Wow, I can't believe another year is coming to an end already (my first full calendar year as a Two Scoops columnist)! When I was a teenager and started reading the Two Scoops columns on this site, I would dream about writing one myself one day, so it is a bit surreal and an exciting milestone for me. I hope you all have been enjoying reading my opinions as much as I love writing them. But enough about me -- let's dish about Y&R! Looking back at 2022, I can't believe how many storylines have come and gone. There certainly were a lot of exciting moments (and a few storyline duds) throughout 2022, so there is plenty for us to discuss.
Like last year, I am going to be breaking down my "2022 Best and Worst of Y&R" list by month. Sometimes a storyline that starts off bad can end up in a good place (and vice versa), so, rather than judging stories as a whole from start to finish, I prefer to look at the storylines over time and judge how things progressed on the show from month to month. Without further ado, let's get to it! Here are my picks for The Best and the Worst on Y&R in 2022:
1. Billy the Loser. The year started out with Billy deciding to end his revenge plot against Adam, which was great news, but the way this storyline fizzled out was a miss and made Billy look like a loser. Billy's end goal was to make Adam look foolish and tarnish the reputation of Newman Media, but he ultimately decided that he was wasting too much energy on Adam in general and wanted to put his need for revenge behind him. But Billy couldn't just quit quietly and move on with grace. For some reason, he felt compelled to confront Adam and tell him all about his plot and boast about how he'd decided to let it all go. In the end, Adam just laughed in his face and reveled in the fact that Billy went to such effort without being able to follow through with it. This contrived storyline started without much promise or entertainment value and went exactly nowhere (much like Billy's character in general).
2. Adam the Loser (Part One). What is with Victor always putting Adam last when it comes to his children? Newman Media was meant to be a venture that the two of them worked on together, separate from Newman-Locke, with Adam at the helm of the company. But when Victoria sued them for the use of the Newman name, Victor caved almost instantly and sold the media company to her. Sure, he made the stipulation that Adam would have to remain CEO once the company was under the Newman-Locke umbrella, but he didn't even tell Adam about it until the deal was done. Adam had to learn about it all from his self-righteous sister.
3. Abby the Loser. Are you sensing a theme here? 2022 didn't get off to a very good start for a lot of our favorite characters -- and Abby probably had it worse than them all. Abby found herself on the losing end of a custody battle in a storyline that lasted all of about, what, two or three weeks (if even that)? This storyline had the potential to be huge but ended with a whimper. As viewers, we were gearing up for a battle royale: Abby and Chance vs. Devon and Amanda. But, even though Abby was against Devon's petition for visitation of a child that he had agreed to just be a sperm donor for, Chance convinced her to give in and let Devon have what he was asking for. They even added his last name, Winters, into Dominic's already-long-enough moniker: Dominic Phillip Newman Abbott Winters Chancellor -- really?! I feel bad for that kid when he has to start writing his full name on everything! This lackluster ending made all the baby drama from 2021 seem like a big waste of time, and it certainly didn't come to a satisfying conclusion (at least not for this viewer).
1. The End of an Era. Although "Billy the loser" ended up on my Worst of Y&R List this year for the way that his revenge plot against Adam fizzled out, I think it is safe to say that the majority of viewers were happy to see their long-running feud come to an end. Sure, Billy and Adam will never be friends and still hurl the occasional insult at one another, but their constant persistence to ruin one another's lives was starting to get old. It showed maturity and growth of character that they were able to move beyond all the pettiness (for now, at least).
2. A Lovely Engagement. Mariah proposed to Tessa (even though Tessa had already proposed to her) in a very romantic episode, and, of course, Tessa accepted. Sure, it was a little off-putting that Noah was lurking with that mopey look on his face he always had whenever he was around Mariah and Tessa, but I tried not to let him sour the mood too much. It was great to see "Tariah" get the spotlight and start to plan their future together after the rough year they had in 2021.
