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THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Jack and Nikki Hit Rock Bottom with Riveting Performances by Peter Bergman and Melody Thomas Scott

By Michael Fairman

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Photo: JPI

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.

Photo: JPI

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.

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You’ve got to be kidding! What an insult to recovery and those who work hard to stay sober one day at time. Done with Y&R!

Bye bye

I’m sure both actors were great, but I hated that the entire episode was taken up by this storyline. Once (my recording) hit the 20 minute mark, I figured it was a stand-alone, and FF’d through the rest of it.
Can this story end now please since you have Peter & Melody’s Emmy reel for next year? Such an obvious ploy!
Today’s episode better be putting Nikki in rehab for the next month and getting Jack back on track.
Obviously this is JMHO, so please don’t jump all over me!

Honestly, it came across more like a budget dictated episode, reducing the overhead and trimming the cast even more than they usually do from day to day. With a B and C plot thrown in, better pacing would be achieved.

Onyx

I agree! I watched this episode today and it was riveting! I, and people I love, have had issues with alcohol/drugs and I think their performance was spot on. When Nikki called Jack out for still having his dealers number and he called her out for keeping vodka at the ranch, they pointed to their failures of coping with their addictions. Their love for one another was truly felt and I have never seen these two actors nail a scene like they did this whole episode. I hope to see them both get Emmy nominations for this, they deserve it.

I agree with your assessment and it’s too bad some of the other viewers couldn’t appreciate it. They just didn’t get or understand what it was all about, or what message they were giving and I say it was their loss.

The storyline of Jack taking narcotics to save Nikki is VERY IRRESPONSIBLE. How dare the writers glorify this !!! Y & R have sunk to a new low.

Sharon case the most popular actress on this pathetic show no where to be seen ! Pathetic but yet we see these people five days a week. Now wake up call if you have an alcoholic in the home you don’t have booze sitting around. Recovering means recovering you never tempt a alcoholic they are one drink away from it going back again ok anybody with a brain knows that so stay away from these stories you are too ignorant to know anything about this terrible disease

Recaps

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy Tells Carter She’s Pregnant, But He Has a Way ‘Out of This Situation For All of Us’

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Steffy and Carter

After taking a second pregnancy test on the Friday, September 12 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) freaks out ever more when it come back positive, too. Leading her to shriek, multiple times over, “Oh my God! Oh my God! I’m pregnant!”

As previously reported, CBS and The Bold and the Beautiful have already confirmed that in the story, the baby Steffy is carrying is Carter’s (Lawrence Saint-Victor) which kicks-off their 40th season of storytelling. However, could there be a twist down the line that it’s really Finn’s (Tanner Novlan)?

On Friday’s episode, Carter gets a text from his wife, Daphne (Murielle Hilaire) telling him she wants to talk more about surrogacy later, since she cannot carry Carter’s child, and the couple was exploring ways for them to have a baby. Suddenly, Carter flashes back to waking up next to Steffy on the couch in the office after they had sex the night before in their drunken stupor.

Carter

Courtesy/CBS

CARTER DEVISES A PLAN

Then, Steffy comes whirling into the office demanding to talk to Carter right away. Steffy is informing Carter that she has to tell Finn about their night together more than ever! A confused Carter asked her what changed, when they agreed to keep their one night together a secret? Carter tells her if she reveals what happened between them, it will tear about all of their lives.

Carter thinks nothing will come of their “mistake” if they keep their mouth shut. Steffy responds, “You’re wrong.” She goes on to explain that she’s pregnant! That declaration stuns Carter and we fade to black.

However, it was the preview for the action next week on The Bold and the Beautiful, that aired at the end of Friday’s episode and is now all over B&B’s social media that is the real tell-tale sign of where this story is heading.

B&B SPOILERS

In a scene airing next week, Carter says to Steffy, “I have a way out of the situation for all of us!” This comes on the heels of Daphne telling Carter she wishes she knew someone who would be their surrogate. So, putting two and two together, it looks like Carter will come up with the idea to pass Steffy and his baby off as the surrogate child of Carter and Daphne.

Look no further than the official B&B spoilers for episodes airing Monday, September 14- Friday, September 18 and the teaser lines of the Steffy/Carter baby drama to back that up below.

Monday, September 14, Steffy’s news complicates things even more with Carter, while on Tuesday, September 15, 2026  Daphne is hopeful she and Carter will be able to find a surrogate and Carter rushes to stop Steffy. On Wednesday, September 16, Carter makes a passionate plea. and by Thursday, September 17, Daphne can’t believe Carter’s suggestion. Then come Cliffhanger Friday, September 18, Steffy is caught off guard.

