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| Victoria Rowell |
The spark, energy, and fire that Rowell brought to the screen is sorely missed. I don't care about what supposedly went on behind the scenes. All I saw on screen was a magnetic character who I couldn't take my eyes off of, who made her scene partners better, and who always made me care about whatever drama she was dealing with at any given time.
At a certain point, producers and networks need to do what is best for their shows, if they truly want a series to be the best it can be. Y&R is in desperate need of Dru in Genoa City. As we lose core characters and a sense of history, fan favorite Rowell would be just the thing to bring some much-needed history and depth back to the top-rated daytime drama.
Victoria Rowell is an actress who cares about her craft, believes in diversity, and stands up for what she believes in. I don't see anything wrong with that. In fact, why aren't more people celebrating her for speaking out?
More than ever, The Young and the Restless needs a major boost. The show is dragging, and there are days when I hardly recognize one person in an episode. A dynamic character from the past, developed by the legendary William J. Bell, who can instantly creatte story across the entire canvas, would do wonders for Y&R. Some days the show is just plain boring. One thing Drucilla Winters was not, even on her worst day, was boring.
Instead of hiring popular (and sometimes bland) actors from other soaps, bring back an actress who already has a built in fanbase who could be ratings gold. Y&R is maintaining it's top-ranking but is there really any competition for that spot. All four daytime soaps are holding their own in the ratings the past two years (thankfully) but the other shows are not going to gain a million or more viewers and suddenly catch Y&R. Why not also be the #1 show in terms of quality? Despite a ridiculous Daytime Emmy process that gave the show 26 nominations last week, Days of our Lives and The Bold and the Beautiful are leaps and bounds ahead of Y&R in terms of quality. On many days, General Hospital is too.
Y&R is coasting, and it's time to stop. The priorities seem to be all wrong. The first thing I thought of when I saw former Y&R actress Michelle Stafford pop up on ABC soap General Hospital last week was, "Oh brother, which current or former GH actress will Y&R try to 'steal' now to play Phyllis?" Stunt-casting or event-drama like Delia's death seem to be the new norm, and that's not the way Mr. Bell ever intended his masterpiece to be. Isn't there anyone at Y&R (Jill Farren Phelps) or CBS (Angelica McDaniel) that actually knows what Y&R was/is supposed to be about?
Can you imagine the publicity that Victoria Rowell's return would generate? And instead of hiring an actor from another show that many Y&R fans do not even recognize, Drucilla's return might actually lure back lapsed viewers that stopped watching.
The story possibilities are endless. Where hams Dru been all these years? Does she have a new family? Is she in hiding for a reason? Does she even know who she is? How will she react when she learns her archenemy Phyllis is in a coma? Will she help Sharon when the truth about what Sharon did to Phyllis is finally revealed? And what would Drucilla have to say about Neil and Hilary? That would be enough to get me to tune in! I bet there are other fans like me that would feel the same.
No offense to anyone mentioned here but none of the actresses who have played opposite Drucilla's husband, Neil Winters (Kristoff St. John)--Nia Peeples, Eva Marcille, Julia Pace Mitchell, Angell Conwell and Mishael Morgan--can hold a candle to Victoria Rowell. Morgan is the best of that group, and has a spark, but none of these actresses will ever mean to Y&R what Rowell did, and could again.
Now that you know how I feel, we want to hear from you. Are you ready for the return of Drucilla Winters?
Please take a look at some of my favorite Dru scenes from the past and share your thoughts in the Comments section below.
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