The Young and the Restless, a popular daytime soap opera, is celebrating its 50th anniversary this month. The show has been the number one daytime drama for 35 consecutive years with fans growing up alongside the actors. The show follows the goings-on of several Midwestern families with different backgrounds. The late William J. Bell, the show’s co-creator, was the head writer for decades, giving the show a unique vision, unusual for soaps. Lauralee Bell, an Emmy-winner who plays good-girl Christine Blair Williams and first joined the show in 1983, says that the reason why the audience has stuck with the show for so long is that the actors are like a family to them. The show has also managed to stay relevant by telling stories inspired by contemporary social issues, including alcoholism, date rape and AIDS. The show premiered in 1973 and has helped launch the careers of several A-list actors, including Tom Selleck, Eva Longoria, Justin Hartley and the late Paul Walker.