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Dylan McAvoy is a fictional character from ''
The Young and the Restless ''The Young and the Restless'' (often abbreviated as ''Y&R'') is an American television soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell for CBS. The show is set in fictional Genoa City (not the real-life similarly-named Genoa City, Wi ...
'', an American
soap opera A soap opera, or ''soap'' for short, is a typically long-running radio or television serial, frequently characterized by melodrama, ensemble casts, and sentimentality. The term "soap opera" originated from radio dramas originally being sponsored ...
on the
CBS CBS Broadcasting Inc., commonly shortened to CBS, the abbreviation of its former legal name Columbia Broadcasting System, is an American commercial broadcast television and radio network serving as the flagship property of the CBS Entertainm ...
network, portrayed by Steve Burton. Dylan first appeared on January 29, 2013. He is initially involved in a
story arc A story arc (also narrative arc) is the chronological construction of plot in a novel or story. It can also mean an extended or continuing storyline in episodic storytelling media such as television, comic books, comic strips, board games, vide ...
involving
Avery Bailey Clark Avery Bailey Clark is a fictional character from the American CBS Daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless'', portrayed by actress Jessica Collins. She made her appearance as Avery on July 27, 2011, as a high-class attorney. Avery first c ...
(
Jessica Collins Jessica Collins (born Jessica Lynn Capogna; April 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Dinah Lee Mayberry on the ABC soap opera '' Loving'' (1991–1994) and Avery Bailey Clark on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and t ...
), his former lover who believes he died during the war in
Afghanistan Afghanistan, officially the Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan,; prs, امارت اسلامی افغانستان is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central Asia and South Asia. Referred to as the Heart of Asia, it is bordere ...
. Avery is stunned by Dylan's return, but remains in a relationship with
Nicholas Newman Nicholas Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell, he was born onscreen in 1988 as the second child of supercouple characters Victor and Nikki New ...
(
Joshua Morrow Joshua Jacob Morrow (born February 8, 1974) is an American actor. In 1994, he began his career when he was cast in the role of Nicholas Newman on ''The Young and the Restless''. In 1998, he joined the soul-pop group 3Deep; the group disbanded in ...
). Burton noted the extreme differences between Dylan and his ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
'' character Jason Morgan. The actor was able to have a new wardrobe and look. While Jason was confined and "Stone Cold", Dylan has been credited by Burton as allowing him to portray his lighter side in addition to more of his own personality. The character was later paired with
Chelsea Lawson Chelsea Lawson is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. Portrayed by Melissa Claire Egan, she was created by former head writer Maria Arena Bell and made her debut during the episode ...
(
Melissa Claire Egan Melissa Claire Egan (born September 28, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Annie Lavery on '' All My Children'' and Chelsea Lawson on ''The Young and the Restless''. Early years Egan was born to Mary and Dennis Egan, and ...
); their short-lived romance and marriage received negative reviews from viewers and critics alike. In October 2013, it was revealed that Dylan is in fact the long-lost son of
Nikki Newman Nikki Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell in 1978, the role was portrayed by Erica Hope, before Melody Thomas Scott took over in 19 ...
(
Melody Thomas Scott Melody Thomas Scott (born Melody Ann Thomas, April 18, 1956) is an American actress best known for playing Nikki Newman on the soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. Early life and acting career Scott was born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Ang ...
), Nicholas' mother, making them half-brothers. In June 2014, it was revealed that Dylan's biological father is Nikki's childhood friend, and chief of police, Paul Williams (
Doug Davidson Douglas Donald Davidson (born October 24, 1954) is an American Emmy Award winning television actor. He has portrayed Paul Williams on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'' since May 1978, making him the series' longest-serving cast ...
). Later, Dylan establishes a relationship with Nicholas' former wife,
Sharon Newman Sharon Newman is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network, currently portrayed by Sharon Case. Created by William J. Bell as a love interest for Nicholas Newman, the character debuted o ...
(
Sharon Case Sharon Case (born February 9, 1971) is an American actress and former model. At the age of 17, Case began working as a model, relocating briefly to Japan, before pursuing an acting career. She is best known for her roles on daytime television so ...
), whom he eventually marries. Burton's performance earned him a
Daytime Emmy Award The Daytime Emmy Awards, or Daytime Emmys, are part of the extensive range of Emmy Awards for artistic and technical merit for the American television industry. Bestowed by the New York–based National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences ...
nomination for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series in 2014 and 2016, winning the award in 2017. In October 2016, Burton announced his decision to not renew his deal with ''The Young and the Restless''. He made his final appearance on January 27, 2017.


