The Young and the Restless Performer of the Week: Tristan Rogers as Colin Atkinson

The Young and the Restless star Tristan Rogers graced soap opera audiences with his performances for nearly 45 years. Whether he was on Y&R as Colin Atkinson or on General Hospital as Robert Scorpio, the charismatic star infused his roles with charm, humor, and wisdom. Soap Central is posthumously awarding Rogers with our Performer of the Week honors for his last Y&R appearance.

The Young and the Restless, Tristan Rogers, Performer of the Week

It was a bit of a surprise when The Young and the Restless announced that Rogers would be making a last appearance on the show earlier this week. Was it going to be a new performance, or were viewers going to be treated to a flashback? It turned out to be the former. Earlier this summer, Cane (Billy Flynn) revealed that he'd been with his dad in his final days. Rogers, despite being ill, made it to the studio so that he could play out Colin's final scenes.

"Don't suppose you could put a drop of scotch in that," Colin quipped as Cane handed his dad a glass of water. While his voice was weak, we could still hear Colin's wry sense of humor. "Worth a shot," he mused after Cane said that wouldn't be happening.

Cane attempted to keep his father up on the latest news in the world of sports and politics from his cell phone, but Colin had something far more serious to discuss -- his final wishes. "Cane, no more," Colin said. "No more time."

Cane attempted to be upbeat, telling his dad they were paying doctors big money to make sure they had more time together, but Colin needed to get out some important words to his son.

"I'm tired," Colin revealed. "I'm too tired." The former con man told his son, who had amassed quite a fortune over the last several years, that there was more to life than money.

"You need someone to lean on, family," Colin urged. When Cane said he wasn't ready, Colin quipped, "You're not ready for much."

Words of wisdom

Colin acknowledged that Cane's business persona of Aristotle Dumas had served a valuable purpose, but now was the time to retire him. "Aristotle Dumas is a name -- not a person," Colin pointed out. "Cane Ashby is the man who really matters." The Young and the Restless.

The Young and the Restless taped these scenes in black and white, emphasizing that they had occurred in the past. The noir theme added to the seriousness of the episode.

Showing that Jill's (Jess Walton) feelings were uppermost in his mind, Colin urged his son not to tell Jill how much he loved her. "It'll just make it that much harder when I'm gone," Colin said, adding, "What a woman."

With each breath, Colin wanted to make sure that Cane would do the right thing and focus on what's truly important in life. He used wry humor, hoping it would land. "So what's your plan?" he rhetorically asked his son. "Make it up to Lily [Christel Khalil] in 50 years when it's your turn to go?"

Colin used his last breaths to tell Cane to bury Dumas, noting the alias handle was no longer useful for what Cane needed in life, and that was to reconcile with his family.

Rogers's final appearance will be remembered because of the fondness viewers have for the actor, just as they recall Jeanne Cooper's Katherine Chancellor saying "good night" to Jill as she walked up her mansion's staircase in her last scene.

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There's another reason this performance won't be forgotten. Colin's final words, spoken by a beloved actor at the end of his life, will resonate with both Cane and the viewers, not just because they were Rogers's last ones on The Young and the Restless, but also because of the sentiment behind them -- which is to focus on what's truly important in life. Rest in Peace, Tristan Rogers.

Catch all-new episodes of The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS and Paramount Plus

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