Classic The Young and the Restless: From memories to blackmail

Does Adam really believe he can outsmart and blackmail Victor without suffering the consequences? Will Adam succeed with his blackmail, or will his plan backfire? How will Victoria retaliate if Adam succeeds? Is Victoria really through with Billy, or is she being delusional? Can Billy and Lily make a success of Chancellor's media division and remain friends? Can Sharon come to terms with her cancer? Let's see if we can gain some insight and perhaps come up with some answers.

COVID-19 has everyone hunkering down in their respective sanctuaries in an attempt to weather this storm. With so many folks staying home, the ratings for the soap operas are going up and up. Hmmm...This also begs the question if there will be another baby boom in nine months. Remember that's what happened after that widespread power outage in 2003? It's possible that out of sheer boredom, people think it's time to get their sexy on.

I, on the other hand, seem to lose the capacity for rational thought. In my brain, a power outage means it's time to vacuum. All rational thoughts fly out the window with the dead power. It seems that every time there was a power outage, for some reason, I believed my vacuum cleaner didn't need power. To this day, whenever there's a power outage, I still get calls from my family asking me if I'm vacuuming. That urge to vacuum during a power outage no longer exists. True story.

With a classic episode being aired once a week through the COVID-19 pandemic, we can take a trip down memory lane at the end of this article, but in the meantime, let's explore what has been happening in our beloved present-day Genoa City.

Will Adam never learn not to mess with Victor? He believes he has all the answers regarding A.J. Motalvo's death. Adam wants to use that information against Victor and get the company and the CEO chair. Adam believes it's his birthright, and he is being very cocky about holding all this information over Victor's head. Adam believes he has finally won. I believe that Adam's plan to blackmail Victor is going to backfire in a huge way. My guess is that either Adam's mother, Hope, or Adam killed A.J., and Victor paid the coroner to protect them. Personally, I think Adam killed A.J. I would like Adam to find out that he killed A.J. and that Victor had been protecting him all these years. Wouldn't that be a kick in the pants for Adam?

At the time of A.J.'s death, Adam would have been old enough to commit the crime. He would have been in high school, and Alyssa Motalvo, A.J.'s daughter, had been his friend. Adam would be devastated if he learned that Hope might have done the deed, but I think the devastation would be greater if he knew he'd been the one to kill A.J. It's possible Adam did it and then erased the memory.

Alyssa only reluctantly provided Adam with the information she'd collected. From the information at hand, Alyssa and Adam drew the same conclusion: Victor had killed A.J. and covered it up. Facts aren't always what they appear to be, especially if Victor is involved in any way. Alyssa told Adam that her dad had been Mr. Nasty and a loan shark, but he hadn't been a killer. A.J. had loaned Cliff Wilson money, and when Cliff hadn't been able to pay the money back, A.J. had threatened to take over the farm. A.J. had also pressured Cliff to sell Hope's farm. Alyssa explained that A.J. had only wanted to scare Cliff, not kill him. Adam might have overheard A.J. threatening Cliff and pushing Cliff to sell the farm. Adam might have taken matters into his own hands to save his mother's farm.

Adam is elated believing he finally has enough damning information to bring Victor down. I believe Adam is in for a huge surprise. Adam wants that CEO chair, and he is determined to get it. Why such a push for it now? When Adam first came to town, Victor offered Adam the keys to that kingdom several times, but Adam refused them. He claimed the position would never have been his because he would constantly be under Victor's thumb. Now Adam wants the keys to the kingdom so the company will be completely his.

Adam is bound and determined to outsmart Victor, but no one outsmarts Victor. Adam is delusional if he thinks he can do it. He is baiting Victor because he wants Victor to admit he killed A.J. Adam told Victor that he'd idolized Victor long before he'd know that Victor was his father. He wanted to be just like Victor. Adam said he was the child who was exactly like Victor and just as ruthless. He even threatened to report his findings to the police if Victor didn't agree to give him Newman Enterprises.

Adam said that Victor's fate was in Adam's hands and that he had enough proof to put Victor in prison. Isn't Adam a loving son and a little ray of sunshine? Adam will never change. He wants Victor's love and respect, but this isn't the way to get it. It's always been about Adam and what he's has been deprived of. We know how Victor reacts to threats. I think Adam has opened a can of worms that he will not be able to contain.

I have to wonder why Chelsea is encouraging Adam to go after Newman Enterprises. Why is she so invested in helping Adam acquire the CEO chair and the company? I might be wrong, but I don't recall Chelsea being vindictive. She has always been the clear-headed one and generally kept Adam in check. Does she really believe Adam has been mistreated by Victor, or is she seeking revenge on Victor for his past treatment of her? I can't recall Victor really doing anything to her other than hiring and paying her to seduce Billy in Myanmar. I don't understand her motives.

