------ BEST & WORST of Y&R: 2010 Edition ------ THE RESULTS ARE IN!

All through the month of January, Friends of Crimson Lights on Facebook voted for what they thought was the Best & Worst of Y&R in 2010! 

We received a record 2,250 votes this year and your results are finally in!

So, without further adieu... here are your picks for the Best & Worst of Y&R in 2010!

BEST SPECIAL GUEST : Beth Maitland as Traci Abbott Connolly

For the second year in a row, fans have voted Beth Maitland as the Best Special Guest to appear in 2010! (Perhaps that is why the show is looking to bring her back on a more permanent basis in 2011!)

In 2010, Traci didn't have some of the same powerful scenes she did in 2009 when she mourned the death of her only daughter, Colleen, but she proved that even without those dramatic scenes she is still a fan-favorite that deserves to stick around Genoa City as a permanent fixture in the cast!

Further proving that she deserves a contract role on the number one daytime drama, Maitland won in this category against primetime and film stars Corbin Bernsen, David Hasselhoff, Eric Roberts, and Sean Young! That says a lot!

Runners-Up :  
Eric Roberts as Vance Abrams

                        Sean Young as Meggie McClain

MOST ENTERTAINING : Billy & Victoria

There is, indeed, a thin line between love and hate -- and no one proved that old adage more true than Billy & Victoria. They started out as enemies, but their path towards love got them this year's Most Entertaining award! Perhaps it was their drunken, spur-of-the-moment wedding in Jamaica, their love of 50s sitcoms, or maybe it was just that these two brought out a fun side of each other that we had yet to see from either character that garnered their win in this category.

Hopefully there's more of the same for them in 2011!

Runners-Up : 
  Phyllis and Sharon

                                                                                                            Jill and Lauren

WORST RECAST : Eden Riegel as Heather Stevens

Perhaps it was all just a matter of bad timing when Y&R opted to bring in Eden Riegel almost immediately after Vail Bloom chose to exit the role of Heather Stevens to pursue other career opportunities outside of Y&R, but -- whatever the reason -- this recast never really caught on with fans. Some fans have come around and accepted Riegel in the role, of course, but many are still up in arms and wondering where the Heather they used to know disappeared to (see 'Most Missed' results below).
To be fair to the show executives who made the decision, the recast looked great on paper -- bringing in an Emmy-winning actress fresh off her exit from another soap (All My Children) and throwing her into a storyline with her former on-screen love interest from that soap (Elizabeth Hendrickson, Chloe; ex-Maggie, AMC) -- so what went wrong?
There is no doubt that Riegel is a talented actress, but the character was just so different as portrayed by Riegel and there was not enough time in-between Bloom's exit and Riegel's debut to facilitate such a drastic change. Perhaps if the audience had even just had a few months to start to forget about Bloom's Heather, the night-and-day transformation would not have seemed so drastic.
Here's hoping that both Riegel and Heather have a better new year!

                                                           Runner-Up :  Luke Kleintank as Noah Newman

                       
BEST RECAST : Marcy Rylan as Abby Carlton Newman

Marcy Rylan has certainly proven her acting chops since taking over the role of the youngest Newman -- whom also happens to be an Abbott! -- from Hayley Erin when the writers decided to age the character by just a few years to launch her into the Paris-Hilton-esque storyline revolving around her would-be reality show, The Naked Heiress. Though the storyline itself wasn't everyone's favorite (see Worst Story results below), Rylan had us falling in love with Abby's newfound spunk rather than detesting it, all the while showing us Abby's softer side and getting the audience to even respect the character's business savvy -- even if some of her ideas were a little misguided! 
Once Abby decided to team up with Victoria and go up against their Black Knight father, Victor, and she found herself falling for the broken-hearted Daniel, there was no stopping Abby from becoming a fan-favorite and Rylan took us along on a great ride! 
  

There was a tie for the Runner-Up in this category!

 Stephen Nichols as Tucker McCall   ~ & ~   Maura West as Diane Jenkins

BEST RIVALRY : Phyllis vs. Sharon

It's a good thing you voted Phyllis and Sharon as the Best Rivalry in 2010 since they lost out to Billy & Victoria for Most Entertaining (see results above). This picture of the two actresses (Michelle Stafford, Phyllis and Sharon Case, Sharon) after they filmed their memorable chocolate fountain fight shows us that they have as much fun fighting as we do watching them -- probably even more so! They have fought over Nicholas for years now, but things may be turning around for them in 2011. Maybe they'll even be friends one day!

