Eric Braeden and Victor Newman Are Slowing Down

The episode of The Young and the Restless that is scheduled for Wednesday may not be aired until Thursday because the of the impeachment hearings. Some fans have already viewed it online as I have. Whenever you watch it please pay close attention to the scenes with Victor and you will make a startling discovery. Eric Braeden, age 78, is a beloved soap veteran of 40 years. He has stated in interviews as well as his book I’ll be Dammed, that neither he nor Victor are going anywhere. Unfortunately, life happens and it looks as if it is happening to the Newman patriarch and the man who portrays him. Please don’t misquote me. I am not saying Eric Braeden is ill or that he will leave Y&R anytime soon. What I am addressing is the normal toll that growing older takes on everyone who is blessed to live to a senior age.

As viewers know, Victor retired and turned the reigns of his company over to Victoria. Since then, the Newman patriarch and his wife have basically been sitting around the ranch. On Wednesday’s episode Victor popped in to Jabot to congratulate Summer on her promotion to marketing manager. During the exchange he seemed to move and speak at little slower than usual and his eyes were half closed during the scene as though he were fighting fatigue. Eric Braeden has said that if you retire you die. For this reason his fans know that he will remain on screen for as long as humanly possible and show himself as the powerhouse that he is as long as he is able. Therefore, I surmise that the behavior in the recent episode was not scripted and was something that Victor’s portrayer had no control over. Again, I am not saying that Mr. Braeden is sick but only that he is aging in front of us.

It is natural to slow down with each birthday that passes, but Victor and Eric seem invincible. I knew a man who drove until age 93 and lived until 95. He was over six feet tall and remained upright and stately until he passed away. This is what I envisioned for Victor Newman, so when I observed a bit of wear and tear, it troubled me. In reality Victor and Eric may outlive people half their age, but it is still unnerving to see the most powerful man in Genoa City show a few signs of what is par for the course.

Later in the same Y&R episode, Victor went to visit Devon and presented Neil’s son with a dossier on Amanda Sinclair. Once again the Newman patriarch seemed to be speaking slower than usual but he delivered his lines as expertly as always. At least twice, Devon had spoken and there seemed to be a lapse before Victor replied. Eric Braeden is heading towards his eighth decade of life and it is remarkable that he continues his craft. John Aniston is another long time soap vet who continues acting on Days of Our Lives at age 86. Frances Reid, portrayed Alice Horton on Days for 42 years. She was released from the show in 2007, at age 92, after having trouble reading her lines.

Many who watch The Young and the Restless expected Victor to reclaim the reigns of his company from Victoria, but there is no indication in the storyline that this will happen. During the episode that was broadcast on Wednesday, "Nictor" were talking to Nicholas at the ranch and Victor remained seated the entire time. While his wife sat up straight and smiled, Victor seemed a little out of it. His eyes were downcast and after only a few moments of dialogue, he got up and walked away, leaving Nick and his mother to chat alone. The Newman patriarch was supposed to be a witness at Nate Hasting's trial, but the courtroom proceedings were not shown onscreen and all the action took place off camera.

There were never any scenes with Victor expressing his outrage at what happened to Katherine's fortune or showing him asking his people to look into the situation. In addition, not once did Devon consult the most powerful man in Genoa City. Out of nowhere, Mrs. Chancellor's good friend shows up with the dossier and the information contained in it. One might conclude that Eric Braeden's on screen time is being limited. Perhaps all of this is a result of my over thinking about an aging beloved character, or Victor is actually slowing down because of Eric Braeden's personal age related issues.