The Best and the Worst of The Young and the Restless 2020, Part Two

It's probably a safe bet to say that most everyone is happy to see the back end of 2020. But before we turn the calendar to a brand new-year, it's time to look back at the last twelve months in Genoa City -- the breakups and make-ups, the appearance of new characters and farewell to beloved ones, the return of episodes not seen in decades, and on-screen changes we've never seen. It's time to have a look at the blisses and the misses in the Best and Worst of The Young and the Restless 2020, Part Two.

For a quarter of a century -- WOW! -- Soap Central has been providing year-end "Best and Worst" features. This, though, is the first time that I've had the opportunity to join in on the fun. Staying true to that time-honored "everything old is new again" trope, I've managed to come up with a year-in-review column for The Young and the Restless that has somehow never been done before. I'll be sharing my picks for the best and worst moments for every major Genoa City resident. I hope you enjoy it!

Best: Dina's Alzheimer's storyline was beautifully done, and it hit too close to home. I loved how the family united to make Dina's decline as comfortable as possible. In spite of the fact that she had abandoned them when they had been very young, their love for her shone brightly. Dina's decline was heartbreaking, and Marla Adams' performance was outstanding in her portrayal of the various stages of the disease. They forged a strong union and went to great lengths to keep Dina in the present. They tried to make Dina's last days as happy and stress-free as possible. They maintained a strong and united family front for her. Dina's end-of-life letter to her family was beautiful. She expressed her love and her regrets for her family.

Worst: For such caring people, I was surprised by the Abbotts' treatment of Theo after welcoming him into the family. They excluded Theo from participating in Dina's final days, and they never gave him an opportunity to say goodbye. They also excluded him from receiving piece of jewelry made from part of the Teardrop of Love in her memory, even though the rest of the family did receive something.

I wasn't impressed with the Bixley storyline that led to the Teardrop of Love necklace. History was rewritten for this little gem! It sucked, in my opinion. It felt like the writers had nowhere to go with Dina's storyline for her death, so they threw this in. At the end of Dina's life, she wouldn't have been cognizant of anything, let alone a necklace from days long gone, but I guess they needed a dramatic death scene, hence the necklace. I would rather have seen the family gathered around her bedside to say their goodbyes.

Best: This was another well-done story. It showed the love and support from family and friends and the support they gave Sharon. The struggles Sharon went through were well done, but then Sharon Case is such a super actress that all these emotions seem to come easily to her. She showed all the phases that someone diagnosed with cancer went through. The only thing I found difficult to watch was that no one could hug her, for COVID reasons, especially Rey. This was a time that bodily contact such as hugs was really needed.

I love Rey and Sharon together. I know they tend to be a bit boring, but Sharon's life has been nothing but one drama after another with Nick and his alley-cat nature, her toxic relationship with Adam, and Dylan, whose life always appeared to be in danger as a cop and who was finally sent into witness protection. I think Sharon needs a little boring for a while, especially while recovering from cancer.

Nikki and Sharon have finally tossed their bows and arrows aside and become friends. It has been a long time coming, but that was really a lovely highlight to Sharon's grim diagnosis.

Worst: I was uncomfortable watching Sharon treat Adam for his mental instability and watching her get closer to Adam. She and Adam had been in a toxic relationship many years before. I had visions of them reuniting, but so far, so good. She is marrying Rey, but one has to wonder how long that will last. She isn't as effusive around Rey as she is around Nick or Adam.

Best: Faith (Alyvia Alyn Lind) has also been doing an amazing job portraying her fears of losing her mother, the angst of being bullied, and the humiliation she has suffered after Billy's expos on Adam and the mention of her being switched at birth. I think Faith's involvement with alcohol is pivotal for teens today -- especially how some friends can be a force to be reckoned with when it comes to manipulation. Jordan is a powerhouse manipulator. At the moment, Faith is a follower and is listening to Jordan, but I was jumping for joy when Jordan instructed Faith to steal a bottle of vodka from behind the bar at Society, and Faith informed Jordan she hadn't done it. I think Faith is growing a backbone and will get rid of Jordan as a friend -- but not before she gets into real trouble.

Worst: Jordan teaching Faith how to manipulate her parents and Phyllis giving Faith advice about drinking were both horrible. Phyllis' life has always been a mess, so how can she give anyone advice?

Best: I'm not sure whether this should be the best or worst. I love how Victor is determined to stand by Adam, but then I have to question why. Adam has done some really horrific things in the past, including almost killing Victor on a number of occasions. This begs the question whether Victor would stand by Nick or Victoria the way his is standing by Adam. My gut tells me he wouldn't, so why is he standing up for Adam? With everything Adam has done, Adam should be in prison, but Victor is determined that Billy is the one who should be behind bars. Nothing Billy has done comes close to what Adam has done, but Victor claims that Adam is broken. Well, so is Billy, just not to the extent that Adam is. Isn't it time for Victor to drop his vendetta against Billy?

