This guide covers the spring 1998–spring 1999 anniversary-year period, using March 23, 1998–March 26, 1999 as its working boundaries. Historical databases disagree about the precise season divisions, so the episode total and some minor casting details remain unconfirmed.
1. Number of episodes
I could not establish a reliable full-season episode count. TheTVDB lists just 16 entries for Season 26, while another catalogue lists 129; both are incomplete historical listings and should not be treated as the number originally broadcast. The season represents approximately a year of weekday broadcasts. TheTVDB.com
2. Characters and actors, alphabetically by surname
The following is a reconstructed roster of the principal, recurring and child characters associated with this period. It is not a verified list of every credited guest appearance. Children’s casting records are particularly uneven.
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Ashley Abbott | portrayed by Shari Shattuck; Eileen Davidson |
| Billy Abbott | portrayed by Scotty Leavenworth |
| Jack Abbott | portrayed by Peter Bergman |
| Jill Foster Abbott | portrayed by Jess Walton |
| John Abbott | portrayed by Jerry Douglas |
| Michael Baldwin | portrayed by Christian LeBlanc |
| Lynne Bassett | portrayed by Laura Bryan Birn |
| Christine Blair Williams | portrayed by Lauralee Bell |
| Brad Carlton | portrayed by Don Diamont |
| Katherine Chancellor | portrayed by Jeanne Cooper |
| Phillip Chancellor IV | portrayed by Nicholas Pappone |
| Doris Collins | portrayed by Karen Hensel |
| Keith Dennison | portrayed by Granville Van Dusen |
| Megan Dennison | portrayed by Ashley Jones |
| Tricia Dennison McNeil | portrayed by Sabryn Genet |
| Al Fenton | portrayed by Vasili Bogazianos |
| Nate Hastings | portrayed by Bryant Jones |
| Cole Howard | portrayed by J. Eddie Peck |
| Eve Nicole Howard | infant performer not reliably identified |
| Diane Jenkins Newman | portrayed by Alex Donnelley |
| Alice Johnson | portrayed by Tamara Clatterbuck |
| Millie Johnson | portrayed by Ernestine Mercer |
| Esther Valentine | portrayed by Kate Linder |
These cast histories establish the principal performers and several recurring roles, although their year ranges do not independently verify every appearance within the season’s boundaries. Wikipedia
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Joshua Landers | portrayed by Heath Kizzier |
| Veronica Landers / “Sarah” | portrayed by Candice Daly |
| Brooke Logan | portrayed by Katherine Kelly Lang — B&B crossover |
| Leanna Love | portrayed by Barbara Crampton |
| Ryan McNeil | portrayed by Scott Reeves |
| Alec Moretti | portrayed by Andre Khabbazi |
| Brett Nelson | portrayed by Greg Lauren |
| Cassie Newman | portrayed by Camryn Grimes |
| Nicholas “Nick” Newman | portrayed by Joshua Morrow |
| Nikki Newman | portrayed by Melody Thomas Scott |
| Noah Newman | portrayed by Hunter Preisendorfer and C. J. Hunter |
| Sharon Newman | portrayed by Sharon Case |
| Victor Newman | portrayed by Eric Braeden |
| Victoria Newman | portrayed by Heather Tom |
| Ruth Perkins | portrayed by Leslie Bevis |
| Casey Reed | portrayed by Roberta Leighton |
| Miguel Rodriguez | portrayed by Anthony Peña |
| Callie Rogers | portrayed by Michelle Thomas; Siena Goines |
| Gina Roma | portrayed by Patty Weaver |
| Daniel Romalotti Jr. | portrayed by Chase MacKenzie Bebak; Roland Gibbons |
| Danny Romalotti | portrayed by Michael Damian |
| Mitchell Sherman | portrayed by William Wintersole |
| John Silva | portrayed by John Castellanos |
| Phyllis Summers | portrayed by Sandra Nelson |
| Nina Webster | portrayed by Tricia Cast |
| Carl Williams / “Jim” | portrayed by Brett Hadley |
| Mary Williams | portrayed by Carolyn Conwell |
| Paul Williams | portrayed by Doug Davidson |
| Drucilla Winters | portrayed by Victoria Rowell |
| Lily Winters | portrayed by Brooke Marie Bridges |
| Malcolm Winters | portrayed by Shemar Moore |
| Neil Winters | portrayed by Kristoff St. John |
| Olivia Winters | portrayed by Tonya Lee Williams |