Runners-Up :  
 Billy vs. Victor 

                                      Victoria and Abby vs. Victor  ~ & ~  Jill vs. Lauren (A tie for 2nd Runner-Up)

BEST WEDDING : Billy & Victoria

There weren't many weddings to choose from in 2010, but it is likely that Billy & Victoria's wedding would've won Best Wedding regardless. 

With a 50's style wedding held outside a 50's style house, and a 50's sitcom actress officiating the ceremony, it already had a lot going for it! Add on top of that the fact that the father of the bride, Victor, arranged to have his daughter arrested on her wedding day to try to prevent her from marrying Billy and you've got a recipe for success. Of course, what made it all worthwhile was that, despite all the problems they had on their wedding day, they still managed to finish their vows and get married even as Victoria was being yanked away from the ceremony in handcuffs and stuffed into a police care! Take that, Victor! Best Wedding of 2010, indeed! 

                                               Runner-Up : Mac & JT 

WORST NEW CHARACTER : Meggie McClain

Sean Young is an acclaimed movie star that has been doing films and guest spots on primetime television shows over the span of three decades -- and 2010 was the year she decided to try out daytime for the first time!

It seemed like a win-win situation for the show, and the initial 5 episode-arc that she was scheduled for worked out great (Meggie helped Victor in Canada while he was on his quest to find Adam and Skye). However, when Y&R decided to keep Young on the canvas for a longer story arc and had her show up in Genoa City to break up Victor & Nikki by making Nikki fall off the wagon -- and right into Deacon's arms! -- fans were none too pleased with Meggie. Things got interesting when it was revealed Murphy knew a dark secret about her -- one so dark that she allowed him to have a heart attack right in front of her! Still, even that intriguing twist wasn't enough to make her a villain people loved to hate -- fans just hated her and wanted her gone! Her storyline was quickly wrapped up when, with the help of a recovering Murphy, Victor turned the tables on her and she was arrested for her crimes as a "Black Widow". Hopefully fans didn't rejoice too soon at her exit, though, because Young is bringing Meggie back to Y&R during February Sweeps for another short-term stint! The writers had better have something good planned for her because the fans have spoken and they do not want to see the character back. I have a feeling she won't be winning 'Best Return' in our Best & Worst of Y&R: 2011 Edition next year... but you never know!

Runner-Up : 

 Sarah Smythe 

BEST NEW CHARACTER : Ronan Malloy

We knew Y&R would have something big planned for Jeff Branson when they hired the Emmy-winning ex-Guiding Light star, but we sure didn't see it coming that he would end up to be the son that Nina lost to the villainous, baby-stealing Rose DeVille years ago! It was a great use of history and a brilliant move by the show to get us instantly invested in this character we could care about. We learned Ronan has a fatal illness and isn't long for this world, but we have a feeling the illness won't mean the end of the road for Ronan and he'll be sticking around Genoa City for a long time to come -- at least, we're hoping so!

Runners-Up :  

Sofia

                       Colin

 

BEST RETURN : Lauralee Bell as Christine "Cricket" Blair

It's no surprise that the return of a longtime fan-favorite who has been off the canvas for a number of years would bring in the most votes for Best Return of 2010... especially considering the rich storyline they have given her since she's been back! The writers were smart to throw her into the mix of the blossoming Paul/Nina romance to bring up old insecurities between the two best friends and cause some conflict. Then, to see Christine struggle with keeping Ronan's secrets from her oldest friend -- especially since she saw firsthand how Nina suffered when she lost Ronan when he was a child -- added great dramatic flair to the already rich tale of Ronan's secret past. We also got see her interact with once-love Phillip and the two old friends addressed the issue of his homosexuality. This is what we want, Y&R! Rich history with characters we love and care about! More of the same in 2011, please!

Runners-Up :
Michael Muhney as Adam Newman

Diane Jenkins (portrayed by both Susan Walters and Maura West in 2010)

MOST MISSED : Vail Bloom as Heather Stevens

Even though Vail Bloom left Y&R of her own accord, fans are still clamoring for her return to the role of Heather! Many saw screen chemistry between Bloom and John Driscoll (Chance) long before their two characters were romantically paired following her exit from the show and would have liked to have seen the romance play out with Bloom in the role instead of Riegel, whom many thought was lacking chemistry with both Driscoll and Jeff Branson (Ronan). 

Aside from that, though, many were just caught off-guard by the drastic change in the character, noting that Riegel's acting style, while not bad, was just too different from Bloom's, making it difficult to suddenly accept Riegel in the role.

