Why The Young and the Restless’ “Spider” is the reset Adam needs

The Young and the Restless's Adam Newman used to be a complex, morally grey character, but his transformation in recent years has left a lot to be desired. The once-black sheep of the Newman family has become a watered-down version of what he used to be. However, Adam's upcoming foray back into Spider's dangerous web of secrets might be key to returning him to his true potential.

The Young and the Restless needs its bad boy back

The Young and the Restless' Adam and Chelsea | Image: JPI

Adam (Mark Grossman) worked best when he was at odds with the Newmans. Since finding himself on better terms with Victor (Eric Braeden), Nick (Joshua Morrow), and the rest of the Newman family, Adam has completely lost the edge that made him compelling to watch. In the past, Adam would hatch schemes to destroy Victor and the rest of his family, but now he does whatever his father tells him to do, even at the detriment of his integrity.

Adam retained some of his spark throughout his romance with Sally (Courtney Hope), but everything changed when the character was once again paired with Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan). Trying to put Adam into a box and forcing him to be the cookie-cutter boyfriend and father was never going to work. Adam's scenes feel hollow because the character has been stripped of everything that made him interesting to watch. While it can be entertaining to some degree to see a villain be redeemed into a hero, Adam thrives the most when colored in shades of grey. He can't be good, but he won't be evil, and that's what makes him fascinating to viewers.

Adam has shown flashes lately of the person that he used to be. Namely, in his interactions with Victor, he's beginning to have doubts about blindly following along with his father's plots and instead thinking about himself and his family. However, Adam's newfound brotherly bond with Nick has seen him at the biggest crossroads the character has faced in many years. In the quest to find Matt Clark, Adam has been forced to confront the demons of his past and tap into the Spider persona from his time in Las Vegas. While Adam was presumed dead to all in Genoa City, Spider was living a much different life, and revisiting it is the jumpstart he needs to return to relevance.

What happens in Vegas

Returning to Spider may jumpstart Adam's character | Image: JPI

Adam is currently in Las Vegas accompanying Nick on his search for Matt Clark. Sienna (Tamara Braun) tracked down a lead, and the name she uncovered, Riza, was connected to Adam's past in Sin City as "Spider." Adam was presumed dead for nearly three years after an explosion. However, he spent that time in Vegas, working closely with Riza as a card shark in back-room poker games. It's clear that Adam is trepidatious about confronting that part of his past, and not a whole lot is known about his time away from Genoa City. Adam allegedly could only recall so much of that time, so what happens once he's face-to-face with Riza?

Tapping into his dark side is exactly what Adam needs to kickstart himself back into relevance. He should be a Genoa City power player, and not stuck playing sidekick to his father or his siblings. Adam has always been the dark horse of the Newman family, and aside from Abby (Melissa Ordway), he's been the most overlooked. Remembering who he used to be and channeling that energy once he gets back home is paramount to keeping him from becoming more stale than he currently is. Adam is more than a prop for everyone else. Adam is supposed to be the antithesis of the rest of the Newmans, and not another soldier in a long line of "Yes" people.

Adam and Chelsea share a son, and while it's admirable for the pair to want to create a loving home for their son, they are one of the least exciting couples on the canvas. Any chemistry that used to exist appears to be long gone, and Adam should be free to explore other options once he gets back to town. Chelsea expressed concern about Adam tapping into his Spider persona, so this visit to Vegas could be the thing that finally breaks their relationship. Whatever the case may be, Adam is best suited as an antagonistic force against the Newman family, and Spider is the reset he needs to make it happen.

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