"It's time to celebrate all that we loved about the great Katherine Chancellor," exclaimed Father Todd, played by Jeanne Cooper's son, Corbin Bernsen, to begin Katherine's memorial service, which was a celebration of this magnificent woman's life. We had a shortened week for our favorite soap, thanks to the US Open, which seems to be filled with more "love" than Y&R at times. I know, I know...that is a very old joke. But the love was definitely flowing at Katherine's memorial service, as the invited guests fondly reminisced about past experiences they had shared with this gracious lady, while Katherine's portrait presided over the ceremony.
Those who were closest to Katherine were invited to this celebration, which took place in a park on September 3rd -- a date I will never forget. Would that be because papa was a rolling stone, and because "it was the 3rd of September, that day I'll always remember, 'cause that was the day that my daddy died"? No, of course not, although I think that calendar day was made famous due to that song. Thankfully, now September 3rd can also be remembered for this tribute, so with a box of Kleenex nearby, I watched this special memorial service on the day of my birth. I celebrated Katherine's life, as I also celebrated my birthday -- in tears, but with a smile on my face.
As I was growing up, it had not been easy having my birthday associated with a sad and sorrowful song, such a "Papa was a Rolling Stone." That had been a huge hit record, and I had always felt bad that such a melancholy song was connected with the day I was born. His papa had died, but I had been born. (Same day, although probably not the same year, I'd like to think.) However, on the other hand, my birthday has, quite often, fallen during the Labor Day weekend that is always regarded fondly. So, September 3rd does not always carry a bad stigma, and Katherine's fans had finally been given the chance for closure with such a beloved character on that day. So now it is time to move on, which is what Katherine Chancellor's loved ones will try to do.
I honestly felt that the memorial was a celebration of Katherine's life, which is the way that she would have wanted it. She even made sure to have a theme: "no tears, no regrets." Katherine really did call all of the shots from beyond the grave for this ceremony, and I believe that Jeanne Cooper would have loved it. She also would have loved having her son Corbin, as Father Todd, lead the service and reflect on the type of person that Katherine really was. Katherine had such a kind heart that she wanted all of those closest to her to remember and cherish their favorite memories of her with a smile. It was so heart-warming. I mean, wouldn't we all want that?
I can list all of those dear to her who were at the service: Jill, Jack, Paul, Victor, Nikki, Billy, Victoria, Kevin, Chloe, Michael, Lauren, Neil, Cane, Lily, Devon, Esther, Nick, Avery, Father Todd, and of course, Murphy. And Brock, Amber, Gina, Danny, Christine, and Nina made special guest appearances. Honestly, it would have been easier to list those who weren't included. (Adam, Chelsea, and Dylan come to mind, but more about them later.) Katherine had sent letters to all that she had considered closest to her, so I found it rather strange when Paul mentioned to Christine that he had not received one. I had to wonder why. But I didn't have to wonder for too long.
We, the fans, could grieve, as each guest told his or her favorite story about the great "Mrs. C." Nina even reflected that Katherine and Jill had once tried to bribe her to move away to Guam to get her away from Phillip III, and everyone laughed. I especially liked what Christine read from Katherine's letter to her: "Live for the moment, and in the moment." Isn't that what we all should do? We just don't think about it, but time is precious. And I loved Esther's favorite memory of the cake fight between Jill and Katherine. That was hilarious and so much fun to watch! It was great seeing it again.
Wow, I can't believe that it has been seven years since John died. It just doesn't seem that long. I laughed when Billy told Jack that he could still see John in his head -- in his memories. Jack looked rather stunned, at first, since Jack, of course, still sees and talks to his dad quite often. It was sweet, when Jack and Billy talked of the long-term friendship between Katherine and John, and how the two could be reunited in heaven, "swimming in that old quarry, skinny-dipping like they did in high school." It is only a shame that Katherine cannot return as a ghost.
I was very proud of myself for staying strong through most of Tuesday's service. That is, until the end, when Jill started crying and begging to know how Katherine could have left them all so suddenly, without any warning. Jill's tears ended up being my undoing, but I am not surprised about this, since I had already read an article from cast members who had stated that there was so much emotion in this scene, mostly due to Jess Walton. It's great how real life reflected the closeness between these two women on the screen. Jess was especially close to Jeanne, as Jill was like family to Katherine. Jill's emotion and sadness were almost overwhelming as she cried in Cane's arms.
