The Young and the Restless (Y&R) spoilers tease, well actually Justin Hartley teased in a recent interview, that the next actor who portrays Adam Newman won’t be hated as long as he handles the role correctly. Of course that implies that someone other than Chris Engen, Michael Muhney or Hartley himself will be playing Adam. But when will this happen?
Hartley’s nighttime NBC smash hit This Is Us was recently renewed for two more seasons. Considering Hartley’s starring role on this celebrated show, which has become the top-rated new network series of the 2016-2017 season, it appears unlikely that the most recent Adam will return at any point in the near future, if ever.
Justin Hartley said: “Yes. It’s a great part. It’s a daunting; it’s time-consuming. It’s a lead role on the show. You’re pushing so many storylines.” when Soap Hub asked him if he wishes a new Adam Newman well when taking the role.
Photos of Hartley as Adam have been shown in Y&R’s background scenes as recently as this month. So the character is purposely being kept within viewer’s eyesight, which could represent an outreach to This Is Us fans… or a tease for Adam’s return!
It would be reasonable to believe that a period of soap time, say six months, would have to pass before another actor would become Adam. Major clues to his impending return from perceived death in the exploded cabin will be when dialogue references, all flashback scenes and more subtly, all photos are removed from Y&R episodes.
Any transition from Hartley to whatever actor comes next could also be handled in the same way that the switch from Engen to Muhney was completed, with a simple announcement as to who is now playing the character. No need for dramatic surgery, or some other extensive plot work if that familiar soap cast switch method is used.
Justin Hartley said: “Yes. It’s a great part. It’s a daunting; it’s time-consuming. It’s a lead role on the show. You’re pushing so many storylines.” when Soap Hub asked him if he wishes a new Adam Newman well when taking the role.
All true soap opera fans are well aware of the Adam Newman saga that played out in Genoa City and behind the scenes of this classic CBS steamer during the past three-plus years. Heading back further in time, the aforementioned Engen initially embodied the adult version of Adam Wilson, Victor Newman’s (Eric Braeden) second-born son in 2008 and 2009.
The transition to Muhney was rumored to have taken place when Engen was uncomfortable taking that character in a non-traditional direction. The former Veronica Mars star (Muhney as Sheriff Don Lamb, 2004-2007) quickly became a daytime sensation, as Y&R allowed him to turn Adam into a firebrand.
Muhney’s reign, which lasted until January 2014, was preceded by a highly controversial exit that has never been fully explained. Due, in part, to a lack of explanation by then executive producer Jill Farren Phelps, anonymous so-called fans attempted to impale the reputation of Muhney.
Michael Muhney was quoted in October 2014 as saying, “CBS said to me: ‘We know none of this (the rumors as to why he was fired) is true. This is the world of the Internet and social media, and it’s probably the wisest thing just to not comment on all the rumors out there.’ And I agreed with them.”
To-date, no proof has been provided that the actor had his contract terminated beyond the reason he himself provided, which was that the nature of the work and his personality were equally intense. It also must be noted that Muhney was being considered for rehire later in 2014, during which time Hartley eventually secured the role.
The Muhney point has been raised because it appears obvious that Y&R would surely invite all know-nothing detractors to once again wage war on the show and the actor in question if he ever was rehired. Thus the danger of allowing mobs to gain any foothold in the internet world, which has always been true in the real world as well. Unless courage is demonstrated, it appears more likely that a fourth actor will be hired to play Adam rather than create Muhney Part II. Summer 2017 would seem to be the earliest reasonable target date for that to occur.
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