Y&R Preview: A New Head Writing Team Readies for an All-New Genoa City

A new era begins tomorrow on The Young and the Restless as the stories by a new head writing team, Dan O’Connor and Jamey Giddens, begin airing. The two scribes are outlining their vision for Genoa City!

Brand New Day

Giddens and O’Connor sat down with TV Insider to chat about what’s next for the Newmans, Abbotts, Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), Danny (Michael Damian), and Cricket (Lauralee Bell) and their friends and foes!

Giddens pointed out that he and O’Connor inherited the cosmetics battle between Vibrante and Jabot Cosmetics. While Diane (Susan Walters) is focused on Jabot Classic, her “mortal enemy,” Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), is running a revived Vibrante. Also, their children, Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Victoria (Amelia Heinle), are having an affair. “That gives us a really nice umbrella story,” Giddens says. The scribe adds that one of his and O'Connor’s goals is to “deepen those stakes.”

Giddens, a longtime Y&R viewer, knows that there are parallels between Victoria and Claire (Hayley Erin) being tied to the same man in the same way that Victoria and Nikki were over Cole (J. Eddie Peck).

Look Who’s Talking

Giddens adds that Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) is going to find a surprising ally in Victor (Eric Braeden) when she starts to reveal some concerns about Adam (Mark Grossman), who is a bit attached to Sally’s (Courtney Hope) and Billy’s (Jason Thompson) baby, Ruby. Watch for Victor to give Chelsea a pep talk about fighting for what is hers!

General Genoa City Memorial Hospital

Watch for drama to unfold at the hospital now that Nate (Sean Dominic) is back at Genoa City Memorial thanks to Stephanie (Vivica A. Fox). According to O’Connor, Nate’s future as a doctor is in the hands of Dr. Andrew Bishop (Fareed Ward).

“Unfortunately, [Andrew] has a history with Stephanie, and it’s not a great one,” O’Connor reveals, “perhaps Nate is going to be on the receiving end of some personal grudges.”

Kay V. Jill 2.0

Giddens is excited about the ongoing rivalry between Claire and Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver), pointing out that he gets “young adult Kay versus Jill rivalry” vibes, adding that they’re going to “ratchet up the tension” between these two women. “We see them as a really good next-generation [Y&R] rivalry,” Giddens previews.

There’s Even More

Viewers can also expect to see more of Melissa Ordway's Abby, who shares the distinction of being both an Abbott and a Newman, and the return of Lucy (Lily Brooks O’Briant). The show has cast a new Roxie, now played by Tetona Jackson. "She's amazing," raves Giddens. Watch for her to reconnect with Devon (Bryton James).

The new writers also want to see the Abbott siblings, Ashley (Eileen Davidson) and Traci (Beth Maitland), as much as possible. “We’re so thrilled that Beth walked home with the Emmy,” O’Connor says.

Not only will Traci’s roots as a writer be tapped into but Ashley’s history of working in the lab at Jabot is going to play a pivotal role in an upcoming storyline.

Which storyline most excites you on Y&R? Sound off in the comments section!