More of the same?

Victor has remained mostly true to the character originally created: controlling, ruthless, vindictive and vengeful, winning more than losing.

Fan, Gina, thinks I'm too easy on Victor, so much so that she's about to stop reading my column. But as I told her, I can only call things the way I feel them, and I'm not ashamed to admit I like Victor, flaws and all. But mine is only one opinion, admittedly biased, which is why I freely share my column space with all fan comers who wish to express alternate views.

Fans often complain vehemently when the scribes suddenly change lifelong traits of various characters. Victor has remained mostly true to the character originally created: controlling, ruthless, vindictive and vengeful (obviously leaving vengeance to the Lord is not in his makeup), winning more than losing. Would he really be a believable character if his roar suddenly turned into a contented pussycat purr? It's bad enough watching his doormat imitation when it comes to Nick. The old Victor would never have allowed anyone, family included, to walk all over him and cackle crazily while they did it, let alone hand them the CEO keys to his kingdom. Nick would have long ago been smashed like the big-headed bug he's become, a complete character change around in Nick, by the way, that in my opinion, hasn't been for the better. Having said that, though, I confess I really don't like Victor at Jabot. I know he wants to be the knight who gallops in on his snorting stallion, leaning down to snatch Jabot's carcass from the jaws of defeat. But I'd much rather he let the Abbotts sink or float on their own, and take back his own company. It's jarring listening to him dictate his changes on how to save Jabot to the Abbotts when he went to such extreme measures to ruin them, or at least ruin their Tuvia cosmetic line. And that conversation between Newman father and son with Victor rooting for Jabot against Newman had me scratching my head almost bald in confusion. In light of his past behaviour, it's hard to believe he suddenly wants to fix what he helped to break. I suppose if one were to stretch the bands of credulity nearly to their breaking point, one could tell oneself that now that Jack's been forced from the company, Victor is willing to try to undo some of the damage he's done. But the whole scenario is just not believable, at least not to this fan. And Ashley nodding her head and chirping in agreement with everything Victor says doesn't help either. It would suit me just fine if Victor let the doorknob to Jabot's front door hit him in the backside as he exits. It would spare us all months of bitter battles in this constantly rehashed competition.

Further proving the wool has not been pulled completely over my eyes when it comes to Victor, it's his turn this week to receive a much deserved slap across the back of the head. I understand he hates to be bested, even by members of his own family. Obviously, he resents the fact that Nick's influence carried greater weight with Sharon in convincing her whether to stay or go as cosmetic mouthpiece. So I didn't believe him one bit when he insisted he accidentally let the under the table payment cat out of the burlap bag. He did it on purpose, though what he hoped to accomplish by his revelation escaped me. Considering the already poor relationship between him and Nick, it was a rather stupid thing to do. Not that anything he could do would be likely to win back favour in his son's disillusioned eyes.

Listening to Nick and Sharon's rude response to Victor's demand that Sharon stay at Jabot (another stupid statement, by the way), I paused for a moment to ponder whether the young Newman's microscopic skulls were stuffed chock full of white cotton balls instead of gray brain matter? Have both of them forgotten who's really in charge at Newman? Yes, for the moment the CEO cap is perched cockily on Nick's inflated head, but the truth is the rug can be snatched from beneath his inexperienced toes at any time. Then the two bubbleheads would have to role play their titillating games in the cramped confines of the Crimson office instead of on the executive floor of Newman.

And did Victor really believe the whole Jabot needs you desperately rhetoric he was spouting to Sharon because I'm positive not one fan did. Like she's so irreplaceable. Genoa City has got to be literally filled to its gills with flawless faces who would leap at a chance to claim it's all due to Jabot's superior face paint and powder.

So was anyone surprised at Sharon's eventual decision to position her fleshly wares within Nick's easy reach at Newman? Yes it's true she managed to fan to life a flicker of fury when she first learned of Nick's beneath the corporate table money changing, but it didn't last long. That Sharon isn't quite as empty headed as we all like to accuse her of being - she knows very well which side her bread is buttered on, and she's not about to give any of that up. But I don't think it will be all sweetness and lovemaking at Newman. Because I'm guessing Nick's promise to Sharon that he absolutely would not become his father will be broken all too soon. He's already trying to fit his too-small feet in his father's footprints, and it's likely to get worse before it gets better.

