Broadcast period: March 27, 1995–March 22, 1996
Episode count: 258, using the season numbering in Rotten Tomatoes’ episode guide. Its Season 23 listing starts on March 27, 1995, and ends with episode 258 on March 22, 1996. Some older television databases contain only a handful of entries for this period; their entry count is not the season’s episode count. Rotten Tomatoes
Characters and performers
Alphabetized by the character’s surname. Names reflect the identities used during this period; a character’s surname could change through marriage.
| Character | Performer |
|---|---|
| Jack Abbott | portrayed by Peter Bergman |
| John Abbott | portrayed by Jerry Douglas |
| Traci Abbott | portrayed by Beth Maitland |
| Ashley Abbott | portrayed by Brenda Epperson |
| Billy Abbott | portrayed by Josh Michael Rose |
| Keemo Volien Abbott | portrayed by Philip Moon |
| Luan Volien Abbott | portrayed by Elizabeth Sung |
| Hope Adams | portrayed by Signy Coleman |
| Douglas Austin | portrayed by Michael Evans |
| Drucilla Barber Winters | portrayed by Victoria Rowell |
| Christine Blair | portrayed by Lauralee Bell |
| Blade Bladeson | portrayed by Michael Tylo |
| Rick Bladeson | portrayed by Michael Tylo |
| Brad Carlton | portrayed by Don Diamont |
| Katherine Chancellor | portrayed by Jeanne Cooper |
| Phillip Chancellor IV | child performer not reliably verified for this season |
| Matt Clark | portrayed by Eddie Cibrian |
| Sharon Collins | portrayed by Sharon Case |
| Doris Collins | portrayed by Karen Hensel |
| Steve Connelly | portrayed by Greg Wrangler |
| Lauren Fenmore | portrayed by Tracey E. Bregman |
| Nathan Hastings | portrayed by Adam Lazarre-White |
| Nathan “Nate” Hastings Jr. | portrayed by Malcolm Hunter; the role subsequently passed to Bryant Jones in 1996 |
| Cole Howard | portrayed by J. Eddie Peck |
| Mamie Johnson | portrayed by Veronica Redd |
| Mari Jo Mason | portrayed by Diana Barton |
| Ryan McNeil | portrayed by Scott Reeves |
| Keesha Monroe | portrayed by Wanda Acuna |
| Victor Newman | portrayed by Eric Braeden |
| Nicholas “Nick” Newman | portrayed by Joshua Morrow |
| Nikki Newman | portrayed by Melody Thomas Scott |
| Victoria Newman | portrayed by Heather Tom |
| Victor Adam Newman Jr. | portrayed by Celeste and Coryn Williams, Danielle and Sabrina Helper, and Spencer Klass during the 1995–96 child-performer period; the available lists do not establish each handover date |
| Gina Roma | portrayed by Patty Weaver |
| Danny Romalotti | portrayed by Michael Damian |
| Daniel Romalotti Jr. | portrayed by Desiree Wheelan |
| Dr. Stephanie Simmons | portrayed by Vivica A. Fox |
| Phyllis Summers | portrayed by Michelle Stafford |
| Esther Valentine | portrayed by Kate Linder |
| Nina Webster McNeil | portrayed by Tricia Cast |
| Mary Williams | portrayed by Carolyn Conwell |
| Paul Williams | portrayed by Doug Davidson |
| Lily Winters | portrayed by Vanessa Carson |
| Malcolm Winters | portrayed by Shemar Moore |
| Neil Winters | portrayed by Kristoff St. John |
| Amy Wilson | portrayed by Julianne Morris |
Additional recurring or guest characters documented in the period include Lydia Callahan, Phyllis’s mother, portrayed by Abby Dalton in 1995; and B&B visitor Dr. James Warwick, portrayed by Ian Buchanan on Y&R on April 7, 1995. A date within this season could not be firmly established for every appearance by the less frequently seen characters above. Jackson Dynasty
Principal storylines
- Nick, Sharon and Matt: Matt Clark’s assault of Sharon, his discovery of the child she had previously placed for adoption, and his subsequent shooting drove Nick’s attempted-murder case. Amy Wilson’s eventual account helped clear Nick. Nick and Sharon married on February 19, 1996. Jackson Dynasty
- The Bladeson twins: Rick impersonated his identical twin Blade, deceiving Ashley. Blade died after the brothers’ conflict, and Ashley left Genoa City for Paris. Jackson Dynasty
- Jack and Luan: Their marriage, which took place before this season on February 14, 1995, was overshadowed by Luan’s terminal illness. She died near the season’s end, leaving Jack and their children, Keemo and Mai, to deal with the fact that Jack had known she was dying. Soap Opera Digest
- Christine, Paul, Danny and Phyllis: A car struck Christine and Paul on the way to their planned wedding. Paul called it off while coping with his injuries. Meanwhile, Phyllis manipulated evidence concerning Daniel’s paternity as Danny considered ending their marriage. Paul and Christine’s eventual wedding belongs to later in 1996, outside Season 23. Jackson Dynasty
- The Abbott household: John and Jill’s divorce and custody dispute over Billy brought John’s feelings for Mamie into the open. Following John’s stroke, Jill tried to preserve their marriage; Mamie eventually left town. Jackson Dynasty
