'The Young and the Restless': The Best and Worst of 2013

Welcome to my first Y&R editorial looking back at the storylines of the past year! Let's face it; this year has been a pretty crucial one for the number one daytime soap in America. From the arrival of presumed dead lovers, to baby daddy drama, to corporate intrigue, this article will count down the best and the worst storylines of 2013.

Top 5 Best Storylines

5. Jack's pain killer addiction
2013 started off with the heart-wrenching story of Jack's (Peter Bergman) addiction to pain killers, and the compromising situation he wakes up to on New Year's Day to find a dead hooker on his floor. With the help of Adam (Michael Muhney) and Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), Jack was able to get off the pills and get well. The acting was impeccable and the storytelling was relatively well paced.

4. Leslie and Tyler's true identities
Congressman Marcus Wheeler (Mark Pinter) starts suspiciously calling Leslie Michaelson (Angell Conwell) by the name of "Valerie". What's going on here? We soon learn that Leslie and Tyler's (Redaric Williams) mother Belinda was murdered and their father, Gus Rogan (Tony Todd), was convicted for the crime. Leslie and Tyler quickly changed their names, originally being Valerie and Davis Rogan. Soon after, evidence surfaces that Wheeler in fact murdered Belinda; Gus is freed and he takes his place. This storyline introduced us to how much of a powerhouse actor Williams is, as well as how the Michaelsons aren't just the basic simpletons we thought they were.

3. Katherine's brain tumor and death
Another amazing story this year was the plight of Katherine (Jeanne Cooper), when she was losing her memory (to the point that she forgot to attend her best friend's wedding). With the help of Cane (Daniel Goddard), Kay learns that she has a brain tumor. The surgery to remove it was said to be successful, but then viewers were devastated to learn that Cooper herself had passed away at the age of 84. The story wasn't readdressed until August, when her loved ones are informed she died while on a trip around the world with her husband. The cancer had spread but she didn't want to worry anyone anymore. The story of Katherine's brain tumor, as well as her loved ones learning of her death, was definitely one of the best this year.

2. Summer's true paternity

After Summer Newman (Hunter King) begins pursuing older crush Kyle Abbott (Hartley Sawyer), Jack's son, her dad Nick (Joshua Morrow) begins suspiciously looking at documents pertaining Summer's DNA. As viewers recall, Summer was conceived during a time where her mother Phyllis was sleeping with both Nick and Jack. But, years later, it is now revealed that the paternity test that Nick conducted was corrupt; he just decided that Summer was his daughter. He has another test conducted, that shows Jack is actually her father. The scenes where Phyllis, Jack and Summer learn the truth were so powerful, and the acting was better than anything else you could watch on television.

1. The Baldwin family saga
The best storyline of 2013 by far was the saga of the Baldwin family. The story kicked off in the fall of 2012, when Summer began cyberbullying a boy named Jamie Vernon (Daniel Polo). Fenmore (Max Ehrich) was initially against it, but when his father Michael (Christian LeBlanc) takes Jamie under his wing, Fen becomes wildly jealous and takes over the cyberbullying even after Summer ceased fire. The bullying lead to a struggle with the boys on a rooftop, and Jamie was later found face down in the snow. He accused Fen of pushing him, and Michael was forced to arrest him, devastating wife Lauren (Tracey Bregman). While Jamie later admitted Fen didn't push him and he was exonerated, Michael and Lauren's marriage was severely affected. Lauren began turning to bartender Carmine Basco (Marco Dapper), and later began having an affair with him. When their affair is revealed, Fen turns to drugs and Michael considers divorce. Not only that, even after Lauren ends things with Carmine, he becomes increasingly obsessed with her. After Michael and Lauren reconnect and Fen goes to rehab, Carmine is arrested for attacking Lauren, but he escapes on the night she is scheduled to receive an award. He is shot to death in an alleyway. Michael went to prison for the murder, but Fen admitted he shot him. We still don't know who really shot Carmine, but this year long storyline has been a riveting ride. Some say it's too drawn out, but in my eyes it is by far the best storyline on Y&R in 2013.

Top 5 Worst Storylines

5. Melanie sues Adam for sexual harassment
Melanie Daniels (portrayed by former General Hospital actress Erin Chambers) definitely wasn't a prize winning character. She arrived in town in June, working at Newman Enterprises with Victor (Eric Braeden) and son Adam. Before long, she and Adam headed for the bedroom, but in reality Victor had been paying Melanie to spy on Adam's business deals. At this point in the storyline, I really didn't have a problem with it. But suddenly, it took one big wrong turn. After Adam dumps Melanie and Victor fires her, she reciprocates by suing Adam for sexual harassment, a completely bogus allegation. Perhaps this storyline might've worked if Chambers were a stronger actress, because she really didn't sell
what should've been a ruthless bitch taking down a Newman. Before the case could go to court, Adam's ex-wife Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) convinces her to drop the charges and she disappears from town. I heard that because the story was universally panned, the writers decided to kill the story and dump the character.

4. Sharon tampers with Summer's paternity test and Ghost Cassie
After the great story of Summer's true paternity was seemingly coming to a close, the writers through in a completely ridiculous and stupid twist. Nick's mentally fragile ex-wife Sharon (Sharon Case), who had heard about him questioning Summer's paternity, decided that she wanted him and their old life back. So, she went into the DNA lab and tampered with Summer's paternity test, which supposedly said that Summer was in fact Nick's daughter. The only person who knew about it was Ghost Cassie (Camryn Grimes), a hallucination of Nick and Sharon's late daughter, who convinced her what she did was the right thing. That was wrong on so many levels. The story was bad to begin with, and then they bring back Cassie, a legendary character, to condone it? No thank you. The story is still going on; Nick has absolutely no idea what Sharon has done, but they're currently growing closer...

3. Chelsea's baby ruse
If you ask most fans of the show, they found their insomnia cure during this storyline. It went on for months, and bored most of us to tears. In January, after splitting up with Adam, Chelsea discovers she is pregnant with his child. She tries on many occasions to tell him, but sees that he is spending more and more time with ex-wife Sharon and decides against it. Her best friend, Chloe (Elizabeth Hendrickson), tells her to sleep with someone and pass the child off as his (not surprising; Chloe did the same thing a few years back). While initially against the idea, Chelsea shares a one-night stand with Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton), a new character with oodles of potential. When Adam accuses her of being pregnant with his child, Chelsea quickly decides to pass the baby off as Dylan's. Dylan, so eager to become a father, doesn't question it. This was the beginning of the bad part. This storyline made Dylan seem so dim-witted, to the point of him being dubbed "Dyldumb" by viewers. It also gave us a bad representation of who he is, because he was so new. After Chelsea and Dylan get married, she gives birth (one of the worst birthing scenes in television history, I might add), but their son Connor is facing hereditary blindness. Adam figures out that Connor is his son as blindness runs in his genes. Chelsea admits the truth, and Dylan is crushed. Getting sleepy just reading this summary? I feel you. I dosed off several times during this storyline.

2. Dylan is Nikki's long lost son
As you can read in one of my previous Y&R editorials, this storyline was very poorly written. Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) reveals she gave birth to a son with a cult leader, Ian Ward, decades earlier. She investigates into where he is now, and discovers Dylan (still reeling from Chelsea's baby ruse) is her son. After a month of secrecy, she reveals her secret, straining her marriage to Victor and blindsiding Dylan, who still refuses to accept her as his real mom. Everything about this storyline was poorly written. Simply everything. It could've been a great story, but it was ruined by terrible storytelling. It's as simple as that.

1. Hilary Curtis, the Winters family stalker
There are way too many words to express how bad this story was. A series of complicated wrong turns, it was horrific from beginning to end. In June, Hilary Curtis (Mishael Morgan) arrives in town as Cane's new assistant. Suddenly, Cane's wife Lily (Christel Khalil) and her family, including Neil (Kristoff St. John) and Devon (Bryton James), are being attacked by lies posted by a blogger on a website. At the same time, Leslie is trying to find a woman named Rose Turner, who was friends with her now deceased father. Neil has repressed memories of meeting Rose in Evanston, Illinois years prior. They went to a hotel room where Rose passed out drunk; Neil assumed she would sleep it off but she in fact died that night. Hilary is then revealed to in fact be Rose's daughter Ann Turner, and is targeting the Winters family to get revenge for her mother's death. The plot was long, complicated and way too drawn out. We would see it one day, and wouldn't hear from it for another two weeks. However, the storyline did give us Hilary, a character with much potential.

