That whole set of characters (Billy, Mackenzie, Brittany, JT, Raul) was fantastic. So many dynamics, complicated relationships and they were allowed to be teenagers that grew, evolved, changed and matured.

The best teen set on any soap, ever.

Jill was never just a spoiler for Billy & Mackenzie.

The character was one of Alden's huge favorites & received one of the most well written story arcs of any character on the show at the time.

Plus Jill's issues with Billy began long before Billy & Mackenzie even began dating.

Definitely, Jill was one of Alden's favourites, if not her favourite character to write for, and I think Alden attempted to evolve Jill really positively, having her confront the anger with Katherine, once and for all, with the Chancellor mansion fight, then the return of Billy and their damaged relationship, then the introduction of Mackenzie and Jill's renewed friendship with John, a greater role at Jabot with Jack & Ashley, and her May/December romances...oh, for those days again.

Jill was never just a spoiler for Billy & Mackenzie.

The character was one of Alden's huge favorites & received one of the most well written story arcs of any character on the show at the time.

Plus Jill's issues with Billy began long before Billy & Mackenzie even began dating.

I think one of the problems I had was Billy barely arrived before any of this happened. Billy was mostly offcamera, then he shows up, yelling about Jill, which quickly became about Mac. I didn't see any nuances in the material.

I just didn't care for the pairing or Jill's role in it. I know she's had much worse stories since then, but, that's how I felt at the time.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by DRW50

Just thinking about what if they have an Abbott family breakfast. DT's Billy, Ashley, Jack, and Traci all together.

I cannot even describe the feelings that thought brings.

You left out Rhianna and Colleen. They were definitely one of the best teen sets on the soaps. Only teen set that came close were GH's Brenda, Jason, Robin, Stone, Karen, and Jagger, IMO. Although, I did like the more recent Days younger set of Chloe, Phillip, Brady, Bell, Shawn, and Mimi.

Rianna, yes! Although I left her out because she really wasn't much more than a friend/support kind of character.

The best teen set on any soap, ever.

It really was.

Definitely, Jill was one of Alden's favourites, if not her favourite character to write for, and I think Alden attempted to evolve Jill really positively, having her confront the anger with Katherine, once and for all, with the Chancellor mansion fight, then the return of Billy and their damaged relationship, then the introduction of Mackenzie and Jill's renewed friendship with John, a greater role at Jabot with Jack & Ashley, and her May/December romances...oh, for those days again.

It was an epically good time for Jill. The character evolved SO much. Too bad it was all destroyed just a few years after....

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by YRBB

I think one of the problems I had was Billy barely arrived before any of this happened. Billy was mostly offcamera, then he shows up, yelling about Jill, which quickly became about Mac. I didn't see any nuances in the material.

I just didn't care for the pairing or Jill's role in it. I know she's had much worse stories since then, but, that's how I felt at the time.

That's the thing--it's easy to remember it that way, but that's not what happened.

Jill was never a terribly good or very present mother (which worked great with her history and character).

Naturally, that created issues of guilt & desperation to make it up on Jill's side and resentment on Billy's side (although he claimed he didn't hold it against her). He didn't need to be on-camera for that. He also hated any interference in his life and Jill was exactly the type to interfere.

Billy only returned for one week during a time which Jill felt extremely lonely and needy. He never yelled or argued--on the contrary, they both tried to be very respectful of each other and in several occasions decided not to argue and just enjoy the time they had.

Of course, Billy was a typically spoiled rich kid. He was a nice person, and he had manners, but as a teenager (and a spoiled one at that) he could only see things from his perspective. Hanging out with his mom wasn't exactly an amazing idea.

I see a lot of nuances in the writing and their relationship was complicated right off the bat.

I always thought that it would have been impossible for Jill NOT to hate Mac's guts. Jill was a nasty bitch to Mac and it was delicious.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by YRBB

To be fair to Jill, both she and John were terrified by Billy's drinking which got out of control and he almost died of alcohol poisoning. This made them both even more overly protective of him. I remember John was also not too thrilled by how serious Billy's relationship with Mac got.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by Ann_SS

That's the thing--it's easy to remember it that way, but that's not what happened.

Jill was never a terribly good or very present mother (which worked great with her history and character).

Naturally, that created issues of guilt & desperation to make it up on Jill's side and resentment on Billy's side (although he claimed he didn't hold it against her). He didn't need to be on-camera for that. He also hated any interference in his life and Jill was exactly the type to interfere.

Billy only returned for one week during a time which Jill felt extremely lonely and needy. He never yelled or argued--on the contrary, they both tried to be very respectful of each other and in several occasions decided not to argue and just enjoy the time they had.

Of course, Billy was a typically spoiled rich kid. He was a nice person, and he had manners, but as a teenager (and a spoiled one at that) he could only see things from his perspective. Hanging out with his mom wasn't exactly an amazing idea.

I see a lot of nuances in the writing and their relationship was complicated right off the bat.

