STILL YOUNG AND STILL RESTLESS

For 15 years I have watched The Young and The Restless on and off - I love this show and have been watching a few episodes this week online. The writing hasn't dimmed and if anything the stories seem tighter and more fraught than ever down Genoa City way.

It's the top rated daytime soapie in the US and with good reason - it's held the top spot since December 1988. Grounded in semi reality - it has played the same storylines for at least 20 years. Who knew Jack Abbott and Victor Newman could be at loggerheads for so long over women and business. The acting is sterling to say the least. I have a few favourites - Eileen Davidson as Ashley, Jess Walton as Jill, Jeanne Cooper as Kay, Peter Bergman as Jack and Christian LeBlanc as Michael.

The interweaving stories never fail to brighten up my day when I watch Genoa City - yes it's daytime so has it's own world and is it's own genre but watching Y&R really is daytime at it's best. The budget looks great - there's always a conflict, always some young love and always always some crazy bitch or bastard causing havoc. Who can forget Dacid Kimble terrorising Nina by being mute and coma-ish but also being in the court room at her trial for attempted murder. He then had surgery to his face and was finally demolished in a garbage compressor. Sounds bizarre but the beauty of Y&R made it work - somehow and I was shocked and surprised - I still am by the twists and turns the storylines take - the writers manage to make everything a three act Greek tragedy and that's part of the show's success.

An old favourite couple returning is Danny Romalotti and his ex wife Christine Blair aka Cricket Romalotti aka Lauralee Bell who is the creator's daughter. Danny was a rockstar and Cricket as she used to be called was an aspiring lawyer - they were my favourite hot couple but then Michelle Stafford brilliantly playing the nutty Phyllis showed up and had an obsession with Danny and Cricket got raped by original bad guy Michael Baldwin - now Michael is the show hero. A testament to the bizarre but fabulous acting of Emmy winner Christian Le Blanc.

Y&R really is a cut above the rest and I just can't wait to see what Jill and Ashley and Lauren Fenmore and the rest of the cast get up to next! And I haven't even mentioned old stripper turned diva Nikki who I love love love aswell..... All I can say is YouTube - CBS has put up whole episodes on YouTube and it means I'm only a day behind watching my favourites of Genoa City - or I can go back 5 years and watch on TV here in the UK. Like a fine vintage, The Young and the Restless hasn't gone out of style.