The Summer, Kyle, Lola & Theo Quadrangle Has Gotten Boring — Here’s How Young & Restless Could Make Things Interesting Again
Young and Restless quadrangle would benefit from a drama boost.
When Young and Restless left off, Kyle had fired Theo from Jabot, but in what has become a disheartening trend under the current writing regime, there was no real fire behind it. Seeing classic episodes highlighting rivalries and all manner of soap drama has us thinking the quadrangle of Kyle (Michael Mealor), Theo (Tyler Johnson), Lola (Sasha Calle), and Summer (Hunter King) needs to go old school…
Too tame
Kyle and Theo were friends in New York, but became enemies after Theo came to Genoa City and baited Kyle with an old secret (which was anti-climatic and never adequately explained the level of animosity that resulted). Kyle and Theo’s rivalry has mostly been snarking; it pales in comparison to the nasty behavior of Young and Restless predecessors, such as Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) and Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), whose interactions were so intense they could leave one staring at the TV screen breathless. They raged at one another, actively schemed to devastate each others’ lives in business and love with no misgivings – Jack even walked away and left Victor for dead after he suffered a stroke during one of their clashes. Due to the sheer virulence of their ongoing feud, the few and far between moments when Victor and Jack would call a truce were gold. Everything that happened between them felt ‘big’ and to this day viewers are riveted when they share the same space. Kyle decked Theo once, but otherwise, the rivalry has been too tame to hit the big leagues.
Catfights and cakefights
The same is true for their significant others/exes, Lola and Summer – where’s the excitement in watching two rivals tolerate each other? These women should have been in at least two catfights by now, and someone should have fallen down a flight of stairs during a heated argument. Lola and Summer could follow in the footsteps of Sharon (Sharon Case) and Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), but the soapy drama quotient has to go way up. One only has to look at examples from the classic episodes, such as Sharon and Nikki’s fight in the stables, or Jill (Jess Walton) and Katherine’s (Jeanne Cooper) many run-ins – which are still talked about by fans years, even decades, after the fact – to see how it should be done.
High stakes, big drama
Aside from the rivalries, the storylines for the quadrangle need to go old school as well – scenes often feel like they’re being written for a rom-com or sitcom, and not a soap opera. Playing up the emotions of the foursome would go a long way – think of Genoa City’s Masquerade Ball and the long, yearning looks across the room, the sidelong glances, the sneaking around, and the cattiness. Soapy goodness has to happen as well – pregnancies, baby swaps, kidnappings, etc., may all seem like daytime clichés, but big happenings add to the sense of high stakes and drama that draws viewers in and makes them cheer, jeer, and feel heavily invested in the outcomes. Aside from their jobs and their romantic situation, Kyle, Lola, Summer, and Theo don’t even have a storyline, period. There’s a ton of potential, especially with Theo now having family ties, and positioned to take a job at a company where he could be competing against Kyle, but adding some classic melodrama and taking risks could definitely take this quadrangle to the next level.
Do you think the Kyle, Summer, Lola, and Theo quadrangle needs to go old school? Vote in the poll to indicate which way you’re leaning, then read our Young and the Restless spoilers to find out what classic episodes are coming up.