- The Winters and Hastings families: Drucilla gave birth to Lily amid uncertainty over whether Neil or Malcolm was her biological father. Nathan’s affair with Keesha Monroe threatened his marriage to Olivia. Keesha’s later AIDS illness, her marriage to Malcolm and her death occur after this season’s March 1996 cutoff. Jackson Dynasty
Births
| Child | Date | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Victor Adam Newman Jr. | April 24, 1995, according to a character chronology | Hope gave birth while staying in Kansas. Some secondary timelines give a different late-April date, so the exact broadcast date deserves caution. en.wikipedia.org |
| Lily Winters | June 26, 1995, according to a soap chronology | Drucilla and Neil raised her; Malcolm was later established as her biological father. Fandom |
Recasts and SORAS
- Nate Hastings Jr.: The child role is attributed to Malcolm Hunter in 1995–96 and Bryant Jones beginning in 1996. I could not establish whether Jones’s first episode fell before March 22, so I cannot safely place that recast inside Season 23. cheatsheet.com
- Adam Newman: Several infant and child performers are listed around 1995–96; their individual changeover dates are not sufficiently documented. Hayden Tank’s later 1996 portrayal should not be assigned a Season 23 date without an episode credit. a.osmarks.net
- No adult SORAS is securely documented within this season. In particular, the later teen portrayals of Billy, Lily and Daniel should not be projected back into 1995–96.
New characters, departures and returns
| Type | Character | Timing and context |
|---|---|---|
| Arrival through birth | Victor Adam Newman Jr. | April 1995. en.wikipedia.org |
| Arrival through birth | Lily Winters | June 1995. Fandom |
| New character | Keesha Monroe | First appeared July 1995. en.wikipedia.org |
| Departure | Lauren Fenmore | Left Y&R on October 13, 1995 and became a regular presence on B&B. en.wikipedia.org |
| Departure | Blade Bladeson | Died in November 1995. Fandom |
| Departure | Ashley Abbott | Left for Paris after Blade’s death. Jackson Dynasty |
| Departure | Luan Volien Abbott | Died in March 1996. Fandom |
| Departure | Dr. Stephanie Simmons | Her initial run ended in 1995; an exact final episode within the season was not verified. tvinsider.com |
| Return | Amy Wilson | Returned during Nick’s case and disclosed that she had shot Matt. Her precise return date was not verified. Jackson Dynasty |
Boundary to watch: Grace Turner, Joshua Landers, Diane Jenkins’s return, Mari Jo’s attack on Victor, Nathan’s death and Keesha’s death are developments from later in 1996, after Season 23. Jackson Dynasty
Marriages and deaths
Marriage during Season 23: Nick Newman and Sharon Collins — February 19, 1996. Jack Abbott and Luan Volien’s wedding was February 14, 1995, six weeks before Season 23 began; Paul and Christine’s wedding was after it ended. Soap Opera Digest
Deaths during Season 23:
| Character | Reported date | Circumstances |
|---|---|---|
| Blade Bladeson | November 28, 1995 | His car was struck by a train. Fandom |
| Luan Volien Abbott | March 4, 1996 | Died following a terminal illness. Fandom |
Y&R / B&B Crossovers
Y&R characters appearing on B&B
Lauren Fenmore — Tracey E. Bregman. Within Season 23’s dates, documented B&B appearances include May 23 and June 2–7, 1995. After her October 13 departure from Y&R, she moved to B&B beginning October 17, 1995. Her March 6–21 B&B appearances preceded Season 23 and are excluded from its crossover dates. en.wikipedia.org
Sheila Carter — Kimberlin Brown. Sheila originated on Y&R and was established on B&B throughout this period. That shared character history is relevant, but her ongoing B&B run should not be mistaken for a newly dated, one-off Season 23 crossover. I could not verify a specific Sheila Y&R visit between March 27, 1995, and March 22, 1996. en.wikipedia.org
B&B characters appearing on Y&R
Dr. James Warwick — Ian Buchanan: April 7, 1995. His other documented Y&R appearance, February 24, 1995, falls in the preceding season. I found no comparably well-dated appearance by another B&B character within the Season 23 window. en.wikipedia.org
In early 1995, while on a date with Sharon, Matt Clark trapped her in his car and raped her. In the process he tore an expensive coat that Nick had anonymously given to Sharon. When a nonchalant Matt suggested that Sharon would enjoy herself more the next time they got together, Sharon warned him to keep away from her. Later, Sharon’s friends and family were confused by her withdrawal, but Sharon was too ashamed to confide in them what had happened.
