Shake-Up at Young & Restless and Days of Our Lives: Big Boss Reportedly Out… With More Changes to Follow? (2024)

Image: BBC One screenshot

1/52

<p>Hands down, it’s the UK import <em>EastEnders</em>. With a truly diverse cast, actual have-nots as well as haves, plots that <em>fly</em> with the repercussions of the everyday and, most importantly, a fearlessness that American soaps have altogether lost about addressing real-life social issues, it is the definition of compulsory viewing.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI (7)

2/52

<p>It pains us to say it, because heaven knows we love <em>Young & Restless</em>. But its aversion to playing out drama <em>on screen</em> is beyond frustrating. The cast is brilliant; the characters, fascinating. For Pete’s sake, give them something to do besides change jobs and throw themselves at partners about whom they (and we!) are at best <em>mildly</em> interested. (Oh, and don’t look too pleased with yourself, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>; you only <em>barely</em> dodged this bullet!</p>

Image: Soaps.com

3/52

<p>Was any soap fan <em>not</em> left jumping for joy when CBS announced that it was developing what will be the first daytime drama to premiere since <em>Passions</em>! As if that wasn’t amazing enough, <em>The Gates</em> will be the genre’s first Black-centric serial since <em>Generations</em>! (<a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/gallery/the-gates-dream-cast/" target="_blank">Review our dream cast here.</a>)</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

4/52

<p>After sounding the alarm about <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/680709/producer-investigated-misconduct/" target="_blank">sexual harassment at <em>Days of Our Lives</em></a>, Arianne Zucker <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/717071/arianne-zucker-sues-producer-albert-alarr-ken-corday/" target="_blank">found herself out as Nicole</a>. But the actress, an MVP since her debut in 1998, didn’t take her exit lying down. <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/717227/read-arianne-zucker-statement-lawsuit/" target="_blank">She filed a lawsuit</a> that hopefully will help bring about lasting change.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

5/52

<p>If <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> hadn’t made an appointment for Xander with Forrester-adjacent Dr. Finn, would Emma’s ex-boyfriend never have made such a fuss about Thomas’ involvement in her years-ago death?</p>

Image: CBS screenshot (2), Howard Wise/JPI

6/52

<p>Somebody at CBS must not have minded the wrong kind of attention that <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> got for its hair-raising introduction of Hunter Tylo’s recast, ’cause what did it do with the legendary Colleen Zenk on <em>Young & Restless</em>? It slapped one Party City costume after another on her! We thought that it couldn’t get any sillier until we were forced to hand out…</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

7/52

<p>We don’t even know what to say about <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Jordan in male drag. So we’ll let this photo say it for us.</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI, Howard Wise/JPI

8/52

<p>Quick! Which one of these photos of Steve Burton playing<em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Harris… and which is the actor as<em>General Hospital</em>‘s Jason? Burton played both characters simultaneously, and honestly, who could tell?</p>

Image: Disney

9/52

<p>When <em>Station 19</em>‘s Season 6 finale introduced Nanette, the waitress who intended to give up her baby for adoption, did anyone <em>not</em> expect Maya and Carina to become its moms? We’re not mad at the twist, mind you. But it <em>was</em> pretty obvious that the stork was gonna have to redeliver the kid to the marrieds’ house.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

10/52

<p>Since <em>Young & Restless</em> brought back Tucker in the fall of 2022, he’s been plotting non-stop. But to what end? None of his machinations have yielded results, much less the desired ones.</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

11/52

<p>Despite being a gazillionaire, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Bill repeatedly took Poppy to Il Giardino. And while we’re sure the pizza is top-notch, the waitress happens to be both a woman he slept with as part of an ill-conceived sting and responsible for the attempted murders of Poppy’s sister and nephew!</p>

Image: ABC screenshot (2)

12/52

<p>The explosions that <em>General Hospital</em> began setting off one right after the other in the wake of Nina’s S-E-C-R-E-T coming out were so blindingly bright, the show should’ve warned its viewers to put on sunglasses.</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

13/52

<p>Holly’s overdose on <em>Days of Our Lives</em> reminded us of just how gripping the Peaco*ck soap can be when it isn’t playing musical roles with its cast and breaking up couples too quickly for us to even get attached to them.</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

14/52

<p>Gotta give <em>Young & Restless</em> points for creativity. The whackadoo dream that convinced Sharon to cut Chance loose was <em>Twilight Zone</em> bizarre.</p>

Image: CBS

15/52

<p>We were already upset about <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> turning Zende into such a jerk that he’d mack on cousin R.J.’s disinterested girlfriend, Luna. But then the show went so far as to have him sleep with her when she was so high, she hallucinated that he was R.J., never stopping to question why she might suddenly be crawling into his bed!</p>

Image: ABC

16/52

<p><em>General Hospital</em> managed to keep Steve Burton’s return as Jason under wraps until the moment his comeback was revealed during the final seconds of the soap’s 60th anniversary special.</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

