The Winds of Change

Change seems to be the sign of the times on The Young and the Restless - both on and off the screen. It is only befitting that on this particular week, I step down as author of The Crimson Coffee Break and pass on the Y&R torch.

Lots of things are going on at The Young and the Restless.

Change is in the air.

Malcolm Is Lily's Father

The biggest change to come out of last week's Y&R, was the revelation that after all this time, Malcolm is indeed Lily's biological father.  I have struggled with this storyline since Shemar Winters first returned as Malcolm Winters months ago. Remembering back to how it all came about, bothered me immensely - Drucilla was in an incapacitated state and Malcolm was a trusted family member. It seemed inconceivable that Lily could actually turn out to be Malcolm's child - after all, something good needed to come out of all this bad and besides, Lily has already been through the ringer several times this year.  I was certain that Neil would turn out to be Lily's one and only dad.  Reality check. This is a soap opera and nothing is ever as simple or easy as it seems.  Yes, there is bound to be even more drama down the road for the Winters family now that Malcolm and Dru have this big secret to hide. Yes, Phyllis and Dru will have even more reason to scratch each others eyes out.  And yes, Malcolm will be leaving soon, possible putting this story on hold for another few years.  For me, it all seems kind of empty - you see, I really like the strong father/daughter relationship that has emerged between Lily and Neil.

There have been some really great things that have caught my attention during the storyline involving Lily's paternity; I have a greater appreciation for the talents of all the actors involved - in particular, Kristoff St. John (Neil) and Christel Khalil (Lily).  The character of Neil Winters has always been a stoic and stand up kind of guy.  Yes I know there was his huge lapse into alcoholism, but even when he hit the lowest of the lows, you knew deep down inside that Neil was a still good guy. Because of Neil's penchant for goodness, his range as a character has been extremely limited over the years - he's a businessman, husband, friend and father - nothing really deep, dark or meaty to deal with on a daily basis.  Lily's paternity changed that.  We got to see Neil making a real connection with his daughter and it was great to see him in a genuine relationship that translated so well on screen.  Christel Khalil as Lily has also grown immensely as an actress - she also has a spark that catches your attention and makes you take notice. As a father and daughter, these two make a perfect match.  So it was a great disappointment to discover that Neil isn't Lily's biological daughter and as a viewer, I feel a little robbed.  There is still so many avenues that the show can take with this family; the addition of Devon to the family, Lily's growing relationship with Daniel Romalotti and Drucilla's penchant for erratic behavior are more than enough material to work with down the road. I like this family and want to see them stay together - now that we know that Malcolm is Lily's father, this might not happen.

Mac Is Being Recast

This one was a shocker to me.  I like Ashley Bashioum as Mac and was thrilled when she returned to the show last year.  I will be the first to admit that her storyline the past year hasn't been stellar, but things were starting to look up for this character since her involvement with Kevin Fisher. I am not talking about romance either - I found the friendship that was slowly building between Kevin and Mac, was bringing focus and direction back the character of Mackenzie. Bashioum exiting the show is a big disappointment for me, as I was looking forward to seeing the character of Mackenzie work towards resolving her failed relationship with Billy Abbott and giving closure to this story.  I also was hoping to see Mac re-insinuated into the storyline involving Jill and Katherine. Dropping Bashioum will change the character of Mac forever - what remains to be seen is, will it be for the better? We've seen how much the newly recasted character of Gloria Abbott has changed - I dare say that we can expect the same of Mackenzie Browning.

Terrible Tom Is Coming To Town

So Kevin wins the lottery and gets a whole lot more than he bargained for.  Adding Roscoe Born the Y&R cast is a stroke of genius; he is a brilliant actor who does evil so well.  It will be interesting to see how Tom Fisher is integrated into Y&R's landscape - there are more than a few people who have a bone to pick with him. I really hope that the show finds away to utilize Born without painting him into villainous corner and I hope that he doesn't become the victim of Y&R's next who-dunnit.  What I am most looking forward to -  Kevin Fisher finally finding some well-being by confronting his past.            

Gloria Fisher Becomes A Power Player

I have struggled with the transformation of Gloria Abbott since Judith Chapman assumed the role from Joan Van Ark earlier this year.  I like Chapman as an actress and find her quite capable and endearing in the role of the new Mrs. John Abbott.  What troubles me is the direction that Gloria has taken since acquiring a new face; she is no longer the ditzy, self-help obsessed, gold digger with a heart of gold that I have come to know and love.  Gloria has emerged as a woman full of wiles and guiles; she's already duped John Abbott and has the fortitude to go toe to toe with step-children, Ashley Carlton and Jack Abbott. While this makes for an interesting twist in the battle for Jabot, I miss not being able to root for Gloria anymore. I also liked her better in denim.

There are still many more changes coming down the pipe; Victoria is on her way home, Cassie will be enduring some growing pains, Thad Luckinbill has landed a pilot - putting a big question mark on his future on Y&R and summer is just around the corner which always makes for interesting shifts in storylines.   

Change in the long run always turns out to be a good thing.  It's hard to let go of past ideals and embrace the unknown.  The Young and the Restless is a great daytime drama - no question about it. Exciting things are just around the corner - embrace the power of change.