Things are certainly heating up on The Young and the Restless canvas heading into the summer. Although Victor (Eric Braeden) and the Newmans finally have their company back, the family is hardly walking around drama-free. Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) is facing a health crisis, Nick (Joshua Morrow) is struggling to get sober, and Matt (Roger Howarth) could revert to form and go after the Newmans at any time.
Elsewhere, the Abbotts are facing a kidnapping situation, as Patty (Stacy Haiduk) and Dr. Laurence (Jere Burns) abducted Diane (Susan Walters) and are holding her captive. Jack (Peter Bergman) is desperate to get his wife back, even booting his family out of the Abbott Mansion and moving Patty in, just to make that happen.
With all of this and more going down in Genoa City, it just feels as if five characters should return to help with all the drama unfolding.
Where Is Ashley?
CBSLast time viewers heard, Ashley (Eileen Davidson) was living in Paris, still on a quest to get stronger mentally after the whole Alan/Martin (Christopher Cousins) saga. While she appeared to be doing better during her last visit to town, loyal viewers will recall that the story arc felt incomplete. We still don’t know what happened in Ashley’s childhood to later prompt her to develop multiple personalities as an adult to handle the mental anguish brought on by Martin.
Fast forward to the current storylines in Genoa City, and it would seem her family could really use her assistance. With Diane trapped somewhere and Jack focused on finding her, it would seem Kyle (Michael Mealor) could use a hand running Jabot. Plus, after Dominic’s (Ethan Ray Clark) kidnapping a few months ago, she should want to be around him and Abby (Melissa Ordway) to make sure they are recuperating.
Bring Back Summer
CBSSummer (last played by Allison Lanier) is certainly needed back on The Young and the Restless canvas. Her presence could actually impact a few plots currently happening. For example, now that Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) has given Victor his company back and she has a company of her own, Phyllis has been trying to make amends with her daughter. Given the lack of support Phyllis has in town, it would be nice if the duo could restore their mother/daughter bond on camera.
I’d also be intrigued to see Summer come face-to-face with Patty again. Longtime fans of the soap know that once upon a time, Patty almost killed Summer as a kid by taking advantage of Summer’s peanut allergy.
On the Newman front, Summer has a lot to tend to. First, she’d likely want to see her dad after his whole ordeal with Matt and his recent addiction struggle. She’s somewhat of a daddy’s girl and has yet to surface. Summer is also pretty close to Nikki, so she could share some touching moments with her grandmother as Nikki’s health worsens. Heck, could Nikki’s ailment even bring Summer closer to Claire (Hayley Erin), especially with Claire no longer dating Kyle?
Speaking of Kyle, how fun would it be to see him compete with a man to win Summer back? She allegedly has a boyfriend while in Europe, and Kyle usually makes a play to get her back when she’s unavailable.
Does Reed Still Exist?
CBSSticking with the Newman bloodline, I’ve been calling for Reed (last played by Tristan Lake Leabu) to return for a while now. Ever since Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and the family learned about Claire. Fans missed out on the possible friction that would exist between Reed and Claire, given that Reed is no longer the oldest of Victoria’s children, and Claire almost killed his family alongside Jordan (Colleen Zenk) not too long ago.
Reed should come back to town, even if briefly, to show what kind of relationship he may have with his newfound big sister, but also to be there for Nikki. He also loves his grandma, and they particularly bonded after he struck her with a car in a complete accident.
Elena Should Return
CBSIt could be a perfect time to bring Elena (Brytni Sarpy) back on the scene. With Dr. Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox) set to run the hospital in town, and show writers continuing to drop hints that Nate (Sean Dominic) is about to make a return to medicine, it would be nice to see her return to the hospital’s staff. She could even play a big role in helping to treat Nikki.
Elena may also be the answer to Nate’s lackluster love life. Although it seemed as if he and Victoria would soon reconcile, with each day that goes by, it seems as if that train is running out of steam. So why not bring in Nate’s old flame? If he returns to medicine, she may again see the compassionate side of him, reminding her of the guy she first fell in love with.
Genoa City Needs a New Top Cop with Ties to the Residents
CBSNo disrespect to Detective Burrow (Matt Cohen), but Genoa City needs a police force with ties to the city. It’s starting to become the Wild West on the soap’s canvas. Dominic was kidnapped, Diane was abducted, and Victor has been dealing on his own with the illegal actions of Matt, Phyllis, and Cane (Billy Flynn).
Look, not saying that illegal things didn’t happen with Paul (Doug Davidson) and Chase (Conner Floyd) around, but the two already knew the framework of the town and the major players. They were skillful in dealing with the slick ways of The Mustache and were trusted by most people living in Genoa City.
Admittedly, I’m not sure who the cop could be to fit the bill. But heck, at this rate, let J.T. (Thad Luckinbill) return to officer duties. He was once a detective in town. If not him, perhaps let Reed return to follow in his father’s law enforcement footsteps.
To be clear, these are all just theories at the moment. However, I’d like to see one, or all, of them play out on The Young and the Restless. What do you?