Exercising her woman's prerogative to change her mind, Nikki has now decided the corporate world is no longer the place she wants to be. She claimed that during Victor's absence, she sorted out a few things and the thing she put on the very top of the pile was the importance of relationships. Yet, unless my ears were so filled with wax I couldn't hear correctly, I could have sworn I heard her deliver the "my life is no longer going to be about my love for you" speech to Victor. Make up all your minds, Nikki.

I'm having a really hard time feeling any pangs of sympathy at Nikki's distress. She only wants Victor hovering by her side when she has nothing better she wants to do. For months, the only men on her mind has been Bobby, Bobby and Bobby. I can remember when it was Victor on the demanding end when it came to Nikki separating herself from Jabot. Even Victoria begged her to throw her lot in with the Newmans, but no, Nikki was determined to be her own woman, have a career, fulfil her restlessness, and blah and blah. Apparently, the shine has finally worn off her no longer new Jabot toy, and she's tired of being a private in the cosmetic corporate wars. It's not as if she actually contributed much, other than her 35 million dollars which, along with Brad's, didn't even turn out to be a drop in the bucket under Jack's incompetent rein. Now Nikki wants a life of leisure with Victor. But it's a life she only wants intermittently. She chose to labor alongside Jack against Victor, and although Jack hasn't confirmed that he's in the midst of yet another plan to beat Victor to the ground, I'm sure she's going to allow Jack to use her against Victor yet again. You're either with your man through thick and thin or not. I know Nikki wants Victor to distance himself from Jabot. But somehow I don't see siding with Jack as the way to do it. If this all blows up in her face, it will be no more than she deserves.

On to Jackrabbit Abbott. So he thought Victor was rubbing it in his face by using his office? Did I miss something? Doesn't the office go with a job at Jabot? A job Jack no longer has. If he was at CI where he supposedly belonged, he would never have been irked enough to risk the lives of innocent passers by with his infantile chair tossing tantrum. It's not that Jack doesn't want Jabot saved, he just doesn't want Victor to be the one hailed as hero. Gee Traci's just a wee bit out of the family loop, isn't she? Didn't she hear the whispers through the family grapevine that Jack was out? So why would she not question his request for her proxy? Not that he told her the truth behind his request. As he usually does, he lied through his straight, white teeth to accomplish his vendetta ends. I guess some kind of Board vote is in his "plan." I sure would like to have a gander at the Articles and Bylaws of Jabot. It would be interesting to see just what things require Board approval and which do not. Not that it matters. What has to be voted on this month would likely change in the next. By the way, I wonder what Kay would think of Jack's plan to pilfer CI's plentiful plunder?

With the new but not necessarily improved recast of Gloria, all of the trash, and just about anything remotely interesting has been bled out of the character. There's nothing left that would make anyone believe this woman had ever lived on the wrong side of the tracks, and the scenes featuring her with her sons makes them look as if they've never been a family, let alone a dysfunctional one. On top of that, her sudden fascination with Jabot company matters seemed to sail in from way out in left field, especially given her presumably limited education. All this business interference from a woman who read self-help books to convince herself she was blameless in the mental and physical abuses heaped upon her sons.

Downcast Devon took an after hours trip to the zoo presumably to recall the joy of past love-filled birthday trips with Grandma, a time when he felt most loved and wanted. In an unlikely series of scenarios, he wound up in a lion's pit. Face to face with a lion that looked a little less than ferocious. But never fear, Malcolm, the brave and bold lion tamer, saved the night. Just one long, lingering look from his dark, mesmerizing eyes, and the lion decided to find his dinner elsewhere. Then, just when you thought the excitement and terror was over, once the Winters brothers and Devon had climbed to safety, out of the blue shot the Winters' SUV, an inexperienced Lily behind the wheel, sliding uncontrollably across the ice. Literally flinging his brother to safety, down went Neil instead, winding up in a pile of strangely cottony-like snow. It's hard to believe that what looked like little more than a bump on the behind could cause life-threatening internal bleeding requiring major surgery, but okay, this is Genoa City, after all, one must sometimes buy very damaged goods. Our bags of blarney clutched to our chests, we wait anxiously with the Winters clan, pacing up and down the hospital halls, while Neil hovers just outside doom's door, with no fan the wiser as to whether he will survive or expire.

