The Young and the Restless was certainly flying high at the Daytime Emmy awards ceremony, soaring on the wings of excellence with the glittery, golden statuette of the lady holding up a globe in her hands. And Y&R sure seemed to have the world of daytime drama in its grasp, not to mention many of the awards given out for outstanding achievement. Not only did Y&R win the coveted award for outstanding drama and writing, but three Y&R actors snagged bragging rights as well.
I cheered out loud when Amelia Heinle, dressed in a flowing orange gown adorned with colorful flowers, accepted her award for outstanding supporting actress in what she called her most fulfilling role. She thanked Billy Miller and paid tribute to her sister who was battling cancer as she remarked that her win was unexpected. It may have been unexpected to Ms. Heinle, but it sure wasn't to me. I predicted that Amelia Heinle would get the award. She truly deserved to win, in my opinion.
I have been fortunate to be a member of Soap Central's Daytime Emmy Awards predictions panel for the past four years, and I had my best year yet with six correct predictions out of eight categories. (I only missed for outstanding lead actress and supporting actor.) Once Amelia Heinle gave me goose bumps (I refuse to call them "goosies," as Jennifer Lopez does) for her performances during Delia's hit-and-run storyline, I felt with all my heart that she would win. She was awesome. It was just a matter of her selecting the right episode to submit. Mission accomplished.
Hunter Haley King looked very grown-up in her sparkly silver and black evening attire as she was handed her outstanding younger actress trophy. Ms. King thanked Peter Bergman, who plays Jack Abbott, and so did Billy Miller when he received his award for outstanding lead actor. Peter Bergman must be a wonderful actor to work with. Billy Miller also thanked Amelia Heinle for their great work together, and I can't say that I blame him. Both Billy Miller and Amelia Heinle submitted the same episode for their remarkable acting, and they again proved to have the winning chemistry that we had loved them for. I missed Billy Miller all over again.
My favorite evening gown of the Y&R ladies for the night went to Sharon Case, who shimmered in her gorgeous formal attire when she and Camryn Grimes presented the award for writing to the Y&R team. I thought that Sharon's dress was elegant and complimented her well. Camryn was also lovely in her violet dress. Their hair was simply styled, and their jewelry gave each the right touch. Both ladies absolutely did Y&R justice in grace and class.
Yes, almost the entire night seemed to belong to Y&R as the Jeanne Cooper Tribute also won in a new category called the Special Class Specials. And even actor/humorist Mo Rocca, who once played Milton, the accountant "crushing" on Nikki Newman in a Y&R episode, presented the award for outstanding talk show shortly after he greeted Melody Scott Thomas in the audience. Touches of Y&R were everywhere, and the soap proved that it was simply the best in 2014 daytime drama. Cheers and bravo!
However, the online telecast left soap fans befuddled and outraged, most notably the red carpet interviews. Done by four "social media experts," these young ladies proved to be unknowledgeable and unprofessional. Their worst offense came when, after drooling over General Hospital's Ryan Paevey (Nathan), one cried out, "We're going to get you away from us before we rape you." This was horrendous and not the least bit funny. It's no wonder certain stars warned their fellow actors to stay away from the red carpet interviews.
Many fans vowed that they would not watch the ceremony next year if this quartet were to return, and a fan suggested on tvline.com, "There was one good thing about this show and that was that Dan Kroll came in there and reminded us why Soap Central is one of the best sites out there. Maybe he should be hosting this thing." Another fan also voted for Dan to host the interviews, and so do I. Dan is knowledgeable and would show the proper respect the soap stars deserve. He would ask the right questions to get fun facts that would entertain the actors and fans alike. And we have proof of this, thanks to Dan's Daytime Emmy Post-Show Wrap Up on soapcentral.com.
The ceremony itself was also less than stellar with confusion about who would accept the awards, with the f-word being flung around and with a couple of acceptance speeches that dragged on and on. I could not believe my eyes when I saw that the clip of the episode from Days of our Lives played for Chandler Massey was actually a clip of the current Will, played by Guy Wilson, when Will married Sonny. As he accepted his award, good sport Chandler laughed about the fantastic clip they had just shown of him. The best reason to watch the ceremony was to see these remarkable actors win their awards. That, indeed, made the ceremony, with its many flaws, worthwhile.