17/52

<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em> had a genuine soap superstar in the making in Victoria Grace. But instead of capitalizing on her appeal, the powers that be softened Wendy’s edges to the point that she was as generic as store-brand paper towels.</p>

Image: CBS screenshot (2)

18/52

<p><em>Young & Restless</em> finally gave exes Nick and Phyllis a scene together during February sweeps — only to reveal that we’d missed all of the drama which supposedly took place between them after he found out she’d faked her death. Folks, it doesn’t count as him not speaking to her if we don’t <em>know</em> that he isn’t!</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

19/52

<p><em>Bold & Beautiful</em> gave us chills aplenty as it ended February sweeps with Sheila stalking Steffy, only to find herself on the wrong end of her intended victim’s kitchen knife.</p>

Image: FOX Image Collection via Getty I

20/52

<p>To explain leading man Adan Canto’s absence at the beginning of<em>The Cleaning Lady</em>‘s third season, the show had his alter ego, Arman, go missing. When Canto sadly lost his battle with cancer, it became downright difficult to watch the storyline continue to unfold on screen.</p>

Image: Peaco*ck screenshot

21/52

<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Nicole and E.J. spent several days having essentially this conversation with Holly…</p><p>HOLLY: Tate didn’t give me the drugs!</p><p>E.J.: But he could have, so we’re going to destroy his life.</p><p>HOLLY: But he didn’t!</p><p>NICOLE: Maybe he did? Let’s go after him without any actual evidence, just in case!</p><p>HOLLY: But…</p><p>NICOLE: Shh, shh… You’re too weak to talk!</p>

Image: ABC

22/52

<p><em>General Hospital</em> Anger Man Drew retaliated against Nina, the editor who’d made <em>Crimson</em> a hit in an age when magazines are dying faster than soap characters are coming <em>back</em> from the dead, by replacing her with girlfriend Carly, who has a total of zero experience in the field. D’oh!</p>

Image: Disney

23/52

<p>Yep, that would be Drew again. Upon deciding that Jason coming back to the life was the death of his relationship with Carly, the <em>General Hospital</em> power player dumped her <em>and</em> fired her, thus opening himself up to the mother of all retaliation lawsuits.</p>

Image: ABC/Getty Images

24/52

<p>In turn, <em>General Hospital</em> had Nina accept Valentin’s gift of <em>The Intruder. </em>Sure. Because if there’s one thing hotter than print magazines nowadays, it’s print newspapers.</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

25/52

<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Tom and Alice had to have been rolling over in their graves when the powers that be burned down the iconic Horton home. At least the Christmas ornaments (and Alice’s beloved chair) made it out unscathed.</p>

Image: ABC

26/52

<p>We know <em>9-1-1</em> is more popular than <em>Station 19</em>, but did ABC have to cancel its <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em> spinoff to add the Fox drama to its lineup? Couldn’t the network have just had two first-responders series on the air at the same time — kinda like it does now that <em>Station 19</em> is playing out its last season and <em>9-1-1</em> its first at ABC.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

27/52

<p>Maybe we were too invested in <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Daniel and Lily to give a hoot about him and Heather. Or, just throwing it out there, maybe the show bungled any chance of having us root for Lucy’s parents to reunite by having Daniel cheat on his girlfriend and trash a relationship that we apparently liked more than he did.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

28/52

<p>Now that <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> let Eric get that whole “my last collection” thing outta the way, his role is apparently that of social director. Dying? Throw a shindig. Living? Throw another one. Tuesday? You know the drill.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

29/52

<p>That <em>General Hospital</em> might be done with Olivia Jerome, we get. When that one flew over the cuckoo’s nest, she didn’t come back. But that the show would kill the bat-guano-crazy character off screen was… Well, c’mon. Truly insane.</p>

Image: Peaco*ck screenshot

30/52

<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em> turned Paulina’s cancer into an altogether resonant, relatable and important storyline. Just kidding. The show made a mockery of it by having the patient be cured instantaneously by an angel and Abe’s love.</p>

Image: ABC

31/52

<p>Excitement was high for <em>This Is Us</em>’ Susan Kelechi Watson to join <em>Will Trent</em> as a potential love interest for our her. But her alter ego, Cricket, literally blew up in the first episode of the season. Sure, this gave Will lots of angst, but it was disappointing for her fans!</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

32/52

<p>Once <em>Young & Restless</em> abandoned Phyllis’ feuds with Sally and Diane, it picked old enemy Christine’s name out of a hat and made aggravating <em>her</em> the redhead’s top priority. If that meant chasing after Danny like a groupie who hadn’t been over the singer for decades, so be it.</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

33/52

<p>We already knew that <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> doc Finn was barely smart enough to play a game of <em>Operation</em>. But his angst over Sheila’s demise — after she shot him and Steffy, drove mom Li to her “death” and paid his wife a terrifying house call — takes his idiocy to staggering new heights.</p>

