Is Roger Howarth A Hit As Matt Clark? Young and Restless Fans Have Their Say
During his daytime career, Roger Howarth has played multiple characters on multiple soaps, and he added a new role to his resume when he debuted on Young and Restless as Mitch Bacall — who is really the notorious Matt Clark going by another name — on October 31. The actor earned a legion of fans playing One Life to Live’s Todd Manning (a role he later brought over to General Hospital), As the World Turns’s Paul Ryan, and GH’s Franco Baldwin and Austin Gatlin-Holt. But how is the Y&R audience reacting to the Daytime Emmy winner in his latest incarnation? We asked, you answered, and here are the results!
Man of Many Faces
At the bottom rung of our online poll were the fans disappointed by one specific aspect of this particular casting, as 14% of respondents simply wished that the talented actor wasn’t playing another villain — in this case, Matt Clark back from the dead to torment Sharon and Nick once more. “That means short-term gig,” lamented Carolyn Young Spoto on Facebook. “I hope the ratings go through the roof and everybody likes them, to stay on.” Tracine Marie suggested on Twitter/X, “Would be better to create a new character to take on Adam and a new love interest for Audra.” On Facebook, Torrence E. Goodwin had his own ideas as to whom he would have preferred Howarth to be playing on Y&R. “He’s a great actor, but honestly, they should have introduced him as a Brooks or Chancellor family member or as Victor Newman’s half brother on his father’s side,” he wrote. “He could have been a Bill Spencer Jr. [from Bold and Beautiful] type of family introduction (new character) to the show!”
Next in line, with 22% of the vote, were the viewers who just did not see Howarth as the infamous Matt Clark. A great many of them were bothered by the fact that the character had died pretty definitively on camera back in 2001 when Matt yanked out his breathing tube in the hospital and placed it in Nick’s hands, framing his rival for his demise. “I want Roger on Y&R long-term, but as Matt Clark?” wrote Danielle on Twitter/X. “It doesn’t seem possible given the history of the character.” Over on Facebook, Julie Descarrega offered, “I was hoping he would have played Tucker [McCall, last played by Trevor St. John]. He would have nailed that role.”
Just narrowly beating out that response were the 23% of fans who were happy to see Howarth back on their screens, but still not sure about the particular storyline he was taking part in. “His character is intriguing,” Mary Caldwell commented on Digest‘s post on Twitter/X. “Too soon to tell if he’s going to be a likable bad guy or what he’s gonna be like.” And over on Instagram, joy.ski4 wrote, “Like him, but not the storyline. Wish he was a good guy. Too much doom and gloom for the family.”
According to our informal poll, the majority of viewers are on board with both the casting and the new storyline, as 41% of respondents picked the “I am loving it and excited to see where it leads!” option. Howarth has earned many fans over the course of his career who have followed him from show to show and who are just thrilled to see the actor plying his craft in another new role. “I would watch him read the phone book,” Sharon Potter declared on the Digest Facebook page. “Only reason I am recording Y&R.” And over on our Instagram, dannyhartley526 enthused, “This dude could play anything and be AMAZING!! 👏👏👏👏”
Conversation
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