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THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: What Did You Think Of J.T. Having A Brain Tumor?

By Michael Fairman

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Courtesy/CBS

On The Young and the Restless, the brief return of Thad Luckinbill (J.T.) put an end to the Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott), Sharon (Sharon Case), Victoria (Amelia Heinle) saga of being convicted, or part of, a murder conspiracy, when it never happened at all.  After J.T. held the women captive and turned up very much alive, and then was felled by a horrible headache, it set the stage for what many suspected … J.T. had a brain tumor.

As it turned out, J.T. was unaware, for possibly years ,that this tumor was growing which could be attributed to his behavior changes and thus causing him to be abusive towards Victoria, and everyone else around him.  Y&R towed the line in their approach when an out-of-surgery J.T. still is taking responsibility for his actions, and not whitewashing the hell he put Victoria, Victor (Eric Braeden), Nikki, and Sharon through.

On Thursday’s episode, after his son Reed (Tristan Lake Leabu) enters J.T.’s hospital room, J.T. apologizes saying that can’t make up for the pain he caused Reed, and his mom. Reed tells his father that he was a really good dad before the tumor, and sadly, when he lost his dad along the way, it felt like someone unplugged his life. J.T. says he hopes there’s a chance to plug it back in.  Reed smiles when J.T. talks about hanging with him and playing the guitar.

J.T. thanks Victoria for bringing Reed to see him, but just then two cops enter to arrest J.T. for the attempted murder of Victor Newman and are taking him to the prison infirmary to recover from his surgery, and then to be put in prison for his crimes.   J.T. says he knows he has to do this and take responsibility for his actions.  He is whisked away in his wheelchair.

After Reed has harsh words for Victoria he runs out.  Victoria returns home and smashes belongings in her home and crumbles to the floor in tears.

So, what did you think of J.T. having a brain tumor that caused much of his behavior changes including his abusive side?  Was it the wrong move … or the right move … to get this story moving along and toward a resolution?  Share your thoughts via the comment section below.

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Best choice for a bad decision I still feel Paul and Christine should be held accountable for using him the way they did.

To clarify it was a bad decision to have JT be abusive I am glad that josh wrote in a tumor a lot of us remember him with faults but the romance with Colleen changed him I hated what MY did

Totally agree Kay…

Absolutely!!!

I loved having the brain tumor as the reason for JT’s violence. I have always loved the character of Jt even back when Colleen was alive. I wanted him rehabilitated. I hate that he had to leave again for prison but understand why. In that final episode, the best part for me was seeing Victoria finally dissolve at the end and hope she continues to come to terms with how she never even tried to find answers for why JT’s physical and mental health had deteriorated so much in the time he was gone. Although,at the time, it was easy to chalk it up to her insecurities and selfishness and neediness to please her father. Hopefully, Victoria can finally begin to grow up and not be so dependent on Daddy’s approval.(Probably wishful thinking,though).

I am glad we have an answer as to why J.T. was so different. He was a hellraiser when he was younger but far from being someone physically violent towards women.

a tumor is lame. it feels like the new regime is trying to fix this mess Mal made. making JT an abuser never should have happened

I agree that J.T. should not have been written as an abuser; however, the brain tumor was a good choice since I know that it can happen; it happened to someone I know.

Look at it this way, Robert – this terrible year-long story-line is OVER!!!

I found it an easy out, but at least it’s over.

I agree, the tumor story was used on GH for Roger Howarth. Enough of the tumor excuse. Just get him off the show.

Predictable, unimaginative, lame.

Maybe predictable ; however, a good idea. What’s your choice?

I’m not getting millions of dollars to write these storylines so I don’t have all the answers. However, I do know that it feels like a lack of creativity when they pull out the old “I did it because I have a brain tumor” storyline….. which is also something that has been done before. Surprise us. Dig deeper. Have the character’s behavior be the result of a mental breakdown triggered by a repressed memory from childhood. Some twist that would have more depth to it than simply blaming the whole thing on a tumor.

