Fantasy League, Young And Restless

Sometimes the greatness of a soap week is measured not in how flashy or clever a storyline is, but by how well a show rewards its viewers’ patience, honoring the inherent promise of the genre: that if you tune in tomorrow, you’ll be glad you did. That’s precisely what Y&R gifted fans of two major duos — Nick and Sharon, and Devon and Hilary — as their respective reunions were solidified.

Nick and Sharon, who have had countless breakups and makeups since their days as high school sweethearts back in 1994, found their way back to one another after his engagement to Chelsea went belly-up. Devoted co-parents who had long been there for one another when the chips were down, their friendship gave way to renewed passion, and they quickly ditched their friends-with-benefits arrangement for something more profound. But when it came time to spread the news that they were back on as a couple, Faith, their young daughter, was far from thrilled; understandably, she was skeptical that this time, her parents would get it right. (Big sis Mariah offered this blunt analogy in their wellwritten heart-to-heart on the subject: “You’ve seen this movie and the ending sucks.”)