The Young & the Restless: A Return to Real Romances Could Spark a New Golden Age for the Soap

Remember way back when The Young and the Restless’ plots didn’t all revolve around executive shuffles and psychos-of-the-week? Neil and Dru’s opposites-attract collision? Colleen’s crush on J.T.? Victoria and Billy’s unexpected romance? Nick and Phyllis’ illicit affair? We recall them all — vividly.

That’s why we’re hoping against hope that the show will recapture its past glory by returning love stories to the spotlight. Don’t make us wonder what improbable twist will get turned loose next, make us swoon, make us blush, make our hearts skip a beat.

Cupid Takes Aim

We know that Young & Restless already has couples. But either it’s afraid to write them any real relationship conflict (a la Michael and Lauren, Mariah and Tessa, Devon and Abby), the conflict is “manufactured” (see also: Jack and Diane’s silly scheme to “save” Kyle), or we’re just not buying what they’re selling (sorry, Kyle and Claire, Cole and Victoria, Billy and Sally). 

Where is the real, actual, palpable romance? 

Right under their noses, that’s where. Give us the we’ve-all-been-there story of Lucy falling unrequitedly Victoria’s son, older boy Reed. He reluctantly agrees to take her to a school dance at Walnut Grove but totally spaces on it. (Young guys are jerks that way.)

Yet there’s still a knock at Lucy’s door that evening. It’s a smitten Johnny, corsage in hand, offering to take his crush to the dance. “It’s OK. I know you don’t think of me that way,” he says, “but—”

Before he can finish reassuring Lucy that he’s well aware she feels nothing but friendship for him, she impulsively kisses him, her eyes at last opened to the sweetheart her infatuation with Reed had caused her to overlook. 

John Hughes couldn’t have done any better!

It Takes Two to Tango

Another way to go: Young & Restless could simply make better use of couples that it already has. For instance: Finally, Traci has a terrific significant other in Alan. Beth Maitland is a joy, and, Christopher Cousins, as witty as they come (if they’d only let the shrink have a sense of humor). But stop playing the characters as cutesy, go deeper and have some fun at the same time.

Why not enroll Traci and Alan in dance classes, maybe to step up their game ahead of whatever Genoa City’s next big wedding is. It’s awkward and entertaining at first, but Traci can’t help but notice that sometimes Alan talks to their beautiful instructor on the side. And he’s sometimes MIA for an hour or so at a time. 

Traci tries to shrug it off but finally confronts her boyfriend. “I’ve been second choice often enough,” she says, “that I know the signs by broken heart. If it’s over — or if it should be — just rip off the Band-Aid and tell me, Alan. Please.”

“Wow,” Alan replies. “For a writer, you sure don’t know how to read people.”

“Is there something going on with our dance instructor? Do you want there to be?”

With no choice but to fess up, Alan admits that he’s been taking extra lessons in hopes of surprising her. He was planning to really wow her at so-and-so’s wedding, but… “I guess the bar at the jazz club will have to do.”

Credit: CBS

With that, Alan tips the pianist to play a tango and sweeps Traci off her feet. Afterwards, she tearfully apologizes to her beau for doubting him. “I guess in my mind, after all these years, I just started to think that was the kind of thing that a man would only do for an Ashley or a Lauren, not… well, you know.”

“This is gonna be fun,” Alan says, lifting Traci’s face so she has to look him in the eye.

“What is?” she asks.

“Showing you all the things that a man would do only for you,” he replies. “This… This whole dancing thing… Pfft. It wasn’t even in the Top 10 on the list of things I want to do for you.”