3. The Beginning of the End. Both Nikki and Victor began to start having doubts about Ashland and his true motives toward Victoria and Newman-Locke. Nikki began to keep a closer eye on Ashland's business moves at the company, and Victor hired Michael Baldwin as his personal attorney again (yay!) to prepare for battle with "the Locke Ness Monster" should his suspicions about Ashland prove true.
1. Blink and You'll Miss It. Once again, the writers bestowed upon Abby, Chance, and Devon a storyline that ended almost as soon as it began in a plot that we'd normally see play out for months. Remember when Dominic needed a bone marrow aspiration because his red blood cell count was low? I'd completely forgotten about this. The baby drama had no real point and seemingly no impact on the characters or their storylines in general. Within two weeks' time, Devon was discovered to be a viable donor, the procedure was scheduled, and Dominic got the bone marrow he needed. It has literally never been mentioned again. Seriously, what was the point?
2. Ousted! Victoria decided to scrap the Newman Fashion division of Newman-Locke, thereby firing Chelsea, Chloe, and Sally all at once. Then, Chelsea and Chloe decided to start their own new fashion venture -- this time without Sally. It would have been fun to continue seeing all the drama of this group of women working together, so I was a little bummed by this; but ultimately, the writers had bigger things in store for them (except Chloe).
3. Is the Grass Greener Over There? Nate, no longer able to perform surgery due to his injury and frustrated by his position as chief of staff at the hospital, decided to take a job from Ashland at Newman-Locke. I get that the writers wanted to provide more story for Nate by getting him in the mix of all the characters in the Genoa City business community, but this move just felt odd (and still feels odd to this day). He didn't want to keep doing office work and paperwork as chief of staff, and he thought the business world would have less of that? Make it make sense. I miss Dr. Nate.
1. A New Romance for Valentine's Day. Despite their best efforts to keep their relationship professional, Adam and Sally gave in to temptation and had sex in his office at Newman Media. This tryst was the beginning of what would be one of the great -- and most tortured -- romances of 2022 in Genoa City.
2. Our Past Is Never Done with Us. Ashland's most recent big secret (and one of his last) was revealed as Michael uncovered that Ashland had funded the health clinic in Peru that gave him his cancer diagnosis -- and had paid a doctor there to falsify his medical records. Ashland never had cancer, after all! This was a brilliant twist that had me worried for Victoria's safety and concerned about what Ashland's endgame might be. Did he really love her?
3. The Death of an Abbott Leads to a New Mystery. Jack began to receive mysterious and anonymous text messages from someone that was trying to lure him to Los Angeles. Phyllis discovered that the address in Los Angeles that Jack was being lured to had a connection to his son Keemo. This mystery had me glued to the TV screen and excited to tune in each day. It had so many layers! Jack's confession about not having a relationship with his son over the years and hoping to reconnect with him was sad to hear, but it was also exciting to think we might see a reunion between father and son. Of course, their reunion was not meant to be, and their story ended in tragedy (and mystery), as Phyllis discovered that Keemo had recently died - and the stranger sending Jack text messages remained as unknown as their intentions for wanting Jack to come to LA.
1. Happy Anniversary? Although I was happy that Michael played a hand in revealing the truth about Ashland's fake cancer diagnosis, I was hoping to see more of him in the story (and on our screens again). The show had just celebrated Christian LeBlanc's 30th anniversary portraying Michael with a special episode, and it seemed like they were also planning to reward him with more screen time. Sadly, shortly after Michael learned the truth about Ashland, he went missing in Peru, and many feared that Ashland had had him killed (thank goodness he didn't).
2. The Podcast Chronicles (Part One). Billy's business venture into podcasting started this month and... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz... Oh! Sorry, I fell asleep there for a minute. This storyline was a real snooze-fest. It felt like one of the writers was trying to slip in a health and wellness podcast into the show, and, well, we wouldn't be watching TV if we wanted to listen to a podcast! There's a time and place for everything -- and some things shouldn't mix (especially if the storyline is not engaging enough to keep us interested in a podcast plot).
