For decades, The Young and the Restless built its empire on one of daytime’s most iconic rivalries — Victor Newman vs. Jack Abbott. It was a battle of titans: ruthless ambition versus wounded pride, empire versus legacy, Newman versus Jabot. When these two powerhouses went head-to-head, it was more than corporate warfare — it was personal, passionate, and devastating.
But in 2025, the fire seems to be flickering out — and fans are making their voices heard. Across social media, longtime viewers are venting frustration, saying that what once defined Y&R now feels recycled, hollow, and shockingly low-stakes. The chemistry between Eric Braeden and Peter Bergman remains undeniable, yet the writing surrounding their renewed feud has left even the most devoted fans asking: What happened to the magic?
Let’s dig into the three biggest reasons fans are turning against this rebooted rivalry — and why the fallout could reshape Genoa City’s future forever.
1. The Motivation Feels Forced — and Fans Aren’t Buying It
When The Young and the Restless decided to revisit the Abbott-Newman war, audiences expected something monumental. Instead, the spark that reignited this legendary feud feels more like a flicker of convenience than an inferno of betrayal.
The supposed catalyst? Victor’s vendetta against Jack for “helping” Nikki through her battle with sobriety and mental health. It’s a storyline that could have carried emotional weight — after all, Victor’s love for Nikki has always bordered on obsession — but here, it feels oddly hollow. Fans argue that Victor’s rage doesn’t fit the magnitude of his retaliation.
The Victor Newman of old would burn down empires for revenge, but only when the offense matched his fury. Now, his vendetta seems disconnected from logic or emotional grounding. Viewers feel cheated, sensing that this feud exists not because of character motivation but because the show needed to reignite nostalgia.
“This isn’t the Victor and Jack we remember,” one fan commented online. “They’re acting like two businessmen playing chess in slow motion, not lifelong enemies who’ve destroyed each other’s families before breakfast.”
And that’s the problem — without authentic motivation, the feud loses its teeth. It’s not enough to pull old rivals out of the archives; their conflict has to mean something.
2. Endless Threats, No Payoff — The Rivalry Feels Stuck in Neutral
If the motivation is weak, the pacing is downright glacial. For months now, Victor has been delivering cryptic warnings, hinting at revenge, and vowing to bring Jack to his knees. But nothing ever happens. No corporate coup, no bombshell exposé, no life-altering consequences — just a carousel of empty threats.
Fans remember when Victor’s wrath could alter the course of Genoa City overnight. A whispered command from The Mustache could send companies collapsing, marriages imploding, and alliances shattering. Jack, ever the scrappy survivor, would claw his way back with cunning moves that left even Victor rattled. That’s what made the rivalry legendary — the unpredictability, the tension, the explosions.
Now, those explosions are all smoke and no fire.
“I miss the days when Victor would actually do something,” another viewer posted. “We’ve been stuck in ‘just wait and see’ mode for half a year. Wait for what?”
Even the actors’ powerhouse performances can’t mask the lack of narrative momentum. Each scene between Victor and Jack feels like déjà vu — the same accusations, the same veiled threats, the same boardroom standoffs that end in nothing but smirks and silence.
If The Young and the Restless wants this rivalry to matter again, it has to deliver a real blow — something with consequences that ripple through the Newman and Abbott families alike. Until then, fans are losing patience.
3. The Rivalry Feels Stuck in the Past — and the Next Generation Is Missing
Perhaps the most painful truth for longtime Y&R fans is this: the Victor vs. Jack saga has already been told — brilliantly, brutally, and at its peak. The show has mined decades of history from this animosity, from hostile takeovers to family betrayals to emotional breakdowns. There’s no shortage of legacy, but there is a desperate need for evolution.
Right now, there’s a void where the next generation should be. Kyle Abbott, Jack’s son, is tangled in his own chaotic love life with Claire Grace, while his corporate instincts have all but vanished. Summer is off-screen and adrift. Billy is spiraling in yet another identity crisis. And on the Newman side, Nick and Victoria are stuck in their own melodramas, isolated from the core conflict.
Meanwhile, Adam — the natural heir to Victor’s ruthless streak — continues to play it safe, more focused on Chelsea’s emotional approval than on claiming his place in the family empire.
Fans are begging for a shake-up. They want to see Kyle versus Adam, or Summer stepping into her mother’s shoes as the next great manipulator. Instead, they’re watching two legends replay an old war with no heirs apparent to inherit their legacies.
“The whole thing feels like reruns,” one fan wrote. “If you’re going to reboot a feud, then pass the torch. Let the new generation fight for the throne.”
Until that happens, the rivalry feels like a ghost of its former glory — haunting the show instead of driving it forward.
A Rivalry at a Crossroads — What Comes Next for Victor and Jack?
Despite fan frustration, there’s still hope buried in the tension. With Peter Bergman and Eric Braeden still delivering powerhouse performances, The Young and the Restless has the raw talent to reignite the flames — if it dares to take real risks.
Imagine a bold storyline where Victor actually succeeds in dismantling Jabot — forcing Jack to rebuild from nothing. Or perhaps Jack finally exposes a Newman secret so devastating it fractures the entire family. Even more compelling? A next-generation twist, where Kyle and Adam find themselves echoing their fathers’ sins, each battling for dominance while the older men are forced to watch history repeat itself.
The ingredients are all there — legacy, power, love, betrayal — the very essence of what makes The Young and the Restless unforgettable. But without movement, without consequence, this legendary feud will remain trapped in nostalgia instead of forging new ground.
The Verdict — Fans Want Fire, Not Fumes
Right now, fans don’t hate Victor and Jack because they’re villains. They hate what’s been done to them — how their once-epic rivalry has been reduced to talk with no teeth. Viewers crave the sharpness, the unpredictability, the sense that anything could happen next.
This isn’t just about two men in suits sparring over corporate control — it’s about pride, love, family, and survival. When those elements collide, Y&R becomes electric.
Until the writers remember that, the Abbott-Newman feud will remain a flickering flame — one that risks burning out for good.
Because in Genoa City, wars don’t end with words. They end with consequences — and it’s high time Victor and Jack reminded everyone exactly what they’re capable of.
