‘The Young and the Restless’ (YR) Poll: Are Y&R’s Cast and Storyline Changes Causing the Soap To Slip?

A volume of cast and storyline changes on ‘The Young and the Restless’ are impacting viewer perceptions. The loss of familiar faces, the addition of new ones, and shifts among legacy characters is creating an effect. So, how do fans feel about what they are seeing?

Soap operas are always ripe for critique. The call for change, when heeded, results in consequences, as Y&R fans know.

Mishael Morgan’s (Hilary) exit, Christel Kahlil’s (Lily) drop to recurring status, Doug Davidson’s (Paul) apparent departure, and Eileen Davidson’s (Ashley) coming cast departure represents significant upheaval. New characters, including: Arturo (Jason Canela), Nate (Brooks Darnell), Rey (Jordi Vilasuso), and soon Lola (Sasha Calle) and Kerry (Alice Hunter), present fresh faces to devoted viewers.

Morgan’s departure and her agent’s follow-up public statements indicated an amicable exit. Kahlil said that she looks forward to Lily’s continuing adventures. Doug Davidson revealed that he was dropped to recurring status in January and isn’t certain how often, or if, his forty-year character will be seen moving forward. Eileen Davidson cited a desire to be with family and has previously come and gone through the years.

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All new characters mentioned are being written into main arcs. The Rosales family, being Arturo, Rey, and Lola, present Genoa City’s first entirely new clan Y&R’s audience has been given since Kevin (Greg Rikaart) expanded Michael’s (Christian Le Blanc) backstory in 2003.

Jack Abbott’s (Peter Bergman), “paternity quest”, as he recently called it, has generated various fan responses. The idea that this legacy character could actually lose his family identity and possibly become Victor’s (Eric Braeden) brother could be classified as an offense. Others are okay with the odyssey, in that it has evoked classic Y&R character names and as long as Jack eventually learns that John (Jerry Douglas) is his dad.

Joshua Morrow (Nick) said that rather than consider voluntarily departing Y&R at what would be his 25-year mark (2019), he opted to play into a major character shift. So, Nick now exhibits a starkly different personality that’s feels Adam-ish (meaning the Michael Muhney version).

Hardcore viewers accept daytime drama for what it is, escapist fantasy. However, they and all other viewers do deserve believability. Fair-minded fans are giving and will continue to give Y&R’s new direction an extended chance to succeed.

Fans of ‘The Young and the Restless’ rightfully express their opinions on a regular basis. So, are Y&R’s cast and storyline changes making the show better, creating no effect, or causing the soap to slip? Please vote in our poll below!

As always, more detailed spoilers and a full collection of pictures for the week in question will appear here on Soap Opera Spy, where there will be more clues and hints over exactly what’s going on.

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