Don't blink!

In whatever direction you peer, or at whatever family you aim your magnifying glass, there's an exciting plot twist looming on the horizon.

She's Baaaack!As the year draws to a close, Genoa City things are humming right along. In whatever direction you peer, or at whatever family you aim your magnifying glass, there's an exciting plot twist looming on the horizon.

Over at Jabot, it's anybody's guess who will eventually be calling the shots on a day-to-day basis. Staid and upstanding stockholders expecting a typical meeting of old business and new never dreamed they'd have a ringside seat at an event with more chills and thrills than a three ring circus. Genoa City tongues will be wagging for weeks embellishing their tales of the Jabot takeover. But I bet none enjoyed the drama playing out before them more than father-daughter duo Brad and Colleen and a puffed with anticipatory pride, Jack Abbott. For the two men, revenge undoubtedly tasted sweeter than even the most decadent of delicacies as both have felt the sharp blade of Jill's dagger destroying their pride. With not a single hint she was about to go down in flesh-eating flames, Jill was at her boasting best, right and left hand fisted around a scepter bearing Chancellor and Jabot's logo. With Katherine out of the picture, the reins to both companies were firmly in Jill's hands and under her sole control and she was relishing the thought of triumphantly guiding both companies to record-breaking profits. But her victorious joy was short-lived as Gloria glided to her feet, one hand wielding a wickedly sharp needle which she used to burst Jill's balloon with a deafening bang. Unaware of all the sharks which had been trailing her for quite a while, Jill was completely blindsided when Gloria reached out and stole her thunder by announcing it was she, not Jill, who would henceforth be steering the Jabot luxury liner deep into the black.

But Gloria, too, was denied the chance to savor her success or to exult in the shell-shocked look on Jill's face before she too had her prize snatched right out of her claws, by Billy. But the fun was not over yet, and much to the surprise of all, including her still-smirking big brother, and to the sheer delight of at least Bradley Carlton, it was Ashley who had the final say and the last giggle when she strolled into the room and dropped the electrifying information that the only Abbott who would be running things answered to the name of Ashley.

It's too bad the Abbotts hadn't held a family meeting so the left hand would have been advised what the right was going to do. If they had, Billy might have been able to keep secret the fact that he had been scheming both behind his mother's back and right under her nose. And thus would have been spared the scorn his half-brother was so quick to heap upon him, labeling him Mommy's backstabber, and other brother's pawn. As for Jill, it was exactly what she deserved for being so determined to hog all the titles to herself with nothing but scraps for the sons she claims to so adore. Had she not been such a know-it-all, she might have paid more attention when her baby boy tried to warn her about Agreeing Lovers and their loose stock purchases, instead of pooh-poohing his information and practically telling him to go play with a toy and leave the serious business of running Jabot in her and Cane's capable hands.

But we all know, when it comes to Jabot, the games are only getting started. Because with a cast of characters containing the double-dealing Bardwells, Billy and Scheming Smilin' Jack, there are more villains than heros. The Bardwells, for the moment anyway, are taking all events in stride, for now resigned to the fact that neither will occupy the CEO seat. But that contentment surely won't last long. We are, after all, talking about Gloria, a woman who will never remain seated in anyone's back seat, even if her perch is in a chauffer-driven stretch limo, so it is likely only a matter of time before she starts scheming out a plan that will plop her posterior in the driver's seat. And since her schemes almost always involve throwing some hapless soul beneath the wheels of the nearest bus, only time will tell if the body will be that of her beloved, Jeffrey, or if once again Ashley will be the prey blinking blindly in the lights of an oncoming Gloria- made disaster. Jack will undoubtedly match her scheme for scheme, if he doesn't take Victor's place in Genoa City lockup, that is. And Billy, well, somehow I can't picture him tossing and turning regretfully at night over what he's done to Mommy and her Cane shaped shadow. Besides, he will probably be too busy trying to stay upright on the beam as he balances between plays understudy to his sister, while simultaneously keeping his brother convinced he's forwarding his ideas as his own.