Casting

In October 2012, Burton departed the role of fan favorite Jason Morgan on
ABC Daytime ABC Daytime (sometimes shortened to ABC-D or ABCD) is a division responsible for the daytime programming block on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC Network and syndicated programming. The block has historically encompassed soap operas, game ...
's ''
General Hospital ''General Hospital'' (often abbreviated as ''GH'') is an American daytime television soap opera. It is listed in ''Guinness World Records'' as the list of longest-running television shows by category, longest-running American soap opera in pro ...
''. That November, news broke that ''The Young and the Restless'' put out a casting call for a character named Dylan, who was slated to "hit the airwaves" in early 2013. The casting call described him as a "rugged, dynamic, energetic man in his mid-30s" who "comes from humble, blue-collar beginnings, was studying to be an architect when his construction/contractor father was injured and Dylan had to drop out of college to take over the business. He's done two tours of duty in the Middle East, army special ops. The war left a mark on him. He's done his best to bury it with optimism and a wry, sometimes offbeat sense of humor". After the casting call was issued, there was brief speculation that the character was a recast for
Chance Chancellor Chance Chancellor is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. Introduced as the son of Nina Webster and Phillip Chancellor III, he was portrayed by various child actors from 1988 to ...
, who was also a war veteran. Later, Burton's name was attached to the role. During an appearance on '' The Talk'' the following January, Burton officially confirmed that he was cast as Dylan. The episode of ''The Talk'' was described as "phenomenal"; Burton had no idea it would have been "New Year's Eve kinda crazy." After one of the show's co-hosts
Julie Chen Julie may refer to: * Julie (given name), a list of people and fictional characters with the name Film and television * ''Julie'' (1956 film), an American film noir starring Doris Day * ''Julie'' (1975 film), a Hindi film by K. S. Sethumadhava ...
made the announcement of his casting and welcomed Burton to the CBS family, confetti dropped while another co-host
Sheryl Underwood Sheryl Patrice Underwood (born October 28, 1963) is an American comedian, actress and television host. She first rose to prominence in the comedy world as the first female finalist in 1989's Miller Lite Comedy Search. Currently, Underwood is one ...
did a "wild happy dance". Burton said, "I had no idea about the CBS badge or the welcome basket, or anything. That’s not how I think. I understood why CBS did it, because it’s a big deal. I get it. It’s so strange for me, because I have never been one for all this publicity. They have been so gracious to me, and it was so overwhelming that they would do something like that." Burton made his first on-screen appearance during the episode dated January 29, 2013. He attributed much of his success going back to the 1990s when he studied acting at Theater Theater in Hollywood, California, coached by Chris Aable. Burton's casting attracted a significant amount of media attention. ''
The Hollywood Reporter ''The Hollywood Reporter'' (''THR'') is an American digital and print magazine which focuses on the Cinema of the United States, Hollywood film industry, film, television, and entertainment industries. It was founded in 1930 as a daily trade pap ...
''s Lesley Goldberg noted that it reunited Burton with executive producer
Jill Farren Phelps Jill Farren Phelps (born July 7, 1950) is an American television producer. She is known for her work with American soap operas, having served as executive producer of '' Santa Barbara'', '' Another World'', ''Guiding Light'', ''One Life to Live ...
, who was previously the executive producer of ''General Hospital''. Speaking about the decision to cast him, Phelps told ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'' that the casting department were seeing several actors for the role, and the thought of Burton was "just a dream". She then contacted his manager and together they were "able to make it work out so that Steve could continue to have the life he wants in Nashville." Discussing his decision to join ''The Young and the Restless'', Burton said on ''The Talk'', "I told my manager if I can keep my family there and I can spend time with them and come back and forth, I would do that in a second. Without hesitation, CBS Daytime made that deal. Really quickly. This is crazy, but I'm just so happy to have the best of both worlds for my family, because before, I couldn't." Burton was happy with the flexibility of his "short term" contract, "I'll get a lot of long weekends and frequent weeks off so I can get back to
Nashville Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and the ...
. I don't want to work five days a week like I did at ''GH''", he said during a ''TV Guide'' interview. The actor said he had "those first-day-of-school jitters" when he first arrived at the CBS building, but was welcomed by everyone. A week before Burton's debut on the series, a promotional ad aired, teasing his arrival with the slogan ''Daytime's Hottest Soap Just Got Hotter!''. In November 2014, Burton announced he had re-signed for another year with the soap. On October 6, 2016, Burton announced via-social media that he would not renew his deal with the soap, and would exit the role of Dylan.


