That September 18, 1998 episode was one of the best episodes of classic Y&R i have seen! It just had everything that (use to) represented what a soap opera was about, and had an awesome cliffhanger. Strange that 1998 was already a year where other soaps were dumbing down or about to dumb down, but I guess what people said about Kay Alden taking over after Bill was true, that she was able to open up the show.

I'm gonna have to try and watch all the other 1998 episodes of Y&R that have already been uploaded. It was probably Y&R's Best year in the late 90's.

1998 was probably the last year I really enjoyed Y&R, and the last completely solid-to-good year of any soap.

Y&R's last solid year was 2003.

After that it was all downhill.

Edited February 28, 201213 yr by DeeeDee

Aside from the fraud story with Victor what were the other stories in 2003?

Katherine Vs. Jill

Neil & Dru remarry

Sharon against the rest of the Newmans

Brad & Ashley marriage starts to crumble

JT & Colleen

Raul & Brittany

Larry & Jill

Samurai Chemist, Bobby & Fred & Anita were introduced

Paul/Cricket/Michael/Isabella

Diane/Aunt Jack/Giggly

The only bad things were Heather leaving, losing Gina's, the stupid Mother/Daughter twist, the casting of Lily & anything to do with Kevin.

Thanks. I think I'd tuned out by then.

It was Y&R's last solid year.

Even though the writing was horrible in the second half of the year.

It looked like 2003 was Victor's year to finally go down for all the terrible stuff he did and for all the people he wronged. He kissed Sharon, and had to suffer getting punches from Nick, and later John Abbott, had to face meeting his father albert who was just as terrible as Victor himself, all leading up to his arrest.

I guess for whatever stupid reason in 2004, Jack Smith thought it would be best for Victor to go about his business doing all the crushing again.

Victor was never going to lose.

He was pretty much forgiven by almost everyone by the end of the year.

The next year just made it even worse.

Did Heather Tom's exit affect their story plans or did they know she was gone?

So they weren't really planning on letting Victor go down?

It was probably nice to see that even Victor could fall flat on his you know what when it came to physical alliances, (Nick and John being his example) It was always made out to be that no one would ever win a physical fight against the mustache, until those 2.

Dumb question, but what did Victor do in 2004-2005?

Did Heather Tom's exit affect their story plans or did they know she was gone?

It's so depressing that she left while she was going out with Michael. I would have loved to see Heather's Victoria go at it with Lauren.

Did anyone or can anyone elaborate on the Alden/Scott feud?

Did Heather Tom's exit affect their story plans or did they know she was gone?

Somewhat.

Y&R was planning on backburnering Victoria anyway.

Heather leaving just made them do it faster.

So they weren't really planning on letting Victor go down?

Not in the way the story would have logically dictated.

Victor was never going to really lose but the way he won BY losing was insane.

It was probably nice to see that even Victor could fall flat on his you know what when it came to physical alliances, (Nick and John being his example) It was always made out to be that no one would ever win a physical fight against the mustache, until those 2.

Neither of those was a fight especially since Victor never tried to fight back.

However Victor's been in plenty of fights though it's only been since Bergman was cast that Victor became unstoppable.

Dumb question, but what did Victor do in 2004-2005?

Built a rec center, got Jack fired, ran Jabot into the ground, made friends with Michael, helped end Brad & Ashley's marriage, fought the mob & made up with Victoria & Nick.

It's so depressing that she left while she was going out with Michael. I would have loved to see Heather's Victoria go at it with Lauren.

Michael would've never been paired with Lauren if Heather had stayed.

1998 was indeed a near-perfect year.

I am so sad that nothing really came of Michael/Victoria. I felt they showed incredible promise.