The full Saturday, January 17, 2026 episode of The Young and the Restless delivers relentless drama from start to finish, cementing this installment as one of the most emotionally punishing and suspense-filled episodes in recent memory. Genoa City becomes a battlefield of fear, secrets, and shattered trust, with multiple storylines colliding in ways that promise long-lasting consequences.

The episode opens under the heavy shadow of Dominic’s kidnapping, a crisis that dominates every corner of the canvas. Abby is barely holding herself together. Sleep-deprived, frantic, and emotionally raw, she oscillates between sobbing despair and explosive anger. The pain is etched into every breath she takes. Dominic is not just missing—he has been taken by someone Abby once trusted with her whole heart.

Devon remains by her side, trying to be her anchor while drowning in his own terror. He refuses to give in to panic, convinced that staying rational is the only way to bring Dominic home alive. Yet beneath his calm exterior, Devon is unraveling. He replays every interaction with Mariah, torturing himself with the possibility that he missed crucial warning signs.

The note Mariah left behind continues to haunt them. Its tone is disturbingly composed, almost gentle, suggesting she believes she’s acting out of love rather than malice. That belief terrifies Abby more than rage ever could. The idea that someone could rationalize taking her child sends her spiraling into uncontrollable grief.

As authorities press forward, tension erupts between Abby and Devon over strategy. Abby wants immediate, aggressive action. Devon urges caution, worried that too much pressure could push Mariah further away—or worse, endanger Dominic. Their argument is heartbreaking, exposing cracks in a partnership already strained by trauma and fear.

Meanwhile, Sharon is consumed by guilt. As Mariah’s mother, she refuses to believe her daughter is beyond redemption. Sharon insists that Mariah is lost, not evil, and becomes determined to reach her personally. Against advice from nearly everyone, Sharon believes maternal love may be the only force strong enough to bring this nightmare to an end.

This decision places Sharon in danger—emotionally and physically. Her desperation mirrors Abby’s, but from the opposite side of the tragedy. Both women are mothers fighting for a child, and the show powerfully contrasts their pain without choosing sides.

Across town, Victor Newman quietly inserts himself into the crisis. While he claims his concern is for Dominic’s safety, his actions suggest a deeper agenda. Victor sees instability as leverage. He begins making discreet calls, pulling old favors, and positioning himself as the unseen hand guiding the outcome. Nikki confronts him, warning that using a child’s kidnapping as a chess piece could destroy everything. Victor, unmoved, insists that control is the only way to restore order.

Elsewhere, Phyllis senses that something isn’t adding up. Her instincts tell her the kidnapping connects to deeper emotional fractures within the group. As she begins asking pointed questions, it becomes clear that Phyllis’s curiosity could expose truths others desperately want buried. Her involvement threatens to complicate an already volatile situation.

In a chilling parallel storyline, Billy Abbott is revealed to be tied up and betrayed. He awakens restrained, realizing too late that he has been outmaneuvered. The shock deepens when Sally Spectra steps into view—cold, determined, and aligned with Cane Ashby. This isn’t a misunderstanding. It’s a calculated move.

Sally’s betrayal cuts deeper than any enemy ever could. Billy trusted her, believed she understood his chaos and shared his vision. Seeing her side with Cane forces Billy to confront the brutal truth: he was played. Every conversation, every reassurance, was part of a carefully constructed trap.

Cane, calm and confident, reveals that Billy’s captivity is only one part of a much larger plan. He speaks in vague but ominous terms about restructuring power in Genoa City. Billy isn’t just restrained—he’s been removed from the board entirely while Cane and Sally advance their agenda.

Despite being physically powerless, Billy refuses to surrender psychologically. He challenges Sally’s motives, accusing her of trading integrity for control. His words visibly shake her, revealing cracks beneath her icy resolve. Still, she doesn’t stop. That choice signals a point of no return for her character.

Back at the Newman ranch, Adam watches events unfold from the shadows. He senses opportunity in the chaos. Kidnappings, betrayals, and fractured alliances create openings—and Adam is nothing if not strategic. Though he hasn’t made his move yet, his calculating gaze suggests it’s only a matter of time.

Jack and Diane face mounting tension as well. Jack grows increasingly suspicious of Diane’s recent behavior, sensing she knows more than she’s admitting. Their strained exchange hints at a secret that could soon surface, potentially intersecting with the broader turmoil gripping Genoa City.

Emotionally, the episode reaches its peak when Abby finally breaks down completely. In a devastating moment of honesty, she admits her greatest fear—not just that Dominic won’t come home, but that even if he does, the world will never feel safe again. Her grief is raw, unfiltered, and impossible to ignore.

Devon, pushed to his limit, contemplates taking matters into his own hands. He considers reaching out to Mariah directly, bypassing authorities and risking everything. The episode ends with Devon standing at a crossroads, aware that one wrong move could cost them their child—or change all their lives forever.

The January 17, 2026 episode thrives on emotional realism rather than spectacle alone. It examines how love can become dangerous, how trust can be weaponized, and how desperation drives people to cross irreversible lines.

By the final moments, one truth is unmistakable: Genoa City will never be the same. The kidnapping of Dominic, Billy’s captivity, and the betrayals unfolding behind closed doors have set off a chain reaction that cannot be stopped.

This episode doesn’t offer closure—it offers consequences. And as the fallout continues, The Young and the Restless proves once again that when secrets collide with fear, the damage is never contained.

What comes next won’t just test relationships.
It will redefine them—forever.