Development


Characterization and portrayal

Burton "loved the idea" of playing a character "very different" from Jason Morgan, who was characterized as "Stone Cold". The role of Dylan allowed him to wear colors other than black, which he was famed for at ''General Hospital''. Of returning to daytime television without Jason Morgan's "uniform" and "black T-shirt", Burton described the experience as "refreshing". Explaining his wardrobe process, he said: "I never had to try stuff on. I'm not used to wardrobe fittings. I had to try on about 20 different outfits! That was really grueling. It was important to shake the leather coat and black t-shirt and do my hair different, because I know people are always going to see me as Jason." Burton revealed that Dylan is "a lot more" like himself. "Jason was so stoic and didn't really get to show a lot of personality, unless it was with
Spinelli Spinelli is an Italian surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Altiero Spinelli (1907–1986), Italian advocate for European federalism and founding father of the European Union * Anita Spinelli (1908-2010), Swiss artist and painter * ...
or Sam," he said. Dylan has a sense of humor, and the actor felt that it would bring out a "lighter side" of his acting. In addition to his "entire makeover" which included a new hairstyle, Burton lost weight to play Dylan, as the costume department wanted him to look younger. Burton admitted during an interview with ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
'' that he was worried about how Dylan would be received, considering the "persona" of Jason is out there; he hoped "people will buy" Dylan, although some people would say "You are Jason and that's it." Burton told
Yahoo! Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
that: " ylan isextremely different. That's the biggest thing for me, that after playing a character, which I loved, for 21 years, coming here and trying to do something different - 'cause I know fans are always gonna see me as that character if they watch the show and if they watch both shows... So, it's definitely a challenge because I was so used to playing that character." Jason's "confined" ways allowed Dylan to have a "little more" of Burton's own personality. Before his debut, Phelps revealed that Dylan was "greatly traumatized by what happened to him in Afghanistan" and had been "severely injured" but rescued, which is why people believed he had died. Along with being a war veteran, Dylan takes over his family's construction business.


