Keeping up with Eve Plumb (Jan Brady on The Brady Bunch)

“I think what happened was that I would say things like, ‘Yes, the Bradys was great, but I also have a life.’ Or I’d be promoting something else and the media would be, like, ‘Brady, Brady. Brady,’ and I’d say, ‘That’s great, but I’m doing this now.’ It immediately became, ‘You’re bitter.'”

- Eve Plumb

Eve Plumb is best known as Jan, the middle sister on The Brady Bunch.  However, she has achieved much more than that on stage, in film and on television.  Furthermore, she is an accomplished artist  Her oil paintings have been displayed in galleries around the United States.

Eve Aline Plumb was born in Burbank, California on April 29, 1958, the daughter of Flora June (née Dobry) and record producer Neely Plumb.  She had two siblings, a sister named Flora and a brother, Ben.

Eve began her acting career in television commercials in 1966, at the age of seven.  A children's agent moved next door to her and got her cast in a commercial, then she kept getting more work.  In 1967, Eve appeared in episodes of The Virginian, The Big Valley and Lassie.  In 1968, she guest-starred on It Takes a Thief, Mannix and Family Affair.  In the Family Affair episode "Christmas Came a Little Early" (Season 3, Episode 7, Air Date: November 11, 1968), she portrays a terminally ill girl who befriends Buffy (Anissa Jones).

From 1969 to 1974, Eve appeared in all 117 episodes of The Brady Bunch, starring Robert Reed and Florence Henderson as parents of a blended family of six children, three boys and three girls.  On the show, Eve played the awkward middle sister, always in the shadow of her older sister Marcia (Maureen McCormick).  It was in the episode "Her Sister's Shadow" (Season 3, Episode 10, Air Date: November 19, 1971) that Jan uttered the famous catchline "Marcia, Marcia, Marcia!" because she was tired of hearing about the accomplishments of her older sister.  

In another notable episode, "The Not So-Rose-Colored Glasses" (Season 3, Episode 13, Air Date: December 24, 1971), Jan needs to wear glasses, but doesn't want to, until an accident damages an anniversary gift for her parents.  In a 2025 Real Brady Bros podcast, Eve Plumb's Brady brothers, Barry Williams and Christopher Knight revealed that the show's creative team wrote an episode about Jan needing glasses so that Eve, who had poor eyesight, could wear her own real specs on the show.  "I gotta believe it was easier for her to wear those glasses as the character," said Christopher Knight.  Barry Williams couldn't remember if Eve wore contacts in earlier seasons or simply did without her glasses.

Here is how Lloyd J. Schwartz, son of Brady Bunch creator Sherwood Schwartz and a producer on the show, described Eve's talent.

"She came to the show with more a history of the business in some way, with her sister being an actress, her father involved i music and her mother ever-present.  So whenever we would do a scene, she was just kind of a little bit apart.  Not in a bad way at all because everybody has their own little things they bring to it.  But it was something that we started to notice and some of the stories that we wrote just kind of highlighted that in a way, evolving into the whole middle-child syndrome storyline.  Of course, now everybody uses that as example of Jan Brady as this tormented kid.  You know, "Marcia, Marcia Marcia!  She played that really well."

Below is a circa 1972 photo Eve with her Brady Bunch siblings.  Left to right: Susan Olsen (Cindy), Eve, Christopher Knight (Peter), Barry Williams (Greg), Mike Lockinland (Bobby) and Maureen McCormick (Marcia).

In 1976, Eve was the only original Brady Bunch cast member who did not reprise her role as in The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, an attempt to reinvent the Bradys as the stars of a variety show with song-and-dance numbers, sketches and "show-within-a-show" segments in the Brady home.  Geri Reischi replaced Eve as Jan, and fans were disappointed about the change.  They labelled Eve's replacement as "Fake Jan."

After The Brady Bunch, Eve, continued to work in television. When she played a teenage prostitute in Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976), an NBC television film, it was quite a departure from her Jan Brady role.  She also portrayed Elizabeth "Beth" March in the 1978 miniseries Little Women.  In doing so, the young actor managed to avoid being typecast as Jan Brady. She refused to limit herself to that one role.

As it turned out, Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway received high ratings.  If Eve had agreed to appear of The Brady Bunch Variety Hour, she would have been unavailable for a sequel to Dawn.  According to Ted Nichelson, author of Love to Love You Bradys; The Bizarre Story of the Brady Bunch Variety Hour, Eve's father, a music  producer, was not too keen on her doing the Brady variety show.  