And these are my picks for best and worst storylines on The Young and the Restless in 2013! Here's to just as many (if not more) good storylines in 2014, and perhaps less bad ones. Catch Y&R weekdays on CBS.

Exclusive: What do Y&R fans hate about Avery?

It's no secret that Avery Bailey Clark, portrayed by Jessica Collins, isn't liked by many longtime viewers of The Young and the Restless. Introduced as a supporting character in July 2011, the past two writing regimes have made the decision to make her a leading character, which has not been well received.

I spoke to several longtime fans of the soap opera on Twitter, and learned what makes them dislike Avery so much. One big reason for most of them is that Avery got together with her sister's ex-husband, Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), and then acted all innocent and hypocritical afterward. This was not one of the show's finest moments. Last October, it suddenly became head writer Josh Griffith's goal to make Avery a leading character and forget all of the crap she pulled leading up to that (like getting evil mastermind Daisy Carter (Yvonne Zima) out of prison just to spite big sister Phyllis). One fan I spoke to believes that Griffith tried to make Avery the next Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) or Christine Blair (Lauralee Bell). Additionally, they believe that Avery cannot sell a romance. She may have all the pretty looks and sparkles in her eyes, but it's not enough. Not only that, I personally don't find Jessica Collins to be leading actress material. She was perfectly fine when she was a busybody lawyer, but now that they've given her bigger storylines, her true abilities have shined through and the result ain't pretty, ladies and gents. Most of the fans I spoke to agree with me. Another fan I spoke with believes Avery is "pointless and selfish".

Another issue that fans seem to have with Ms. Clark is her baking. Since becoming a leading character, viewers have been invited into Avery's home where we learn that she likes to bake. Who cares? It's not interesting and bores most people to tears. Another main issue that comes along with being a new leading character is that she is overexposed, which many fans don't agree with. "She is inserted into many storylines that she isn't needed in," says one fan. "She lacks what it takes to be a female lead. She lacks the history, chemistry and character of other females on the show. Which is boring. Much like Dylan (Steve Burton), Avery is new. But the writers always force Dylan and Avery onto us and make them sound more important than they are. Now that Phyllis is gone, there is no use for her. She is pointless. She is dull, not very groundbreaking. Her awkwardness/attempted quirkiness comes off as fake and forced by the writers." Couldn't have said it better myself!

Avery's first romance with Nick Newman has garnered a largely mixed response. Some believe the pair have excellent chemistry together and are the show's next supercouple, and others believe they share no chemistry whatsoever and should have never been put together in the first place. The people I spoke to and myself believe that Nick and Avery (dubbed "Navery") should have never have been together. I must confess that I liked them when they first started out, but mainly because it drove Phyllis crazy and I hated her with a passion. However, then Dylan showed up in town and sent Avery into an emotional tailspin (which, for me, was the first sign that Collins wasn't leading lady material). Then Nick and Avery spent countless boring months fighting and making up, and then making and breaking wedding plans. BORING. Not to mention it was clear they should have never been together when, on their wedding day, Nick quickly called off the ceremony when Avery showed up late, without even seeing her side of the story. It was like the writers were waiting for this romance to implode.

Well folks, these are the main reasons that longtime fans strongly dislike Avery Bailey Clark. The only possible way the writers over at The Young and the Restless could make me like Avery again is if they make her interesting. Give her an exciting storyline, perhaps in the courtroom again? Hey, viewers can dream. Catch Y&R weekdays on CBS.

Cult Baby Drama on 'The Young and the Restless' falls flat

      Melody Thomas Scott and Steve Burton

In case you haven't heard, kind-hearted Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton) is Nikki's (Melody Thomas Scott) son on The Young and the Restless. This is a story that has been progressively building up since September, and the only word that comes to mind is underwhelming. The reveal was underwhelming, the outcome was underwhelming, the aftermath has been underwhelming. Head writer drama aside, this story has been really poorly written. 

Of course, this storyline is a retcon. Nikki was in a cult with Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) decades ago, and know they've rewritten that to say that Nikki had a child with the cult leader, Ian Ward. You'd think that this news would've been revealed in a bombshell, right? Wrong. Nikki revealed this to Paul while sitting on a park bench. No dramatic music, just regular dialogue. I was bored. Then, Nikki and Paul are thrust into a search for Nikki's son, which I'll admit was fun seeing them together given their history. But then we see Nikki strangely leering around Dylan and his friend Stitch (Sean Carrigan, the red-herring in this story). So obviously we know that one of them will be her son. The next day, Nikki approaches Dylan holding back her tears, then she rushes to talk to her late best friend Katherine, revealing Dylan is her son. Again, no dramatic music, just regular dialogue. 

After a month and a half of Nikki keeping her secret to herself (except for Paul), she prepares to tell all at a family dinner, but her other son Nick (Joshua Morrow) notices Dylan walk into the restaurant and picks a fight with him. Nikki blurts out Dylan is her son, causing major confusion. Dylan is in denial, Victor (Eric Braeden) is confused, Nick becomes distant and Victoria (Amelia Heinle) is accepting of all of it. Say what?! Victor semi-accepting it is reasonable, after all the crap he's pulled over the years, but Victoria didn't seem to have any problem with it at all. I was expecting everyone to be distant for awhile, but that didn't really happen except for Nick. Dylan demands a DNA test, which proves Nikki is his mother.

And now, he and Avery (Jessica Collins) are searching for information on his biological father, Ian Ward. Not only that, veteran television actor Ray Wise has been cast in the role and debuts January 23. I'm hoping Ward's arrival in town will spice up this storyline. Maybe they'll surprise us and do an old school villain storyline! It would certainly make up for some of the crappy writing this story has endured. Catch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS. 

'The Young and the Restless' Airs Throwback Episode from 1998

Just this Thursday, CBS chose to air a classic episode from its archives of The Young and the Restless; one from 1998. Lots of interesting stories were taking place at this time, including Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) finding out from Diane (Alex Donnelley) that her marriage to Victor (Eric Braeden) isn't legal, as well as Jill (Jess Walton) trying to find proof that the late Phillip Chancellor II wanted her to have the Chancellor Estate, not Katherine (Jeanne Cooper). This episode also happened to feature the infamous attic fight between Kay and Jill, an interesting part in their rivalry. All these interesting plots were taking place, and legions of fans have been saying that they wish this was the Y&R still on television today. But the question I'd like to ask is, would this Y&R last on TV today?

The late 90s was a time where daytime soaps were still pretty popular. Every major television network had at least three soaps on the air. Now? They're lucky if they've got even one on the air. As more and more legendary soaps have gone off the air (Guiding Light, As the World Turns, All My Children and One Life to Live, to name a few), writers have been forced to keep up with the times. The Y&R that aired in 1998 would in no way fly today. The stories, perhaps, might flow, but the way soaps were back then would no way garner enough ratings to stay on the air today. These were the times of the true soap opera; every remark required a long, perplexed look at the camera, and the music was either overly dramatic or inappriopriately seductive. And that's how soaps were. These were the soaps that legions of grandmothers watched with their grandchildren during the day. And before we knew it, this genre has been slipping away from us. I don't believe that overly dramatic music and drooling romance would fly today, and maybe that's why soaps have had to add a bit of reality into shows that once could have someone visibly die onscreen, then show up two years later in a plot twist. And no one would question it.

Watching this classic episode really made me think about the slowly disappearing genre of soap operas. Maybe if women hadn't started working outside of the home these types of soaps would still work on today's daytime television. But in the meantime, we have to sit back and accept that this time in soap opera history is behind us. We can either stay stuck in the past, or continue watching the stories they produce for us nowadays. Catch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

Surprising Twist at 'The Young and the Restless': Billy Miller out, David Tom returning!

                                              Billy Miller (left), David Tom (right)

Yesterday, news broke that Billy Miller, who's portrayed Billy Abbott on The Young and the Restless since 2008, couldn't reach a deal with the producers and will be leaving the role that's won him two Daytime Emmy Awards. In a surprising twist, David Tom, the first actor to portray Billy as an adult, is returning to the role nearly twelve years after leaving. Tom, who was critically acclaimed, portrayed Billy from 1999 to 2002 (the last known period that Y&R was said to be "golden") and also won a Daytime Emmy for his portrayal in 2000.