Relationships

Upon Burton's casting, it was revealed by
MSN MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95. The Microsoft Net ...
that Dylan, who was described as "the mysterious ex Avery keeps bringing up" by Jillian Bowe of Zap2it, would be involved in a
love triangle A love triangle or eternal triangle is a scenario or circumstance, usually depicted as a rivalry, in which two people are pursuing or involved in a romantic relationship with one person, or in which one person in a romantic relationship with so ...
with his ex-girlfriend
Avery Bailey Clark Avery Bailey Clark is a fictional character from the American CBS Daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless'', portrayed by actress Jessica Collins. She made her appearance as Avery on July 27, 2011, as a high-class attorney. Avery first c ...
(
Jessica Collins Jessica Collins (born Jessica Lynn Capogna; April 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Dinah Lee Mayberry on the ABC soap opera '' Loving'' (1991–1994) and Avery Bailey Clark on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and t ...
) and her current lover,
Nicholas Newman Nicholas Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell, he was born onscreen in 1988 as the second child of supercouple characters Victor and Nikki New ...
(
Joshua Morrow Joshua Jacob Morrow (born February 8, 1974) is an American actor. In 1994, he began his career when he was cast in the role of Nicholas Newman on ''The Young and the Restless''. In 1998, he joined the soul-pop group 3Deep; the group disbanded in ...
). Of Dylan's storyline and involvement in the love triangle, Phelps said: "Dylan does come to town to find Avery but this story has much more complexity than that ..What you think is going to happen is not what's going to happen." She noted that Avery was the "great love of his life", though she may not have "the same feelings for him." Avery believed that Dylan died during war;
TVLine ''TVLine'' is a website devoted to information, news, and spoilers of television programs. History In late 2010, ''Entertainment Weekly''s Michael Ausiello announced that he would be leaving ''EW'' after nearly two years in their employ to est ...
commented that "such a resurrection" would "surely" derail her romance with Nick. During an interview with MSN, Burton said, "Nick and Dylan will definitely fight for her, but ultimately, it's going to be her choice." Dylan and Avery had an affair while she was still married to her ex-husband, but still had a "great relationship", which was shown through flashbacks. Dylan's primary goal in coming to Genoa City was to make sure she was happy, and if she wanted to get back together. Burton said that Dylan can't get Avery off his mind despite the fact that she had moved on. Fans of the show speculated that Dylan would be paired with Nick's ex-wife,
Sharon Newman Sharon Newman is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network, currently portrayed by Sharon Case. Created by William J. Bell as a love interest for Nicholas Newman, the character debuted o ...
(
Sharon Case Sharon Case (born February 9, 1971) is an American actress and former model. At the age of 17, Case began working as a model, relocating briefly to Japan, before pursuing an acting career. She is best known for her roles on daytime television so ...
), to which Case responded by stating, "Everybody’s speculating about Dylan, the new character coming to town but, all I can say is, I think it’s fun because it’s a hoot to speculate". Luke Kerr of Zap2it noted how fast Dylan met Sharon, and said they could potentially be a "popular pairing with fans". Of working with Case, Burton stated: "Sharon Case is actually very fun, and she makes me laugh. So half the time in scenes where I am laughing, I am really laughing at Sharon! She has that personality where she makes me laugh." He also noted that fans of the show on
Twitter Twitter is an online social media and social networking service owned and operated by American company Twitter, Inc., on which users post and interact with 280-character-long messages known as "tweets". Registered users can post, like, and ...
have seen how "comfortable" and "easy" the character's on-screen relationship is. Dylan later shares a one-night stand with
Chelsea Lawson Chelsea Lawson is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. Portrayed by Melissa Claire Egan, she was created by former head writer Maria Arena Bell and made her debut during the episode ...
(
Melissa Claire Egan Melissa Claire Egan (born September 28, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Annie Lavery on '' All My Children'' and Chelsea Lawson on ''The Young and the Restless''. Early years Egan was born to Mary and Dennis Egan, and ...
), who was pregnant with
Adam Newman Adam Newman is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', a soap opera on the CBS network. Adam was created by William J. Bell as the son of Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Hope Wilson (Signy Coleman) and was introduced on Ap ...
's (
Michael Muhney Michael Muhney (born June 12, 1975) is an American actor. His best known roles include Sheriff Don Lamb on the UPN/The CW television series ''Veronica Mars'' between 2004 and 2007 and Adam Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and th ...
) child; she decides to pass the baby off as Dylan's, and the two later marry. Egan described the character's decision to keep the child's paternity a secret as a "ticking time bomb". Burton stated that Dylan is "not the sharpest tool in the shed", since he believed what Chelsea was telling him. When asked about the child, Burton said: "This kid is everything to him, so once we figure out whose it is, if it’s not his, it’s not going to be a good situation for anybody." When asked if Dylan could forgive Chelsea, Burton added: "That’s a tough one. I don’t know what kind of mental state this is going to put Dylan in, to even think about that."


