Young and the Restless’ Surprising Mother and Child Reunion

Elizabeth Hendrickson

Thinking Fans Comment Update Sept. 2:  Bob thinks the twist makes sense … Jonnysbro thinks EH is paydirt … but Chris thinks the writers won one and lost one. See Comments below. 

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By Patrick Erwin 

By the time you read this, Young and the Restless will have just revealed a major plot point — that fashionista Chloe, Lily’s adversary, is actually Kate, Esther’s daughter!

There are many times where I have written about soaps and have had to be grumpy about what’s happening on screen, or be the bearer of bad tidings. So I’m really happy to ring the bells about this revelation and RAVE about it. I think this is the most clever and compelling twist I’ve seen on Y&R in ages! There are a few things they really got right with this one.

TIMING: Y&R introduced Chloe slowly as part of Lily’s modeling storyline as 2008 began. Many new characters these days are thrown onto the front burner the minute they come on board, but Chloe was slowly integrated into the Cane/Lily story. Even when her scheming ways became evident, it took a while for her full intentions to be revealed.

CASTING: Y&R definitely landed a great actress in Elizabeth Hendrickson. It’s been fun watching her play against the ingenue/scrappy heroine roles she did so well  as Frankie and then Maggie Stone on All My Children. She’s completely believable, both as the haughty fashion plate and as Esther’s shame-filled wayward daughter.

SURPRISE: This was a great surprise — I didn’t notice any obvious cues that this was about to happen, yet it all fits together quite well. As I wrote in this space a few weeks back, we very rarely get to see complete surprises anymore on the shows — most “surprised” are telegraphed from a mile away!

More than anything, though, this story both plays to the show’s history and brings generations together. With Cane and Chloe married, this story puts Katherine, Jill AND Esther into a story. (Jill and Esther in a room together ALONE is worth the price of admission there.) Some of the best Y&R story has come from multigenerational conflict. The uneasy Jill/Katherine alliance when they were dealing with Nina and Phillip was classic!

It’s a great plot twist! Kudos to whoever at Y&R came up with it.  I say “whoever” because so many changes have happened at Y&R it’s hard to be 100%sure where, exactly, the idea came from. When Chloe was introduced, the writer’s strike was just wrapping up. After the strike ended, Josh Griffith was executive producer (he may or may not be continuing in that role.) and the head writer was Maria Arena Bell. They’ve been in charge of the show as this twist unfolded. So I’m not quite sure who to thank!

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Patrick Erwin blogs regularly at  A Thousand Other Worlds …

Comments

  1. I too love this twist!

    It makes so much sense. Like Patrick mentioned, I am so glad that the twist wasn’t telegraphed or ‘overly-foreshadowed’

    If I remember correctly, Esther got pregnant (by Tiny, a giant plumber) during the time Nina was being hidden in the mansion — I remember loving the scenes in which Esther and Nina conspired to cut loose a bit.

  2. Patrick,

    Loved your entry. This story has been layed out so nicely that the revelation on Friday had my jaw hitting the floor. I absolutely love that its a story that feeds off the shows rich history. I also hope its the catalyst that drives Jill and Katherine to each others throats again. Enough with this “mother” stuff.

    With the internet abuzz, spoiling moment after moment on every show, it was nice to be surprised again. This glorious moment was further proof that viewers don’t need to know every detail of whats coming up. Its frustrating because fans on every board habitually comment on how soaps don’t shock anymore. Well how can they, when we tolerate and condone the very ingredient that’s making them less interesting. Spoilers need to go!!!!!!

    But Patrick, I’d like to examine why the writers got this story so right and failed so miserably on another. The key word here, as you pointed out, is timing. Chole was introduced slowly and the audience got to know her and appreciate her, whether you want to slap her or not. On the other hand, the recent Tyra/Ana story arc was a three month dud because it didn’t follow the criteria you mentioned above. Those characters were brought on and shoved down our throats, with all kinds of revelations coming out that frankly I could give two hoots about. Don’t even get me started on all the singing! You could feel the progress the show has been making literally stop every time these characters were on screen. Its like two sets of writers were penning the show. How do you get the fundamentals so right in one instance and completely blow in another? Any thoughts?

  3. I am not a big Y&R watcher but I am so glad Y&R so they hit paydirt with Elizabeth Hendrickson. She was always a really talented actress. I always felt on AMC though she was so underutilized. I loved her as Frankie but they killed the character off. Remember EH was only supposed to be on AMC for 3 months but it turned into three years because the fans loved her. They created Maggie her twin who IMO never was really defined and despite the great chemistry she had with Eden R they never gave her much to do. This time it seems the right role came Elizabeth’s way. I read Chloe was supposed to be a short term recurring role but they signed Liz to three years because she was so good. EH rocks and Y&R very lucky to have her.

  4. While I think the tying in with Katherine/Jill/Esther is great . . . what about the fact that nobody recognized Chloe/Kate? Does Esther not have pictures of her daughter around the Chancellor mansion? Did she never come home at all? Katherine made a comment about paying for “Kate’s” education, and yet she didn’t recognize Kate????? I’m just saying . . .

  5. It felt like it came out of nowhere, but I can go with the flow. I want to point to another “timing” story they totally screwed up — Victor’s great love for Sabrina. Huh? The whole “love story” was completely and utterly boring and ridiculous.

  6. Okay, it will be a great storyline, but I can’t say I’m happy. I can’t stand Chloe. I want Cane with Lily, and this storyline impedes my WISH. So Chloe/Kate has to go!!! LOL And I agree with Scott, once I knew she was Kate I went ‘Oh come on.” She’s been all over Genoa City glued to Lily’s side who is the Face of Jabot where Nikki, Jill and Kay WORK and NO ONE RECOGNIZED HER!!! Cane’s been in the Chancellor mansion and NEVER SAW HER PICTURE!!! We didn’t see it coming but it’s a stretch that these characters didn’t. Also agree on the Tyra/Ana and Sabrina/Victor storylines being pushed down our throats, but Bell shows are not known for developing love stories or relationships. The put together happens fast. It’s the fall out they love to write.

  7. I don’t have any trouble buying that Chloe looks a lot different than she did when she was a girl (as Kate with braces, glasses, extra pounds, etc.)

    I had more trouble, a few months back, that no one in town noticed that Heather Stevens (her name is the same!) was Paul’s daughter. Certainly Nikki and Jill (whose brother was in love with April) would have known about Paul’s daughter and should have known her name.

    Off topic — but shouldn’t Paul and Jack tie for worst father? Terrible Tom may have locked Kevin in that closet, but at least he was there (joke) — Paul and Jack don’t even pretend to be a part of their sons’ lives.

  8. I am so lost on the Paul/Jack/Sons thing. I stopped watching for awhile but i certainly forget that story .
    As for Adam , that story line is so over done. Get on with it. I love Victor when hes strong and mean and powerful, lol lol!

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