By Marlena De LacroixOne Life to Live's 40th anniversary is next week. I've watched the show for 39 of those forty years, so it's been a big part of my life! And it has meant a tremendous amount to me. Thinking Fans, I'm interested in how OLTL has affected your life, what it has meant to you, your evaluations and memories of the storylines … [Read more...]
On the Soap Shrink’s Couch: The Young and the Restless’ Kevin Fisher
July 6, 2008 by 1 Comment
By Damon L. JacobsKevin Fisher came blazing into The Young and the Restless' Genoa City five years ago with rage in his heart, fire in his eyes, violence in his fists, and chlamydia in his ... well, you know. He spent a significant portion of his time chasing after Lily, lying, manipulating, setting fires, breaking mirrors. As his violence … [Read more...]
Happy Fourth of July!
July 3, 2008 by Leave a Comment
"Ask not what your country can do for you. Ask what you can do for your country."John Fitzgerald KennedyHave a safe and happy Fourth of July, everyone!Marlena and the Team … [Read more...]
Why Today’s One Life To Live Reminds Me of the Glory Days of Guiding Light
July 2, 2008 by 20 Comments
By Patrick ErwinI've been writing about soaps for a while, but I am a relatively new daily fan of One Life To Live. Yes, as Marlena has observed, some of us soap viewers are boarding the OLTL lifeboat, and I, for one, have bought my ticket!I watched OLTL a bit here and there (especially during the first Malone years), but I am really … [Read more...]
Is One Life to Live Daytime’s Lifeboat? And a Word About Addie …
June 30, 2008 by 23 Comments
By Marlena De LacroixHave you boarded the One Life to Live lifeboat yet? Judging from the letters I've received in the last three weeks from readers like Esther, Cherry, Marilyn and DSO, even the most discerning and stubborn of Marlena's Thinking Fans seem to be boarding. They're in hope it's the one show that can keep their long-term love of … [Read more...]
On the Soap Shrink’s Couch: Days of Our Lives’ Samantha Gene Brady (Reed Walker Roberts DiMera)
June 26, 2008 by 5 Comments
By Damon L. JacobsDays of Our Lives' Sami and her twin brother were born into a loving intact family. Her father was on the police force, her mother was a psychiatrist, her doting older half-sister loved her. What could possibly go wrong?More like what DIDN'T go wrong! In her childhood alone, Sami (played by Alison Sweeney) dealt with the … [Read more...]
Say What? The 2008 Emmys Had No Class
June 23, 2008 by 19 Comments
By Marlena De LacroixThe star of the 2008 Emmys was a body part your mother blushingly called your "backside." Stars couldn't stop talking about derrieres, and wound up acting a lot like them."Oh, oh, I love your butt, what a cute little butt, I'd take that cute little butt," All My Children's Rebecca Budig (Greenlee) squealed as she … [Read more...]
On the Soap Shrink’s Couch: Guiding Light’s Joshua Lewis
June 19, 2008 by 4 Comments
By Damon L. JacobsLook into his eyes. Those deep blue eyes. There you may see a man who has great capacity for warmth, generosity and concern for his family and community.Look a little deeper, however, and you will also see anger, bitterness and an intense fear of being inferior to others.But let's back up a bit. Guiding Light's … [Read more...]
Marlena’s Emmy Picks in 2008’s Humpty Dumpty Soap World
June 18, 2008 by 11 Comments
By Marlena De LacroixI'm not overly excited about this week's Daytime Emmys. I could be fluffy and say it's because they moved the ceremony to L.A. several years ago and I don't get to go and to buy a dress, and to me (I attended here in New York 23 years in a row) the Daytime Emmys was always about The Dress. But the truth is, daytime drama, … [Read more...]
Introducing Our New Column: Soap Shrink by Damon L. Jacobs
June 13, 2008 by 1 Comment
How many times have you seen a soap villainess or villain -- or even a soap hero or heroine -- do something that is so wrong and so bizarre that you've jumped up from your armchair and screamed: "WHAT IS WRONG with her/him?"In the vast, messy world of today's soap opera -- where cheap thrills usually trump character development, history is all … [Read more...]
