Daytime Emmy Watch Party

If you are in or near St Louis, I hope you can attend. It will be a fun time.

Also, rooms are available at the hotel on Sunday night for $49 (plus applicable taxes). Let me know if you need a room and I'll make the reservation for you.

Daytime Emmys: You be the Judge, Supporting Male

Our second category for YOU BE THE JUDGE is Outstanding Supporting Actor, Male. Below are the links to each nominated actor’s reel as posted on YouTube. I’ve also included the original US airdate and a one sentence synopsis of the episode. Your job is to watch and post your feedback and predictions in the comments. Well, that and have the inside dish come August 30!

Bradford Anderson (General Hospital)
June 5th, 2008
Spinelli seeks advice from Jason and then decides to go after Maxie http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...8950&feature=related

Jeff Branson (Guiding Light)
December 19th, 2008
Shayne learns that Reva has cancer
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yRVgAWA8hL4
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Ar2NMglxN8

Van Hansis (As The World Turns)
June 10th, 2008
Luke and Noah have a nasty breakup
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B6nzYcMYLNc
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afENVwzmHVg

Vincent Irizarry (AMC)
November 3rd, 2008
David thinks about killing himself and then shows up uninvited at Babe's funeral
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eluqc65I-cM
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0RuPcQxa6Ao

Jacob Young (AMC)
October 23rd, 2008
JR and Babe exchange vows before she dies
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4R7Tlj7EFTU

Daytime Emmys: You be the Judge, Supporting Female

Our first category for YOU BE THE JUDGE is Outstanding Supporting Actor, Female. Below are the links to each nominated actor’s reel as posted on YouTube. I’ve also included the original US airdate and a one sentence synopsis of the episode. Your job is to watch and post your feedback and predictions in the comments. Well, that and have the inside dish come August 30!

Tamara Braun (Days of our Lives)
April 21st, 2008
Ava tries to explain her motives to Steve, Kayla, Bo and Hope
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...jHhA&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...zdIM&feature=related
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...IPMI&feature=related
Part 4: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...pjMU&feature=related

Melissa Claire Egan (All My Children)
September 15th, 2008
Annie tells Ryan about the miscarriage and then talks to a dead Richie
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...-fbU&feature=related
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...i7VM&feature=related

Alicia Minshew (All My Children)
Kendall tells Zach she slept with Aidan when she thought he was dead
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...1C8C1B7F023&index=16
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...1C8C1B7F023&index=17

Julie Pinson (As the World Turns)
October 16th, 2008
Janet learns that Jack almost slept with Carly and that Carly has been lying to her about it
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...feature=channel_page
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v...feature=channel_page

Bree Williamson (One Life to Live)
June 26th, 2008
Jessica loses it at Nash's funeral
Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zg3Kd21mR3k
Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oKI9TNKPj-Q
Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lrZhFXLjQVE

You be the Daytime Emmy Judge

Ever wonder what determines the winner of a Daytime Emmy? Do you sit and wonder Actor A had a better year, why did Actor B win? Well, folks, it all lies in the selection of the Emmy reel. An actor can have a stellar year, but not pick an episode that reflects that and lose what should be a sure thing.

For those of you who are unfamiliar, the process is fairly simple. The shows each pre-nominate 2-3 actors in each category for their show. These pre-nominated actors each pick one episode to submit to the panel. Judging is based on that one lone episode--though it would be hard not to go in completely unbiased and aware of buzz surrounding some great performers. Note: The Bold and the Beautiful, as a half-hour show, can submit two episodes as long as they are consecutive episodes.

Now that you have been educated on the process how would you like to be an unofficial Emmy judge? Be the SuperSoapFan who goes watches the August 30 ceremony with the inside scoop. Over the next several weeks, I will post the YouTube videos of performances each actor submitted. I will finish with the three shows full episodes for Outstanding Drama. A big shout out and thank you to my friends and fellow soap fans at Gold Derby at the LA Times who joined together to compile this information.

This will be fun!

2008 Daytime Emmy Nominations

The nominations for the 36th Annual Daytime Emmys (based on the work of calendar year 2008) were announced on the fourth hour of the Today Show on Thursday.

Drum roll, please....Here are the daytime drama nominees:

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
All My Children
Days of Our Lives
The Bold and the Beautiful

OUTSTANDING WRITING TEAM
All My Children
The Bold and the Beautiful
General Hospital
One Life to Live

OUTSTANDING DIRECTING TEAM
All My Children
Days of Our Lives
One Life to Live

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
Debbi Morgan - All My Children
Maura West - As the World Turns
Susan Flannery - The Bold and the Beautiful
Susan Haskell - One Life to Live
Jeanne Cooper - The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
Thorsten Kaye - All My Children
Peter Reckell - Days of Our Lives
Anthony Geary - General Hospital
Daniel Cosgrove - Guiding Light
Christian LeBlanc - The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Melissa Clare Egan - All My Children
Alicia Mishew - All My Children
Julie Pinson - As the World Turns
Tamara Braun - Days of Our Lives
Bree Williamson - One Life to Live