Now, on to our regularly scheduled program... Nikki finally revealed to Paul and an overhearing Dylan that Dylan was indeed Paul's son. What I found funny was that not only did it take Nikki an eternity to put two and two together and figure it out but also that she had not wanted to tell Dylan because he was already going through so much. What? You would think that Dylan would jump for joy to learn that Ian was not his father. It would seem to me that the news would help Dylan deal with any hardships he faced. After he learned the truth, Dylan didn't seem too outraged or upset or mad or anything. His one thought was to save Paul's life, which he insisted upon doing.
Once Michael verified that Dylan was within his legal rights to have the surgery, Dylan tried to schedule it with Dr. Barton Shelby, who vehemently refused to operate. In a matter of seconds -- almost so fast, your head would spin -- Leslie's new husband-doctor changed his mind, and Dylan was ready to play the hero. And no amount of begging and pleading from Nikki and Avery would change his mind. Wow, like father, like son. Dylan really is Paul's son.
Dylan did indeed save Paul's life, but as Nikki pointed out to Avery, Paul had given the gift of life to Dylan. So, I guess they are even-Steven, right? Both were on the road to recovery, although Paul would always need to be aware of any sign of rejection from his transplanted liver. After the doctor informed Christine that Paul would need to avoid stress, she demanded that Nikki not tell him the truth about Dylan. So, does that mean that Christine intends for Paul to never learn that Dylan is his son? Paul will always need to avoid stress. What kind of nonsense is that?
Thankfully, Dylan took matters into his own hands and told Paul himself. Unfortunately, Paul got confused and thought that Dylan was Ricky. As I watched Doug Davidson's anguished performance when he cried again about having to shoot his son, I thought that it could possibly be his next submission for the Daytimes Emmys. It was very moving and heartfelt. Michael and Lauren remembered that it was the anniversary of Ricky's death. Talk about stress -- Paul's sorrow was certainly causing that as his alarm on his cardiac monitor sounded throughout the room. Coincidentally, Dylan's beeped loudly at the same time. Can Paul and Dylan possibly survive? Oh, the suspense!
Leslie was unconcerned about whether her new hubby performed the surgeries or not, as she had problems of her own. It seemed that Ian didn't take too kindly to Leslie revealing information to Nikki that was given in confidence, due to the attorney/client privilege. Ian noted, "If we don't pay for our mistakes, Leslie, how will we ever learn from them?" Ian should know all about that because he has paid for so many of his own mistakes. Yeah, right.
Ian reported Leslie for her breach to the bar association so that Leslie could go on her own journey of self-discovery. What a champ! He also indicated that something he knew would prove more valuable than anyone even imagined. Does that mean that Ian has yet another secret? I guess he would need another reason to stick around. Ah-ha! His secret may have to do with Mariah, since he obviously knew her before they both arrived in town. That must be it.
Ian believed that Mariah deserved more than just having a nomadic existence and that she needed to remember the ultimate goal -- whatever that was. If Ian's secret concerns Mariah, it won't remain a secret for long with Victor on the trail. Victor overheard their conversation and warned her that she was playing with fire by crossing him. Boy, Mariah should be shaking in her shoes, but Victor's warnings never seem to faze her. She must be one tough cookie.
But apparently, Ian's secret about Mariah was really not that earth-shattering, if that was even the valuable information he was referring to. Nick learned that because Mariah's mother would come and go, Ian was the closest thing she had to a family. But there must be more to it than that, and Victor thought so, too, since he convinced Nick to work with him to find out more about the feisty girl. Watch out, Mariah. Victor is still on the warpath.
But if Sharon had her way, Mariah would stay put. Nick agreed to hire Mariah back at the Underground with conditions. She had to give up a portion of each paycheck to Sharon. Mariah had to make a truce with Noah while they worked together. Nick would trust Mariah with the cash register. ("Oh, no," Mariah pleaded, "Please not that!" Just kidding.) Finally, she would have to leave Genoa City once Sharon was paid back. Oh, wait...there was one more: Mariah couldn't take advantage of the loving and nurturing Sharon. I don't know, Mariah. That's just harsh.
Sharon invited Mariah to the family dinner, where the girl even made amends with Noah. See, she was already working on the second condition for her continued employment. Mariah mentioned to Sharon that there had been a man that she could look up to and confide in when she was growing up. When Sharon asked Nick about it later, Nick lied and said Mariah had never mentioned it to him. Tsk, tsk, tsk, Nick! When will you learn that lies only hurt a relationship and will only cause your loved one to lose trust in you? And why lie about this anyway? Nick then snooped in Mariah's purse and found John Darwin's business card with the message, "You and your mom can always come home." Where is Mariah's mom and what was her relationship with Ian? I'm on pins and needles.