With tears in her eyes, Jill took us on a walk down memory lane as we viewed clips of the various stages of Jill and Katherine's relationship, which began when Jill was just eighteen years old. The two of them had gone through so many different emotions throughout the years: love, hate, envy, respect, anger, hurt, pride, sadness, elation...I think the two of them hit every single emotion ever known to man...or, in this case, woman. During the journey on their "long and rocky road," Jill lived a little bit and learned a little bit, as she grew to love Katherine like a mother. Jill exclaimed that Katherine had been capable of ripping Jill's heart out, but she could also fill it right back up again. These two truly reached a point of closeness that some mothers never have with their own daughters.
During the ceremony, Paul finally received Katherine's letter to him, and what did she demand of him? Katherine insisted that Paul marry Christine. So, of course, Paul and Christine decided to "seize the moment" and to marry immediately at the newly christened Chancellor Park, dedicated in loving memory to Katherine Chancellor 1928-2013. Once "Cricket" received a bracelet borrowed from Gina, a new and blue pen from Lily, and an antique handkerchief from Victoria, she was all set for the wedding. Katherine would have been thrilled that the two of them had chosen to begin their lives together on the same day that her loved ones were celebrating her life. See, US Open, we can bring the "love" too!
Finally, Jill and Nikki told each other of Katherine's last request, which would send each on an "epic quest." While Jill was not sure what Katherine had intended for her to find, Nikki knew what Katherine wanted her to find, but she was not sure that she could do it. I have to admit that I truly got choked up when both Nikki and Jill saw Katherine standing nearby, smiling at them. The tears really welled up in my eyes, when, in an instant, her image vanished as quickly as it had come. The scene was remarkably touching, and I am sure that made all of her fans miss her all that much more. (I am getting teary-eyed just remembering about it. I am glad that it's no longer my birthday!)
Regarding Nikki's mission per Katherine, the rumors have abounded that Nikki will have a long-lost son and that the prodigal child may even turn out to be Dylan. Boy, would that change some things! Imagine Dylan and Adam belonging to the same dysfunctional family. They have already gotten a good head start on the dysfunctional part. Could Dylan be Nikki's long-lost son? That certainly would be an interesting twist to things, and it would keep Dylan -- and Steve Burton -- in the Y&R picture. Adam and Dylan would have even more reason to battle, and Nick could join in on the fun. That development could open up so many possibilities for future storylines. And speaking of Adam and Dylan, this is where I am headed next.
What a relief! At least the Adam/Chelsea/Dylan storyline has finally picked up its pace, thankfully! Now that the doctors have determined that Connor possibly has a hereditary condition, blindness, that he obviously inherited from Adam and his mother, the truth will need to come out. Even Adam should be able to put two and two together, now that he has heard the news. I still can't understand how he has let Chelsea string him along all this time and that he has believed everything she has said about the baby. That doesn't sound like the cool, cunning, devious Adam that we know and love.
I wonder how Dylan will react to the news, especially if he is coping with PTSD. Y&R fan Carolyn had a very observant take on Dylan:
"I think that Dylan needs to believe that this baby is his because he needs something good to hold on to keep him 'sane' so to speak. Dylan lost the love of his life to another man (Avery, not Chelsea) and lost a baby with said love.? That is a lot to endure. Couple that with PTSD and it's a wonder that Dylan is as sane as he appears. I see glimpses of the truth seeping thru in Dylan's face every once in a while, but I believe that Dylan truly wants to believe that Chelsea wouldn't lie to him about the paternity of her baby. As for Dylan barking at Adam to 'stay away from his wife and baby', I believe that reaction if out of fear of the truth. Lots of folks have held onto a lie with the truth staring them right in the face, because the truth is just too painful to bear. Once the truth is revealed, Dylan loses everything...his wife, his baby and possibly even his sanity (due to his PTSD)."?
My sister is actually a big Dylan fan, and she tends to agree with this. She loves Dylan and Chelsea together, although my mother and I had liked Chelsea with Adam at one time. After all the lies, I am not sure anymore. (And to think, just a few short years ago, I never would have believed that I could ever have the least bit of sympathy for Adam. Things do change!) The fans would love to have a storyline about a war veteran suffering with PTSD, as Y&R fan Deborah also indicates:
"So many of our servicemen and women suffer from this, including my husband. He is an Iraqi war veteran. Both of us would be glad to share our experiences about the PTSD episodes. The added stress of a new baby would be a good start. Not all PTSD sufferers are violent, so the baby and Chelsea's safety would not be at stake. Maybe you could bring awareness to this condition that [afflicts] so many and the public knows so little about it."
