TVSquad

For one thousand weeks -- that's 19 years -- CBS's daytime drama The Young & the Restless has been number in the Nielsens, the highest-rated soap on the air. Back in December 1988, when this streak started, the number one show in prime time was The Cosby Show. The number one song was "Faith" by George Michael (do you hear that, Eli Stone?). And Ronald Reagan was winding up his second term as President. In other words, it was a looooong time ago.

Of course, this being a soap, not much has changed on Y&R in nearly 20 years. Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) is still the ruthless scion involved in an on-again, off-again marriage/love story with Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott). Jill (Jess Walton) is still a social-climbing vixen. Brad Carlton (Don Diamont) has graduated from hot pool boy to hot corporate executive. Jeanne Cooper is still playing grande dame Katherine Chancellor. And Genoa City, Wisconsin (yes, really, Wisconsin!) is the center of the universe for these characters.