Image: Samuel Dore/Netflix

34/52

<p>In March, Netflix revealed that Season 3 of <em>Heartstopper</em> — aka the loveliest, sweetest, most romantic dramedy on television — would premiere in October.</p>

Image: ABC screenshot

35/52

<p>Rather than increase its makeup budget to cover up the massive tattoo that Steve Burton got after <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/616186/general-hospital-fired-steve-burton-responds-angry-upset-fans/" target="_blank">being let go</a>, <em>General Hospital</em> just wrote the ink into Jason’s comeback.</p>

Image: ABC screenshot

36/52

<p>Did anybody really think that<em>Grey’s Anatomy</em>was going to let Teddy die on the operating table… especially once the show revealed that portrayer Kim Raver had signed on for Season 20.</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

37/52

<p><em>Young & Restless</em> episodes dealing with Connor’s OCD diagnosis were written with all the subtlety of a wrecking ball. But we still give the show credit for taking a shot at the kind of social-issues story that the late Bill Bell always managed to incorporate.</p>

Image: CBS Screenshot

38/52

<p>When <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Claire imagined what life in Genoa City would have been like had she grown up a Newman, it was a good time for all. Cassie was alive, Nick and Sharon had never parted, and Adam… well, ok, he’d become a waiter at the GCAC, so he might not have been as into it as we were!</p>

39/52

<p>Natasha Hall did such a good job of stepping in when<em>Days of Our Lives</em>needed someone to temporarily play Jessica Serfaty’s Sloan that we found ourselves hoping she might land a part on another show.</p>

Image: ABC screenshot

40/52

<p><em>General Hospital</em>found a lovely way to keep the memory of both Jaclyn Zeman and her much-loved alter ego alive when Carly decided to rename Kelly’s to Bobbie’s.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/JPI

41/52

<p>Many fans wrongly assumed that<em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Seth was working with Nikki’s tormentor, Jordan. Instead, he wound up being the baddie’s victim when she pushed him in front of a car!</p>

Image: ABC screenshot

42/52

<p>When<em>General Hospital</em>‘s Michael handed his phone over to Danny, he revealed that the code needed to unlock it was 123412. ELQ might want to have a training session advising against such hackable codes!</p>

Image: Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

43/52

<p>When<em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Mamie first arrived in Genoa City, she was spitting fire in Jill’s general direction. Unfortunately, their feud proved about as exciting as… well, every other business-centric story on the soap.</p>

Image: Disney

44/52

<p>After all <em>Station 19</em> has put Jack through — and it’s been a <em>lot</em>! — its final season premiere revealed that he would never again be cleared to work as a firefighter.</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

45/52

<p>Not only is <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Xander sexy, but he’s also considerate… even to his victims! “One thing that’s been consistent through all of my kidnappings,” he told co-star Ashley Puzemis is that my victims always become my friends later… one of them even married me!” (That would be you, Nicole!)</p>

Image: ABC screenshot

46/52

<p>We’ve kinda wanted to see<em>General Hospital</em>‘s Ava and Sonny hook up for years, so watching them circle one another has left us hoping that Nina’s estranged husband and best friend are heading for a very messy relationship!</p>

Image: ABC screenshot

47/52

<p>Truth be told, we stopped caring about Marshall’s misdiagnosis ages ago. But new <em>General Hospital </em>scribes Patrick Mulcahey and Elizabeth Korte managed to tie up this dangling thread and deliver a powerful message at the same time.</p>

Image: Howard Wise/jpistudios.com

48/52

<p>As if hoping to somehow “fix” the awful story already in progress,<em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s writers suddenly had Zende claiming to be in love with Luna, the young woman he’d “accidentally” raped.</p>

Image: Getty Images

49/52

<p>We’ve been hearing for two years now that Ellen Pompeo was checking out of<em>Grey’s Anatomy</em>. And while she’s slated to appear in fewer episodes this season, the show itself is only airing 10. As someone once said, “How can we miss you if you don’t actually go away?”</p>

Image: CBS screenshot

50/52

<p>We applaud<em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Hope for admitting that while she’s in love with Thomas, she didn’t necessarily want to dash down the aisle. Yet half the people around her acted as if somehow, the notion of waiting to commit was akin to using polyester on the runway!</p>

Image: Jill Johnson/JPI

51/52

<p>Not only have <em>Days of Our Lives</em> viewers been trapped in limbo when it comes to Xander finding out he’s actually Victor’s heir, we haven’t even gotten to see Alex play the role as he’s been relegated to little more than support for Theresa and Tate… when he’s on at all!</p>

Image: Disney

52/52

<p>Midway through its final season, <em>The Good Doctor</em> brutally murdered Noah Galvin’s Dr. Asher Wolke — and just when his boyfriend was ready to propose, too!</p>