Six Passover Questions

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passlacqua Hayman 1.  Isn’t it a shame that CBS Daytime (The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful) is going retro just for ratings? Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) and NeIl (Kristoff St. John) running over pregnant Christine (Lauralee Bell) on Y&R? She sadly had a miscarriage. Running over a … [Read more...]

The Young and the Restless: Marlena says, “You, Sir, Are No Irwin Allen!”

By Marlena De Lccroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman It’s way too early to judge the work of The Young and the Restless’ new executive producer Charles Pratt Jr. We’re familiar with his resume (head writer/executive/producer of All My Children, General Hospital, Santa Barbara and Sunset Beach, primetime producer of Melrose Place et al.) But … [Read more...]

Character Actors Add Much Needed Character To Soaps

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Soap stories, most of which are about romance and love triangles, do tend to get repetitive.  Adding variety and spice to this formula are character roles, which do a lot to make soaps more interesting.  These characters often provide comic relief and serve as “talk tos” for the main … [Read more...]

Daytime’s Most Famous “Love to Hate” Characters

By Marlena Delacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman For any soap opera, a “love to hate” character is money in the bank.  Fascinated by their endless power to manipulate other characters and instigate interesting plots, these diabolical characters are adored by audiences who avidly follow all that they do.  “Love to hate” characters … [Read more...]

Sunday Reflections 12: Young and Restless’ Blah 10,000th Episode … General Hospital’s Sabrina and Her Fantasies, and Connie and Her Body Shot

By Marlena De Lacroix, a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless: So, what did you think of Y&R’s 10,000th episode, aired Thursday?  This was the one in which a “dead” character came back for his own funeral. In this case, it was Victor Newman, in what seemed to be his 438th resurrection.   (It was actually his third).  … [Read more...]

Sunday Reflections 10: Katie Couric’s Talk Show is So-So … GH’s Fast Wrapping Up Remote … Y&R: Why did “Red”’s Hair Suddenly Turn Brown?

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman So what did you think of Katie, Ms. Couric’s new talk show?  I have mixed feelings about it. Couric herself doesn’t bother me.  Au contraire -- we should be proud that daytime television, which marginalizes older women, is spotlighting a 55-year-old.  Katie’s usual intelligence does shine … [Read more...]

Sunday Reflections 4: The Young and the Restless’ Jeanne Cooper Book Reviewed; General Hospital

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless:  Like gossip on old movies and TV and the soap opera world? Like to laugh?  Wanna get all the inside whispered into your ear by a great soap opera icon?  Then get yourself a copy of Not Young, Still Restless (HarperCollins) the very frank and entertaining … [Read more...]

Ten Happy Halloween Questions

By Marlena De Lacroix 1.  Isn't it most curious that two of the most intelligent women characters in daytime -- Dr. Marty Saybrooke on One Life to Live and fashion mogul Jackie M on The Bold and the Beautiful -- have gone from brunette to blonde in the last few months?  Fashion, or just another attempt by the networks/shows to "dumb down" smart … [Read more...]

The Downward Soap Spiral Accelerates

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...]

The Daytime Emmys: Happy At Last

For another view of the Daytime Emmys, read the post following this one by Marlena's longtime friend and colleague Ed Martin.  A veteran TV industry journalist and analyst, Ed is a columnist for JackMyers.com. By Marlena De Lacroix From out of a dying soap industry, from out of a cable network I never watch, last night arrived the most … [Read more...]