Worst: Adam's backstory. I'm sure they could have found another way of involving Alyssa in Adam's story rather than changing his history. Adam has hated Victor for a long time, and this storyline just made him hate Victor more. Adam is suffering mentally from discovering that he killed A.J. Montalvo and blaming Victor for not getting him help at that time. Adam needs professional help, but it appears he believes he cured himself overnight. Did he go to sleep one night and dream he was normal, and when he woke up, he was? He should have been kept in the psychiatric hospital longer than 72 hours.

Best: I love how she has finally had enough of Victor's dictatorial ways. She has grown a backbone and stood up to him. I liked her approach for revenge; it was non-violent and would do the job. She asked Billy to write an expos on Adam, and she supplied Billy with the information he needed because she wanted to make sure that Adam never got the CEO chair again.

Worst: The writers have made Victoria ruthless and callous. They have turned her into the female version of Victor. Victoria should have been given the chance to review the expos before it went to print to prevent the information about Ashley, Sharon, and Faith from being printed.

Best: Is there a "best" to this couple? I'm searching the annals of my brain to find something, and the only thing I can come up with is their devotion to Connor and making sure he feels safe.

Worst: Chelsea was disappointing when she was encouraging Adam to take the CEO chair, not stopping him from tampering with Victor's medication, and helping Adam get revenge on Billy. Adam's way of thanking her was to have her kidnapped. That's what I call true love. These two are like oil and water, but I don't want to see Adam with Sharon, either.

There is also Chelsea's insecurity, which runs deep when it comes to Sharon. Chelsea went so far as to say she was all the help Adam needed in an attempt to keep Sharon away from Adam.

Best: Jill made a smart move putting Billy and Lily as co-CEOs of ChancComm. Lily, for the most part, is able to keep Billy under control. Lily knew Billy hadn't been the shooter, and it was great that she outshone the police and gathered enough evidence against Alyssa to have Billy freed and Alyssa arrested for the attempted murder of Chance.

Worst: I was not a fan of Victoria trying to intimidate Lily about her relationship with Billy. How many times have she and Billy split?? And the last time they split, she said that was the end! Now that Billy and Lily seem to be a couple, Victoria's green-eyed monster rears its ugly little head.

Billy's miraculous overnight recovery from his dissociative identity disorder left a lot to be desired.

Best: I was very happy about Kyle and Lola's marriage. These two were fabulous as a couple, and they treated each other really well. They suited one another, and they grew together. Kyle had fought tooth and nail for Lola's love and won.

Worst: I was disappointed in the end of Kyle and Lola's marriage. How did the flame die so fast? I believe Kyle and Lola might have gone on to become a power couple if not for Summer's interference.

I didn't see the point in the writers trying to unite Lola and Theo as a couple. After Lola's one-night stand with Theo, she suddenly gave him the cold shoulder and said she wasn't interested. This union shouldn't have happened at all. I am taking a guess that the writers had Lola turn nasty toward Theo because it had been decided that Theo was leaving the show.

Best: I appreciate the friendship that Kyle and Theo had had in New York. They seemed to have been really good friends and looked out for one another. Theo's relationship with Dina was really sweet, and Dina seemed delighted to meet the grandson of the child she'd had with Stuart Brooks and given up for adoption. Theo and Dina really bonded.

Worst: I hated the rivalry that developed between Kyle and Theo, especially after Kyle found out that Theo was his cousin. I'm not sure who was more immature, Kyle or Theo. Theo is his own worst enemy, but Kyle is just spiteful.

Theo was very hurt after being left out of Dina's last days and that he'd been overlooked to receive a piece of jewelry from the Teardrop of Love in Dina's memory. He made a terrible decision to sue for Dina's entire estate, as if it was owed to him. It was a shame they wrote him off the show. He was a pain in the ass and always looking for an easy way in or out of any given situation, but he was like an uncoordinated puppy tripping over his own feet -- but with a lot of potential. Unfortunately, he was written as very greedy when he filed a lawsuit against the Abbotts for Dina's entire estate. He wanted to live in luxury. He had a huge ego and was full of himself. He and Sally might have made a great couple.

Best: Amanda's stalker, Ripley, was interesting, but the story was too short and ended in Victoria being stabbed by him because Victoria had been mistaken for Amanda because their dresses had been so similar. Ripley's target had been Amanda.

Worst: Amanda would have been a great character that could have been developed -- until they brought up that she and Hilary were twins -- another overused twin storyline. It seems that when the writers bring back a character that had been killed off, it's time for a twin storyline, and here is our newest one. First, there was Cassie/Mariah, and now Hilary/Amanda, instead of a doppelgnger like the one they brought for Jack years ago.