So, what do you think how it look to be Carter who originated plan to keep the truth from ever coming out, that he and Steffy had sex, and the best way to do this is for Steffy to be the surrogate for Carter and Daphne’s child? How complicated will the cover-up eventually get? Will Steffy fall in love with the baby making this whole thing untenable for her? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section, but first check out B&B’s video teaser for next week’e episodes below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason and Britt Reach an Impasse; Is This the End of Their Relationship?

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Jason and Britt

On the Friday, September 11 episode of General Hospital, Jason (Steve Burton) and Britt’s (Kelly Thiebaud) relationship becomes strained to potentially the point of no return.

Things take a turn when an unglued Britt having been traumatized by almost being killed by Anna Devane (Finola Hughes) asks Jason to back her up with the PCPD when she reports Anna for attempted murder.

However, Jason told Britt, he can’t. Jason shares that he does not believe Anna would have gone through with shooting her. Therefore, Britt was not in any real imminent danger. Britt is flabbergasted and hurt that Jason is refusing to tell the police what he actually witnessed for himself on Mount Emerson.

Britt

Courtesy/ABC

BRITT WANTS BACK UP FROM JASON

Jason counters that he can’t believe that Britt would want Anna punished. or sent to prison, or a mental facility after the trauma she endured while being locked up and mentally tortured while at Wyndemere.

He asks Britt, “How could you even say that you want her locked up or prosecuted for what she did when you knew she was being held prisoner and you did nothing to save her?” Britt is stunned by Jason’s response.

Coming up, official General Hospital spoilers share that on the upcoming Monday, September 14 episode, Jason confides in Carly (Laura Wright), while Britt is stung. In the video preview that aired at the end of the Friday, September 11 episode for this coming Monday, Britt says to Jason, “You don’t believe me. Do you?”

General Hospital head scribes, Chris Van Etten and Elizabeth Korte previously teased in their fall preview of the soap, “Britt and Jason have come a long way and fought a lot of enemies to be together. But the most stubborn obstacle to their happiness isn’t without, it’s within. Decisions Britt made to stay alive while under Cullum’s thumb will come back to haunt her and may prove too difficult for this unlikely couple to survive.”

So, what do you think will happen? Will Jason and Britt break-up over Britt’s lies and Jason’s unwillingness to report Anna’s crime against her? Do you want Jason and Britt to go their separate ways? If they do, will Britt become romantically involved with Dr. Tristan Roberts (Dean Geyer) ? If so, who do you pair Jason with? Anyone? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Recaps

THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Steffy is Shaken to the Core, ‘Oh My God! I’m Pregnant!’

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Steffy

On today’s Thursday, September 10 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, Steffy Forrester (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) discovers she’s pregnant, after taking a home pregnancy test, that will launch a new story arc that will remain front and center for the show in the months ahead.

The life-changing story kicks off the B&B’s 40th season which officially began on September 8. In it, Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) is the biological father of Steffy’s unborn child from their drunken night together when both endured turbulent times in their marriages.

Previously, Carter had trouble with Daphne (Murielle Hilaire), when she initially walked out on him, because she could not carrying his child. Meanwhile, Steffy broke up with Finn (Tanner Novlan) while in Monaco over Finn’s mother Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown) showing up, who once tried to kill her.

Courtesy/CBS

Fast-forward, Carter and Steffy made a pact that no one will ever need to know about their drunken night together, but now with Steffy becoming pregnant it changes everything. Making matters all the worse, Daphne views Steffy as her best friend, in fact, Daphne and Carter have been talking about having a child via surrogacy. While Finn had showed the couple how to start the process of finding a surrogate, Daphne felt just choosing a random person to carry Carter’s child is so impersonal. She would rather have it be someone she knows.

It does not take a scientist to predict … that somehow Steffy will carry the baby pretending to be the surrogate, when she its biological mother, and along the way, the questions become, does she keep the whole thing somehow a secret to herself? Doe Carter find out at some point? Stay tuned to see how this story reveals itself.

At its root, this is a major storyline for Wood, who has already won three Daytime Emmy Lead Actress Awards in her 18 years with The Bold and the Beautiful. In that time, her character of Steffy has experienced multiple pregnancies, given birth to two children, Kelly with Liam (Scott Clifton) as the father, and Hayes with Finn as the father, and endured a miscarriage.

So, what did you think of Steffy getting confirmation she is pregnant and looking mortified when she found out? What will she do next? Will she tell Carter? Will Daphne come to Steffy to ask her to be her surrogate, which Steffy may think will be the answers to her prayers, only for the truth to come out later, or falling in love with the baby since its hers to be begin with? Share your thoughts and theories for this major story for Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, via the comment section.

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Jonathan Bennett joins the cast of GH as Joe Fitzpatrick. Catch the latest promo! Leave a comment.Leave A Comment

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