By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman
Marlena has been away a long time – but has never stopped watching our beloved soaps. And of course, during my absence I’ve never stopped thinking of my wonderfully devoted fans. I welcome you back to this blog, now as ever a labor of pure love.
I’m so sorry to come back on a negative note. But I am mightily disappointed in the current state of “The Young and the Restless,” a show I have watched since its inception in 1973. CBS’ number one rated soap for decades, “Y&R” is still beautifully produced and well-cast. As co-created by the late William J. Bell and his wife Lee Phillip Bell, this show has never been anything less than first class daytime drama.
But – here Marlena must use a word she has NEVER used in all her decades as a soap journalist – the “Y&R” of today is simply boring.
An hour of it drags by with little excitement. The pace is maddeningly slow. The stories don’t move. Good actors playing potentially engaging characters just look at each other and talk. The burden is on them alone to give the show what appeal it has.
Why is Abby (played by Melissa Ordway) crying all the time? True enough, tears are a soap opera staple. When soaps were created in the 1930s they were called “washboard weepies.” But what does she have to cry about? She finally has her wonderful baby Dominic, and her husband Chance is back from oblivion. (As played by Connor Floyd, a very impressive newcomer, the actor is a real plus for this show.) And any storyline that includes the kindly Devon (played by the always terrific Bryton James), who isn’t sure about the fatherhood of the baby he loves so much, should be a lot more moving.
On a more positive note: It’s encouraging to see how diligently this expert cast is working to breathe life into this lackluster writing. And it is good to see a rare love story among older characters.
Joining the estimable Ms. Ordway and Mr. Floyd is Richard Burgi, greatly admired by many since he played the clever and intense Chad Rollo on “Another World.” Here he plays scene stealer Ashland Locke, the relatively new husband of Victoria (played by Amelia Heinle). Is he a real villain or we supposed to root for him because he’s married into a core “Y&R” family? To use an ancient soap opera term, he’s a villain who stirs the pot – vigorously, here, doing what he can to help. Unfortunately, Mr. Burgi has announced he is leaving the show. He’ll be replaced by Robert Newman, who played Josh Lewis on “Guiding Light.”
Indeed, all is not lost in Genoa City. How great it is to see the always energetic Melissa Claire Egan (who plays Chelsea Lawson) back from maternity leave. I’m really liking the pairing of Billy (JasonThompson) and Lily (Christal Khalil) as mature lovers who live together in harmony. (Why do I keep thinking of Lily as the teen she once was?) And what a wonderfully touching pairing “Y&R” has in Tess (Cait Fairbanks) and Mariah (Camryn Grimes).
A show can be beautifully produced and well-cast, but on soaps the writing always has been the key. In the past, headwriter Josh Griffith did his best work with Michael Malone on “One Life to Live.” But his work here most curiously lacks energy. To be blunt, “Y&R” isn’t the least bit exciting. And that’s a tragedy for a soap that has never in its long history been hard to watch.
So, mon cher fans: What do you think of the current state of “The Young and the Restless”? Please leave your comments and I’m sure to get back to you.
So glad to see you all again. Belated Happy New Year 2022 from my husband Moose Goodfellow and our beagle boy Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe.
Great to see you back writing again! Can’t say you’re wrong about this, sadly. Hopefully, things will turn around soon. Looking forward to seeing what you write about next!
Thank you so much Diane! As always thank you so much for your continued support!
I agree totally..it’s SOOOOO DULLLLLL …and the Ashland arc seems to be created weekly…he had a hand in the Summer Italy job..dropped…Victor nearly killed him to force him to sign those papers..dropped…Is he even really sick? Vob Newman is def going to brrathe new life into him.
Thank you so much Kel. It will be interesting to see what Newman will do.
Glad you are back – I love how you tell it like it is.
Thank you so much Chip!
To my dear, dear Marlena!!! Welcome back! I eagerly read through your Y&R critique and found that I had a giddy grin on my face. Like with your glorious SPW columns from the good old days, I felt like your were speaking for me, stating exactly how I was feeling about the current state of our favorite soaps. I cannot wait to read more from you… can I dare to hope either weekly or bi-weekly if your time allows? We love our Marlena!
After over 40 years of watching Y and R I never dreamed I would be ffing thru most of it. . It has become soo boring and slow with my dreading watching the show daily. So few surprises. Like watching paint dry. What a shame for its devoted fans and such amazing talented actors!! Why wontt THE POWERS THAT BE step in and save this beloved show with something new and exciting. Please … We viewers are hanging on by a hopeful thread. Please…New writers, new dramatic storylines….. Many fans are so invested and have been for so many years in this award winning soap. Please don’t let us down!.
Thank you so much Buni!
Chere Marlena!
Welcome back! Your absence has been far too long. Hope you are back for a long time this time. We need your thoughtful insights.
Y&R is entirely missable these days. So slow. So dull. So un-engaging. I keep scratching my head wondering how Josh Griffith continues to have a job. I think most people are just watching it out of habit. I can’t image any new viewers coming into the show with these yawn worthy stories.
Look forward to your reviews of the other three soap!
Thank you so much James! Great to hear from you again!
I’ve never been a big fan of Y&R. I never knew a single person who spoke like the characters in this show did when I started to watch in 1988 or ’89. I’d watch for a couple of days if I happened to be home, but I couldn’t take much more than that. I became an enthusiastic daily viewer when Lynn Marie Latham took over. Finally, characters who talked like people. I loved Jewish Brad, the reliquary storyline, Professor Cowbell, JT and Colleen, Gloria and Kevin.
And then she left. And so, eventually, did I. Kevin chasing squirrels. Or pretending to be one to rob a bank? (I don’t actually remember.)
