Two Scoops: The Young and the Restless Has Fun with Fashion and Smilin' Jack: Two Scoops for the Week of November 2

The Young and the Restless reminded viewers during the week of November 2, 2026, that the show’s strongest assets are its history and characters. Viewers have invested loyalty in the Abbotts, Newmans, Cricket, and Danny, and other characters for decades. Y&R took full advantage of the show’s history with its stories last week, but we saw again a shift away from business and kidnappings and a great emphasis on interpersonal dramas, a hallmark of the show since its inception.

Smilin’ Jack

Jack Abbott’s (Peter Bergman) nickname is “Smilin’ Jack,” but it’s the viewers who were smiling last week when Jack was on-screen. Why? He was acting more like the Jack we know and love! It’s only natural that Jack has assumed a more patriarchal role in the family since the passing of his father, John Abbott (the late Jerry Douglas), 20 years ago.

This past week, however, saw a side to Jack that we’ve sorely missed – the Jack who is two steps ahead of everyone around him. Has Jack figured out that something is going on between Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Kyle (Michael Mealor)? We’re leaning into a big yes for that question.

Jack learned that Kyle had stopped over in London on his way to Paris to look into a vague business deal. After finding out that Kyle was evasive when Billy (Jason Thompson) grilled him for details on why he was in London and not in Paris, Jack's curiosity was piqued. Jack knew that Victoria was in London, too, on business for Newman Enterprises. Did a light bulb go off in his head? We think it did.

Jack cozied up to Victoria at the GCAC and made small talk about Vicki’s daughter, Claire (Hayley Erin), and made some seemingly innocent inquiries. He wondered if Kyle and Claire might ever get back together. That appears to be an innocuous and organic enough question. But the Jack we know might have been thinking, “Based on Victoria’s reaction to my question, I’ll be able to figure out if something's going on between her and my son.”

We saw Jack file away Vicki’s non-committal response. He knows! Maybe. We certainly hope that he does know because then Jack will have something to leverage against Victor Newman (Eric Braeden), Vicki’s dad and Jack’s longtime rival.

What would Jack do with the information that his son and Victor’s daughter were having a fling? Jack likely doesn’t care too much about who Kyle hooks up with as long as he’s having fun and not hurting anyone. But Jack knows for sure that Victor would blow a gasket if he were to discover that his darling daughter was having an affair with Kyle, a man who was once married to Victor’s granddaughter, Summer (Allison Lanier), and dated another granddaughter, Claire.

Soaps are all about secrets and power struggles. Who cares about Jabot v. Newman Enterprises? Jack knowing something about Vicki that Victor doesn’t is a true power storyline!

Always in Fashion

Esther, Lily, Cricket, Diane, and Sharon | Image: JPI

Diane (Susan Walters), Cricket (Lauralee Bell), Sharon (Sharon Case), and Lily (Christel Khalil) have all worked as models for Jabot Cosmetics, so Diane's assembling of the women for a photo shoot to honor Jabot’s history was inspired!

We’re not sure that Crimson Lights provided the best lighting for the shoot. The establishment doesn’t have a particular connection to Jabot. Did the cosmetics company pay Sharon for the lost business that day, as patrons were out of luck if they wanted a caffeine fix?

Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), a former Jabot model herself, dropped by and made her presence known. There’s a war brewing between Nikki’s Vibrante and Jabot, but Diane doesn’t seem too worried.

Y&R took viewers down memory lane with the photo shoot. The historical mentions were spot-on. Jack indeed did play a key role in connecting lovebirds Cricket and Danny (Michael Damian) back in the day.

A, My Name Is Adam

Adam’s (Mark Grossman) family (Victor, Nikki) interrogated him about his potential obsession with Sally (Courtney Hope) and her baby daughter, Ruby, whom Adam helped bring into the world. It’s only natural that Adam would have a protective nature with Ruby, as he was there at her birth. This is an organic conflict for Billy (Jason Thompson) and his long-term rival. Understandably, Billy lost his cool when Adam kept coming by. Bring it, Y&R!

Jill Foster Abbott: MIA!

Jill and Billy, Christmas Past | Image: JPI

We are thankful that Y&R chose to have Jill (Jess Walton) recover from her heart attack. We expected to actually see Jill, given that a handful of characters were in London either to see her or were there for their own reasons. Cane (Billy Flynn), Lauren (Tracey Bregman), Billy, and also Victoria and Kyle were all in England. The first three were there for Jill, and Vicki and Kyle were there for pleasure and/or business.

We expected to see Jill at one point, and it was hard to swallow that Billy and Cane would fly back to Genoa City so quickly. Well, maybe not Billy. He not only tends to set his mother off, but he also has a bride and a new baby girl waiting for him back home. Billy gets a pass for leaving, but Cane could have stayed for a bit.

Of course, Jill wasn’t alone. There were mentions of not only her brother, Snapper, a doctor, but also Greg, her brother. We know that Jill isn’t alone in London as she recovers. She has family with her. But not seeing her just seems odd. Hopefully, Walton is back on our screens as Jill in the near future.

Southwest General

We know budgets are tight in today's world, and sets are smaller, but we're hoping that Y&R gets some bigger hospital sets as the show has more doctors in its cast than it has in a while. Dr. Andrew Bishop (Fareed Ward) is giving Nate (Sean Dominic) a hard time about getting back into the operating room before he's ready.

Stephanie (Vivica A. Fox) took a trip out of town. She was barely out the door at the GCAC when Audra (Zuleyka Silver) made a beeline to Nate's side. Is he going to remember his feelings for Audra? Does Dr. Bishop have feelings of his own for Dr. Stephanie Simmons?

The show is laying the groundwork for some interesting stories that are in a position to start percolating any day now!