If you caught the Thursday, May 2nd episode of The Young and the Restless, you witnessed an extraordinary episode filled with two unforgettable performances, that without a doubt will be remembered for 2024’s year-end accolades and next year’s Daytime Emmys.

In what at times reminded us that we were watching a two-person stage play or Y&R’s version of the classic motion picture, Days of Wine and Roses, two addicts hit rock bottom.

The episode only featured Melody Thomas Scott and Peter Bergman. The set-up, Nikki has gone on a massive bender alone in a GCAC suite, with booze bottles everywhere, slurring her words, sweating, the works. Jack, who is Nikki’s sponsor, ex-husband and friend, finds her and tries valiantly to get her to stop drinking and to sober up. He wants to get them to an AA meeting, he wants to get her to rehab. Throughout, while she is self-loathing on herself, Jack is reciting to her all the things she has to live for including Victor, her children, her charity work, etc.

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All of this is falling on deaf ears because all Nikki wants is for Jack to leave, so she can continue drinking and be left alone with her vodka bottles.

At one point, she shoves Jack and says, “You have to want to get sober, but I don’t.”  Nikki throws an empty vodka bottle in disgust and tells him to stop with his damn positivity. She wants him to leave and smugly says,“You really think you can fix me?” She finds another bottle and opens it, but it’s empty. She smashes the bottle on the floor and runs into the bathroom.

Jack continues to plead with her that she is not to blame about Jordan and for Harrison being kidnapped. Trying to distract her, he talks to her about happy times with her family, orders food and coffee and water to help sober her up, but nothing is getting through to Nikki.

Next, Nikki says all his talking is making things worse, as he tries to grab the vodka bottle from her hands, but she won’t let it go. “I’m sorry I picked you as my sponsor,” Nikki angrily says to Jack. That moment stings Jack.  She tells him he ‘failed’. He couldn’t help her and now Victor can say, “I told you so.”

Slowly, Jack is losing his grip, with all the frustration and hurt Nikki has thrown at him. Nikki tells Jack to join the party or get out. Jack says, “Fine. I will.” He grabs a bottle and pours a drink. “Wow, that’s smooth. I see you sprung for the triple-distilled.” Nikki sneers, “Do you really think you can get me to stop by drinking half of my supply?” Jack suggests they order some vermouth. “Let’s see if Ol’ Smilin’ Jack can have fun again.”

Next, in a harrowing moment, Jack dials his former drug dealer, Kieran, to make a delivery to the suite. Jack tells Nikki she’s right. “I’ve been wound too tight for too long. It’s time to get loose!” Nikki is shocked at what she is seeing.

Photo: JPI

Now, Nikki is trying to to get the vodka bottle out of Jack’s hands but he won’t let her take it. Jack pours another drink and says he’s been a failure as her sponsor so to hell with it. “Don’t you try your reverse psychology on me,” Nikki spouts. After doing a toast to their marriage, friendship and Jordan, Jack tells Nikki, everything is not all about her.

He goes into the hell he has been through with Harrison, Ashley, Diane and Kyle and Nikki.  He wants some relief! Nikki reminds him alcohol was never his problem. Jack says he needs something stronger. Just then, a knock comes at the door. Jack pushes Nikki away and a delivery comes from Jack with a bag of pills. Jack says ,”Now, this is what hits the spot.”

Nikki is freaking out, but Jack says he has to remember what it feels like. When he holds the pills in his hand, that gives him comfort. Jack is grateful for their bond. “I would do anything for you.” He says he will go to rock bottom with Nikki, so they can climb out together. Jack remembers Diane was worried that helping Nikki might tempt him back to the pills. He told her there was no chance. He says, “It would help everyone else if they didn’t have to deal with Mr. Uptight.”

Even after all that, Nikki wants Jack out of the room. “Too bad, you’re stuck with me,” Jack says. He pours another drink and takes a pill out of the plastic baggie. Jack puts the pill in his mouth as Nikki shouts, “No!” Jack wonders how it feels to know you’re unable to help someone you care about. With that, he takes a drink to swig down the pill.

Nikki thinks he faked taking the pill, so Jack takes another one “There’s something liberating about just giving up.” Jack sadly says he let her down as a friend, and as a sponsor. Jack now blames himself for her massive bender. As he continues to down the pills, Nikki says she’ll get sober and will have something to eat.