Then ten years later, I was waiting in a doctor’s office for a procedure to start, and the TV was tuned into Y&R, and there was this marvelous character named Spider. He turned out to be Adam, played by the terrific Mark Grossman, and I’ve been watching every day since.
But like everyone else here, I agree. There’s no story. Precious little conflict that anyone’s doing anything about except talking. I had hopes that Sally would become a true pot stirrer, but they just used her to ship Summer off to Italy.
I wonder what happened to whatever Gloria stuck in that box in the Abbott living room.
Thank you so much Jay! You are so insightful!
Welcome back! You have been missed! I have always enjoyed your honest, tell it like it is with smarts & intelligence commentaries. Please continue!
As for Y&R, you are so, so right. I gave up long ago to only sporadic viewing. It’s so, so very boring as the same characters stay front & center over & over & over again. You have gifted talents like Christian J. LeBlanc who have been back-burnered so long it’s pathetic. The Fisher/Baldwin clan needs a storyline….Judith Chapman is always a delight & needs to be back on contract stirring up major trouble.
Thanks Greg! Any episode featuring the marvelous Ms. Chapman is a winner!
Thanks Greg!
Boy have you ever hit the nail on the head. The show is not only boring it’s utterly maddening to sit through. I feel like the biggest masochist on the planet for even having it on in the background waiting and hoping for something to happen. And what’s even worse, it’s gone on for far too long. The show hasn’t had an ounce of spark since returning from the pandemic break. Nothing is happening organically, nothing makes much sense, nothing in these painstakingly dull conversations these characters have is imaginative, dramatic, or worthwhile. As you say, the actors & production are still top notch, but I honestly feel sorry for them. They could be doing SO much more with better material. The canvas is exceptional, but even those currently with material are wasted. Scoring these scenes must be a nightmare and a bore all at the same time. There needs to be a massive change in the writing room. It’s just not acceptable to make the audience and everyone at Y&R. Either change the name to THE MUNDANE AND THE AWFUL or get a writing team with perspective, focus, and the drive to want this show to truly be number 1 again.
Welcome back! As always, you nailed it with your review of Y&R. For me, the show was at its best when produced by John Conboy & Wes Kenney while being penned by Bell, Alden, Sussman, and Harrower. It stood out because it was different. Now it blends in with the soaps that had long periods of blandness like General Hospital circa 1976-1977; they just sit and talk… endlessly. Hopefully the powers that be are listening to your on-point review.
Thanks for your insights Mike!
I could not agree more! It’s been snoozefest for some time now. I don’t watch soaps for all these business story lines! Who cares! Yawn. I’ve been liking Victoria, and separately Billy, less and less. And the Dominic story is endless and motivations sometimes don’t seem to make sense. Where are the relationships?! Where is the romance?!
Thank you so much Christi!
New year=wonderful trusty wise Marlena back to bring life to the show=now lame and hopeless.
Thank you David!
Thank you so much David!
Thank you so much David!
Welcome back, Marlena! So nice to have you back where you belong!
I know Y&R was always a bit of a slow paced show, but it does seem so limp and boring. I’ve caught an episode live on a few occasions and there was just….nothing happening. I don’t know if it’s my old eyes not appreciating the very naturalistic acting choices of a younger generation, or if it’s Josh Griffith. Or perhaps both.
Bill Bell was king of the slow burn, but right now, all we’ve got is a very soggy set of matches. Alas.
Thank you so much dear Patrick! As a former contributor to this column, your kind words mean all the more to me!
MA CHERE MARLENA, COULDN’T AGREE MORE WITH YOU AND YOUR FAITHFUL READERS ABOUT THE CURRENT BLEAKNESS OF ‘Y AND R.’ BONJOUR TRISTESSE!!! 🙁 LOVE, DAVIDE.
Welcome back, darlink! So glad you have this space.
The issue with Josh’s writing is that he writes as if the scenario alone will carry the emotion. Let’s look at Abby. She lives in a bizarre world where on paper she has everything, except she does not. She shares custody with Devon, which was not part of the plan. Her rock, Chance is back, but he is no longer a rock. He is still buried under the rubble of the safe house. And the debris is his feeling of failure when the GC world sees him as a hero. Abby is stuck between helping her husband recover, talking care of her child and acquiescing to Devon’s last minute demands. Lets not mention the ludicrous plot twist that have undermined the emotion of what was an interesting story.
The writing should allude to this shading to enhance the actors. Melissa Ordway and Bryton James in particular have done their best to make a silk purse out of a sows ear.
And we need to see our favorite people DO SOMETHING! Jack NEEDS to run Jabot. Phyllis NEEDS to run the hotel. Nick needs to do SOMETHING but run from ex-wife to ex-wife to complain about how toxic the Newman family is, like he just discovered it. Nate and Elena need to see patients!
Jordi Vilasuso is being terribly wasted. I look forward to the possible attraction between Rey and Chelsea.
One final note: Mark Grossman is brilliant recreating Adam. He has turned this mustache twirling character into a intricate man with many shades. Pairing with Courtney Hope’s similar personality Sally is a brilliant move. Again though, lets see them WORK! Lets see Adam and Sally blow the smugness off Victoria.
Speaking of which, Amelia Heinle has done a brilliant job of turning Victoria from victim to strong woman. As with real people who make this change, sometimes people over compensate. I hope to see that in the future.
But that brings us back to the point: The writing. Josh needs to stop ignoring the little details that keep us in the GC universe. Once a viewer asks “Whattt?”, we are gone and the story is a failure.
Thank you so much Douglas. What a wonderful analysis of Y&R. More on the show in a future column!