After initial high ratings, The Brady Bunch Variety Hour faded in popularity and was short-lived.  Nine episodes were aired from November 28, 1976 to May 25, 1977.  Meanwhile, there was a sequel to Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway It was called Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn and it aired on NBC in 1977.        

In addition to Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway, its sequel, and Little Women, Eve has appeared in several made-for-TV movies, including The House on Greenapple Road (1970), The Force of Evil (1977), Telethon (1977), Secrets of Three Hungry Wives (1978), The Night the Bridge Fell Down (1983) and Yesterday Today (1992).

In the1970s and 1980s, Eve appeared in episodes of several TV shows, including Here's Lucy (1972), Wonder Woman (1977),  Fantasy Island (3 episodes, 1979, 1981), The Love Boat (3 episodes, 1978, 1980, 1982), One Day at a Time (1982), The Facts of Life (1983) and Murder, She Wrote (1985).  In the Here's Lucy episode "Lucy and Donny Osmond," Eve plays Lucy's never-before mentioned niece, Patricia Carter.  Lucy and her daughter Kim (played by her real-life daughter Lucie Arnaz) take Patricia to a nightclub to see Donny Osmond, with whom she's smitten.

In the 1990s, Eve guest-starred in Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman (1994) and That '70s Show (1998).  In the 2000s, she has appeared in episodes of Law & Order: Special Victims Unit (2013), Blue Bloods (2017) and Bull (2020).  On January 31, 2016. Eve played the role of shop teacher Mrs. Murdoch in Grease Live!, a live televised remake of the 1978 film on Fox.

Eve returned to her "Jan Brady" role in the 1981 NBC TV movie The Brady Girls Get Married.  That led to the short-lived The Brady Brides in which she starred with Maureen McCormick.  Eve also appeared in A Very Brady Christmas (1988) and its 1990 spinoff series, The Bradys.

Eve Plumb been married twice and divorced once.  She was the first of the Brady Bunch siblings to marry, and the first to divorce.  On July 22, 1979, Eve married Rick Mansfield.  The marriage was short-lived and the couple divorced in 1981.  Eve has been very private about the reasons for the split, and Rick Mansfield has remained largely out of the public eye.

Since September 24, 1995, Eve has been married to Ken Pace, a business and technology consultant.  She does not have any children.

Eve and Ken Pace

END NOTES 

* According to Eve Plum's official website, the subject matter of Eve's paintings "ranges from restaurant scenes and still lifes to paintings based on Film Noir and Western movies.

Eve has appeared in two soap operas.  In 2003, she played June Landau on All My Children.  In 2008, she portrayed Dora in an episode of Days of Our Lives.

* Eve has a strong interest in home renovation, which was evident in her appearance in  A Very Brady Renovation (2019) and Design at Your Door on HGTV.

* Eve has written a book with Marcia Wilkie.  It was publish recently and is entitled Happiness Included: Jan Brady and Beyond.  In her memoir, Eve writes about the loss of her mother, father and sister.  Her mother died in 1995, a week before her wedding to Ken Pace.  Her father passed away not long after that, and her sister died several years later.

Eve was reluctant to write the book because "I'm not a writer.  It's not that I didn't think people would care -- I just didn't want to do it."  Some of that reluctance was also fueled by Eve's desire to protect her privacy.  "As a public person, I've always wanted to keep things private.," she says.  "I didn't even want to tell people the name of my dog for a long time.  You share so much of your life already."

In the early 1990s, Eve's "Marcia! Marcia! Marcia! was parodied on Saturday Night Live by comedian Melanie Hutsell.  The parody really bothered Eve, as she explained in her memoir.  She stated that hearing her performance mocked, even in good fun, felt like a "schoolyard taunt."  It brought her back to her time as a child actor, even as an adult.

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SOURCES: Woman's World, "A Look Back at Eve Plumb's Career at 67: The Truth About Jan Brady's Misunderstood Star," by Ed Gross, April 27, 2026; Microsoft News (MSN), Eve Plumb, 67, reveals the emotional toll of her Jan Brady Fame: ' I was a good little soldier','" by Ed Gross, March 24, 2026; People, "Jan's Glasses on The Brady Bunch Were Written into the Show to Help Eve Plumb in Real Life, Her Brady Brothers Say," by John Russell, February 21, 2025; Wikipedia; Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

- Joanne 

Y&R Report (April 25, 2026): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV, which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet.  Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.        

