The Young and the Restless (Y&R) reveal that many fans were thrown for a loop over Matt Clark’s (Roger Howarth) amnesia twist.
It suddenly made Matt a blank slate in some ways since he couldn’t remember who he was or all the awful things he’d done.
Of course, that changed in the June 2 episode when Matt finally recalled what a monster he’d been.
However, another twist came when Matt was actually quite horrified by his past instead of reverting back to the sinister man that the Newmans expected.
Y&R Head Writer Josh Griffith opened up to SOD about the curveballs that Matt’s been facing and why they’re really happening.
It all boils down to Griffith’s desire to keep Roger Howarth around, which couldn’t happen if Matt remained totally wicked.
From the moment Howarth arrived on the show, Griffith became eager to extend his stay.
Like plenty of viewers, Griffith was impressed by Howarth’s talent and felt he had to dial down Matt’s sinister nature to keep the actor on canvas.
“I thought, ‘This guy is just so good and Matt is so bad! And if he continues to be that evil, he’s got a short shelf life,’” Griffith said.
From there, Griffith started thinking about how he could transform Matt, even if Matt can never fully shake his despicable past in some of his enemies’ eyes.
“How can we reinvent him in a way that he can still be potentially threatening and a potential danger to the people around him, but redeem him from the horrible, horrible things that he’s done in the past?” Griffith admitted to asking himself about Matt.
Griffith started with Matt’s memory loss before moving into the recall and remorse phase.
Matt wants to somehow make things right, which is a key part of the redemption process that Griffith has in mind.
Griffith insisted that Matt’s atonement is crucial if he’s going to truly redeem himself.
If Matt can genuinely make amends through his actions, then Griffith indeed sees a path to redemption for Matt.
“If he can remember but if he doesn’t fall back into that person — if he can remember but atone — then he absolutely has a future [on the canvas],” Griffith assured fans.
How do you feel about Roger Howarth sticking around as Matt Clark? Do you agree with Griffith about redemption being possible for Matt?
The Young and the Restless spoilers say more Matt shockers are on the way, so stay tuned for all the stunning news to come!
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