By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Bradley Bell has been trying a bold soap experiment the last three quarters of a year on The Bold and Beautiful, featuring one storyline, the Hope-Liam-Steffy triangle, almost to the exclusion of most others. And he's been succeeding -- the ratings are still comparatively healthy. So I ask … [Read more...]
The Mega-successful, Classy World of Bill Bell
July 5, 2012 by 2 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passlacqua Hayman When I was a girl soap reporter, I called him "Mr. Bell" during interviews because of Bill Bell's exalted status in the soap industry. And Bill Bell (1927-2005) would just laugh and go ahead to speak about what one always talked to him about: the work. He was the only person I ever … [Read more...]
The Young and the Restless: When a Good Cliffhanger is Far From Enough
June 29, 2012 by 6 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman I just finished watching Friday's episode of The Young and the Restless. Paul discovered Ricky holding Eden in his bathroom, his son's bloody knife held firmly to her throat. She had passed out due to hitting her head on the bathtub. When Ricky wouldn't drop the knife, a shocked P.I. … [Read more...]
Daytime Emmys 2012: Respect Was Surprisingly Shown
June 25, 2012 by 6 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman Today I'm going to use a word I've never used in a decade of viewing the Daytime Emmys (but nearly always used when I attended the 22 years previously). I actually "enjoyed" Saturday night's Daytime Emmys on HLN.Don't freak out -- there are "excepts" which I'll get into later. You see, … [Read more...]
A Shout Out to Hollywood Heights
June 21, 2012 by 1 Comment
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Although I am decades older than the target audience, I enjoyed the first four episodes of the new Hollywood Heights. It's the new teen soap on Nick at Nite, created, written, produced and acted by several daytime veterans. What I really admire about this show is that it has good soap … [Read more...]
More General Hospital: Outrageously the “M” Word
June 19, 2012 by 17 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman When Moose came home from work yesterday, he thought he'd have to dump a bucket of cold water over my head. I couldn't stop yelling, over and over again,"No, they really didn't do this!" General Hospital had a scene where Carly and Todd flirted/talked, and Todd was bare-chested. But … [Read more...]
General Hospital: Cuddly but Problematic
June 13, 2012 by 7 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman With all the cancellations these past few years, this old soap enthusiast is thankful to have at least one soap to look forward to, and yes, cuddle up to in my afternoons. That soap is General Hospital, a doomed show I really want to see live on. I watch The biggest soap opera of all is … [Read more...]
General Hospital Update: Understanding Itself, Misunderstanding Viewers
April 25, 2012 by 10 Comments
By Ed Martin It's been two months since executive producer Frank Valentini and head writer Ron Carlivati took control of ABC's General Hospital - long enough by any measure for a creative team to make its mark on a soap opera and make clear what they intend to do with it. Now, I don't want to start right in with the complaints, because … [Read more...]
General Hospital Update: Is it Still on Life Support?
March 28, 2012 by 11 Comments
By Ed Martin I'm not sure what to make of the big surprise on "General Hospital" this week - but then again, I haven't known what to make of GH in a very long time (years, actually). Robin Scorpio is alive - and looking very tanned and rested, I might add, even if she is being held hostage in something resembling a hospital room. Seeing … [Read more...]
General Hospital Until the Bitter End
March 22, 2012 by 14 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman Before I start my review of the new General Hospital (Frank Valentini executive producer, Ron Carlivati, headwriter) I have three things to say: 1. I agree with everything my good friend Ed Martin says in the column below ("Can General Hospital Be Saved?") Do a Gloria Monty, gut the show … [Read more...]
