As 2024 came to a close, I developed a bit of a wishlist for things I hope to see happen this year on The Young and the Restless. From cast returns like Tucker (Trevor St. John) and some of the Newmans to new storylines like a defeat for The Great Victor Newman himself (Eric Braeden), I was excited about the possibilities for 2025. Unfortunately, it looks as if one of my wishes for the new year won’t be fulfilled — at least right away.
Referring to storylines I desire to see, besides Victor’s temporary loss, I was actually looking forward to watching the big mystery surrounding Ashley’s (Eileen Davidson) dissociative identity disorder unravel. For months she walked around Genoa City displaying various personalities, and then when she went to Paris with Alan (Christopher Cousins) to get help, it was ultimately revealed that her mental health crisis originated from childhood trauma.
Ashley’s story then went cold as she was off the soap canvas getting help from a Parisian mental wellness clinic. When Ashley returned to the fold in time for Abby’s (Melissa Ordway) wedding, she was in a much better place, but still had no idea what happened in her childhood that could cause her so much anguish as an adult.
Because Ashley was back and they brought up the fact that she was still at a loss as to what happened to her when she was younger, I naturally assumed that come the top of 2025, the point would be revisited. Sadly, that doesn’t appear to be happening any time soon as it was revealed in The Young and the Restless episodes airing during the week of December 30 that Ashley returned to Paris. That’s right, Ashley is gone again and viewers like me are once more asking the same question: what happened?
I’m aware that there’s a lot going on in the soap at the moment with Jordan (Colleen Zenk) and Ian (Ray Wise) on the loose, Billy (Jason Thompson) on a warpath for vengeance against The Mustache and Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) on the verge of spiraling out of control again. But the mystery surrounding Ashley has been going on for a while and I’m impatiently waiting for answers. After being incredibly enamored by the Ashley developments last year and wowed by Davidson’s portrayal of the character, I’ve got to know the cause of her trouble, and I was hoping to learn that big secret sooner rather than later.
Alas, here I am alongside many Young and the Restless viewers, having to again stand by until Ashley returns to Genoa City. Sure, the powers that be could surprise us all and have Ashley’s big reveal take place in Paris. But it would seem to me that given she hasn’t had success getting to the bottom of things in Europe thus far, that the pieces she needs to solve this puzzle may reside in her hometown.
New episodes of The Young and the Restless air on weekdays on CBS. If you miss an episode, you can catch up on Paramount Plus.