Today’s Young and the Restless recap airs in the USA on Thursday, January 18, 2024, and airs one day ahead in Canada. We post our Y&R recaps every weekday!
Last Episode
On the last episode of Y&R, Danny blew up at Phyllis after Christine rejected him; Jack stepped up as Nikki’s sponsor after Seth’s relapse.
The Abbott Mansion
Jack stands at his front door, looking out into the cold.
Diane walks down the stairs and asks him what’s on his mind.
Jack says his friend is suffering from something she thought she’d overcome, and he needs to help her.
Newman Media
Seth is sitting on the couch in Nikki’s office. After a moment, he gets up and starts going through her desk.
Nikki opens the door to her office and sees Seth going through the drawers of her desk. She asks what he thinks he’s doing.
Seth says Nikki’s assistant let him in and said he could wait there.
Nikki asks if her assistant told him he could go through her desk.
Seth says that was a violation, and he’s sorry… He’s been worried about her! She reached out but never responded to any of his texts or voicemails. He thought she was drinking and avoiding him.
Nikki asks if he came by to go through her belongings and see if she had any hidden vodka.
Seth says he overstepped. It wasn’t his place, even as her sponsor.
Nikki doesn’t believe he was there to protect her; she thinks he’s here for himself.
Seth says he doesn’t know what she’s talking about.
Nikki says she doesn’t think she’s the only one who started drinking again.
Society
Tucker signs his bill and gets up from his table to leave the restaurant.
Kyle walks in and meets Tucker in the middle of the restaurant. Kyle asks Tucker if he’s still coming after him.
Tucker grins and says he’s not… He was angry because of the punch Kyle threw; it still smarts!
Kyle says he won’t apologize. He doesn’t regret a thing!
Tucker tells Kyle that the next time they brawl, they should wear gloves and meet in a boxing ring.
Kyle says he’s not looking for any fistfights but might make an exception for Tucker.
Tucker asks Kyle to sit down. He wants to clear the air with him. Despite his sore jaw, he’s grown to respect Kyle.
Kyle doubts it after all the insults Tucker threw at him. He asks what game Tucker’s playing.
Tucker says he isn’t playing a game. Kyle showed him how deep his loyalty runs to his family.
Kyle asks why Tucker wants to talk if he knows Kyle won’t betray his family.
Tucker always knew he could never turn him since Kyle is loyal to his family. He says the Abbotts all have that trait, and Ashley blew up their marriage because of it. He says Kyle’s plan against him didn’t work because Tucker knew about it all along.
Kyle asks why he wasted his time letting this play out.
They sit down, and Tucker says he figured if Kyle told his family of Tucker’s plans, they’d get whipped into a frenzy and turn on one another.
Kyle says Jack figured that out, but the Abbotts didn’t turn on each other. They did some serious damage to Tucker’s reputation, though.
Tucker nods. He thought they’d keep the damaging information hanging over his head and was surprised when they released it. He asks Kyle why the Abbott family inspires such loyalty and devotion.
Newman Media
Seth tells Nikki he showed up at her office out of concern for her wellbeing.
Nikki says he promised to respond to her messages quickly, but it took him a long time. She thinks Seth is hiding something.
Seth says she’s turning things around on him and deflecting. He asks if she’s been drinking.
Nikki says she’s perfectly sober. She can tell when someone’s trying to evade; she’s an expert at it! She thinks Seth came to find his next drink or to have Nikki talk him out of it.
Seth says he only came to check on her.
Nikki says it’s fine if he wants to pretend, but he’s obviously here for help because he knew Nikki would see the signs.
Seth’s shoulders drop, and he admits it. He fell and fell hard. It’s been years since he slipped, and he’s really ashamed. Last night was his last drink.
Nikki understands. She asks if he’s been to a meeting.
Seth says he hoped they could go together and help each other.
Nikki says it’s not possible. She can’t rely on him as her sponsor now that he’s relapsed.
Seth says he’s already picked himself up. He swears it won’t happen again.
Nikki tells Seth to go to a meeting; go to several! She tells him to call his sponsor because she can’t be around him right now.
