Restless Rant
Week of April 6 – 10:

At this point, with The Young and the Restless, I find myself wishing that if they could only get the great acting together with a great storyline – at the same time – the show would be incredible. The issue? Scenes featuring top-notch acting are mired in either dragging, or overly dark, storylines! After last week’s thrilling tease of the snarky and comic rehearsal dinner and the Billy/Chloe wedding, topped by the great cake fight, now, a week later, I find I’m back to longing for that great balance of family, friendship, laughter, comic relief – and drama – that personifies Y&R. Is the show too dark? It seems everyone is moping, plotting, fighting, crying, suffering mental illness, or even being haunted!

Katherine: It’s been wonderful seeing Katherine settle back into her rightful home with her man by her side. I love the way they wake up and play cards in bed – just like at the trailer! What a great couple! Unfortunately, Genoa City being what it is, she hasn’t had a moment to even breathe without someone needing something from her – Jack! I hope she is able to champion Amber and Kevin’s cause – that would be a heart-warming ending after how devoted they were to helping her in her time of need.

Jill: Jill’s reaction to the news that she’s not related to Katherine wasn’t necessarily what I expected. While I can see Jill being bitter at first – for the simple reason that she was proved wrong about ‘that woman’ being Marge – I felt like her attacks on Nikki and Murphy were a little over the top, and perhaps a little too contrived to force the old-time catfight between her and Katherine. But I can’t complain about the cake fight – woot! I found Jill’s painful admission to Cane at the Club much more along the lines of what I would have liked to see between her and Katherine – some disappointment, tears, and anguish – I still hope that we’ll see a scene like that between Jill and Katherine – maybe when Jill’s back isn’t up, and there is no one else around…

Billy/Mac/Chloe: I’m not seeing the chemistry between NuMac and Billy yet, but I’m ‘giving it time’. I also question how raw this would really be for either of them after six years and numerous relationships with other people. Chloe’s insecurities will be off the charts now – and painful to watch – since I really do think she loves him, warts and all. Her little chat with Delia could be interpreted a few ways – it seems to me that she did set out to bag a rich guy, but fell in love for real. I just wish either Chloe or Billy had found the nerve to call off the wedding – the marriage is too awkward.

Cane/Lily: Interesting new dynamic going on here. I can actually feel Lily’s frustration at this point – and understand her questioning if Cane is just out for revenge on Chloe and Billy. If all Cane really wants is to be with Lily – why not drop this custody thing and just be with her?! I think Cane really has become obsessed with this – he’s not even listening to Lily’s reasoning – which illustrates just how ‘out there’ he is – he even went to Neil behind her back – and normally he would know that Lily wouldn’t appreciate that!

Ashley/Adam/Victoria/Estella: So, it looks like this is going to be some weird, gothic, storyline where they gaslight Ashley. After Friday’s episode I was left wondering if it will just be Estella and Adam that do it, or if Victoria will join in as well… The hope that Adam’s character will be redeemed is rapidly disappearing – too bad! Meanwhile, Ashley is still a watered-down version of herself – changing that might boost this story.