Dear readers, I am not naïve enough to believe the Newman brothers will stay in perfect harmony forever, but I enjoy our show so much more when the two of them are acting like brothers instead of being at each other's throats. I liked that Victor tried to explain Adam to Nick this week, how he has always felt he was on the outside and has a lot of issues that Nick never had to deal with, and I know that intellectually, Nick understands that. Adam has gotten the shaft in the past, but in this new era and new year of changes in Genoa City, perhaps these two brothers will become true allies. I would love to see them combine their talents and passion into rooting for Newman together instead of rooting for one another to implode.
I grew up in a household of three: mom, dad, and me. I daydreamed about having a sibling. My daydreams never included having my sibling being an archenemy and trying to take me down all my life. I want these two brothers to have each other's back. Maybe they are only trying because Victor threatened to throw them out on the street if they didn't get along. Even so, I hope it takes and that they both find success, love, and happiness in 2024 -- together. At present, Sally is still a sore point between them, but as Sharon's dream leads her back to Nick, perhaps each brother can end up with the woman he is destined to be with, and the Newman brothers won't have to spar over that crazy redhead all year.
Online, our soap community has nicknames for every character, and I have seen Victoria and Nick referred to as "Witchy and Hothead" quite frequently, and it makes me laugh because it's not far off the mark.
But lately, Victoria is not being witchy. She is a caring and concerned mother trying to do right by the daughter she thought she lost, and I have never loved Amelia Heinle more. I am thankful that the writers are giving Victoria a break from corporate espionage to be a fully fleshed-out character because her portrayer is a remarkable performer, and I love seeing her get a chance to show her heart and shine. I love watching Cole and Victoria maneuver through unknown territory, trying to make the best decisions to save the sanity of their previously presumed-dead daughter. J. Eddie Peck is such a welcome addition to the Genoa City landscape, and I hope his contract is long term.
I will admit that I don't remember Cole's relationship with Ashley, so if any of you watched then, please fill me in! I have gaps. I remember Cole and Victoria together, but somehow, I missed or forgot about Cole being with Ashley. I hope they are not going to revive another old love triangle; Danny, Cricket, and Phyllis is enough nostalgia. I want Cole and Victoria to focus on Claire and help her find her way back to sanity.
Meanwhile, Nikki is hitting the sauce -- hard. She was not on board with Victoria's plan to help Claire see Jordan, and she drowned her sorrows by pounding her flask for comfort. It's been so long since I have seen slurring, stumbling Nikki, I almost forgot how great Melody Thomas Scott is at playing a drunk. I am glad that Lauren found her before she did something stupid and glad that Lauren was honest with Victor when he asked her point-blank if Nikki had been drinking.
Nikki is attempting to get back on track, going to meetings, connecting with her sponsor (who, for some reason, I don't totally trust yet), and yet, she keeps filling up her hidden desk flask and her handy purse flask, so clearly, she's not 100% committed to sobriety yet. I am invested in this storyline, yet I hope the writers don't linger here forever. I want Nikki to be off the sauce in a month or so, not still stumbling around slurring at the Fourth of July parade.
Victor calling Nikki "my baby" 20 times a show is probably overkill, but I know it's meant to signify the adoration he has for her and the fear of almost losing her and knowing how fragile she is. Eric Braeden has this magnificent gift of being able to become a totally tender and supportive loving husband and then turn around and become a monster in the halls of Newman Enterprises, and I am happy to see more of his softer side, just like with Victoria. Victor also mentioned his uneasiness with Nikki's new sponsor. Since Jordan sent Claire to set up Nikki, is it possible that Seth is one of her minions, as well? I was happy to see Lauren go to Jack for advice in the previews for next week. Jack has battled his own addictions and would be a great safe place for Nikki, even if it makes Victor jealous.
Soaps can get into a rut sometimes; I think no soap is guiltier of this than The Bold and The Beautiful. For the past week, every conversation is some variation of this: "Xander said Thomas killed Maya." "It was an accident; the police investigated and said it was an accident." "But Xander said Thomas killed Maya." "But the police investigated and said it was an accident. Just drop it." "I can't drop it because Xander says he knows Thomas killed Maya." On and on and on for days.