Who felt sorry for Billy when Victoria told him they were through for good? I didn't feel sorry for Billy at all. Billy destroyed the best thing that had ever happened to him, a life with Victoria, the woman who had loved him deeply and forgiven him for his vices and the accompanying consequences. He can't seem to get out of his own head. Billy seems to destroy whoever and whatever he touches. When he and Victoria discussed their situation, I think Billy really believed he and Victoria would reunite once again. He looked so gutted when Victoria rejected him and said that the only thing they were to each other were co-parents to Katie and Johnny. She added that they weren't friends.

I believe Lily will be able to keep Billy in line when it comes to their business venture at Chancellor. She has such a quiet way of putting him in his place. Billy tends to attack things like a bull in a china shop, but Lily has a way of calmly reining him in -- and he seems to pay attention. Do I want to see them as a couple? No. Good friends? Absolutely! Lily has been through enough drama with Cane, and if she and Billy ever became a couple, she would be placed in the same position that Victoria had been all these years. Her life with Cane would appear like a fairy tale compared to sharing a life with Billy.

I want to know where Summer gets off with her reaction to Phyllis and Nick's possible reunion. What they do is none of her business -- she has no say, and for once, I agree with Phyllis. Summer needs to take a good look in the mirror before throwing stones. Nick and Phyllis shouldn't be together, not even as friends with benefits, but that isn't for Summer to decide. In my opinion, Nick and Phyllis are toxic as a couple. They have hurt each other deeply in the past, and they shouldn't open that door again.

But here we go again -- shades of Billy and Phyllis, sex anywhere and anytime, but now it's Phyllis and Nick. I think they love each other as friends and nothing more. What some people claim is hot chemistry between Nick and Phyllis, I would call lust. How many men want to sleep with Phyllis? Chance rejected her, Jack doesn't seem to have an interest in her, and I haven't seen any other men beating down her door. They have had too much unpalatable history to become a couple again.

Summer and Kyle make my blood boil. Summer was disgusted seeing Nick and Phyllis together and exchanging secret looks. She even had the nerve to chastise Nick and Phyllis separately and told them they needed to grow up. What Nick and Phyllis do is none of Summer's business. Summer should be looking at her own relationship with Kyle. Nick and Phyllis are single and engaging in some recreational "sports" while angelic Summer is sleeping with a married man. She doesn't seem to have any qualms over that inconvenient issue. She'd been sleeping with a married man before she returned to Genoa City. She then went after Billy, who was in a relationship with her mother, and she slept with him. Summer has no morals.

To me, Kyle and Summer don't seem comfortable together. Like her mom and dad, Summer and Kyle's relationship is based on sex, anywhere and anytime. But whenever Kyle is with Lola, there is such longing, and there are loving looks that pass between them. This couple had substance. They weren't one-dimensional like Summer and Kyle. They had fun, they actually discussed things and made plans, and they appeared to be happy in their little apartment.

With Summer and Kyle, it's always sex first, then it's about the power -- taking Jabot to new heights, taking over Newman Enterprises and merging it with Jabot, and becoming the power couple. Summer wants a big house with a pool, a media center in the house. She doesn't need a big kitchen because she plans to eat out all the time with the occasional food delivery. That really sounds like a great and stable life plan. I honestly don't see this coupling making it to the altar anytime soon, but I could be way off base. Maybe this is the life that Kyle wants.

I don't trust Theo. In spite of being warned by Jack, Theo is doggedly looking to discredit Kyle. I wonder what Theo's end game is. I feel there is a connection between wooing Lola and discrediting Kyle. He has an ulterior motive where Lola is concerned. Maybe he really cares for her, but those aren't the vibes I'm getting.

Maybe it's just my twisted thought process, but Theo has been too focused on getting revenge on Kyle. Bedding Lola would be the ultimate insult to Kyle. His reaction to Lola canceling the trip didn't ring true, either. It was more like disappointment that he wouldn't have his revenge yet and would have to wait for his next opportunity. I found it strange when Lola informed Theo she had to cancel the trip, Theo claimed he'd been thinking the same thing, claiming it was her busy work and the divorce and his busy workload. What a crock! It raised a red flag for me.

The scene with Theo and Dina was very touching. Theo just rambled on about whatever came into his head while Dina appeared to be in her own world and not hearing a word he said. But what a surprise -- when Theo rambled on about this lady he really liked, Dina turned to Theo, gave him a radiant smile, and told him that he shouldn't worry because he was quite a catch. She then turned away and slipped into her own world again. I think my heart flipped at least three times over that gorgeous smile.

Jack and Jill have a quite a history, and not all good. I would love to see them remain friends and nothing more. Even Jill admitted that they'd had their painful moments in the past, but it was nice that they were able to remain friends. It was cute when Jill said she still liked Jack, and Jack said he liked her, as well. When Jack asked her what her worst relationship had been, it must have been difficult for Jill to admit that her worst relationship had been with Colin Atkinson, and that relationship might have soured her against any future relationships.

Rey appears to know how to handle Sharon, which brings to mind a line in Kenny Rogers' song "The Gambler" -- "Know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em, know when to walk away, and know when to run." Rey certainly knows when Sharon needs to be held and when he needs to walk away and give her space. I think I love this coupling the best with Sharon. There is no drama or hidden agenda, or secrets -- only the love and caring that shines through.

