Y&R changes instantly, thanks to the Dominic Effect: The Young and the Restless Two Scoops for the week of January 26

The Young and the Restless has done an admirable job of mixing interpersonal relationships along with the power struggle storylines involving Victor, Jack, Cane, Phyllis, and other players in Genoa City. However...we'd be fine if we never heard the words "Artificial Intelligence" ever again! Y&R got our minds out of the boardroom and into some familial drama with the kidnapping of little Dominic.

The Young and the Restless, Mariah makes a misstep

Ian Ward continues to have a hold over Mariah on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

Mariah (Camryn Grimes) might need a refund if she's been seeing a therapist while away from Tessa (Cait Fairbanks) all these months. She's allowed either the real Ian Ward (Ray Wise) or, we suspect, a vision of Ian, to convince her to kidnap Dominic (Ethan Ray Clark) in some kind of misguided attempt to protect him.

Trust us, Mariah, Dominic was just fine living with his loving parents in the late Katherine Chancellor's (Jeanne Cooper) mansion in the lap of luxury and security. What the heck is Mariah thinking? That will come out if and when she's tracked down and little Dom ends up back in the care of his parents.

There are some highlights to this tale. Mariah's back on our screens, which hopefully means she'll eventually get the care she needs and realize that a lot of people love her. Y&R scored a casting victory in Clark. The young actor is realistic without being overly precocious, as some child actors tend to be.

It's also great to finally see Abby (Melissa Ordway) and Devon (Bryton James) in a front-burner tale. Abby is strangely missing from the story about Victor's latest attack on Jabot. We can't help but think that the trio of Abby, Ashley (Eileen Davidson), and Traci (Beth Maitland) visiting Victor would have put an end to Victor's war with Jack. After all, the heart of Traci's late daughter Colleen (Tammin Sursok) is beating inside Victor's body. He owes the Abbott clan his life!

Simply Ruthless

Cane, Phyllis, and Victor on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

Victor's not taking Cane's attack on Newman Enterprises lying down. He is threatening to go after Cane's most vulnerable spot -- his ex-wife, Lily (Christel Khalil), and their kids, Charlie (Noah Alexander Gerry) and Mattie (Lexie Stevenson). Of course, Victor wouldn't really harm the trio, but he's counting on Cane not believing that.

The Cane/Victor war is compelling because we're not sure which side is going to emerge victorious. If they're not all careful, someone is going to get hurt. Didn't Cane learn anything from three people dying over in Nice, France, at his chateau last summer?

Victor, for the most part, won't even give Cane and Phyllis the dignity of staring at them. Check out our write up of Braeden's performance in some boardroom scenes here.

So rich it's got to be fattening

Don't mess with Phyllis Summers on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) and Cane would probably get convicted if they were on trial for illegally using the AI program to take over Newman Enterprises. However, we can't help but think the fiery redhead wouldn't give compelling testimony. Did you see the way she threw her coat onto the furniture in Victor's office? So dramatic! And such a statement! Phyllis believes the ends justify the means, and this is all Victor's karma for how he's treated people over the years.

She may not have a leg to stand on legally; however, Phyllis is fighting her case in the court of public opinion. And so far, she's winning.

We knew it wouldn't last

It's going to be a long time before Phyllis, Nick, and Sharon smile for the camera on The Young and the Restless | Image: JPI

Sharon's (Sharon Case) and Phyllis's truce last year was a surprise twist. We didn't see it lasting, though. And it did not. Surprisingly, it wasn't Nick choosing one woman over the other that dissolved Sharon and Phyllis being cordial to one another. It was Phyllis's attack on the Newman clan.

The next time that these two run into each other, we expect old issues to rise up between them. Phyllis's affair with Nick while he was still grieving Cassie (Camryn Grimes) was the whole basis for Sharon and Phyllis's rivalry. Sharon had hoped that the kidnapping ordeal that she and Phyllis had gone through had bonded them. But now, all that's gone.

Is Ian live or is he Memorex

Ian Ward (Ray Wise) is menacing even in astral form on The Young and the Restless | Image: CBS

We're putting our money on the fact that Mariah isn't truly interacting with Ian Ward. She's just conjured him up as a spirit, the way Jack and the Abbott siblings would envision they were talking to John. (Well, not quite the same way -- John Abbott's children would usually feel better after seeing their dad; Mariah just feels worse after seeing Ian.)

However, we're expecting that Ian will pop up in the flesh when we least expect it! Wise is a Daytime Emmy winner for his portrayal of the diabolical cult leader. He can just stand there, and folks will feel threatened. We're chilled for Nikki when Ian says to her, "Oh, Nicole," in that charming tone. Why you'd think Ian wouldn't hurt a fly, he's so kindly! However, Nikki and everyone else in town knows that Ian is bad news!

At last, a break for Audra

Sally (Courtney Hope) is a loyal friend to Audra (Zuleyka Silver) on The Young and the Restless | Image: JPI

The year 2025 seemed to dump on Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver), a Genoa City "have-not," who wants a better life for herself. She makes no apologies for her actions and she knows that if she doesn't stand up for herself, then no one else will.

Well, actually, that's not entirely true. Sally continues to be a loyal friend to Audra. She remembers her days in Los Angeles all too well when she made the wrong decisions for the wrong people. Sally came to Genoa City and rebuilt her life. Sally hasn't forgotten what it's like to be staring over and to need a break. Sally has given that break to Audra. It'd be very interesting to see what would happen if any of the people who knew Sally in Los Angeles were to come to town and see the woman she is today.

Future boardroom manipulators

Harrison has learned early that white lies are okay to get what you want on The Young and the Restless | Image: JPI

Harrison (Redding Munsell) could give the power players in Genoa City a lesson in manipulation. He texted his father, Kyle (Mealor), and Claire (Hayley Erin), manipulating the two into being in the same room. Harrison came clean and confessed that he was supposed to do the class assignment that he'd asked Kyle and Claire to help him with by himself.

However, he just may have lit a fuse that could greatly improve his father's love life. One thing that we're curious about is why does Harrison never appear to ask about Tara (Elizabeth Leiner), his biological mother? She was taken away by authorities for stealing, but she was swiping from hr own company, as we recall. Certainly, a savvy attorney could help get Tara either paroled or sprung from jail altogether? Her return to Genoa City would bring instant conflict to Kyle's life as Harrison's mom attempts to reconnect with her son.

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

Edited by Michael Maloney

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