I'm not sure where to start first. There is so much to say. First, Chance leaves suddenly, and then, we have Victoria using the kids in her attempt to win Billy back. Let's not forget good old Gloria and her shenanigans and Theo's big reveal. So much has happened. Okay, decision made.
Let's start with Chance and Abby. The media has exploded with outrage about Donny Boaz being let go as Chance Chancellor. I'm sure the powers that be had their reasons, but weren't there other characters they could have let go instead of someone who was in a major storyline? The fans really loved Donny Boaz -- especially with Abby -- and with him gone, I think the storyline has become rather silly.
It began with Abby fretting that Chance hadn't been home all night. Then Christine informing Abby and Nina that Chance had been sent on some secret assignment with no return date. Abby and Nina were in tears because Abby and Chance had been in the process of trying to start a family. Up to this point, it all made sense, but then, it kind of fell apart. All appeared to be forgiven because Chance left them a letter. Abby and Nina were heartbroken after reading Chance's letter. What felt like five minutes later, Mariah arrived, and after she was brought up to speed, Mariah was still willing to be the surrogate.
It appeared that Abby's broken heart mended miraculously because she was dancing on the moon and shouting, "Let's start a family." Nina was dancing with her because she couldn't wait to be a grandmother. I guess that's one way of getting rid of a broken heart in 30 seconds -- or less. Why would Abby want to start a family without Chance? When a couple decides to have a child, generally both parents are present in sharing the joy of welcoming their baby into the world.
Bless Mariah's heart, she was still willing to carry the baby, but she left it up to Abby to pick a sperm donor. This is so messed up! It would make more sense if Abby waited until Chance returned so they could plan this together. The way things stand now, this child might be in college by the time Chance returns, if he returns.
This whole storyline begs a number of questions. I understand why Chance was brought back, but could he have become someone on the same level as Paul at the police station or have his own company and become a prominent figure? Victor has been seen less and less, and it's time for some new heavy hitters in town. Why make him and Abby a couple only to rip them apart?
Now that Chance has been sent out on assignment with no return date in sight, is it a good idea for Abby to go ahead with starting a family? I don't think it is. First of all, Abby is married to Chance, but hubby is missing in action. So, imagine how this will go. As time goes by and Chance still hasn't returned, Abby meets someone new. She decides she has waited long enough for Chance. She is stuck. She would have to find a way to divorce Chance. I'm not sure if there is a waiting period before she can file for divorce, and not all men are willing to take on someone else's child.
I personally would love to see Abby and Chance together again and have their little dream family. I wouldn't mind seeing Melissa Ordway's real-life husband, Justin Gaston, return as Chance and continue with Chance and Abby's dream. I loved Justin as Chance, but I would settle for a recast. I think this storyline ended far too soon, and I really don't care for the way the storyline is heading at the moment. I'm all for the empowerment of women, but I want some love in the afternoon!
Then we have Victoria playing her immature manipulation and jealousy game. This is another storyline that isn't sitting well. Been there and done it many times before. From what I've seen on message boards, I feel like the majority of fans feel the same way that I do. How many times have Victoria and Billy been married and committed themselves to each other? It has never worked, regardless of the promises made.
Victoria has always wanted to mold Billy into the image she perceived of the man she wanted him to become. She seemed to be constantly disappointed in him and was never satisfied with who he was. In my opinion, Billy had been constantly acting out because he felt he had to measure up to Victoria's high standards. The last breakup was messy. At that time, Victoria told him in no uncertain terms that there wouldn't be another reconciliation. They would continue to be co-parents, but that was all they would be -- yet here we are again.
What changed? Victoria saw Billy with another woman. Did that put Victoria on a warpath to snatch Billy away from Lily, or did seeing him with a class act like Lily put a bee frenzy in her bonnet? Lily accepts Billy for who he is, and she has a way of steering him in the right direction without belittling him. She makes him stop and think about what he is about to do, and Billy responds to that. He realizes there is no hidden agenda with Lily.
I feel it's because of Lily that Billy has matured. He is appreciated for who he is, and that has prompted Billy into becoming the man he has always wanted to be. He is honest with Lily. From time to time, he does have that knee-jerk reaction to something, but he corrects himself with her gentle guidance. People won't change if you're telling them what to do. They need buy-in, and Lily helps him feel it's what he wants. And it is what he wants when he's not reacting like a defiant child to the instructions from his mommy-wife. I like this new Billy, and apparently so does Victoria.
