Big Trouble in G.C.!

 Sharon and Nikki get into it!

 Nikki: Soused and Ready to Rumble- She really came back to wow us, didn't she? Nikki has only been back in the storyline for a few weeks now and already she has married bad boy Deacon and gotten drunk in public. To top it off, we get to see a bit of that old Nikki vs. Sharon rivalry.
       After getting properly drunk at the athletic club, Nikki runs into Sharon. An "honest drunk," Nikki calls Sharon all sorts of sordid names then shoves Nick's "baby mama," causing major "baby mama drama" in front of the club's well-to-do patrons. Way to go, Nikki! Uphold that Newman reputation.
     Side note-- wouldn't it be nice if Deacon magically showed up in his daughter Hope's life sometime soon? Now that he has all Nikki's credit cards, he could throw his weight around, act important, and maybe even swindle Brooke away from Ridge...but I digress....

Earth to Neil-  So what's up with Neil and Sophia's quickie wedding? They're both crazy if they think this will last! I'm just waiting for Malcolm to pop up out of nowhere....or better yet, Dru is way overdue to make her return from the land of the dead. When she fell off that cliff back in 2007, the writers clearly left room for Dru's return. No body was found. So I hope Neil and Sophia get nice and cozy in their farce of a union. Their days are numbered. View CBS's official preview clip.

Blast from the Past-  How interesting that we actually get to see a photo of Cane's sister.  Could this mean that his sister might show up and we'll learn that she's not really dead? I think we're hearing too many details about Cain's backstory....there must be more! Perhaps Mr. Ashby and Lily will finally be happy and then Cain's past will rear its ugly head again.

I can't wait to see how these stories develop. One thing we can be sure of-- there's always big trouble  in Genoa City!

** Bold and the Beautiful Alert**

I must give a shout-out to The Bold and the Beautiful! This week, B&B has been focusing on stories from real people who went through the foster care system. Check out the latest full episode to learn about the real life stories. You can also click here to view the Facebook page for United Friends of the Children, the organization featured on today's show.

Take a Bow, Ladies!

B&B Bombshell: Katie Kills It!

The Bold and the Beautiful's Katie ( Heather Tom ) knocks our socks off!

 If you'd rather skip this and go to the Y&R commentary, scroll down. Otherwise, keep reading...

"I'm not threatened by you. I just don't like you!"--Behold, Katie's response to Steffi. The young vixen claims  claims that Katie is threatened by her and Katie keeps it real. That's why The Bold and the Beautiful's Heather Tom (Katie) gets my vote for CBS daytime's best actress of the week. These scenes were fun to watch and Katie's fiery rejection of Steffi really rocked the storyline. I'm certainly hoping for more drama and I'm sooo glad Heather Tom is back on CBS. She was great as the original Victoria Newman on Y&R.

Considering the future of B&B's plot, I don't think anyone will be surprised when "Dollar Bill Spencer" caves and returns to Steffi. There's also a really big reason why fans can be sure that Liam and Steffi's days are numbered: unsigned papers! That's right-- we never saw any evidence that Liam and Steffi signed official documents to legalize their marriage. Think back to the wedding ceremony atop Mt. Ajax. One of the officials at the ceremony told Liam and Steffi they would simply need to go downtown to sign official papers.
That's not verbatim from the script, but it's a little loophole the writers have given themselves. So as I said, Liam and Steffi's union is a ticking timebomb...but it will surely be fun to watch Steffi and Bill tear apart their respective marriages with an affair.

..and now we return to this week's regularly scheduled Y&R reviews....

Nikki falls off the wagon and confesses.

Pissed and Hidden- If I could give a second award for best actress of the week, it would go to Melody Thomas Scott for her portrayal of Nikki Newman. After going on a quickie bender, Nikki finds hersef sloshed and ranting about her sins. She confesses to Victor about how she murdered Diane. Victor throws himself on his sword, gives Adam a chance to lie and affirm that he saw Victor do the deed and PRESTO! Mr. Newman is in cuffs. Soon we see that Nikki has passed out and before the police arrived, Victor hid Nikki under a blanket and some hay. Nikki was pretty convincing in this scene and viewers really got to feel the old "Victor-Nikki in love forever" vibe...so it's not surprising when Victor covers for her.

In all this I feel the most sorry for Michael Baldwin, who gets blindsided by Victor's "chivalry." Michael should be paid in gold for all the times he has to get Victor out of stupid messes.

Red is Out- Finally! Phyllis has been fired and Nick is released from her spell! How many times have we seen Phyllis do whatever she wants while keeping her cushy reporting gig? I won't lie. I cheered at the screen the moment Nick dismissed Phyllis. May she stay gone and reemerge only to get caught in the wrong place at the wrong time with Detective Ronan.

