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Y&R’s Jason Thompson Delivers the ‘Power Performance of the Week”

Courtesy/CBS

Last week, daytime drama offered up some stellar performances.  We had General Hospital’s Sydney Miykala (Trina) and Jeff Kober (Cyrus) being given some very emotional material and playing the heck out of it, and we had The Young and the Restless, Jason Thompson in what was to be his third standalone episode during his run as Billy Abbott.  Scenes from his last standalone episode helped win Jason the Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series Award at the Daytime Emmys this past June.

While there has been a very mixed-bag of reviews from fans of the writing of this standalone episode, one thing remains true –  that if given the ball, Thompson will bring the complexities needed to it, make it work, and in-turn make the audience feel the deep emotional pain within Billy.  And that was on full display in one key scene that locked up his Power Performance of the Week honors.

In the set-up, this time Billy is in the slammer contemplating his life while trying to rest and is hit with a series of dream/nightmare sequences in which he is emotionally tortured by many family members, enemies, and friends for his consistently being a screw-up, or so they like to say.  The one person in the episode who stands by Billy’s side is Lily (Christel Khalil).

During the episode, as Billy jumped from different locations within Genoa City, he grew more hopeless given his situation.  However, then he is visited by his late daughter Delia (Sophie Pollano) in the grown-up teenage version.  This is where Thompson broke hearts, playing guilt, loss, and despair.  He tells Delia if he could take one day back to do over again, it would be the night he left her alone for a few minutes to get ice-cream in the convenient store, and she wandered out in the street after her dog, only to be fatally hit by a car driven by Adam.  In this scene, it was Jason at his best, and surely a scene that should be used for his Emmy reel in 2021. What made it all the more notable is that Jason was not even playing the character of Billy back then, but you believed every heartbreaking second of his talk with his daughter about what Billy experienced the the night of her death and for years after.

Two other moments were also stand-outs in the episode.  When Victor (Eric Braeden) comes to see Billy behind bars and taunts him every which way to Sunday.  It was hard to know if that was real or imagined, but both Eric Braeden and Thompson chewed the scenery with that showdown.

Later in the episode, Billy is shocked to be transported to the police station to where his now teenage son, Johnny is in trouble with the law, and Rey (Jordi Vilasuso) is detaining and questioning him.  Billy realizes he has to fight for his freedom as he can’t leave his family in disarray, or let himself or Lily down again.

Billy Abbott continues to be an oh-so-flawed character, which gives Thompson opportunities to shine and play all the beats to perfection.

Share your thoughts on Jason’s performance and our choice for the Power Performance of the Week via the comment section below.

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Sorry Michael I truly think you are a great fan for daytime but I can’t agree I think Jason is a good actor but he is not Billy and it’s time to move on ! Billy Miller was the only Billy for me and get over it the story is over Billy is responsible for his child’s death no one else

No way! The person directly responsible for the death of that child is and always will be ADAM who was driving the car. Jason is most definitely the best Billy Abbott. Billy Miller was a complete bore in the role.

Someday, soon..
The real person that hit Delia will be caught..
Adam will be innocent..
I believe it was drunk Nikki, she is culprit, no doubts.
It will be fitting for it be Niki.
She drove off that night drunk, very drunk.
She might not remember but eventually, she will..

Years ago my husband left a relative child in the car while he went in the store a woman stood outside the car until he came back she let him have it and he deserved it never leave a child unattended in a car so let’s wrap this up ok ???

Honestly, no he didn’t. It was a badly written and predictable episode that was cringe-worthy to watch. Not entirely Thompson’s fault, because he is trying to play a character that has become completely one dimensional, but certainly nothing to celebrate.

And if Y&R writers can’t start writing Billy better, the least they can do is not ruin the character of Lily, too. She finally ditched that lech Cane and embraced her inner strength. Why would she go for another loser like Billy, despite all the red flags? It doesn’t make a lot of sense, as a plot point. She’d be the least likely to fall for his “save me from myself” nonsense.

I agree and I adore Jason Thompson I loved him as Patrick Drake he just has not fit the role of Billy sometimes no matter how great you are in a certain character you just don’t always make another fit! I have thought for a long time they needed to just shelve the character of billy

As for the character of Cane not sure what that was all about ? His exit but I do know he truly loved the show he was a champion I heard rumblings of why he was let go but I don’t like rumors

I am not trying to be hateful but viewers don’t connect when you are on your third Billy since the storyline happened and NO it is not a reflection on Jason Thompson I just can’t feel anything anymore I just wish JG would stop let’s move on.

