Good will triumph over evil

A verdict comes in for the trial! Did poor, victimized Ian win? Nikki continues to be tempted by her own personal demons. Sparks fly between Devon and Hilary... and at Neil's new house! And will Jack tell Phyllis about Kelly? To learn more, read this week's Two Scoops.

As Phyllis continued to linger in a coma, Victor attempted to skirt around the doctor's policy to secure her family's permission for her experimental treatment. And so it goes, as this storyline plodded along for another week with no end in sight. However, there is hope, down the road, for an eventual reawakening (for Phyllis and for this storyline, which has also been in a deep sleep) because we did finally see part of Phyllis' vibrant red hair on the top of her head. Does Phyllis' appearance mean we can finally welcome Gina Tognoni to The Young and the Restless family?

We can only hope that Phyllis will be back soon, since her character has been very much missed on this show. She has always been a force to be reckoned with, and she can certainly be counted on to shake things up. After witnessing Ms. Tognoni bring her own style to the character of Dinah Marlowe on Guiding Light, I am looking forward to seeing what she will do with this very feisty and conniving lady. While she may not be the same Phyllis that Michelle Stafford presented, Gina Tognoni can still offer a new and interesting layer of Phyllis that has yet to be seen.

Speaking of Michelle Stafford, I have just returned from the 2014 General Hospital Fan Club event and I had a blast. All of the soap stars were so gracious and appreciative, and it warmed my heart to see how much they love and respect their fans. It was enlightening to learn that soap actors do actually listen to the viewers and that their jobs actually depend of whether their characters can click with the fans. If the fans don't approve of the characters paired up as a couple, the duo could very well be split up and may or may not be paired up with another in the future. Soaps are the only entertainment media where the spectators have that much influence on the writing and on the future of the characters.

Ms. Stafford wore a slinky, black dress and black pumps, and she looked magnificent. Her elegance in clothes matched her grace in manner, and she was all smiles as she posed and chatted with her people. When I told her that my mother and I both loved her as Phyllis on Y&R and as Nina on GH. Michelle Stafford was very personable, and I heard later that she stayed to the very end -- for the very last person who wanted her picture and autograph. What a class act!

At this same event, I was pleasantly surprised to learn that our very own Kelly on Y&R, Cady McClain, was present to sit at Jon Lindstrom's, her husband, table to autograph her new book, Murdering My Youth. The happy couple posed for pictures with all their fans, and they both signed various items we had brought.

Since this was our first trip to Los Angeles, my husband and I did all of the "touristy" things. There are more encounters to discuss, but I'll post that in a separate article so that we can on track by talking about The Young and the Restless.

Okay, now it's time to get back to reality -- by writing about the past week of a soap. That's rather ironic, if you think about it. Okay, my visual is off of Michael Easton now...where was I? Oh yes, that Kevin is a nitwit, right? He's supposed to be somewhat of a shrewd guy who can steal a doctor's badge to access confidential information off a hospital website, but he can't remember to somehow sneak the badge back onto the doctor's person immediately after he is done? That is crazy! The Kevin I know and love is smarter and craftier than that. I am almost embarrassed for him. I think Michael was too. Michael even tagged him as the Robin Hood of the Internet, committing felonious acts for the greater good. Felonious acts are still crimes, Kevin.

Thankfully, Christine had better things to do than to throw Kevin into the clink, so Kevin began his quest to demolish the wrong on the police force that would be known as Harding. "Fish" even created his own battle cry (with help from Mariah): "Though my enemy is filled with self-righteousness, he will not prevail on that fateful day when I take up arms against injustice." Kevin even declared that good would triumph over evil. I am guessing that "good" would be Kevin and that "evil" was Harding. Michael should be worried about him.

