Jacks and the Joker are wild!

The Jacks were running wild while the Joker held all the cards. Oh joy, another intervention. Did Nikki's family save her from herself and from more drunken, sexual romps with degenerate men? And holy cow! One pretender finally learned the identity of another. We'll deal you in on the drama in this week's Two Scoops.

"Beam me up, Scotty." Although I am not sure Captain James T. Kirk stated those exact words at any time during the original Star Trek series, honestly, I almost feel like I have been placed smack dab in the middle of a sci-fi adventure these days on Y&R. The whole Marco/Jack doppelgnger thing somewhat reminds me of the Star Trek episode "Mirror, Mirror," when Kirk, McCoy, Scotty, and Uhura exchanged places with their evil twins in a parallel universe on the Starship Enterprise.

As the moral of the story goes, it was easier for Kirk and company as rational human beings to pretend to be their villainous counterparts than it was for their immoral look-alikes to try to become them. That's why it is now so hard to believe Marco is doing such a perfect imitation of Jack. I mean, Marco seems to know every single detail about Jack's past and all of his deepest thoughts and feelings. It's Twilight Zone time, folks!

Come on, even Victor couldn't possibly know every iota of Jack's history. To me, it just seems Marco knows things about Jack he couldn't possibly know, which makes the storyline harder to follow. I mean, it's bad enough for Phyllis not to be able to tell the difference in Jack's and Marco's physiques and for Marco's voice to be identical to Jack's in every way. But now, Marco can completely turn off his wickedness and become good guy Jack for all the world to see? It's very bizarre. And how could he tune in to Jack's private thoughts within the blink of an eye? It was such a sudden turnabout, which is not always fair play. A vile criminal couldn't possibly imagine how an honest, moral, and upstanding soul would feel.

It's almost like a demented game of poker, where the Jacks and the Joker are wild. Only in this game, Marco's Jack was wild with a thirst for power and money, and our beloved Jack was wildly incoherent as he ran for his life to escape his island prison. Shoot, Billy wouldn't even want to place a bet in this game, especially since all the cards were always being held by our dear Victor Newman. The Joker. Except Victor's Joker is more similar to Cesar Romero's maniacal version on Batman than of any "jesterly" jokester. That's, of course, because the joke is always on Jack. So, while the Joker called all the shots, he continued to hold Jack's fate in his hand. However, Victor had best beware of Marco, who seemed to be sort of a wild card all on his own.

As Nikki put in, Victor liked to have everyone doing his bidding, and poor ex-mole Tobias Gray was his next puppet of choice. You have to feel for Tobias, who ended up becoming the scapegoat for the murders, which resulted in his "severe" car accident. I thought "severe" was a strange word to use. I guess to indicate the accident had not been "mild"? I think "grave" would have been the better word choice, plus the writers could have used it as a pun, since Tobias did end up expiring to eventually be buried in his final, well, you know.

But anyway, before his death, Tobias revealed to everyone at the gathering that he knew "the real story" of backstabbers and front-stabbers and the dirty secrets about the money and ruthlessness of the "rich, entitled monsters." Tobias sure had a lot to say for someone who ended up pretty much saying nothing. Because, after the accident, just as he was about to reveal the truth about Austin's murder to Kyle, Summer, and Abby in the hospital, Tobias took his last breath. Victor not only has luck on his side, he also has timing. And Marco happened to be standing right outside Tobias' hospital room just as he kicked the bucket? That's remarkable timing! Marco must have some pretty good hearing to know Tobias died right before he could gasp out the truth.

So, Victor not only suspected Marco of killing Austin and Courtney, he then believed the FBI's top Ten Most Wanted patron had eliminated the unfortunate Mr. Gray to cover his tracks. If Marco was as dangerous as Victor insinuated, how could Victor possibly continue to put the serial killer in the same vicinity as his loved ones? Doesn't he worry about their safety at all? Victor always goes on and on and on about how his family and their well-being are always his number one priority, yet he brought a murderer into their lives. What if Marco gets fed up and decides to turn the tables on dear Vic? His first target would be members of Victor's family.

