The Young and the Restless spoilers tease that an unexpected twist could get Michael Muhney back as Adam Newman on Y&R fans’ TV screens by this summer, 2017. The Writers Guild of America’s current negotiations have been contentious. Now, a fast-approaching deadline has been set. A strike will be likely authorized for May 2, if a settlement isn’t reached with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (which represents TV networks and movie studios).
After all newly recorded episodes of Y&R (approximately six week’s worth of content) have been shown, CBS would likely replay classic episodes from the past. That’s how passionate fans thirst for Michael Muhney’s return could be quenched by summer.
Michael Muhney hasn’t been rehired yet and the Adam Newman character’s revival at any point in the near future remains uncertian. However, there is a very real possibility that all scripted television shows, which includes broadcast network soap operas, will be impacted by an upcoming writer’s strike.
Y&R could opt to return to the 1970’s. But that was before nearly all current characters were invented. So much of today’s audience probably wouldn’t choose to invest in that era. The Young and the Restless storylines wouldn’t be known, or remembered without some form of massive Internet research taking place. How about reliving the Big-80’s? That’s when Niktor first took hold. More characters from that era would be familiar to today’s audience, which obviously increases if 1990’s episodes are shown instead.
But let’s skip ahead to the next decade and millennium. Now stop at 2009, to be exact. An Adam recast occurred then on The Young and the Restless and Michael Muhney was hired. He took over for Chris Engen, who portrayed the original adult version of that character.
Muhney’s storied Y&R ride is so well documented that it seems reasonable to believe that The Young and the Restless show would start the classic episode binge with his debut. He became Adam on June 25, 2009. Of course, the Delia (Sophie Pollono) dies arc might also be a dramatic moment in time to revisit as well.
The proposed scenario, if enacted, would somewhat satisfy Muhney’s fans enduring quest to see him play Adam again. While his efforts wouldn’t be fresh, there’s no doubt that the marks he left would be revisited by some. Of course the entire Y&R audience wasn’t watching just to see him the first time around. This tactic by TPTB at The Young and the Restless would provide a painless test whereby they could see first hand the response to Michael Muhney’s Adam Newman. Naturally such a natural experiment would open the door for a future return of the actor and the character.
What percentage of Y&R’s average daily audience (approximately 4.5 million viewers) would choose to watch reruns? With that cogent point in mind, an alternative gamble might be to play out mini-arcs, if TPTB didn’t want to run an indefinite stretch of programs starting at one point in time. But even that would be risky.
Ratings for replays, where the outcomes to all stories are almost immediately accessible through many modern resources make this strike’s threat far more dangerous than the last one in 2007. The threat involves a temporary audience reduction becoming a permanent loss after the strike would be settled. Especially if the strike is long-lasting and fans find new ways to spend their time. CDL is a leading source for everything linked to The Young and the Restless. Check back regularly for Y&R spoilers and news! Please come and join in the LIVE discussion on our Facebook Page!