Jean Bates, 89. Played Anne Peters on "Days of our Lives" and Edith Mills on "The Young and the Restless." November 28.
Michael Evans, 87, best known to soap fans as Victor's friend, Colonel Douglas Austin on "The Young and the Restless" and Jeffre on "Capitol." September 4.
Alice Ghostley, 81. Had a short run as Matilda on "Passions." September 21.
Edward Mallory, 76. Portrayed angst-ridden Dr. Bill Horton on "Days of Our Lives." April 4.
Gretchen Wyler, 75. Played Cynthia Wellman on "Search for Tomorrow." May 27.
Darlene Conley, 72, best known as fashion mogul Sally Spectra on "The Bold and the Beautiful" and baby stealing Rose on "The Young and the Restless." January 14.
Barbara McNair, 72. Play Aunt Bettina on "General Hospital" in 1984. February 4.
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
No Soaps in the US Today: Get Your Soap Fix Here
Coastal Dreams: Watch all 24 episodes of the first season. Charlie Koznick and Danica Stewart are two of the stars.
L.A. Diaries: In case you missed it, watch all nine episodes of the ATWT & Y&R crossover soap starring Amber from Y&R and Alison from ATWT.
Crescent Heights: Watch all ten episodes of this P&G sudser.
Bring Down The Moon: Catch Raymond Burks student produced soap for CAT TV and The University of Arkansas.
L.A. Diaries: In case you missed it, watch all nine episodes of the ATWT & Y&R crossover soap starring Amber from Y&R and Alison from ATWT.
Crescent Heights: Watch all ten episodes of this P&G sudser.
Bring Down The Moon: Catch Raymond Burks student produced soap for CAT TV and The University of Arkansas.
WeLoveSoaps Best & Worst of 2007
Best TV Soap: "Friday Night Lights"
All the daytime soaps had their moments this year, some more than others, but none were consistently good throughout and several were downright awful for most of the year. So I look to prime time for best soap and "Friday Night Lights" is continuing drama at its best.
Best Online Video Soap: "Coastal Dreams"
This experimental soap by NBC featured a beginning to end (well, until the cliffhanger) storyline that actually made sense. Yes, it was beautiful people on the beach, but the characters were well-defined, likeable and the story made sense. "L.A. Diaries" was a guilty pleasure but the story was weak and did not tie into ATWT or Y&R very well. "Crescent Heights" had potential but the story was limited.
Best Storyline: The budding romance of Luke and Noah
It wasn't perfect, but the young love story that has slowly developed between "As The World Turns" teens Luke and Noah is something soaps have been missing in recent years - romance. Loving and respectful relationships should be the rule, not the exception. Treating a partner like dirt, raping someone and falling in love with them and sleeping around have become the norm. Thanks to ATWT for finally getting it right with "Nuke."
Best Episode: "Guiding Light's" 70th Anniversary
Crisp writing, an homage to GL and soap history and fantastic performances made this a standoff show. Reference: WeLoveSoaps Top 10 Episodes of 2007 list.
Best Actress: Melody Thomas Scott, "The Young and the Restless"
Why aren't people outraged that Melody Thomas Scott does not have an Emmy? After almost 30 years on Y&R, she continues to act her ass off and deserves one dammit. She was so awesome this year she almost made "Out of the Ashes" watchable.
Best Actor: Scott Bryce, "As The World Turns"
Scott Bryce can play a huge range of emotions. The chilling aftermath of Craig finding out Meg's baby isn't his was a masterpiece.
Top Newcomer: John Brotherton, "One Life to Live"
A number of outstanding newcomers debuted on soaps this year. If only the writing could match the acting talent on soaps, the future would look brigher. John Brotherton from OLTL (Jared) was my top pick this year. Reference: WeLove Soaps Top 10 Newcomers of 2007 list.
No Class Award: Brian Frons and ABC
Firing Sabine Singh and replacing her as Greenlee with Rebecca Budig might not have been so horrible had the "Real Greenlee" ads not started running while Sabine was still airing on the show.
Most Confusing: Former Y&R Characters on B&B
So Eileen Davidson is still Ashley Abbott but Heather Tom is Katie Logan? John McCook (who I loved as Lance on Y&R) is Eric on B&B. If they are going to cross some people over from Y&R as their same characters then stop hiring former Y&R actors to play new characters.