I, for one, am very surprised by this casting change. It isn't completely shocking that Miller is leaving, because he's a great actor and should definitely be pursuing primetime roles, but the fact that Tom is returning is very surprising to me. Given the fact that Jill Farren Phelps (executive producer of Y&R) is heavily known for casting people she's previously worked with (known as "friends of Jill"), we all kind of assumed that we'd have to deal with another one of her friends as fan fave Billy. But it appears the powers-that-be have pleasantly shocked all of us! Tom was widely popular with viewers and critics alike and surely created the basis for what Billy Abbott is today. 

However, what I find strange is that Miller's rumoured exit was kept secret for so long. Casting calls issued in the summer for contract roles were reported to in fact be a recast for Billy, including Andrew Abbott, who was said to be a previously unknown Abbott cousin and a doctor. That character information was met with much negativity and I'm glad that never actually materialized. Morever, it all happened very quick; revelations that Miller was in heated contract negotiations one day, and the next, he's out and Tom is returning. Makes me think talks with Tom began secretly awhile back, and he's been kept in the wings since then. A bit too good to be true if you ask me, but maybe the climate of the show is generally turning around. I'm quite enjoying all of the current storylines and the casting changes are quite pleasing. All we can do is watch! Miller will continue taping at Y&R until December 19. His last airdate will be January 30, with Tom's return scheduled for February 3, 2014. Catch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

'The Young and the Restless' November preview: Will things get better, or worse?

The Young and the Restless certainly has some heated storylines coming up this November. Say what you will about Nikki Newman, and let's admit, we've all said a lot, but did you ever think she would've had a son with a cult leader and tell no one for over thirty years? I know, it's a soap, and usually anything is possible, but I've found this rewrite severely underwhelming. There was no big reveal that Dylan was Nikki's son, because let's face it, rumours had been circulating for months and we all kind of figured it would happen (thanks for that, Jill Farren Phelps.) The thing that always gets me about Nikki, the stripper turned socialite, is that despite the great and powerful Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) being "the love of her life", she's never had the confidence to spill her guts about anything to her beloved hubby. Just this past February when she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS), she didn't want to tell The Mustache, but easily opened up to ex-hubby and once her best friend, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman). And now, she is still extremely hesitant to tell Victor that she has another son with a cult leader. What gives?

Nick and Sharon will also grow closer this November. But, as we all know, Sharon holds a deep, dark secret (that someone behind the scenes at Y&R decided to use her as the scapegoat of Genoa City and make her switch Summer Newman's paternity test.) Sources also say that she will work on becoming healthier and stabilized. So basically, they're saying that Sharon will get herself all better, say goodbye to her awful hallucination of a daughter (Cassie), and perhaps, even get back together high school sweetheart Nick. But are we supposed to just forget about the paternity test alteration, like it was nothing? She was messing with people's lives! Summer has since grown close to her biological "dad" Jack (not to mention their amazing father/daughter chemistry); will that be blown up by Sharon's little mistake? Not to mention that there is absolutely no mention of Genoa City finding out Sharon was present when Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) fell down those stairs and somehow sustained brain damage (still hard to get through saying that without bursting out in laughter, as Phyllis didn't even bump her head.) So this may sound good to you, but are we just expected to forget all of Sharon's escapades while off her bipolar meds? Again, what gives?

In terms of business storylines, which this show is iconic for, we might actually have something to look forward to. Sources say that Jack and Jill (Jess Walton) will be interacting with business concerns, along with Victor. To me, this sounds to good to be true. Of this writing regime's many faults, they certainly did not know how to write a good business storyline. All of the show's previous writing regimes, however, knew how to kick ass with a good business storyline. But alas, since Josh Griffith is finally gone, we may be pleasantly surprised with how new head writers Shelly Altman and Jean Passanante chose to entertain us. 

Also on the business front, it looks as if the new writers are looking to rebuild Hilary Curtis (Mishael Morgan). Morgan, who joined the series in June, is a soap opera newbie, but plays the bad girl role surprisingly well. But let's just say she deserves better material. Griffith's mess of an introduction for her was really hard to follow. First, there is a mysterious blogger and photographer stalking the Winters family. Then, Neil (Kristoff St. John) remembers meeting some woman at a bar in 2007. This woman, Rose Turner (Leslie Stevens), also happens to be the mystery woman of Gus Rogan (Tony Todd), the late father of Leslie and Tyler (Angell Conwell and Redaric Williams). Still with me? Okay, now all of a sudden, Hilary is supposedly Rose's daughter Ann, who wants to get back at Neil for "killing" her mother (she passed out drunk that night and died), and is targeting Neil's daughter Lily (Christel Khalil) and her husband Cane (Daniel Goddard). Like I said, mess of a story. The character has a lot of potential in many areas, and I'm hoping these writers will rebuild her and take advantage of it.

After all that, there is one story that has been my personal favorite these past few months: the Baldwin family struggles. The only thing now is it's been almost a month since Carmine (Marco Dapper) died, and we still don't know who really shot him in that alley. Fen (Max Ehrich) thinks he did it, but admits to being high on drugs and doesn't remember clearly. All the actors say a "big twist" is coming. In all honesty, I don't really have any more patience for a big twist. Carmine tortured the Baldwins for months, and now that he's finally gone, we still have to deal with him from beyond the grave. Just tell us who killed him already! This storyline needs to be drawn to a close soon, so maybe, just maybe, the Baldwins might be rewarded with some sort of happy story. Sound possible? We can only hope. Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

'The Carrie Diaries' is back and on fire!

    On left: Lindsey Gort and AnnaSophia Robb as Samantha and Carrie

    On right: Austin Butler as Sebastian (top), Chloe Bridges as Donna LaDonna (bottom)

The CW's The Carrie Diaries just returned for its second season, and is getting off on the right foot! Lindsey Gort has joined the cast as young Samantha Jones, and let's just say that this show's casting department definitely knows what they're doing! Not only that, show namesake Carrie Bradshaw (AnnaSophia Robb) is much feistier than last season. She's got more of an identity this season, and knows who knows what she wants with her life. The rest of the stunning cast has returned, including Austin Butler as bad rich boy Sebastian Kydd. 

The first season, which debuted last January, wasn't a great success in the ratings, but still got renewed for another year. It was also met with generally favourable critical reviews. In my opinion, it's definitely one of the year's best new shows. For those who don't know what The Carrie Diaries is about, it follows Carrie Bradshaw "before there was sex and before there was the city", set during her high school years in 1984. Robb's portrayal has been amazingly excellent of young Carrie, I can only wonder what Sarah Jessica Parker has to say, let alone the rest of the original Sex and the City cast. It is literally one of my favorite shows. Despite moving from Mondays to Fridays for season two, The Carrie Diaries has a great season ahead, filled with 1980s teen drama. Catch it Fridays at 8/7c on The CW.

All the Reasons Sharon and Dylan would be perfect for each other on 'The Young and the Restless'

                  Dylan and Sharon earlier this year, when he was renovating her kitchen

When our lovely friend Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton) first showed up on our Y&R screens last January, there was strong speculation that she would be paired with Sharon Newman (Sharon Case). They met each other quite quickly, but their interactions were aborted suddenly when the writers chose to pair Dylan with Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan). After months of a messy baby paternity lie, Dylan is single and ready to mingle again. Some signs are pointing to him getting back together with his former lover Avery Bailey Clark (Jessica Collins), but Dylan has also been interacting with Sharon again. What's going on here?

First off, Dylan and Avery ("Davery") aren't very interesting. We know they are said to have all this history, but because none of that happened onscreen (except for some crummy flashbacks), it's hard for me to care about these two. Sharon, on the other hand, is mentally fragile and hung up on her former high school sweetheart Nick (Joshua Morrow). But I, among many other fans, can totally see the war veteran and daffy dame getting together! Considering Dylan is in fact the long lost son of Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), Nick's mother and Sharon's rival, it would thrust a new chapter into the Nikki/Sharon feud, as well as putting quite the frown on Nick's face! It would please me so much to see Nikki's face when she finds out the woman who supposedly ruined her family is shacking up with her newfound son!