Bostonnc…Totally agree with you. At least on GH they are mentioning another cause of possible bad behavior for Dante like ptsd. Seems both Y&R and GH have “borrowed” from each other re: brain tumors and alzheimers disease.

The ol JT s back!!!
Even a half ass explanation such as this is will take, anything to undo the henous misjustice that was the character assination of genoa city bad boy turned hero!
The writings much better, the background musics picked up and theres actual plots miving full steam ahead!
Now I just want Arturo to stay, more Mia and her plotting, Shick reunited, Nick out of his suit and the corporate world( doesnt suit him) .
Where is Fenn btw?. I was enjoying the ‘ young’ from young and restless scene. Hope he sticks around. Him and Anna have potential.

I thought it was a predictable conclusion.
Nothing new or dramatic.
I’ve watched the brain tumor story play out on another soap.

World’s smallest tumor creates the world’s largest diaster! Thats what i think of the plot.

Not only does it give no credence to domestic abuse that the show promoted but his bandage and coifed hair did nothing to make it believable! Come on, makeup, give him a bald cap or a bandage wrapped around his head!!!

And his escape from a watery grave was a storm drain? So JT dug down from inside a rolled up carpet instead of digging up? So dumb! And the ground RIGHT WHERE HE WAS didnt cave in?

And then Reed shows up weeks after his mom was arrested and went to trial only to ONCE AGAIN blame her for everydhing while cry he just got his murderous and abusive daddy back? And then he ran away? Who writes this crap? Victor needs to slap this kid into respect!!! His father just admitted to abusing his mother and step mother, attempted twice to kill his grandfather and the end of your scenes is “yeah daddy i want to hang out and learn how to be a man and father from you” while he screams and whines that his mother “abandoned him” (she lost custody cause of his grandfather and his father’s manipulations) and that she lied abt his disappearance?!!!

Seriously, bring Deliah back and have Reed run over by a car! Besides needing a comb, the character is nails on a chalkboard annoying.

This was just a “Franco” redux! Y&R took the easy way out of this storyline and could have done much more with the ending of the story than what we were served up.

Mixed feelings. Glad this tortured and tortuous story is wrapped up. So trite, though, that it was a brain tumor. Just like Stitch’s son. And who did/how was he saved once out of the river. And the heart condition. And access to Phyllis’ storage locker. So many unanswered questions #frustrating

Well.
Years ago when Victoria and JT got together..I liked him..but she has a habit of treating almost every man as second class citizen..they can be strong cute and a bread winner. but she is so attached to the victor syndrome..the men get bored..except for Billy.

I guess they had to find some way to rewrite what was done to the character. I am just happy the story is over! However, Victoria TOTALLY gets on my nerves!! What does this woman want?? Who does she want?? From next weeks preview, it appears she is partying with a group of young people and Billy asks, what is she doing in Vegas? Please don’t let this be a split personality storyline. PLEASE allow this woman to become her own person and not seek the approval of others! I know that is a tall order, but one can hope!

Great way to keep JT on Y&R… which they should truly consider. Get rid of Cain, what a dud.

Lame.My father had a brain tumour with no personality changes.

I know a person who had one with personality changes; plus, all brain tumors aren’t the same because I knew someone who had one without changes. However, both people died.

Well I liked him being back but the brain tumor part was not okay because sometimes abusers are really abusers and anything like brain tumors are not the cause who knows he may go back to being a abuser

I think that the brain tumor is good because J.T. and Victoria were smoking hot together. Even though they were divorcing in reality, their on screen chemistry was obvious. Plus, I hate that Mal changed J.T.’s personality so dramatically. I know that a brain tumor can change a person’s behavior because I know someone to whom it happened. I’m glad that Josh chose this route, since I like J.T.

