The 2022 Daytime Emmys: Live and In Person

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman

As the day of days for all soap aficionados approaches — the Daytime Emmys will be broadcast at 9 tonight on CBS – there is reason to rejoice.  Coming out of the shadow of Covid, for the first time in two years, members of the daytime industry will gather live with a live audience (no remotes) in Los Angeles to celebrate the achievements of our favorite daytime dramas.

And what a year it’s been!  In a medium widely considered moribund for the last few years, a brand new soap opera – can you believe it? — was created for the bountiful new world of streaming channels. Beyond Salem, a nominee for Best Show, is an exciting spinoff of Days of Our Lives.  The first segments were broadcast on Peacock earlier this year, with a second batch premiering July 11.

Congratulations to NBC for demonstrating there’s hope for soaps after all.  And congratulations to executive producer Ken Corday and headwriter Ron Carlivati for creating this bold and highly entertaining new venture.

The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to John Aniston, who has played eternally bad Victor Kiriaskis on Days since1985, and before that Martin Tourneur on Search for Tomorrow.  His Victor’s machinations are always fascinating.  And yes ,we all know that he is the father of Friends superstar Jennifer.

There’s plenty more talent, both veteran and newcomer, nominated in the other categories. Marlena, whose been watching and enjoying soaps for a long time, has her picks. You probably have yours, too. Let’s see how they compare:

Best Actress: Cynthia Watros (Nina Reeves, General Hospital).  Marlena has greatly admired this actress since the historic soap day her Guiding Light character madwoman Annie Dutton broke down on the stand and confessed to murder.  The late great discerning executive producer Paul Rauch, who knew good acting better than anyone, gave her a standing ovation – a rare kudo from him.  The soap’s jealous leading lady threw a fit at being upstaged.  Now on GH Cynthia plays Nina Reeves, who this year fell in love with married Sonny (Maurice Bernard). At the time Sonny was calling himself Mike, having gone off his meds and winding up in a small town called Nixon Falls (named for the late great headwriter Agnes Nixon). She always fills her vulnerable character full of compassion and love — and that’s what daytime is all about, folks.

Best Supporting Actress: Kimberlin Brown (Sheila Carter, Bold and Beautiful.)  Villainy thy name is Brown, who long played the same character on B&B’s sister show Young and Restless). How bad was she? How about the ultimate in soap villainy! This year Brown’s character murdered the woman with whom she shared motherhood (really!) of her sick son Finn (Trevor Novlan), who supposedly died and just recently has come back to life.  Her evil scowl often filled the screen.

Best Actor: John McCook (Eric Forrester, B&B).  Never before nominated despite his long career in daytime, Mr. McCook richly deserves this year’s nod. He’s been an afternoon romance mainstay since his debut as Lance Prentiss in the debut of Y&R in 1973.) On B&B since 1987, his beautiful singing voice and charm have made women as Eric, the paterfamilias of the Forester fashion family. He’s perfected the art of playing leading men to such leading ladies as the now deceased Stephanie (Susan Flannery) and Brooke Logan (Katherine Kelly Lang). And age hasn’t slowed him at all. At 77, his elder horndog character is still at it, lately cheating on current wife Quinn (Rena Sofer) with minx Donna Logan (Jennifer Gareis.)   It is a wonderfully appropriate honor long overdue.

Best Supporting Actor: James Patrick Stuart (Valentin Cassidine, GH).  Bearing the surname of show’s historic villainous clan, Stuart is always fascinating — with a dash of humor.  He is adorable as the father of Charlotte Cassidine, Valentin’s daughter by Lulu.  As played by the altogether charming and sympathetic Stuart (he’s wonderful with young actress Amelie McLain), he’s managed to have it both ways: he’s the one Cassidine in Port Charles history that viewers would rather love than fear.

Best Younger Actor:  Nicholas Chavez (Spencer Cassidine, GH).  It’s a service of daytime drama to train young performers for roles in more prestigious mediums.  But those young performers have to have it, and Nicholas Chavez is one who does. No doubt he’s a star of the future.  As Spencer, he’s shown great sensitivity and depth as a member of the show’s famously villainous family.  He’s even humanizing the show’s clawing and obnoxious young Esme, as played by Avery Pohl.  Both have futures beyond soaps.

Best Show: General Hospital, is quite simply soap opera expertly produced by a team, led by executive producer Frank Valentini, that really knows what it’s doing. Cast and characters are appealingly matched. Twisting and intersecting story lines are full of surprises. We knew there would be trouble when Sonny (Maurice Bernard) went off his meds. But who expected him to take a new identity, leave his wife behind, skip town and fall in love with another woman. Meanwhile, Mayor Laura was getting tortured by super villain Cyrus Renault (Jeff Kober). Through it all, the show’s younger cast shines, with strong young performers such Chavez. ABC’s famous 1980s slogan, “Love in the Afternoon,” is alive and well on General Hospital.