I hope the writers have listened. This would be a new story of an affliction that veterans currently deal with. All the better if the story could also reveal where one could turn to for help and counseling. Soaps used to provide information and help for those who needed it, and that can still be true. Information can lead to healing. Dylan commented to Billy that he wondered if the saying "the sins of the father being passed on to the sons" could be true. You have to wonder, "What sins?" Apparently, there is more to Dylan than what we have seen so far, and PTSD could be a factor in his upcoming storyline.
Dylan blamed himself for Connor's eye disorder, since he knew that Connor did not inherent it from Chelsea's side of the family. But if he suspected that Adam was actually Connor's father, why would he blame himself for that? Was Dylan lying to himself? Or did Dylan have something else in his past that he was afraid had caught up to him? No matter what, Chelsea sure stated the truth when she said that she was to blame for bringing her "baby into this world, surrounded by lies." Anita encouraged Chelsea to cover up the truth, so, sure, why not just add another lie to the equation?
I cheered when Adam overheard Dylan tell Billy about Connor's eye condition. Adam will, most certainly, figure it out. And Victoria knows about the baby's parentage and about Adam and his mother too. Dylan is bound to find out. Next week's episodes are promising, since Adam will be confronting Chelsea about the truth of who the baby's father is. I can't wait! I still can't believe I will be Adam's cheerleader from the sidelines. I honestly never would have imagined that in my wildest dreams, just a mere couple of years ago. (Apparently, my dreams aren't that wild.)
In the meantime, the battle between Victor and Jack continues, and in fact, has even escalated. After Adam confronted Victor about the cute little "bugs" in his office, which Victor, of course, had planted, Victor admitted that he did not believe that "the Harvard boys" were the secret investors. Victor and Adam both agreed that the father/son camaraderie between them had never existed and had, in fact, only been a figment of their imaginations. How true that was! You can't have a true relationship without trust, and those two never would have trusted each other. Victor learned that after he dashed out, Adam ran straight to Jack. Victor then believed that Jack was the secret investor...and he was right!
Although Jack claimed to Adam that he wanted no part of another fight with Victor, I have to think that deep down, that is exactly what Jack wants, even though he may deny it to himself. Jack loves sparring with Victor, especially since he never seems to win. Jack may be concerned over yet another battle with Victor, which is the last thing that Summer would want, but his need to beat Victor, just once, trumps his desire to get closer with Summer. We are in for another Victor/Jack tussle, folks!
Other notable (or humorous) items that happened during the week (and even a few from last week):
How appropriate that Delia did the artwork on the invitations for Katherine's memorial. Katherine would have wanted that.
I absolutely loved Nikki's hair at the memorial. I have never been able to get my hair to style like that, no matter how many cans of hairspray I use. I envy her!
Amber remembered that Katherine had once told her that the secret to success is being willing to make mistakes. Amber sure has that one down pat!
How interesting that Paul knew all of the words for the wedding vows by heart. He certainly was prepared for this very impromptu wedding.
Victoria must have loved it when she got to tell her dad, "I told you," after Adam declared that Victor and Adam's truce was off and after he stormed out of the house. It's always gratifying to be able to yell, "I told you so," when you know that you are right...even if it is a little petty. But who cares if it's petty, as long as it feels good.
As Summer struggled to find her personal identity, Noah searched for his career identity, and his search seems to be leading him straight to his family's corporate doorstep. Noah actually considered working at Newman Enterprises to find the career path of his choice. Talk about jumping from the pan into the fire!
And from last week:
I was glad to see that Sharon did not use Faith to further her agenda to win Nick back. That would have been extremely out of character, so it's nice that the writers did not go that far. The fans would have resented that.
Maybe there is another reason for Sharon's rather extreme behavior. While I still like the brain tumor idea, which seems to be all the rage now, could it be possible that she is schizophrenic, which would also cause her paranoid delusions and her disorganized thinking? I just have to think that her behavior is being caused by something other than her bipolar disorder.
Rats! No murder mystery...at least, not yet. Who knew that Carmine would go totally off the deep end? Somehow, I doubt if that's the last that we have heard from him though. The actor, Marco Dapper, has indicated that he is not going anywhere anytime soon, so I wonder what else Carmine will have up his sleeve.
Chloe is really getting on my last nerve. Since when did she become the expert on anything and everything Adam? Was she ever married to him? No, not that I can remember. So, why does she think that she knows everything about him?
I loved Jack's lesson from Katherine: "Every day that passes is another day we never get back." How true!
After a Labor Day and tennis-shortened week, this week we'll have our usual full week of Y&R again, filled with angst and drama, especially with the Dylan/Chelsea/Adam storyline. It's about time!
Until next time, please stay tuned.