Phyllis will need more than a ghost for protection if and when she finally catches on that Marco is not her beloved Jack. Marco sure has given her enough hints with his numerous remarks about how he had not been himself. The expression on his face so obviously indicated he didn't remember the ghost, Yack, or their wedding. Phyllis even made a comment to Summer that no matter how long you are with someone, they can seem to be a stranger sometimes. Come on, Phyllis, wise up! Jack tried to find his way back to her, since he had finally escaped the island of his captivity. Unfortunately, Jack only found himself on a slow boat to Peru.

What was even worse, the drug smugglers on the cargo ship believed Jack was really Marco. So, if we were all keeping score, not only was Marco pretending to be Jack, our own Jack Abbott was cast in the role of Marco. Marco was Jack, and Jack was Marco. That could get pretty confusing. Under normal circumstances, a rational Jack should be able to pull off playing such a complex part, but Kelly's drugs would certainly make it more challenging for him. Who would have thought the least of Jack's worries would be his delusions of a loony Kelly. Since the smugglers thought Jack as Marco had stolen their money, and since the ship was going nowhere near Genoa City or any other U.S. city, Jack will need to find a way to save himself.

In the meantime, the dastardly real Marco had unintentionally pulled the figurative mask off of Adam when Gabe made a comment about how "no one wants to see my father go down in flames more than I do." Even if it's unlikely Marco would know Jack's deepest feelings, he was no dummy, and he put two and two together and got Adam. I have to hand it to Marco for never letting Adam see it was a surprise to him. But what else can you expect from such an unscrupulous villain?

I just hope the facial surgery hasn't stripped Adam of his super cunning smarts. I'm a little disappointed Adam didn't learn the truth about Marco first. Has his obsession over Chelsea robbed him of his sneaky, con artist sense? Adam was still out to prove Chelsea could have a second, even better, love of her life in Gabriel. But that's something he will no longer have to worry about, since there's nothing to stop Marco from running to Victor with the truth about Vic's not-yet-deceased son. Unless Marco decides to use the news as a bartering chip. Marco might want to hold that card up his sleeve. Meanwhile, the murdering tyrant remained free while Jack was held in chains on a ship.

Fortunately, Kevin and Mariah were still out to find the killer, even if it meant hacking into the police commissioner's computer. Hey, someone's got to get at the truth, since the police force seemed to be a little inept. Actually, if you think about it, most of the evidence discovered so far has been because of Kevin. He's become the GCPD's most valuable source. Thank goodness he was on the case. And it didn't take long for Kevin to realize Tobias was being set up as the culprit after he and Mariah found the GCPD's stolen hard drives in Tobias' hotel room. Oh, well, since the fix on Sharon didn't work, the dearly departed Tobias had to take the fall.

Silly Summer and Kyle thinking they were safe at last from the killer. Kevin knew better and tried to warn them, but they wouldn't listen. Kevin didn't believe in coincidences, and there were just too many in this case. What exactly was the connection between Tobias and Austin? Kevin and his trusty sidekick, Mariah, were determined to "dig up" the facts. Ha, a little burial humor there.

Nikki sure has been having a difficult time living with her part in Victor's grand scheme. Either that, or she's found an excellent excuse to drink again. But seriously, as much as Melody Thomas Scott loves to play a drunk and as much as the fans get tired of watching it, it is a good reminder that alcoholism never just goes away. An alcoholic can fall off the wagon at any time and for any reason, and Victor sure gives Nikki enough reason for her to be drunk all the time. If Victor loved Nikki as much as he always claims he does, he never would have put her in that position. Nikki knew deep down the signature on the merger was not Jack's, and she had trouble living with the deception. Since Victor has been busy elsewhere, as always, Neil was out to protect Nikki, much to her companion's dismay.

