The Young and the Restless: Don’t Mess With Red—Phyllis Just Schooled Cane in the Art of the Takedown

On The Young and the Restless there is one rule in Genoa City, it’s this: Never, ever count out Phyllis Summers. It’s a rookie mistake, and honestly? Cane Ashby should’ve known better. This week, she reminded us all that while everyone else is playing checkers, she’s playing chess, and she won't hesitate to knock your pieces off the table if you’re in her way.

Seeing Stars on The Young and the Restless

The Young and the Restless: Phyllis drugs Cane to render him unconscious | Image: CBS

Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) chose to handle Cane (Billy Flynn) in a way that mirrors exactly how her enemies, aka The Newmans would have handled things. Phyllis basically neutralized him to give Billy a fighting chance. It was a calculated move to get Cane out of the equation so Billy (Jason Thompson) could have the breathing room to drive the Newman family absolutely crazy. And this is what makes peak TV, seeing Phyllis and Billy operating like revolutionaries behind enemy lines, playing peek-a-boo with Victor in what can be described as the ultimate underdog fight.

The Young and the Restless: Victor, Nikki and Victoria | Image: CBS

We have seen that catching the Newmans off guard is next to impossible. But who has the inside script on how to deal with them? Apparently noone but her. Phyllis knows their triggers better than anyone. She knows that a fired-up, "nothing to lose" Billy is the ultimate weapon to keep Victor (Eric Braeden) and the rest of the brood distracted while the real moves are happening in the shadows. Billy is like a fire and forget missile when it comes to the newmans, ans I love that about him too. Sometimes he get's carried away, sure, but I love the way that, like a dog with a bone, won't forget about Chancellor. That requires payback, and Billy just got funded back in the game by Phyllis.

Ruthless? Maybe. Effective? Absolutely.

The Young and the Restless: Phyllis sets up Cane | Image: CBS

Now, if we’re talking ethics... yeah, drugging someone probably isn’t the "right" way to handle your problems. But this is a soap opera, and Phyllis has never been one for a moral high ground. Why should she care, is there any reward for playing a cleaner game than anyone else? Nope, you just get streamlined on the losing path. She saw Cane as a liability to the plan and dealt with him with that ruthless efficiency we’ve come to expect. And let's be honest for a moment, we love it.

She isn't just helping out a pal; she’s recalibrating the entire power dynamic of the city.

Why Phyllis is the Ultimate MVP

The Young and the Restless:A kiss can be deadly, deadlier if you mean it | Image: CBS

The brilliance here is that Phyllis is using Billy as a human shield. By getting him back in the game, she’s got a target to do her dirty work. He takes the heat from the Newmans, and she gets to stay in the wings, pulling the strings without being the primary target. I'm picking Billy is going to be ALL of the Newmans focus and they won't see Phyllis in the bushes.

It’s cold, it’s calculated, and it’s why we love her. In a town where being "good" usually gets you nowhere, Phyllis is always the one left standing when the dust settles. Sorry, Cane, better luck next time. As for Victor, until his days are over on The Young and the Restless, I can't see the writers writing off his buisness assets and hav ing him collecting food-stamps any time soon either. Can Phyllis really come out on top here? Do you want her to? Hit me in the comments.

Watch full episodes of The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS or stream on Paramount.