Young & Restless Has Done It Again — and Argh! Not in a Good Way

Fans of *The Young and the Restless*’ beloved “Terriah” pairing had every reason to celebrate when the August 3 episode (recapped here) revealed that the married couple had reunited. Unfortunately, that excitement was quickly overshadowed by a familiar frustration: once again, the reunion happened entirely off screen, continuing a disappointing trend the soap has fallen into in recent years.

Rather than allowing viewers to experience the emotional moment alongside Mariah and Tessa, the audience only learned about their reconciliation through Mariah’s conversation with her mother, Sharon. Tessa never even appeared in the episode.

Now You See Them, Now You Don’t

The situation strongly echoed the way “Terriah’s” adoption storyline unfolded, with much of the most meaningful material taking place off screen. It leaves fans asking the same question once again: Why? If Sharon and Nick had reunited after a separation, there’s little doubt it would have been a centerpiece of the episode. Victor and Nikki’s latest reunion certainly played out in full on screen. So why wasn’t the same treatment given to “Terriah”? Has the show really become that uninterested in the couple?

If that’s the case, it raises an even bigger concern. Mariah and Tessa remain *The Young and the Restless*’ only LGBTQ+ couple and one of the soap’s very few LGBTQ+ representations throughout its history. Simply put, they matter. That’s why it’s disappointing to see them handled like an afterthought instead of receiving the attention their story deserves.

A Change for the Better

If nothing else, this latest disappointment makes the upcoming writing change feel even more encouraging. Josh Griffith is stepping down as head writer, with Jamey Giddens and Dan O’Connor taking over. Expectations are high for the new creative team (and for good reason), and even if the transition isn’t completely seamless, many viewers believe the fresh direction will be an improvement over recent storylines involving Diane redecorating the Abbott mansion, Nikki’s week-long bout of blindness, the never-ending parade of psychos, and what feels like more kidnappings in a single month than the show has children. (Seriously, just look at how many abductions viewers have sat through lately!)