3. Noah the Party Boy. After confessing to Tessa that he still had feelings for her (sheesh, get over it!), Noah began to drown his sorrows in booze and women. While I was glad to see him trying to move on from Tessa, I just didn't really buy his "downward spiral," and his constant moping was a bit of bore. One of the women he had a one-night stand with, Cindy, whom he brought with him to Crimson Lights the next morning, was pretty hilarious, though. She was a big fan of Tessa's music and kept calling Noah "Noel." She almost made this storyline worth it!
1. The Living Dead! (Part One) "Taylor Jenkins" revealed herself to Allie as the woman who was buying her father, Keemo's, home. But, given that the actress portraying "Taylor" was none other than Susan Walters, we all knew that this was really Diane Jenkins returned from the dead!! It was also revealed that Diane was Jack's mystery texter, and she had concocted this plot of reuniting Jack with his granddaughter in hopes that he would return the favor by reuniting her with their son, Kyle. I am a huge fan of Susan Walters, so I was loving every second of this storyline. It made perfect sense that Deacon had helped her fake her death, and I was thrilled that she was revealed to still be alive.
2. Surprise, Surprise -- I Told You Lies. Victoria was forced to face the truth that Ashland had been deceiving her about his cancer diagnosis when they first fell in love. But she remained uncertain about whether their romance had all been a lie or not -- and viewers were left wondering whether Victoria would forgive him yet again or if she was preparing to turn the tables on him as a final act of revenge. The writers certainly kept us guessing!
3. Two Become One. After some deliberation, Lily and Devon decided to merge their two companies. Chancellor Industries and Hamilton Winters Group would become Chancellor Winters (CW)! This was a great decision by the writers because not only did it bring two of the largest corporations on the show together, but it also expanded the family dynamic of the new conglomerate with Lily and Devon as co-CEOs (and Billy and Nate as COOs).
1. Death in Genoa City (Part One). Jordi Vilasuso's time on Y&R portraying Rey Rosales came to an end when Y&R execs suddenly decided to release him from his contract and the writers were tasked with killing Rey off. I understand that deaths do happen suddenly like this in real life, but this storyline felt a bit scrambled together and rushed. It was a shame to see such a great actor and character exit the show (along with some much-needed diversity amongst the cast). I'll miss the Rosales family now that they have all been written off. I hope we see them again someday (especially Arturo, please)!
2. The Podcast Chronicles (Part Two). Billy's podcasting storyline resurfaces on my Worst List for 2022 because this was the month that he started his second podcast. I will admit that my interest was piqued when Billy decided to do a podcast under an alias so that he could expose the truth about certain criminals and "bad people" of Genoa City clandestinely, but this second attempt at making this storyline interesting was another fail. Billy essentially just took on the role of narrator on the show to recap certain storylines and things we already knew about people (namely, Ashland). The idea of this podcast was a great concept with a lot of potential for mixing things up for various characters, but sadly, because it ended up having little effect on actual events on the show, it never became interesting.
1. A United Front. I was thrilled to see Adam finally working alongside his family and joining Victoria's plot to bring down Ashland after his lies about having cancer were revealed. Victoria took charge of the situation and plotted revenge against her husband, all while making Ashland believe she thought Adam was to blame for concocting the lie that Ashland had faked his illness.
2. Death in Genoa City (Part Two). Yes, this storyline made both the Best and Worst List in April because, although I thought killing off Rey was a miss, the other side to the story involving Victoria and Ashland was a hit. After Victoria tricked Ashland into relinquishing his rights at Newman-Locke and he confessed to her that he really did fake his cancer, she ran out on him and got into a car accident with Rey. Thankfully, Victoria was not to blame for the crash, as it was revealed that Rey had suffered a heart attack behind the wheel and had died suddenly, which is what caused the crash to occur.
3. Love Is in the Air. Adam and Sally both confessed to one another this month that they were falling in love with each other. It took Adam some time to say it back to Sally, but it was an exciting time for fans of their coupling (back when we were hopeful and naïve about their future together).
4. The Living Dead! (Part Two). Phyllis, Nikki, and Kyle all learned that Diane was alive this month. Phyllis and Nikki's reaction alone landed this storyline on the Best List this month! It was a lot of fun to see Diane and Phyllis sparring again. Their past rivalry was one of my favorite storylines, and I was excited to see it reignited again.