The child casting records identify Nicholas Pappone as Phillip, the two Noah performers, and Chase MacKenzie Bebak and Roland Gibbons as Daniel during the late 1990s. Brooke’s appearance is specifically documented in January 1999. Wikipedia
4. Main plots
Nikki’s shooting and Victor’s return
Veronica Landers, who has infiltrated the Newman household as “Sarah,” murders Joshua and shoots Nikki. Jack finds Nikki critically wounded, and Victor returns from his honeymoon with Diane. Nikki’s condition leads to a bedside wedding with Victor, followed by conflict over his existing marriage to Diane. Veronica remains a threat until the confrontation in the Newman stables. The opening week documents Joshua’s death and Nikki’s hospitalization. soapcentral.com
Cassie, Sharon and Nick
Sharon and Cassie begin building their relationship after the revelation that Sharon is her biological mother. Nick’s night with Grace damages his marriage, while Alice Johnson’s reappearance threatens Cassie’s place in the Newman family. The resulting custody conflict brings Christine and Michael into opposing positions. Jackson Dynasty
Victoria, Cole, Ashley and baby Eve
Cole’s relationship with Ashley ends his marriage to Victoria. Victoria becomes involved with Neil but discovers that she is pregnant with Cole’s child. Her premature delivery and the apparent death of their daughter, Eve, draw Victoria and Cole together in grief, leaving Ashley increasingly isolated. en.wikipedia.org
Katherine and Jill’s battle for the mansion
Jill discovers documents supporting a claim to the Chancellor estate. Their feud moves into court, with disputed testimony, manipulation and a fire intensifying the struggle over the house. Jackson Dynasty
Danny, Phyllis, Christine and Michael
Danny gains custody of Daniel, while his continuing feelings for Christine complicate her relationship with Paul. Michael donates a kidney after Danny is seriously injured, and Christine helps him regain his legal career. Danny subsequently leaves with Daniel. Phyllis also becomes involved with Jack. Jackson Dynasty
Paul discovers that Carl is alive
Christine’s investigation leads to Norfolk, where Carl is living as “Jim” with Ruth Perkins. Paul recognizes his father, but Carl’s amnesia prevents him from recognizing Paul. The discovery raises painful questions for Mary and the rest of the Williams family. soapcentral.com
Other continuing stories
Ryan marries Tricia, and Phillip struggles with his new stepmother. Callie’s arrival unsettles Malcolm and Olivia’s marriage. Brad’s return strengthens Jack’s plans against Victor, while Diane’s divorce dispute creates further pressure on Newman Enterprises. soapcentral.com
5. Births
| Child | Parents | Date and circumstances |
|---|---|---|
| Eve Nicole Howard | Victoria Newman and Cole Howard | Born prematurely in November 1998. I could not securely establish the delivery’s exact broadcast date. |
November 16, 1998 is firmly documented as the episode in which Victoria names the baby Eve and Cole tells her that their daughter has died. It should not automatically be used as the birth date. soapcentral.com
A later continuity change matters here: in 2023, the show reveals that Victoria and Cole’s biological daughter survived and became Claire, while another infant was substituted at the hospital. For a Season 26 synopsis, Eve’s death should therefore be described as the apparent death presented at the time. Fandom
6. Recasts and SORAS
| Character | Casting change | Date |
|---|---|---|
| Ashley Abbott | Shari Shattuck replaced by returning original actress Eileen Davidson | Shattuck’s final appearance: February 22, 1999; Davidson’s return: March 19, 1999 |
| Tony Viscardi | Nick Scotti replaced by Jay Bontatibus | Scotti’s final appearance: January 22, 1999; Bontatibus’s debut: February 5, 1999 |
| Callie Rogers | Michelle Thomas replaced by Siena Goines | 1998; exact handover date not verified |
| Daniel Romalotti Jr. | Chase MacKenzie Bebak followed by Roland Gibbons | 1998; exact handover date not verified |