Maternity reveal

In October 2013, it was revealed on-screen that Dylan is in fact the long-lost son of
Nikki Newman Nikki Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell in 1978, the role was portrayed by Erica Hope, before Melody Thomas Scott took over in 19 ...
(
Melody Thomas Scott Melody Thomas Scott (born Melody Ann Thomas, April 18, 1956) is an American actress best known for playing Nikki Newman on the soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. Early life and acting career Scott was born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Ang ...
). Scott had previously previewed her upcoming storyline in an interview with ''On-Air On-Soaps'', stating: "I love this story! Now, I don’t know how it’s all going to turn out, but the premise, the people I get to work with, and the writing, has been spectacular. That’s all you need; good actors performing a good script, and our fabulous new directing team, and I love them all. I have not been this happy at work in a while." Burton stated in an interview that he enjoyed the plot twist, and compared it to Jason Morgan being
Monica Quartermaine Monica Quartermaine is a fictional character from ''General Hospital'', an American soap opera on the ABC network, played continually since August 17, 1977 by longtime soap opera actress Leslie Charleson. She is a cardiologist at the eponymous hos ...
's (
Leslie Charleson Leslie Charleson (born February 22, 1945) is an American actress, best known for her role as Monica Quartermaine in the ABC daytime soap opera ''General Hospital''. Life and career Charleson was born in Kansas City, Missouri. Actress Kate Charles ...
) son on ''General Hospital''. He said that he felt a connection while working with Scott, stating: "There is vulnerability there between us, and it’s not on purpose. It’s just something that is there. It was actually kind of there before it happened that we were on-screen mother and son." In a separate interview with Michael Logan of ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
'', Scott stated: "Nikki thinks she has come up with a good way of having everyone informed in the kindest way possible. If it were me, I would think, "I can only go through this once. It's too emotional! Let's sit everybody down at the same time and get it over with." Nikki had intended to reveal the news privately to Dylan but that opportunity never comes up." Speaking of how the revelation would affect Nicholas, Scott added, "She feels very badly about Nick losing Avery but not bad enough that she doesn't expect Nick to play nice and accept this man — not necessarily as a brother but still as a member of the family. She expects him to find a way to be civil. She wants everyone to be happy together." Speculation also arose that Nikki's son could be Dylan's best friend Stitch Rayburn (
Sean Carrigan Sean Carrigan (born May 16, 1974) is an American actor, producer, stand-up comedian, and former professional boxer best known for his turn as Dr. Ben "Stitch" Rayburn on the hit CBS daytime drama ''The Young and the Restless''. Carrigan is a ...
), to which Scott teased, "Maybe that's coming. Nikki had cult twins! You never know. I think Sean Carrigan could believably play my son. I think he looks a little like me, probably more like me than Steve Burton does."