With protection comes a price, which Neil had to pay with a night in the slammer after punching out the party animal. Was Nikki grateful for Neil's help? Not hardly, since she couldn't really remember it. Boy, Nikki sure was getting sloppy drunk while she was teetering and tottering all over the place. And what was Victor's solution? To take the liquor bottles out of her room at the Athletic Club. Oh, that sure stopped her all right. In fact, his action had the opposite effect and sent her drinking in various bars. Thankfully, she wasn't driving. Otherwise, Victor didn't seem to care too much that his wife was getting drunk at these taverns while she hit on strange men. Ahh, true love. It just warms the cockles of my heart.

Nikki's bigger concerns, though, were that she finally crossed the line and seduced the low-life guy into her bedroom, where they apparently had drunken, crazy sex. Somehow I doubt if Victor would approve. Even Nikki's disgust over this didn't slow her from wanting to drink more, so it was Neil, Nick, Victoria, and Billy to the rescue. Shoot, even Phyllis wanted "Jack" to get into the act. So, the stage was set at the Newman ranch, with Victor acting as emcee, and the characters were all cast for yet another soap intervention.

The best intervention I have ever seen on a soap was for Gina Tognoni's Dinah on Guiding Light. Ms. Tognoni put all her heart and soul into her performance, with her emotions ranging from happiness when Dinah first thought her family cared enough to throw her a party to anger and disgust over learning her party was actually an intervention to sorrow when she believed her family didn't love her at all. So, it was somehow appropriate Phyllis had some say-so in the attendance. But without further ado, on with Nikki's intervention.

So, Nikki's loved ones all gathered at her former home to save Nikki from herself. My question is when will these same loved ones have an intervention to save Victor from himself and from his loved ones? Or maybe they should hold an exorcism. They could invite Marco. He would blend in perfectly -- although Victor would have to keep demanding that Marco stick to the script. Nikki claimed Victor drove her to drink, and since they wouldn't be able to cure the problem, which was Victor, how would this possibly succeed unless Nikki stands strong on her own? Because Victor won't change.

When it all boiled down to it, Nikki was the one who had to accept responsibility for her drinking and for getting the help she needed. Wow, what an original concept on a soap! Someone actually taking responsibility for his or her own actions. Perhaps Nikki can start a trend. I have to admit, it was a nice intervention, well, as far as interventions go anyway. The lead-in with the "angel" and with Nikki at "home" added a little suspense of what was to come. However, it was only a very small amount of suspense, since we all knew Nikki would not die because, if that were the case, we would have already read that Ms. Thomas Scott had left the show. This day of the Internet sure has taken a lot of the surprise out of soap drama. As it turned out, the angel was actually named Angel, who was in charge at HOME, the rehab facility where Nikki finally sought help.

I don't know how long Nikki will be able to stay sober this time because, let's face it, Victor will always be Victor. But Nikki truly loves Victor, her children, and her grandchildren, and she has to be the one to stop liquor from controlling her life. Stopping Victor from exerting his control over her is another hurdle she will have to face, but first things first. Nikki was reminded at the intervention that she had many reasons not to drink, and hopefully that will help her stay brave throughout her recovery. But Nikki will have to find another way to cope with her stress because all of her problems aren't going to simply disappear.

And speaking of her other problems, Nikki also didn't approve of the ladies in both of her sons' lives. At least she doesn't completely hate Billy, in case Victoria reconciles with him, which was where they seemed to be headed. I laughed when Nikki compared Sharon to a poor little bird who was really a vulture. No, I wouldn't exactly consider Sharon defenseless either. Apparently, Nikki didn't care too much for Sage either. Sage is similar in the good-girl type to Avery, who proved to be no good (and boring) for both Nick and Dylan. Here's hoping Sage has a shady past. Just think, did she really believe she could never have children, or was that part of a con? Sage does tend to go on and on about her miracle baby -- whether it belongs to Nick or Adam.

