Many Questions As a New Headwriter Comes to The Young and the Restless

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless is getting a new headwriter. He is veteran Chuck Pratt, who wrote for Santa Barbara, General Hospital, and All My Children, amassing an uneven record with enough successes to give Y&R fans hope for improvement of their show. Anything is likely to be better … [Read more...]

The Bold and the Beautiful: A Rare Magnificent Storyline

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman In decades, I’ve rarely raved about a single storyline.   But the Rick-Maya-Caroline imbroglio that has played out over the last month or so has just been superb.  It’s a can’t-miss-a-day  tale of betrayal, ambition, narcissism and, above all, surprise. Eric Forrester decided he … [Read more...]

No One is in Jail on Nashville, a Great Nighttime Soap

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman What’s to write about?   Everyone on General Hospital is in jail, or should be. Sonny has finally been arrested for the murder of A.J. Quartermaine. Carly and Duke are there, too, for helping Sonny cover up the killing.  Heather is in jail and presumably will be transported back to … [Read more...]

Heavenly November Sweeps Performances on The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman It’s been quite an eventful November sweeps so far.  Stories built over the course of a year or more usually reach their apexes if not their conclusions  over sweeps months (February, May, November) and writers plot their most dramatic action to stretch over these months.   This November’s … [Read more...]

General Hospital: Where is the Love?

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman “Where is the love?”  This is a famous soap world quote from the late beloved headwriter Doug Marland (As the World Turns, etc.) spoken when he used to look at other soaps and find anything but.   This question can now be most fairly asked of General Hospital, once a good soap opera but now … [Read more...]

Ivy and Caroline: Two Fascinating Women to Watch on The Bold and the Beautiful

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalcqua Hayman Before we begin, I’d like to thank the many of you who wrote in with good wishes for my continued good health.  I’m feeling much better now and was greatly bolstered, not just by notes from so many readers but also by the shout-outs from long ago friends and former soap world colleagues.  … [Read more...]

I’m Ba-a-ack – Not Quite from the Dead, but Almost!

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Sorry for the prolonged absence of late. I’ll spare you the gruesome details of a medical issue that finally kept the entire gastroenterology department of a major New York City hospital in high gear for one long day. I’m on the road to recovery now, thanks to a team of superb doctors, one … [Read more...]

General Hospital: The Antics of the Fiercely Driven Nina Clay

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman For the last year, General Hospital has certainly been a place for strong women.  The free-wheeling and combative Carly Jacks (Laura Wright), who will take no lip from the bullying Sonny, is a longtime resident. She’s been joined of late by shoot-from-the-hip Ava Jerome (Maura West), who … [Read more...]

The Young and the Restless: And They Call the Double Mariah

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Bringing back an actor who played a character now dead can be tricky.  The options are to bring the character back from the dead or create a double, commonly in the person of a long lost twin. On The Young and the Restless, the dead character of Cassie, the daughter of Nick and … [Read more...]

Oh No, Not Again! On General Hospital, Sonny and Carly Redux

By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Soaps rarely go backward.  So it was a big surprise this week on General Hospital when resident baddies Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) and Carly Jacks (Laura Wright) slept together again. Carly’s love Franco was stuck for the night in a hospital elevator with Nina when Sonny showed up … [Read more...]