Who took Mariah from Young and the Restless?

Credit: CBS; Howard Wise/JPI

Young & Restless wrapped up the kidnapping portion of the surrogacy storyline this week with a perhaps unintended bit of comedy. Elsewhere, Ashland’s past is becoming an issue, and Sally’s agitating where Phyllis is concerned.

Something to Behold

In last week’s column I said I would be pleasantly surprised if the kidnapper turned out to be anyone but Stitch, and alas, the storyline played out almost exactly as predicted. Despite being so obvious it still didn’t make much sense. Even Stitch couldn’t explain it! Basically, Mariah was terrorized for a half-baked scheme to win Abby back with a side of redemption. Rey likened Stitch’s motive to that of an arsonist’s, but the only thing the plot really set fire to was his character. They attempted to make him out as somewhat sympathetic, but the damage is done. (Also, I still want to know how he did it.)

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Anyway, that played out like a B movie, and then over on Willow Lane, the delivery of Baby Chancellor went down like a sitcom…

First, we had Abby rush into the room and blurt out, “Oh my God!” which was followed quickly by her informing the panting woman lying amid the towels having contractions, “You’re in labor!” You have no idea how badly I wanted Mariah to snark, “No sh*t, Sherlock!” (Tell me you can’t hear Camryn Grimes’ pitch-perfect delivery of the line.)

“In case you hadn’t guessed… you’re in labor!”

Credit: CBS screenshot

If you saw it, I don’t even need to explain why it was — unintentionally or not — comedic. Let me preface this by saying that Grimes did amazing work throughout this storyline depicting a terrified woman about to give birth alone. But Abby peering down under the covers between Mariah’s legs in anticipation while Devon grinned and Mariah agonized was something to behold. Don’t even get me started on the Head of Nate demonstrating his two-second breathing technique from the tablet on the dresser. You had to laugh or you’d cry. After the birth, Devon and Abby smiling adoringly at that towel was the end of me. It reminded me of that old storyline with Ashley and her invisible baby, Robert.

More: Exclusive! Cait Fairbanks talks Mariah’s kidnapping and Teriah

As much of a calamity as this surrogacy story has been from the get-go (and it may not be over yet) it did manage to deliver some tense scenes and some entertainment value for fans who were intrigued by the mystery of who took Mariah and why, though the final act blew it by going exactly where we knew it was going to go.

Sugar Mama

It’s not become clear yet why Ashland’s connection to this wealthy older woman — his benefactor — is significant, but obviously it’s going to come into play as Victor and Billy continue to dig around in Locke’s past for more dirt. I speculated earlier this week about Ashland’s sugar mama, and since realized there’s another possibility. It was revealed that the wealthy older woman had a husband who died. That husband had two news outlets that she sold to Ashland after the fact, and that’s how Locke Communications got its start. Gloria was married to John Abbott, but she was also married to William Bardwell, who passed away and left her his fortune (and other assets it’s safe to assume). So, Ashland’s past might just pop up to greet him in Society one of these days! Whoever the woman is, unless Ashland killed her husband, it’s still unclear how it would change anything where Victoria, the merger, or the wedding is concerned.

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In related commentary, Victoria was shook when Ashland revealed his vision for Newman-Locke and when Nikki forecast that he might need an office and may actually want to run the new entity with her. Was she startled by the reality that he might actually beat his cancer, or did it make her suspicious after Victor planted a seed of doubt by accusing him of faking his illness? What’s your take?

Odds and Ends

* As predicted, something is afoot where Jack and Phyllis are concerned. With Sally agitating by pointing it out to Nick, it doesn’t take a lot of imagination to see where this is going. The obviousness of it makes me hope for a twist.

* Faith quizzing Moses was just… odd. The writers need to consider injecting other teens into their storyline somehow or they’re just going to have to keep coming up with weird ways of creating conflict to keep them onscreen. While we’re at it, they also need to be written a little more like real teenagers.

* Looking forward to seeing more of the dynamic between Adam and Sally… and how Chloe and Sharon will react!

This is just my opinion. Feel free to join the conversation below, but first, take a look back on Camryn Grimes’ history on Young & Restless in our photo-filled gallery!

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