Somebody Call Nanny 911- What is wrong with Jack Abbott?! I understand that Kyle wants to know what's going on with the investigation of his mother's murder...but why in the world would Jack agree to take his boy on a fishing expedition to "find out" what's going on? First of all, when a twelve-year-old boy tells you he's "not a kid" and deserves to know what's going on, a good response would be: "Yes, you are a kid. Let's go home." Apparently, Jack has learned nothing over the years. That trip to the police station, where Kyle learned about his "friend" Victor's apparent role in the murder, will surely lead to tons of therapy for the boy. 

This falls right in line with Jack's lackluster parenting skills! Does anyone remember Jack's rocky relationship with his other son, Keemo? By the way, I totally miss Keemo. Maybe the writers could R.S.A.-- rapidly soap opera age-- Kyle and then start some sort of rivalry between the two sons for a spot at Jabot. Why should the Newmans have all the corporate seat-stealing fun?

In Summary- Yes, I think it's time for this murder storyline to end. It may take a while for Patty's cover to get  blown as the killer, though. Maybe some evidence will turn up and Victor will be outed as a liar. Although I haven't yet mentioned him in this post, I'm ready for the Devon storyline. Things are getting interesting with Abby bankrolling his record label and I'm counting the days until "The Naked Heiress" gives Roxy some real competition for her man. Three cheers for Billy and Vicki! They're back together and all they have to do is get married...again. Finally, I think we're all waiting on pins and needles for Jeanne Cooper to reprise her role as Katherine Chancellor. Michael Learned is doing a good job, of course, but those scenes aren't the same without Jeanne!

Plots-a-Poppin!

 It's Victor's fault: Vicki responds to Billy's confession

 Your Daddy Made Me Do It- There's a lot of finger pointing going on  in Genoa City. On recent installments of Y&R,  Billy and Kevin are confessing it all and putting the blame where it belongs: on Victor Newman! After Victoria finishes freaking out, she rightly guesses who blackmailed her beloved Billy. Kevin simultaneously comes clean to Chloe, claiming that his quest to save little Delia began with good intentions. How will this all turn out? I'm waiting for another huge daddy-daughter blow-out between Vicki and Victor. Naturally, Chloe will probably leave Kevin and there will be no kitchy holiday wedding. Yay!
 
Indecent Proposal-  The Young and the Restless folks have climbed on the indecent proposal bandwagon. Although this is a different breed of indecent proposal, I think Neil Winters takes the prize for poor planning. While we truly appreciate the gentleman in Neil that wanted to be a standup guy and make Sophia and honest woman, we don't appreciate Neil's lack of enthusiasm when Sophia says yes. Of course, as loyal soap followers, we can see through the soap opera tunnel of time and surmise what this all means-- Neil has another divorce in his future.


As much as I hate to say it, Neil's character went downhill once he had an affair with Tyra some time ago. Now that affair #2 has produced a true-to-life Winters heir, it's hard to buy the "aw shucks, I'm a good guy after all" routine. Memo to Neil:  join the club with Billy, Victor, and Jack. Be a good "baby daddy" and move on...'cause as soon as you're happy, we all know Drucilla will come back from the dead and ruin it for you.


Indecent Proposal II- In an unexpected plot twist, The Bold and the Beautiful's Pam gets dumped by here fiancee. Pam wastes no time and gets back in the game by agreeing to steal Forrester designs in exchange for the affections of Nick, her nautical "Prince Charming." This was too funny, especially when Pam popped up in the steam room. What an awkward surprise for an unsuspecting Nick! Catch a glimpse of the couple's hilarity here.

Thanks for the Memories- If you know the history of B&B,  you know "design stealing schemes" are nothing new. This kind of arc has been done multiple times originating with devious deeds at the Spectra fashion house. Hats off to the writers for giving us a fresh and funny look at the art of thievery!
  

Schemes and Disses

 Ronan hatches a plan with Phyllis- Nov. 14 preview

Strange Bedfellows- Ronan asks Phyllis to be a "rat" and do some information gathering for the Jenkins murder case. Uh, ok. Ronan shouldn't trust Phyllis as far as he can throw her. He shouldn't tell Phyllis secrets and then actually expect her to keep them....'cause she's allergic to that kind of thing.

    Meanwhile, Avery volunteers to be Nick's lawyer to "take the heat off" him in the investigation. I guess the phrase "conflict of interest" means nothing here.

Krazy with a "K"- Patty is back and still psycho. Why in the world, by the way, would Jack NOT change his locks after the last encounter with her? I say it won't be long before Patty creates some sort of life-threatening "accident" involving Jack's girlfriend.

The Royal Kiss-off- Devon disses his father in royal fashion by keeping it real with Ashley-- he's not attending the wedding. Of course it would be interesting if Devon showed up anyway (as Abby's "plus one," of course).

    Unknowingly following his son's example, Tucker dismisses Kay. Also not surprising, but I think Tucker needs a "check-up from the neck up" if he thinks Devon will warm up to him.