So, the ultimate daddy's girl, Victoria Newman, has joined forces with Christine Blair Romalotti (aka The Cricketmeister).  Victoria is taking advantage of Cricket's new position as the district attorney.  She knows that Cricket and Phyllis are enemies.  Still, Phyllis is not going to give up easily.  She is going to fight tooth and nail, even though Summers Conglomerate will probably not last long.

Victoria is Victor's strongest advocate.  She will do almost anything to please her daddy.  She didn't hesitate to dig for dirt on Phyllis.  All she wants is Victor's approval, even though he's ruined her marriages and relationships.  No wonder Nate is hesitant about getting involved with her again.

Patty Williams continues to cause havoc.  She had confrontations with both Diane and Phyllis.  Then she paid a visit to Victor in order to collect the money he paid her for taking advantage of foolish Jack Abbott.  The Big Man handed her a big bag of cash for seducing Jack and damaging his marriage to Diane.

Jack is a fool.  He should not be rushing Diane to forgive him and he shouldn't be showering her with gifts.  She needs time and space, which he doesn't seem willing to give her.  Trying to make Diane jealous of him and Nikki is a terrible idea.  It will definitely backfire.   It will only create more of a rift between Jack and Diane.  How can Jack be so stupid?  I'll tell you why.  It's a soap and there needs to be conflict for a storyline.  That's why.  

Nick Newman was in no condition to drive a car as he was under the influence of fentanyl.  Why did Adam even allow him to risk both of their lives by getting behind the wheel.  Y&R should have stressed the dangers of driving while under the influence of drugs.  Meanwhile, Sharon and Noah fell into Matt Clark's trap.  I must say that Roger Howarth, who plays Matt, is doing a great job of playing a villain.

Nick collapsed while trying to save Noah and Sharon at the abandoned gas station in the desert.  According to an online spoiler, Matt placed contaminated drugs in one of the bags in the storage room.  Expect Nick to be fighting for his life, with Sharon at his bedside.  As for Matt, he will escape for now, so that he will continue to torment the Newman family.

There is a growing rift between Abby and Devon.  Devon is behaving like a jerk where Mariah is concerned.  There really is no point in putting Mariah in prison.  Devon's behaviour doesn't make sense, but the writers seem to want Abby and Devon to be at odds right now.  However, Devon is correct about one thing, which he mentioned prematurely.  He questioned Cane's motive for assisting Malcolm.  Lily does not want to think about Cane's motives right now.  She is just relieved that her ex is a match for a bone marrow transplant with Malcolm.  Lily's main concern  is saving Malcolm's life, and rightly so.  Nevertheless, I don't think Cane volunteered out of the goodness of his heart.  He did it to win favour with Lily.  If Lily hadn't been involved, Cane wouldn't have considered volunteering.  

VIEWER FORUM

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them  You do not have to use your real name. 

My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca

 I received an email from longtime Y&R viewer, Carly in Barrhaven, Ontario.  Here is what she wrote:

As for Y&R, I can't stand Stephanie.  The show is going downhill.  Will Noah dump Sienna for Audra?  I don't think so.  We are going to go through rehab with Nick, which I'm not looking forward to.  The Moustache will win again.

Well Carly, Stephanie doesn't bother me, and I don't think the show is going downhill.  There is much room for improvement, but I enjoy watching.  Noah might end up back with Audra.  She is certainly going to try and win him back.  Will he be able to resist her romantic oveachures?  I'm not looking forward to Nick's rehab either.  The Moustache will win in the end, but Phyllis is giving him a battle.  I'm not a fan of Phyllis, but I can't stand the smirk on Victor's face.  Have you noticed that he's been smirking a lot lately?  

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Stacy Haiduk (Patty Williams)

Tina Casciani (Riza)

Vivica A. Fox 

Shemar Moore (Malcolm Winteres)

There are several characters on Y&R who will likely leave at the end of their storyline.  I'm referring to characters such as Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk),, Malcolm Winters (Shemar Moore), Dr. Stephanie Simmons (Vivica A. Fox) and Riza Thomson (Tina Casciani).  Which one of those characters would you like to see on the show permanently?  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

Which of these characters would you like to see on Y&R permanently? Choose only one.