And if Billy does find he has a few moments to spare, well, there's the whole who's the daddy to Chloe's wee one waiting out there in the wings. Speaking of that baby, rumor has it that a certain Genoa Citian will soon discover for certain who really fathered the little girl Chloe's lugging around in her rotund belly. The discovery of this information is, of course, exactly what all of us, especially Cane and Lily fans, have been waiting for. But, don't bother throwing your hats in the air in celebration because the same rumor indicates said discoverer is not even close to sharing the information with anyone it actually concerns.

On the Winters' family home front, things are looking dark indeed, and not just for Ana and her mommy in imagination only, Tyra. Actually, for Tyra, things are looking pretty positive. She might have temporarily lost hold of her daughter, but that doesn't mean her arms are empty. Because every time we turn around, she's filling them with the solid bulk of Neil. But lest I seem to be placing all the fault on Tyra's frail shoulder, let me just point out right now it's not just Tyra who's doing the grabbing. Much to Karen's growing chagrin and alarm, Neil is petting and pawing on Tyra for all he is worth too. And as I watched him, my disgust for him grew, and I wondered if I was the only fan repeatedly leaping to my feet, with the intention of reaching through the screen and snatching Neil's hands off her. Poor Karen, ignored and forgotten, heaving sigh after heavy sigh, as she watched from the sidelines her man revel in the role of comforter. By the way, I also found it odd that in spite of all her talk about family, for the most part Tyra seemed to have little interest in giving comfort to or receiving it from the nephew she originally came to Genoa City to seek out.

Whoever thought sitting around in a jail cell might be boring and uneventful apparently hasn't done any soft time in Genoa City, a town world renowned for its coincidental occurrences. How convenient for Frank the forger to not only go and get his silly self arrested in a get rich quick scheme when he'd already collected an impressive pile of pretty pennies from Jack's coffers. But that was only the beginning of the coincidences. Frank then managed to find himself entertaining a visitor at the same time Victor was. When his visit had concluded, the inattentive guard left Frank plenty of time to foolishly pick up a toothpick and begin to pick and poke at Victor. And the beast who slumbers very near the surface of Victor was immediately awakened, and one furious voiced threat later Frank was screaming in a near falsetto for the guard to save him, while practically pouring himself through the bars just in case the guard was too slow to save him. Like every man, save Jack, before him, it took about as long as it takes a man to blink an eye for Frank's bravado to crumble and soon he was groveling at Victor's feet, volunteering everything he knew about Adam, Jack and the forged diary. It seems guys like Victor have all the luck.

One thing I will say about Frank, however, though he may not be the brightest bulb in the three-way lamp, and he may be no guts nor glory, he was smart enough to see that Jack was the brains and Adam was the boob who was going to be left holding the burlap bag. That may be Adam's only hope of remaining in Genoa City with a chance to wiggle his way back into Vic's grudging good graces.

Speaking of Jack, when he starts digging a hole, he certainly plunges that gold-tipped shovel deep, doesn't he? Proving he's a man who thinks on his feet, he was quick with that tale that he's hooked on lying on his back. That Jack. He'll never tell the truth when a transparent lie comes out first. But even more unbelievable than that tall sex addict tale was Jack's willingness to vacate him own premises because Sharon told him to. Too bad Phyllis didn't tell the whole truth when she was trying to convince Jack to link arms with her to keep Sharon from getting through them to Nick. Otherwise, when those croc tears started coursing down her sad little face because of Jack's secrets and lies, he could have thrown a few barbs of his own. Like, just when were you planning to tell me about that Paris liplock with Nick?

Considerably more adept at playing the role of an insatiable sex addict, Phyllis knows exactly what empties her youthful boy toy's mind, and she pulled out all the stops and bared so much flesh, they were obliged to do all their embracing standing up for fear even the slightest dip would show more than was decent for daytime. By the way, in my next life, God, can I have a bod just like that? Just thought I'd send that wish heavenward. But back to the story. Every time Nick got ready to entertain a coherent thought, Phyllis whipped off that robe and invited him to another session. And when they weren't sampling each other, Phyllis was ordering food every five minutes to satisfy any other appetite he might have. Still, Nick must be getting sharper as he ages, because every time Phyllis let him catch his breath, he used it to ask her what was really going on. I'm guessing it's only a matter of time before he finds out most, if not all of it. Poor Phyllis. Plotting out this big all night big seduction scene and she couldn't even enjoy it, too busy doing everything she could to wreck Sharon's life.