1. That "May Sweeps" Magic! There was no worst, as I genuinely enjoyed all of the storylines in May. It was an exciting month!
1. May Sweeps, Indeed! Why did I enjoy May so much? Let me recount the ways:
o Kyle and Diane came to blows over how she abandoned him as a child when she faked her death. He ultimately decided to work toward forgiving her and letting her get to know her grandson, Harrison (the Abbott family interrogation that Diane had to sit through first was great fun).
o Jack and Phyllis were seemingly on their way back to being a supercouple on the show as they finally gave in to their feelings for one another and "hit the sheets."
o Allie arrived in Genoa City and met the Abbotts, getting to know the family she didn't know she had. And she and Noah met at Tessa and Mariah's wedding!
o Tessa and Mariah's Friday the 13th wedding was a fun treat involving a lot of different characters. So happy for them! The icing on the (wedding) cake was that before Rey died, he was able to clear Tessa's sister, Crystal, of all the charges against her, and she was able to be a part of their wedding.
o Lily started to become as annoyed with Billy's podcast as the rest of us already were.
o The Elena/Nate/Imani triangle started to heat up.
o Chloe helped Esther set up a profile on a dating app, and she made a match. Happy 40th anniversary as Esther Valentine, Kate Linder! By the way, what happened with that storyline? I hope they're still happy.
1. Some Restraint is in Order (Part One). Kyle and Summer got a restraining order for Harrison against Ashland, and it didn't sit well with me. Ashland had been revealed to be a liar and a manipulator, which shouldn't have been all that shocking, since his name in the business world was the "Locke Ness Monster," so Kyle and Summer vowed to keep him away from Harrison. Sure, Ashland wasn't Harrison's biological father, but he raised the boy for the first few years of his life, and their relationship really should not have come into question. It made Kyle and Summer a bit unlikeable to me because it felt like they were taking action to punish Ashland rather than to do what might have been best for Harrison.
2. Frenemies. Chelsea and Chloe began to argue frequently as Chelsea began to lose focus on their goals of building a professional future together. I hated to see these two besties fight. Their scenes of enduring friendship are usually a bright spot and a breath of fresh air on the show, so it was a bummer to see them at odds as Chelsea struggled over what she really wanted to do with her future. I would have loved to have seen Chelsea and Chloe working for Lauren for years to come, so I was bummed that it didn't work out before they even got started.
3. Phyllis the Loser (Part One). Phyllis went off the deep end after her insecurities regarding Diane got the better of her, and it became clear that she only slept with Jack to "mark her territory." Although Phyllis and Jack might have wanted a relationship and future together (and should have been given one), Phyllis ruined any possibility of that future happening by making Jack feel as though he was just a prize to be won. I can understand why he dumped her because he wasn't sure if she truly loved him, but I was disappointed to see one of my favorite couples burn up this way. I always try to root for Phyllis, but the writers certainly went out of their way to make her unlikeable.
1. Double-Cross! Victoria fooled everyone into thinking that she had forgiven Ashland for all his lies and that she had given him a second chance. So, it was very satisfying when it was revealed that she was really just plotting the ultimate revenge when she emptied their joint account and took his $250 million right before dumping him.
2. Crushin'. Noah and Allie are too cute! It was fun to see them begin to flirt with each other and wonder where it might lead. Allie is my favorite newcomer of 2022, for sure.
3. Launch Party! It's always fun to see the whole town come together for a big event -- especially when Jill is invited (and Jess Walton graces our screens again). I was so happy to see Jill back in town for the merger of Hamilton-Winters and Chancellor Industries. The Chancellor-Winters launch party was a big success -- thanks to Nate (and much to the chagrin of Devon). Sure, Nate might have oversold their plans a little, but it got the audience hyped up and excited for what the newly merged companies would have to offer. Nate was getting a little overzealous, but it paid off. And Jill's return for the event gave us the great scenes she shared with Diane. I wish Jill were in town on a regular basis -- include that on my list of hopes and wishes for Y&R in 2023!
