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Over the years, Stacy Haiduk‘s embodied many different personas on The Young and the Restless. She began as the deceptive Mary Jane Benson, a false persona to hide her true identity: Patty Williams, the woman who never got over the betrayal committed upon her by her ex-husband, Jack Abbott (Peter Bergman).
Haiduk’s played Patty as a dangerously unbalanced innocent, and Patty’s doppelganger therapist, Dr. Emily Benson. Now, the Daytime Emmy-nominated actress is back in Genoa City, this time as a woman who’s taking charge, making her own rules — and thus far, she’s winning.
Patty claims to have been cleared by mental health therapists and has been deemed fit to be in society once again. She’s armed fully with her memories, however, much to Diane’s (Susan Walters) chagrin. Patty may be wicked for making it look like she and Jack were being intimate on-board Victor’s (Eric Braeden) yacht, but, sorry, Diane, payback’s a bitch!
The writers have not forgotten that it was innocent Patty, Jack’s bride at the time, who walked in on Jack and Diane sleeping together. While fleeing from the scenario, Patty fell, causing her to miscarry Jack’s baby. Haiduk took the backstory in these scenes and ran with it, rubbing the facts in Diane’s face with both glee and pain.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
Patty is keenly aware of her opponents’ vulnerabilities, and she’ll delight in chipping away at their insecurities. “Jack is very happy that I’m back. If only you could have seen the smile on his face before you caught us in bed together,” Patty smirked at Diane. “And it’s only a matter of time before I put it there again. And again. And again.”
Good acting teachers tell their students that there’s always a moment in a scene in which one character can try to leave and the other player will stop them either with words or physically. Haiduk employed both so that Patty could continue her attack on Diane.
“Get out of my way,” Diane stated. Slightly shifting her body to get in Diane’s way, Patty pointed out that Diane was punishing Jack and she was more than happy to console him.
“Backatcha, babe,” Patty retorted when Diane said that Patty was the last thing in the world that Jack needed.
Patty was armed with more than quips in her confrontation with Diane. She reminded Diane of the pain she’d suffered in the past because of her. “My world imploded because of you,” Diane proclaimed.
In return, Diane reminded Patty of the times she’s shot and poisoned people on her road to supposed redemption, but Haiduk kept Patty’s resolve going. She didn’t fold, pointing out that Diane is no saint and she will prove that after she loses everything.
“You’ll be far more dangerous than I ever was,” Patty cryptically predicted.
© Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
Next, Patty encountered Phyllis (Michelle Stafford). The fiery redhead doesn’t show fear often, but she couldn’t help but be taken aback when she came face-to-face with the woman who caused her daughter Summer to have an allergic reaction when she was a helpless youngster.
“What’s the matter? Kittycat got your tongue?” Patty snarked at Phyllis, making a reference to her favorite pet. (Remember Patty’s “talk-to”? It was Mr. Kitty, a stuffed cat.)
Patty pointed out to Phyllis that she had done the work on her mental health, resulting in the freedom she now enjoys. Phyllis tried to shame Patty over what may have occurred on the yacht with Jack in terms of them being intimate, but she’ll likely not try that again upon hearing Patty’s reaction.
“Oh, Phyllis,” Patty replied deliciously. “You have no idea.”
As she did with Diane, Patty went for Phyllis’s vulnerable spot — Summer. Patty wondered if Summer had come to the same conclusion that everyone else had in terms of treating Phyllis like she had the plague. It was as if Patty had inside knowledge about Phyllis and Summer’s current strained dynamics.
She scored one final win by telling Phyllis that she might want to have someone look into those anger issues of her.
If Patty’s acting like a woman who’s in the driver’s seat, there’s a reason for that. She not only has the truth on her side (Diane did indirectly cause her miscarriage, and Phyllis has her own list of crimes for which she needs to atone), but she’s also got buckets of cash to start this new wonderful life in which she can hang out at the Genoa City Athletic Club and trade quips with her rivals.
At the Newman Ranch, we learned for certain that Victor has financed Patty’s role in Jack’s yacht adventure that has driven a wedge in his marriage to Diane.
“I have never seen anything so beautiful,” a gleeful Patty shared upon seeing the satchel of money Victor handed her.
Patty got a big payout for helping Victor, but it’s Y&R fans who are getting the real gift after she responded to Victor’s query about her leaving town.
“I forget how much I missed Genoa City, so we’ll see about that,” she said with a mischievous grin.
Haiduk’s current incarnation of Patty hasn’t lost any of her painful past, but this time, more than ever, she is calculating and has some scores to settle. Brava to the actress for bringing edges to Patty Williams that are both new and dangerously familiar.
The Young and the Restless, Weekdays, CBS
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