Worst Quadrange: Paul/Meg/Rosanna/Craig, "As The World Turns"
I seem to vaguely recall a few triangles in the past that were worth watching but not this year. Unless Bill Bell or Douglas Marland are coming back from the grave in 2008, all quadrangles on soaps should be outlawed. Paul/Meg/Rosanna/Craig on ATWT reached a new level of boring never seen on soaps before 2007.
Best Funeral: John Black, "Days of our Lives"
I haven't like John Black since, well, he turned into John Black and not Roman. But his funeral was so well done that it made me actually wish he was still around. If he turns out to be alive though, DAYS may have lost the last bit of credibility it had left.
Hottest Hunk: Brandon Beemer, "Days of our Lives"
I named him hottest hunk earlier this year and haven't changed my mind. He also just won a slew of SoapHunks.net awards.
Biggest News Story: The Writer's Guild of America Strike
Will soaps survive? Who will be writing them? How many scripts are left? The WGA strike provided a lot of interesting soundbytes this year and got fans talking.
Worst Execution: "General Hospital: Night Shift"
I liked the idea of NS, but the show itself left much to be desired. It didn't match up with the daily GH and seemed like a wannabe "ER" or "Grey's Anatomy." If Soapnet decides to do this again in 2008, let's hope for better results.
Most Overexposed: Steve Burton, "General Hospital" and "Nightshift"
Burton appeared on the most episodes of GH this year as well as the prime-time spinoff "Night Shift."
Worst Storyline: Vincent the hermaphrodite on "Passions"
There are no words to describe how stupid this was so I'll stop here.
Worst Soap: "All My Children"
The murder of Dixie, the Zarf/Zoe storyline, Jonathan/Ava, there were so many things to hate about AMC this year. The good news: it can't get any worse, right?
News Brief
TV Guide Canada: 2008 Fearless Predictions.
The Sun: Lots of UK soap-rises for 2008. Bianca returns in "EastEnders" and is reunited with Ricky at Frank’s funeral. And there’s all-out war between Tanya and Max. In "Coronation Street," Liam is torn between fiancée Maria and Carla, and lovesick Jason takes comfort in the arms of Becky. Donald’s miraculous recovery stuns Nicola in "Emmerdale." And there’s prewedding jitters for Paul and Jonny, while Laurel and Ashley face a heartbreaking tragedy.
Guardian Unlimited: Last night's TV: Compared with the solid block of concrete that is "EastEnders," "Coronation Street" is a filigree worked from the finest threads of humour, drama, camp and plausibility.
AmericaJR: "General Hospital's" Jason & Elizabeth: Daytime's Next Super Couple. Known as Liason, Jason & Elizabeth have been one of "General Hospital’s" most popular pairings since they first met at the bar Jake’s on August 27, 1999. Their fans believe they’re the next super couple since Luke & Laura. “The ‘bad boy’, ‘good girl’ stereotype could just make them perfect for each other” stated one fan to Soap Opera Digest in the summer of 2002.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Back in the day, TV was black and white and more colorful than any peacock. "Pioneers of Television," a monthlong series starting this week, brings the era to vivid life. Five of the pioneers - Betty White ("The Bold and the Beautiful"), Ed McMahon, Dick Cavett, Tim Conway and Tony Orlando - gathered in Los Angeles over the summer to talk about the series with TV critics.
Press-Register: Soap opera stars are often envied for the impeccable style they daily bring to the small screen. We enjoy living the fabulous life through them -- our favorite cast of characters. And when it comes to living lavishly, dressing exquisitely and partying with the pretty people, the cast of CBS' "The Bold and the Beautiful" know how to deliver. On Jan. 12, Gulf Coast residents will have the opportunity to socialize with the socialites, and take a piece of Hollywood home with them, as well.
Inquirer: One look at the guys of “Gossip Girl” and there is no doubt that Penn Badgley - or Dan Humphrey in the show - is the hottest of them all. After appearing in TV shows such as “Will & Grace” and “The Young and the Restless” and movies such as “John Tucker Must Die,” he is all set to appear in a rugby-themed movie called “Forever Strong.” Not just a looker (who owned his own looks when he cut his long curly locks), Penn is also a musically gifted guitar-playing singer who may make his presence felt in the airwaves as well.