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Vincent Irrizary - All My Children
Jacob Young - All My Children
Van Hansis - As the World Turns
Bradford Anderson - General Hospital
Jeff Branson - Guiding Light

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS
Meredith Hagner - As the World Turns
Rachel Melvin - Days of Our Lives
Kirsten Storms - General Hospital
Julie Berman - General Hospital
Emily O'Brien - The Young and the Restless

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR
Cornelius Smith Jr. - All My Children
Darin Brooks - Days of Our Lives
Blake Berris - Days of Our Lives
EJ Bonilla - Guiding Light
Bryton McClure - The Young and the Restless

35th Annual Daytime Emmys: Lead Male

In a women's medium like Daytime Drama, this is an often underserved category. The exceptions to this is Young and the Restless and General Hospital, who have men as their core characters. No surprise that men from these shows have won in the past. This year, however, is anyone's guess as a winnner.

Peter Bergman as Jack Abbott on Young and the Restless
1st reel: Jack finds out about Sharon's cheating with Brad while married to Nick.
2nd reel: It's Christmas and Jack asks Sharon to give their marriage another chance.

Peter Bergman does a great job in these reels showing his vulnerability. However, this isn't his best work of the year. I wonder why he picked this stuff over a mixture of this and maybe a Gloria confrontation (when he is being pretty mean).

David Canary as Adam & Stuart Chandler on All My Children
1st reel: Adam finds out that the baby his wife is carrying is Tad Martin's.
2nd reel: Adam has Krystal arrested

Stuart Chandler is actually in the first reel for a bit, which may help show Canary's range. And, as I will say many times during these picks: Emmy voters love the dual role. Anthony Geary as

Luke Spencer on General Hospital
1st reel: Luke discusses how he doesn't want his recent heart attack to change his life
2nd reel: Luke dreams about a life in hell during his heart surgery.

First episode is great. Second one is fair (probably would have been a good submission for writing for GH). Maybe the greatness of the first can outeweigh the blandness of the second.

Christian LeBlanc as Michael Baldwin on Young and the Restless
1st reel: Michael tries to convince William Bardwell not to press charges against his mother.
2nd reel: Michael gleefully tells Phyllis that Jack finally got was what was coming to him; later Michael agrees to defend Jana.

Typical Christian LeBlanc material. He is a great actor, so that statement is any disrespect. However, nothing really jumps out as "special".

Thaao Penghlis as Andre and Tony DiMera on Days of Our Lives
1st reel: Andre harasses Sami while dressed like a clown.
2nd reel: Andre hold Kate hostage.

He does play a good villian and he really scared me as that clown. However, that doesn't equal range.

Who Should Win: Peter Bergman (for a stellar year, despite poor submission choices)
Who Will Win: Oh, it's anybody's guess but I will stick with Bergman
Don't Count Out: The rest of them!

34th Daytime Emmys: Younger Female Lead

Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series

LEVEN RAMBIN, AS LILY MONTGOMERY ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
JENNIFER LANDON, AS GWEN MUNSON AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
ALEXANDRA CHANDO, AS MADDIE COLEMAN AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
JULIE BERMAN, AS LULU SPENCER GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
STEPHANIE GATSCHET, AS TAMMY WINSLOW GUIDING LIGHT * CBS

Leven Ramblin had a great year last year and its hard to believe she is still a teenager. Most of the buzz this year has been around Julie Berman's Lulu. However, I wouldn't count out any of the young ladies from CBS.

Death doesn't become her

Within a week's period of time, All My Children and Guiding Light killed off popular characters(Dixie and Tammy, respectively). No sooner was it announced that AMC was killling off the beloved Dixie, that fans started to speculate on how it would happen and how she could return.

On some boards, Tammy's death happened on the same day that fans speculated on how she could be "not really dead." In fact, more time has been spent posting about how these folks could return than on sadness that the character has died. Both lines seem to fall around some sort of "faked her death to protect and hide her from _____" (slayer, Alan Spaulding, or whomever you want to fill in the blank with on this).

I know the writers think this is great, that they can keep us on our toes by saying that "anyone can go at any moment". However...

What this really says: That the coming-back-from-the-dead thing has been so overdone, that we highly expect it. And expect it so much, that the death scenes and following mourning has little affect on the average fan.

AMC: Dixie Dies!

This is a spoiler. I hate spoilers. But, this particular one was hard to avoid if anyone does any soap-related surfing on the internet. I guess this explains why Cady hasn't posted on her witty and insightful blog since the beginning of the new year.

And, there is some controversy over this one. First, AMC does this big production of bringing back Cady McClain as Dixie. Then, just a bit over a year later they are killing off the character as an inadvertant victim of the serial killer. And, they are killing her in a way that doesn't seem possible to bring her back from the dead (more on that issue later--cuz I have some major thoughts on that).

I heard a rumor that she is headed to Guiding Light. I wonder what character she could play over there. Someone new? A recast? I'm really trying not to read the spoilers.