But Sage sure didn't care too much for little Faith Newman, and the feelings were very much mutual. The actresses for Faith flip-flop about as much as the custody of Faith. We have Mckenna Grace's bratty Faith back, and once she heard about her upcoming new brother or sister, she demanded to return home immediately to her mommy -- and Sage was more than happy to oblige. Are you kidding? If Sage had her way, I'm sure Faith would be spending all of her nights with her mother. A win-win situation for both Sage and Faith, right? My guess is Sage would love to have Nick and her new baby all to herself. Actually, Sage should thank her lucky stars Dylan was in Sharon's life because his presence helped Sage rid herself of Nick's little darling for one night a week.

It's funny how quickly Nick relented once Sage suggested Faith stay the night with Sharon. Nick sure can be wishy-washy when it comes to someone of the female persuasion. Apparently, Nick trusted Dylan, and Faith really liked her fairly new uncle, so it was all good. In fact, with Dylan in the picture, Faith may be happy to give up her dream of having her mommy and daddy reunite. I can envision the four of them with Faith walking happily-ever-after, arm in arm in arm in arm, into the sunset. These two couples have the potential to dangerously balance on the edge of Snoozeville. We almost need a spoiled and self-centered Faith back, if only to liven up this storyline.

You know, I almost think Sage is afraid of Faith, and I can't say I really blame her. Look how much the cute, little, impish blonde terrorized Avery. She can most certainly be any girlfriend of Nick's worst nightmare. Speaking of sci-fi, Stephen King could base one of his novels on Faith. Well, okay, maybe I exaggerate. Maybe. But Sage seemed to be afraid of almost everyone in Genoa City. She was fearful Faith would interfere in her relationship with Nick, probably because she already had. If it weren't for the baby, which may or may not be his, Nick and Sage would probably still be broken up due to Nick's concern over his daughter's welfare.

Sage also worried Adam would reveal the secret of their tryst, which may have resulted in her baby. She mentioned numerous times how she was afraid of Sharon because Nick's ex was supposedly the big, bad killer, which wasn't true. And she saw what Nick's dear old dad had done to Sharon, who was still paying the price for any past sins Sharon had committed against Victor. Oddly, Sage didn't appear to be too frightened of Nikki, although she probably should be. Once someone is on Nikki's bad side, she tends to make life very uncomfortable for that person. I just wonder how someone who is acting as timid as Sage could survive in life. And I can't fathom how she will ever make it in the world of the Newmans, where Victor is not only the Joker, he is King.

I absolutely loved Lily's dress and especially her earrings at the merger celebration. A special shout-out to Phyllis for her gorgeous necklace. Her dangly earrings completed her decorative look.

Nick said a mouthful when he claimed Victor's watchful eye was something Nick never needed and always resented. Too much paternal love, eh, Nick?

Avery's personal interest in Joe's recovery could keep her tied to him forever. Or could her interest be more than one of guilt? Only time -- and the couch -- will tell.

I did like Marco's line to Victor about how paranoia could spoil the best-laid plans of mice and even powerful men. Victor has been so busy warning Marco to watch his back, maybe he should take a little of his own advice.

Until the intervention, I hadn't realized it was both of Nikki's grandchildren who had gone through "unspeakable loss." I am sure her heart broke over their sorrow and pain.

Just what kind of serious medication is Ashley taking?

It's rather ironic that in Nikki's moment of clarity after the intervention, she heard Victor declare he had failed to tell her what she had needed to hear and that he had felt their love for each other would conquer all. If Victor had really spoken of his love for her, maybe Nikki wouldn't have turned back to the bottle. But would Victor ever actually say words of that nature to Nikki? I guess it's good she heard them in her own "moment," since that's probably the only way she would ever hear Victor say them.

From what was shown in the "Next on The Young and the Restless" clips, as spotted right behind Sage, a very special glittering guest star will return next week. That's right -- the Daytime Emmy award statue. Welcome back, lady in gold! We can only hope you can pay us a visit at this same time every year.

Until next time, please stay tuned.Teddi

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