I loved her with Nick, but with him, her life was filled with drama -- and cheating. Dylan was okay, but I could never feel the connection between them. He always seemed detached. Rey is a different story. He and Sharon work at keeping each other happy and secure, and they support each other. Rey is always there for her, especially after she received the devastating news that the chemo hadn't worked as well as they had hoped.

Mariah and Tessa have reconciled. Oh, joy! How long will it last this time? Mariah deserves so much better. Their relationship seems shallow to me. Are they in love with love or are they really "in" love? Tessa is a liar, and she has too many secrets, while Mariah has turned into a love-struck puppy who has lost herself. I thought it was funny when Tessa said that Mariah didn't have to be tough all the time. Mariah certainly wasn't tough after Tessa walked out on her. Mariah turned into a puddle of tears after the breakup, and she lost her self-esteem and the fight within her. How sad that Mariah feels her life is meaningless without Tessa. She is so much stronger than that, and I hope she can turn herself around.

A QUICK VISIT TO THE CLASSICS

Since the announcement that your favorite soaps would, from time to time, be supplemented with a classic episode, most of you wanted to see the very first episodes of The Young and the Restless. I'm not sure whether your prayers will be answered, so I will try to recreate a short history of how things began. I can provide a few highlights. The second most requested episode was to see Nikki and Victor's first wedding. Your requests were heard, and that classic episode was aired on Friday.

When the story began, it revolved around two families, the Fosters and the Brookses. The Fosters were a low-income family. Liz Foster was a single mother with three children. Her husband, William Foster, had abandoned the family. William returned years later, broke and sick. He later died of cancer. Liz raised three children, William Foster -- nicknamed "Snapper" for his snappish attitude, Greg Foster, and her adopted child, Jill Foster. Liz worked at Chancellor Industries on the factory assembly line, and she supplemented her income by working as a cleaning lady at the Chancellor mansion.

When Jill was old enough, Liz brought Jill to the Chancellor mansion to work as a companion for Katherine Chancellor, who was an alcoholic at the time. Jill wound up falling in love with Katherine's husband, Phillip Chancellor II. Jill became pregnant with her son, Phillip Chancellor III, and Phillip Chancellor II wanted to marry Jill. When Phillip returned from a trip to get his divorce from Katherine, Katherine picked Phillip up at the airport, and, determined to stop Phillip from marrying Jill, she drove him off a cliff, but Jill married Phillip while he was recuperating in the hospital. Katherine later had the marriage invalidated, claiming she'd been drunk when she'd signed the divorce papers.

Stuart Brooks was a well-to-do businessman and the owner and publisher of the Genoa City Chronicle. He was married to Jennifer, and they had several children. Eric Vanderway was Stuart and Dina's offspring from their one-night stand in high school. Stuart fathered Leslie Brooks, Peggy Brooks, and Chris Brooks with Jennifer. Their fourth child, Lauralee Brooks, was the offspring from an affair Jennifer had with Bruce Henderson.

Chris Brooks and Snapper married. Leslie Brooks became a concert pianist then later a singer in her own restaurant. She married Brad Eliot. Lorie Brooks became an author and published her first book while working at her father's place of business, the Chronicle. Peggy Brooks became a reporter.

Stuart and Liz started dating after Jennifer died from a heart attack. Liz never felt worthy of Stuart. In spite of searching for a rich man to provide for her and her children, she felt outclassed by Stuart. Jill began to her pursuit of Stuart, and, in an attempt to get Stuart to marry her, she faked a pregnancy. Stuart married Jill, even though he was in love with Liz. It was later revealed, after she fell down a flight of stairs, that Jill had never been pregnant. After Jill and Stuart divorced, Jill married Derek Thurston. The marriage was later declared invalid. Stuart and Liz married.

Peggy had teamed up with a Chronicle reporter, Steve Williams, to investigate the New World Brotherhood. Peggy had infiltrated the cult and freed Nikki Reed and Paul Williams from the cult. Steve and Peggy dated until Steve accepted a job in Washington, DC. Peggy's reaction to Steve's move was to date playboy Jack Abbott. After realizing that she'd been one of Jack's many women and that Jack would never commit to her, she accepted Steve's proposal. Greg Foster later married Nikki Reed.

This was some of the evolution of the characters, some of whom are still with us today. I hope this walk down memory lane helps give some history for everyone.

If anyone asked me which episodes I would like to revisit, I would have to say that my first choice would be Katherine's last scene with Jill. That was so breathtaking. No one knew that Jeanne Cooper was about to die, and in retrospect, it appeared as if she knew that it would be her last scene. Her goodnight to Jill seemed so final and heart-wrenching. I still miss her. She was such an integral part of this soap.

I would love to revisit Adam stealing Sharon's baby Faith and giving it to Ashley. There were many scenes of Adam's evil doings, but I think this episode really personified how really evil Adam was and still is.

What are some of the episodes you're hoping to see? I'd love to hear your lists, so please feel free to share them with me in the Comments section further down the page.

And that's a wrap from me for this week. Until we meet again!Nel

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