ATWT: Kudos for a not-drawn-out murder mystery

Can it possibly be true? Did Luke really kill Julia? If so, this is the shortest murder mystery in daytime history.

The medium is famous for long, drawn-out who dunnits--usually with a non-guilty party going to trial, maybe even found guilty and serving some time in prison.

If we are to believe what we say yesterday, Luke was trying to shake some sense into Julia just banging her head against the coffee table in the meantime.

Is this fast-paced writing the last of Hogan Sheffer's before his leave of absense? Or did the new writing team want to wrap up a storyline that they didn't "own"?

Either way, me likey!

YR: Suspending Reality

I know we are supposed to suspend reality with our soaps, but how is it that Jack is visiting with Victoria in Florence. We see Victor and Nikki at the same time in Genoa City. But, before the visit is over, which did include a meal, Victor and Nikki show up at Victoria's doorstep in Florence.

Is the Newman Enterprises jet a Concorde? Or has Jack really, really overstayed his welcome?

32nd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations

The nominations have been announced and are as follows:

Outstanding Lead Actress In A Drama Series

• MARTHA BYRNE, AS LILY SNYDER AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
• SUSAN FLANNERY, AS STEPHANIE FORRESTER THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
• NANCY LEE GRAHN, AS ALEXIS DAVIS GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• KIM ZIMMER, AS REVA SHAYNE LEWIS GUIDING LIGHT * CBS
• ERIKA SLEZAK, AS VICTORIA DAVIDSON ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC
• KASSIE DEPAIVA, AS BLAIR CRAMER ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC
• JULIET MILLS, AS TABITHA LENOX PASSIONS * NBC
• MICHELLE STAFFORD, AS PHYLLIS SUMMERS ABBOTT THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS

Outstanding Lead Actor In A Drama Series

• MICHAEL E. KNIGHT, AS TAD MARTIN ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
• ROGER HOWARTH, AS PAUL RYAN AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
• JACK WAGNER, AS DOMINICK PAYNE MARONE THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL * CBS
• STEVE BURTON, AS JASON MORGAN GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• GRANT ALEKSANDER, AS PHILLIP SPAULDING GUIDING LIGHT * CBS
• CHRISTIAN JULES LEBLANC, AS MICHAEL BALDWIN THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS

Outstanding Supporting Actress In A Drama Series

• NATALIA LIVINGSTON, AS EMILY QUARTERMAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• ROBIN CHRISTOPHER, AS SKYE QUARTERMAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• CRYSTAL CHAPPELL, AS OLIVIA SPENCER GUIDING LIGHT * CBS
• HEATHER TOM, AS KELLY BUCHANAN ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC
• ILENE KRISTEN, AS ROXANNE BALSOM ONE LIFE TO LIVE * ABC
• JEANNE COOPER, AS KATHERINE CHANCELLOR THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS

Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Drama Series

• JEFF BRANSON, AS JONATHAN LAVERY ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
• CAMERON MATHISON, AS RYAN LAVERY ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
• TYLER CHRISTOPHER, AS NIKOLAS CASSADINE GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• RICK HEARST, AS RIC LANSING GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• JUSTIN DEAS, AS BUZZ COOPER GUIDING LIGHT * CBS
• GREG RIKAART, AS KEVIN FISHER THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS

Outstanding Younger Actress In A Drama Series

• ALEXA HAVINS, AS BABE CHANDLER ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
• EDEN RIEGEL, AS BIANCA MONTGOMERY ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
• JENNIFER FERRIN, AS JENNIFER MUNSON AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS
• ADRIANNE LEON, AS BROOK LYNN ASHTON GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• CRYSTAL HUNT, AS LIZZIE SPAULDING GUIDING LIGHT * CBS

Outstanding Younger Actor In A Drama Series

• JACOB YOUNG, AS JR CHANDLER ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
• SCOTT CLIFTON, AS DILLON QUARTERMAINE GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
• TOM PELPHREY, AS JONATHAN RANDALL GUIDING LIGHT * CBS
• DAVID LAGO, AS RAUL GUITTIEREZ THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS
• MICHAEL GRAZIADEI, AS DANIEL ROMALOTTI THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS

Outstanding Drama Series

• ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC JULIE HANAN CARRUTHERS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
• AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS CHRISTOPHER GOUTMAN, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
• GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC JILL FARREN PHELPS, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
• THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS WILLIAM J. BELL, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Outstanding Drama Series Writing Team

AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS HOGAN SHEFFER, HEAD WRITER
GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC ROBERT GUZA, JR. & CHARLES PRATT, JR., HEAD WRITERS
GUIDING LIGHT * CBS DAVID KREIZMAN AND RELLEN WESTON, HEAD WRITERS
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS KAY ALDEN & JOHN F. SMITH, HEAD WRITERS




Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team

ALL MY CHILDREN * ABC
GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC
THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS * CBS



Outstanding Achievement for a Casting Director For A Drama Series

• AS THE WORLD TURNS * CBS MARY CLAY BOLAND, CASTING DIRECTOR
• GENERAL HOSPITAL * ABC MARK TESCHNER, CASTING DIRECTOR
• GUIDING LIGHT * CBS ROB DECINA, CASTING DIRECTOR

Look for the winners at the Daytime Emmy telecast on Friday, May 20 on the CBS network.

GL: Who killed Philip Spaulding?

GL has so many storylines going--make that so many GOOD storylines going--that we have kinds a lost sight of the "who killed Philip" mystery.

Of course, Beth has been acting suspicious which should eliminate her from contention (the writers couldn't possibly be that obvious, could they?)

The thing is--everything else has been so riveting that you don't even notice the lack of addressing this open issue the past few days.

BB: Bridget and Ridge, part 2

Why, why, why are we going down this road again?

