Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

Maya Angelou once said, “When people tell you who they are, believe them.” These two characters didn’t listen.

Ever since The Young and the Restless’ Jack grew out of his long and sordid philandering rat bastard phase, we’ve rooted for him. And we’ve cheered on Taylor Hayes nearly all the time since she first appeared on The Bold and the Beautiful. But both characters are at a crucial turning point, the other side of which could turn viewers against them. How?

If Jack really reopens his heart to Diane and Taylor gives Ridge a 2,082nd chance, that’s how.

Susan Walters"The Young and the Restless" Set CBS television CityLos Angeles03/23/22© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com310-657-9661Episode # 12350U.S. Airdate 04/27/22

“Crap! This website is totally onto me!”

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

Wake Up and Smell the Coffee

Jack and Taylor both know who their old flames are. He’s been involved with Diane how many times? The answer doesn’t matter, because the result is always the same: He winds up with third-degree burns, whether because she dumps him for archenemy Victor or decides to cut her losses and play dead.

And Taylor, let’s be real. Ridge isn’t a whole lot better. True, he’s never abandoned his kids by pretending to have been murdered. But he’s traded his Doc in so often that they’re usually divorced before the new set of monogrammed towels come in. Doesn’t exactly scream, “Oo, he’s a keeper, does it?”

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Thorsten Kaye"The Bold and the Beautiful" Set CBS Television City Los Angeles, Ca. 02/25/21 © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com 310-657-9661 Episode # 8498 U.S.Airdate 04/19/21

“They make some good points… which I will now ignore.”

Credit: Howard Wise/JPI

The Awful Truth Is…

So if Jack softens toward Diane to the point that he even contemplates a romantic reunion… if Taylor rolls out the welcome mat and invites Ridge to treat her like an also-ran… what can we conclude? What must we conclude?

There are two and only two options. 1. Maybe Jack and Taylor aren’t as smart as we like to think that they are. And/or 2. Jack and Taylor are masochists who all but demand a lifetime of unhappiness and upset.

If either of those are the case, how are we to stay in their corner? We’d be volunteering to vicariously fight in what are obviously losing battles. We’d be, in essence, asking for heartache as loudly as Jack and Taylor are. For us, that would be a hard pass. How about you?

Maybe Jack and Taylor should actually hook up themselves and join the ranks of the characters in the below photo gallery who crossed over from one show to another.