Can we talk?

Y&R

    I'm still addicted to The Young and The Restless. The quality of the writing went down after the originator Bell died, but by then I was hooked on the characters. I tell myself I watch it not because it's a good story, but because I like to fuss about it and list all the things that I would do differently if I were on staff. I've put up with new characters who have come and gone. I tolerate story lines I don't like, but I'm faithful to watch it as often as possible. Thank goodness for The Soap Opera Chanel which lets me watch late at night.

    So which characters do I like? Jack Abbot, for one. He's done incredibly stupid things. He's been a fool over women. He's obsessed over ridiculous things. He's pushed the legal limits. But still I watch. A few years ago, he was in a parking garage collapse, and was trapped, maybe dying. I told myself that if they let him die, I would not watch any more. TA-DA! He was rescued. So I didn't have to swear off the show. Jack continues to go from borderline evil to wonderfully human and tender and noble. The actor Peter Bergman is showing his age, but thankfully isn't pairing off with women way too young for him, like his nemesis, Victor Newman.

    Seeing Victor kissing Sharon is just gross. Any man that old, with all those wrinkles, and hair dye could only get a woman that young by having tons of money. Still it's disgusting. Yet Victory is one I love to watch, always hoping that his schemes will catch up with him. Too much money. He always gets off in this story. He does just enough good things to keep from being 100% evil. This character was not one of the original players. But he has been around a few decades. He started as an evil man married to his first wife Julia. Victor really needs to pay for some of his sins in this life! The viewing audience won't see his penance in the after-life. The acting is okay, but they just give him the same controlling, angry, superior-than-thou parts to play.

    Catherine Chancellor is one of my favorites. She's an original. She didn't become actively involved in business until recent years, but of course, now she plays an expert. She hasn't done anything evil or deceitful in ages. I guess because of her age she hasn't even been in a cat fight. But her character is a nice stable fixture in the show. She's never hurt anyone more than herself. There have been some hard to swallow kidnappings and amnesia, but the stories were acceptable. These days she's very lovable.

    Jill Abbot has also mellowed out and aged. Currently, she's off the scene. Her character was the one that originally hooked me, years after the show started. She's been played by several actresses, all doing a good job. Jill's been a pain at times, but never evil. She's had a very jagged love life.

      Paul Williams, I believe, is an original, starting as a student. He's probably the only truly good character on the show. His trouble is circumstantial. He's frequently somebody else's victim. I don't want to see him punished, which may happen in the current story line, or suffering more than necessary (real life has suffering). At times, Paul's story lines can be a bit boring, because he's just so good. I couldn't watch it, if they wrote anything evil for him to do.

    Nina has been there since early on, but takes extended breaks (years) from the show. I've known guys who like her best because she's like a real person, not phony. I can't say she's one of my favorites, although she's not a bad person. She just likes having her way.

    Phyllis drives me crazy. I do not like her. She's been evil from the beginning, but they keep letting her get away with it. For example, there was the woman who died in the fire after she threatened to expose Phyllis falsifying DNA tests for little Daniel. She broke up Nick's marriage, and then hated and persecuted Nick's wife for over a decade, even after marrying Nick herself. And she sleeps around! Two men only hours apart! She dresses sleazy from time to time, but paints herself as the perfect mother. Her pushiness is enough to make you dislike her, even if she hadn't manipulated so many people, broken the law, or killed people. It will be good to see her go to prison. We need to see justice once in a while.

    Nicky is a mixture. Some days, I love her, sometimes I could stand to see her go away forever. It depends on whether she's nagging and pushing, or being nice. She was a good mother; it wasn't just in her own opinion. But once in a while she gets so snobby! And what is she doing to Jack? Settling for a fairly decent man, since she can't have the evil Mr. Mustache? Get over Victor already. He's bad for you, Nicky.

    I used to think Neil was a good guy, but I'm on the fence now. He's not capable of the evil that Victor, Phyllis, or even Jack can do, but he's so fallible. He's displayed some weakness.

    I like Gloria, not her husband, not his other wife. I like Nick once in a while, Victoria most of the time, Tracy always. Ashley is up and down. They haven't give her much of a story lately, favoring the newer characters. I don't really care for Chloe, although once in a while she gets a good little part. I am a fan of Kevin's new leaf, and Adam's, too. When Adam first came to the story, he was so smug, I hated him. But they have allowed him to change, even though no one is accepting it the way they have Kevin's change.

      Some things have been just too hard to accept, except by pretending as a viewer. Adam should be about 20 years younger than Nick, but he's only about 6 or 7 years younger, and they have both been married to the same woman, who is now living with their rather elderly father.  Summer should be about 8, not 15. Noah and Eden gained about 5 or 6 years in one year. Ricky hadn't been born in 1994, a date that was given recently on the show, but he's a college graduate, working in his 20's. He just died. My math says he was about 17. Kyle went away to school as a 10 year old, and in less than a year, came back a high school grad, sleeping with Eden, who's about 20, at least. Next 2 year old Faith will be 12. By my calculations, Billy should be much younger than his wife Victoria.

    So why do I watch it? Why do I plan my evening around this dribble. I admit it's badly written and unbelievable. If Paul, Jack, and Nicky left, would I stop watching? Maybe it's like smoking. I need an intervention.