There is no disputing Jason Thompson is a good actor. But his interpretation of Billy is not one of my favorites. He has no chemistry with any of his female counterparts (remember him and Robin on GH?) His version is just unlikeable. I would be happy if Billy were locked up for life and gone, so if that’s his objective on how to play Billy, it’s working! As far as his solo episode. Yawn. It felt gratuitous and was much less effective then last years…

Sounds like Billy was truly tortured…or was it Jason Thompson tortured from still having to play the beats of this crapfest ?
I think most viewers would agree that this storyline is torturing them the most
Didnt Billy have a standalone eppy last year when he supposedly had a breakthrough!?
Why was Adam only in the looney bin for like 20 min but Billy ‘ going to jail’ was played for eternity when the viewers knew very full well it wasnt going to happen?
Why wont tptb permantly keep the cute replacent Chance over cowboy Chance?

And for heavens sake when will y n r finallllyyyy get a new headwriter? Josh Griffith is the bottom of the barrel. …oh and ditch the music director and bring back the original. Everytime the classic music plays in the background during flashbacks it reminds me of how special the scores were. Not the synthesizer shit played now randomly

Jason Thompson is much better than Billy Miller as Billy.
Miller could have never portrayed this Billy as Thompson has.
I see Jason as the best actor on Y&R.
He is a powerful actor and brings it home every time.

I have always liked J.T as Billy. As much as I love Billy Miller, Jason just looks like I imagined Billy to look and is so compatible with every other character he has contact with. I am not too crazy about he and Lily as a couple though and I did not enjoy the dream/hallucination thing in jail. Too boring and F.F. thru most of it.

I think if anyone deserves The Power Performance of the Week it should be Marci Walker as Abby on DOOL. Today she was outstanding as she tore in to Gwen for all her lies and deception towards her family and herself personally. She was literally shaking with her hurt, anger and betrayal from Gwen.

American Idol

AMERICAN IDOL: Was it Shady of Former Contestant Alyssa Raghu to Sneak in on Best Friend Julia Davos’ Audition and Score a Golden Ticket?

Show business is really cutthroat and it was fully on display on Sunday night’s latest episode of American Idol.  We’re not sure after the dust settled if we should be more upset with the judges: Lionel Richie, Luke Bryan and Katy Perry, or former contestant Alyssa Raghu.

But, here is what went down. 20-year-old Julia Davo, auditioned for the judges with a performance of David Bowie’s “Life on Mars?” She also had mentioned that she is best friends and roommates with former ‘Idol’ contestant Alyssa Raghu.

The judges felt Davo needed more work, and should come back and audition again, once she has honed in on her vocals a bit more while allowing for her voice to grow. However, when the judges gave their verdict, Raghu was now in the audition room.  They told Raghu, “When she’s absolutely ready in your eyes, bring her back to us.”

Photo: ABC

It was at the point, there was a swerve by Raghu when she addressed the judges, “I know you said that my voice was going to grow until it was 21. You said that when I was, like, 15. Just for giggles, I’d love to sing you something.”

At the point, Katy Perry gave her the OK to sing. But, while viewers initially thought at home, that she may just be singing for the judges to prove that she has become a better singer, she was actually angling to get in the competition, once again.

Photo: ABC

“I think this was a really weird plot twist,” Perry confessed after Raghu’s performance of Mariah Carey’s “My All.” Katy added,“I think you could go in. Do I think you could win it? No, personally. If you were going to go to Idol one more time, I want to know beyond a shadow of a doubt that you could win.” So with that, Katy gave Raghu a “no.”  However, Luke and Lionel were being generous and gave her two votes as “yes.” Therefore, Raghu received a golden ticket right in front of her friend who received a “no.”

Davo tried her best to say how happy she was that Raghu is receiving another chance, because as she said, “She deserves this.” But in the end, it was awkward and uncomfortable to watch.

Alyssa’s previous journey on Idol went something like this: She made it to the Top 50 of Season 16 but was eliminated by the end of Hollywood Week. She returned for Season 17, making it all the way to the Top 8.

Watch the auditions of Davo and Raghu below.

Now let us know, do you think Raghu should have auditioned after her friend did not receive a golden ticket? Should the judges have allowed Alyssa to sing and then vote to put her in the competition for the third time? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Jason Explains Part of Where He Has Been; What Do You Think Will be Revealed as the Rest of the Story?