I don’t watch y&r but it sounds like they either have someone from GH writing team now working over there or someone from Y&r watches/watched GH and is using one of their infamous storyline “Franco/ the tumor made me do it. looks like this j.t character is getting a reprieve.

Soaps always use a brain tumor for bad behavior.

With the brain tumor, they can use it to justify his behavior and find him not guilty and Victoria will take him back and they will live happily for 6 months.

What a cop out. Washing everything clean so that the abusive husband is not responsible for his actions instead of exploring a story that viewers could relate to. An insult to abused women.

I think this is not the case in real life. Abusers are grown. They learn from a young age how to treat their victims.For public service the story could have returned to JT’s up bringing and target the generational tragedy that emotional and physical abuse is. Only in a soap it is erased with a brain tumor leaving the victim victimized yet again.

As a preface, I’ll echo what other posters have said: It was a terrible idea to bring an “abusive” JT back to the show as it did not fit with the history of the character and remedying that mistake is welcome. That being said, the sudden “shifts” in the plots by a change in writers is destroying Y&R.

Y&R had one head writer (Bill Bell) for over 25 years, who was succeed for nearly a decade by his protege (Kay Alden). Y&R had 35 years of continuity in its writing. Conversely, in the past four years, there have been four different head writers. Each one of these recent writers has tried to put their “imprint” on the show — new backstories; changes in personalities of established characters; and the introduction of new characters. This has created utter chaos for the show. The place has turned into a revolving door of characters who enter and exit just as frequently as the head writers are hired and fired. The personalities of established characters change just as jarringly. (Did anyone really think Ashley could be as underhanded and scheming to her beloved relatives as Mal Young recently portrayed her?).

I welcome the “fix” of JT in this particular situation. However, it is an example of the erratic writing that is destroying Y&R. I frankly stopped watching the show as much when Paul disappeared (who, under a DIFFERENT writer, suddenly has returned with NO explanation of his nearly year long absence) and the Rosales family seemed to take over.

With the exception of the mere 10-month regime of Sally Sussman, NONE of the head writers over the past decade have been very good. The owners and network clearly realize this at some point because none last very long. They seriously need to find a good, solid writer who knows this show, can produce compelling plots, and then leave them the hell alone to write for the show. This constant change of writers is killing Y&R.

I found it to be an easy out for a horribly-paced, terribly written and drawn out story-line. The damage Mal Young did to “Y & R” is beyond belief!!

What do I think?

I think; Brain Tumors’ have become a Soap Opera Fad..

Brain Tumor is the new way of turning a bad person good and a good person bad- with a Brain Tumor.

Oscar and JT (both having Brain Tumor simultaneously) tells me that Brain Tumors are the new ”in thing”

As-
Y&R Dina- Alzheimers
GH Michael- Alzheimers

Y&R Lola- transplant
GH Jordan- transplant

Y&R JT brain tumor
GH Oliver Brain tumor

ALL ^^^^ running at the same time LOL crazy stuff..

OK-
list the Brain Tumor peoples and then go WOW! (lots of ’em)

su000…Do you think the Y&R and GH writers or whoever tap each other’s phones? And now GH borrowed Michelle/Nina is going back home to be Phyllis again. Wonder who will be Adam? Griffin?

su000…Whoops, read further,,,Y&R got another Adam.

Hope they keep JT.

Enough of the brain tumors. Had enough of them on GH from Franco to Oscar.

I thought the brain tumor was a pretty lame way to exit the story. Seems like brain tumors in soapland are as common as a cold.
The writers could have and should have come up with something more inventive.

General Hospital

Could Kristen Vaganos and Josh Kelly Be Exiting ‘General Hospital?’

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Josh and Kristen

General Hospital fans took to social media following the airing of the Wednesday, October 21 episode of the ABC daytime drama series. In story, Molly (Kristen Vaganos) reveals to Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) that she has received an offer to join the top law firm in Chicago that practices civil law. She says it’s her dream job.

