Has Anyone Seen Diane Jenkins?
Diane Jenkins (Susan Walters) is missing on Y&R. Gone. Poof. Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman) is wandering around Genoa City looking concerned & the whole thing is being treated like a legitimate mystery.
Meanwhile, over on Beyond the Gates, CBS’s NEWEST soap in ages, Jack & Diane are together, happy & apparently having a grand old time.
So which is it, CBS?
The Crossover Nobody Asked CBS to Screw Up
The Y&R & Beyond the Gates crossover had real potential. Two shows, one network, shared characters crossing over for a storyline that actually connects the two worlds. On “social media paper”, this was WAY exciting. Fans of both shows lean in. New viewers discover both programs.
The execution? CBS dropped the ball completely & then buried it.
Diane is “missing” on Y&R. Jack is worried. The whole Genoa City canvas is treating her disappearance like a real storyline with real stakes. Then you flip over to Beyond the Gates & there she is, standing next to Jack, happy as a clam, not missing at all, & back in love with Jack like Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) never sexed him on a Victor Newman sponsored yacht.
The two shows are apparently happening in completely separate universes that don’t talk to each other.
Y&R Fans Are Not Confused — They’re Annoyed
Here’s the thing — Y&R fans are not stupid. They watch. They pay attention. They notice when Diane is dramatically missing one day on Y&R & perfectly fine the next day on another soap opera also on CBS.
The crossover was supposed to make both shows feel bigger & more connected. Instead, it’s making Y&R feel sloppy. If Diane’s disappearance is a real storyline, then Beyond the Gates needs to acknowledge it.
Right now, neither show seems to know what the other one is doing & it shows.
What This Means for Diane’s Storyline
Diane Jenkins has been through everything on Y&R — death, resurrection, & redemption. She’s earned her place in Genoa City & Susan Walters plays her beautifully.
She deserves better than being a prop in a crossover that CBS clearly didn’t think all the way through.
When Diane comes back to Y&R — & she will — the show is going to have to either acknowledge what happened on Beyond the Gates or pretend it never happened. Neither option is a good look for a network that sold this crossover as appointment television.
The Verdict
The Y&R & Beyond the Gates crossover had promise. The Diane Jenkins continuity disaster is proof that CBS didn’t do the homework to make it work.
Fans deserve better. Diane deserves better. Susan Walters definitely deserves better.
Figure it out, CBS. 🎤
What do you think about the crossover — and where the heck is Diane? Drop your reaction below 👇
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