Malcolm Winters

Patty Williams

Riza Thomson

Dr. Stephanie Simmons

Danny Romalotti

None of the above

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

That's all for now.  Don't forget that the next issue of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, May 9, 2026.

Take care,

Joanne       

The newest Jeopardy! champion

My favourite game show has a new super champion.  As of Friday April 17th, he has won 26 consecutive games and he looks unbeatable.  His name is Jamie Ding and he resides in Lawrenceville, New Jersey.  Jamie  made his first appearance on Jeopardy! on March 13, 2026.  

On the Friday April 17th episode of the show, he defeated a fellow New Jerseyan, Taotao Zhang, a statistician from South River, as well as Tini Howard, a comic book writer from Van Nuys, California.  With that victory, he increased his total winnings to $732,000.

Jamie graduated from Princeton, University in 2013.  According to his Linkedin site, he earned a bachelor's degree in Molecular Biology.  As a tribute to his alma mater, Jamie wore orange and black, his school colours, on the show.  it has long been a dream of his to wear orange (and black) on national television." he told Princeton.  "In that regard, the Jeopardy! experience was phenomenal."

A public service professional, Jamie currently works in housing policy and government administration.  Since May of 2025, he has served as a Multifamily and Tax Credit Program administrator at the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency.  But Jamie is not only a bureaucrat.  He is also a law student at New Jersey's Seton Hall University.  Seaton's weekend J.D. program allows students who work full-time to attend classes on Saturdays and Sundays.

Jamie Ding

Jamie's parents are originally from Beijing, where his father, Yuchuan was a cometic surgeon.  Yuchman and his wife, Ning Yan, left China after political violence broke out in Tiananmen Square in 1989.  They moved to Australia, where Jamie was born in 1991.  Jamie has a younger sister, Jessie Ding, now 30 years old.  

After Yuchuan earned his doctorate in Australia, the family moved to Tennessee, where Yuchuan  was a research fellow at Vanderbilt University, while Ning Yan served as a child care worker.  In 1998, the Dings, relocated to Michigan.  Dr. Ding worked at Wayne State University, where he is now a professor of neurosurgery.   He is an internationally renowned expert in stroke therapy, traumatic brain injury, and thermal injury research.  Jamie's mother, Ning Yang worked in the Detroit public school system, where she taught mathematics at Cass Technical High School.  She is now retired.

Dr. Yuchuan Ding

 

Jamie's family is thrilled about his success on Jeopardy!  According to his mother, he "started reading at the age of three, and we provided him with all the possible materials we could.  He's always been very curious about everything."  The Dings have been watching Jamie every night from their home in Grosse Pointe, Michigan, where Jamie and Jessie attended elementary and high school.  "Friends, family, everybody, classmates . . . tell us they are watching," said Ning Yan.

If he continues his winning ways, Jamie Ding is on course to be one of the greatest champions in the history of Jeopardy!  With his earnings of $732,000, Jamie is approaching sixth place on the regular-season money  list, behind another New Jerseyan, Cris Panullo of Ocean City, who amassed $748,286 while winning 21 games in 2022.  Ding remains in fifth place on the all-time consecutive win list. behind James Holzhauer, who won 32 games in 2019.   He is currently in the 11th spot on the all-time money list (including tournaments, but he is still a long way from Ken Jenning's 74 consecutive game run in 2004.

Nevertheless, It will be fun to see how far Jamie can go on Jeopardy!  With his likeable personality and easy manner, he is quickly winning over fans of the show.

SOURCES: Jeopardy!Fan.com; AOL, "Jamie Ding tops fellow New Jerseyan to win 26th on 'Jeopardy!'" by Jon Connolly, April 17, 2026; The Detroit News, "Who is Jamie Ding? 'Jeopardy! champ amazes his Grosse Pointe family," by Max Reinhart, April 17, 2026; Wikipedia

- Joanne 

Y&R Report (April 11, 2026): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV, which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet.  Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.        

Wow!  So now we know Holden's background.  It turns out that he's Malcolm's biological son and Lily's half-brother.  Not only that, but Malcolm has a blood disease and needs a bone marrow transplant to save his life.  How will this impact the storyline?  Will Lily and Holden regard each other differently?  Now that he is a member of the Winters family, will he be given a position in their company?  How will Nate and Devon feel about Holden being part of the family?

