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...]
Daytime Emmy Nominations – Marlena Still Cares
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Daytime Emmy nominations for 2014 have been announced. Do you care? After all these years, Marlena still does. So let’s discuss: Best Actor: Aside from Jason Thompson (Patrick, General Hospital) the other four nominees all come from The Young and the Restless: Peter Bergman … [Read more...]
The Ho-Hum, Overly Violent Carly Kidnapping Denouement
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman We’ve already said that General Hospital’s Heather-kidnapping-Carly plot was a big ho-hum. Heather tried to blame it on Franco, her son, who had previously tried to kill Heather, his mother. No surprise, the accusation went nowhere and the outcome was predictable: Carly, a central GH … [Read more...]
The Young and the Restless’ Record-Breaking Stunt
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Yet again … is it right or wrong for a soap to kill off a child? I led a column with this perennial question several weeks ago when Delia Abbott was killed on The Young and the Restless, reiterating my longstanding opposition to what I regard as a creepy plot device that exploits the … [Read more...]
The Young and the Restless’ Big Baby Reveal: Well Worth Waiting For
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless may be the best soap when it comes to dragging out its storylines. Because this week, it was more than worth than nine month wait when it was explosively revealed to Dylan MacAvoy that Chelsea’s newborn baby Connor isn't really his, but the child of Chelsea’s … [Read more...]
Merry Christmas, Baby, from Marlena!
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman The Young and the Restless: I’m always looking for improvements under the new regime at The Young and the Restless. One of the show’s former problems was loading heroines with too many problems, and I think the current writers have done a nice job these last few weeks in giving Phyllis … [Read more...]
Soap Shrink at Sea: On Deck with All My Children’s Melissa Claire Egan
By Damon L. Jacobs When I interviewed Melissa Claire Egan (Annie Novak Lavery on All My Children) on SoapNet's "Rock the Soap Cruise," all I kept thinking was, "courage." This young woman has the courage to reach inside herself and expose the deepest parts of her soul every day in front of her audience and in front of her peers. She was … [Read more...]
On the Soap Shrink’s Couch: All My Children’s Annie Lavery
Thinking Fans Comment update: antmuoz doubts AMC will "actually tell a reality-based story with Annie. But if they did, it might be a daytime first in that it doesn't involve cloning or demonic possession" ... while Matthew objects to AMC's "fear-based portrayal of Bedlam with outdated methods and near criminal activity" ... and more. See Comments … [Read more...]
Marlena Says: Take Me Home to Pine Valley
Thinking Fans Comment Update Sept. 16: James recalls shopping and dining in old Pine Valley ... Kel agrees it's too soon to judge the new headwriter ... Brandon opines even bad Pine Valley circa 1997 beats today's incarnation ...and more. See Comments below. ______________________ By Marlena De Lacroix All My Children was always my … [Read more...]