What I want to know is, why do people in the soaps never ask any questions? If it were you, wouldn't you wonder who the heck sent the information and what they had to gain by doing so? Anyway, I know I won't be the only fan laughing until tears roll unchecked down my cheeks when all Phyllis' manipulations come back to bite her hard on her shapely derriere. And you know it's going to because Sharon might weep just a bit on Brad's broad shoulders, but I'm guessing that using him in place of a Puffs is about all she's going to be doing with him. Just shows her growing desperation that Phyllis would do anything to hasten the end of Sharon's marriage, even endanger her own. After all, Sharon hasn't been turning to Brad during any of her Jack difficulty, so why would Phyllis assume she's going to suddenly get a hankering for a helping of Brad now. Nope, my guess is she's only going to want to pour out her distress into Nick willing to listen ears.

Even though I'm already looking forward to her reclaiming her rightful place in Genoa City society, it's been nothing but fun watching Katherine live Marge's life. So, is co-worker Pearl just a common thief, or is she on her way to an appraiser with Katherine's pilfered ring? Either way I guess it doesn't matter. Because now that Nikki and Esther have reported it stolen, it's only a matter of time before some sharp eyed shop owner alerts authorities the ring has been spotted so the backtracking can begin. It would be nice if someone like Amber or Esther could be the one to discover their Katherine in the rough first, though, since they seem to be the two who miss her most.

And lastly, talk about being stuck between an unyielding rock and an almost equally immovable hard surface. Which is pretty much where Ashley is going to be residing for the next little while. Must feel like dj vu to once again be the woman in the middle of her lover and her brother.

Well, the year might have begun with a bit of a whimper, but it certainly seems it's going to bow out with a big bang. The rumors in cyberspace are plentiful and have me practically salivating in anticipation of what is to come this month and beyond. Things like Brad being the resident rumored to make a stunning exit. And Nikki and Jack (yes, that's what I said) rekindling their romance. Other things too about Gloria with a blade in her back for a change, perhaps being wielded by her disillusioned Mr. Is an arrest finally in her future? And if it is, will it be for the tainted cream or something to do with Lowell. And speaking of Lowell, there are murmurs that he may not be quite the noble man Michael is determined to think him. And what's this I hear about a crossover visit from B&B? Will Daniel have some competition for Amber's affection? Or will Victor have a rival for Ashley's ever-enduring love? I guess in time, we will see which is truth and which has been fabricated.

Up next are two weeks' worth of the thoughts and opinions of your fellow fans.

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A - I totally agree with fellow fan, Mary about what the writers have done with Adam He's a great looking guy, complex character, and they've written him into a corner. I hope they find a way to keep him. It's also unfortunate they're re-casting Eden just as Erin Sanders seemed to find her comfort level. Her early scenes were painfully over-acted, but the in last scenes we saw with Noah she was much more effective, and just as we're getting used to her, she's gone. Love the way most of the stories are developing. Watching Katherine master the art of waitressing and putting the diner owner in his place was so much fun. And Esther hasn't needed much time to get comfortable in the role of Lady of the Manor. She must be having a blast being on equal footing with Jill. I hope Chloe isn't going to turn all nice now. I love this actress' work as a manipulative and snide little you-know-what. Cane is starting to really annoy me, the way he's always sucking up to Jill and Billy and getting all doleful over Lily. He definitely is not the brightest light on the Christmas tree. I used to love the Cane-Lily pairing, but now think she deserves better. What's with Olivia discouraging Neil from his relationship with Karen? She's definitely not a great friend, or a very ethical doctor, using her knowledge of Karen's private life to express her own opinion. I'm with everyone else, love to see Tyra gone. Maybe they have some interesting storyline planned for her, but watching her hang around and waiting for her to destroy Neil and Karen really isn't a lot of fun. Looking forward to Phyllis getting a taste of her own medicine. She's not very attractive when the green-eyed monster takes over and I hope Nick (the second-dullest light on the Christmas tree) soon sees her in her true colors. Phyllis should be with Jack, they deserve each other, plus they were really good together, fun and entertaining.

