Young and the Restless Recap May 21: Phyllis and Nick Are Horrified When Patty Frees Matt and They Escape
Thursday, May 21, 2026: Today on The Young and the Restless, Victor and Nikki put their differences aside to help Nick, Lily and Holden arrive in New York, and Jack has a change of heart about Patty.
Read the last Y&R recap: Phyllis knocked out Matt and asked Nick for the deal as Victor lost his patience.
(This day-ahead recap episode airs in Canada the day before the USA on May 21. Expect spoilers! Recaps go live by 4:15 PM EST daily.)
Kyle and Jack Talk Patty at the Abbott Estate
Kyle returns to get his son’s homework and finds his dad working from home. They discuss Patty sticking around town.
Kyle assumes Victor is either paying her to stick around or is eager for her to leave.
His dad assumes that the “old buzzard” has nothing to do with it and Patty is just in some lull before she comes up with another diabolical scheme.
Kyle hopes he’s not planning to work with her against Victor. His father is determined to convince Nikki to leave her husband once and for all.
Jack has made no progress in making things up with Diane. He’s starting to think she will never get past this.
Victor has ruined his life and he deserves a taste of his own medicine.
Nikki Offers to Work with Victor at the Newman Ranch
Nikki walks in. Victor glares at her. They exchange some pleasantries before rehashing their fight.
He still refuses to apologize and says this is all her fault.
Nikki doesn’t want another pointless argument. They need to discuss their son.
She’s appalled to learn that he already knows about Nick’s addiction and didn’t bother to tell her.
She thinks they need to set their anger aside and be there for their son. They have to present a united front. If they do that long enough, maybe they can find a way to end their war.
He’ll do anything to help their son…but he won’t apologize for hurting “Jackass Abbott.” She says he’s only at the top of the list.
They bicker and she tells him he has problems. He’s in denial about his problems and wishes him luck dealing with them.
He says he’ll do fine on his own and she stomps out.
Lily Calls Cane with News at a New York Hotel
Stephanie, Holden, and Lily return to his suite after Malcolm’s surgery. It went smoothly.
They find champagne that Malcolm sent and he pops it open. They chat and Holden tells his mom he’s proud of her.
Stephanie thinks things couldn’t have gone any better.
Lily calls Cane to give him an update. She thanks him for saving Malcolm’s life again.
Cane was happy to do it. Everything went well and the kids are grateful he did what he did.
Lily is planning to stick around until Malcolm is released. That may take a month.
That seems like a long time for her to be away. He explains that Malcolm has insisted she go home.
Stephanie and Holden thank him and she gets off the line. They tease Lily and then teh ladies tease Holden until Claire arrives.
Claire and Holden discuss what a “cool customer” Malcolm is. She got Holden a vintage motorcycle jacket.
He tries it on and they kiss.
Phyllis Demands Nick Give Her Assurances at the Chancellor Park Café
Nick wanders how Phyllis could have knocked Matt out on her own. She reminds him that she gets what she wants and has it all under control.
Phyllis tells him he can have Matt as soon as he gets Christine to drop the charges. He explains that putting Matt away will be a feather in Christine’s cap.
His ex demands to know exactly what the DA said. Nick assures her that she will make the deal.
That’s not good enough for her. He reminds her that she could end up with nothing if she doens’t do this.
Phyllis refuses to trust him. He huffs. They bicker about her stealing his father’s life’s work.
Nick insists that taking Matt down is his priority.
She’s appalled when he suggests she hand Matt to Christine and put her life in the DA’s hands. She refuses to do that.
He refuses to let her screw this up for him over her feud with Cricket.
Phyllis demands assurances in writing to her attorney.
Nick is desperate but she won’t give him Matt until the charges are dropped. She storms off and he trails after.
Patty Frees Matt in His Suite at the GCAC
Matt wakes up on the floor and starts screaming and struggling. Patty starts to knock on the door.
She can hear his muffled grunting. Patty gets a maid to let her in.
They find Matt on the floor. The maid wants to call security. Patty assures her they are just doing kin roleplay and pays her off.
She ungags Matt and asks what happened. “Phyllis,” he says.
Patty thinks he should be glad he only got a crack on his head. He’s not sure he wouldn’t be better off dead given the terrible things he’s done.
Matt doesn’t understand why Phyllis turned on him.
She explains that Phyllis has been using him as a bargaining chip. Patty suggests that Phyllis capable of that much and worse.
She thinks that they should get to know each other better. Then he will see she’s the only friend he’ll ever need.
Moments later, Phyllis rushes in, shocked to see Matt gone. Nick follows her and demands to know what’s happening.
He guesses that Matt escaped. He warns she better get used to the idea of a prison cell if she doesn’t find him before the cops or security do.
Phyllis tells him that Patty has befriended Matt and likely saved him. They are both lunatics and Patty has an angle.
Billy and Cane Talk Strategy on His Train
Billy stops by to ask what he’s planning for his defense. Cane hasn’t thought about it.
Billy explains his name is in the bogus emails. Cane wishes he could help but there’s nothing he can do.
This isn’t pleasing to Billy.
Cane wishes none of this had happened. Billy says there may be a way to save them, but they will have to work together.
Jack Tells Nikki What Victor Did at Society
Kyle and Jack get a table. He spots Nikki as his son walks off to take a call.
Nikki tells Jack that Nick is a fentanyl addict. She feels guilty. Her affliction has been passed down to her son.
Jack says it does no good to blame herself. They talk about how to help Nick.
She admits that her husband is not help helpful. That’s not a surprise to Jack. He can’t understand how petty and vindictive Victor is.
Jack tells her she needs to know how selfish her husband is. He explains that he cornered Patty and she admitted that Victor hired her. That’s who her husband is. Nikki is disgusted.