When Amy Wilson became involved with Matt, Sharon warned her to be careful, and finally revealed that Matt had raped her. Matt, however, convinced Amy that Sharon had lied out of jealousy. Soon after, Nick and Sharon resume their relationship. Angry with Sharon for this rejection, a vengeful Matt, with his buddy Drake’s help, discovered that Sharon had earlier given birth to a baby boy and had given the baby up for adoption. Matt planed to use this information against Sharon. But when Sharon realized that Matt knew her shameful secret, she decided to confess everything to Nick. Before she could tell him, however, Nick proposed marriage and she accepted.
When Nick discovered that Sharon had had a baby that she had given up for adoption, she assumed that he was no longer interested in her. She returned his engagement ring. But Nick made it clear that he loved her and they made plans to elope. That night, Sharon revealed to Nick that Matt had raped her. Angry, Nick left to confront Matt. Earlier that same evening, Amy had broken off her romance with Matt. Amy left to spend the summer in St. Louis. Nick arrived at Matt’s to discover Matt lying unconscious on the floor with a bullet wound. The police arrived and arrested Nick for attempted murder. When Matt regained consciousness, he told the police that Nick had tried to kill him. Determined to save his son, Victor Newman asked Paul and Chris to do everything possible to prove Nick’s innocence. And as Nick’s trial started, he and Sharon secretly elope.
Not long after this, Amy resurfaced in a shelter for battered women. She appeared to be deeply-disturbed. Victor, Paul and Chris located Amy at the shelter in Chicago. Chris persuaded Amy to return to Genoa City, where Victor paid for her stay at a sanitarium.
Alex “Blade” Bladeson accidentally saw Brad Carlton and Ashley embracing. Blade later suggested to Ashley that they take a romantic vacation. Jack also arranged a Caribbean getaway for himself and Luan, but when a jealous Mari Jo Mason caught wind of their plans, she planted doubt in Luan’s mind about Jack’s true feelings for her. Mari Jo then followed Jack to the Caribbean. Blade and Ashley were also vacationing on the same island, with Brad trailing them. When Ashley and Brad saw Mari Jo with Blade’s identical twin brother, Rick, they assumed that Blade was having an affair with Mari Jo. Jack, however, made it clear to Mari Jo that he was in love with Luan. He headed back to Genoa City. As Blade got ready to head home, Rick knocked him unconscious and held his twin prisoner in a cage. When Blade regained consciousness, Rick bid him farewell and left to assume his brother’s identity.
Back in Genoa City, Jack assured Luan that he loved her, and said that they marry soon. Luan had been ill, but she kept this a secret from Jack. Ironically, Jack inadvertently discovered that Luan was suffering from a terminal illness. He resolved to keep his knowledge of her medical condition a secret so that her remaining months with him would be happy. Meanwhile, Luan’s son, Keemo, became romantically involved with Mari Jo. Keemo quickly tired of Mari Jo’s mind-games and broke off with her.
Rick was so successful at his masquerade that, as Blade, he was able to make love to Ashley. But a crafty Mari Jo caught onto Rick’s scheme and confronted him. However, Blade managed to free himself and returned to Genoa City. Blade agreed not to press criminal charges, provided that Rick leave town. With Rick out of the way, Blade focused his attention on his marriage to Ashley.
Rick returned, however, determined to get revenge against Blade. Mari Jo tried to keep the two brothers apart. However, Blade while rushing home to protect Ashley from Rick, was killed in a car wreck. At the funeral, Rick introduced himself to Ashley. Mari Jo confided to Jill Abbott that Rick had posed as Blade for several months, and Jill broke this news to Ashley. Devastated, a grieving Ashley relocated to Paris.