The problem Molly says is relocating from Port Charles and uprooting her life and being away from her mother, Scout and boyfriend Cody Bell (Josh Kelly). Wistful that she may lose another daughter to a long-distance situation (Kristina left a few months back to go to medical school in California), Alexis urged Molly to get Cody to go with her.

Molly still seemed concerned and has trouble committing to the idea. Alexis tells her to talk it over with Cody. Meanwhile, Cody asked Tracy (Jane Elliot) is he can have Thanksgiving off because he and Molly planned to spend Thanksgiving together with their families. After initially balking, Tracy agrees.

Courtesy/ABC

WILL MOLLY AND CODY HEAD TO CHI-TOWN?

Later, Cody shows up at Miller & Davis and the conversation turned to Thanksgiving dinner that Alexis is hosting. Molly and Cody asked her not to cook anything. Cody hugged Molly reassuring Alexis that he and Molly would take care of whatever was needed on Turkey Day.

So, this raises the question, why out of nowhere are we learning that Molly received an amazing law offer in Chicago, if the character was not being written out? If Molly leaves the canvas, would the character of Cody make his exit too?

Kristen Vaganos joined GH as a recast Molly Lansing-Davis back in September of 2023 and went on contract in August of 2024. Josh Kelly began playing Cody Bell back in June of 2022. Initial reports were that Kelly joined the show on contract and then as of June 2025 went on recurring status with the show per his choice.

Do you see a world where GH is writing out Molly and Cody? Would you be sad to see Kristen and Josh exit the soap opera? If this is not what is going on, is this just a plot point for some other story that is upcoming? Share your thoughts and theories via the comment section.

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THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Adam Delivers Sally’s Baby as Billy Reels from Jill’s Health Crisis in Tearjerker Episode

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Billy, Sally and Adam

The Tuesday, October 20 episode saw The Young and the Restless deliver some deeply-poignant moments in the aftermath of Billy (Jason Thompson) and Sally’s (Courtney Hope) wedding.

The scenes which will be talked about for some time to come, because of how they can impact longterm story, had Adam (Mark Grossman) being the one to deliver Billy and Sally’s baby, while Billy was gut-punched by a phone call from Snapper Foster that Jill had suffered a heart attack in London.

In story, while up in Sally’s room at the GCAC, wishing his ex all the happiness, (because Adam and Billy have no love lost, and he didn’t want to cause waves), Sally’s water broke. In true soapy fashion, all phones were dead. Sally’s phone was missing because it was with Audra (Zuleyka Silver), Adam’s battery ran out etc. Prior to that, Adam did try to call Billy, but Billy did not pick up his calls, as he was with Cane (Billy Flynn) coming to terms with the news on Jill.

Photo: JPI

TORN BETWEEN RUNNING TO HIS MOTHER OR HIS NEW WIFE AND BABY

Now in the perfect storm of circumstances, Adam is the one to help Sally deliver her baby when she begged him to stay with er screaming, “Please don’t make me do this alone!” Adam reminded Sally that he’d already delivered a baby twice before. She assured him that it will be OK, and not to be scared, because this isn’t the same set of circumstances when she lost their daughter, Ava, during childbirth.

Downstairs, Billy is in tears over his mother. So too is Cane. Cane speaks to Jill on the phone when Snapper holds the phone to her while at her hospital bed. He tells her he loves her. Billy cannot bring himself to talk to his mom.

Cane decides he will go to London. Billy doesn’t know what to do with a new wife and a baby on the way. It’s clear how much losing Jill would devastate Billy. Cane tells Lily (Christel Khalil) what has happened to Jill, and Billy informs Jack (Peter Bergman) before he tries to find his bride who is upstairs in her room.

