Say It Ain’t So: Will the Exit of Victor Newman Be the Demise of The Young and the Restless?

There is a nasty, spiteful rumor going around and I, for one, hope that it is not true! Victor Newman’s last episode on The Young and the Restless is to air on November 2, 2009!

Some might ask, “Are they crazy?” Hell — I’m even asking, “Are they crazy?” Even though the character does some of the most deplorable things known to daytime television, Victor Newman has been played by the same actor for 30 of the 36 years the soap has been on the air. Yes, people — that means the original actor has been asked to leave the only show for which most of us recognize him.

My first instinct was to blame CBS or The Young and the Restless for such foolishness, but sources say that the responsibility goes to — Sony! Apparently, because of contract negotiations — Sony wanting Eric Braeden to take a pay cut in the middle of his existing contract — we may lose one of the best evil minds in daytime! All kidding aside though, the role of Victor Newman is such an integral part of The Young and the Restless, one of the most popular soap operas on television. Does the industry even consider whether the show would be as good without Victor Newman?

I’ve scrolled Twitter, Facebook, blogs, and many comment threads out there on the Internet, and everyone seems to concur… The Young and the Restless will lose many of their loyal viewers if the role of Victor Newman is to cease. Admittedly, everyone loves a hero; we’re not always willing to admit we love the villain, but most of us can agree that we hate change! Soap opera fans are some of the most loyal fans any industry can come by, but the one thing we’re not willing to accept is the “changing of the guard” when it comes to a regular character. So, Sony, CBS, Paramount, The Young and the Restless — is it worth it to tick off that many fans at one time? You’d better ask yourselves that question before you make what may be one of the most colossal decisions of daytime television history. We, the fans, would hate for the demise of Victor Newman to mean the end of our indispensable Y&R.

Article Author: Roxanne Postell

My name is Roxanne Postell and I am currently the editor and chief at A-Z Group Solutions. Formerly an English teacher, I have been writing poetry, short stories, and essays for about 10 years, now. I have an unquenchable thirst for knowledge and a deep passion for writing. …

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