Sharon and Mariah are a Rare Duo ‘The Young and the Restless’ Fans Overwhelmingly Love
If there’s one thing that remains consistent about soap operas, it’s that fans are going to have widely differing opinions about the chemistry of the characters and who works well together. Whether its love triangles (or love hexagons, as the case may be) or family feuds that twist and turn through decades, fan responses have a tendency to be very diverse.
Some are the “forgive and forget” type while others hold grudges on their favorite character’s behalf. Some are swept up in the charm of a particularly charismatic character while others are suspicious of everyone.
Through all the ups and downs, though, fans have rallied around one particular relationship on The Young and the Restless: Mariah and Sharon. This twisted mother-daughter duo had to make up for lost time, and it wasn’t easy to do. Now that they’re on solid ground, fans are overwhelmingly pleased with the outcome.
Sharon and Mariah struggled to truly know one another
It is amazing that Sharon and Mariah are as close as they are today when their entire relationship began in subterfuge and lies. Sharon lost her daughter Cassie (played by the same actress who now portrays Mariah) tragically. When her dead daughter reappears, Sharon questions her sanity, but it turns out that Mariah was intentionally trying to drive her to madness. The motive for such a cruel act? It was part of the job.
Victor Newman had hired Mariah to gaslight Sharon into staying away from Nick. That truth was shocking enough, but the relationship between the pair got even more complicated. Drawn to the likeness of her late daughter, Sharon just couldn’t stay away from Mariah. Eventually, it was revealed there was more than a resemblance that tied the mysterious woman to Cassie — the two were actually sisters! Separated at birth through kidnapping, Cassie and Mariah were both Sharon’s daughters.
Sharon is protective of Mariah
For a long time, Mariah struggled to accept Sharon as her mother. After all, she had gone years without even knowing this woman, and her first interaction with her was through a truly harrowing plot to trick her into insanity. Eventually, though, the two bonded, and now their love for one another is an inspiration for fans everywhere.
As Mariah’s own love dramas unfolded, fans became even more invested in her storyline. Many fans are particularly caught up in Mariah’s relationship with Tessa. When Tessa turned out to be a blackmailer, Sharon became especially protective of her daughter. Actress Sharon Case (who plays Sharon) opened up about this tension and explained why her need to protect Mariah is so important: “Sharon and Mariah are mother and daughter, but they’re also friends, I think, because she came into Sharon’s life later. Mariah’s her daughter, but she’s also her friend.”
Eventually, Tessa and Mariah were able to move past that part of their relationship, but suspected cheating and mistrust threatened to have them headed for a permanent break-up. A recent reunion had fans cheering for the pair to make it work for good.
Sharon’s cancer diagnosis is a test for Mariah
Now that Mariah’s relationship woes are settled, her attention is squarely on her mother’s recent cancer diagnosis. This will be a trying time for the entire family, and fans are rooting for Sharon to pull through and beat the disease while fighting off the harrowing impacts of chemotherapy.
This is a chance for Sharon and Mariah’s relationship to grow even deeper. Mariah can be there for her mother and be protective of her in a reversal of their roles. Since fans are clearly in favor of this mother-daughter pair staying close, it seems like a great opportunity for show writers to dig deep into this relationship and what makes it work.