Anchorage Daily News: Well, sure, technically it's true ESPN football analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth of Anchorage beat the Alaska Wild to the block when it came to daytime serials. Our man Mark landed a gig on "Guiding Light'' as a detective with the straight-outta-porn name of Roc Hoover -- that handle is straight-up mantastic. Still, Schlereth had nothing on our indoor football team when it came to soap operas in 2007, which is why the Wild took win, place and show in our review of the wild, weird and, occasionally, funny moments from Alaska sports in the past year.
Fayetteville Observer: Catch a "One Tree Hill" marathon on Soapnet today on "Serial Bowl V." I suppose they ran out of real soaps to air?
The Sun: Lots of UK soap-rises for 2008. Bianca returns in "EastEnders" and is reunited with Ricky at Frank’s funeral. And there’s all-out war between Tanya and Max. In "Coronation Street," Liam is torn between fiancée Maria and Carla, and lovesick Jason takes comfort in the arms of Becky. Donald’s miraculous recovery stuns Nicola in "Emmerdale." And there’s prewedding jitters for Paul and Jonny, while Laurel and Ashley face a heartbreaking tragedy.
Guardian Unlimited: Last night's TV: Compared with the solid block of concrete that is "EastEnders," "Coronation Street" is a filigree worked from the finest threads of humour, drama, camp and plausibility.
AmericaJR: "General Hospital's" Jason & Elizabeth: Daytime's Next Super Couple. Known as Liason, Jason & Elizabeth have been one of "General Hospital’s" most popular pairings since they first met at the bar Jake’s on August 27, 1999. Their fans believe they’re the next super couple since Luke & Laura. “The ‘bad boy’, ‘good girl’ stereotype could just make them perfect for each other” stated one fan to Soap Opera Digest in the summer of 2002.
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Back in the day, TV was black and white and more colorful than any peacock. "Pioneers of Television," a monthlong series starting this week, brings the era to vivid life. Five of the pioneers - Betty White ("The Bold and the Beautiful"), Ed McMahon, Dick Cavett, Tim Conway and Tony Orlando - gathered in Los Angeles over the summer to talk about the series with TV critics.
Press-Register: Soap opera stars are often envied for the impeccable style they daily bring to the small screen. We enjoy living the fabulous life through them -- our favorite cast of characters. And when it comes to living lavishly, dressing exquisitely and partying with the pretty people, the cast of CBS' "The Bold and the Beautiful" know how to deliver. On Jan. 12, Gulf Coast residents will have the opportunity to socialize with the socialites, and take a piece of Hollywood home with them, as well.
Inquirer: One look at the guys of “Gossip Girl” and there is no doubt that Penn Badgley - or Dan Humphrey in the show - is the hottest of them all. After appearing in TV shows such as “Will & Grace” and “The Young and the Restless” and movies such as “John Tucker Must Die,” he is all set to appear in a rugby-themed movie called “Forever Strong.” Not just a looker (who owned his own looks when he cut his long curly locks), Penn is also a musically gifted guitar-playing singer who may make his presence felt in the airwaves as well.
Anchorage Daily News: Well, sure, technically it's true ESPN football analyst and three-time Super Bowl champion Mark Schlereth of Anchorage beat the Alaska Wild to the block when it came to daytime serials. Our man Mark landed a gig on "Guiding Light'' as a detective with the straight-outta-porn name of Roc Hoover -- that handle is straight-up mantastic. Still, Schlereth had nothing on our indoor football team when it came to soap operas in 2007, which is why the Wild took win, place and show in our review of the wild, weird and, occasionally, funny moments from Alaska sports in the past year.
Fayetteville Observer: Catch a "One Tree Hill" marathon on Soapnet today on "Serial Bowl V." I suppose they ran out of real soaps to air?
Today's Soap Star Birthdays
Alexia Robinson (ex-Alex, Y&R/ex-Claudia, Rituals/ex-Meg, GH) - 28
Eden Riegel (Bianca, AMC) - 27
Eden Riegel (Bianca, AMC) - 27
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