Two Scoops: Should I Stay or Should I Go Now: Two Scoops for The Young and the Restless for the Week of September 21

We’re all for couples being loyal to one another, character growth, and self-examination on soaps, but The Young and the Restless can sometimes take these things in unexpected directions. We saw lots of relationships and dynamics last week. That’s what soaps are all about! But some of the dynamics and conflicts left us scratching our heads. People sometimes make things harder than they have to!

Members of the Wedding

The Spectra Gang 2.0 - Darlita, Shirley, Sally, and Saul -- from B&B | Image: JPI

To quote the late Katherine Chancellor, “Dear God, in heaven! Sally and Billy, please elope!” The stress that’s come about as a result of Sally wanting Chelsea to be in her wedding simply can’t be good for the baby!

Okay, so Chloe can’t make it to the wedding. But really? Why can’t she? Her portrayer, Elizabeth Hendrickson, is one of the show’s directors. Is she directing that day? Alfred Hitchcock used to do cameos in films he’d direct. Can someone pop into the director’s chair while Hendrickson sits in the pews for a few cutaway shots?

But Chloe’s not Sally’s only pal not coming to the wedding, it would appear. Yes, her “Grams,” Shirley, and her sister, Coco (named after Chanel, we suspect, as her cousin Macy was named after, you know, Macy’s) are attending. But what about Sally’s other pals from her days at Spectra Fashions?

What about Sally’s pal Darlita (Danube Hermosillo) and Saul Feinberg II (Alex Wyse), the man who had a mad crush on Sally? Forget Adam (Mark Grossman) making a nuisance of himself on the big day. Saul could stand up and object!

And why couldn’t Wyatt Spencer (Darin Brooks) drop by? Wouldn’t it be great to see Sally’s ex see how far she’s come?

There’s no reason Adam has to be there. “Chelsea’s coming, so Adam has to, too,” doesn’t cut it. Audra, often the voice of reason in Genoa City, told Sally that Adam does NOT have to come just because Chelsea is going to be there! It’s Sally’s big day.

Doesn’t Adam have something better to do that day? He could visit Connor and spend time with him. He could hang out at the bar at the GCAC and run into Phyllis or anyone else in town (who’s not at the wedding) and trade barbs.

Adam doesn’t even want to go to the wedding! Problem solved! We know soaps are about conflict, but Chelsea and Adam aren’t joined at the hip. They can spend a day apart. It’s the least that Adam could do because he cheated on Sally with Chelsea. Let’s not even get into the feud between Adam and Billy. Or better yet, let’s.

These two men should never get along. Adam accidentally ran over Delia, Billy and Chloe’s daughter, after Billy left her alone in the car, unattended. It was a tragic accident, but it needs to mean something.

It took a long time for Kay and Jill to be civil towards one another after Kay, drunk, crashed her car, killing Phillip, the love of Jill’s life. It wasn’t until they had a common foe (Nina) that they could stand to be in the same room with one another.

Adam can skip Billy’s wedding. Sure, it’ll be dramatic if he’s there. But it’ll be awkward. Adam doesn’t need to be there. He needs to stay away. Order something off the gift registry at Fenmore’s Department store, and send a gift. Just have Chelsea sign the card.

Heart to Heart of the Abbott Family Talk

One relationship that Y&R nailed last week was Traci's and Billy's. The show drew a parallel with the relationship Traci had with her mother, the late Dina, and the one Billy has with Jill. In a very heart-warming scene, Traci shared her wisdom with her younger half-sibling. If Jill makes an appearance at Billy and Sally's wedding, Traci will have played no small role in making that happen!

After Traci left, Billy chided Sally for calling in the big guns by summoning Traci. Alas, Traci's pleas were for naught. Billy called Jill off-camera (sigh), and we were denied seeing a dramatic scene unfold. The good news is that Jill is coming to the wedding. Billy is the luckiest guy in the world to have a bride like Sally and a sister like Traci by his side.

Diane V. Nikki

Forget about Jack and Victor being the heart and soul of the Abbott/Newman feud; we are glued to our seats every time Nikki and Diane are in the same room together. The tension, on Diane's part especially, we have to say, is notable.