Cane finally got sick and tired of all the drama that Lily brought every time Hilary was around. It's about time! Cane realized that Lily's antics could only cause her father harm -- but of course, Cane also knew that Devon and Hilary had feelings for each other. There is just no way this will end well. At least, Devon attempted to move on through a date with Abby on the rooftop deck at the Athletic Club. Alas, both of their hearts still belonged to another, so it more than likely won't go past being friends. And won't they make terrific friends?!

Seriously, the biggest threat to Neil's happiness is not Lily's immature ways, it's Devon's lusting over Neil's wife. The pull between Hilary and Devon had become too strong for them to fight, and they didn't seem to be making much of an effort to fight it anyway. Since Neil is his father, Devon should realize that Hilary is totally off-limits. There is such a thing as loyalty, and even Devon's suggestion of a meeting with Hilary at a secluded bar is the ultimate act of betrayal. Wouldn't it be better if Devon left town rather than to steal away the love of his father's wife?

At the bar, Hilary and Devon didn't seem to feel too guilty as they decided that Hilary should tell Neil right away. Please, being honest with Neil was the very least they could do. So, while Devon and Hilary were discussing their new life together, Neil showed Cane the surprise he had for Hilary -- a brand new house with a faulty fuse box. Little did Neil know that he had a few surprises in store himself!

But back to the house...shouldn't Hilary have been able to participate in picking out her own house? Most women want to play a part in selecting the home that she may spend the rest of her life in and where she will raise her family. But Neil chose the house on his own. Apparently, Cane's temporary fix-it job did not stick because the power went out a second time. Neil opened the fuse box, sparks ignited (unlike the ones that flew between Devon and Hilary), and Neil was knocked unconscious on the floor. What do you want to bet that this will delay Hilary's announcement and the lovebirds' new beginning?

Once Lauren adjusted to the idea of being an empty-nester, she shared with Michael her ideas of romantic travels to Venice, where they could ride in a gondola; enjoy pasta, wine, and each other; and stroll in the moonlight followed by a night of passion and love. After Lauren left to sample the newest lingerie that had arrived at her shop, Michael fell asleep in the bed. Michael, are you crazy? Wasn't this the way Carmine crept into your love life before? Don't neglect Lauren again and make her feel unwanted. You just got your life back with your true love, Michael. Don't blow it!

Whew! Michael realized that very thing when he awoke the next morning and stressed that he had the "conduct unbecoming of a hot, sexy couple, wildly in love and ready to show it." He swore that he would never neglect Lauren again. Bravo, Michael! Hopefully, that means that you have learned your lesson of creating the opening that let Carmine weasel his way into your marriage the last time. Lauren loves her husband, and we enjoy watching the two of them being lovey-dovey again. I sure hope it lasts for a while.

Doesn't Nick seem to be smiling and laughing these days, since he has reunited with Sharon? While Billy has gotten more serious, since being portrayed by Burgess Jenkins, Nick has become more cheerful and humorous. But Mariah has a man in her sights, and that guy appears to be Mr. Nicholas Newman. In my opinion, that would be a little creepy, though, especially for Nick. I mean, Mariah still very much resembles Nick's late daughter, Cassie, as everyone constantly reminds her. Nick even made Mariah cover up when she was modeling the new dress that Sharon had bought her -- of course. If Mariah had any sense, she would see that Nick couldn't possibly fall for her due to her resemblance to Cassie.

Besides, if Mariah insisted on pursuing Nick, that would be a betrayal to the only person who actually cares for her. Sharon has given the young redheaded minx every chance in the world to have a fresh, new start. And this is the way Mariah repays her? Tacky. Nick kept warning Sharon not to get too attached, but I don't think that was ever a realistic possibility. Sharon wants so much to love the girl that looks like her daughter that she seems to blind herself to Mariah's misdeeds. Sharon had better open up her eyes pretty quickly though.

I can't say I blame Nick for googling Helen Copeland's name. I would want to learn more about the girl and her family, also, if I were in his shoes. And I will bet that they are very nice shoes too. Y&R fan Jeanna remarks:

He knows something about her past. Maybe Helen Copeland (Mariah's soon-to-be-on mother) was a nurse in the hospital where Sharon delivered and took one of the twins without their knowledge. She could have been part of Ian's cult and wanted a baby to please him if she was a follower.

