Young & Restless Goes Dark: Grab Your Tissues for a Devastating Repeat of Tragic History and Shattered Hearts

Young & Restless Goes Dark: Grab Your Tissues for a Devastating Repeat of Tragic History and Shattered Hearts

Credit: CBS screenshot, Howard Wise/JPI

It’s starting to feel like I say the same things every week about Young & Restless. Perhaps that’s because the offerings are the same. Mental health, corporate job juggling, or recycled plots from the past. Some work, some don’t, but ultimately, it feels like we’re kinda stuck here. Coming up we’ve got lotsa “dark” content involving broken hearts and a potentially devastating repeat of history.

The Great Grovel

Why is Michael groveling to get back in Victor’s good graces? The man was ready to retire when Victor dragged him kicking and screaming back into the game. Why, after that Jordan debacle, would he be begging for another chance at being mowed over by the egomaniac, and why does he allow him to condescend to him the way he does? Make it make sense.

Chemistry Experiment

Cheers to the thaw between Kyle and Summer because their bickering had become hella annoying and, like so many plots these days, didn’t make a lot of sense. As for Claire and Kyle, that’s a chemistry-free pairing if I’ve ever seen one. No zing, no tension, no one buying them as a match. The only hope they have of making this interesting is by morphing Claire into a character as complex as she should have been from the get-go. Having Victor get involved (per the preview) is probably designed to have us rooting for “Clyle”. I’d rather see her go dark after Victor forces Kyle to fire her.

Corporate Fatigue

Billy, who moved me with his reaction to Chelsea’s confession this week, seemed emotionally exhausted. Perhaps because he had already taken his anger out on Lily. I would love to see her fight back, but worry that Billy will suck her back in and use her as a shoulder to cry on. Perhaps Lily will team with the Newmans and become Nikki’s co-CEO. Young & Restless absolutely loves to do co-CEOs so there are enough executive positions to go around… and around… and around. The corporate story fatigue is real.

She Deserves It

Victor as the mystery investor is the worst-kept secret in Genoa City, and Audra and Kyle are dumpster fire co-CEOs, but the Abbott family emotional stuff is compelling. Kyle is finally lashing out at Diane the way he should have when she first came back. She deserves it! People went crazy when Phyllis let her kids think she was dead for a week. Diane let Kyle think she’d been brutally murdered while she was alive and well in L.A. for most of his life! Find out what’s ahead for another Abbott, as Traci faces heartbreak or much worse.

D’oh!

Adam is a lot of things, but stupid has never been one of them. Young & Restless is telling us he can evolve as a son, father, brother, whilst remaining absolutely clueless about how to be a good partner. A 5th grader could tell you that lying is only going to make it worse, and Sally and Adam have already been down this road with him denying what is obvious and gaslighting her. He lost her for the exact same reasons the last time and it wasn’t all that long ago!

It didn’t make sense that Adam would lie to Sally’s face right after Chelsea had left his place declaring that the only way forward was to confess. He was clearly freaking out inside when he read Chelsea’s text, but it shouldn’t have surprised him in the least. Of course, Adam’s lies will be blown sky-high when Billy shows up drunk and ready to rumble. Does “Ally” stand a chance? Sally and Adam’s fate as a couple is revealed here.

Go Big or Go Home

I love that the writers found a way to bring Cameron back, but as I said in a previous soapbox, if this is only going to amount to Sharon psycho-analyzing herself in her living room, that’s going to be disappointing. The premise should be a license to go big, dark, soapy, or all of the above with Sharon’s story, but it’s not happening thus far despite the fabulous performances. Of course, we know we’re headed for a devastating repeat of history with Lucy and Faith when they land in the hospital following a car accident (that will presumably involve Lucy drinking again), but it’s hard to believe this writing team won’t stop short of offering up huge consequential drama. If the girls are both OK, perhaps the scare will drive Sharon off the deep end. We can only hope.

The opinions expressed are my own. Please feel free to drop your thoughts on Young & Restless in the comment section.