Nikki dropped the Abbott mansion and strolled by Jack’s security team with ease. If Diane had a say in who the visitors could be, Nikki wouldn’t be allowed past the front gate! Forget about corporate secrets or protocol, Nikki happily shared with Jack, a competitor, news related to Vibrante's launch date. (Vibrante's Nikki’s new company, right? There’s so much back and forth with the companies in Genoa City changing names and ownerships!)

Diane is livid every time Nikki darkens her doorway. She’s not a fan of the Newman matriarch. Ironically, it’s not even all that personal. But Nikki is Mrs. Victor Newman, and Diane holds her husband accountable for Victor’s actions.

Victor's recruiting Patty led to discord between Jack and Diane as (somehow!) Victor timed Diane's finding Jack just as Patty had gotten him into bed! Next, Diane was kidnapped by Laurence Markham (who, not surprisingly, knew Martin Laurent!).

Susan Walters, Diane’s portrayer, delivered a vulnerable, emotional tour de force as she told Jack how hurtful it is to have Nikki in her presence. Jack needs to rethink not so much his friendship with Nikki but how it affects Diane, the most important woman in his life.

The Best Kept Secret in Town

Kyle and Vicki’s affair is the best-kept secret in Genoa City. Not even crafty Matt and Phyllis could piece it together, though Phyllis had her suspicions as to what Kyle was doing in the hotel in which Matt was staying.

Amelia Heinlie’s deadpan reactions as Vicki when Nikki and Claire make simple inquiries into Vicki’s life are delightful. We were wondering if something less comical was in the making as Claire got a birthday alert on her mobile device about her Aunt Jordan. Wouldn’t that have popped up last year? And she could have deleted the reminder then, no?

Aunt Jordan’s birthday served as a reminder that the Newmans forgave Claire fairly quickly for her role in nearly taking out the whole family a few years ago. Nikki could have died as a result of the vodka IV. Nick could have died when Jordan slashed his chest with a knife.

Claire’s role in Jordan’s reign of terror has been brushed aside as if she had neglected to RSVP in time to attend an afternoon tea or a family gathering.

Are we the only ones who remember that Claire wickedly took glee in helping Jordan? "Claire was manipulated." Umm, she was a grown woman. She had no suspicions about her aunt? Claire revisiting her dark side would be a fascinating story to explore.

Perhaps Claire finding out about her mother and her ex-boyfriend will prompt her to revisit her dark side?

The Welcome Matt

Phyllis stands by Matt -- unless it's over Patty | Image: JPI

Not since Nick bounced back and forth between Phyllis and Sharon about 15 years ago have we seen someone be on the fence like Matt Clark is. First, he’s leaving. Then, he’s going. Lather. Rinse. Repeat. The man keeps changing his mind about whether or not he’s going to stay in Genoa City.

Why is Phyllis willing to give Matt a break when it comes to his past heinous acts, but she has a problem with him wanting to run off with Patty, the woman who nearly caused Summer to have a lethal allergic reaction to peanuts?

We’ve written this before, but if the show wants to keep Roger Howarth, Matt’s portrayer, on the canvas, give him another role to play. The man who raped Sharon, ran Noah off the road, nearly killing him, and then tried to blow up Nick, Adam, Sharon, and Noah with a bomb should be in jail.

In fact, why is Matt even allowed to leave town? Christine has more than enough witness testimony from the Newmans, Sienna, and Det. Burrough, to put Matt away for a long time. Why is he behind bars?

Genoa City Residency

Nate and Stephanie at the GCAC | Image: JPI

If Dr. Stephanie Simmons ever gives up medicine, we recommend she go to Las Vegas and do impersonations on stage. Her send-up of her son, Holden, responding to Nate sitting him down to tell him about his relationship with Holden's mom was hilarious! We're not sure it was spot on, as she played Holden a bit more immature than the man we know him to be. But that's what made the imitation so endearing.

Moms may always see their kids differently than the rest of us do. Stephanie was such a mom when she spoofed her own son. Humor is not easy to do on soaps, but Vivica A. Fox brought a delightful whimsy to Stephanie's impersonation of Holden!