Bobbing head Brittany and her childish rants is sure getting on my nerves. Although her husband was the third to know, herself and J.T. being the first and second, Brittany didn't keep the pregnancy news from Bobby very long. Although just my opinion but she seemed to deliver the baby news in a na-na-na-na-na manner, as if telling Nikki, "so there." Tired apparently of coming home from J.T. to find Bobby buried in Nikki's arms. It's a good thing Bobby doesn't follow his wife around, else he might wonder why Brittany so often seeks solace in the arms of her confidant. Now that baby is on the way to making it three, does this mean the Marsino's will finally be going to a home of their own? Or should someone tell Miguel he'll soon need to dust off one of the Newman kids old cribs and bring it down from the attic.

It was a sad day in Mudville, I mean, Genoa City. The moment Colleen-J.T. fans had been dreading. It was see you later time for the tooth-achingly sweet once constantly cooing couple. Colleen tried one last time to coerce a commitment from her tousled top J.T., but he just wasn't interested. Apparently too much water had trickled under the creaky bridge and love just wasn't the same. I say he should have just spoken for himself. Because despite what Colleen said, things were obviously exactly the same for her. Anyway, so the script was written. Blue Eyes and her reformed bad boy are no more.

Boy, little Miss Mac didn't let any green grass grow under her feet, did she? Could she have been any more transparent? J.T. had hardly gotten the "it's over" words out of his mouth and Mac was practically shushing him to ask him out. She's been angling for some face time with J.T. for months, what better time in her mind than on the most romantic day of the year. Oh she pretended it was all to help him forget his lost blue-eyed love. But J.T. didn't need any help forgetting about Colleen. He apparently accomplished that months ago, judging by his alleged love for Brittany who has apparently proven to be much harder to leave behind. Mac, the desperate housemate. As for J.T., his interest in Mac so far hasn't even been lukewarm and I saw no signs that things between them would be heating up any time soon.

Finally, someone convinced Kevin to seek help, but it is probably going to be too little too late. Kevin is going to be none to pleased to learn Mac has thrown her chaste little self at J.T.. No telling what form the eruption of the rage buried not very far below the surface will take. It's too bad. While I once hated this character with every fibre of my being, counting the days until his face would be posted prominently on the Genoa City wall of shame, I wound up hoping he would somehow be redeemed. Unfortunately, the scribes may have done too good a job in creating this particular villain. There may not be enough therapy, punishment or whitewashing in the world that could redeem him in some fans eyes. While they might have been able to eventually forgive his trickery in taking advantage of Lily the first time, perhaps even the second, his attempt to cook Colleen may have made him forever unacceptable to many.

And finally, a whole week, count 'em, five entire days, without a single sighting of Phyllis' meddlesome snout or one syllable of her strident, nerve-grating tones. I don't speak for any of you, but that sure gave me a reason to kick up my heels in near-hysterical happiness. I know, I know, she'll undoubtedly return this week to resume her excavations into the graveyards of other people's buried secrets, but I'm thankful to have been spared her obnoxious, annoying presence for even a little while.

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KENDRA - Am I the only one who got a laugh out of Jack throwing the chair out the window? Too bad the debris didn't hit a few people like Jill, Sharon or Damon (oh wait, I guess he would had to have gone to work). I am so glad the whole Arthur storyline is over and done with. Why is Kevin the only one in therapy? Isn't there a certain someone else who carried a blanket around for awhile gushing over an invisible baby and then disillusioned herself into thinking an old bugger was going to leave his marriage for her? At least that would have given Nikki a break from changing Victor's Depends. I would like the old strong I don't care what people think Mac back, not this whiny mood swinging baby the writers created when Kelly Kruger came onboard. When is something really good going to swing poor Michael's way? He has to deal with Kooky Kevin, the ever so delightful Gloria and not to mention every case that comes along because Christine is too incompetent? And what ever happened to John Silva? Did he fall into the same black hole that seems to have consumed Mary Williams (not that I'm hurt over that one, good riddance), Larry Warton and Wesley Carter? (again I'm not too saddened at that.) And what ever happened to Cameron Kirsten? Or Tricia McNeal? Or Isabella? These are just some things I ponder. Just like the title.....The young and the restless. Well, seems like more than half the characters are more than mid thirties and all everyone seems to do is mope and groan!