Storylines

Dylan McAvoy grew up in Darien,
Connecticut Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
, and befriended
Phyllis Summers Phyllis Summers is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. The character was created and introduced by William J. Bell, and debuted in the episode airing on October 18, 1994. Phyllis was ...
(
Michelle Stafford Michelle Stafford (born September 14, 1968) is an American actress, screenwriter and producer. She currently plays Phyllis Summers on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and the Restless'', for which she has won two Daytime Emmy Awards. In 2013 ...
) during his childhood. He moved to
Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...
and as a young adult took over his father's construction company after he became injured in an accident. He did construction work for Phyllis' sister, defense attorney
Avery Bailey Clark Avery Bailey Clark is a fictional character from the American CBS Daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless'', portrayed by actress Jessica Collins. She made her appearance as Avery on July 27, 2011, as a high-class attorney. Avery first c ...
(
Jessica Collins Jessica Collins (born Jessica Lynn Capogna; April 1, 1971) is an American actress. She is best known for portraying Dinah Lee Mayberry on the ABC soap opera '' Loving'' (1991–1994) and Avery Bailey Clark on the CBS soap opera ''The Young and t ...
). Avery's husband, Joe, neglected her and she began an affair with Dylan. Before being deployed overseas with the
U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...
, Dylan buys Avery a ring and asks her to leave her husband for him, but she refuses, wanting to work on her marriage. Later, Joe finds out about the affair and divorces Avery. While reading a newspaper months later, Avery discovers that Dylan had been killed in Afghanistan during the war. She moves to Genoa City and begins a relationship with Phyllis' ex-husband,
Nicholas Newman Nicholas Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell, he was born onscreen in 1988 as the second child of supercouple characters Victor and Nikki New ...
(
Joshua Morrow Joshua Jacob Morrow (born February 8, 1974) is an American actor. In 1994, he began his career when he was cast in the role of Nicholas Newman on ''The Young and the Restless''. In 1998, he joined the soul-pop group 3Deep; the group disbanded in ...
). After acting mysterious about her past, Avery admits to Nick that she had an affair with Dylan, who had died. In 2013, Dylan arrives in Genoa City, having survived the war and wanting to make sure Avery is happy. He runs into
Sharon Newman Sharon Newman is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network, currently portrayed by Sharon Case. Created by William J. Bell as a love interest for Nicholas Newman, the character debuted o ...
(
Sharon Case Sharon Case (born February 9, 1971) is an American actress and former model. At the age of 17, Case began working as a model, relocating briefly to Japan, before pursuing an acting career. She is best known for her roles on daytime television so ...
), Nick's ex-wife who gives him directions to Nick's club, The Underground. While posing under the name "Mack", Dylan gets a job as bartender at The Underground, so he could see Avery from afar. During The Underground's opening night, Avery sees a rock which she gave to Dylan years ago sitting on the bar. She later goes to the basement and comes face to face with Dylan. In a state of confusion, shock and disbelief, Avery hides her emotions when Nick closely follows. Later, she confronts Dylan at his apartment, angry for not telling her he was alive earlier. She tells Nick about this, who fires Dylan. Despite spending a friendly night with Dylan, Avery chooses to remain with Nick, leaving Dylan shattered. While driving out of town, Dylan's car collides with Sharon's during a major snowstorm. She calls an ambulance, as Dylan shouts for someone named "Sully". Dylan is taken to the hospital where it is revealed Sully was Sullivan, a friend of his who was shot and killed in Afghanistan while trying to shove Dylan a weapon. Sharon hires Dylan as a contractor to fix her roof, and entire kitchen, after it is damaged by the storm. Dylan bonds with Sharon's daughter
Faith Newman Faith Newman is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. She is currently portrayed by Reylynn Caster, who assumed the role following the departure of Alyvia Alyn Lind, who played Faith ...
(Alyvia Alyn Lind). During a hike in the snow with Dylan and Faith, Sharon injures her leg and Faith goes missing briefly; Dylan manages to find her. Sharon and Dylan grow closer. Later, Dylan's father's (Steve Gagnon) condition worsens, and Dylan brings him to Genoa City so he can keep an eye on him while working on Sharon's kitchen. His father dies, and he finishes Sharon's kitchen, and decides to leave town. However, he has a
one-night stand A one-night stand or one-night sex is a single sexual encounter in which there is an expectation that there shall be no further relations between the sexual participants. It draws its name from the common practice of a one-night stand, a single ...
with
Chelsea Lawson Chelsea Lawson is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. Portrayed by Melissa Claire Egan, she was created by former head writer Maria Arena Bell and made her debut during the episode ...
(
Melissa Claire Egan Melissa Claire Egan (born September 28, 1981) is an American actress, best known for her roles as Annie Lavery on '' All My Children'' and Chelsea Lawson on ''The Young and the Restless''. Early years Egan was born to Mary and Dennis Egan, and ...
), who is already pregnant and considering finding a fake father for her child, as she was divorcing the child's real father,
Adam Newman Adam Newman is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', a soap opera on the CBS network. Adam was created by William J. Bell as the son of Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) and Hope Wilson (Signy Coleman) and was introduced on Ap ...
(
Michael Muhney Michael Muhney (born June 12, 1975) is an American actor. His best known roles include Sheriff Don Lamb on the UPN/The CW television series ''Veronica Mars'' between 2004 and 2007 and Adam Newman on the CBS daytime soap opera ''The Young and th ...
). Dylan comforts Avery when she is being followed by men working for
Marcus Wheeler Marcus Wheeler may refer to: * Marcus Wheeler (The Young and the Restless) * Marcus Wheeler (footballer) (born 1994), Singaporean footballer {{hndis, Wheeler, Marcus ...
(
Mark Pinter Mark Pinter (born March 7, 1950) is an American actor best known for his numerous roles in daytime soap operas. Early life and education Pinter was born in Decorah, Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre arts from Iowa State Univers ...
), as a result of a dangerous case she is working on. Later, Dylan gets into a fight at Jimmy's Bar and is arrested. Avery pays his bail, but he can't leave town for another month until his hearing date, angering Nick. Chelsea then decides to pass her child off as Dylan's, and the two begin a genuine relationship despite Adam's suspicions that the child is actually his. Dylan later moves Chelsea into his new loft and proposes to her, to which she accepts, and he then arranges an impromptu wedding. Following the ceremony, Chelsea goes into labor and Dylan delivers the child, whom they name Terrence Connor McAvoy, after Dylan's father. However, the marriage ends when Dylan learns that Connor is Adam's son, not his. He also gets another shock when he discovers that he was adopted, and that his birth mother is none other than Nick's mother,
Nikki Newman Nikki Newman is a fictional character from the American CBS daytime soap opera, ''The Young and the Restless''. Created and introduced by William J. Bell in 1978, the role was portrayed by Erica Hope, before Melody Thomas Scott took over in 19 ...
(
Melody Thomas Scott Melody Thomas Scott (born Melody Ann Thomas, April 18, 1956) is an American actress best known for playing Nikki Newman on the soap opera ''The Young and the Restless''. Early life and acting career Scott was born Melody Ann Thomas in Los Ang ...
).


