Earlier this year, I watched a marathon of the four Sharknado movies, so when Jack bared those big pearly white teeth and began raving about the failure of redemption at the foundation meeting, I started hearing Bobby Darin singing, "Oh the shark, babe, has such teeth, dear, and he shows them pearly white..." As he resigned from the foundation, all I could think was that Jack was finally growing a spine and returning to his character's roots as a suave, devil-may-care, revenge-oriented enemy-in-perpetuity to the "Mustache." A "Jacknado" in the making, ready to rain down righteous indignation on one and all, just like when Jack first hit the canvas as a spoiled rich boy many years ago.
In this most recent rebirth, Jack made it clear that he intends to go after both Victor and Jill for the part each played in the destruction of his marriage to Phyllis. After years of forgiveness and tolerance, Jack has reached the limit of his patience, as well as his capacity for self-delusion. If Jack does go after Victor again, I really hope he has better results than he has in the past, when Jack was a losing loser, like a sad sack Wile E. Coyote to Victor's Road Runner. I have hope for Jack's chances, because I can feel -- like many of you, I'm sure -- the positive change in energy that is happening on Y&R.
Jack was also very angry with Billy and Phyllis until Jack's tussle with Phyllis on the stairs caused her to take a tumble. Jack seemed to have realized that regardless of how angry he gets at her, Jack still loves Phyllis. Whether or not he can forgive her is another matter entirely. I have no doubt that Jack and Phyllis will split up for a while. Phyllis and Billy may have a short relationship, but I think that Chloe will gum up the works when something occurs that forces her to reveal that Billy is Bella's father. Phyllis may turn to Billy in the short term, but I don't think that she will be in it for the long haul if there is another woman's child in the mix.
Jack and Phyllis have been down the breakup road before, so I expect that they will eventually find their way back to one another. I thought that their marriage counseling sessions were very well acted -- kudos to Gina Tognoni -- and had potential to save their marriage if they could have both been painfully honest about what happened to them and why. I believe that Jack and Phyllis both made mistakes in the emotional aftermath of Marco's insertion in their lives. Once they are both truly able to forgive each other and themselves for events that left them both scarred, Jack and Phyllis have a good chance to reclaim their love, even if it's at a point somewhere in the future.
The same is true for Billy and Victoria. They are a family unit. And even though Billy is presently pining for Phyllis, and Victoria thinks she is moving on with Travis, the truth is that Billy and Victoria have so much history together that they will inevitably turn to one another in a crisis. At the moment, they are in conflict, but I suspect that Victoria is jealous of Phyllis. The situation is roughly equivalent to the time that she was dating Stitch. She wanted to be with Stitch as long as Billy wasn't with anyone else. She liked having both men dancing attendance, which was why she delayed finding out paternity until after Katie was born.
Though I find Travis very attractive, his character's motivation isn't very clear to me, and I'm really not sure why he's hanging around. Supposedly he loves Victoria, but I'm not feeling it. How many single, attractive men do you know who would choose a single mother and two small children over freedom and a sailboat? Not many, in my experience, but that may just be the cynic in me piping up. I keep expecting Jack and Victoria to hit the sheets. Boy, that would really stick it to Billy and Phyllis, not to mention Victor! If they got married, then Jack would be Victor's son-in-law. H-m-m, I could enjoy that story, no problem! What fun family dinners there would be.
Jill the pill is definitely "large and in charge." Not only is she laying down the law at Brash & Sassy, but she has not given up on getting Billy and Victoria to connect the dots again. She went so far as to try to lure Travis away with a generous job opportunity, but Travis is apparently a man of integrity, at least so far. Frankly, if I were Victoria, I would tell Jillnado to shove it and resign. Now that Adam is gone, Victor will want her back, and Victoria has proven over and over that she is a daddy's girl at heart.
(While I'm thinking about it, I do want to mention that I watched Justin Hartley's new show, This is Us. It wasn't bad. I almost didn't watch and thought briefly about boycotting it, in hopes that it would fail and he would be back as Adam, but I didn't because it wasn't fair. Hartley gave me so much pleasure as Adam that it seemed right to support his dream in the only way that I could, by watching his show. Naturally, I thought he was the best one, and though I don't generally like the dramedy format, I'm going to keep supporting the show as long as Justin is on it. Like I said, it's the least I can do for all the pleasure he has give me as my very dear imaginary friend Adam Newman.)
It won't be long until Nick and Chelsea start getting closer. I expect them to be a couple when the truth comes out that Sully is actually Christian. I think that Chelsea will not correct the accepted assumption that Christian is Nick's child. She will keep the secret that Christian is actually Adam's child and justify it as the only way to hang on to the last remaining piece of Adam. That's a secret that could be kept a long, long time, one of those ticking time bombs that Y&R has planted more than once in the distant, and not-so-distant, past.
I feel so sorry for Kevin, who is probably going to get his heart broken again. He so wants to relive all those happy times that he had with Chloe and Dee Dee all over again with Chloe and Bella, which, when you think about it, only seems fair, since that's what Chloe seems to be doing. I don't think that Chloe is as into Kevin as he is into her. It would not surprise me at all if Chloe started obsessing on Billy. She might even reveal Bella's parentage to him, which, of course, opens another whole can of worms, or a "Bellanado," perhaps.
Meanwhile, I can't decide if I want Kevin and Mariah to "be" together or if I like them better as snarky, caring besties. I do think it would be nice if Mariah had a boyfriend, but the pickings are slim in Genoa City, so I guess best friends with Kevin is as good as it gets until the next bad boy drifts into town.
(What is it about bad boys? I like them, too. I still dream of a sexy septuagenarian, who, smitten by my charm, comes calling, carrying an extra wide glass Birkenstock... Oops, that Technicolor dreamnado is a coat of many colors.)
Two weeks ago, when I last wrote, Eric Braden had just given a terrific performance. This past week, it was Peter Bergman who impressed me. Finally, writing that didn't have him acting like a befuddled bobblehead at the end of every scene. Last week, his scenes and dialogue were written and acted with fire and hurt and the pain of betrayal, not like the weak-kneed wimp that Jack has been channeling since before the Marco story. Thank you, writers, for giving us our Jackie back.
At this time of year when the stories generally stall, Y&R is moving forward. The writing and pacing are improving as the change in management and writing staff becomes more and more apparent. They may still be recycling stories, but they are doing it with more pizazz and much jazzier dialogue. Way to go, Y&R. You listened to the fans!
That's it for today, friends. Please join me in two weeks at Chancellor Park for a Soapaholics meeting. Our subject will be "The fall of the house of Abbott," with justification by Billy Abbott and mea culpas by Phyllis Abbott. Jack Abbot will provide vocals and backup blame. Imaginary friends are welcome but must purchase imaginary tickets in advance and produce them for Edgar A. Poe, the house usher.
Til next time, fellow fan addicts, take care, laugh often, and enjoy your life to the fullest.
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