Young & Restless: Phyllis’ Plan Will Backfire Big Time — Plus, the Return of Naughty Nate
April 3 - 7
Credit: CBS, Howard Wise/JPI
Young & Restless’s big fake murder mystery delivered the drama when required and viewers were treated to some outstanding performances! In the aftermath, the show remains better than it has been but one can feel the ‘boring’ slowly seeping back in.
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Kudos
All of the actors involved in Phyllis’s ‘death’ did an outstanding job. The situation gave Allison Lanier a chance to show what she could do with some meaty material and the girl did not disappoint. I nearly cried when Summer found out Phyllis had died and sagged against Kyle and Nick with a sob. She’s been fantastic in the aftermath too, particularly in the scenes where Summer lashed out at Diane and Kyle in the Abbott living room. Goosebumps! As for Michael Graziadei, we already knew what he could do and he proved it once again as Daniel moved beyond shock and anger to the horrified realization that his mother was gone. Though I wanted to see Daniel and Summer leaning on one another more, the scenes with Daniel and Danny, and Daniel and Lily, in the suite, were genuinely moving. Susan Walters and Peter Bergman — you can’t leave them out. The emotional scenes between Jack and Diane just pull you right in.
The biggest applause, however, goes to Michelle Stafford, who absolutely killed the scenes leading up to Phyllis’s death. That rant after Jack and Diane’s announcement was something to see and was almost certainly the “work” Sharon Case was referring to around the 3:20 mark of this clip. Find out what she said:
We have @YandR_CBS‘ own @TheRealStafford, @JoshuaMorrowYR, and @Sharonlcase in the house to spill the tea on all things Genoa City! pic.twitter.com/BYEZxKqKKd
— The Talk (@TheTalkCBS) March 23, 2023
Big Backfire?
As for Phyllis and Jeremy’s plan to “get” Diane, it’s been a little murky, but it seems they’ll frame her for attempted murder, as it’s a foregone conclusion that poison will be found in her system and somehow linked to Diane. Jack’s fiancee will then be arrested for attempted murder as Phyllis was on death’s door when she was taken away in the ambulance prior to the staged crash. Phyllis really must have been making decisions in an emotional vacuum, however, as there is no way this is going to pan out as she hopes.
While Diane will undoubtedly be arrested and thrown for a loop, Phyllis will not be able to stay away and will eventually either be exposed or out herself. What then? If she thought Summer and Daniel were mad at her before… they’re bound to be incandescent once they find out she faked her death and put them through this pain on purpose. Further, she’s just committed the exact same atrocities that Diane did in the past (faking her death and letting her kids think she’s dead, and framing someone), which means she’ll no longer hold the moral high ground she believed she held over her rival. Yup, it’s got the potential to backfire big time.
In related, we’ve probably neared the end of Jeremy’s run on Young & Restless, and as much as I love James Hyde, I’m not sorry to see the poor excuse for a villain hit the road. The writing for the character never lived up to the hype and he merely came across as smarmy and never particularly dangerous.
Backing Out
I’m still not convinced that Victoria pulling her offer to buy McCall Unlimited isn’t a strategy, but it’s interesting to me that Victor appears to be allowing her to call the shots. He may make an offer to Tucker with personal funds, but would Tucker sell to him? He knows Victor wants to put Adam in charge and he vowed that would happen only over his dead body. That said, Tucker is going to be up the creek without a buyer if Devon also opts out. Victor, for his part, is determined to come through for Adam but is respecting Victoria’s decision given that he put her in charge. But will he still feel that way if she slips up at Newman Enterprises? Perhaps by having sex with a subordinate and putting herself in a compromising position? Watch out for the return of Naughty Nate this week as — spoiler alert! — he finally gives in to his attraction to Victoria.
Getting Back Together
On another Adam front, with Nick distracted by the fallout from Phyllis’s death, I’d expect Sally and her ex will continue to reconnect as they have been, inching toward the inevitable reunion. When (not if) they get back together, will Nick turn to Sharon, only to discover she’s enjoying herself with Chance? Almost certainly, which is fantastic. While “Shick” may be as inevitable as “Ally”, it’s a soap and there should be obstacles to getting there.
Teriah Returns
In related news, while there’s still no sign of Noah (though it was mentioned he and Allie were traveling), Sharon will at least get her daughter back when Mariah and Tessa come home next week with her granddaughter, Baby Aria. Finally! It’s worth repeating that “Teriah” meeting their daughter for the first time should absolutely have taken place onscreen.
Moving On Up
Abby will be moving on up to the penthouse with Devon as Chance retakes his rightful place in the Chancellor mansion. Meanwhile, Devon has also announced that he wants to try again with Lily at Chancellor-Winters. Will it work out? If not, will McCall Unlimited still be waiting in the wings?
The opinions expressed within are mine. Feel free to share your thoughts on this week’s Young & Restless episodes in the comment section below.
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