This Episode's Memorable Moment: Adam's conversation with Patty. Michael Muhney does a bang up job of emoting, especially after Patty walks off. Just by looking at his face, you can hear Adam thinking, "Why did I ever break that looney out of the looney bin?"

It's a Man's World...

 Billy has much to say in Nov. 11's sneak peak.

11-11-11 brings us storylines where Genoa City's men shine. Here's my take on all the drama!
 
Leaving it to Chance- I know he's the resident "hero boy" and everything, but what's up with Chance's boatload of military honors? Did you see that uniform? He has like five layers of military stripes on his chest and that jacket is a virtual test pattern. Maybe that's supposed to let us know our hero boy is qualified for his new job. By the way, whoohoo for Chance's new orders! He has been bor-ing lately. Maybe Chance and Cricket will become involved while they're both in DC. That kind of hookup would really drive Nina crazy!

"Bro-mance" OVER? Kevin wants to be done with Billy... but it's just too tempting to get back at Victor. As Kevin hacks into Mr. Newman's computer, the bro chat ensues:

  Kevin: "Victor's computer doesn't like us snooping."
  Billy: "He can see us?"

LOL. So we now know that Billy is street smart but not tech smart. I wonder how this whole thing will play out. I say Kevin will regret doing these favors once Chloe finds out the truth. Then Chloe will realize she really doesn't dig Kevin that much and she'll eventually go gaga over Billy, the guy who really saved Delia's life.

Knew It before He Blew It- I had a feeling Cain was saying too much to that bartender who, incidentally, just happened to have more than two lines. What a tip-off. All that dialogue means she's a real part of the plot! Nice going, Sherlock. I guess it will take our hero a bit longer to track down this Chelsea character.

Sweet and Sour Victor- So I love the whole real-life Pinkerton thing. We get to see Victor's human side when he surprises Delia...but wow-o-wow how cruel can he be? Is this horse a "guilt gift?" Victor has some nerve keeping Billy away while gifting his daughter. I guess that's classic Victor.

This Episode's Best Dressed Awards: Jill wins for best jewelry. That star necklace is h-o-t! Esther wins for cutest cardigan. She worked those polka dots and ruffles. Thank you, wardrobe department!

Welcome to Y and R Vent!

 Sneak Peak from Nov. 10

Hello, readers! This is Y and R Vent, a blog I created because I have too much to say about soaps. Back in the day, I used to set my VCR to record “The Young and the Restless” and “The Bold and the Beautiful.” Then I’d watch it after school or on weekends.  Now it’s 2011, I’m “all growed up” and I still haven’t kicked my soap habit! Instead of allowing all these ideas to fester and build up in my head, I’m venting….and lucky you! You get to read my rants!

Y and R purists, please note that I will often include my comments on “The Bold and the Beautiful” (a.k.a. B&B) because it rocks. Feel free to skip those sections if you don’t care about the drama surrounding LA fashion houses.

Young and the Restless- Nov. 10, 2011

Jeanne, Jeanne, Wherefore Art Thou, Jeanne? Long-time portrayer of Katherine Chancellor, Jeanne Cooper, is temporarily replaced by Michael Learned. Although I’m sure Michael is a talented actress, I miss Jeanne already.

The Wayward Sons- Devon gets an invitation to Ashley and Tucker’s wedding. He wastes no time tossing it in the trash. Ricky seems to be debating which version of himself he will truly be—the smart “son of Paul go-getter” or the creepy, dark “son of Isabella.” I think he’ll turn out like a cream donut, a perfectly dual-layered confection. Ricky’s outside shell will be smart, sweet, and Paul Williams-esque, but just when we’ve grown to like him, Ricky will reveal his creepy, krazy (Krazy with a “k) cream center.

The Seedy Apartment Confessional- Phyllis decides to stalk Ronan and unexpectedly shows up at his door. It's all obvious from the beginning once she bats her eyelashes and pulls the dysfunctional family card. Returning her affections, Ronan bats his eyelashes then tears up over his own predicament. Phyllis explains how she and Nick divorced, then "sort of" got back together, then broke up. The scene gets steamy while these two confused souls console themselves con pasión.

Seduction 101 with Nick Newman- I’m not even sure Avery needed to apologize. Nick seems to have had permanent bedroom eyes for her from day one. Once he gave her that video game (originally intended for Phyllis), it was on. So long story short, Avery apologizes for pulling a Phyllis a.k.a. deliberately allowing Phyllis to catch her and Nick in a compromising situation. Nick totally eats up that apology.  He throws some “you’re hots” Avery’s way, and the next thing you know, they’re in Avery’s room and clothes go flying.

This Episode’s Random Coolness: Tucker and Ashely’s wedding invites. These things are awesome. What a cool personal touch to have them hand delivered. Did anyone else admire that beautiful silver-on-black design? Y and R, you keep it real with great props like these wedding invites. If only we could all manage to announce our nuptials by sending top-notch tickets via courier!

Thanks for reading. If you haven't viewed this episode yet, check it out here courtesy of cbs.com!