It was sick and stupid the first time and hardly watchable this second time.

That said, I do find it laughable that Ridge thinks he can help Bridget get over him. Hmm...the last person you need to help you get over someone is that person, right?

YR: Will Ashley ever learn

Will Ashley ever learn? How many times does this woman need to be kicked by, trampled over, and dealt a bad hand by Victor Newman to realize he is a sh*t.

Ashley could you please be a strong woman if only because you represent such to so many viewers?!

ATWT: Henry and Katie--you're kidding me right?

I still sit here with my face scrunched up. This may be a permanent state after hearing Henry's "confession" that he loved Katie.

Is it just me or is this just lame, lame, lame storyline?

Here is why I think this is bad:
1. Henry and Katie were one of the few platonic male-female friendships on the show that didn't even hint at crossing over the friendship/lover line. Why spoil that?

2. Isn't Henry supposed to be gay? And if not, why can't he be? I know it's daring for daytime to cross certain lines but come on--it's 2005. If you want to be diverse, be truly diverse.

3. It puts an unneeded four-way chink in the Katie-Mike story.
I can only hope that this is just Henry being silly and seeing this as a way to a) put Jenn at ease at what Henry is doing and b) make Mike realize his feelings for Katie.

What do you think?

Black Enterprise: Article on Daytime Television

The new issue of Black Enterprise (with my homeboy Cedrick Kyles on the cover) has a nice article on African Americans and daytime television. It was a nice balanced article pointing out the programs that are in place to bring more people of color to the behind-the-scenes action, as well as lauding the strides daytime television has made.

I would definitely recommend reading if one is interested in the production aspects of soap operas.

YR: JT's Singing Career

I admit that I don't watch Y&R as much as the other CBS soaps, but...

What happened to JT as the recording artist--the career that was taking off so that it caused problems with Colleen?

ATWT: Jack and the Divorce Papers

Not having your memory is one thing.
But turning into an asshole is another.

Why, why, why did Jack bring Julia along when he was serving Carly with divorce papers?! I really thought Jack was still a good guy inside, yet this proves otherwise. Only a big jerk would bring along "the other woman" to something already so emotionally charged.

It's one thing to stick in the knife with those papers. It's made worse by twisting the knife by bringing along Julia.

YR: Malcolm's back part 2

CBS Daytime can relly nail some commercials. I love the one promoting Shemar Moore's return.

The one that goes something like "Malcoms wsa in a terrible accident and presumed dead. We have now found the body" voiceover of the camera spanning from Shemar's feet to his whole body.

Yum, Yum!!

YR: Malcolm's back part 1

I like that they have brought back a Malcolm with an edge. His reunions now that he is back in Genoa City have not been all flowers as joy as he returns with a definitive grudge.
This should make for good story.

ATWT: Who needs Dr. Lynn Michaels when you have Carly?

Who nees psychotherapy? Carly has nailed Jack's problem.

The boathouse scene was quite an epiphany. Carly realized that Jack's "just add water" relationship with Julia and JJ were only attempts to fill this missing parts of himself. The Jack Snyder that is a husband and a father. And that hole that is still there--and not filled by Julia and JJ--is the need for Carly/Sage/Parker.

Unfortunately, Jack took this one step in the wrong direction wiht his propsoal to Julia. Right after he remembers his wedding to Carly in Montanna, he "fills the hole" of a need for a wedding by getting on bended knee and proposing another wedding. Jack just has the wrong bride.

GL: Philip's death and funeral

The writer's did such a good job of making us hate him that it took some of the punch out of his funeral. As a fan of Philip & Beth from back in the day (e.g. their prom), I should have been a little more sad. However, I could see more from Olivia's point of view than Beth's. More on the lines of "good riddance of bad rubbish".

BB: Amber's non-preganancy

This storyline has been good as it revealed the answers to some questions left open after Amber's miscarriage a few years back. However, it just proves that Stephanie really needs to get a life. If she isn't nosing around in Ridge's relationships, it's Ridge's son. I would think that with all Thorne is doing to bring this to her attention, Stephanie would be changing her ways.

GL: The JB and Tammy thing

Really ,writers. What was the point of pushing it so far that cousins JB and Tammy slept together? The kissing was bad enough, but this?! It wouldn't have been so bad if it wasn't Tammy's first.
And the most sickening part is that Reva "center of the GL universe" is the reason Jonathan/JB did this. For revenge against Reva.
Growing up, my father always said soaps are "too much drama". And this time it might be true--drama for drama's sake. Not for good storytelling.

ATWT: Lucinda and Jordan

Hmm..this Jordan working for Lucinda thing has me thinking...
..what if Jordan is Lucinda's son?

Remember back when David Stenbeck was introduced. James Stenbeck tried to pass him off as Lucinda's son. Lucinda didn't find it an improbability and thought it possible until proven otherwise. Now, we have shown that Joran is Stenbeck's son. But who is the baby's mama?

Things that make you go, hmm...

GL: Would someone please shoot Philip now..

And put him out of everone's misery?!

ATWT: Old Hal/New Hal

Randolph Mantooth is once again replacing Benjamin Hendrickson as Hal Munson. He did the same when Hendrickson needed a leave a while back. However, all signs point to this as a permanent recast.

I like Randolph Mantooth. I liked him when he was on Emergency! back in the early 70's. He is a good actor, seems to understand the role of Hal. I just think this will take some getting used to--an adjustment. Probably within a year, I will forget there was a recast.

B&B: Brooke's Back!

I don't see where this is going (or I don't see exactly how Brooke is going to help the Forresters keep Thorne at bay), but the ads make it look good.

If you haven't seen it, go to:

http://www.cbs.com/daytime/quickies/#

Brooke's line of "let's put the focus back where it belongs---on me!" is so classic.