While "Shylan" would be pleasing on so many levels, a lot of people are rooting for supercouple Nick and Sharon to get back together, specifically close to their 20th anniversary next year. I pledge that we could get the best of both worlds! Pair Dylan and Sharon now, driving Nikki and Nick up the wall, and eventually, Sharon will see that Nick wants her and reunite with him, just in time for their big anniversary. It would also create another love triangle with Dylan, Sharon and Nick. Perfect! Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

'The Young and the Restless' Exclusive: Marco Dapper talks about his ouster, plus previews on Carmine's murder and Sharon's confession!

Marco Dapper, who portrayed sleaze ball Carmine Basco for over a year on Y&R, says that he knew his exit was coming. In the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest, the hunky actor tells all about his time on the top-rated CBS soap. On his exit, Dapper says: "I had an inkling about it, so it's not like it came out of nowhere. I expected it, so it was fine. As far as I'm concerned, you have to be a big boy and still do your work." He also states that he appreciated the way he found out Carmine was going to be killed off. "They pulled me into the office, sat me down and gave me the talk, which was really nice of them," he explains. "I didn't have to read about it somewhere or hear a rumor. They were very respectful about telling me and I told them that there were no hard feelings. At the end of the day, this is a business and they need to do what they need to do. I'm just glad I had the opportunity to do what I was able to do as Carmine, and the way they used me. I thought I was on my way out months ago until they decided to put him in an affair with Lauren. I had a great time working with Tracey (Lauren) and Christian (Michael). When I finished my last scene with them, I didn't even want to say goodbye. I was like, 'I'll see you around.' Los Angeles is a very small world."

In addition to appreciating the respect he received while at Y&R, Dapper states that working on a soap turned out to be very rewarding, especially since he previously said that he thought "soaps sucked". He says: "I have a whole new appreciation for what people do on soaps. Being on one was a great opportunity for me. The one thing I've learned from my time on Y&R and that I'll take on my journey is that I'm not too good for anything. I still have a lot more to learn in life and my career. It was a humbling experience and it was a good feeling to be part of a show that was written so well. It's amazing how many people pull together almost every day of the year to put on a show. I know that I really got a workout. It really stretched me as an actor and I'm grateful how they used my character. I'm definitely a better person for it." Dapper finishes by saying he would "definitely be open to doing a soap again". Might we see our friend Mr. Dapper popping up on another daytime drama?

In other news, other actors from Y&R have been previewing hot plot points! Tracey Bregman and Christian LeBlanc recently previewed to Soaps In Depth about the story surrounding Carmine's murder. "There's a huge twist coming," Bregman teases. "Actually there are two huge twists, and I didn't see either one of them coming!" Sharon Case (Sharon) also spoke with Devin Owens of Soap Opera Digest about Sharon's shocking confession. New head writer Shelly Altman says: "Nick's greatest concern is that she (Sharon) will get the help she needs and gets well." Case believes that Sharon "knows that deep down inside of Nick, he's still in love with her." Wondering if Sharon is just being delusional? The actress disagrees. "No, it's a story of hope and love. Sharon is the only one right now who knows that they are meant for each other. She still has to deal with her bipolar issue, so they both have a lot of work through, but she believes that they'll land in that place someday where they will be ready to be together."

Sharon has also been seeing a hallucination of her late daughter, Cassie (Camryn Grimes, who has been returning for several guest spots.) Case thinks that Cassie "is a projection of Sharon's own imagination. Sharon is confronting the truth and it's painful." She continues: "Sharon suggests that maybe if she gets better, she won't be seeing Cassie anymore. That's bittersweet for Sharon and that realization washes over Cassie, too, and that could be the last time we see her." But will Sharon recover? Will her hallucination of Cassie disappear or continue to help her scheme? Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

'Glee' says goodbye to Finn Hudson

Last night, Fox's hit musical dramedy Glee said goodbye to one of its most beloved cast members, Finn Hudson, portrayed by the late Cory Monteith (who tragically died of a drug overdose in August). Finn's cause of death was never mentioned, as the producers wanted the episode to be about celebrating the character's life, rather than his death. The tears shed in the tribute just made me think more and more about how downhill this show will go. In all honesty, the tribute episode felt sort of empty and anticipated. Devastatingly sad, yes, but in a way, disappointing.

Almost all of the original cast members made returns for the tribute, except for one: Dianna Agron, who portrays Quinn Fabray. It seemed very bizarre without Quinn there, given the fact that she dated Finn for the longest time. One source says that Lea Michele (Rachel) and series creator Ryan Murphy "intensely dislike Dianna and have both worked to marginalize her as much as possible." An insider says, "They never saw her as a team player. They simply did not want her sharing the glory for this very special episode." However, another insider told E! News that, "She is still very much a part of the Glee family and always welcome." I find it hard to believe that Michele and Murphy dislike Agron; but it would've been nice to see Quinn there.

Glee was renewed for an additional two seasons this past spring, and Murphy even contemplated having the show cancelled following Monteith's death. What do I see for the future of the series? Newbies overpowering the main storylines and the original characters being squeezed out of the picture. Unfortunate is the only word I can come up with. Glee airs Thursdays at 9/8c on Fox.

Who will Nikki's son be on 'The Young and the Restless'?

                 Melody Thomas Scott

Anyone who has been watching Y&R the past few weeks knows that Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), legendary socialite wife of Victor (Eric Braeden), has been hiding one big secret: she has a long lost son that she had as a teenager before turning her life around. Rumours had been flying high since August that Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton) would be tied to a longtime character. Is the hunk possibly Nikki's son?

There is another possibility, however. Nikki learned this week that her son lives right in her home of Genoa City. She has not only shared some bizarre scenes with Dylan, but with his army medic buddy Stitch (Sean Carrigan). But all the signs are pointing to Dylan. It would certainly liven up his character, which I must admit has been mind numbingly boring since his debut last January. There was good prospects for a pairing with heroine-turned-mentally ill villain Sharon Newman (Sharon Case), but that was destroyed for Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan), who spent months passing off her baby as that of Dylan (which ultimately blew up in her face).

All this to say is that it's time the writers over at Y&R gave our friend Steve Burton a good, interesting storyline that doesn't make us want to watch paint dry. It would also launch Dylan into some interesting interaction with the Newman family, and worsen the tension between him and Nikki's other hunky son Nick (Joshua Morrow). Be sure to watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS to find out who Nikki's son will turn out to be!

'Mom' starts strong, 'The Crazy Ones' starts weak

CBS' Mom, which premiered last Monday night, gave a pretty nice debut. Anna Faris stars as a single mother of two kids, who also happens to be a recovering alcoholic. In the pilot, she runs into her mother (Allison Janney) for the first time in years. They definitely have some great chemistry going on. Despite its rather quirky premise, the actors and writing seems to be strong. 

CBS' other new comedy The Crazy Ones, starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar, didn't debut on such a high note. It has some great actors, including Hamish Linklater (ex-Matthew, The New Adventures of Old Christine) and special guest star in the pilot, Kelly Clarkson. However, the first episode was weak. The storyline was weak, and the chemistry among the cast was weak. It's very unfortunate, but there's also the chance that it was just a bad pilot episode, and the rest of the series will perk up. Catch Mom Mondays at 9:30/8:30c and The Crazy Ones Thursdays at 9/8c on CBS.

Fox's 'Sleepy Hollow' gives a stunning debut

Tom Mison and Nicole Beharie as Ichabod Crane and Abbie Mills

Fox's Sleepy Hollow, which premiered on Monday night, gave a stunning debut in an absolutely riveting hour of television. Ichabod Crane (Tom Mison) awakes in present day New England (in a small village called Sleepy Hollow), where soon after a mysterious headless horseman kills the town's sheriff. Crane may be the only one who holds the secret to how the headless horseman can be stopped. Nicole Beharie also gave an excellent performance as Abbie Mills, a cop who believes Crane is not insane and can help them find the truth. Their seemingly quiet town may actually hold century-old secrets that will come to light in what I hope to be an amazing season on television.

It appears I'm not the only one who thoroughly enjoyed Sleepy Hollow this week. The Toronto Star says, "Modern-day Sleepy Hollow shouldn't work, but it does", "Sleepy Hollow’s off-the-wall plot seems almost workable", as well as saying that it doesn't have a lot of competition in the sci-fi horror genre. James Hibberd of Entertainment Weekly reported that the series "lobbed off the competition Monday night", and The Chronicle Herald calls it "illogical, great fun". Could we possibly be looking at Fox's next hit drama? Very few shows debut with such an amazing pilot episode that leaves you thirsty for more, but somehow, Sleepy Hollow accomplished it. Catch the new series Mondays at 9/8c on Fox.

