can devote entire episodes to Jeanne Cooper and Melody Thomas Scott, why not Kristoff St. John? Do you agree with me, fans, or do you have another opinion. Respond to the poll below and let me know.
Do you think the tribute to Kristoff St. John (Neil Winters) was good enough?
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.
That's all for now. Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, March 2, 2019. The February sweeps will be over by then and the J.T. mystery may even be solved.
- Joanne
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