Victoria informed Billy that she could no longer trust him after his sneaking off to Australia on the pretense of a business trip. When he pointed out that Jenna had dragged her kid halfway across the world to get Max away from Stitch, Victoria reminded Billy that she had also lost custody of Reed. Oops. I think Billy must have forgotten that little detail. Since marriage was supposed to be all about trust, respect and honesty, Victoria decided it was time to head to divorce court with Leslie by her side. Welcome Burgess Jenkins as the new Billy Abbott. Here's an interesting observation from Y&R fan Lynne G.:
Honestly, I hadn't noticed the resemblance, but I was looking more at the chemistry between Mr. Jenkins' Billy and Victoria than anything else. You can be sure I will pay attention now due to Lynne's comment. (I will especially try to picture Stitch with a wig on.) Y&R fan Cathy also shared her opinion of the new Billy:
Y&R fan Sherry H. added:
Y&R fan Roy B. agreed:
Honestly, as popular as Billy Miller was on the show, the fans probably could have used some time and space before Billy Abbott was recast. I know the timing was bad, since Billy is such a major factor in several storylines, but this adjustment has been very difficult to accept. However, since Burgess Jenkins is just getting started, I will give him a chance. And since Billy is right in the thick of things, Mr. Jenkins will need to jump right into the fire. But now, since Burgess Jenkins has arrived, could Phyllis's return be right around the corner? Y&R fan Faye says:
I do agree with this, however: I am still hoping that Sharon's illness caused her to believe that she had changed Summer's paternity test results. Maybe the odds are slim, but I can still hope. Y&R fan Daulton T. adds:
I am anxious to see Gina Tognoni's take on Phyllis and what she will do with the character. I totally think that she can make this character her own, even after Michelle Stafford's brilliant portrayal. And it should be fun to see her Phyllis interact with Jack and Kelly.
If Jack has his way, Stitch's secret won't remain a secret for long. We can only hope. Jack demanded the truth from Kelly, and she had already said numerous times that she would not lie to Jack. But, of course, in true soap fashion, Summer barged in before Kelly could reveal the past. I realize that secrets are a big part of the drama for soaps, but when they are kept hidden for too long, the reveal can be somewhat anticlimactic. After a while, fans tend to just give up and declare, "Who cares?" However, in this case, fans have still been trying to guess what the connection is between Stitch and Kelly, so that's a plus. But it's time for that to come out.
Kelly did give us another clue when she admitted to Stitch at the Athletic Club that he had not lost her because she still loved him. So apparently at one time, they were very close -- close enough that Kelly could not give up her love for Stitch, even after the bad thing happened. But what kind of love was it? A sisterly/brotherly love? Unfortunately, Jack saw them in the lobby and appeared to believe it was more of a romantic nature. The hug showed that Kelly and Stitch still very much cared for each other, and Jack left without speaking to her about it.
Traci was right that Jack had been afraid to hear what Kelly would say about her "love" for Stitch. At least Jack finally admitted to Kelly that he had seen her in a hug with Stitch, and for that we will be eternally grateful if Stitch's truth finally comes out. Because Kelly insisted that she would tell Jack the truth this time. Okay, we have all heard this before. How many times have we thought that Kelly or Stitch would tell the big secret, just to be let down? We should keep a running tally. But maybe Stitch's past will finally be revealed, and we can all move on with our lives.
In the meantime, Anita decided that Billy would be the perfect fit for her daughter, especially since he is one of the illustrious Abbotts. Okay, I know she did not say that, but we all know she is thinking it. Billy and Chelsea are pretty close right now, thanks to their adventures in Australia and Delia's corneal donation to Connor. Will this Billy be able to develop any onscreen chemistry with either lady -- Victoria or Chelsea? At least, David Tom had the likeability factor when his Billy was with Chelsea.
That factor, however, was not as evident with Burgess Jenkins' portrayal of Billy when he was with Chelsea. He still seemed a little too serious for Billy, although he did finally smile with her. Chelsea advised Billy to file for a divorce or, in other words, to call Victoria's bluff. Hey, Billy's the poker player. Chelsea quoted the saying, "Absence makes the heart grow fonder," believing that the pain would go away with time and distance and that the good memories would resurface. However, Billy regretted that a divorce might result in "out of sight, out of mind." After seeing some of Billy's recent decisions, he does seem to be going a little out of his mind.
