Young & Restless Crank Up: Sharon’s World is Rocked — Plus, Ashley Sets Herself up for a Fall on Two Fronts
May 15 - 19
Credit: CBS screenshot, Howard Wise/JPI
Young & Restless has had a few pivots, presumably ramping up the May Sweeps drama, which should soon be coming to a head. I’ll be off next week on vacation, so watch for a soapbox column from Charlie Mason in this spot. Here are my thoughts on this week and what’s ahead:
Related Story
Icing on the Cake
Victoria and Nate are going full steam ahead with their relationship and all foreshadow-y signs point to Victor’s daughter coming to regret the dalliance. Without Elena acting as his conscience, there’s been a turning point, with Nate free to conspire to his heart’s content, which is exactly what he did with Audra in the park. It’s interesting because they probably don’t actually trust each other given all they know, but it’s a “birds of a feather” thing at this point. And while Nate works toward having his cake at Newman Enterprises, the icing comes in the form of sex with the boss. As Nick so kindly pointed out, there are all kinds of ways this can go wrong — you gotta love it. Looking ahead, the preview shows Elena barreling into Victoria’s office and snarking at the pair of them. Will she be there to resign… or to demand that they do a podcast with J.T. Hellstrom?!
A Grilling
With the dramatic turn of Daniel spilling his guts about his mother being alive, Summer had little choice but to go with the flow, but she sure wasn’t giving up her anger at her brother. This wasn’t lost on Chance, Sharon, or Kyle. The writers have her husband being selectively dense, however, as he didn’t seem to find Summer’s muted reaction to the news that her mother was alive suspicious at all.
I know Kyle isn’t the sharpest pencil in the box, but why isn’t he curious about Summer’s measured response to the sudden news that her mother is alive?#YR🤔 pic.twitter.com/HIubmz1fYI
— KingMinos777 (@KingMinos777) May 17, 2023
Anyway, Kyle and Jack put on their amateur detective hats and thumbed their noses at Christine and Chance (who are being dumbed down to the extreme for this plot), by finding red hairs in the bathroom of the hotel. This discovery was a stretch as it was already established that Phyllis scrubbed the place spic ‘n’ span to cover up her crime and a maid would have cleaned it after that. Ah well, it is what it is.
I think my favorite part of the revelation was the change in Diane’s behavior and attitude after she learned she’d been set up. Much more “true colors” Diane, which I’ve been waiting for since she returned. Additionally, Chance finally seemed to get a clue and showed up at the Abbott house to grill Summer. I was feeling a vibe between them when he was acting protective toward her, but then things got a little more intense. Looking ahead, it seems Kyle will learn that Summer lied to him next week. Let the fireworks begin!
More: Allison Lanier warns ‘Skyle’ fans
Charm Offensive
The Ashley and Tucker story is being told just right as I’m equal parts rooting for them and torn because I know what must inevitably be ahead. Tucker’s charm is off the charts and has drawn many a viewer into rooting for not only his relationship with Ashley to pan out but also for him to reconnect with Devon and Dom. Come on, Abby, give the guy a break already, will ya’?! At the same time, as Tucker and Ash get closer, so does the disappointment that will undoubtedly follow. He couldn’t really have changed, right?
SOD previews that Ashley will tell Jack that she and Tucker are engaged during a heated exchange, so it’s about to get real. Meanwhile, Ashley has set herself up for a fall on another front as well — she wants to remove Jack as CEO of Jabot due to his association with accused murderer Diane. Maybe she’ll overhear one of the many conversations about Phyllis being alive that are being held in her home before it’s too late. Either way, she’s going to have to admit that she was wrong about the woman she loathes… at least in this instance.
Blast From the Past
Young & Restless began cranking up the drama for Sharon, who has a big storyline coming up. It all kicked off with her receiving a mysterious gift while someone unseen watched her amid sinister music playing. Ruh roh. Case previewed in SOD that Sharon is in for a “wild ride” and we’re all but certain that it will involve a terrifying figure from her past… who will not only bring danger for the blonde cafe owner, but also for those nearest and dearest to her. Find out why the champagne is significant and who’s in the line of fire here.
Bringing Sexy Back
Here’s a shout-out to all of the “love in the afternoon” on Young & Restless this week. We’ve got Billy and Chelsea falling in love, Sally and Adam exchanging looks, Nick declaring his love (even if it was a knee-jerk reaction to Adam’s needling), Abby and Devon are all loved up, Tucker’s trying to get Ashley to marry him, Diane’s picking out wedding gowns, and the show brought sexy back on Friday’s episode as Mariah and Tessa, as well as Nate and Victoria, shared steamy scenes at the Athletic Club.
More: Mark Grossman’s surprise passion revealed
This is just my opinion. Feel free to leave your thoughts on this week’s Young & Restless in the comment section.
All new! Don’t miss seeing primetime stars and their kids in the gallery below.