Carolyn - Although I saw this coming re Paul and Nikki, I fail to see the chemistry. Isn't it funny how Nikki is so capable of turning on and off her deep love for Victor? Oh well, we all know that Victor and Nikki will be reunited, so Paul and Ashley should enjoy their turns while they last. Adam keeps calling Victor a thug. What proof does he have that Victor killed Walter? Adam has become quite the criminal himself and will go down in flames and I'm so glad revenge-filled Heather will be taken down with him! It will be so sweet to see the look on her face when she discovers her fiance's role in the demise of her career! My main fault with Adam is pairing up with Jack whiny boy Abbott in a revenge plot against Victor! Now Adam is left holding the bag thanks to Jack! Oh well, you lie down with dogs, you end up with fleas! I howled at Esther telling Jill to go serve herself. Giving Esther half of the Chancellor Estate was the best part of Katherine's will! I wish Esther had gotten the entire mansion so she could have thrown Jill's hate-filled butt right out of there. Can't wait to hear the next lie, I mean excuse, Jack will give his beloved Sharon when she finds out about the motel and the trip to Mexico. Jack makes me ill every time he claims Sharon and Noah mean so much to him, yet he wants Noah's grandfather to spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime Jack has no proof he committed? Where's the love, Jack? What a pathetic loser he is and I can't wait until Sharon and Noah walk right out of the door. Lastly, hasn't Phyllis become presumptuous in thinking Sharon will run straight to Brad? I laugh at how upset Phyllis gets about Sharon being around Nick. So the only marriage to be respected is the marriage of Nick and Phyllis? Phyllis sure didn't respect the marriage between Nick and Sharon. I'm not placing all the blame for the breakup of Nick's and Sharon's marriage on Phyllis, it does take two to tango, but I'm humored by Phyllis' insecurity at the possibility that the woman whose husband she stole, may steal him right back! Priceless!

Cheryl - After the big Jabot meeting, Gloria will no doubt be planning her next felony act when she doesn't get what she wants. She commits any crime she feels like, all in the name of her love for John - the man she went after for money, tricked, lied to, took his money and drugged. I hope Katherine lays low for awhile, under her Marge facade, and carefully calculates a comeback date, when she can observe the antics of her greedy benefactors, and see the good deeds of the benefactors who truly loved her. Chloe's pleasantries are so superficial, you can see her well-sharpened claws right underneath. I only hope when Cane finds out he is not the father of her baby, he dumps her, and fast. She still has an Abbott baby, but it would be nice to see her sweat for awhile, with all the lies she has told and all the people she has manipulated. As for Jack, he will lose Sharon, but oh well, he will probably continue on with his treacherous ways. He and Gloria should hook up - wouldn't that be a match made in heaven?

Karrow - The Lane/Clane S/L is boring and I cannot wait for her misdeeds to come to light. Yes Cane is clueless, but he certainly doesn't deserve being stuck with someone like Chloe. I've altogether given up on watching the show for now. Been an avid fan for years, but with the latest haps and with the asinine storylines I've felt compelled to not tune it. Reunite Lily and Cane, Nick and Sharon, Jack and Phyllis (they're the perfect shady match).

Melissa - I agree Ashley will once again be sent packing only to be replaced by Nikki. She is a fool when it comes to the 'Stache and she will never, ever learn. As for Adam, while I believe Victor is being too harsh with him, it's not like he's so innocent. While Nick and Victoria could have tried harder, he behaved like an Asshat from day one. Condescending and arrogant, he continued to chase Phyllis even after being told she was his brother;s wife. He just framed his Father for murder. Do you really think he has any justification for that? He is orchestrating the career suicide of his girlfriend. He has managed to bring a lot of what's to come on himself.

Kevin - Y&R has been pretty darn good lately. I love the Kay/Marge storyline and all the drama that goes with it. The only complaints I have are minor. First of all, why bring back Tyra and her brat daughter? They are boring and cannot act. Secondly, it was quite unbelievable that Victor snapped out of his deep depression with one little roll in the hay. Otherwise, keep the great stories coming. Was it me or were some of the Paris scenes really fake looking?

