'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wAARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUH/8QAIRAAAgIBBAIDAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDBAAFEhMhBhEUMWH/xAAUAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAF/8QAGREBAQEBAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAQIDAAUh/9oADAMBAAIRAxEAPwCZ5PqsdYUeSnA/yKsdxF2DaFDgcZ/OzmYXdXje5O0VVFjaRiqknoe+h94xh+ElSLzfoBntUR8Dv//Z'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Here is your The Young and the Restless recap for Thursday, March 26, 2026 featuring Lily's long-awaited return to Genoa City.
What happened on The Young and the Restless
Daniel thought back to some of his favorite moments spending time with Tessa. With Tessa seemingly deciding to make her marriage work, Daniel was once again left alone and heartbroken. Daniel looked through the photos of him and Tessa and contemplated deleting them from his phone.
Sharon and Mariah awaited Christine's arrival at Crimson Lights. Mariah appeared to be in much better spirits than in recent times. Sharon was nervous about her daughter going before the judge, and Mariah knew that they'd be pushing for her to accept the plea deal.
Christine showed up and made one final effort to get Mariah to take the deal. Psychiatric treatment instead of prison time was the best option. Mariah interrupted Christine and told her she had reached an understanding and decided to stop pushing against it.
Mariah knew she needed help, and the only way to get her life back in order was to get mental health treatment. Everyone was relieved to learn that Mariah finally came to her senses. Christine asked what caused Mariah's sudden change, and Tessa showed up, making things quite clear.
Mariah gave Tessa the credit for convincing her to accept the plea deal. There was too much at stake for Mariah to risk going to prison. Sharon thanked Tessa for helping Mariah find the correct path toward a better future.
Christine told Mariah to tell the judge everything that led to her decisions. Her mental state needed to be properly documented, so the judge would take everything into consideration. Beyond that, Mariah needed to plead to the judge that she never intended any harm to Dominic.
Mariah understood the horrific nature of her actions, and she was struggling to recognize that she was the person who committed them. It felt like an out-of-body experience. Looking back at it all felt like reliving the actions of a stranger and not something that she was capable of.
Mariah wished Tessa could accompany her to the courthouse, but she vowed to be there for her wife in spirit. Mariah told Tessa that she loved her for the first time in a long time, and before leaving, she apologized for everything that she put her through. After leaving, a devastated Daniel walked in, and he and Tessa locked eyes.
Tessa and Daniel stepped out onto the patio, and she brought him his favorite herbal tea. She referred to Daniel as a wonderful friend, and the word 'friend' seemed to cut deep. He asked how Tessa was handling things with Mariah, and she explained to him that her wife had decided to take the plea deal.
Daniel assumed that based on everything, Mariah and Tessa decided to make their marriage work. Tessa gave Daniel the credit for making it happen. Daniel hoped that the judge would agree to the deal, but things got awkward after that.
Daniel wanted to know if Tessa was fully committed to giving Mariah a second. chance. He took her silence as confirmation that she and Mariah were going to try. Tessa understood that it wasn't what Daniel wanted to hear, and although he suggested it, it still hurt.
Every prayer that Tessa put out into the universe was answered by Mariah finally letting her in. However, as amazing as that was, it didn't suddenly negate the feelings that had developed for Daniel. He was everything that Tessa needed during the worst time of her life, and she had done the same after Heather's murder.
Mariah returned from the courthouse and asked to speak privately with Tessa. The judge agreed to the plea deal, and she'd be heading to a psychiatric treatment facility. However, Mariah remained torn about the situation because of the gravity of her crimes. Tessa told her that it was Ian's fault, and she promised to be there for her.
Kyle offered to pour Jack a cup of coffee, but Jack was surprised his son was speaking to him at all. Kyle admitted that it was a lot. He knew his father loved Diane, so he questioned how Jack ended up in bed with Patty.
Jack vowed that he was drugged, which is how he ended up with another woman. If he were in his right mind, he never would've slept with anyone other than his wife. Jack was upset that Diane refused to believe his drink had been spiked. He didn't think Diane would ever trust him again.
Jack was furious with Victor for kidnapping him. However, more than that, he was horrified at what his family walked in on. Kyle admitted that it was a lot to take in. Seeing Jack in bed with Patty was a gut punch to everyone. However, despite the traumatizing view that Kyle and the other got, Kyle placed the blame solely on Victor.
Jack acknowledged that while he was indeed drugged, he didn't know how he lost complete control. Kyle reminded Jack about how his parents have always found a way to overcome everything. Even though Diane was deeply wounded by Jack's actions, he believed Diane would ultimately direct her anger toward Victor.