Reception


Casting

In December 2012, while Burton's casting was only rumored, Deanna Barnert of
MSN MSN (meaning Microsoft Network) is a web portal and related collection of Internet services and apps for Windows and mobile devices, provided by Microsoft and launched on August 24, 1995, alongside the release of Windows 95. The Microsoft Net ...
's TV Buzz Blog wrote: "Assuming Burton actually comes to ''The Young and the Restless'', the biggest question on everyone's mind is whether the former mob hit man will show up as a good guy, play another a toughie with a heart or go pure villain." Barnert also said it would be "interesting" to see whether " urton'slegion of fans from
Port Charles ''Port Charles'' (commonly abbreviated as ''PC'') is an American television soap opera that aired on ABC from June 1, 1997, to October 3, 2003. It was a spin-off of the series ''General Hospital'', which has been running since 1963 and takes pl ...
will follow him to Genoa City." Jill Farren Phelps developed a reputation and "bad rap" because she "uses people" according to
Mark Pinter Mark Pinter (born March 7, 1950) is an American actor best known for his numerous roles in daytime soap operas. Early life and education Pinter was born in Decorah, Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in theatre arts from Iowa State Univers ...
, an actor and friend of Phelps who had been hired by her to portray
Marcus Wheeler Marcus Wheeler may refer to: * Marcus Wheeler (The Young and the Restless) * Marcus Wheeler (footballer) (born 1994), Singaporean footballer {{hndis, Wheeler, Marcus ...
on ''The Young and the Restless''. Barnert noted that Burton is "someone who has made his allegiance to Phelps clear" which is why "many fans" had expected him to show up in Genoa City "eventually". ''
TV Guide TV Guide is an American digital media company that provides television program Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or t ...
''s Michael Logan had also weighed in on the rumors, calling Burton's "willingness" to work in
Los Angeles Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
after leaving ''General Hospital'' to live in Nashville a "puzzler". Logan suggested that there could have been more to his decision to quit ''General Hospital''.
Stephen Nichols Stephen Earl Nichols (born February 19, 1951) is an American actor, recognized for his roles on American daytime soap operas. He has portrayed the beloved role of Steve Johnson (Days of Our Lives), Steve Johnson on NBC's ''Days of Our Lives'' on ...
, who had portrayed
Tucker McCall Tucker McCall is a fictional character from ''The Young and the Restless'', an American soap opera on the CBS network. Introduced by former head writer Maria Arena Bell, the character debuted during the episode airing on December 2, 2009, portra ...
on ''The Young and the Restless'' for over three years, was fired that December. Logan said Phelps, who was "under orders" to trim the show's budget, may have fired Nichols in order to afford Burton in lieu of him. Once news of Burton's official casting broke, fans of ''General Hospital'' reacted with disappointment and mixed feelings, unaware of his reasoning. While some fans were willing to support his move, others felt "duped". Burton felt that reactions from people who knew the story were "good", but it was at first "difficult". When asked by ''TV Guide'' if he would've remained on ''General Hospital'' had the show's producers "tried harder" to accommodate his personal life, Burton stated: "I don't want to point fingers. I know there are a lot of disappointed fans. They don't really understand what goes on behind the doors. They don't understand why I wouldn't go back to play Jason if I'm ready to work again. But what happens at ''GH'' should stay at ''GH''." Phelps dismissed rumors that she has "lured" Burton away from ''General Hospital''. While clarifying rumors about him leaving ''General Hospital'' because of Phelps' appointment as executive producer of ''The Young and the Restless'', Burton described them as "interesting". He told ''On-Air On-Soaps'' that he knew people would try to put "two and two together", but it was never his intention to leave ''General Hospital'' purposely, as he just couldn't reach a contractual agreement with the show. "It’s just like a sports player...when a deal does not work out with his team, there might be another team out there that might want him," Burton said. During the week Burton debuted on the series as Dylan, the show experienced an increase of over 105,000 viewers, averaging 4.7 million viewers. Michael Fairman, during an interview with Burton, noted the "significant increase" in viewers, which Burton was a "big reason" for.