4. Enduring Legacies. In one of the best episodes overall from 2022, Ashley and Traci bonded with their newly found niece, Allie, by taking her out to eat and sharing memories of their past with her. It was a fun (and wild!) ride down memory lane. Happy 40th Y&R anniversaries to Eileen Davidson (Ashley) and Beth Maitland (Traci)!
1. Adam the Loser (Part Two). Victoria returned to Genoa City after rightfully getting her revenge on Ashland, which is great, but what the writers did to Adam in the fallout was far from great. Once again, Adam was pushed aside and fired as CEO of Newman-Locke in favor of Victoria. I can't tell you how tired I am of Adam being the last person whose feelings are considered within the Newman family (oh, wait! Yes, I can, by adding it to my Worst List). To add insult to injury, the writers decided to torpedo the fan-favorite coupling of Adam and Sally by having Adam dump her in an effort to protect her job at Newman Media. Adam was indeed the big loser of July (and I wasn't happy about any of it). But alas, where would we be without the drama? I guess I loved to hate it (but just barely).
2. Some Restraint Is in Order (Part Two). I get that Diane was trying to get in the Abbotts' good graces by setting up Ashland to break the restraining order that Kyle and Summer got against him regarding Harrison, but it left a bad taste in my mouth. I enjoyed Ashland and Diane's brief friendship and was sad to see her betray him. As much as I hated what Ashland had done and all the lies that he told to everyone, I don't think using Harrison to punish him was the right move.
3. I Guess I'll Do This Now? (Part One) Although Nick had a successful charity that he ran, he decided it was time to return to work at Newman Enterprises, for some reason. This plot was ultimately just a device to get Nick in Sally's orbit and begin the Nick/Sally/Adam triangle (which I hate). Nick just doesn't feel comfortable at Newman and was a more likeable character as the Newman "free spirit."
1. The Unholy Trio. Nikki, Phyllis, and Ashley teamed up to get Diane out of town. Need I say more? Brava!
2. I Guess I'll Do This Now! (Part One) I was thrilled to see Chloe accept the position of Sally's COO at Newman Media after her new fashion line with Chelsea dissolved. I love Sally/Chloe scenes and hope that their friendship continues.
3. The Podcast Chronicles (Part Three). Billy's podcast storyline finally made it to my Best List! Once Chelsea got involved, this storyline got a lot less boring. Chelsea breathed new life into this stale storyline that had been haunting us throughout the year. Too bad the writers chose the wrong time to abandon this story just as it started to get good. But the storyline they had for Chelsea next was worth the sacrifice of this more fun plot.
4. Everything's Coming Up Allie! Allie moved into the Abbot mansion, took an internship in the Jabot lab, and started dating Noah! Have I mentioned she is my favorite newcomer in 2022?
5. Did You Check for a Pulse? The second death of 2022 rocks Genoa City as Ashland seemingly dies in a car accident after fleeing Victoria's home following an altercation with Nick. But something doesn't quite add up because Nick and Victoria were sure Nick had accidentally killed Ashland after punching him to the ground, causing his head to hit the fireplace. How did he get up and drive away so quickly? This was a fun mystery.
1. Sally the Loser. Adam continued to deny his feelings for Sally, and she was left to nearly beg him to tell her the truth about how he felt by offering up the truth about how Ashland had really died. Then Chloe convinced Adam to finally let Sally go so that Sally could stop wondering whether they would get back together or not. Even though Adam was clearly lying, he tried to let Sally down as gently as possible so that he could salvage her career. Boo!
2. I Guess I'll Do This Now? (Part Two) Phyllis decided to sell the Grand Phoenix to Chancellor-Winters so that she could take a job at Marchetti and keep an eye on Diane. I hated to see Phyllis step away from the hotel. However, this could have been a fun story if the writers had taken it in a different direction. The Diane/Phyllis feud went from entertaining to frustrating as they squabbled like children on a playground while at work. Watching Kyle and Summer parent their mothers and threaten to fire them over and over was not entertaining.