Exclusive: Victoria Rowell wants to come back to 'The Young and the Restless'

Ever since this blogger storyline has begun to unravel on The Young and the Restless, speculation has arose that Victoria Rowell (ex-Drucilla Winters) might be returning, with other rumours stating that the actress didn't have the time to reprise the role she originated in 1990. In the latest issue of Soap Opera Digest, Rowell speaks openly that she will "always have time for Y&R". Of recent return rumours, she states: "I don't like the audience being tricked into believing that I'm coming back when Steve Kent [senior executive Vice President, programming, Sony Pictures Television] hasn't called me. I heard yesterday from someone at Y&R that they're being told I don't want to come back. People are still campaigning for this character daily, going into seven years, for a return, and the brass ignores that."

Since leaving Y&R, Rowell has campaigned to have African American writers hired at the soap. The actress herself left in 2007 after calling the soap racist for not having enough African American crew members. She shares that she got the show's first African American writer at the 37-year mark. She states that she asked Steve Mosko (president of Sony Pictures Television) about a return, and he said he would talk about it with Steve Kent. That was two and a half years ago. 

Rowell didn't want to leave the soap opera genre behind, revealing that she wanted to test for a role on NBC's Days of our Lives. Long story short, her name was taken off the list for the role, and she later  learned that they thought she wouldn't want it because it was recurring role. The actress shares: "My agent wouldn't confirm me if I didn't want the job. We're actors and we work really hard, so for someone over there to say, 'Take her off the list. She won't do the role' is ludicrous." Rowell was also 

happy to report that the rift between her and former co-star Michelle Stafford (ex-Phyllis) has been resolved.

Rowell also has a new project in the works, turning her best selling novel, The Young and the Ruthless, into a prime time series that will feature several former Y&R stars. In the meantime, Rowell is completely open to reprise the role of Drucilla. She states: "I will always have time for Y&R, so I do not want that I'm too busy with other things to ever be used as an excuse by anyone. In the meantime, one must eat and one must be creative, which has only inspired me and empowered me to continue on."

'The Young and the Restless' finds its new head writer

                       Jean Passanante 

After much speculation, it appears The Young and the Restless has found its new head writer. After the current head writer, Josh Griffith, announced his exit last month, rumours were flying high that executive producer Jill Farren Phelps was urging to have him fired. Phelps has been met with overwhelming negativity with fans on social media; she even has her own hash tag on Twitter (#FireJFP). She is being called a "soap destroyer", and many think she is behind the soap's crummy storylines. 

After the announcement of Griffith's exit, speculation arose that Shelly Altman, a writer currently on the Y&R team, would take over. Before long, Jean Passanante's name joined the rumours. Passanante, who previously head wrote Another World and As the World Turns, was heavily rumoured to be co-head writer with Altman. Passanante herself confirmed her hiring on Twitter yesterday, despite the fact that there has still been no confirmation from the series. In response to a fan, she wrote: "I'm still at GH right now!!  But Shelly has taken over and she's fab." 

Passanante has been associate head writer of General Hospital since last May, and many are speculating that Phelps is trying to steal staff away from her old stomping grounds (a show she executive produced for 11 years). Passanante is also being met with much negativity, some saying she was the cause of both Another World and As the World Turns' cancellations as she was head writer at the time. I think this is merely coincidental. How can we criticize a writer when she hasn't even put pen to paper? We have to give these ladies a chance! Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.  

Jennifer Lopez inks $17.5 million dollar deal to return to 'American Idol'

It appears as though it's true! Jennifer Lopez will be returning to American Idol this season as a judge, inking a jaw-dropping $17.5 million dollar deal. Sources are saying the producers were trying to compete with The X Factor, where superstar Britney Spears is being paid $15 million to be a judge. Rumors had been flying about for a few months that Lopez would be returning to her post on Idol, with a potential $15 million dollar deal.

Lopez was paid $12 million for her first season of Idol in 2011, followed by a $3 million dollar raise to $15 million for her second season the following year. When it came time to negotiating a contract for a third season, Lopez asked for an additional $2 million dollar raise; the producers refused and she walked. It is unclear whether or not Steven Tyler's exit that same year was due to salary issues.

There are currently only two seats on the judging panel confirmed; Lopez will be joining country singer Keith Urban, who is the only judge returning from last season. The panel will reportedly return to its three-judge format with only one woman, as the producers would like to avoid the nasty cat fights that occurred between Mariah Carey and Nicki Minaj last season. Music producer Dr. Luke was rumored to be filling the final seat on the panel until conflicts with his recording label arose in late August. The Hollywood Reporter is now reporting that Harry Connick Jr. has signed on for the third seat. Longtime judge Randy Jackson, who announced his departure earlier this year, will be returning as a mentor. Auditions for the thirteenth season of American Idol will commence this fall, and look for it to premiere in January 2014.

Will Katherine's last wish cause problems on 'The Young and the Restless'?

                         Katherine Chancellor's loved ones await the news of her death

This week on The Young and the Restless, we learned that the matriarch of Genoa City, Katherine Chancellor, had died while on a worldwide trip with her husband Murphy (Michael Fairman). All of her loved ones received individual letters, and now, will her last wish shake up Genoa City forever? Kay's letters to Jill Abbott and Nikki Newman (Jess Walton and Melody Thomas Scott) were especially special, and it could send them down a path that may push them to their personal limit!

"Katherine has set in motion something Nikki has for many years tried to avoid," previews head writer Josh Griffith. "Now she's at a crossroads. Should she follow Katherine's advice or let it go?" While Nikki's mission seems quite serious, Jill's mission could be just as serious if not more! As we all know, Kay and Jill shared a very special relationship over the years. One of the longest rivalries in American soap opera history, Kay was believed to be Jill's biological mother for a few years before Jill found out she was apart of the Fenmore family. Jill's letter from Katherine was obviously sentimental, as she told her she was giving him everything she valued. Now could that mean the obvious, or something more meaningful? Jess Walton weighed in: "She's puzzled, but then she starts getting frustrated because it starts getting hard! Jill has a letter from Katherine that says, 'I want you to have everything I valued.' So Jill, of course, is feeling loved and valued and cocky, as Jill tends to do! Jill is truly grieving. She truly loved Katherine. But she can afford to be magnanimous with Nikki because of the words, 'I want you to have everything I valued!' All Jill sees is those words. But Jill is very frustrated, because she doesn't know how to get it!" 

Not only that, Kay left Cane Ashby (Daniel Goddard, who was believed to be Jill's son) in charge of her company, Chancellor Industries. And because Katherine knew she was dying when she left on her trip, she knew Cane would be in charge after she was gone! Why would she have done this? To spite Jill, even from beyond the grave? I wouldn't put it past her! Walton states: "There really is a special love between Jill and Cane, but it is very complicated right now with him running Chancellor. She taught him the ropes in business, and that was her CEO seat, and it was taken away from her. She's torn between her passion for Chancellor Industries and her love for Cane. She's also shutting him out because he's too close to her heart, and her heart is wounded right now." Not only will Katherine's death cause trouble on the business front, head writer Griffith previews that there is a secret that will shock fans! He states: "She wants to leave them with a last thought and motivation about their lives. In Jill and Nikki's cases, she sets them both on revelatory journeys." Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

Fan faves return to 'The Young and the Restless'

Finally, there's some good news to report about The Young and the Restless! Several sources reported this morning that several former stars of Y&R are returning for Katherine Chancellor's (Jeanne Cooper) memorial service. Among those returning are Beau Kazer (Brock), Tricia Cast (Nina), Lauralee Bell (Christine), Patty Weaver (Gina), Adrienne Frantz (Amber) and Michael Damian (Danny). Damian will perform "That's When I'll Stop Loving You." The ceremony will be conducted by Father Todd Williams, the recurring character portrayed by Cooper's real-life son Corbin Bernsen. The only two characters aren't returning are Katherine's own son and granddaughter, Tucker and Mackenzie. But not everybody can return, right? 