Jack agreed with Kyle that giving Diane some space was the best way of eventually earning her trust and forgiveness. He remembered that the last time Diane was this angry at him, it was when he resorted to drastic measures to help Nikki get sober.
At the GCAC, Diane warned Patty not to start with her. Patty remarked that she glowed after being with Jack, and Diane was not in the mood to deal with her antics. Patty pointed out that Diane came from one of the suites, and she wasn't surprised that she walked out on Jack.
Patty questioned whether Jack and Diane's marriage was over. She took her antagonistic behavior a step further and remarked that Jack probably didn't even notice that Diane didn't share his bed the previous night. Patty assured Diane that Jack would eventually seek comfort in her arms, so there was no need to worry about him.
Diane was beside herself at how Patty had fooled anyone into letting her back into society as a free woman. Diane called Patty out for drugging Jack, but Patty planted seeds of doubt in her head. Patty asked Diane to ponder why she'd ever risk her freedom by drugging Jack.
Patty told Diane that there were no drugs, and it was simply her chemistry with Jack that led to "nature taking its course." Diane accused Patty of spewing lies, but Patty proposed that if she truly believed that, then why wasn't she at home at the Abbott mansion? Some part of Diane must've believed that Patty was telling the truth.
Diane thought Patty was crazy for thinking that Jack would ever want anything to do with her. If he were in his right mind, he wouldn't have touched her with a ten-foot pole. Patty recalled her history with Jack, and she compared herself and her body to a drug.
Diane refused to stand for that. She recounted how it was Patty shooting Jack, which led to an opioid addiction following his surgery. If it weren't for Patty, Jack would've never fallen down a path of addiction to begin with. Patty guaranteed that Jack was in complete control, and Diane tried to walk away, tired of dealing with her.
As Patty continued to taunt Diane, Nikki came downstairs and spotted the formerly institutionalized madwoman. Nikki asked, "What the hell are you doing here?" Patty explained that she was deemed fit to return to society, and she warned Diane that she'd see her around.
Nikki questioned how Patty could be walking around as a free woman, not locked away as she belonged. Diane didn't want to speak to Nikki about Patty or anything else. Nikki realized that Diane was also staying at the GCAC, and both women had left their husbands.
Nikki questioned why Diane would ever leave Jack's side after being so worried about him. She wanted to know what caused such a drastic change. Diane said she wasn't going to stand there and discuss anything with Nikki. She told Nikki, "If you want the details, maybe you should call your good friend Jack, and the two of you can console each other and bond even more over your broken marriages."
Nikki took off to speak with Jack, and Kyle walked in and asked his mother what was going on. Diane didn't know how Jack could hurt her like this. Kyle didn't think it was fair to view the situation as something Jack did to her. Jack was drugged, and Kyle questioned if she could genuinely hold him responsible.
Diane admitted that she could view it as Victor's fault and that he used Patty to manipulate Jack into doing what he did. Kyle assured his mother that it was exactly that. Jack regretted everything that went down on that yacht.
Victor spoke on the phone to an unknown person, excited to learn they were back in Genoa City. He invited whomever it was over to his house because he wanted to hear "all about it." However, Victor informed the mystery person that they weren't through yet.
Victor opened his front door, and instead of whoever was on the phone, it was Jack standing there. He said to his mortal enemy, "I don't know whether to punch you or strangle you. You son of a bitch."
Jack blasted Victor for siccing Patty Williams on him. Victor pretended to have no idea what he was talking about, but when Jack mentioned messing up his marriage, Victor's grin widened. Jack vowed to make Victor pay for his actions.
After Jack departed, Lily walked into the living room and said, "Hello, Victor." He appreciated Lily stopping by, and he wanted to check on her after the staged abduction. Lily and the twins were pleased to be home, and Victor hoped it was worth it.
Lily questioned what else Victor needed from her. He claimed that they weren't through, but she didn't think there was anything left between the two. Lily asked if he was ready to hand over Chancellor to her and Devon.
Nikki was greeted by Traci at the door of the Abbott Mansion. She invited Nikki to sit in the living room to wait for Jack. Traci wondered what was wrong, and she didn't know how to deliver the news to her. Traci knew that Patty was already a free woman, but Nikki also wanted to know why Jack and Diane were at odds.
Trending
Traci informed her that it wasn't her story to tell. Jack returned home, and Nikki was thrilled to see him safe and sound. Jack told Nikki that Victor's latest scheme did considerable damage to his marriage.
Catch all-new episodes of The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS and Paramount Plus.
Reply
