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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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Violet LemmSu000AnneDamienKay Recent comment authors
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Kay
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Kay

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

Anne
Guest
Anne

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.

Su000
Guest
Su000

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..

Kay
Guest
Kay

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 ???

bob
Guest
bob

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.

bob
Guest
bob

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.

Kay
Guest
Kay

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

Kay
Guest
Kay

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

Kay
Guest
Kay

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.

Echo
Guest
Echo

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…

Damien
Guest
Damien

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… Read more »

Su000
Guest
Su000

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.

Violet Lemm
Guest
Violet Lemm

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.

Violet Lemm
Guest
Violet Lemm

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.

Recaps

WWE Friday Night Smackdown: Roman Reigns Discards Jimmy Uso From The ‘Bloodline’, Will Jey Be Next?

While Roman Reigns was presented with a new WWE Universal Championship belt courtesy of Triple H, a night of familial drama would ensue for The Bloodline on Friday Night Smackdown.

Last night’s episode was also pivotal to Reigns enduring run as the kingpin of the WWE. The Tribal Chief has now held the championship for over 1,000 days. The last time any wrestler approached that was 40 years ago with the legendary Pedro Morales.

After Reigns was presented with a shiny new belt (that Triple H secured around Roman’s waist), out came the Usos. Earlier in the night, Reigns’ special counsel, Paul Heyman, told Solo Sikoa that he received confirmation from WWE official Adam Pearce that Sikoa’s brothers (the Usos) would not be in attendance.  Well, he heard wrong!

As Reigns was about to address the crowd, the music hit and standing in front of the champ were Jimmy and Jey.  Now, the storyline that has captivated the WWE Universe could move forward.  When we last saw the Usos and Reigns in the ring, it was at Night of Champions in Saudi Arabia.  It was there that Jimmy Uso kicked Roman in the head, after his cousin roughed him up and pushed him around.

This time, Jimmy and Roman had a long staredown. Finally, The Tribal Chief ordered Jey Uso to kick his brother in the face. Reigns continually barked orders at Jey, but Jey refused to comply.  When Jimmy got on the mic, he let Reigns know that he has become manipulative and abusive. He warned his younger brother, Solo, that he would go down in flames once Roman was done using him, too.

Photo: WWE

Next, Reigns handed the mic to Solo and told him to choose sides … the Tribal Chief or his brothers? At first, Sikoa ‘acknowledged’ Reigns, but then in a major moment walked over to stand beside his brothers, leaving Roman all alone on his “Island of Relevancy”.

In an effort to keep the peace, Jimmy Uso asked Reigns if he could move forward with respect for every one of them.  Jimmy told Roman that he is their brother, too, in an effort to put what’s happened in the past behind them. Could he do that?  Now with tears in his eyes, and seemingly conflicted, Reigns moved in for big embrace for Jimmy.  However, it was all a set-up. Roman said “no’ and out of the corner of his eye signaled Sikoa who was also in on the double cross. Solo gave the Samoan Spike to Jimmy who went down as Jey looked on and went to help his brother.

As Roman left the ring with Heyman and Sikoa by his side, Reigns’ special council asked him, “What about Jey?” A confident Reigns said that Jey would fall in line, as per usual.

You could not have found better soap opera on any channel than this story right here! The dissolution of the ‘Bloodline’ has to be near.

What will happen next? Will it be the Usos vs. Roman and Sikoa? Will Jey or Jimmy challenge Reigns for the championship? Who will swerve who next? Share your thoughts in the comment section, but first check out the highlights from the ‘Bloodline’s’ story from last night’s ‘Smackdown’ below.

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Recaps

THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS: Cameron Begins His Plot to Frame Nick As His Return Rocks Sharon to the Core

After having a flashback of calling Sharon (Sharon Case) ‘his dream girl’, Cameron Kirsten (Linden Ashby) escalates his revenge plot against Sharon and Nick (Joshua Morrow), when he heads to Crimson Lights and comes face to face with them.

Nick has already had it, while Sharon is visibly shaken.  Cameron says he just stopped to give Sharon a proper hello, now that he is back in Genoa City and out of prison. He then adds … that he ran into their daughter, Faith (Reylynn Caster), and comments on what a beauty she is.

Those buzz words set in motion the reaction Cameron was hoping for.  Nick warns the ex-convict to stay away from their daughter. Cameron goes on to say that he just can’t understand why Nick is getting so worked up and violent when he comes in peace.  When Nick questioned Cameron as to what he wants, Cameron coyly says, “That’s a discussion for another time.”  He takes another gander at Sharon and heads out.

Courtesy/CBS

While already using the word ‘violent’, it’s clear that Cameron is going all out to payback Nick.  Next week on the CBS daytime drama series, Kirsten takes things up a notch ticking off Nick even further.

According to Soap Opera Digest on their latest issue on newsstands now, Chance (Conner Floyd) will arrive at Crimson Lights to give Nick the news that Kirsten is pressing battery and assault charges against him.  According to Joshua Morrow, “Nick is stunned and swears to Chance that he didn’t touch Cameron.”  Things take an even uglier turn, when Cameron shows up not looking so good.

Watch two key clips of Cameron’s return to Genoa City and his confrontation with Nick and Sharon.

Now let us know, will Cameron’s plot land Nick in jail leaving a pathway for him to go after Sharon and Faith? Share your thoughts on the story thus far via the comment section.


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General Hospital

GENERAL HOSPITAL: Marcus Learns He’s Not Trina’s Biological Father

On Wednesday’s episode of General Hospital, Trina (Tabyana Ali) opened the DNA test results that would conclude who is her actual bio-dad. Would it be the man who raised her, Taggert (Réal Andrews) or, the man she more recently has come to know, Curtis (Donnell Turner)?

At GH, Marcus, Curtis and Portia (Brook Kerr) gather to learn the results.  It turns out that Curtis is Trina’s biological father, not Marcus.

However, are these results, correct? Are DNA results ever correct on soaps? Did Selina Wu (Lydia Look) have something to do with switching these in favor of Curtis? Are we digging into this too much?

After the revelation, Trina tells Curtis. they will need to take some time need to figure out their relationship.  Trina makes it clear she’s not looking for a replacement father, and hopes he can understand and accept that.  Curtis promises he will let Trina take the lead on things.

Meanwhile, Taggert, who promised Trina no matter what happens that nothing will change between them, decides to take off and breaks down in the elevator.  Marcus is devastated and in tears, and is left using the elevator as a punching bag for his fists.

You can watch the final moments of the scene, featuring a heart-tugging performance by Réal Andrews below.

Now let us know, are you glad Trina’s bio-dad turned out to be Curtis and not Marcus … or were you hoping it would turn out the other way around? Share your thoughts in the comment section. 

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