Executive producer Jill Farren Phelps told TV Guide Magazine: "Katherine knew she was dying and made it clear she didn't want a sad event where everyone wore black and was miserable. She wanted a celebration and that's exactly what she's getting. And Katherine being Katherine, she will continue to orchestrate things from on high — just as she always did on earth." Phelps also previews that Katherine's death will trigger many upcoming stories for the fall, especially for her best friend Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott), "one that will haunt her character and pull in many players as we go into the fall. It's a real front-and-center story, the kind the fans have been asking for. Jill's letter sets up a mystery that will, at first, drive her absolutely crazy. Paul's letter from Katherine tells him to 'Follow his heart.' Christine also gets a letter but I can't talk about that one just yet. Victor's letter is also a big secret — but that's because he's not going to share it with anyone."

None of this has been easy for any of the actors; Phelps says having Bernsen take part in the memorial "helped us feel like we had a piece of Jeanne there with us. After the filming of his last scene, Corbin made the most beautiful, heart-wrenching speech to the cast and crew about how much Y&R meant to his mother, and how she had worked there for 40 years and filled up that big soundstage in much the same way our new Chancellor Park now fills it up. There wasn't a dry eye anywhere." According to several sources, Katherine's memorial will air on September 3 and 4. Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

Exclusive: Jennifer Lopez returning to 'American Idol'

Well, it looks like I may have a reason to watch American Idol again this season! Jennifer Lopez, who came on as a judge in 2011 and left after two seasons, will return as a judge after one season away. Her young beau, Casper Smart, told E! News that rumours of Lopez's return were true, after assuming Fox had already made the announcement. However, they declined to comment. Network President Kevin Reilly revealed at the Television Critics Association summer press tour that the network had approached Lopez in hopes of negotiating her return to Idol. "Jennifer has been a close part of the show all along…there have been discussions there," he said.

This is great news! I, for one, had thought the singing competition reality show had begun to go downhill last year, when Fox brought in Mariah Carey, Keith Urban and Nicki Minaj to the panel. The focus had shifted onto the judging panel, when it should've been on the contestants. Thus far, Lopez and Urban are the only two judges with a confirmed spot on the panel, as longtime judge Randy Jackson chose to leave to "focus on other business ventures". E! News also reports that a handful of Idol alums are up for spots on the judging panel, as well as Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus, will.i.am and Fergie. Look for the 13th season of American Idol to premiere in January 2014.

What on Earth is Happening Behind the Scenes at 'The Young and the Restless'?

Last Friday, entertainment website Highlight Hollywood reported that head writer of The Young and the  Restless, Josh Griffith, is on his way out at the top rated soap. Not only that, it appears that Jill Farren Phelps, Y&R executive producer, is pushing Sony Pictures Television and CBS to fire him. Insiders say that Griffith has been having a "complete meltdown", and due to Phelps urging Sony to fire him, they say he is thinking of moving on to a more "fulfilling" thing. The insider stated: "Josh [Griffith] was very uncaring and tacky when he did his interview with TV Guide soon after his former boss’s contract was not renewed, now it’s funny, he’s facing the same fate, and at the hands of the same woman, Jill Firing Phelps. He did not see it coming! Even though Josh is at work in the building today, he’s just a wreck. He’s previously had his door locked, and seemed as though he was having a breakdown, and Jill has been so uncaring, and telling everyone, she doesn’t time to coddle people, and she is pressuring Sony execs to fire Griffith.” 

With 15 days left in Griffith's contract, CBS insiders stated: "He no longer has Maria [Bell] to protect him.  He threw in on the side of the wrong lot definitely this time.  Jill is fed up, she’s taking the blame for all of the mess this show has turned into, and she is looking to do what she does best.  Make herself the good-guy with fans, and fire Josh, but the whole problem happens to be her as well.  The truth is, Sony knows she’s ill-placed as the executive producer at ‘Y&R,’ but they have no choice but to back her, so they are looking to make a major shakeup and hopefully take the focus off Jill, so that they can hopefully get viewers interested in these horrible storylines again.  None of these people know what to do.  They are all grasping at straws, it’s truly a snake-pit in this place now. Everyone is miserable and scared for their job. Jill’s planning more deaths and destruction, both on air and behind the scenes, if she has her way.” 

In addition, an actor from the series said that Sony knows it was a mistake to hire Phelps and take creative control away from the Bell family, who created The Young and the Restless. Well, it's not like Maria Arena Bell made Y&R the best. After her firing last year, viewers put their faith in Phelps and Griffith to put the top rated soap back in its place; character driven stories powered by great actors and great characters. Bell had basically ruined the dynamics of several characters and created several outlandish plots, including giving her crappy storylines way too much airtime. It's not like Griffith made Y&R a whole lot better; he introduces a constant string of newbies, gives them way too much airtime and uses Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) as a scapegoat (after promising to "rebuild" her character after she was royally assassinated by Bell). 

But it's hard for me to believe that these are all of Griffith's choices. My million dollar question is; has Phelps been influencing the horrible, boring storylines? Phelps was the one who cleaned house of half the cast last fall, and while everyone said it wasn't even her call, is it coincidental that she didn't work well with any of them in the past? It's not like Phelps has the best track record; she almost got General Hospital cancelled a few years back with crappy stories. The Highlight Hollywood report says CBS and Sony are in talks with new writers, could they be some of Phelps' former General Hospital writers? It all seems like one big conspiracy theory to me. Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

Sandra Oh to call it quits at 'Grey's Anatomy'

Sandra Oh, who has portrayed tough-skinned Dr. Cristina Yang on ABC's top medical drama, will be calling it quits at the series after the completion of its upcoming tenth season. After signing a two-year deal with the network in May 2012, Oh won't renew it this year and will leave to pursue other career opportunities. An emotional Oh spoke to The Hollywood Reporter, saying: "Creatively, I really feel like I gave it my all, and I feel ready to let her go. It’s such an interesting thing to play a character for so long and to actually get the sense that she wants to be let go as well. [Cristina] wants to be let go, and I am ready to let her go. We have to start the process, story-wise, for the Grey’s writers to think of why she’s going to go.”

The actress openly admits her decision doesn't feel real yet. She says she first started thinking about leaving last May, when all the original stars inked new deals. “I’ve gone through a lot of therapy over this,” she says through tears. “I started thinking about it because I had to prepare myself. I gave myself two years to emotionally let go. At the end of last season, Shonda took me aside and said, ‘What are your thoughts?’ I said, ‘I’m ready.’” Oh informed her fellow co-stars of her upcoming exit at the table read for the show's 200th episode. "I seriously think I need that much support over processing it over this next year for me to be able to leave fully and leave in a way that I feel like Cristina deserves,” she says, noting that series creator Shonda Rhimes has supported her every step of the way. “For the first time, at least for my character, you actually have an endpoint, which in series television you never or very rarely have.”

In her 10-year run with the series, Oh's character Cristina has certainly been the experiment of the writers' exploitation of controversial subjects, such as abortion and PTSD. As there is currently no word how the character will exit, it is definitely sad to see her go. But we have to respect Oh for her hard decision to leave. The tenth season of Grey's Anatomy premieres with a two-hour special on Thursday, September 26 on ABC. 

The Curious Case of the Blogger on 'The Young and the Restless'

For months, Y&R viewers have been wondering who has been torturing Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John) and his family on a trashy blog site. Ever since Mishael Morgan made her debut as Hilary Curtis in June, we've been wondering what she's really after while working for Cane Ashby (Daniel Goddard). As  Neil edges closer to the truth, Hilary has been looking more mysterious and more mysterious. Could she be the one behind this blogger mystery?

The blogger storyline, which has been progressively dragged out since May, has been subject to criticism, but I have been thoroughly enjoying it! But it would be somewhat disappointing if Hilary is revealed as the mystery person, just as disappointing as the revelation that Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) was the murderer of Diane Jenkins (Maura West) last year. It is also disappointing that Rose Turner, a woman linked to Neil and Leslie (Angell Conwell), wasn't revealed to be alive. A ball was dropped on that one. But once the real blogger comes out of hiding, whether it's Hilary or not, it will certainly open up a can of stories for the future! Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS. 

'We're The Millers': Great actors with an unfortunate script

It's no secret that We're The Millers isn't going to become a timeless classic. Despite its crappy premise, the impeccably funny performances of the actors somehow make everything flow. Jason Sudeikis stars as a minor league drug dealer who is left broke after a robbery. He is neighbors with Rose the stripper (Jennifer Aniston) and awkward teenager Kenny (Will Poulter). He enlists their help along with Casey (Emma Roberts), a teenage runaway, to become his fake family so he can smuggle tons and tons of marijuana over the Mexico border. What they don't know is they're being followed by the rightful owners of the weed and they could get killed!

