The 2024 Daytime Emmys: Marlena’s Picks

Unfortunately, 2024 was a lackluster soap year overall, disrupted as it was by a pesky writer’s strike. Even so, there were some shining moments, thanks as always to the good work of the professionals we like to think of as “our people” — those who produce, write and act in the shows that are still hanging in there, no matter what is going on, or not going on, behind the scenes. These hard-working pros deserve recognition, and they will get it when CBS airs the Daytime Emmys on May 31. Here are my picks.

Best Actor: In this rich field, my choice is John McCook (Eric Forrester, The Bold and the Beautiful.)

Bringing a character back from the dead is one of the worst of all soap clichés, but B&B head writer Bradley Bell put a clever spin on it time by giving Eric, head of Forrester Creations, a fatal disease. So what if Eric came back from the dead the next day? The story showed how much everyone in the family (including his children, grandchildren, former loves and ex-wives) loved him as they watched him “fade away.”

McCook, who made his soap debut as Lance Prentiss on The Young and the Restless in 1976, showed once again his talent, his great charm, and the special sense of warmth that he brings to Eric.

Compelling, too, in the same story was fellow nominee Thorsten Kaye as Ridge, who was last year’s winner as Best Actor. Marlena has adored him since he played Patrick Thornhart on One Life to Live. Just one question, Thorsten. Marlena wants to know where you got those cool glasses.

Best Actress: This year, Marlena would like to see Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke Logan, B&B) receive her long overdue Emmy as the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Since the show’s debut in 1987, Brooke has done everything she can to snag those Forrester men, including stealing Stephanie’s husband Eric and marrying Eric’s son Ridge numerous times. KKL is great at showing the character’s tenacity while also giving her a nice touch of sweetness.

Two serious omissions from this year’s Best Actress nominees are Melody Thomas Scott and Colleen Zenk, both of Y&R. Scott showed all the pain of Nikki Newmans’s chronic alcoholism, as she was driven to drink again by an inventive horror show named Aunt Jordan. That unique character was played dynamically by Zenk, in a great departure from her old role as fashion designer Barbara Ryan on As the World Turns.

Deservedly on this year’s list of nominees are the veterans Finola Hughes(Anna Devane on General Hospital) and Tamara Braun (Ava Vitali on Days of Our Lives). They do wonderfully dependable work on their respective shows.

Best Supporting Actress: It not easy to assume the role of one of daytime’s most unique characters ever, Sally Spectra on B&B. Courtney Hope, Marlena’s pick in this category, has done just that, taking over the role originated by the very much missed Darlene Conley. Hope has met the challenge by investing the vamp with enough sex appeal to conquer the entire world of B&B.

Best Supporting Actor: Here, I’m going to repeat what I said last year: The story of the schizophrenic Marshall Ashford on General Hospital always makes me cry, so engagingly is he played by Robert Gossett, who is Marlena’s choice again. The relationships with the character’s son Curtis (played by Donnell Turner) and his social worker friend Stella Henry (played by Vernee Watson) vividly illustrate the harrowing heartache of this devastating disease.

Best Guest Performance: Who else but the legendary Dick Van Dyke, who appeared as Timothy Robicheaux opposite Drake Hogestyn’s John Black. What a casting coup by Days! The major media, which normally ignore daytime drama, couldn’t duck this irresistible event. Dick Van Dyke on a soap opera? Holy cow! Needless to say, Van Dyke was terrific!

Best Show: It was a tough year for General Hospital, affected as it was by the writer’s strike. And how in the world could GH have hired and fired Patrick Mulcahey, a trainee of the late great Douglas Marland, so fast? Even so, Marlena believes, an Emmy is well deserved.

Producer Frank Valenti oversaw a show marked by excellence. The year’s most harrowing story told of the death of Gregory Chase (played by Gregory Harrison), a character who passed this week from ALS. Also, the show recently did the best soap wedding in decades, the union of Brooklyn (played by Amanda Setton) and Gregory’s son Harrison (played by Josh Swickard).