I always thought that it would have been impossible for Jill NOT to hate Mac's guts. Jill was a nasty bitch to Mac and it was delicious.

That's how I remember it as well, Billy wasn't the ham/idiot/yeller that he was later written to be, he tried to like Jill, tried to get along with her, and at times they did...but Jill was a needy, lonely, and interfering kind of mother who veered on smothering him when she had her chance to 'parent' him...Billy wasn't a bad kid, he was a screwed up one and it was just as much John's fault as it was Jill's and they both knew it. And the relationship changed after the first year, as John and Jill became better friends, knowing they needed to be more vigilant with him, right around this time, one of my favourite episodes.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OxxgSLi0t-E

Jill was a nasty bitch to Mac and it was delicious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CExlpQmUumM

That's the thing--it's easy to remember it that way, but that's not what happened.

Jill was never a terribly good or very present mother (which worked great with her history and character).

Naturally, that created issues of guilt & desperation to make it up on Jill's side and resentment on Billy's side (although he claimed he didn't hold it against her). He didn't need to be on-camera for that. He also hated any interference in his life and Jill was exactly the type to interfere.

Billy only returned for one week during a time which Jill felt extremely lonely and needy. He never yelled or argued--on the contrary, they both tried to be very respectful of each other and in several occasions decided not to argue and just enjoy the time they had.

Of course, Billy was a typically spoiled rich kid. He was a nice person, and he had manners, but as a teenager (and a spoiled one at that) he could only see things from his perspective. Hanging out with his mom wasn't exactly an amazing idea.

I see a lot of nuances in the writing and their relationship was complicated right off the bat.

I always thought that it would have been impossible for Jill NOT to hate Mac's guts. Jill was a nasty bitch to Mac and it was delicious.

I never thought Jill was a good mother, but I didn't love the idea that Billy was in boarding school for eons (when up to early 1998, as far as we saw, he was in Genoa City and being raised by John, with visits from Jill) and was back with fury and outrage. It just didn't work for me. I didn't mind Billy resenting her or raking her over the coals, I just didn't care for the way it was handled or for how it felt like more of the same (as there were many other characters on the show already telling Jill what a terrible mother/person she was).

I guess the view depends on how people felt about Billy. I didn't like him, so my view is biased. Many here adored him. So I will agree to disagree.

I never thought Jill was a good mother, but I didn't love the idea that Billy was in boarding school for eons (when up to early 1998, as far as we saw, he was in Genoa City and being raised by John, with visits from Jill) and was back with fury and outrage. It just didn't work for me. I didn't mind Billy resenting her or raking her over the coals, I just didn't care for the way it was handled or for how it felt like more of the same (as there were many other characters on the show already telling Jill what a terrible mother/person she was).

I guess the view depends on how people felt about Billy. I didn't like him, so my view is biased. Many here adored him. So I will agree to disagree.

But that isn't how Billy returned to the canvas. He wasn't full of fury or outrage. He was a damaged kid who was re-learning his dynamic with his mother who loved him so much she smothered him whenever she could. Jill wasn't being berated for her mothering skills or personality...Jill only started getting dumped on for that once Hogan Sheffer was aboard the show.

That whole set of characters (Billy, Mackenzie, Brittany, JT, Raul) was fantastic. So many dynamics, complicated relationships and they were allowed to be teenagers that grew, evolved, changed and matured.

This story got me back into Y&R after about a six or seven-year hiatus. What was great was that you had characters like JT, just organically emerge. (JT was only supposed to be a short-term character.) Seeing some of these scenes with DT and AB remind me just how good they were. The character of Billy will be fine in DT's hands. I do wish they would bring back Mac and JT. Obviously, this could spin the whole Villy thing in a new direction because of Reed.

At the time I saw him as berating her (I think John even asked him to stop at one point). Others don't. I know it's just my opinion.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by DRW50

I am sure we will have plenty of Abbott family time because I am sure Victoria will kick Billy out of their house soon enough. This way DT's Billy will be surrounded by Abbotts his first weeks on the show. I actually look forward to him and how they much of the old version of him will come back into play. Also flashbacks. I expect lots of flashbacks.

SID interviews Lauren Woodland. She said she would love to come back for a few episodes. I know AH said Thad was asked to return and Kelly Kruger was approached. I would not be surprised to see a Glow by Jabot reunion arc. Maybe they want to relaunch it now the social media has advanced so much. This time it will center around Summer but the old crew would kick it off. That could be a cute way to get some old faces on and jog the audience memory.

Would be cool if they do a Glow By Jabot redux or they bring it back with DT's Billy in charge

My first reaction is leave the past in the past when it comes to that Glow by Jabot set. I hated how it fell apart and how the characters ended up. JT and Mac together still makes me throw up in my mouth. Eh, it does not matter. I am not watching.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by Ann_SS

Would be cool if they do a Glow By Jabot redux or they bring it back with DT's Billy in charge

Yeah let him do that and let Gloria take over Boulevard. I can't see DT's Billy running that place.

Edited December 30, 201311 yr by Taiah