I think a lot of Victoria's jealousy stems from the fact that Lily was able to bring out the best in Billy when Victoria hadn't been able to. If Victoria and Billy did, by some idiotic chance, reunite, I believe Billy would revert to being his self-destructive self once again because he would feel that Victoria was back to analyzing and judging his every move again. We need new blood in Genoa City for Victoria to focus on.
I agree with Lily. Victoria has been running hot and cold with Billy lately. One minute, she loves that she and Billy are together as a family with the kids, but after she sees Lily with Billy, the green-eyed monster emerges, and she feels threatened and lashes out at Billy. She told Billy that Lily can't be around the kids because it would confuse them. Really? It appears that Victoria will use any means to keep Billy in her orbit and away from Lily. I, for one, hope that Billy and Lily really wind up together, whether it's through marriage or a commitment ceremony. I believe that Lily is a wonderful steadying factor in Billy's life. How many more times does Victoria plan on throwing Billy to the curb? She and Billy just don't work.
Does anyone believe that Billy and Victoria should reunite? There are a number of fans who would like to see them reunite and be a family, but in my opinion, I think they would be like nitro and glycerin -- explosive once again. Victoria will always see fault in Billy, and that will be their demise once again. Lily, on the other hand, grounds Billy, and this is what Billy has always needed to shine.
Well Theo sure dropped a bomb on Sally about Kyle. That took the rug out from under me, as well. Can you imagine how Summer is going to feel when she finds out? I hope that information will bury Kyle and Summer's relationship. So, pretty boy Kyle had an affair with Ashland Locke's wife. Ashland Locke is a very wealthy man, but ruthless and dangerous. So far, Ashland isn't aware of his wife and Kyle's affair or that the three-year-old boy, Harrison, isn't his but Kyle's. Did anyone see that one coming? I had a few scenarios running in my head, none of which even came close to this one.
This is huge. What is Kyle going to do now, or better still, what is Sally going to do with that information? My guess is she feels safe now that she has something over Kyle. Kyle will live with the threat of Sally revealing Harrison's paternity to Ashland if he threatens her or if he doesn't help her achieve her goal. This is going to be more than a few thorns in Summer's backside. I wonder how she is going to react to that news. Let's face it, what Sally did in her past was small potatoes compared to Kyle's huge oopsie. Does anyone see Summer supporting Kyle? I don't, but I could be wrong.
I see Summer as a flake, and I just don't see her standing by her man. Summer prefers that her man stand by her, not the other way around. She is selfish, vindictive, self-centered, and someone who believes she is privileged. She will never change. At the moment, she believes she has the upper hand on Sally, but wait until Kyle drops that bombshell about his past. Funny, Kyle warned Summer that Sally would find a way of retaliating. I can't wait to see Summer's face when she finds out about Kyle's earlier joyriding days.
Speaking of Sally, she and Jack have been spending a lot of time together, and it appears they might become a couple. Oh, this is not my cup of tea, either! Hells bells, if Jack wants a redhead, could he please turn to Phyllis? I have said this before: Phyllis and Jack always brought out the best in each other. Sally is going to do the opposite. I don't believe that Sally will be an asset for Jack. If anything, she will use Jack and his position to achieve her goals, and she won't look back. Sally is a user, and she will break Jack's heart.
Good old Gloria is back -- and desperately job hunting. She is turning on the "charm" and trying to push people into believing she would be an asset to them, but she is failing, no matter which direction she turns. Gloria has burned so many bridges that no one wants her back. Even though she promises to behave and stick to the rules, she never does. She will always continue trying to be top dog. At times, I feel sorry for her, but mostly I don't, because Gloria is her own worst enemy and creates her own problems. Give her an inch, and she will take three miles. Gloria will never learn.
Gloria seems to have an extremely high opinion of herself. She believes she is an expert in cosmetics, and she told Jack what a great asset she would be to Jabot in any capacity. Jack knows better, and he doesn't want to employ her. Gloria believes she is an expert on fashion and would genuinely be a fantastic fit with Lauren. Lauren has experienced Gloria's expertise, and she, too, said she wouldn't employ her -- so far. Gloria has even tried to get Michael to convince Lauren to hire her, and that failed, too, so far. With Lauren promoting Sally, it looks like Lauren might give in, but I hope she doesn't. Gloria isn't an asset to any company, but someone will finally break down and hire her. How about Phyllis?