I know what we're all thinking; just another negative review waiting to happen. But like I said, the amazingly funny performances of its all-star cast makes you wonder one main thing; if they had all these great actors on hand, why not give them a better script to work with? Jennifer Aniston is not the type to play a stripper, but she made it work, same with Sudeikis, Poulter and Roberts. So c'mon, why not give them a better plot? I'm not afraid to go on record saying I quite enjoyed We're The Millers, a movie that I was so prepared to say it would be stupid. Yes of course, there were stupid jokes and a lot of eye-rolls, but the end result was a lot of laughs and a surprisingly enjoyable movie.

2013-14 Television Season Preview: Many Promises Ahead

The 2013-14 television season seems to be withholding many promises! There are many new series that have the potential to become smash hits. ABC is shaking up the Sunday night drama lineup with Betrayal, a serial about two married people committing adultery. Personally, it seems to me that ABC is trying to recreate the dynamic it once had with Desperate Housewives on that night. Catch Betrayal when it debuts on Sunday, September 29. 

CBS is also spicing up its Monday night comedy lineup. Mom stars Anna Faris and Allison Janney as daughter and mother, one recovering from alcoholism. With comedic talents like Faris and Janney, the series seems like a hit waiting to happen. Mom debuts Monday, September 23. The following week on September 30, CBS debuts another new comedy, We are Men, about the lives of divorced men. If its scripts permit it to become a hit, then it will, but otherwise I expect it to flop. 

Over on Tuesday night on ABC, the network is debuting The Goldbergs about a family in the 1980s. I don't see it doing well, but we'll have to see! CBS is also expanding its Thursday night comedy lineup. The Crazy Ones, starring Robin Williams and Sarah Michelle Gellar, hits television screens on Thursday, September 26. Starring as father and daughter, Williams is an unpredictable genius and Gellar is his daughter, who is stern and determined. The two will hopefully have the chemistry we all hope they will have. On October 3, CBS will also debut The Millers, starring Will Arnett and Beau Bridges about a family dealing with divorce. Over on NBC, Michael J. Fox is getting his own sitcom; The Michael J. Fox Show, about a man who retires early due to Parkinson's disease. Based on his own life, Fox is also a producer for the show. Catch its premiere right after The Crazy Ones. 

Unlike last season, the season ahead holds many promises. Catch all these new series and many more when they premiere this fall.

Phyllis doesn't deserve to go out like this on 'The Young and the Restless'

Ever since Michelle Stafford announced her exit from The Young and the Restless in May, everyone has been wondering how her redhead character, Phyllis Summers Newman, would depart. I for one never thought that the writers would consider killing her off, but from the looks of this past week, it seems that's the road they're taking.

Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) apparently switched Summer's paternity test results, while everyone was growing used to Summer being Jack Abbott's (Peter Bergman) daughter. But if Sharon actually altered the test, Summer would in fact be Nick's child. Sharon had good reasoning for her actions, because if Summer had never been Nick's he wouldn't have left her and ended their eleven-year marriage. Phyllis overheard Sharon's confession, later resulting in Phyllis' tumble down a staircase. The fall was poorly staged, as Phyllis allegedly hit her head, when in fact she barely even touched her head.  Now Phyllis lies in a hospital bed, comatose, unable to reveal what Sharon has done. 

This is a very unfortunate and wrong way to kill off longtime fan favorite Phyllis Summers. Stafford deserves more than this, so she must have good reasons for wanting to leave. We all know that if you piss off the writers of a television series, it doesn't reflect well on your character. So who the hell did Stafford and Case piss off?! Sharon has had the worst storylines for the past four years (kleptomania, going to prison and faking her death to escape, marrying her ex-father-in-law twice, going psycho and taking over his company, diagnosed with bipolar disorder and now, switching paternity test results and messing with people's lives.) It needs to stop. I thought Y&R was in good hands with Jill Farren Phelps and Josh Griffith (who took over after Maria Arena Bell was fired last July), but it appears Y&R is in just as worse shape as it was last year. Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

Wishful Storytelling for 'The Young and the Restless'

As Y&R viewers know, Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) has been passing off Adam Newman's (Michael Muhney) baby as someone else's, and that person happens to be down-to-earth Dylan McAvoy (Steve Burton). Burton's introduction to the soap wasn't all viewers hoped it would be, as executive producer Jill Farren Phelps probably just wanted Burton on her soap no matter what the crappy storyline they chose to give him. Chelsea and Dylan, dubbed "Chylan", have great chemistry together, but if you're gonna look past that, there's absolutely no depth! In other words, boring snore fest. And that's why I'm issuing a wishful storytelling request to how the truth about Chelsea's baby should be revealed.

Dylan entered the scene as the presumed dead boyfriend of Avery Bailey Clark (Jessica Collins). Avery, in love with Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow), eventually chose Nick and they've decided to get married. Avery and Dylan's scenes together since then have shown that they still love each other. Chelsea's sleaze bag father Jeffrey Bardwell (Ted Shackelford) knows the truth about her baby and demanded money to keep quiet. Jeff spills the beans to Adam, who confronts Dylan and Chelsea. Dylan ditches Chelsea over her con and decides to get Avery back. On her wedding day with Nick, Avery worries if she's making the right choice by marrying him. Dylan shows up and tells her everything about Chelsea's baby, and admits he still loves her. Just hours before her wedding, Dylan convinces Avery to   run away with him. Nick and their loved ones wait for her to walk down the aisle, but she never does. 

Meanwhile, Adam demands to be present in his child's life, and due to sudden complications in her pregnancy, Chelsea is forced to move in with Adam. They begin to reconnect, sleep together and are soon reunited. He promises to reduce his role at Newman Enterprises, but Chelsea refuses to believe him. Determined to prove her wrong, Adam resigns at Newman and proposes to Chelsea as she goes into labor...

That's the way I believe this storyline should go down. Of course, this will most probably not happen, as Josh Griffith is currently using bipolar Sharon Newman (Sharon Case) as the town's scapegoat. But hey, we as viewers can only predict and hope, right? Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS.

'Grown Ups 2' falls flat

I'm not gonna lie: Grown Ups 2 was pretty bad. Unfortunately, its plot just couldn't get past the stupid fart jokes that basically form the entire movie. While its 2010 prequel had meaning about blurring the lines between childhood and parenthood, this movie could've possibly had those moments, but they were inevitably ruined by some stupid character doing something stupid. 

Of course, those who enjoy Adam Sandler films have to be of an acquired taste. Perhaps if this movie didn't include other stars like Kevin James, Chris Rock or David Spade and just starred Sandler among other actors, it would've survived. Because frankly, Sandler's lines and scenes were really the only enjoyable part of the movie. While I admit I found myself laughing at some of the stupid jokes in the beginning, I began to realize that Grown Ups 2 was basically all one big joke. I'm not even entirely sure if Adam Sandler fans would enjoy this movie, as the rest of the cast ruin it, even the hilarious Maya Rudolph and Salma Hayek. The movie does have its entertaining moments, but you'd be better off to skip it.

'666 Park Avenue' ends on a high note

ABC's supernatural drama, 666 Park Avenue, concluded last Saturday, after having debuted on the network last September and cancelled after two months. ABC then postponed burning off the remaining episodes until June 22. While I quite enjoyed this series and was saddened by its sudden cancellation, I began to see these past few weeks that 666 Park Avenue just might have been a little too bizarre for major network television. The series followed a young couple in love as they become building managers of the Drake, a mysterious apartment building in New York City. Strange things happen to Jane (Rachael Taylor), and we finally learn that she yields an unknown past with the building. 

After the cancellation last November, series executives revealed that they would rework the final episode "to act as a series finale". And while watching the final episode, I realized that they crammed possibly two more years of material into one hour of television. If only the series had debuted on ABC Family, or even The CW, it might've gotten a few more seasons. But as I said, 666 Park Avenue was probably just too weird and bizarre for ABC. But the series was perfect for supernatural lovers, and developed a loyal fan base within two months on the air. It baffles me why another network didn't make a play for the series. I had tweeted (@teeveejeff) saying that I hoped the series finale wouldn't disappoint me. All I can say is that it is disappointing this series had to be rushed to an end.