Best: Elena entered Devon's life and helped him get over Hilary's death. He and Elena made a great couple. Along with Kyle and Lola, these two could also have become the next power couple.

Worst: Devon somehow lost his fortune to Colin Atkinson. How is it possible to steal that kind of money when it was probably invested in several areas? What was the purpose of this storyline?

Making Devon and Amanda a couple is wrong. Devon doesn't need another Hilary in his life. The personalities might be different, but the face will always be Hilary to Devon. They should have kept him with Elena; that was refreshing. Devon should have taken more care to reassure Elena there was nothing between him and Amanda. Rather than just telling her, he should have shown her.

Best: These two were great as friends. Nate appeared to have his life in order. Elena was living her dream with Devon and was very happy. Elena brought Devon out of his reverie over Hilary. There appeared to be an awful lot of love between these two.

Worst: Elena's insecurities about Amanda led to a one-night stand with Nate. For some reason, the writers are breaking up great couples like Kyle and Lola, and Devon and Elena -- and keeping boring couples like Summer and Kyle together.

Best: I love Abby and Chance as a couple. I love how they play off each other. Chance treats her like no other man has -- respectfully, and he is completely in love with her. Casting Melissa Ordway's real-life husband, Justin Gaston, to stand in for Donny Boaz after Donny tested positive for COVID-19 was brilliant. Justin did a super job as a stand-in for Chance.

Abby has also proven that she is quite the entrepreneur with a great head for business -- a far cry from her "Naked Heiress" days. She was able to give Phyllis a run for her money with the pranks Phyllis kept pulling while trying to get the hotel for herself. Abby did one better and started building a hotel across the street. That really frosted Phyllis' behind.

Worst: Abby and Chance's wedding was a snoozefest, as was the honeymoon.

I was annoyed with Jack, Nina, Ashley, and Traci for sitting around discussing where Abby and Chance should live, as if Abby and Chance were children and needed guidance and direction from their parents.

Also, Abby and Chance have been married for all of an hour, and she is lamenting that she isn't pregnant. Just two months ago, she was terrified of even considering having a child, and now that she has made up her mind that she is okay with having a child, she wants immediate results. I am wondering if they're setting up an infertility storyline, though.

Best: I'm conflicted about how to classify this one in either category. Has there ever been a best with Phyllis? Oh, maybe when she and Jack were married. I believe Jack always brought out the best in her and she in him. Other than that, I think we need to search long and hard to find the best in Phyllis because, generally speaking, she is too busy scheming to get what she wants.

I love that Nick has partnered with Devon in New Hope and is helping his community, but is his union with Phyllis a good one? Their past unions have been far less than harmonious. They have been married three times, and during those times, they hadn't been able to get along, so why do they believe this time will be different? Phyllis is still scheming the way she did in the past. Granted, she is trying to change for Nick, but, in my opinion, you should never have to change who you are for anyone for any reason. This new side of Phyllis doesn't suit her, and it won't last, yet Nick keeps forgiving her.

Worst: With Nick and Phyllis' background in relationships, I don't think they should be giving out relationship advice to anyone, especially not Summer and Kyle. I had to laugh when Nick and Phyllis were attempting to counsel Summer and Kyle to take things slowly, and they were practically forbidding Summer and Kyle from getting married. These two are adults, and they don't need Mommy and Daddy's approval.

I found it preposterous when Phyllis bought bones online and planted them at Abby's new hotel site.

Best and Worst:

Like with Phyllis, I'm trying to find a best for Summer. Oh, I found one for the best side! She did give part of her liver to Lola, but it came at a price. Kyle had to marry her, not Lola. If the purpose was to portray Summer as an airhead, they succeeded. I thought Mariah's moniker "Snowflake" really suited Summer. Summer misreads most situations, especially where Kyle and Lola are concerned. She misread the text message exchanges between Kyle and Lola, and she abandoned Kyle on what was supposed to be their wedding day without any explanation to Kyle. She then donned an idiotic hat and oversized sunglasses to spy on Kyle. Who does that?

Just the Worst: I hate that Summer and Kyle have reunited. Summer's insecurities have gotten the best of her. How many more times is she going to push Kyle away? When another female shows any interest in Kyle, Summer wants him back. As a couple, they have become extremely boring, and I find them very difficult to watch. Kyle and Lola need to be reunited.

Best:

I loved Sally Spectra on The Bold and the Beautiful. She was a great and believable character on that soap, but she seems to have a slightly different persona now that she's in Genoa City. I believe she is very knowledgeable about fashion and would do well in the fashion industry. Perhaps if Chelsea and Chloe's fashion line has a resurgence, Sally would fit in with them.

