Image: Howard Wise/JPI

Aside from Nick and Sharon getting Christian back, and Jill’s return, the week felt a bit bleak at times. A couple of plot points seemed ‘out of the blue’ because they developed too suddenly, and issues persist with significant events occurring off screen, exposition that is sometimes absent or insufficient, and characters’ deeper motivations and emotional struggles not always being adequately explored. Thoughts:

Victor or Victoria?
As mentioned in the last Deconstructing Y&R, Nikki, Phyllis, Sharon, and Victoria’s pact has been a solid source of entertainment, however it’s increasingly irksome, with the return of JT, that the follow-through on Victoria’s trauma isn’t being addressed at all when it should be a focal point. Viewers expressed disappointment:

It bothers me so much that Victoria has become non-existent in this JT story. It’s like she’s become an after thought completely forgetting that she’s suffered or suffering the most in this whole thing. #YR

— Rachelle (@Daytime_tv) July 9, 2018

How are they all worried about Victor and not Victoria? #YR

— Nice For What ⁶? (@chrystallll) July 6, 2018

As for Victor meeting JT one-on-one in a dark alley, it seemed inadvisable at best, but did provide tension for a Friday cliffhanger, and I’m anxious to see the twists comng. In other Newman news, Victor lost out on Christian to Nick. Disappointingly, the decision happened off screen and we didn’t get to see Brittany again.

More: Y&R headwriter on JT twists & turns

New developments.
There’s been a lot of action in Devon’s building, but none of it is revolving around him. It’s been positively jarring how we went from Devon and Hilary declaring their love and being happily reunited to her being thrown into this puzzling series of clashes with newcomer, Nate. If this was intended to be a new direction in story it was not smoothly transitioned nor was care taken to ensure it made sense to viewers. Hilary’s snappy mood lately also seems out of place given that a week or so ago she was blissed out – I just don’t get it. In other news, Neil began romancing Ashley in another move that felt a little ‘out of the blue’. I think there is some chemistry there, but again, no time was taken to build up to this rekindling of their past attraction. Neil and Victor’s little tit-for-tat dance over business was good stuff, however.

Separate ways.
The headwriter is angling back toward a Mariah and Tessa pairing, but I find it odd they’ve used Summer and Kyle to enable it rather than having had the women share scenes together that would allow their chemistry to rebuild and thereby tell the story organically – I worry whether they’ll be able to get back the previous intensity. The bit with Mariah feeling under-confident completely ignored the fact that she managed to attract a hot billionaire, and that Tessa was so into her before that she kissed her while dating someone else, but nonetheless the idea of ‘Snowflake’ trying to give her a makeover was amusing. In related commentary, Kyle needs a love life.

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Dig deeper.
After the bizarre grave-digging incident, the confrontations with Kyle and Esther and Kyle, Jack, and Cane helped stall Jack’s storyline further. I can’t help but feel this is a story that could have gone deeper dramatically, with Jack continuing his fall off the wagon, and/or finding a slightly unsuitable woman to confide in/fall for during this identity crisis. In any case, Jill finally showed up on Friday and the heated and emotional scenes involving her and Jack were decidedly the best thing I’d seen all week – she really was key in this portion of Jack’s story.

Spiraling.
Billy went on a downward spiral since helping Summer out. It happened quickly, and with some of it off screen, viewers found themselves very suddenly dealing with Billy in full-on addiction mode, Summer annoyingly choosing now to feel bad about triggering him, and Phyllis wondering if he was cheating. While I don’t buy Phyllis needing a private investigator at all, I wondered if the P.I. would see him going to a suite with Summer or something, which would not be good…nope, not good at all. Billy thinks he’s in trouble with losing the yacht, but the real risk is in lying to Phyllis…eek.

Billy calling Phyllis to say he will be working late. Meanwhile, Phyllis is in his office. ?? #YR. pic.twitter.com/wAvz8ei3ZY

— Cher M. (@jamdownrocks) July 11, 2018

This is my opinion. Please visit the comment section to share your thoughts.