5 storylines that would rock 'Two and a Half Men'

Ever since Charlie Sheen left Two and a Half Men, the CBS comedy has been going downhill. Ashton Kutcher's introduction was a flop, not to mention Alan has become unrecognizable and his relationship with Lyndsey (Courtney Thorne Smith) was hard to watch. In addition, Jake is basically a "full man" now, so the series' title is completely inaccurate. But for the eleventh season (I know, it's been on that long), Angus T. Jones (Jake) isn't returning as a main cast member. As a result, they're introducing a new female lead, who will be Charlie's previously unknown daughter, who is a lesbian named Jenny. No word on who will be playing her. I'm sure this will open up some new storylines, but Two and a Half Men is still running out of stories and here are some of my storyline suggestions:

1. Bring back Jenna Elfman as Frankie! Elfman hard previously done a 2-episode guest role in the first season, and Frankie had fallen for Alan before she moved away. It's been ten years, but if they can bring back Kandi (April Bowlby), than I say bring Frankie back!

2. Remember Alan's Ponzi scheme with his family in the final episodes of season 8? Well, lest we forget that Rose (Melanie Lynskey) was the one who gave him $50,000 to pay everyone back. In exchange, Alan didn't blab to Charlie that Rose's "husband" was actually a mannequin. But Charlie is dead, who's Alan gonna tell? I say bring back Rose and have her blackmail Alan. Not to mention that Rose is currently off-screen, screwing with Walden's fashion designer girlfriend! 

3. Bring Berta (Conchata Ferrell) back to the front burner! There were many good stories with her family that occurred in the past. They could bring back Prudence, Berta's slutty granddaughter, played by one miss Megan Fox! Or, they could bring back Sara Rue as Berta's youngest daughter, Naomi, who had dated Alan and gave birth to a baby. She could return looking for Berta's support and wind up with Alan again! 

4. Bring back Judith (Marin Hinkle) and have her make Alan's life miserable again! Jon Cryer did some of his best acting during the first two seasons of the series. The storyline was one of the series' best, and they should definitely revive it. 

5. Get rid of Herb (Ryan Stiles). I, personally, never enjoyed his character's presence, especially anywhere after season 7. They completely ruined the character this past season, when he returned revealing Judith had left him and became a lonely, pathetic man alongside Alan and Walden. Phase him out, kill him off, I don't really care anymore. Just say bye-bye to Herb somehow, please?

Two and a Half Men returns this fall on CBS, in a new, more appropriate timeslot; Thursdays at 9:30.

'The Heat' scores high

The Heat, starring Sandra Bullock and Melissa McCarthy, definitely scores high, in fact, it might be the top comedy of the summer! Bullock and McCarthy star as two cops, one from New York and one from Boston. On the surface, they're like oil and water. Mullins (McCarthy) is a tough fighting girl whom all of her co-workers believe is insane, including her boss. While every second word out of her mouth is either "f--k" or "s--t", her fierce personality makes you laugh regardless. Ashburn (Bullock) is the tightly wound genius who can easily get into a criminal's mind, but she's single and lonely. Together, they become "the heat" and find fun in their conflicting personalities. Bullock's impeccable comedic skills allow her to keep a straight face during McCarthy's laugh-out-loud rants, which adds to their undeniable screen chemistry. If you love to laugh during movies, don't miss this hit!

Is Drucilla Winters returning to 'The Young and the Restless'?

For the past few months, a mysterious stalker has been taking pictures of the Winters/Michaelson clan on The Young and the Restless. After the great decision to make Angell Conwell and Redaric Williams main cast members, their characters (Leslie and Tyler) have endured a long exploration of their past. After the untimely death of their father Gus (Tony Todd) in May, viewers have been waiting to know the next chapter. And basically, we're still waiting! Leslie thinks the woman who holds the key to her father's secrets, Rose Turner, is dead, but we should know that's probably is untrue, because Leslie Stevens joins Y&R as Rose on July 25! 

Since then, the Winters/Michaelson clan has been targeted by an unknown blogger exposing recovering alcoholic Neil Winters' (Kristoff St. John) diary entries, among other things. And just this week, when Leslie tells Neil Rose died in 2007, we go to a flashback of Neil sipping an alcoholic beverage, and reading of his wife, Drucilla Winters' (Victoria Rowell) presumed death. Rowell herself, who had played Drucilla for seventeen years, left Y&R in 2007 after calling the show racist for not having enough black cast and crew members. Within the story, Dru fell off a cliff and her body was never found. In the years following her exit, Rowell stated that certain actors were preventing her return to the show, one of them being Michelle Stafford (who plays Phyllis), who will be exiting in August! Maybe what we don't know is that Stafford quit because Rowell will be making her long overdue return! The viewers can only hope. It would definitely explain Stafford's sudden decision to leave Y&R in May. Watch The Young and the Restless weekdays on CBS. 

Peter Bergman previews the paternity bombshell on 'The Young and the Restless'

For all you 'Y&R' fans, Peter Bergman (Jack) has previewed in an exclusive interview with TV Guide's Michael Logan about how his character will react to the paternity bombshell that lies ahead. Just recently, the writers of the top CBS soap decided to rewrite the paternity of Summer Newman (Hunter King), making her Jack's daughter instead of Nick Newman (Joshua Morrow). While many are criticizing this plot for many reasons, I for one have quite enjoyed it. Some say it is moving too slowly, others say the writers have dropped the ball. But I'm happy to go on record saying that this storyline will be quite the bombshell in everyone!

For months, Summer has been crushing on Jack's son Kyle (first Blake Hood, now Hartley Sawyer). Her "father" Nick was always against it, and now we know why! While I do question why Summer's redhead, feisty mother Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) seduced Kyle in efforts to get him away from her daughter (which surprisingly worked), this storyline has been working out pretty well and everyone's reaction will be absolutely epic. To read the full TV Guide interview with Bergman, here's the link: http://www.tvguide.com/News/Exclusive-Young-Restless-Bergman-Jack-Summer-1067499.aspx

'Glee' is switching up its main cast

Fox's musical dramedy, Glee, is switching up its main cast for its upcoming fifth season. Amber Riley (Mercedes), Mark Salling ("Puck"), Heather Morris (Brittany) and Harry Shum Jr. (Mike) will not be returning as main cast members. Not so surprising, considering most of them made only minor appearances last season. In addition, Dianna Agron (Quinn), who was taken out of the main cast for the fourth season, will not be returning either. That's disappointing, considering Agron is a great actress and Quinn is such a great, multi-faceted character. It's good to here everybody else will be returning though (hopefully).

But that's not all Glee is changing. Previous recurring cast members Melissa Benoist (Marley), Jacob Artist (Jake), Becca Tobin (Kitty), Blake Jenner (Ryder) and Alex Newell (Unique) have all been promoted to series regulars. It seems as though the series' "new class" is overtaking Glee. While it's good on one level that the writers are keeping things real with these new characters, I don't see why they just could've kept all the original Glee club members. Perhaps they would've gotten criticized for having a series featuring characters that never leave high school, but it still would've been entertaining. I miss the early days of Glee with all the original characters all together. Not only that, the new characters (particularly Kitty) are just annoying at times. Look for season 5 of Glee to premiere Thursday, September 19. 

Kelly Sullivan exiting 'General Hospital'

Kelly Sullivan, who portrays Kate Howard (a.k.a. Connie Falconeri) on ABC's General Hospital, has been let go from the soap. Sullivan, who took over the role from Megan Ward in 2011, was actually talented and not that bad of an actress, but head writer of the series, Ron Carlivati, clearly doesn't see that. His ridiculous outlandish plot writing has completely ruined General Hospital. The amount of new characters he has introduced and killed off in the past year isn't even entertaining anymore. Now I know soap operas are supposed to have ridiculous plots from time to time, but reality has to kick in sometime in these storylines.

In a post on her Facebook page, Sullivan thanked her fans for there support. She wrote: "Thank you all so much for your support and loyalty. You are my life long family and I cannot express how much I appreciate each of you. You have really made my experience here on GH a wonderful adventure. I wanted to fill you all in on the details and try to answer some of your questions. I am not returning to GH after August. This is not a contract issue, I have been written off the show. I do not have any information on potential Daytime opportunities. Lastly, I have no ill feelings towards any of the staff or crew connected to the show or the network. I will miss everyone dearly. Love, Kelly". All I can say is that Sullivan and her character won't have to endure terrible writing anymore.