Deconstructing Why 'The Young and the Restless' Got Rid of the Ashby Family

Christel Khalil went on recurring status four years ago on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Since that time the powers that be have slowly dismantled her television family. She is now back on the soap free and single and in love. The actors who portrayed the twins Mattie and Charlie went off to college and have not been seen in Genoa City since they were supposedly put on recurring status. To this day they continue to missing in action. lily is dating Billy Abbott and never mentions her twins.

Daniel Goddard who had the role of Cane Ashby was let go from the CBS daytime drama, much to the surprise and sorrow of his fans. The Ashby's were a beautiful family unit and were popular with the viewers. Now they have become but a memory, and some fans still wish they were on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. There was a rumor a few months back that Goddard was returning to the soap but that has not been verified. Goddard and Bryton James recently were together and shared their photos on social media. Noting was said regarding the actor returning to the soap.

Once Crystel Khalil went off-contract, her character Lily was given a storyline where she went to jail for causing the accident that killed Hilary. The relationship between Cane and Lily began going downhill from the point. Lily decided she wanted a divorce and never once wavered. She decided to leave town, Cane so the house and that was the end. THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS writers could have given Daniel Goddard's character a new love interest who would help him raise his young son Sam. For whatever reason, they never cast any children in the role of Juliet's son. As I have written on other sites, this was the first red flag that Cane was being left out in the cold.

He could have kept his home and the twins could have come in to visit from time to time and viewers could have watched little Sam grow up. Instead, Cane was placed in an awkward storyline with Traci. Fans of THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS had already endured Nikki's cougar romance with Arturo. Trying to put Cane and Traci together was never going to work. Ms. Abbott was a mother figure to Lily who was best friends with her daughter Coleen. There were rumors that the actors who portray Traci and Cane were not thrilled with this storyline. Beth Maitland received hate mail over the issue and she responded that as an actress, she works with the material she is given.

In addition to Cane losing Lily, the children, and selling his home, the storyline had him walk away from Chancellor Industries. This had him without his wife, his son and daughter, no job and no home. THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS never said who was watching little Sam and it was as if he did not exist. After Juliet died, Cane notified her father but he did not respond. I thought perhaps Mr. Hinton might show up one day and attempt to gain custody of his grandson but he was never mentioned again.

All of this could be a coincidence but it seems that from the time Cane was in Japan things just got worse for him. He was never shown sleeping with Juliet yet she got pregnant, then she died. This entire situation was the beginning of the downfall of the Ashby family. Lily and Billy are doing well as a couple and many who watch THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS are probably are not even thinking about the Asby clan. Others remember them fondly as a beautiful example of a family.

The writers obviously have a reason for why they dismantled one of the most beloved soap families on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS. Whatever their reason there are still fans who look back on Cane, Lily, Mattie, Charlie and wonder what may have been.