Ashley and Tony’s changes were adult recasts. Callie and Daniel’s performer changes are recorded in the historical cast lists. en.wikipedia.org
No child-to-adult SORAS was securely established within this period. Billy’s major age jump to David Tom belongs to June 1999, outside this guide’s spring cutoff. Daniel’s teenage SORAS occurs in 2004. Fandom
7. New characters
| Character | Performer | Introduction |
|---|---|---|
| Alice Johnson | Tamara Clatterbuck | 1998; Cassie’s adoptive mother enters the custody storyline |
| Al Fenton | Vasili Bogazianos | 1998; associated with Alice |
| Callie Rogers | Michelle Thomas, later Siena Goines | 1998; Malcolm’s former girlfriend |
| Ruth Perkins | Leslie Bevis | 1998; Carl’s partner during his life as “Jim” |
| Brett Nelson | Greg Lauren | 1998; becomes involved with Nina |
| Eve Nicole Howard | Unverified infant performer | November 1998 |
Exact debut dates remain unverified for these entries. Historical casting records confirm the 1998 introductions. Wikipedia
8. Departures
| Character | Departure |
|---|---|
| Joshua Landers | His murder and its aftermath conclude his storyline in March 1998 |
| Veronica Landers | Dies on August 20, 1998 |
| Danny Romalotti | Leaves in 1998, taking Daniel on an extended concert tour |
| Daniel Romalotti Jr. | Leaves with Danny in 1998 |
| John Abbott | Leaves Genoa City for an extended stay away during 1998 |
The precise final broadcast dates for Danny, Daniel and John were not established. soapcentral.com
9. Returns
| Character | Return |
|---|---|
| Brad Carlton — portrayed by Don Diamont | Returns in 1998 after his earlier departure |
| Carl Williams — portrayed by Brett Hadley | Reappears in 1998, living as “Jim” |
| Casey Reed — portrayed by Roberta Leighton | Returns in March 1998 during Nikki’s medical crisis |
| Leanna Love — portrayed by Barbara Crampton | Returns in 1998 |
| Ashley Abbott — portrayed by Eileen Davidson | Original performer returns on March 19, 1999 |
Ashley’s entry is primarily a performer return and recast, since the character had continued under Shari Shattuck. Wikipedia
10. Weddings
| Couple | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Victor Newman and Nikki Newman | Spring 1998; exact ceremony date not verified | Bedside ceremony following Nikki’s shooting; its validity is complicated by Victor’s marriage to Diane |
| Cole Howard and Ashley Abbott | 1998; exact date not verified | Marriage follows Cole and Victoria’s divorce |
| Ryan McNeil and Tricia Dennison | 1998; exact date not verified | Phillip struggles to accept Tricia as his stepmother |
Victor and Nikki’s ceremony should not be presented as an uncomplicated legal remarriage. en.wikipedia.org
11. Deaths
| Character | Date | Circumstances |
|---|---|---|
| Joshua Landers | March 1998, around the season boundary | Shot by Veronica; his death is confirmed in the opening week’s recaps |
| Veronica Landers | August 20, 1998 | Fatally impaled on a bale hook during the confrontation in the Newman stables |
| Eve Nicole Howard — apparent death | November 16, 1998 | Cole informs Victoria that their premature daughter has died; later retconned |
Joshua’s shooting belongs to the transition between the two anniversary-year periods, so his inclusion depends on the precise season boundary used. soapcentral.com
12. Y&R / B&B Crossovers
Y&R characters appearing in B&B
| Character | Performer | Dates | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jack Abbott | Peter Bergman | December 24 and 28, 1998 | Meets the Forresters over a potential Jabot fragrance partnership connected with Brooke’s Bedroom |
| Victor Newman | Eric Braeden | January 25–28, 1999 | Meets Brooke in Los Angeles and participates in her effort to make Ridge jealous |
| Lauren Fenmore | Tracey E. Bregman | Ongoing B&B presence during this period | A Y&R-origin character already established on B&B, rather than a new short visit |
The Jack dates are recorded in Bergman’s crossover credits; Victor’s visit is dated January 25–28 in the crossover chronology. library.futurelabz.dev
B&B characters appearing in Y&R