Photo: JPI

A NEW ABBOTT

Back in Sally’s room, eventually Adam asks Sally (who is deep in labor), if she thought she was having a girl or boy, and she said a boy. But then, Adam introduced her to her “beautiful, perfect baby girl.” It was a moment laced with so much history for Adam and Sally and Adam and Billy, when you think of the deaths of Ava and Deliah.

As Sally cradled her newborn little bundle of joy, Adam went to go get Billy at her request, and as he made his way to the door, Billy was standing there. Billy is stunned to see his rival standing, but then Sally tells Billy to meet his daughter!

Billy rushes to the bedside to be my his new wife and daughter, with the heartbreaking final shot of Adam emotionally overcome thinking of the baby he has lost with Sally. and how he wishes things could have turned out differently in a bittersweet moment.

Photo: JPI

EMOTIONAL PERFORMANCES

The episode was laced with hankie-inducing moments from Jason Thompson, Courtney Hope, Mark Grossman and Billy Flynn, who each delivered, to bring this story so much heart and history.  There is plenty of Emmy material within for next year for these four.

You can check out the final moments of yesterday’s episode where Billy meets his daughter for the first time, followed by the final shot of Adam at the door below, followed by our live chat replay with Y&R stars, Jason Thompson and Courtney Hope which streamed immediately after this episode aired in all timezones on the Michael Fairman Channel.

Now let us know, did you reach for the hankies during the episode? Did you like that Adam was the one to deliver Sally’s baby? Do you think something more will happen with Jill? Share your reactions in the comment section.

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THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL: Finn Blows a Gasket After Steffy Reveals She’s Gone Ahead and Become Carter and Daphne’s Surrogate

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Steffy and Finn

On the Monday, October 19 episode of The Bold and the Beautiful, after Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) stammering around and trying to find a way to couch her lie to her husband, Finn (Tanner Novlan), she finally admits what she has been dreading telling him.

But not before, Finn and Steffy rehash Monaco, Sheila Carter (Kimberlin Brown), and how it was turning point in their lives (that’s an understatement) with Finn reiterating, “Our marriage is precious. What we have is pure and true.”

Finn promises Sheila is out of their lives for good, and Steffy chokes back tears saying how she wished she hadn’t removed her ring and hightailed it out of Monaco. She says she wishes she could take that back, but she can’t.

Finn

Courtesy/CBS

Steffy tells Finn she has a lot to say. Finn tells her there is nothing they can’t overcome. Steffy says she made a significant decision while he was away. She goes to to say what a great friend Daphne (Murielle Hilaire) has been to her. Finn asks if Daphne and Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor) are still interviewing to find a surrogate? Steffy says they found someone and the process has begun, and its “me.”

Finn gulps, “What do you mean it’s you?” Steffy eeks out of her mouth, “I agreed to be Daphne and Carter’s surrogate.” Finn, who is a doctor no less says, “I don’t understand!” He explains he knows there is a list of medical and legal hurdles someone has to go through before a woman can become a surrogate for a couple. He also tells Steffy he knows she could never carry a child and give it up.

Next, Finn tells Steffy she’s wonderful for considering to do this for Carter and Daphne, but she’ll have to tell them no. Steffy says it’s too late. That while he was out of town they went ahead with the procedure. Finn asks, “What procedure?” Steffy responds, “The fertilization of the eggs.” Finn learns they used Steffy’s frozen eggs and did the implantation and loses it!

“I can’t believe you went and did that! This isn’t something a wife does when their husband is out of town on a business trip,” hollers Finn. He cannot believe what he is hearing and that his wife just went and did this without him! He pushes back on Steffy. demanding answers, “There’s more going on here. What is it? Steffy? Tell me!” We fade to black.

You can check out the pivotal scene between Finn and Steffy below.

Now weigh-in: are you glad Finn is as of now not being a doofus? That he is pushy back on Steffy? Do you think Steffy will continue with this lie or admit she slept with Carter and became pregnant? Either way, would Finn stay with his wife while she became a surrogate for Carter and Daphne? Let us know in the comment section.

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