Seth says he may not be able to be her sponsor, but he needs a friend right now.
The Abbott Mansion
Diane tells Jack she won’t pry… It sounds like his friend is going through something painful and private.
Jack says it’s sensitive, but he wants Diane to know about it and doesn’t want it to come between them.
Diane says to tell her what he can, and she promises to keep it between them.
Jack says before he does that, there’s something he needs to tell her about him. He didn’t intentionally hide this, and it was a long time ago. He was addicted to painkillers in the past.
Diane asks when that happened.
Jack says he’d gotten shot and required painkillers, and he got hooked.
Diane asks why he never said anything to her about it.
Jack says it wasn’t the proudest chapter of his life.
Diane says feeling so out of control must have been horrible for him.
Jack says keeping secrets and lying to people made him feel terrible, and he did things to get pills. It was a dark time in his life.
Diane asks where Kyle was during that time… Did he even know?
Jack says Kyle knew, and he was the one who leaked the secret of Jack’s drug abuse to a gossip column to “wake his father up.”
Diane wishes she was there to help him.
Jack says he made it through with the help of Neil and Phyllis. They helped him through the worst of it.
Diane is incredulous that Phyllis was of any help.
Jack says Phyllis helped him through a nasty withdrawal, which was the beginning of his road to recovery. He asks if that’s hard for Diane to hear.
Diane says she doesn’t like Phyllis, but she’s glad Phyllis was there for Jack. She’s glad Jack shared this with her.
Jack says because he’s a recovering addict, he’s able to help with guidance, advice, and support if she’ll take it. He says the friend with the problem is Nikki Newman.
Diane nods, and figures Nikki must be drinking again.
Newman Media
Nikki tells Seth that he’s obviously not thinking clearly.
Seth says he wasn’t thinking clearly yesterday, but he is today… He thinks they can help each other.
Nikki says she feels for him, but he has to reach out to someone else in the program because she can’t be exposed to anybody’s relapse… Especially if that someone is her sponsor! She says her sobriety is precarious right now and asks him not to make it harder on her than it already is.
Audra knocks and enters the office. She apologizes for interrupting.
Nikki says Seth was just leaving.
Seth smiles sadly and tells Nikki he’s sorry he let her down.
Nikki tells him not to worry about her. She tells him to take care of himself, and she’ll do the same. Seth leaves.
Audra closes the office door and asks Nikki if she’s okay.
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Society
Kyle tells Tucker it’s no surprise he’s looking for ways to build family loyalty… Jack told him that Devon isn’t speaking to Tucker, which makes it obvious that Tucker doesn’t know the first thing about being a good parent or part of a family.
Tucker says, “Continue, O wise one!”
Kyle thinks the only relationship that Tucker’s been able to maintain is his twisted one with Audra.
Tucker says he’s Audra’s mentor. She wouldn’t have a career if it weren’t for him!
Kyle says Audra credits Tucker for her success, but Kyle knows that Tucker’s relationship with Audra is transactional.
Tucker grins and says Kyle should keep telling himself that if it makes him feel better about what he had with Audra.
Kyle says Audra won’t stand by Tucker when she realizes she doesn’t need him to become rich and powerful.
Tucker asks Kyle to get to the point.
Kyle says his point is that Tucker has nobody without Audra. Tucker has no friends or family because he doesn’t know how to build bridges… He only knows how to burn them.
Tucker says the Abbotts are as mean-spirited and aggressive as anyone he’s ever known… Maybe that bonds the Abbotts; they have to have a common enemy so they don’t turn on each other, and Tucker fits the bill.
Kyle sneers and says it’s obviously all about Tucker.
Tucker asks Kyle to be honest with him… Did he want to join Tucker in exchange for the top spot at Jabot?
Kyle says nothing.
Tucker laughs and says there’s nothing to admire about the Abbotts. He says he is still coming for Kyle. He gets up and leaves the table.
The Abbott Mansion
Jack tells Diane that Nikki’s relapsed before and she’ll make it through this. It doesn’t make it any easier on her, though, because her sponsor relapsed as well. He says Lauren reached out to ask for his help.