3. The Podcast Chronicles (Part Four). Yep, this storyline is back on the Worst List. Just when it was getting interesting by adding Chelsea into the mix as she became Billy's co-host on the podcast, Billy decided to quit his podcast career so that he could focus more on his job as COO at Chancellor-Winters (and claimed it had nothing to do with the surprise kiss Chelsea planted on him). It was kind of a bummer that this storyline wrapped up just as I was starting to find things to like about it, but I'm not mad that the entire podcast storyline ended here because it was full of a lot more misses than hits overall throughout the year.
1. How to Get Away with Murder. Victor revealed that his security team took Ashland's lifeless body from Victoria's house and staged his car accident. Having Chance as the lead investigator was a great way to incorporate more drama into this storyline as he and Kevin dug for the truth. It was shocking when Chance decided to ignore Nick and Victor's clear involvement with Ashland's death and the cover-up.
2. I Guess I'll Do This Now! (Part Two) Adam accepted Jack's offer to become co-CEO of Jabot. I was really excited by this, so I hope that we actually see Adam working around the Jabot offices in the near future because I can't recall seeing him in any scenes there this year since he accepted the job offer. I'm still excited about it, though.
3. Three's Company. Four's a Crowd. Imani continued to come between Nate and Elena (even if Nate didn't want to see it). And things got worse for them as Elena began to side with Devon in his feud with Nate at Chancellor-Winters. I loved the Imani/Nate/Elena triangle and was excited to see them all getting so much screen time.
1. Déjà Vu. Nick and Adam find themselves in a love triangle again (not with Sharon, this time), as Nick and Sally end up having sex despite (or in spite of) Adam's attempts to apologize to Sally and reconcile with her. For some reason, the Y&R writers really seem to enjoy torturing Sally/Adam fans (and this is where it all began). Why?!
2. Nate the Spy. While I was intrigued at first by Nate "going to the dark side" and offering to be Victoria's mole inside Chancellor-Winters as they took the company public, the whole plot quickly got old and made Nate unlikeable. I do think that Devon was being unfair to him and didn't respect his opinion much, but Nate's retaliation seemed out of character and made me wonder about his true nature. He used to be an honorable man.
1. The Long and Winding Road. Nikki, Phyllis, and Ashley (my favorite unholy trio) convinced an investigative reporter from L.A. to run a shocking exposé on Diane's past. Diane, still on top of her game, turned it around to her advantage to make herself out to be the victim -- and she even had a contact in L.A. (whom we later found out was Deacon) shut down the rest of the multi-part series that was planned about her.
2. Johnny's Biology Lesson (and a Y&R History Lesson)! I had nearly forgotten that Chelsea was Johnny's biological mother and that she had allowed Victoria to raise him as his mother along with his father, Billy. It was a great way to tap into Y&R history by bringing this up again at a time when it would be appropriate for Johnny to finally learn the truth about who his mother is. Although Victoria was resistant to the idea, she ultimately put Johnny first and told him the truth.
3. A Deacon of Hope. Nikki traveled to Los Angeles to meet with Deacon as Y&R crossed over with The Bold and the Beautiful. It was fun to see these two interact again, and it was refreshing that Victor trusted Nikki to handle Deacon on her own. Although Deacon wasn't much help, it was nice that Nikki was able to confront him about faking Diane's death and was able to get closure on their past relationship (along with a key piece of information that would ultimately help Nikki link Diane to Tucker).
1. Kyle and Summer Honeymoon in Costa Rica. Zzzzzzz...
2. Nate the Pariah. In an effort to save his relationship with Elena, Nate confessed to Lily and Devon that he had been conspiring with a CEO from a rival corporation to help them buy out majority stock in Chancellor-Winters once it went public. While I applaud Nate for coming clean (and the writers for showing us some semblance of who this character used to be), this ending was a bit disappointing after all the anticipation we were handed. Nate deserved to be treated as a pariah for how he betrayed his family, but he wasn't totally wrong about how Devon constantly dismissed him and wouldn't put his trust in Nate. It's just sad how all this shook down, and I hope the fractured Winters family can find their way back to being close again.