However, I would love, love, love (really, I would love it) if she came back as Rosanna Cabot on ATWT. Now that Craig is back (though not our beloved--and Cady's personal beloved--Hunt Block), it would be perfect timing. Maybe she could come back with Carly after Maura West's maternity leave. Maybe she could come back before then and, once again, play a motherly role to Carly's kids.

I will be thrilled if she is on either show and the CBS fans will welcome her with wide open arms.

AMC: Serial Killer

I guess in the world of soaps that the single murder mystery has gotten so blasé that we have moved along to the serial killer. This has been done on several shows in the last few years, with All My Children being the latest.
The one thing that most shows don't understand is that they are, for the most part, killing off people we don't care about or don't like. I know you can't kill off a bunch of key characters (unless your Days) without a fan revolt, but the storyline is uninteresting when we don't care who is doing the killing or who has been killed.

All Shows: Rabbits are dying everywhere!

What a surprise that ATWT's Jade and BB's Bridget are pregnant! It amazes me that they write storylines like Katie trying to get pregnant and everyone else gets pregnant after one night of sex with someone that they shouldn't be having sex!

But, the fact that it is on almost every soap, shows how overused this plot device has become. Let's see we have Lizzie on GL. I will excuse Y&R and Phyllis since her and Nick were together more than once. Though, I wouldn't be surprised if Carmen ends up preggers after her night (day--really) with Jack.

Who others are offending us with this re-tread story?

So Many Soaps, So Little Time

I am so behind on my soaps. The Goddess is enrolled in a Chemistry cram course (regular 16-week class in 5 weeks). This means more time studying, less time watching the stories.

I am caught up on B&B. It is good right now, plus it is only 1/2 hour.
I am only a day behind on As the World Turns. The Carly storyline is great right now, so if I could only have stayed awake another hour last night I would be caught up.

I am two weeks behind on GL. It's not like it doesn't interest me, I just am more interested in the others.
I am a week behind on YR. Same story on more interest in others and little time.

This weekend, I shall have a soap watching marathon. With the help of SoapNet, I will be caught up on everything by Monday. That is my solemn vow.

Who's the Daddy Month!

Well, a month or so ago we had "Teen Marriage Month". Now, we are on "Who is the Daddy Month" which will lead to a battery of DNA tests (Daddy Not Aware).
We will abbreviate this soap phenom as WTD (who's the daddy).

Y&R: The big, decade long Neil/Dru/Malcolm WTD comes to a climax as Neil finds out that Lily is not his biological daughter. On the same episode, Phyllis finds out she is pregnant, leaving us with a Nick/Phyllis/Jack WTD.

B&B: Well, if Brooke is going to sleep with two men in less than 48 hours a Ridge/Brooke/Nick WTD is sure to follow.

GL: Lizzie's WTD has been discussed in prior posts. Soon to follow, the Gus/Harley/Mallet WTD (see B&B post above).

ATWT: I think folks would like to make Emily's a WTD pregnancy. Some will speculate that Em slept with Henry or molested Dusty. On soaps a woman will miscarry if she falls out of a chair. Yet, Emily jumps off a cliff, is not breathing/no pulse, yet fetus survives. Which only proves it has to be Paul's baby: only a STENBECK could survive the jump from the cliff!!!

AMC: Fans are speculating that given Dr. Greg's history, the true paternity of Kendall's baby could be up in the air.

OLTL: There is the Antonio/Jess-Tess/Nash WTD, though not a new development.

Teen Marriage Week on Daytime

What is up with the stories? We have Gwen and Will both getting married on ATWT. Then, on GL, you have a faux "lets just recite vows" between-you-me-and-the-wall wedding of Jon and Tammy.

I guess that latter was an excuse to have them finally sleep together. Well, come to think of it, maybe it is a way for the writers to justify teen sex: "They are married!"

But, I am not going to pooh-pooh any of this. I think romance is lacking on daytime so I'll take it in any form. And I love both of these couples, however unrealistic it is to think that you have found your life partner at 17.

AMC: History Lost

Back in the early 1970's, AMC broke ground and had an abortion storyline. In that story, Erica aborted but to balance things she came down with some sort of reaction and nearly died. Well, not staying true to its history, she actually didn't have an abortion but an embryo transplant. Is that right?

I know soaps like to create these long-lost children, especially for their marquee players. However, this just undid a ground breaking story.

What next? Bianca as a lesbian is just a dream (ala Bobby in the shower on Dallas).

Brokeback Soap

With the critical acclaim of Brokeback Mountain, I wonder if soaps will start to do more gay/lesbian themed stories. And true-to-life stories, not the "second-string character with AIDS" storylines we had in the eighties and nineties.

Just curious if they thought of this. IF so, what hot soap hunks would you like to see in a romantic pairing. Hmm...what about ATWT's Jack and Mike. They have things in common besides just Carly.

AMC: Who are Sam's parents?

A while back I saw an episode where Sam was being told he was adopted and they were to reveal his biological parents. However, I missed a bit and never saw who those bio parents were. Is it Tad? Is he somehow related to the Martins?