Gloria must be very desperate because she even asked Phyllis for a job. She described everything she would be able to do for the hotel that would bring in more revenue. She would be at Phyllis' side to help Phyllis make the Grand Phoenix a huge success. Well, Phyllis wasn't buying it, either. She turned Gloria down. Can you just imagine if these two troublemakers got together, the havoc they would cause? Then again, they are both extremely strong personalities, so there would be a lot of explosive arguments. Let's wait and see what havoc Gloria will create this time.
Is it just me, or is anyone else questioning the purpose of this Chelsea's stroke storyline? There are other ways in which Chelsea could have her suspicions about Adam and Sharon than just sitting in a chair, blinking her eyes while we hear her thoughts. If she gets tired of sitting in that chair, I can certainly take over. I can sit there and blink my eyes as well as she can. Would I have to join ACTRA or SAG-AFTRA just for that?
We all know Adam wants instant gratification, and Chelsea's recovery is taking way too long, as far as he is concerned. Adam has convinced Sharon that she needs to be Chelsea's mental health therapist. Good idea, bud. Chelsea hates Sharon with a passion. Did Adam receive his psychology degree online 30 seconds before Sharon arrived? He told Sharon that because of Chelsea's hatred for Sharon, Sharon should anger Chelsea. It might trigger a response from Chelsea. Epic failure. Chelsea seems to know what they are trying to do. After Sharon left, Chelsea was able to move her left hand, but she doesn't want anyone to know. Why? She would need the rest of her body to move if she wanted to spy on Adam and Sharon.
Chelsea just sits in her chair, imagining this torrid affair happening between Adam and Sharon, which I find ridiculous. Chelsea is being portrayed as a weak, sniveling, insecure person, something she has never been. Chelsea has always been a fighter. She has had her suspicions and always confronted the situation. Sharon has given Chelsea enough reason to hate her, but hating Sharon from that chair is ridiculous, in my opinion.
It looks like Sharon and Adam are going to be thrown together again, which I hate to see. These two are like oil and water. Their previous relationship wasn't the greatest love story ever told. They kept hurting each other daily. Adam was possessive and demanding, and Sharon seemed to be a mindless simp when she was around him. When she finally realized how toxic they were together, she abandoned her family and ran to another town just to get away from him. So, what is the attraction now? What is wrong with Sharon? She married Rey a nanosecond ago, and now she is making eyes at Adam. I don't blame Rey for wanting Sharon to keep her distance from Adam. Adam claims to love Chelsea, yet here he is, back in Sharon's orbit.
Can Rey put an end to this attraction between Sharon and Adam, or is Rey the next one to be let go, with Sharon and Adam becoming an item while Chelsea continues to sit in her chair and blink her yes and no responses? Here is something that just struck me. When Justin Hartley played Adam, does anyone recall any interaction between him and Sharon? Simply curious, because I honestly don't recall anything going on between them. Be that as it may, I really hope they don't put these two together again. I can't even imagine why Sharon would be in Adam's orbit -- romantically, as Chelsea's therapist, as people who share a conversation -- when Sharon's daughter Faith is suffering so much because of what she learned Adam did to her as an infant.
Faith is at an age where she feels the whole world is against her, and she is going to rebel against everyone. She really believes she has a handle on her situation. The booze eases the pain of the world around her, and that is where she wants to stay, without interference from the adult world. Admittedly, she's gone through a lot in her fourteen years, but she is too young and doesn't really know how to handle her situation. She believes she knows what she is doing, but she really needs professional help. I wish Nick would stop believing that he, Sharon, and Nikki are all that Faith needs to get her life back on track.
Faith has denied that the vodka bottle cap Rey found was hers. Well, it is hard to believe that it wasn't hers, since no one in the house ever bought that brand of vodka. Faith can't go on denying how much she is hurting. Nick accused Sharon of coming down too hard on Faith, but I disagree with him. Pampering her at this point isn't the way to go. Sharon is right, they need to get Faith in for therapy. Perhaps Nikki might be able to get Faith to the point where Faith would be willing to see a therapist -- at least that's what I hope will happen. I agree with Sharon that Faith needs to stay away from Jordan.
I hope you have enjoyed my thoughts about what has been happening around our favorite town recently. I would love to read your comments and opinions, and perhaps you might like to offer up some of your own thoughts. In the meantime, it's a wrap for me. Until next time, stay safe! Be sure to return next week to read Teddi's column.
Nel
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