Of course, Holden is upset with his mother for not telling him the truth for so long.  He is shocked to suddenly meet a stranger who is is biological father.  It's a lot for Holden to process.  Audra could see that he was troubled, but he refused to confide in her.  Instead, he opened up to Claire.  Nosy Audra eavesdropped on him and Claire.  Now she knows what's upsetting Holden.  It will be very interesting to see what she does with that information.

It's good to see that Daytime Emmy winner Shemar Moore back on Y&R as Malcom Winters, along with Vivica A. Fox as Dr. Stephanie Simmons.  The two have returned for a multi-episode storyline.  Back in 1984, Malcolm and Stephanie had a short-term romance after being set up by his sister-in-law Olivia.  Stephanie and Olivia were medical colleagues.  It was fun to see that old flashback of Stephanie and Malcolm in the 1980s.

I think Malcolm's life will be saved, although Lily and Holden have been eliminated as doners.  Maybe it will turn out that Holden is a match or that either Mattie or Charlie is a match.

Chelsea's instincts were right on the money.  Things are not going well for Nick and Adam in Las Angeles.  The Newman brothers are both playing with fire.  A drug-addicted Nick has come face to face with Matt Clark, his worst enemy.  The wild card is Riza.  What part will she play in all of this?  How loyal is she to Matt?  How far will Adam go with her?  Will he be able to control his Spyder alter-ego?  What will Chelsea find when she arrives in Las Vegas?  As for Nick, I don't think I've ever seen him in worse condition.  I am not surprised that Matt plans to use Nick's addiction to destroy him.  Matt really enjoys having control of a Newman.  He's going to make Nick beg for his fix.

A portrait of Phyllis now hangs on the wall of Victor's former office.  I had to smile when I saw it.  However, I don't think it will be there for much longer.  That infernal picture will be returned to its place eventually.  Victoria's portrait didn't last very long either.  

My my my!  Sienna seems worried about Noah and Audra together.  When she saw them reminiscing about their past, she entered the scene and made a show of being lovey-dovey with Noah.  Given Noah's record with women and his lack of loyalty, I'd say Sienna has reason to worry.  

VIEWER FORUM

If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them  You do not have to use your real name. 

My email address:  jmadden16@yahoo.ca

 I received an email from longtime Y&R viewer, Carly in Barrhaven, Ontario.  Here is what she wrote:

Patty Williams is making the show interesting.  I believe Diane will forgive Jack eventually.  After all, she is an Abbott now.  Victor is out of control.  If Nikki doesn't turn to Jack and vice versa, she will eventually end up in The Moustache's arms.  Phyllis is riding high right now, and talk about high, looks like we will be dealing with Nick and an opioid addiction.  Just what we need!!!!!

Victoria is certainly a daddy's girl.

What about Claire?

Yes, Carly, Patty is certainly making the show more interesting.  I also believe that Diane will forgive Jack eventually, but it won't be easy, and it will take time.  

Yes, Phyllis is quite pleased herself for getting control of Victor's empire.  She's paid a huge price for it, though.  Her children have turned their back on her.  Her only friend is Lauren.  As for Nick Newman, he is at the lowest point in his life.  Matt Clark will take every advantage of Nick's opioid addiction.  Nick, of course, has brought this all on himself due to his stubbornness and his determination to deal with Matt by himself.  I think it's about time that Victoria stands up to daddy.  Will she ever do it, though?  Claire is very sympathetic toward Holden right now, but will she feel the same way when she discovers what he did with Audra in L.A.?

Sone questions.  Why doesn't Summer return to Genoa City?  What really happened to Ian Ward?  I haven't forgotten that he opened his eyes in the ambulance.  He's still alive somewhere.  Lucy and Connor haven't been shown for ages.  We never see Nick's son, Christian.  Why doesn't Victoria ever mention her son, Reese, from her marriage to J.T.?

CAST NEWS

Is Camryn Grimes (Mariah) leaving Y&R?

Camryn Grimes' character, Mariah Copeland., will be getting psychiatric treatment rather than jail time.  So, what does that mean for Camryn's future on the show.  It seems unclear.  She appears to be stepping away for a while, but is it only temporary?  Will she return at some point?  I haven't been able to find a clear answer.  It seems to be up in the air.  I will keep you posted.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) has paid a huge price for ousting Newman Enterprises from Victor.  Her children, Summer and Daniel, have turned their back on her.  I'm tired of her constant complaints about how everyone in town treats her.  No wonder she doesn't have a friend in the world except for Lauren.  Yet, she steadfastly refuses to give up Newman Enterprises.  Phyllis, of course, is no angel, but Victor is far worse.  I don't think the fiery redhead will have control of Newman Enterprises indefinitely, but I hope she makes Victor sweat for a while.  What do you think, fans?  Respond to the poll below and let me know.