3. Gotcha! (Part One) Just when it seems the writers are giving Adam/Sally fans the payoff they deserve when Adam tricks Sally into a romantic dinner on the roof of the Grand Phoenix, the rug is pulled out from under us! After a heartfelt conversation and a near reconciliation, Sally becomes dramatically upset about a comment that Adam makes about the nature of her relationship with Nick. Their highly anticipated reunion is ruined over something extremely petty that should not have negated the rest of what they discussed over dinner. Boo!
4. This Isn't What I Signed Up For (Oh, Wait, Yes It Is)! Abby's complaints about Chance's work schedule begin to reach a new level of annoying. Sorry, but I don't feel bad for her, no matter how much the writers may want me to. She knew what line of work Chance was in when she married him and what that would entail. Now, she wants to act like he is doing something wrong when he suddenly gets called away to work on a case? It's literally his job to protect and serve (regardless of the time of day)! She's the one with the problem, not him. It's crazy that the writers are making this be what splits them up after all they've been through in the past year. They definitely deserve the award for "Most Tortured Couple" (or maybe that is Adam and Sally?).
1. What an Entrance! Tucker announces his return to Genoa City by crashing Kyle and Summer's outdoor wedding when he lands his helicopter on the Abbott estate! I loved how dramatic and soapy his return was and how it all tied into the Diane drama on the show. I am loving Trevor St. John in the role. It was great to see Tucker reconnect with Devon, and it was a nice surprise that Noah's ex, Audra, works for him. He's even got me rooting for him to win Ashley back. More Tucker, please!
2. A Long Way Down. Chelsea's downward spiral and fight with depression gave her portrayer, Melissa Claire Egan, some great material to work with this month -- definitely Emmy-worthy! You could see the despair Chelsea continued to face as Connor, Johnny, Billy, and Adam turned against her regarding the secret (and the fallout since the secret came out) of Johnny being her son. Although she knew she had plenty to live for, Chelsea's depression got the better of her, and she nearly committed suicide by jumping off the roof of the Grand Phoenix. Thankfully, Billy arrived just in time to stop her from making that fatal leap.
1. Reunited! And it Feels So Boring. While I was glad to see Elena back in Genoa City because I do like her character overall, I was not so happy that she decided to give Nate another chance and try to fix their relationship. These two just don't know when to quit. They clearly are not right for one another, and they continue to have different versions of the same argument over and over again. Make. It. Stop!
2. Phyllis the Loser (Part Two). Phyllis, always her own worst enemy, makes the terrible decision to inform Jeremy Stark that Diane helped send him to prison and also where he could find her so that he could exact his revenge. Did she really think this was the best way to go about getting rid of Diane? By putting everyone she loves in danger from a dangerous ex-con? Her desperation is clouding her judgment, and I find myself rolling my eyes at one of my all-time favorite characters. I hate it! But, yup, I'm Team Jack and Diane now. Sorry, Phyllis.
3. Best Laid Plans? Tucker wants to get closer to Devon and Ashley by taking over their family companies so that they are forced to work with him? What a great plan... I'm sure that won't backfire at all. Tucker is supposed to be intelligent, right? He needs to decide whether his endgame is happiness in his personal life or power in his professional life, because he can't have it all. With goals like his, he is bound to lose a grasp on a chance at both.
1. More Than Friends. Abby finds comfort with Devon after complaining about Chance's supposed lack of devotion to their family. While I don't agree with Abby in that regard, this storyline made the Best List because of the shock value of Abby and Devon having sex. What was more shocking? Amanda and Chance walking in on them naked together on the couch! It was fun to be surprised by this type of classic, soapy moment. And the fallout provided great storyline throughout the entire month. Although I'm sad to see Amanda's character leave town, this was a great way to write her out and give her a proper send-off. It was also a great catalyst for finally ending Chance and Abby's marriage, since they clearly want different things. I'm still confused, though, as to why Chance moved out of his family home instead of Abby moving out. Make it make sense!