I have always looked at the saying, "out of sight, out of mind," as having a double meaning. I realize that it is supposed to mean that once you are out of your loved one's life and mind, you will be forgotten. But with another spin, it could mean that when you are away from your cherished one, he or she will go out of his or her mind, crazy with loss and desire. Or maybe I am just going out of my ever-lovin' mind. Who really knows for sure? Apparently not Dean Andrews, Kelly's ex, because that's Chelsea and Billy's next strategy to get the dirt on Stitch.
On Neil's mad dash to the altar, Cane pleaded with him to slow things down so that Lily could adjust to the idea of his marriage to Hilary. Cane wisely pointed out that Hilary had not yet had the chance to live or to fall in love. Even Hilary admitted to Devon that she had feelings for him but that she had made a promise to Neil. Now there's a reason to get married! And Devon was right -- where's the passion?
Hilary seems to have used just about every other descriptive word to describe what she has with Neil except passion. She mentioned that he was kind, loving and sexy and that they had March madness, junk food, talking, and laughing together. But I can't remember Hilary ever saying that she was in love with Neil, only that she loved him. Neil seems to be more of a safe haven for her. After all, he is giving her the second chance that she so desperately wants. If Hilary's reaction to Devon's kiss is any indication, Cane is probably right in that their marriage won't last long.
Certainly it won't if Lily has any say about it, as she hoped that a miracle would stop her father from marrying "that witch." Lily then decided to go to Paris to get away from "the evil step-monster." Funny description! Devon relented and attended the wedding, and although Hilary was a little slow with the "I do," she and Neil made it official. If Devon truly loves Hilary, and we know that he loves his father, he would just want them to be happy. If they are making a mistake, it is theirs to make. I am sure Neil appreciated his son's support, and Devon will need to forget his love for Hilary. But we know that won't happen. This is a soap, after all.
Colin will do anything to pry that necklace off of Jill's neck -- even drugging their pot of tea. He did not foresee Lily and Cane arriving to announce their impromptu trip to Paris, however, and of course, Mrs. Ashby was thirsty. My question is why did Colin drug the entire pot of tea? Maybe the pills were too strong for just one cup, I'm thinking? Gee, it's great when I answer my own questions. To prevent Lily from drinking the tea, Colin spilled the entire pot and came up with a new strategy.
Colin's great idea was to have some thug enter Jill's home and steal the necklace right off her neck. Doesn't Colin care about Jill at all to put her in such danger? Not only did he drug her champagne, which could have been very risky for her health, Colin had a strange man enter her house as she lay unconscious on the couch. The brute could have done anything to Jill, and she would have been defenseless to stop him. But thankfully, he didn't. Lily arrived in time to hit the man over the head with a glass vase, and he dropped the necklace. That seemed to be the only thing that was important -- certainly not Jill's safety. Apparently, that was no big deal.
Other notable (or humorous) items that happened during the week:
Christine sure has been insecure in her marriage to Paul. Even the fact that Dylan is Paul's son has her fearing that Paul will run right back to Nikki. That does not bode well for the future of her marriage.
Even Stitch noted that Dylan walked "into major surgery to right all wrong" to save Paul's life. Always the hero!
Those lucky extras, the lady jogger in pink and the hot dog stand guy, who were witnesses for Neil and Hilary's wedding. I was an extra once in a Dallas episode but they cut my part from the scene. I lost my claim to fame.
Abby insisted it was over with Tyler, and after he heard about her stunt to frame Mariah, Tyler agreed. I do think you overplayed your hand, Abby. I guess turnabout is fair play.
Summer and Mariah have more in common than what they thought, since Summer learned that she could not count on either of her fathers after she asked them for help with Austin. She's so young. She just doesn't understand.
Nikki wore a dashing outfit of red and black at the hospital. I especially liked her red shirt with the black shoulder pads and the black front pocket. Very chic.
I smile every time I see Corbin Bernsen return as Father Todd. His presence is always a tribute to his mother, the magnificent Jeanne Cooper.
What are your thoughts on The Young and the Restless? What did you think of this week's Two Scoops? We want to hear from you -- so drop your comments in the Comments section below, tweet about it on Twitter, share it on Facebook, or chat about it on our Message Boards.