However, Jack says this feels too good to eat. He takes yet another pill. Nikki tells him to give her the pills, because he can’t mix them with alcohol. Nikki’s phone makes a noise, so Jack grabs it and pretends it’s Victor on the other end, and then does his impression of Victor raising his eyebrow. Jack wants to continue his party, as he gets higher on the pills. Nikki says she does need a meeting. Jack pulls her close and says, “Dance with me.” As Nikki, pulls away, Jack passes out on the sofa. Nikki screams and we fade to black.

All we can say is, what towering performances by Peter Bergman and Melody Thomas Scott, and a great script for them to play these scenes in. It was gut-wrenching and raw, and one of the best episodes on the soaps in a long time.

So, what did you think about Jack and Nikki hitting rock bottom? What did you think of Peter and Melody’s performances? Do you think Jack will now be back with a drug habit, while Nikki will finally sober up? Comment below.

Soap veteran, Christopher Cousins (ex-Cain, OLTL et al), made his first appearance on The Young and the Restless on the Tuesday, April 30th episode of the CBS daytime drama.

As previously reported, Cousins is taking on the role of Ashley’s friend/psychiatrist from Paris, Alan Laurent. In story, the Abbotts flew Alan in from Paris to see Ashley (Eileen Davidson) first-class ticket to Genoa City, no less.

Alan recalls to Traci (Beth Maitland) how Ashley was upset after revisiting the cafe where she had the fight with Tucker (Trevor St. John), and had two different versions in her mind of what actually happened. Traci enlightens Alan that Ashley has been having personality shifts from being assertive, to child-like, to taking tequila shots and having a good ole’ time. In addition, that Ashley is having blackouts with chunks of time gone from her memory.  Traci goes on to say that Billy (Jason Thompson) said he once experienced something like this himself with a personality splinter.

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Traci is hoping Alan can talk to Ashley and insist she undergo treatment. Alan firmly explains that he can’t treat her himself, but he will see what he can do.

When Ashley, now as her alter Belle, comes to the Abbott home after chatting with Diane (Susan Walters) at Crimson Lights, she is thrilled to see her old friend, Alan. Eventually, the two head to Society where a concerned Abby (Melissa Ordway) pours them some champagne.

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The two talk about Paris as Belle flirts with Alan. She then wonders if he is in town to probe her innermost thoughts. She tells Alan that her family has decided there’s something wrong with her. Alan assures Ashley that he cannot treat her as a patient in the U.S. as he is retired and does not have a license to practice in the states. Alan said he is concerned for her, but would never treat a friend.

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Belle tells Alan, “The rumors about my mental breakdown are highly exaggerated.” Belle speaks to the other alters, and thinks Alan is the perfect solution for Ashley. She says, “Time for some joie de vivre.”

What did you think of Christopher Cousins in his new role as Alan Laurent? Will Ashley’s alters get Alan in bed with her? Will she set him up for something more devious? Will Alan figure out what is going on with Ashley and pretend to just be her friend, while somehow treating her multiple personality disorder? Let us know in the comment section below.

It was dramatic American Idol on Monday night. The episode marked the return of the “Judges Song Contest”, where Luke Bryan, Katy Perry and Lionel Richie each serve up a song choice for the contestant to sing, and they must choose one and then figure out who recommended that song choice.

As in the past, when it got down to the bottom two from the at-home voting, the judge who scored the most picks of their song choices by the contestants, was in the drivers seat and could ultimately save one of the two performers to sing another day.

After a night of sterling musical performances by Jack Blocker performing Willie Nelson’s Always On My Mind, Abi Carter doing her rendition of Evanescence’s Bring Me to Life, and Emmy Russell performing her grandmother Loretta Lynn’s classic, Coal Miner’s Daughter, the following were safe after the nationwide vote.

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The aforementioned, Blocker, Russell and Carter, plus Will Moseley, Triston Harper, and Julia Gagnon. However, that left McKenna Faith Breinholt and Kaibrienne in the bottom two. At that point, Katy Perry conferred with her co-judges and announced with tears in her eyes, in an almost impossible choice for her, to save Breinholt, thus Kaibrienne’s run on ‘Idol’ came to an end.

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The episode also welcomed back former Idol contestants Danny Gokey, Melinda Doolittle and Colton Dixon for a performance of “Shackles,” in honor of former Idol contestant, Gospel artist, and Grammy-winner, Mandisa who passed away earlier this month at 47.

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So, did America get the Top 7 right? Did Katy do right by keeping McKenna for the Top 7 and sending Kabrienne home given her choices? Are there too many country artist contestants left in the mix? Share your thoughts via the comment section below. But first watch what happens when the final 7 are whittled down and Katy’s anguised decision.