Do you support Phyllis in taking control of Newman Enterprises?

Yes, it's about time someone brought Victor down.

No, Victor spent his life building Newman Enterprises. It belongs to him.

Both Victor and Phyllis are terrible people. I don't support either of them.

I don't know.

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

  

That's all for now.  Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, April 25, 2026.

Take care,

Joanne

There's a buzz around this UK drama series

In the UK, a period drama, based on Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice has delighted fans of the English author.  The BBC series, entitled The Other Bennet Sister, focuses on Mary Bennet, the sister of Austen's protagonist, Elizabeth Bennet.  The ten-episode series debuts in Canada and the United States on May 6, 2026, and will be available to stream on Britbox and the Britbox Apple TV Channel.  It can also be accessed through Amazon Prime.  The first three half-hour episodes will be released on May 6, with seven more half-hour weekly releases to follow on Wednesdays.

The Other Bennet Sister is adapted from the eponymous novel by Janice Hadlow.  The series was filmed primarily in Wales.  It is directed by Jennifer Sheridan (Extraordinary) and Asim Abbasi (Cake) and produced by Bad Wolf (His Dark Materials, Industry)..  Bad Wolf was founded in 2015 to create relevant TV drama throughout the world.

The Other Bennet Sister has a talented British ensemble cast, with Ella Bruccoleri in the lead role as Mary Bennet.  Bruccoleri is known for her roles as Sister Frances in the BBC drama Call the Midwife (2018-2022) and Winnifred Barragan in the Netflix series Bridgerton.  Ruth Jones (Gavin & Stacey, Stella) plays Mrs. Bennet in seven episodes and Richard Coyle (Heads of State, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina) portrays Mr. Gardiner  in seven episodes,  Indira Varma (Obi-Wan Kenobi, The Night Manager) takes on the role of Mrs. Gardiner in eight episodes).

In Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice, there are five Bennet sisters.  Jane Bennet is the eldest, followed by Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine (Kitty) and Lydia (the youngest).  Pride and Prejudice was published in 1813.  It is set in Regency England and follows the fortunes of the Bennet family, who live in Longbourn House in Hertfordshire, a county in the East of England.  

Mary Bennet is the forgotten middle child in Austen's novel.  Mary is intelligent, bespectacled and very shy.  She is awkward, bookish and doesn't play the piano well at parties.  The Other Bennet Sister is the story of Mary's transformation from a wallflower into a confident woman.  It happens when she leaves Longbourn behind and travels to London to live with her kindly aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner, in their elegant home on Gracechurch Street,

Here's what Ella Brucoleri had to say about Mary's character: "From a young age, she's seen as not having the same desirable qualities as her sisters.  She comes to believe that she's innately unlovable.  And then the minute she steps away from her family, she begins to see things differently.  I mean, she has setbacks all the time, but it's a story about the transformative power of kindness, really."

Ella Brucoleri as Mary Bennet

Some critics have dubbed The Other Bennet Sister as "fanfic," inferring that it strays too far from Jane Austen's original work.  They contend that it puts too much emphasis on the "cute" and "interesting."  Others have praised its fresh outlook on the themes of the novel.  What would Jane Austen think of the series?  Perhaps that's an unfair question because Austen lived in another era, and 2020s TV show formats and streaming would be strangely foreign to her.  However, one could argue that Austen's truths are timeless and universal.  Whether The Other Bennet Sister has done justice to her work is open to debate.  Still, for Austen fans, it is well worth watching.

SOURCES: Yahoo News; "'The Other Bennet Sister': How to watch the show in Canada and U.S. with Bridgerton 'Young Sherlock' stars," Elisabetta Bianchini, April 5, 2026; "The Kansas City Star, "The Other Bennet Sister: US Premiere Date, Cast and Streaming Details," by Hanna Wickes, April 1, 2026; The Charlotte Observer, "Pride and Prejudice's Most Overlooked Sister Now Has Her Own Show: When Does It Drop In the US?" by Hanna Wickes, April 1, 2026; The Conversation (the conversation.com), "The Other Bennet Sister: this fresh take on Pride and Prejudice transforms the overlooked Mary," March 18, 2026; Wikipedia

- Joanne

Y&R Report (March 28, 2026): The Latest on The Young and the Restless

Hey Y&R fans, every second Saturday TV Banter discusses the latest happenings and provides commentary on your favourite daytime drama. Note to U.S. readers - SPOILER ALERT: Here in Canada, I watch the show on Global TV, which is one episode ahead of CBS.  I will inevitably refer to incidents you haven't seen yet.  Read at your own risk.  If you are the curious type, though, you may prefer to discover some things in advance.        

