The Young and the Restless Performer of the Week: Susan Walters as Diane Jenkins Abbott

The Young and the Restless continues to debunk the myth that marriage is death for a soap opera couple. Case in point: Jack and Diane continue to spar over his relationship with his ex-wife, Nikki. For her performance as a wife who is so over her hubby protecting his former spouse, Soap Central bestows Performer of the Week honors on the Daytime Emmy-winning Susan Walters for her performance as Diane Jenkins Abbott.

The Young and the Restless, Performer of the Week, Susan Walters

Jack, Nikki, and Diane on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

We knew that Diane was going to speak her mind to Jack (Peter Bergman) once she walked into the living room and spied him and Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) in an embrace. Walters, as Diane, shoots a pointed look better than most in soaps! She was cordial to Nikki while making a few digs at the blonde beauty over the whole Victor/Artificial Intelligence mess.

Off of Nikki's remark that she was not giving up trying to resolve things, Diane replied that sometimes it was hard to know when to give up when your heart is close to something. She stared at Jack while delivering that line, making her point that Jack was wrong to be so devoted to Nikki when he shouldn't be.

Once Nikki left, Diane didn't hold back in telling Jack exactly how she felt. Jack countered with his belief that Nikki is the only pipeline that they have to Victor, but Diane hasn't been impressed with Nikki being on the inside thus far. Diane was all for entertaining friends in the newly redone Abbott mansion, but having Nikki over was not what she had in mind.

Diane pointed out that Nikki was Victor's enabler. Jack disagreed, suggesting she could help them. "Nikki and I know exactly what that performance was about," Diane told her husband in the dining room about Nikki's visit. "The sad eyes. The quiet bravery."

Then, imitating Nikki's breathy tone, Diane added, "You're the only one who understands her!" Then, Diane added that Nikki would always put Victor first. "I am sick of it!" she blasted. Walters infused Diane's tirade with tinges of hurt and fear, but mostly, she was furious!

The Young and the Restless, War of the Roses

Diane and Jack on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

The beauty of Jack and Diane's relationship is that they can see past the hurt more quickly than other couples and get back to the fact that they're deeply in love. The day after Nikki's visit, Jack and Diane put a pin in their pain and celebrated their love, as they celebrated Valentine's Day.

Diane couldn't help but be moved by Jack's compliments as he voiced his gratitude for his wife's tenacious efforts to defend the Abbott family. "Even when it's you on the hot seat?" Diane replied with a smile.

There's likely more conflict to come in Jack and Diane's marriage, but we've no doubt it will survive. Walters and Bergman, too, of course, keep their characters grounded in the fact that their greatest conflicts come from outside their solid union.

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