Worst: Sally seems to have arrived in Genoa City like a bull in a china shop, wearing a new persona, and with a huge chip on her shoulder. I don't remember Sally Spectra ever being as conceited and back-stabbing on The Bold and Beautiful, but maybe I just missed it. She doesn't seem to care who she steps on to get what she wants, and she wants to head up JCV, a position that Summer currently holds. I find her arrogant, abrasive, and full of herself -- perfect to be paired with Theo. Too bad he has been written off the show.

Best: Mariah is always upbeat and willing to help anyone, especially Sharon, for whom she has a deep love. She has been a rock for Sharon, especially through Sharon's cancer crisis. Mariah has been watching over Faith and trying to help her get past all the peer pressure from her schoolmates.

Worst: Mariah's pairing with Tessa is the worst for me. Mariah deserves so much better than Tessa. This pairing bothers me because Tessa doesn't seem to care as much for Mariah as Mariah does for Tessa. Mariah needs someone who would support her. At the moment, Tessa is nowhere to be found. Mariah really needed Tessa's support through Sharon's cancer crisis, but Tessa was on tour. Mariah has been through enough in her life, and she deserves someone who will appreciate her.

Mariah's one-night stand with Lindsay should never have happened.

Best: This couple has been a delight. They still maintain that honeymoon feeling when we see them together, and they form a united front when there is trouble afoot.

Worst: Have they gone on a permanent vacation? We almost never see them anymore. Lauren has been seen more in the last couple of weeks than she has all year, as has Michael. They need a storyline -- and to be a little more prominent on the show.

Best: She's back and in trouble again. I was delighted to see her back on the show. She manages to get into more than enough trouble, but it's always fun.

Worst: She's gone!

The soaps had to take a break because of COVID-19, and in place of the daily new episodes, we were treated to carefully picked classics. Oh, those were the days of pomp and ceremony. There were so many scenes in the fabulous Colonnade Room, where extravagant events had been held, such as the masquerade balls and weddings. How great was it to see our favorite characters from back in the day? We have watched them age -- but we haven't! The stories were much richer and meatier then, but let's applaud all the actors who have done such an amazing job over the years.

It was so great seeing Katherine Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper) once again. She has been greatly missed and was gone too soon. I don't believe anyone could replace her. We all still miss Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John), another one gone too soon and irreplaceable. I have also missed Colonel Douglas Austin (Michael Evans), Victor's manservant. He was such a charming man. There have been so many familiar faces and fabulous storylines, perhaps one or two that have been forgotten. They were all a pleasure to watch once again.

Just because I don't want my first Best and Worst column to completely buck tradition, here are my choices for the best and worst Y&R storylines from the last twelve months.

Best: For me, two of the three best storylines of the year were Dina's Alzheimer's and Sharon's cancer storylines. Marla Adams and Sharon Case portrayed these roles beautifully. Adam's mystery shooter was another good one. It certainly kept us guessing who the shooter had been, their motive, and whether Chance would survive or not. Many believed Billy had been the shooter, while others believed it had been Chelsea or Victoria -- and some even believed it had been Faith. In the end, it turned out to be Alyssa, which had been my guess all along, but the mystery certainly had fans buzzing in an attempt to figure out who the shooter had been. Jason Thompson was outstanding, as usual, in his portrayal of all the emotions Billy went through during his ordeal. I also thought Christel Khalil, as Lily, shone while attempting to vindicate Billy from his ordeal.

Worst: I have a couple of storylines that, for me, were the worst. First, it was Kyle and Lola ending their marriage, reuniting Kyle and Summer, and attempting to make Lola and Theo a couple. I have to ask why the writers felt it was time to end Kyle and Lola's marriage after such a short time. Kyle had fought tooth and nail to win Lola over, so why split them up after only months of marriage to reunite Kyle with an airhead like Summer, who has always treated him badly? The pairing of Lola and Theo was a complete disaster. There was nothing between them at all -- no chemistry -- and I don't think they were ever on the same page. They say opposites attract, but, in this case the differences were monumental and would never work. I really think Theo shouldn't have been let go. He had a quirky personality, and he might have been a good fit with Sally.

The other would have to be Abby and Chance's wedding during the 12,000th episode of The Young and Restless. For such a momentous event, this wedding wasn't worthy of the occasion. The whole scene of Abby's meltdown seemed out of place, since she'd been so excited about marrying Chance, and she'd admitted to Chance that she didn't have any reservations about marrying him. Why throw in this meltdown? The only highlight to these scenes was Justin Gaston stepping in as Chance while Donny Boaz was in quarantine. He did a great job. Then, there was the family sitting around discussing where the couple should live, like Abby and Chance weren't old enough or smart enough to decide on their own.

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts about what happened in Genoa City this year. I would love to read your comments and opinions, and perhaps you might like to offer up some of your own thoughts on the year that was. In the meantime, it's a wrap for me. Until next time, stay safe! And remember that [You can read Teddi's Best and Worst column here. Nel

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