Wow, I know the fans really would love for the twin of Cassie storyline to happen. This would be a creative way to make that happen. This would be an entertaining saga, and I can't wait to see how Helen is involved in all of this.

Sure, okay, Ian lost his lawsuit against Nikki, but she doesn't really think he will be going away, does she? Even Victor's numerous warnings have done nothing to deter Ian. I am not sure that anything can. And Ian just keeps playing up the victim angle...like he could even remotely resemble a person who had been victimized. When Ian almost cheerfully shoved the article in the National Inquisitor about Nikki's "sex cult diary" into Nikki's face, she noted that he was a vile piece of trash. Unfortunately, Faith turned out to be the true victim after a reporter asked Nikki why she had given her love child, Dylan, away. Faith still adores her new uncle, and I could see why she was confused.

Poor Avery! She looked rather embarrassed and very uncomfortable trying to explain to Faith what a love child was. Luckily, Dylan bailed her out and told Faith that Nikki had given him the best life in the world. Ha, I chuckled when the word "vile" kept coming up as the perfect adjective to describe Ian, mainly because it was so true. Ian's dastardly deeds were tearing up the worlds of both Dylan and Nikki, as Dylan trashed his coffee shop and Nikki turned to booze. Apparently, Mrs. Newman's choice of drink is a vodka martini, which she was able to resist, thanks to Devon's timely entrance into the rather seedy bar. But how much longer can she hold out?

Melody Thomas Scott has said in the past that she loves playing a drunk, and Nikki appears to be headed down that "path" again, since she was temporarily without Victor to protect her. Even if logic and the storyline didn't hint to us that Nikki would be drinking again, the casting of Meredith Baxter as Nikki's drinking buddy did, as announced by Soap Central. I remember Meredith Baxter from Bridget Loves Bernie, Family, and Family Ties, and she should bring some humor to this storyline. Soaps love to entertain, and she will certainly do that. I am looking forward to seeing where this will go and especially Ms. Baxter's interaction with Melody Thomas Scott.

Another person that has gotten on Victor's bad side is Stitch. It seems that Stitch has landed at the bottom of Victor's gutter, right next to Billy. I give Stitch credit, though, for not letting Victor scare him away from Victoria and the baby...that is, if the baby is his. Stitch stated that he refused to be a lousy father like his father was -- but what about Max? Can he really say that he has been the best father he can be to his son in Australia? If Stitch really loves his son as much as he claims, he wouldn't let Jenna keep Max from him. So, were his words only a way to hold on to Victoria?

I have to agree with Dylan and Victoria. I think there is more to Ben's story than what Stitch is telling. You almost have to feel for the guy. He went from being a heroic war veteran and a doctor who courageously saved lives (including Delia's!) on a daily basis to somewhat of a villain that no one can trust. Stitch has pretty much lost everything...well, except maybe his sister's love.

Shoot, he only had his chief resident position for about five seconds until Billy entered the scene. Dylan might be willing to give Stitch another chance as his friend, even after the dear ex-doc had lied to him. So why wouldn't Stitch tell him the whole story, if there is more. Or maybe he wouldn't. Dylan told Avery that he would rather bleed to death than go to Stitch for stitches of his cut arm. Yikes!

Why does Victoria keep flip-flopping back and forth from Stitch to Billy when she can't trust either one of them? She should just give herself some time to heal from the hurt that both have dealt her. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw Billy and Victoria kissing in the park. But I was even more aghast when Stitch jogged by and the two big babies got into an argument -- in front of Victoria and Johnny! Billy should especially be ashamed of himself, since Johnny is his son. Hopefully, for Victoria's sake, they will stay far, far away from each other in the future.