Performance and storylines

Burton's portrayal of Dylan has been generally well received. The character's romance with Chelsea Lawson (Melissa Claire Egan), however, garnered a negative response from viewers and critics alike. Luke Kerr of Zap2it wrote that their storyline was "everyone’s favorite storyline for curing insomnia". Despite negative reviews, Burton's portrayal during the storyline was praised, specifically by journalist Connie Passalacqua Hayman, who wrote: "But it was Steve Burton as Dylan who stole the show with Dylan’s tearful and very sensitive reaction to the news, as his character loves what he believed to be his baby very much." When the truth about the paternity of Chelsea's child was revealed, Michael Fairman of ''On-Air On-Soaps'' remarked (in reference to Burton), "When the truth came out it provided some meaty material for this fan favorite." Sara Bibel of
Xfinity Comcast Cable Communications, LLC, doing business as Xfinity, is an American telecommunications company and division of Comcast Corporation used to market consumer cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless services provided by the com ...
gave a mixed review when Dylan was revealed as Nikki's son, writing: "However, the foreshadowing that Dylan (Steve Burton) is going to turn out to be Nikki’s long-lost son is so heavy-handed that it seems hard to believe that the show is going in any other direction. Dylan is the right age. He looks like he could be related to Nikki. The character is in desperate need of a more ties to the canvas; being Avery’s ex is not enough to keep him in town, much less front-and-center. My big objection to this twist is, what’s the actual story? We have spent months learning every single thing about this character who probably would not exist if ''Y&R'' hadn’t jumped at the chance to poach Burton from ''GH''." She added: "Dylan would get a mother to replace his father that passed away. Nikki would get a child who can use his carpentry skills to build her a nice bookcase. That’s sweet, but it’s a situation, not a plot. There really aren’t any consequences. Nick would be angry that the guy he’s convinced Avery still loves is his half-brother, but he already has one half-brother he despises. Another one really isn’t a big deal." Burton's portrayal earned him a nomination for the
Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series The Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series is an award presented annually by the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) and Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (ATAS). It is given to honor an ...
in 2014 and 2016.


References


External links


Dylan McAvoy
a
Soapcentral.com
{{DEFAULTSORT:McAvoy, Dylan Fictional War in Afghanistan (2001–2021) veterans Male characters in television Television characters introduced in 2013 The Young and the Restless characters