Most days, I can tolerate Y&R's Victor being a blowhard and even find it entertaining (not that I'd put up with him in real life, mind you). But today, as he reamed out Nikki for sleeping with Deacon, I wanted to reach through the TV screen and shake him.

As far as Nikki — who's been in rehab, mind you — knew, Victor had married Meggie. Considering the fact that she and Victor were all set to elope only a few weeks ago, it's no wonder that Nikki freaked out and did something impulsive. However, Victor expected her to "have faith" in him and somehow know that Meggie was a con artist whom he was only playing. What? How on earth did he expect Nikki to be aware of this — did he want her to read his mind? Did he expect her to NOT be upset by the news that he suddenly married another woman, regardless of it turning out to be a faked union? I don't get how he possibly could've blamed her for "misunderstanding."

And yet there he was, yelling and "You got that!"-ing at her as Nikki cried and pleaded for his forgiveness. The scenes were so disturbing to me, I could hardly watch. With the way they were being played, especially with Victor crowing, "I don't give a damn!" I think Y&R wants to create some kind of tortured love story for them, a la Gone With The Wind. But while Victor was clearly written to be the hero, the one who was cheated on while he was out saving the world from evil Meggie, I ended up siding with Nikki.

I don't mind watching couples endure some conflict on soaps; that's what keeps them interesting. But I want the obstacles and the characters' reactions to at least be somewhat relatable. Y&R had a good story in place with Nikki's alcoholism and Meggie's plan to entrap Victor. But making Victor out to be an unsympathetic jerk was not the way to end it.