Wilbert - I have watched Y&R for many years. My comment is this: Gloria, Phyllis, Chloe, and Bardwell and the new Billy must go. Lily needs to stop being so dumb. The writing on the show is starting to be as absurd as Days of Our Lives. I love Y&R because the rats would usually get caught in good fashion. Now they seem to get away with if for far too long. Most of my friends who are fans feel the same way and are starting to get frustrated. Please do something about these characters. Also, Heather could split and no one would care. Adam deserves a chance.

Dawn - I jumped for joy and clapped my hands gleefully when I watched Phyllis watch Nick & Sharon kiss. I know Sharon's not perfect, but she didn't deserve Phyllis. Hopefully Phyllis will get what's coming to her sooner than Gloria. It's a toss-up for me as to which one is the most hypocritical. As to the Ana storyline, I worked in social services many years ago and although each state has its own guidelines, in most instances, if a family member is available (Devon) to care for the child in question, they can get emergency approval to do so and then an investigation follows. I really hate these storylines that tend to make social services look bad since in reality the vast majority of these folks are forced to investigate every report that comes their way, bogus or not. They're overworked, and usually deal with way too much red tape to be effective. Finally, I lost my mother-in-law who was suffering the early stages of dementia a few months ago. Jill deserves a lot of credit for insisting Katherine see a doctor. If Kay, Nikki, Ester, etc. hadn't fought Jill on that, well, we wouldn't have the current story. I just don't think it's fair for everyone to go around saying Jill's only motive was money and power when if she'd been successful in getting Kay to a doctor, Kay would still be questioning Jill's every decision and fawning over Nikki who caused the whole SEC mess, not Jill.

Therese - That wretched Chloe is bringing Cane and Lily, the best couple on Y&R, down. Are they ever going to find out Chloe's baby's is Billy's. That's the only reason I watch the show.

Poppycock - I love your take on this revival of the real Phyllis! Watching her break down in a sobbing, bubbled-eye mess when thrashing Jack to get a hold of his wife, then desperately begging Brad, of all people, to help her hang on to her cheating husband, was a wonder to see! The woman has to be exhausted with working overtime squeezing into x-rated outfits & bedding Nick, snooping into bank accounts, planning the destruction of Shack & calling in instructions to her tool of choice to catch Sharon when the bomb drops! Of course if this all goes as most hope, Michael's words of wisdom that all this will blow up horribly in Phyllis' face, will come true as Phyllis is left holding nothing but her carpet bag of tricks! Love the resurgence of the Abbott's! Can't wait for the family squabbles that will surely dominate the work environment at Jabot. I also agree with you on sour-faced Olivia! What is she planting into Neil's head & why?

Brigitte - Once again I have to say what a great week of Y&R. When I read your comment about how it had previously become a chore to watch the show, I nodded my head in agreement. I was forcing myself to watch Y&R and GH and they were both a chore. Not anymore! Whoo Hoo! It was Jill that had me screaming 2 weeks ago and now it's Jack. I was on the edge of my sofa, eyes wide as saucers, mind filled with utter disbelief as he told Sharon that big fat lie about being a sex addict. What!? My mouth gaped open as I realized he hates Victor more than he loves Sharon. He would risk his marriage with that lie instead of coming clean and telling her he was meeting Adam at the motel and then explaining the hooker. Now, I know Jack will lie instinctively but to further risk his marriage is ridiculous. Then again, the two most important things in his life right now are destroying Victor and regaining Jabot for the Abbott clan. Sharon's just not on the list. Naturally, when he loses her he will blame everyone but himself. Jack is his own worst enemy and will lose everything just like his favorite ex wife Phyllis. Wow! Michael even tried to stop her from making this stupid mistake but she is so insecure and filled with jealousy she can't stop herself. Did it ever occur to her that her stupid plan may backfire? That Nick will find out she engineered the fight with Jack and Sharon and orchestrated the entire seduction scene so Nick would not be available to Sharon. She should have left well enough alone and allowed Jack and Sharon's marriage to implode on its own. Now Sharon's a free agent and Nick may supply that shoulder for her to cry on just like Phyllis feared. I don't think she can ever really feel secure with Nick because she knows how she got him. I will never believe Nick is truly in love with her and after this Nick may realize it too.