The bottom line is this: Bloom is a great actress that was taken for granted due to being placed on the back-burner. Perhaps if the front-burner storyline integrating Heather into the Chance/Ronan tale had come the character's way prior to Bloom's exit, she may have felt more enticed to stay. Alas, it is not likely that we will see Bloom returning the role of Heather -- at least not anytime soon.

Runners-Up :  
Thad Luckinbill as JT Hellstrom

John Driscoll as Phillip "Chance" Chancellor III

MOST WASTED : Rafe Torres

He's a confidante and best friend to Billy, a friend to Sharon (at least he was until Sharon reunited with Adam), he has a yet-to-be-seen boyfriend, and he also shared a "moment" of flirtation with Phillip (who, by the way, was voted 'Most Wasted' of 2009) at Billy & Victoria's wedding. The storyline potential for this character is brimming to the top! Yani Gellman has proven himself a great actor in the few scenes he's been given as Rafe over the past couple of years, yet Y&R continues to only bring him on in scenes to give legal advice to various Genoa City residents (aside from the one comedic scene in which Chloe recruited him to determine whether Kevin is gay). Something definitely does not add up here. The fans have voted, and -- listen up Y&R execs! -- we want to see more Rafe (and maybe even more Rafe & Philip scenes...)! Daytime is currently lacking strong, gay characters and now may be the time for Y&R to step up to the plate and give Rafe a real storyline!

Runners-Up : 
Devon Hamilton   &   Neil Winters   &   Gloria Bardwell  (3-way tie for 1st runner-up!)

Phillip Chancellor II 

BEST VILLAIN : Victor Newman

Well, Victor is nothing if not consistent! He is the bad guy that we find ourselves rooting for sometimes and the man we all love to hate -- the "Black Knight"! It's no surprise he won 'Best Villain' of 2010 after all the hurt he has caused with his misguided attempts to "protect" his family. What he doesn't seem to see, is that the things he has done have really just been his attempt at controlling his family and making them live their lives the way he feels they should. Even Adam garnered sympathy from fans as Victor blatantly framed him for Skye's murder. He also had his own daughter, Victoria, arrested on her wedding day because he didn't like her choice of groom, was to blame for the series of events that led to Patty's mental breakdown at the hands of Adam, and allowed Sharon to take the blame for Skye's death in Hawaii even though he was there and knows it was an accident! He was so bad this year, that ghosts of his past came to visit him on Christmas Eve to warn him about changing his ways -- advice that he took for about the span of a day before he was back to his old tricks and nasty attitude! Will Victor simmer down in 2011 and realize he needs to let his family lead their own lives and make their own choices? Or will he continue to play god with their lives and push them even farther away? So far, things don't look promising...

Runners-Up : 
Adam

Patty 

WORST COUPLE : Nick & Diane

This pairing has had many Y&R fans scratching their heads and wondering what the writers are thinking.

Nick & Diane won this 'Worst Couple' award by a landslide in the poll and given the short time that they were paired on-screen at the end of 2010, it says a lot that they were voted the worst couple of the entire year. Joshua Morrow (Nick) and Maura West (Diane) are both fantastic actors, but the chemistry is just not there between the two of them as on-screen lovers. So far, Y&R has continued on with this "romance" in the new year, but Y&R fans are hoping it will be a very short-lived romance!

Runners-Up :
  Adam & Sharon

Jana & Ryder

BEST YOUNGER COUPLE : Kevin & Chloe 

Sometimes the best romances come from relationships that begin as friendships -- and such is the case with Kevin & Chloe. These pals found each other leaning on one another more and more after their mutual best friend Amber left town to move back to Los Angeles. The sparks were there when they did their photo shoot together for Restless Style and their feelings deepened over time as Kevin lost his wife to his half-brother and Chloe was there for him to lean on while she also got support from him during the time she grieved over Chance. They finally admitted their feelings for each other on New Year's Eve and have already hit turbulence thanks to his conniving ex-wife, Jana. And now that Chance is back in town, will Chloe learn he is alive and want him back? We're hoping this couple can withstand the many storms that are sure to hit their relationship in the coming months!

Runners-Up :
Daniel & Abby

Lily & Cane

BEST COUPLE : Billy & Victoria

Well, no surprises here! This couple is all over the "Best of" categories for 2010! Given that they won 'Most Entertaining' and 'Best Wedding', it was pretty much guaranteed they would be voted in as 'Best Couple', too! Fans and critics alike raved about this couple from the moment the first sparks flew between the two unlikely lovers and there's no denying that their romance brought a much-needed breath of fresh air to the show amongst all the chaos, misery, and tragedy that was plaguing the other characters around town. With the addition of a new baby, Lucy, this year -- and the unethical way in which Billy obtained the child through illegal adoption! -- this pair is sure to keep us glued to the TV again in 2011!

