By Marlena Delacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless: The hardest job in the soap world is being done right now by new executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and headwriter Josh Griffith as they revamp Y&R and are rumored to be paring down its expensive cast. Marlena has always believed it’s not a critic’s job to … [Read more...]
Sunday Reflections 5: The Young and the Restless, The Revamp; Reality Shows on Y&R and General Hospital; Gold Medal GH
August 11, 2012 by 11 Comments
Sunday Reflections 3: The Young and the Restless, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives
July 28, 2012 by 12 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless: Finally a soap does what I’ve long advocated for this era of desperation: perform a radical life-saving change to save itself. Y&R has sent in then Marines in the form of new executive producer Jill Farren Phelps and new headwriter Josh Griffith. And Marlena … [Read more...]
Introducing “Sunday Reflections”: General Hospital, The Young and the Restless, Days of Our Lives
July 15, 2012 by 11 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a Connie Passalacqua Hayman Sunday is a great time to reflect on what's happened during the week on soaps. So Marlena happily presents the first of a feature called "Sunday Reflections. General Hospital: Leave it to this regime at GH to bring in a GQ mobster, Joe Scully Jr., as played by the mighty fine looking … [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...]
Watching Sadism For Thrills: Soaps Are Not Snuff Films!
February 18, 2010 by 41 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix Recently I was asked by a fan why I am not posting much anymore. Here's why: Today on One Life to Live I watched a woman who had just delivered a baby graphically fall through ice and drown. Not three months ago I had watched a Does any TPTB on soaps, so desperate for ratings, actually have any moral sense at all, or even … [Read more...]
The Downward Soap Spiral Accelerates
October 10, 2009 by 20 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix Bonjour, everyone. This November will mark 20th anniversary of my becoming Marlena De Lacroix, soap critic. Marlena's mission has always been to write the truth as I see it, no matter how impolitic. But now, for me -- I repeat, for me -- it's clear that we've reached the end stage of network daytime soap opera, a … [Read more...]
Marlena’s Summer Plans
June 11, 2009 by 20 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix Bonjour, everyone! I'm sorry I haven't posted in many weeks. As you know, my mother passed away. It happened amid the frenzy of the end of spring semester, at the end of a long academic year. I need the summer to recharge, so I'm going on relaxed summer mode until the Daytime Emmys at the end of August. However, … [Read more...]