So, two marriages are in deep trouble -- Victor and Nikki and Jack and Diane.  I must commend the four soap veterans (Eric Braeden, Melody Thomas Scott, Peter Bergman and Susan Walters) for some fine acting.  It should be interesting to see how this plays out.  However, I think somewhere along the line, the two couples will reconcile.  In the meantime, will Jack and Nikki get together, at least for a while?            

Are you wondering how long Patty Williams (Stacy Haiduk) will be in Genoa City?  According to Soap Opera Digest, expect her to stick around until late 2026.  By that time, Patty will be sent back to a psychiatric hospital and Stacy will return to her other role as Kristen DiMera on Days of Our Lives.  Because Days shoots so far in advance, she will continue to be seen in Salem until late his year.  Here is what Stacy told Soap Opera Digest about filming so far ahead: "They do a lot of that on Days, which is always sad for me.  I was getting a little depressed because I was like, 'Oh, I miss it, I want to be working,' and blah, blah, blah."  However, two weeks after she completed her latest Days stint, Y&R head writer and executive producer Josh Griffith texted her unexpectedly and asked if she were available to return as Patty.  "It was just perfect timing," said Stacy.        

This is the opportune time to bring Patty's brother, Paul Williams (Doug Davidson) back, provided Doug agrees, which seems doubtful.  Not only is Patty back, but Danny and Cricket (Paul's ex) are newly married.  Paul is mentioned from time to time on the show, but that's all.  By the way, I don't think fans would accept another actor playing the role.

Nikki is going to join with Jack Abbott to bring Victor down.  They are planning to team up to teach Victor a lesson he'll never forget.  That should be very very interesting, but will it work?  Will anything stop The Moustache from getting what he wants?                                 

Holden has been encouraging Audra to get back together with Kyle Abbott.  He obviously wants to prevent Claire Newman from reconciling with her ex-boyfriend so that he has a better chance with her.  Holden is really smitten with Claire.  Audra, however, isn't listening to Holden.  She may have other ideas.  She ran into Noah and they waxed nostalgic about their past.   This could be a sign that the two of them may get together again.  Noah betrayed Allie and hooked up with Sienna.  He hasn't been very loyal in his relationships.  As for Audra, she would probably cavort with Noah in a minute if the opportunity arose.

Lauren is quite enthusiastic about her new partnership with Phyllis.  She considers it an exciting challenge, although Michael is clearly not thrilled about it.  I wonder how long Phyllis will be able to keep control of Newman Enterprises?  If Victor gains control again, Lauren and Phyllis are out the door.

Is there a TV character who is as much a daddy's girl as Victoria Newman?  I don't think so.  She defended her daddy when he treated Nikki miserably.  She is a chip off the old block, that's for sure.  She knew about the deal between Victor and Lily, but didn't tell Nate.  If Nate were considering a reunion with Princess Victoria, that may have been the deal breaker.  He'll think twice before getting romantically involved with her again.

Christel Khalil (Lily) has returned from maternity leave.  Lily is under fire for her secret deal with Victor.  As Devon and Nate pointed out, you'd think she'd know by now that Victor can't be trusted.  He'd throw anyone under the bus to get what he wants.  Cane is extremely angry with her.  He declared that he wants nothing more to do with her.  I wonder how long that will last.

Congratulations to The Young and the Restless for celebrating its 53rd anniversary on March 26, 2026,  The show debuted in 1973, in the midst of the Watergate Scandal.      

CAST NEWS

Tina Casciani is back on Y&R as Riza Thomson

Tina Casciani has returned to her role as Riza Thomson, Adam Newman's Las Vegas connection on The Young and the Restless.  Riza is a reminder of Adam Newman's bad old days in Vegas as card shark known as Spyder.  

