The Young and the Restless (often called Y&R) is a legendary American soap opera created by William J. Bell and Lee Phillip Bell, which premiered on CBS on March 26, 1973, in the fictional town of Genoa City, Wisconsin. Originally airing as 30-minute episodes, it expanded to a full hour in 1980 and has since become the highest-rated daytime drama on American television, holding that top Nielsen spot for over 34 years and winning 11 Daytime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Drama Series. The show initially focused on the wealthy Brooks and working-class Foster families, but its most enduring storyline became the four-decade rivalry between Jill Abbott and Katherine Chancellor, the longest feud in American soap opera history. Over the years, it introduced iconic families like the Abbotts, Newmans, and Winters, and celebrated its 13,000th episode in November 2024, with a renewal securing its run through the 2027–2028 season. The series has also served as a launching pad for major stars, including Eva Longoria, David Hasselhoff, Tom Selleck, Paul Walker, and Shemar Moore, while attracting guest appearances from celebrities like Katy Perry and Wayne Gretzky.