Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
Homecoming Queen: Victor (Eric Braeden) will have a hard time topping the surprise he pulls off for Nikki, says her portrayer, Melody Thomas Scott.
In 2012, when a downward-spiraling Sharon burned down the iconic Newman Ranch set on Young and Restless, fans were hit hard by the loss. So, too, was Melody Thomas Scott, whose character, Nikki, was one of the home’s inhabitants. “I have never been shy in saying that losing the original Newman Ranch set was heartbreaking,” Thomas Scott notes. “I felt that it was not only Nikki’s house, but my house. For decades. To see it be destroyed was very emotional and upsetting.”
You Can Go Home Again
Thomas Scott understands why viewers of the show were on the same page. “The iconic sets of Y&R are a very important part of the fabric of the show,” she points out. “Some of them have been around longer than many of our actors have.”
The actress couldn’t have been more thrilled when she was let in on the secret that the show was rebuilding the set in conjunction with Y&R’s landmark 13,000th episode, which is set to air on Wednesday, November 13. “[Executive Producer/Head Writer] Josh Griffith told me about it a few months ago but I was sworn to secrecy,” Thomas Scott reveals. “And what a delicious secret it was! I didn’t know the Ranch’s debut would be timed to our 13,000th episode. Great planning on Josh’s part! The new set exceeded my expectations. I must commend [Art Director] David Hoffman, [Set Designer] Justine Mercado and the entire crew on Stage 41 for all their efforts in making this dream come true.”
In the storyline, Victor surprises Nikki when he unveils the rebuilt ranch to her, having secretly arranged to have it built as a grand gesture to his beloved. “Well, we all know that Victor is The Master of Romantic Gestures!” proclaims Thomas Scott. “This time he really pulled out all the stops. I don’t think he’ll be able to top this!”
Nikki’s emotional reaction to the sight of the new house plays out on Friday. “The show that airs on November 8th takes place wholly in that set and will include many flashbacks of iconic scenes from over the years,” Thomas Scott shares. “That decision really illustrates the history of the set and the importance it has to the Newman family. And, of course, to our fans.” After all, she notes, “The return of the original Ranch is reclaiming a piece of the show’s history.”
For the actress and her longtime co-star Eric Braeden (Victor), getting their first glimpse of the Ranch redux out of character was emotional. “It was truly like taking a step back in time,” she reports. “Josh wanted to be with Eric and me when we saw the new set for the very first time. We had been asked to not sneak a peek at it until Josh was by our sides. Hard as that was, we didn’t. When we were finally ushered into the set, we were in shock. Our beloved Newman Ranch was finally back, in all its glory. The very essence of the original is alive and well in this new set.”
Braeden even shed tears as they toured the set. Did that surprise Thomas Scott? “Yes and no,” she says. “I immediately started buzzing around looking at every detail, squealing! Eric was more in stoic wonderment. But then he sat down and started tearing up. I knew how much having this set back in our lives meant. We always felt that that house was ours. The silent witness to the beginnings of Victor and Nikki’s love story, if you will. We’ve had so many memories in that house and it feels so right to be back where we belong.”
Thomas Scott says that what most stood out to her about the experience of walking through the set for the first time was “the incredible attention to detail. The beautiful fabrics, The lush colors. And that exquisite piano! It’s French from the 1800s. I also loved the family portraits that had been made to look like portraits. Such a nice touch. What really pushed me over the top was the staircase. We have missed that so much! And it’s in the same exact location. Actually, the layout and design is very close to the original. We have our solarium back. The biggest difference is where the front door is. That was switched for technical production reasons. I already feel like I’ve lived there half my life. Oh, wait… I have!”
The actress admits that her real-life emotions peeked through when filming the scenes of Nikki seeing the home again for the first time. “Absolutely,” she nods. “There is not an inch of that set that doesn’t conjure up memories for me. I was flooded with emotion.”
Expect yet more emotion to be expressed on the set next week when, on November 13, Abby and Devon say, “I do” at the Ranch. Josh Griffith explains to Digest that the couple selects the location after a planning snafu. “When Abby and Devon’s wedding venue fell through, Victor knew the ranch would be the ideal place for the wedding but kept this a secret until he revealed the remodeled ranch to Nikki. So while Nikki and Victor had very little time to settle in, the Ranch proved to be the perfect place to host Abby and Devon’s wedding and showcase their ‘new home’ to their family and friends.”