Y&R was starting to get into a rut with Victor and the Newman children, but Aunt Jordan and Claire blew all of that up, and we now have fresh material, new emotions, and new stories to explore. For that, I must thank crazy Aunt Jordan. Her visit with Claire was rough. Jordan assumed Claire was there to break her out, and learning that Claire is through with Jordan triggered a threat of more crazy revenge plans.
I hope this visit convinced Claire that Victoria and Cole want to learn to love her and forgive her, despite the horrible things she has done. I am anticipating a full, happy family reunion with these three someday soon. Hayley Erin is doing a fantastic job as the troubled Claire, and every episode, I just want to hug her and take care of her.
Nikki has had many people offer to help her, and the most surprising of those is Audra. We are finally hearing a little of Audra's backstory and about her childhood and family life. Audra confided to Nikki that her dad was an alcoholic, and she understands addiction and offered herself as a confidante. Nikki declined and denied that she was struggling.
I am looking forward to the day when Audra is done with Tucker, done with Kyle, and done with all the men she has latched onto to try to get ahead. I would love to see Audra team up with Sally and Chloe and be the CEO of their new girl power design firm. One thing Audra's character has been missing, in my humble opinion, is a quiet, reflective scene when she realizes all the men in her life are using her. She is smart, beautiful, and capable and has nerves of steel. I want her to fully recognize how powerful she is and how much she has to offer without Tucker or Kyle. Go, Audra!
But Tucker? I don't understand. Is Ashley losing her mind again, or is Tucker lying to gaslight her about what happened in France? Since the repeat episode Y&R shared over the holiday was the one where Ashley lost her mind and thought a blanket was her baby, I wonder if that choice was significant and served to remind viewers of her fragile mental health in the past?
When I wrote my last column, I whined that I still don't know Tucker's plans, and now, two weeks later, I still don't know. His plan to steal a product from Jabot failed, so is he still going to try to launch Glissade? Or is he going to try another way to worm himself into Jabot? When Tucker told Audra he couldn't do it without her, he was being honest. I don't think he can pull off a giant scheme without Audra being the brains and might of the plan.
On Friday's episode, Audra told Ashley that in all the years she has worked with Tucker, she has never seen him get violent. Ashley then went and confronted Tucker, who again told his side of the story and assured her he did not get violent. Ashley was left looking confused and forlorn. I think she is beginning to truly doubt herself. Is Tucker so cruel that he would gaslight Ashley on purpose to make her lose her mind? I don't think so. I think Ashley may be heading down the road of mental instability again.
Sharon dumped Chance "for his own good." Because she knows he will want a serious relationship, and she wants to focus on her business. But then there was that dream... If Nick showed up at her door, looking for a hookup in his time of despair, I doubt she would turn him away. I do think Nick and Sharon are endgame. I know some of you will disagree, but they are the next generation of Victor and Nikki, in my mind. They always find their way back to one another eventually.
Summer walked in as Chance was drowning his post-breakup sorrows at the exact perfect moment. She decided to cheer him up with new shirts and ties for his first day as a corporate executive. I love how all the people on Y&R just randomly change careers. Nate went to medical school and became a doctor, only to give it all up to work for Chancellor-Winters then be Victoria's flunky at Newman, and now to work for Chancellor-Winters again, but people keep coming to him for medical advice. At least Chance's career change makes more sense. He got shot and nearly died, and that would make anyone reconsider their life choices. I hope he does a fashion show with his new outfits, because he's going to look amazing in a suit.
What will happen tomorrow, dear readers? Will Nikki be so drunk that she accidentally rehires Claire as her assistant? Will Sally and Adam emerge from their date as a full-fledged couple, or must we endure twelve more lunch dates with strict boundaries before we get the final payoff? Will Ashley get help before she is rocking on the floor and calling her comforter "Tucker"?
Will Summer go in for the kill immediately upon learning of Sharon dumping Chance, or will she give it a week? Will Phyllis drug Danny again, or does she have a new trick up her sleeve? Will Kyle throw a tantrum when he runs out of hair gel and blame Audra for being a double agent and distracting him? Will Victoria ever introduce Claire to her siblings, or will Reed, Johnny, and Katie just come home one day to find some strange woman living in their mom's house?
Only tomorrow knows, dear readers, and I will tune in tomorrow as long as there are tomorrows.
Tamilu
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