New Head Writers Map Genoa City's Next Battles on Y&R

Jamey Giddens and Dan O'Connor's first script as head writers of The Young and the Restless airs Wednesday, November 11. On the eve of their debut, the duo laid out their storyline plans for Genoa City in an interview with TV Insider.

The transition came fast. Tuesday, November 10 marked Josh Griffith's final episode as head writer. One day later, the new regime begins.

What happens between the Newmans and the Abbotts?

The two core families will keep clashing across several generations. Nikki Newman (Melody Thomas Scott) and Diane Jenkins Abbott (Susan Walters) remain locked in a cosmetics company battle. Complicating it: the secret affair between Nikki's daughter Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Diane's son Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor). Giddens called it "a really nice umbrella story."

Giddens hinted that Billy Abbott (Jason Thompson), Kyle's uncle and Victoria's ex, might discover the affair first. Claire Newman (Hayley Erin), Kyle's ex and Victoria's daughter, will not be far behind.

Claire's rivalry with Audra Charles (Zuleyka Silver) will also escalate. Giddens compared the pair to a young Kay Chancellor (Jeanne Cooper) and Jill Abbott (Jess Walton), the show's most iconic female rivals. He said their conflict "becomes a full-blown war that will cross from the boardrooms to their bedrooms."

Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) will clash again, this time over Billy's quest to take over Chancellor.

Can Cane and Lily survive Chancellor?

Lily Winters (Christel Khalil) fights off Billy's acquisition of Chancellor, with Cane Ashby (Billy Flynn) in her corner. O'Connor warned that Cane's "questionable decisions" in helping Lily "may have some long-term consequences, not just for Chancellor, but also for their relationship."

Adam Newman (Mark Grossman) is busy on two fronts. Delivering Sally Spectra's (Courtney Hope) baby girl, Ruby, has "reignited the connection" between them, O'Connor said — leaving Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan) with major insecurities. A battle at Newman Media will feature "a surprising player mixed into it," while Sally and Billy's new marriage faces strain from his Chancellor ambitions.

Where is Matt Clark?

The Matt Clark mystery will "unite Phyllis and Sharon in a way that they've never been united before," Giddens declared. As they search for what Nick (Joshua Morrow) did to Matt (Roger Howarth), O'Connor teased the quest "leads to a lot of surprises and maybe a few familiar faces popping by."

Elsewhere in Genoa City:

• Devon Winters (Bryton James) collides with first love Roxanne Barrington (Tetona Jackson), whose return as a successful entrepreneur will "disrupt" his marriage to Abby Newman Winters (Melissa Ordway).
• New doctor Andrew Bishop (Fareed Ward) holds a grudge against Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox). "Dr. Bishop is here to thwart those dreams" of Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic) returning to surgery, Giddens said.
• Traci Abbott (Beth Maitland) gets a story that "returns Traci to her writer roots," while Ashley's chemistry background at Jabot will "play a pivotal role" in an upcoming tale, according to O'Connor.

What does the holiday season bring?

The holidays promise feel-good moments plus, in Giddens's words, "a lot of jeopardy, a lot of mystery, romance, sex, and new romances popping up." On New Year's Eve, O'Connor promised "a big event" that will "kick off a bunch of different stories for everybody on the canvas."

Viewers will learn how those stories land as the new writers' episodes unfold through the holiday season and into the new year.