Diane asked what happened to get Nikki drinking again.
Jack says Lauren told him part of the story, but he doesn’t know the details.
Diane thinks Jack’s already decided to help Nikki, even though Diane and Nikki aren’t on the best terms. She reminds Jack that Nikki told her at their wedding that if Diane ever hurt Jack, she’d make her life a living hell.
Jack says Nikki toasted them after that.
Diane says Nikki did wish them well, but it was barbed.
Jack asks if Diane is comfortable with him reaching out to Nikki.
Diane sighs and says she won’t get in the way of anyone’s recovery; it’s more important than any bad blood between them.
Jack asks if Diane is okay even though he and Nikki were married.
Diane laughs and says she trusts him. She asks if helping Nikki might reawaken Jack’s addiction.
Jack says it absolutely won’t.
Diane nods. She says he has her full support and isn’t upset that he wants to be there for Nikki; in fact, it makes her love him even more.
They kiss.
Newman Media
Audra tells Nikki she’s not sure what she just saw, but if it’s not Newman business, she’ll keep her nose out of it.
Nikki appreciates that Audra trusts her enough to tell her about her father’s alcoholism. She asks Audra to keep the rest of their conversation between them.
Audra nods. “Of course.”
Nikki says the man who left was her sponsor, who drank. She told him she couldn’t rely on him as a sponsor and couldn’t be around him. She’s worried that rejecting him might send him down into a spiral.
Audra says Seth needs to take care of himself first.
Nikki says she knows that, but it doesn’t make her feel better.
Audra asks if there’s anything she can do to help… She can pick up the slack if Nikki needs to take time off. She says whenever she hears that someone relapsed, it makes her stomach drop because it reminds her of her father.
Nikki says she’s never seen this thoughtful side of Audra before.
Audra smiles and says everyone knows she’s ambitious and prioritizes her career over everything, but this is her one soft spot.
Nikki thanks her for her offer and appreciates Audra’s concern. Nikki’s phone pings with a notification. It’s Jack asking Nikki to meet him at his house.
Audra sees the look on Nikki’s face and asks if there’s a problem.
Nikki says she just got an “out of the blue request” and knows what it’s about.
The Abbott Mansion
Jack tells Diane that Nikki agreed to meet with him, and he’s determined to protect Lauren’s confidence.
Diane says she won’t break Jack’s trust and won’t add to Nikki’s problems by telling anyone. She kisses Jack and tells him she’s going to have breakfast with Kyle.
Jack thanks her for understanding.
The doorbell rings. Diane answers the door and invites Nikki inside. Diane apologizes that she can’t stay and leaves.
Jack thanks Nikki for coming by. He says he wanted to make sure she was okay; he was concerned.
Nikki asks Jack why he is concerned for her.
Jack says she went through an ordeal with her family.
Nikki says he should stop the fishing expedition. He’s a good liar, but he’s not that good. She figures Lauren told him everything.
The Genoa City Athletic Club
Audra enters the club and sees Tucker sitting at the bar. She walks by him on her way to a table and sits down with her back facing him.
Tucker approaches her and asks if she’d like to join him so they can talk.
Audra asks what he wants to talk about.
Tucker: “About us.”
Audra says there is no “us.”
Tucker sits down with her and says he’s sorry he disappointed her and hopes she won’t stay angry at him.
Audra says she’s not angry with him; she needs to distance herself from his toxicity before it poisons her.
Tucker nods. He says he’ll keep to business, then. He tells Audra that he has big plans for Glissade, and they include her.
Audra tells him to count her out. She wonders if he’s turned his back on Ashley once and for all.
Society
Diane meets up with Kyle. She tells Kyle that she’s worried that Jack might be putting himself into a complicated situation to help out a friend.
Kyle says Jack can look after himself, just like he looks out for everyone else.
Diane nods. He’s probably right. She asks how Kyle is; he must be relieved that he doesn’t have to play double agent with Tucker.