GH fans received a part of the backstory of just where Jason (Steve Burton) has been for the last two plus years on the Thursday, March 16th episode of the ABC daytime drama series.

In story, as Jason (Steve Burton) is hiding out at the Quartermaine boat house, Michael (Chad Duell) brings him a change of clothes and when Jason lifts up his sweatshirt, and is in then in only a tank-top, his arm is exposed showing his tattoo. Michael is shocked to see that on Jason (in real life, Burton now has that tattoo).

When Michael questions Jason as to where he has been for over two years after the tunnel collapsed on him, Jason explains. He tells Michael he found his way out of the tunnel. However, on his way out there were two gunmen waiting fo him who kidnapped him and he was taken prisoner.

Courtesy/ABC

Next, Jason shares he was flown out of Greece and ended up in a windowless room. He reveals a man wanted him to do a job and had leverage on him to force him to agree to take it.  When Michael asks Jason what exactly was the job, he says he’s been working as a private military contractor, i.e., a mercenary.

On the night of Dante’s (Dominic Zamprogna) shooting, Jason explains he made his way to Port Charles and was working with the other shooter, Hamish. However, he was unaware that the target was Sonny (Maurice Benard).  When Jason realized what was up, he made sure Hamish missed his shot. Michael inquires if Jason would have even come back to Port Charles if Sonny wasn’t the target.

At that point, Jason shared that the job he was given isn’t done, and if he doesn’t finish it, bad things will happen. At the end of the episode, Jason is having a flashback where it’s revealed he is in custody at Quantico and it’s John “Jagger” Cates (Adam J. Harrington) from the FBI who is holding him there. John tells Jason he has a recording proving RICO violations that will carrying a twenty-year sentence. We fade to black.

So, what do you think is really going on here? Jason looks to be working with John Cates and the FBI as part of a deal to bring someone to justice to get out of a 20-year sentence for RICO violations. But, who is the man that Jason and potentially John want to bring down? What did you think of the backstory of Jason’s two-year disappearance thus far? Share your thoughts in the comment section, But first, check out the key scenes from yesterday’s GH below.

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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Carly and Jason’s Emotional Reunion Is Cut Short When John and Anna Arrive on the Scene

If you watch daytime drama and General Hospital you know that there is an unique bond and deep love between the characters of Carly Spencer and Jason Morgan. You also know that when Laura Wright (Carly) and Steve Burton (Jason) get together in scenes with high stakes and high drama, they deliver in spectacular fashion.

On today’s, Friday, March 8th episode of the ABC daytime drama series, Carly is in for quite the shock when her beloved Jason is standing right there in the dark and in her living room. For two years, Carly has grieved Jason’s ‘death’, only for him to be right before her.

With tears in his eyes, and just saying “Carly”, it stops her dead in her tracks.  She runs towards Jason and they share an emotional reunion. You came back,” Carly cries. Jason says he is sorry it took so long to contact her. Problem is, Jason has been shot and is bleeding out and needs her help. Jason obviously had no where to go, and is only letting himself truly be known to Carly, because he can trust her with his life and vice-versa.

Photo: ABC

Carly goes to get a first-aid kit, and tells Jason to promise he won’t leave. He promises. But as he sits down on the couch, he is in bad shape. Carly returns as they clean the bullet wound area. Still in shock, Carly says, “How can you be here?”

Things get very touching when Carly tells Jason she wishes she could call her mom for help. Jason tells her not to call Bobbie. Just then, Carly says she can’t because her mother died. Jason goes, “Bobbie died?” As soon as the two were going to talk about it, there is pounding noises at Carly’s front door. It’s John (Adam J. Harrington) and Anna (Finola Hughes). Jason hides.

Photo: JPI

Anna asks Carly if they can come in. They show her the screen capture of Jason on the roof. Carly plays it very convincingly asking FBI agent Cates and Anna if this image of Jason is real.  Anna confirms Jason is alive and they need to search her house. Carly firmly tells them they cannot search the house, but they tell her they have a warrant and don’t have to have her permission.  Jason listens in from the staircase. We fade to black.

Photo: ABC

So, what did you think of the reunion scenes thus far between Carly and Jason and the performances of Laura Wright and Steve Burton? Share your thoughts via the comment section below. But first, check out the moment Carly and Jason saw each for the first time in two years.

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Peter Reckell returns for a second visit with Michael Fairman following the wrap-up of his recent run as Bo Brady on Days of our Lives.Leave A Comment

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Airdate: 7-24- 2023

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