Runners-Up :
Michael & Lauren

Adam & Sharon

SADDEST MOMENT : Victoria Must Say Goodbye to Reed When JT & Mac Move

There is no doubting that the moment Victoria had to say goodbye to her son, Reed, was one of the saddest moments of the year. Amelia Heinle gave a heartbreaking performance in those scenes as Victoria put on a brave face so that Reed would not be upset or afraid to be leaving the only home he ever knew in Genoa City. It was a bitter-sweet episode for a number of reasons -- JT & Mac were finally getting a happy ending together after years of flirting and attempts at happiness together since high school, but they were also leaving Genoa City behind and taking Reed away from his mother. These are the types of scenes Y&R excels at -- high drama, full of emotion, and character-driven rather than a plot device used to boost ratings -- and this is what we want to see more of in 2011. Having said that, let's hope Victoria doesn't have to say goodbye to another child in this new year when the truth about Lucy inevitably comes out!

Runners-Up :
Nina Watches as Chance is Gunned Down by his Brother, Ronan

Ashley Must Give Up Faith to Her Real Mother, Sharon

MOST SHOCKING EVENT : 
               Victor Turns the Tables on Meggie When She Tries to Kill Him

We knew the Black Knight wouldn't meet his maker at the hands of Meggie, but we definitely weren't expecting the shocking way that the events played out as this storyline hit it's climax! It had looked as though Meggie was finally going to get what she wanted -- she'd tricked Victor into marrying her (or so she thought) and once she thought she was the new Mrs. Newman and she' be able to inherit all his riches! Well, what Ms. McClain didn't know is that Murphy had already spilled her dark secret to Ronan and Victor was actually tricking her into thinking she was pulling off her murderous plot so that they could gather evidence to throw her in prison! Meggie thought she'd drugged Victor and that he was passing off into a slumber that he'd never awaken from when all of a sudden Victor snapped up, grabbed Meggie by the hair, and revealed he'd been on to her plot all along! Then entered Ronan and Murphy, who had been hiding out elsewhere in the house, just in time to arrest Meggie and see her hauled off in handcuffs!

Runners-Up :
Chance is Shot and Killed by His Brother, Ronan

Victor Has Victoria Arrested at her Wedding to Billy

MOST SHOCKING REVEAL : Ronan is Nina's Long Lost Son

 

We all knew Ronan was hiding a secret when he came to town, but we didn't expect the Y&R scribes to reach into Nina's history and finally unite her with the son that was stolen from her years ago! It was a big shock when the truth came out, particularly because Nina found out just in time to watch Ronan gun down her other son, Chance! Luckily, Ronan turned out to be not such a bad guy when it was revealed Chance went into witness protection and Ronan really didn't kill him, but it was still quite a shocking couple off weeks for Nina -- and for viewers!

Runners-Up :
Jill is a Fenmore

Murphy Knows a Dark Secret About Meggie

WORST STORY : The Naked Heiress

Given that Marcy Rylan was voted the Best Recast of 2010 (see results above), it just goes to show that someone with the right talent can shine through and make a bad story work even when it's, well, the worst! This story was nothing more than some light-hearted fun -- and certainly provided that! -- but it  wasn't keeping Y&R fans tuning in to see what would happen next each day! Luckily, the writers saved the story as the tale took a turn for the better when Abby & Victoria teamed up to bring down their father (see results for 'Best Story' Runners-Up below)!

Runners-Up : 
Jeff and Kevin's Money Laundering Scheme

Cane's Battle with Immigration

BEST STORY : Lily Battles Cancer ... and Wins!

Well the votes for Best Story this year were very close, but in the end it was Lily's battle with cancer that won out! This just goes to show that Y&R needs to spend more time focusing on stories that people can relate to -- as opposed to dirty cops and doppelgangers! Lily's battle with cancer truly was one that pulled at the heart strings and it was great to see Cane & Lily pull together through her health crisis. More like this in 2011, please!

Runners-Up :
Victoria and Abby Team Up Against Victor

Adam is Kidnapped and Forced to Tell the Truth About Faith

That's it for this year! 

Thank you all so much for voting and supporting Crimson Lights every day of the year!