Tina played Riza on Y&R from 2019 until 2020.  The Italian-Brazilian actor hails from New York and began her career as a dancer and model.  Her fist big role was in the independent film Mob Rule She also appeared in Role Models, along with Paul Rudd and Seann William Scott and the biographical sports film Bleed for This, as well as the television series How I Met Your Mother, Revenge, Jane the Virgin, Donny and CSI: Miami.

Riza didn't waste any time causing trouble.  When Adam arrived to meet her, she immediately pulled a gun on him.  She ended up sharing a drink with him and then kissing him.

Conner Floyd (ex-Chance) gets married

Some big changes for actor Conner Floyd.  He left his role as Chance Chancellor on Y&R when his character was killed off.  He now plays Chad DiMera. on Days of Our Lives.  Conner replaced Billy Flynn who went on to portray Cane Ashby on Y&R.

Conner has also become a married man.  On March 21, 2026, he wed his girlfriend Carly Frei in a ceremony in West Hollywood with over 200 guests in attendance.

Y&R REPORT READERS' POLL

Susan Walters (Diane Jenkins Abbott)

Diane is devastated.  She set out to rescue Jack and found him on a yacht in a compromising situation with her nemesis, Patty Williams.  She can't accept Jack's explanation that Patty drugged him and he lost his self-control.  She left the Abbott home and took up residence at the Athletic Club.  She ran into Patty there, and Patty tormented her mercilessly.  Patty scratched her with her claws, figuratively speaking.

It turns out that Diane's two enemies, Nikki and Phyllis are both living at the club.  Poor Diane!  She should find accommodation elsewhere.  She doesn't need any more salt rubbed in her wounds.  She's going to need some time to get herself together.  But should she forgive Jack?  Can she forget that his romp with Patty never happened?  What do you think, fans?  Reply to the poll below and let me know.

Should Diane forgive Jack?

Yes, he was drugged and manipulated. Patty Williams and Victor Newman are to blame.

No, Jack shouldn't have been drinking with Patty. Why did he let himself lose control?

Maybe after some time and space, she should take him back.

I don't know.

Other

 

pollcode.com free polls

NOTE TO READERS

I really need your feedback.  If you have any comments on Y&R, please email them to me with "Viewer Forum" in the subject line. I will be happy to publish your comments and reply to them  You do not have to use your real name.  I really need your input.  I really need to hear your opinion.  I want to know if you agree or disagree with me.  I am disappointed by the lack of response to my polls from readers.  I have not been receiving many email comments either.  I wish I knew why I am getting so little response.

That's all for now.  Don't forget that the next edition of Y&R Report will appear in this space on Saturday, April 11, 2026.  A very Happy Easter and Passover to all who celebrate.

Take care,

Joanne

(Because DAYS shoots so far in advance, she will continue to be seen in Salem until late 2026.) “They do that a lot on DAYS, which is always sad for me. I was getting a little depressed because I was like, ‘Oh, I miss it, I want to be working,’ and blah, blah, blah. But the beauty of it was that two weeks after [she wrapped her latest DAYS stint], Josh [Griffith, Y&R’s executive producer/head writer] texted me unexpectedly and was like, ‘Are you available to come back as Patty?’ It was just perfect timing.”

The trouble with streaming

I subscribe to Neflix, but not to any other major streaming service.  I do have access to many cable stations, as well as Crave, YouTube, CBC Gem, Filmrise and Tubi.   Although I really enjoy watching TV, I can't spend all my time in front of a screen.  However, I certainly can't complain that there's not enough to watch.  There is plenty of choice for viewers.

It is impossible to subscribe to every streaming service or to keep up with all the programming. There is just too much available, and we are being inundated. I have no desire to subscribe to a streaming service just because it has one specific program that I am interested in.  Although I am a Toronto Blue Jays fan, I refuse to subscribe to Apple TV because some Blue Jays games are streamed on Apple.  It's really annoying not to be able to watch a game on TV.  It's really unfair to we much-maligned baseball fans who are the lifeblood of the sport.

Since people don't subscribe to the same streaming services, nor do they watch the same shows at the same time, it's more difficult to share opinions or watch programs together.  Your friends could be discussing a series they watch on Prime or Apple TV or Disney+.  If you don't subscribe to Prime or Apple, you can't contribute to the conversation and you feel left out.  Unfortunately, streaming in some ways, creates more of a disconnect among people at a time when when we need to connect more than ever.  We talk about what we've viewed, but we don't watch much together in the same room.

- Joanne