TODD - I wanted to make a comment on the character Kevin Fisher. I think the writers have committed a real injustice with this role. His crimes against Lily and Colleen were cruel and malicious, yet he hasn't paid for these crimes. What message does this send to our young people about being accountable for their actions? The flashbacks into Kevin's childhood gives us viewers insight into his behavior, but it does not, nor should not excuse the behavior. There are consequences for our actions. Storylines that don't reflect this lesson are irresponsible, in my opinion. It's all good that Kevin is trying to get his life on track, but he hasn't paid for the many laws he has broken. A butt kicking in lock-up does not give him a get-out-of-jail free card. This is not the first time we've witnessed this in Y&R. Let's not forget the ridiculous storyline involving Michael Baldwin and Christine. To the writers credit, Michael did pay for his crime, and Christine did forgive him for his sexual assault against her. It was however, an absurd leap of monumental proportions to cast them as lovers. I think the writers need to do a better job of casting characters with issues that the character can't overcome, or we as viewers can't overlook.

JANA - I've watched Y&R since I was in grade eight. Danny and Chris were my fav couple. I was really excited that the writers had brought Danny back, the show was really boring without him. But now that Michael Damian has been officially written off the show, it's so boring, there is so much the writers could have done with Danny, seeing as he is still Daniel's legal guardian. I hated that after Daniel found out the truth he went to live with Phyllis. That made no sense whatsoever. I've basically stopped watching it. I hate the idea that the writers are looking towards putting Chris and Paul back together, they don't go together, if anything they should put Chris back together with Michael, I loved the two of them together. I'm tired of the repeating storylines, how many times can Nikki and Victor get remarried? And how many times can Ashley confess her undying love for Victor? What happened to Lynne, Paul's trusty side kick? Has she been written out too? I do like the idea of putting Jack and Phyllis back together I never really did like Phyllis and Damon together.

GINA - Unlike you, I am a great J.T. and Colleen fan and I have to say I thought they were wonderful on screen together. The thought of Brittany or Mac with J.T. in the future just turns my stomach - not to mention there is NO chemistry between him and either woman. With all the nasty women on the show Colleen's sweetness was a welcomed change and balanced out the cast of characters. Also, I have to say, I wish you wouldn't take such a narrow view of Victor Newman. I find your weekly singing of his praises almost unbearable. Victor is a convicted criminal. He was so insecure about beating Jack in the cosmetic game that he cheated, lied and committed a federal offense. Victor has no business being at Jabot. It is because of Victor's constant schemes that Jabot is floundering. If he is such a BIG billionaire, why is he wasting his time (and ours) with his obsession of Jabot? I would like it if you took a more moderate, and, at least sometimes, objective view in your column. Everything is one-sided in favor of Mr. Mumbles. Victor is all good, Jack and Brad are just all evil and stupid. If you would take the time to read the message boards you will find that a lot of people do not agree with you. The writing on the show is definitely geared to prop up The Great Victor Newman as the end all and be all. It's ruining our show and the other characters that some of us love.

KRISTI - After reading your latest Two Scoops and viewer comments (especially Ang's), I realized just how ridiculous this show is. Is there one decent storyline?!? I don't think so. And everybody is so wishy-washy and hypocritical. Everybody's hypocritical with Victor ... Nick, Jack, Brad, and now Nikki. Victor needs to quit being everyone's doormat, and go back to being who he used to be.

EVE - Look, folks, I love Y&R. I've been watching it for over 20 years, which means I'm used to suspending belief. I thought. But then came this whole Malcolm & the lion thing. What zoo in the world is going to let an African lion OUTSIDE in the snow at night? Those lions are expensive and more fragile than you'd think. Okay, I understand the powers that be wanted to show Malcolm flexing his African chops over a lion, not to mention a way to get Devon in/out of trouble and Neil in the hospital, but a lion in winter was just too much. I laughed through the whole thing. And then turned it off in disgust.

TARA - Announcer voice: Malcolm Winters is ... "The Lion Whisperer" ... Able to save young Devon Hamilton from the same Siegfried & Roy fate.