The Young and the Restless (Y&R) spoilers examine how new head writer Sally Sussman will resolve the Adam Newman disappearance and who might replace Justin Hartley. Y&R spoilers teased that former Bill Bell disciple, Sally Sussman, was returning to the show. Now that her hire has been confirmed many plot paths are opening at CBS’ long-running steamer. One arc she should address, among many, is the Adam Newman story.
It’s standard grammatical protocol to list an actor’s name aside of whatever fictional character is referenced, or to list the character’s name after the actor’s name has been noted. However, in this instance, that’s not possible since no one is being paid by Y&R to play Adam. Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea) recently expressed her belief that Adam Newman wouldn’t have a new face. However, Sussman’s arrival means change is afoot.
One major issue created through the departure of the most recent Adam is the ability to create a believable return story. Justin Hartley appeared as Adam toward the tail end of 2014, after Michael Muhney was last seen on screen in January. Hartley’s version of Adam was enabled through a complicated storyline that involved reconstructive plastic surgery, which was needed due to Muhney’s exiting Adam suffering massive skin burns in a car crash.
So, Adam was made to look like a man called Gabriel Bingham, who was the grandson of Constance Bingham (Sally Kellerman) and the man who Sage (Kelly Sullivan) loved. That entirely invented arc, including all characters connected to it, have been written off the show as of September. Constance died awhile ago, Sage died this summer and Adam is believed to be dead now.
If Sussman decides to bring Adam back someday she’ll need to task her writing staff with an arc that honors the recent history of this character, but also doesn’t appear to be a retread. How anyone other than Hartley could become Adam, including the two adult actors who previously played him, without another explained face change is vexing. Yet, in the soap world all is possible.
So, Sussman will likely allow the presumption of Adam’s death to linger indefinitely. Allowing time to flow would also let Hartley’s new NBC series This Is Us play out. If it succeeds and Y&R decides to bring Adam back, then another actor will likely be cast.
If it fails, then Hartley could return, assuming both parties are mutually agreeable. In either instance, or in other variations of the defined options, Sussman knows that she has the ability to resurrect a charismatic character if the right actor can fill that role.
Of course it is entirely possible for Michael Muhney to simply take over the role of Adam Newman exactly the way Michelle Stafford was replaced by Gina Tognoni as Phyllis – ‘The Role of Adam Newman is now being played by Michael Muhney’ may one day appear on our screens during Y&R credits!
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Writing’s on the wall pic.twitter.com/vTCfK7o5Ed
— mal young (@malyoung) September 25, 2016
Have a great weekend and get ready for a can’t miss week on #YR! pic.twitter.com/tngEIw6Flj
— Young & The Restless (@YRInsider) September 24, 2016