2. Home for the Holidays (Part One). Thanksgiving week served us plenty of drama and holiday cheer. It was fantastic to see Daniel back in town, and I sincerely hope that the writers are planning on putting him and Lily back together. Their scenes were the highlight of the month for me. It was also great that the show highlighted Diane and Allie's first Thanksgiving as part of the Abbott family. And amidst all the holiday cheer, the writers didn't forget to serve up the holiday drama! A drunk Adam proposed to Sally while she was out on a date with Nick. It would have been great to see Sally and Adam make a home together for the holidays, but, alas, she turned him down.
3. A Shocking Confession! Audra revealed to Noah that right before they broke up and he left her in London, she had discovered that she was pregnant. Not wanting to trap him with emotional blackmail, she kept the pregnancy a secret until it was too late. Shortly after Noah left London, she miscarried and had to mourn the loss of their baby alone. And with that, the Audra/Noah/Allie triangle kicked into high gear. Team Allie here!
1. Colleagues with Benefits. Audra and Tucker had sex after being rejected by Ashley and Noah. I get it, but I don't need to see more of it. But unfortunately, we did see more of it when they had sex a second time (and almost got caught by Ashley). Let's hope that was the last time! It was an interesting surprise, but I'm more interested in the other storylines they have going on, so I am not invested in their relationship in that context.
2. Gotcha! (Part Two) We were once again teased with a romantic reunion between Adam and Sally, but the rug was pulled out from under us a second time! Even after confessing unresolved feelings for one another and having sex, the pair randomly decided that too much had happened between them, and it was too late to go back to what they once had. I'm sorry, what?! These two might snatch the "Most Tortured Couple" award from Abby and Chance! I really don't understand why the writers want to force a Nick and Sally pairing on us so badly. Hopefully, Sally is pregnant with Adam's child, and they find their way back to one another.
3. A Very "Teriah" Christmas. I was poised and ready to give this special holiday episode focused on Tessa and Mariah a spot on my Best List. I love them as a couple, and although much of the episode was a bit cheesy, I was on board with what they were doing and thought it was a decent holiday episode. That is, until they revealed that the woman they helped at Crimson Lights had been a "psychic dream" that they had both shared. What the what?! Why? There was literally no reason to make that little side plot fake, and it weakened the whole episode. I hate when soaps waste our time with fantasy sequences that ultimately mean nothing.
1. Chelsea's Greatest Hits. I thought it was a great use of history to have Chelsea make amends to everyone she had hurt as part of her recovery process and mental health wellness. Great acting by everyone involved! And it was a nice holiday treat to see Adam, Billy, Chelsea, and Victoria share a family outing together with Connor and Johnny (after some resistance from Victoria). These scenes truly made it begin to feel like Christmas in Genoa City. I'm looking forward to seeing Chelsea celebrate Christmas with the Newmans, too.
2. Hiding Out for the Holidays. I'm loving all the drama that Jeremy Stark's arrival in town has caused for the Abbotts. It was smart to have Jack distract Jeremy while Kyle and Summer sneaked up to the Abbott cabin to spend Christmas with her while she is hiding out there. Jeremy is a creepy and foreboding villain (in the best way possible), and I am on the edge of my seat, waiting to see where this all goes. I am betting that Jeremy will take Jack's money but still try to target Diane for betraying him and sending him to prison. Hopefully, Diane is not alone at the cabin if/when he finds her there!
3. Home for the Holidays (Part Two) Daniel's father, Danny, is back in town. As I'm writing this column, there is still one week left of episodes before we enter 2023, so I can't speak on what may happen in the coming week, but I can say that I am excited to see Danny mixing it up with his old friends (and rivals) in Genoa City. I always love the holiday season on soaps and am looking forward to what is in store as 2022 comes to a close.
And, with that, it's time for my Best & Worst of 2022 column to come to a close, too! Do you agree with my picks for Best & Worst throughout the year? Hit the comments and let me know what you thought worked well -- and what didn't work at all! -- on Y&R in 2022! Be sure to check out Part Two of the Best and Worst with Nel's picks for what worked and didn't work. I look forward to sharing my opinions on our favorite soap with you again in 2023!
Until next year,
Vance
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