| Character | Performer | Dates | Story |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brooke Logan | Katherine Kelly Lang | January 6–8, 1999 | Visits Genoa City for the Brooke’s Bedroom business storyline involving Victor, Jack and Brad |
Some broad crossover summaries incorrectly place Brooke’s visit under 1998. Her character history and the January 7 episode record support January 6–8, 1999. Her next visit, May 11, 1999, falls outside this season’s working cutoff. en.wikipedia.org
At Tony’s urging, Grace revealed to Sharon that Cassie was the daughter she gave up for adoption. Meanwhile, Cassie’s adoptive mother resurfaced and demanded that Millie tell her who had taken Cassie. Nick was stunned when Sharon revealed that Cassie was her daughter. Nikki and Victor were also surprised. After serious soul-searching, Nick told Sharon he would accept Cassie and their marriage was back on track. Grace became engaged to Tony but continued to be interested in Nick. Later, Sharon suspected Grace’s attraction to Nick. Meanwhile, Megan ended her romance with Alec and became intrigued by Tony. Nick was disappointed when Sharon couldn’t join him on a business trip. Drunk and despondent, Nick made love to Grace. The next day, Nick regretted his actions. To Nick’s surprise, Sharon managed to make the trip. Unfortunately, Sharon overheard Nick and Grace discussing their night of lovemaking. Despondent, she rushed out and was struck by a car. She survived her wounds. Later, Sharon told Tony about Nick and Grace. Shortly after, Sharon confronted Nick with the truth and refused to accept his apology. Meanwhile, in an effort to save his marriage, Nick demanded to Jack that Grace be fired. Instead, Jack transferred Grace and made her Brad’s assistant. Chris advised Sharon not to leave the ranch. Instead, Nick moved out. Meanwhile, Nick grew closer to Megan and opened up about the history of his relationship with Grace.
Alice called every Collins in the phone book, trying to locate Sharon. Later, Alice discovered that Sharon left school because she was pregnant, and that her best friend was Grace Turner. She phoned Grace, claiming to be someone who was updating the school directory and asked for information about Sharon. Suspicious, Grace tried to tell Nick, but he wasn’t interested in hearing anything that she had to say. Later, Alice paid a surprise visit to Grace. When Alice questioned Grace about Sharon’s whereabouts, Grace played dumb. Shortly after, Grace sought legal advice from Michael and learned that the courts could back up Alice’s claim that she had a legal right to Cassie. Grace became more nervous after Michael said that the friends who brought Cassie to Genoa City could face criminal charges.
Victoria was promoted to the presidency of Brash and Sassy. In a misguided effort to keep Ashley and Cole apart, Victoria got Cole drunk and then made love to him. Nevertheless, Cole told Victoria he wanted a divorce. Reluctantly, she agreed to his request. Meanwhile, after Dru accepted a modeling contract out of town and left with Lily, Victoria and Neil began dating. After a dizzy spell, Victoria learned she was pregnant with Cole’s baby. Victoria broke the news to Neil. Cole and Victoria were officially divorced. Eventually, Victoria admitted to Cole he was the father of her unborn baby. Shortly after, he married Ashley. In the fall, Dru returned to Genoa City and was surprised to discover that Neil was involved with Victoria. She shocked Neil by announcing that she wanted a divorce. Soon after, their divorce was finalized. Victoria was rushed to the hospital with an appendicitis attack and was forced to give birth prematurely to a baby daughter. Victoria named her Eve. When she suggested to Cole that they baptize their daughter, Victoria realized from the sadness in Cole’s eyes that the baby had died. Devastated, Victoria and Cole, who grew closer in their mutual grief. Meanwhile, Victoria accepted Nikki’s invitation to recuperate at the ranch. Ashley received a mysterious call and temporarily left for Europe. On New Year’s Eve, Cole surprised Ashley in Paris.