Kyle says he’s fine and glad he can give Jabot his full attention.
Diane thinks Kyle might be resentful that Jack hasn’t replaced Billy with him yet. She tells him not to worry… She’s working on it!
Kyle tells her that he’s changed his mind about the job.
Diane is shocked. She tells him that Jabot is where he belongs.
Kyle nods and says the COO job is what he deserves; he realizes he was entitled and thought he deserved the co-CEO job, but he was wrong and was enticed by Tucker’s offer.
Diane says Kyle didn’t go through with Tucker’s plan and let Jack and his family know where his loyalties lie.
Kyle says the COO job has been more rewarding than he expected, and he doesn’t think it’s time for him to take the co-CEO spot.
Diane thinks it’s noble, but she wonders who will fill the position.
Kyle says he thinks Diane should have the co-CEO position.
The Abbott Mansion
Jack and Nikki have a seat in the living room. He asks her not to blame Lauren.
Nikki waves it off and says Lauren told him out of concern for her.
Jack says Lauren is worried about her, and when she told him that Nikki had slipped, he wanted to be there for her and support her.
Nikki says she knows how busy Jack is; she wouldn’t want to be a burden.
Jack says she’ll never be a burden to him. He says he’d be worried sick if he wasn’t part of her support team, so she should consider it a favor to him.
Nikki says he’s stubborn.
Jack says he may be stubborn, but he wants to be there for her. He tells her she can win this fight and wants to be a friend she can rely on.
Nikki asks why it’s so important to him.
Jack says he cares about her. They were married when she first started drinking, and he didn’t handle it well at the time. Jack still carries a lot of guilt about that, and when he was going through his own addiction, he saw what she went through in a whole new light. He wants to make it up to her.
Nikki is unsure.
Jack says she doesn’t have to decide immediately, but he’s there for her, day or night. He wants to be the one she calls.
The GCAC Dining Room
Tucker asks Audra why she’s always asking about Ashley.
Audra says it’s obvious that Tucker hasn’t let go of Ashley and never will. She’s his Achilles heel.
Tucker says his feelings for Ashley shouldn’t impact Audra and Tucker’s working relationship.
Audra says it does. She says Tucker can’t think straight when Ashley is around, and she’s still a part of Glissade.
Audra continues that Tucker thought Ashley would stop the Abbotts from leaking the scandal to the press, but she didn’t… That proves that Tucker doesn’t know Ashley. Audra says Ashley is an ideal to Tucker, and she’ll never accept him for who he really is. She says Tucker can’t accept that Ashley isn’t the one he should be with.
Tucker asks who Audra thinks he should be with.
Audra says Tucker wishes she would say that Audra and Tucker should be together, but she likes to think she still has a shred of humanity left in her, and she won’t let Tucker destroy that. She thinks Tucker’s fate is to be utterly alone. She gathers her belongings and leaves the dining room.
Newman Media
Nikki sits down at her desk. She pulls out her phone and calls Lauren, leaving a voicemail asking to meet.
Society
Jack joins Diane and Kyle at the restaurant.
Diane asks Jack how things went with “his friend.”
Jack says things are still up in the air, but he’s hopeful he can help. He asks what Kyle and Diane were discussing before he arrived.
Kyle says they were talking about a replacement for Billy as co-CEO.
Diane says they don’t need to get into it now.
Jack says he’s been thinking about it and has come to a decision. He tells Kyle that he’s done so much to protect the family company.
Kyle tells his dad it means a lot to hear him say that.
Diane grins and says it sounds like Jack’s found his new co-CEO.
Jack smiles and says he has.
Kyle says that before things go too far, Jack should give Diane the job.
Jack asks how Kyle knew about his decision.
Kyle is confused but happy. “You already had that idea?”
Jack grins and says great minds think alike.
Diane says she’s flattered, but Kyle is more qualified for the position.
Kyle says he wants it for her, and so does Jack. It’s the right call!
Jack smiles and says it’s the dawn of a new era for Jabot.
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I think Diane has finally gotten everything she wants from Jack. I still don’t trust her.
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