Frustrated by Victor’s remote behavior, a pregnant Hope returned to her farm in Kansas after she received word that Cliff had been injured in an accident. While Cliff recuperated, Hope extended her stay. Victor’s friend, Douglas, arrived at the farm and pressured Hope to return to Victor. During their argument, Hope accidentally tripped over a chair and had to be rushed to the hospital. Victor arrived to make sure Hope was okay and then he returned home. The next day, Hope gave birth to a baby boy, whom she named Victor Adam Newman. To Victor Sr.’s disappointment, Hope decided to stay in Kansas and raise their son on her farm.
Brad began romancing Nikki. Their relationship escalated and Brad proposed marriage. Nikki told Brad that while she was interested, the timing wasn’t right. She promise to reconsider his proposal at a later date. When Brad told Lauren that he loved Nikki, Lauren packed her bags and moved to Los Angeles, where she entered into a business venture with Eric Forrester.
Ex-wife and husband, Chris and Danny shared a tender kiss on the day before Chris’s wedding to Paul. Phyllis saw them together. Determined to keep Chris away from Danny, Phyllis rented a car the next day and sped towards Chris. In order to save Chris, Paul jumped in front of the car and they were both struck down. Chris’ and Paul’s friends and family waited patiently for their arrival at the church. It was Lauren who received the call and had to tell everyone that there had been an accident. Chris survived the accident with minor injuries, but Paul was devastated when the doctor announced that the accident had left him sexually dysfunctional. Feeling incomplete as a man, Paul canceled their wedding without any explanation, which left Chris devastated. She tried to take her mind off their break-up by gathering dirt on Phyllis so that Danny could get a divorce and custody of his son. But Phyllis caught on. To keep Chris off her case, Phyllis altered her son, Daniel’s, blood tests so that it looked as if Danny really was his dad. Paul finally recovered from his impotency and made love to Chris.
Danny agreed to live with Phyllis for four months, since he believed her promise that she would then agree to divorce him. But when the four months were up, Phyllis had had a change of heart. When Danny tried to see his son, Phyllis called the police and got a restraining order against him. Phyllis eventually calmed down and made peace with Danny.
Malcolm apologized to Dru for sleeping with her when she was drugged on cold medication. Soon after, Malcolm landed a photography assignment with Dru as the model. And a few months later, Dru gave birth to a baby girl, whom she named Lily, and who might be Malcolm’s child, or Neil’s. Meanwhile, Malcolm attempted to have a relationship with an attractive doctor named Stephanie, but her medical practice kept her too busy for a personal life.
Victoria became jealous of the time that Cole spent with Jeri on a writing project. But Jeri became a non-issue when Cole made it clear that he loved Victoria. Jeri accepted this and returned to her life in New York.
After a fallout with Neil Winters at Jabot, Ryan accepted a job to work for Jill Abbott.
Following Jill’s orders, John Silva revealed in court that John Abbott had had a vasectomy without Jill’s knowledge after their son, Billy, had been born. Meanwhile, John acknowledged his romantic feelings for Mamie and promised that they would be together after his divorce and custody battle were resolved. On the day before the verdict was announced, John suffered a stroke that resulted in a loss of memory. Jill used John’s stroke to her advantage and convinced him that they had decided to stay together.
Eventually, John recovered and regained his memory, which prompted him to reactivate the divorce and custody battle. Of course, Mamie was thrilled that John was once again interested in pursuing their relationship. However, just before a ruling was about to be made, John and Jill decided to stay married for Billy’s sake, which left Mamie heartbroken. In order to keep Mamie away from John, Jill offered her a million dollars and Mamie accepted. By the time John realized what Jill had done, Mamie had met Trent Jones, a business executive, and immediately found herself attracted to him. They left town for an extended cruise.
Olivia Hastings grew concerned about Nathan’s health when he lost his desire to make love to her. Soon after, Paul discovered that Nathan was having an affair with a sexy woman named Keesha Monroe. When Neil found out about this, he confronted Nathan. Nathan promised to break off with Keesha, but Neil suspected that he was lying. So Neil told tells Dru about Nathan’s infidelity to her sister. Olivia was thrilled when Nathan agreed that they should have another baby. And Keesha began dating Malcolm, which troubled both Neil and Dru.
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