But Victoria did the smart thing, after all, and she went back to work. She was right to get out of the Father Knows Best house that she and Billy bought together to try to escape the question of her baby's parentage, if only for a few hours. I'm not sure that I could be as patient as Victoria about the identity of the father though. It seems to me that the knowledge would help to prepare her and the baby for the future. She will have to face the facts eventually, anyway, and she should arm herself the best way she knows how. Maybe she should secretly do the paternity test? Oh, that's right...there is no such thing as confidential medical tests and treatments at the Genoa City hospital. Y&R fan Cathleen O. comments:

...while Victoria needs to reduce the stress for her high risk pregnancy, this is not just HER baby, and she needs to realize that the father, whomever it could be, is a part of it as well. This was not an immaculate conception. Her woe is me routine is getting so old that many of us are done with her, and she and Ben can ride off into the sunset with my blessing. Billy is better off without her.

To me, Victoria is just biding her time, trying to decide who is the lesser of the two evils: Billy or Stitch. But she and they need to know which one it is.Victor sure is busy these days, threatening Ian, warning Stitch, and intruding on Sharon's life, as she put it. Sharon even went so far as to fire her doctor because Dr. Mead didn't tell her that Victor had approached the doctor for information on Sharon. Apparently, Sharon believed that the doctor was Victor's spy. Seriously, Victor can buy, bribe, or threaten his way into anything he wants. Victor didn't really need Sharon's doctor, since he wanted to provide the treatment to Phyllis to bring her out of her coma. And Jack was ready to tell Phyllis about his love for Kelly. So here I am -- back where I started.

Jack announced to Billy, Traci, and Abby that he was in love with Kelly and that he needed to let go of his hope that Phyllis would return to him. I guess he was sincere. Wow, think of the explosion (so to speak) if Phyllis actually hears Jack's declaration of love for his newest lady. Somehow, I doubt if she would take it too lightly. Seriously, does Phyllis take anything lightly? The fireworks would be huge, and they wouldn't be the kind that Jack would want. Or could Phyllis awaken before Jack's grand announcement, which would stop him, thereby providing us with another triangle in love? I can't wait to find out.

Other notable (or humorous) items that happened during the week:

I truly enjoyed the Where's Waldo Daytime Emmy award sightings last week, even if the soap was blatantly patting itself on the back for all the awards Y&R and the actors deservedly received for 2013. I miss the glittery golden-winged lady that added to the dcor of just about every location in Genoa City. That statue was popping up all over!

Gloria brought back her humor this week when she advised her claustrophobic son, Kevin, "Oh, well, then, when you're in the deep, dark, dank cell, feeling the walls closing in on you, just think of bright, blue, open skies." I am sure those words would comfort any person panicking in a small, enclosed place.It was so sweet and thoughtful of Billy to give Johnny a bear named "Bear With Me," who would always be with Johnny, even when Billy could not be. Billy is a fantastic father for the most part. He shows that he loves his son.

Maybe Austin really does love Summer. It was sweet when he gave her the pretend honeymoon to Hawaii. Most men don't think of those little details that make a moment special. Good job, Austin!

I loved it when Victoria indicated to Nick that Mariah gave her an "Adam vibe." They should know. At least Nick knows to "sleep with one eye open." Sharon blinds herself to the possible truth about Mariah, but Nick knows that he cannot. While Nick is doing what he can to protect his family, Sharon is leaving her heart wide open to be broken. Open your eyes, Sharon!

Stitch showed some humor when, while advising the boy in the park about the cut on his leg, he joked that he only played a doctor on TV. Good going, writers!Paul and Christine were adorable as they worked together on a jigsaw puzzle. I love jigsaw puzzles. Her insecurity is still painful to watch, however. That couldn't have been more obvious when she hid her husband's cell phone from him. How convenient that she can use the stress from his job to cover up her jealousy over Nikki and Dylan. And it's also sad.

Until next time, please stay tuned. I'm off to the GH fan club event!

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