On X, a Young & Restless fan named Jennifer said simply, “Nikki’s blindness isn’t tugging on any heartstrings for me.” Us, either — and we all know why, don’t we?
Despite the wonderful work Melody Thomas Scott is doing, Nikki’s failing vision is obviously just a plot point — not even a plotline but a plot point — designed to reunite her with Victor. This, despite the fact that he hasn’t earned her forgiveness in any way, shape or form.
What’s the Problem?
Dude got Nikki’s ex-husband and good friend Jack kidnapped, drugged and sexually assaulted (by loco Patty), and why? Because Victor’s still angry that Jack helped Nikki get sober. Wow, what a terrible offense, right?
Mrs. Newman drew a line in the sand over Jack’s abduction, and understandably so. But “Niktor” is endgame, so the powers that be have no choice, they have to re-pair them. How? In this case, by creating a new situation that makes Nikki — and, they’d like to think, us — forget the heinous actions that prompted her split from Victor in the first place.
A Grand Gesture? Eh…
It isn’t working, and it isn’t gonna. As the show maneuvers toward the “twist” that Victor helped save Nikki’s eyesight, we all see it coming. In fact, the script for Friday’s episode (recapped here) drove home the intended takeaway: “Dad did this for you, Mom.”
But what did he do, really? Super-rich guy threw his weight around to procure a schmancy surgeon to operate on his estranged wife, then sent his private jet to get her. That’s not sacrifice. That’s not even effort. That’s just a one-percenter being a one-percenter.
Where Do We Go From Here?
At a time when so many of us are struggling to keep up with our health-insurance payments, the “twist” is especially unappealing. We know that if we were in Nikki’s designer hospital booties, no Daddy Warbucks would be riding to our rescue.
What’s more, what will be the upshot of this “Niktor” reunion? That when the chips are down, they always come together? OK, that’s nice and all. But what it also says is that, unless Nikki’s going blind or having an MS flare-up or falling off the wagon, Victor will continue to run roughshod over Genoa City while she sits idly by rolling her eyes and suggesting in vain that he take it down a notch.