Sasha’s manuscript was introduced as evidence in Danny and Phyllis’s custody battle for Daniel. Ultimately, the judge awarded custody of the child to Danny, which devastated Phyllis. Later, Danny admitted to Chris that he still loved her, which infuriated Paul. Phyllis moved in with Michael. Meanwhile, Danny was mugged and seriously injured. In a surprise move to save Danny’s life, Michael donated a kidney. When Chris learned the truth, she reluctantly helped Michael regain his license to practice law. After Danny’s recovery, Chris announced that she was still in love with Paul and they reconciled. Danny left town with Daniel on an extended concert tour.
Paul’s dad, Carl, resurfaced in another town with a new life as Jim. He also had a girlfriend, Ruth. Chris investigated Carl’s disappearance eventually discovered that Carl was alive and living under a new identity in another town. She struggled over whether to tell Mary and Paul. Shortly after, Paul, who suspected that Chris was having an affair with Danny, followed her to Norfolk, where he came face-to-face with his dad. Paul was stunned that Carl didn’t recognize him. Meanwhile, Charlie proposed marriage to Mary and she accepted.
Diane was livid when she learned Nikki was responsible for Victor’s vasectomy. Meanwhile, Veronica stopped taking her mood medication and began dating Miguel. Soon after, she revealed her true identity to Josh. They fought and Veronica shot him dead. When Nikki returned home, Veronica also shot her. With Nikki near death, Victor agreed to remarry her. When Nikki suddenly recovered, Victor decided to stay married to her, which broke Diane’s heart. Meanwhile, Veronica ditched her disguise as Sarah and became involved with an unsuspecting Miguel. Miguel proposed to Veronica and she accepted. Eventually, Cole and Victor realized that Veronica was also Sarah. In the stables, Veronica tried to shoot Nikki, but Victor intervened, and, in the scuffle, Veronica fell to her death. Meanwhile, Diane hired Michael as her lawyer and promptly filed a hefty lawsuit against Victor. At Michael’s urging, Diane appeared on The Leanna Love Show and discussed her relationship with Victor. On another front, Jack persuaded Brad to return to Genoa City in an effort to overthrow Newman Enterprises. Shortly after, Victor promoted Brad to a top-level position, working alongside Jack. Victor requested that Brad keep an eye on Jack. Later, Jack and Phyllis began a secret affair. Unknown to Jack, Phyllis worked as a spy for Victor. When Victor became preoccupied with his divorce from Diane, he stepped down from Newman Enterprises and temporarily turned the company over to Jack and Brad.
Tricia and Ryan made love for the first time. When Ryan and Tricia became engaged, Phillip became upset. Ryan and Tricia married. Nina wished them the best and moved forward with her own life. Meanwhile, Phillip had trouble accepting Tricia as a step-mom.
Keith proposed to Jill, but she turned him down. After moving in with Katherine, Jill started snooping and found documents that suggested she was the rightful owner of the Chancellor mansion. Livid, Katherine threw her out. With John Silva as her lawyer, Jill filed a lawsuit against Katherine for ownership of the Chancellor mansion. Jill tracked down a former housekeeper of Katherine’s named Beatrice and bribed her to lie in court against Katherine. When a fire broke out at the mansion, Jill successfully persuaded a judge to temporarily evict Katherine. Meanwhile, Michael agreed to represent Katherine. In court, Beatrice testified that Jill had given her money.
Callie, an old girlfriend of Malcolm’s showed up in Genoa City. When Olivia learned of Callie, she worried that Malcolm might still be interested in her. But Malcolm assured Olivia he wasn’t. Gina hired Callie to sing at her restaurant.
John Abbott left town for an extended trip.
