Over 40 years makes it obvious. However, inevitable as it may be, one thing we know for sure is change is constant, looking back we've seen many come and go, just to come back again, some as a recast. Some visit us again on special occasions, some we never see again. We may think that 'everything that can be done has happened', but then out of the blue comes that awesome storyline. At times it almost seems like forever to surface. As a fan, I wait, and watch, until that out of the blue storyline happens. Thinking back: Remember when the two core families were the Brooks family, who were wealthy, and the Foster family who were poor/working class. Even then we started to slowly see recasts. And, many who left the show back in the early 1980s. Soon time left us with only one original character, and is here today, Jill Foster Abbott. All others were written out. Bell at the time replaced them with the new core families, the Abbotts and the Williams. Then time past introducing other families such as the Newman's, Winters, and as more time went by we were introduced to Baldwin-Fishers family etc... Still, we fans endured, embracing the change as we complained about it, threating never to watch again. While some things remained the same such as Jill and the late Katherine, we watch the show become what it is today, still we see change. 'Jump the shark' or not we fans remain a faithful audience, and probably will as long as Y&R remains faithfully on the air. Over 40 years is certainly a hard act to follow.

Interesting Question :)

The only sorespot in the show is Sony needs to get rid of JFP. There has been so many changes since she came into the picture. I just hope by having her run the show that the show doesn't go down hill. I miss those actors who have left like everyone else.

Y&R has gone down hill tremendously ... WHY Y&R is still the #1 soap is beyond me ..... maybe the others are just as bad? even worse ..... Y&R is NOT the standard of the soap long time viewers were connected to .... maybe if JFP continues the way she has it won't be long until this soap slowly sinks to the bottom of the ratings ...... I know everyday that we watch it we expect and desperately hope that things will improve ... so far no go.

I've read that message before and don't believe it.

Like you said JFP need to be fired, why? because she has ruined the storylines with the writers she brought in and I feel that those writers are so immature,untalented, or have writers block...

Y&R may be #1 for now but it will go down if JFP keeps doing what she is doing.

As far as for JFP career goes I don't think she will have one after this one and I don't think GH will want her back either.

She has done nothing to improved the storylines.

I want MM and MS and BM back!!

CBS and Sony needs to fired her now!!

I just wish that the show would fire her before she totally ruins the show and more people leave. Some of the storylines are awful. She should go back to General Hospital where she belongs.

many people have left Y&R...

I remember Christine with Nina and Jill, and Phillip.

Phillip left....

Then Scott, Lauren and Sheila

Scott left...

Then Nina left

Sheila gone

Nate gone

Drucilla gone

Mary left

Malcolm and Keisha gone

Then Danny left

Daniel left

Phyllis gone

Mackenzie gone

JT gone

Ashley gone

Tracy left

Brad left

Colleen left

Amber gone

Olivia gone

Cassie on and off

John a ghost sometimes

Diane killed off

Patty in mental hosp

Nina's son gone

Heather left

Jana gone

A lot of actors and actresses have left, and many characters change

So... no matter what... Y&R will stay on a long time.

As long the writers keep the soap opera interesting, that is all its matters.

I don't think it has.

For over 40 years, "The Young and the Restless" has seen its share of drama among its cast, both onscreen and off. While some cast members like Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki), Doug Davidson (Paul), Eric Braeden (Victor), and Peter Bergman (Jack) have gone on to become daytime legends after spending many decades on the show, others like Shemar Moore (Malcolm) and Eva Longoria (Isabella) have used the soap as a springboard to help launch hugely successful careers in Hollywood. However, this past year hasn't been great for everyone in the fictional Genoa City -- and the fans. Following the untimely passing of Jeanne Cooper (Katherine), several longtime fan faves were either let go or have decided to leave, including Michelle Stafford (Phyllis), Michael Muhney (Adam), and Billy Miller (Billy). Most recently, it was announced that Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe) will be the next to go. And while several newcomers were brought in to fill the void, neither of them has pretty much caught on. I have a feeling that some viewers have grown tired of watching Y&R once these changes happened, and ever since Jill Farren Phelps took over as EP, many insiders thought this could be the ultimate downfall for the show. But that's NOT true. Y&R has been #1 for the last 25 years and it shows no signs of slowing down. But the question is: Do you think that Y&R has jumped the shark over the past year?