Soap Opera Uncensored: Issue 33
Page 5
shoestring budget. The Emmy winner was ah-mazing as usual but DAYS’s shabby, cartoonish production (or lack thereof) will cost her.
Meanwhile, Debbi Morgan’s AMC reel made her look like a soap opera cliché as a wailing Angie learned her baby had died. Morgan, like many past Emmy winners, cannot pick a winning reel to save her life these days (last year’s was a mess; and she deserved the statue that year). Morgan’s Supporting Actress Emmy Reel for Y&R was much better as her character, Harmony, went to an AA meeting. Morgan could, however, benefit by having two shows voting for her.
Regardless, it doesn’t matter because two of last year’s best actresses, Melody Thomas Scott and Florencia Lozano, were not nominated.
Who Should Win: Debbi Morgan
Who Will Win: Laura Wright
OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
There’s no contest: Anthony Geary is a lock to win his seventh Emmy, which will make him the most honoured actor in daytime TV history with seven Emmys. Geary submitted the same storyline GH submitted for Drama, Writing and Directing (but a different episode where Luke contemplated suicide after an in-denial Luke Spencer ignored a staged intervention with friends and family over his decade-long alcoholism that consequently killed his grandson in a hit-and-run accident.). It's arguably Geary's best work to date — and that's saying a lot.
Who Should Win: Geary
Who Will Win: Geary, make room on that mantle!
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Supporting Actress is always the toughest race to call, which is why this category usually provides the most surprises. However, this year supporting actress is pretty easy to predict: Becky Herbst will finally win her first trophy as tortured heroine Liz Spencer. Like her former on-screen mother-in-law Genie Francis, Herbst hasn’t been lauded as much as her on-screen super-couple partner, Jonathan Jackson, but this year will rectify that as voters were met with a deft, visceral portrayal of a woman trying to understand and accept the fact that her child was killed by her former father-in-law impossible to forget — especially when Liz has to decide to give her dead baby child’s organs to her former lover’s kid. Dead babies are this year’s multiple personality. Not bad for an actress who was fired from her soap last year for not being pretty enough. (She won her job back thanks to the fans and the press’s ear-shattering outcry.)
Because of that, Herbst really has no competition other than her former Port Chuck co-star Genie Francis, who earned her third nomination but first nod for a non-GH role. Although her Genoa City character isn’t necessarily accepted or beloved by fans or many critics, Francis wisely chose one of her best-acted moments from last year when Gen admitted to Jack that her psycho ex-hubby was the only man she’d been with physically. It’s a beautifully restrained, maturely written and acted scene… the kind you rarely see on daytime. This isn’t your mother’s Laura Spencer, that’s for sure! But maybe it’s too quiet to compete with a dead baby. However, let’s not forget that Francis has a lot of friends and fans in the industry due to her soap-hopping (DAYS, AMC, GH, LOVING, etc.). This year, for the first time, the voting pendulum swung back to ABC’s side from CBS (three soaps VS. two soaps), which is why ABC earned the most noms this year, and Francis is the only CBS nominee who will stand the best shot of three networks voting for her.
As for AMC’s Missy Claire Egan and Y&R’s Elizabeth Hendrickson, their reels were too similar and GH’s Nancy Lee Grahn should be shot for handing in a Laura Wright reel!
Who Should Win: Herbst
Who Will Win: Herbst
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Why anyone submits himself in this category with Jonathan Jackson in this race is mind-boggling. Last year’s winner will take this trophy again. No contest. Like his on-screen father, Tony Geary, Jackson is on his way to becoming the most feted daytime actor — and he’s only 30! Jackson will earn his fifth Emmy this year (he’s won three Younger; one Supporting for the same role). Even with three GH actors competing, Jackson is in no danger of splitting the vote. The only nominee who could challenge Jackson’s second consecutive win in this category (and his second consecutive Emmy win overall; he won twice in a row in Younger Actor) is DAYS’s Matthew Ashford, who earned his first nomination in 30 years of being on daytime. Ashford coming to terms with Jack’s post-traumatic disorder after his character was kidnapped and held prisoner in Afghanistan was riveting. Though Ashford used to be on GH, too, so perhaps voters will include him in the imagined split vote! Oh, I kid.
Who Should Win: Jackson
Who Will Win: It’ll be a Jackson 5!
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS
Poor Victoria Rowell: Christel Khalil has been nominated several times in this category (three other times) but has deservedly failed to win. But that will change this year. The Y&R starlet submitted one of the best reels I’ve ever seen in this category — and no one is even close. Khalil will more than likely become the only non-ABC actor to take home a statuette this year. Yep, Daniel Goddard’s firing was the best thing that ever happened to Khalil. As Lily grappled with her insanity (her “dead” husband, Cane, was popping up every where, even making love to her), Khalil was astonishing in an episode with a beginning, middle and end, which provided the actress a variety of emotions to play narratively and viscerally. However, the Academy loves to honour actors who are not very talented in this category — especially actors who have moved on to prime-time TV roles so don’t be shocked if DAYS’s Shelley Hennig (who starred on the recently cancelled THE SECRET CIRCLE) creates an upset. FYI: This will be Khalil’s second last chance to compete in this category and usually the Academy will honour actors, like B&B’s Scott Clifton last year, as they age out.
Who Should Win: Khalil
Who Will Win: Khalil
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR
This category is much harder to predict than younger actress because three actors are neck-and-neck: DAYS’s Chandler Massey is daytime’s best younger actor but GH’s Chad Duell has one hell of a reel where his character, Michael, admits he was raped in jail. And we all know voters love three things: rape, multiple personalities and dead babies. Massey’s DAYS character, Will, grapples with his homosexuality so he could take the prize, which he deserves, but I’m leaning towards Duell, who will have more support from the voting body (and when have you ever seen a younger male on soaps admit he was raped in jail by another man?). The dark horse is Eddie Alderson who, as ONE LIFE’s Matthew, doesn’t have a social issue to prove his mettle but he’s a major contender nonetheless as his character reveals he murdered Eddie Fisher in a series of horrifying flashbacks. However, the Academy has proven year after year it has something against the Aldersons (his sister and co-star Kristen Alderson, one of soaps’ best actresses has never been nominated). This is Eddie’s first nod after years of being snubbed — and that’s a miracle enough. Whomever wins, I will be happy. And that’s the only category I can say that about. But it’s a real “duell!”
Who Should Win: Massey
Who Will Win: Duell
See you next Emmys, award show bitches!
EMMY REEL 411
WHAT DID THE NOMINEES SUBMIT?
On your mark, get set, handicap: We’re just a little under a month before the 39th Annual DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS will be handed out on June 23. But if you’re wondering how the pre-nominees secured final nods and which competitor has the best odds of winning, below is a list of the reels submitted, which was compiled by SOAPCENTRAL.com recently.
OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
AMC
Episodes #10711 and #10712
Air Dates: September 22, 2011, and September 23, 2011
Running Time: 1:12:00
Episode 1 Synopsis: Erica made plans to head to California to work on a movie about her life. JR continued to spiral out of control as he felt he'd lost everything in his life. Adam was stunned when he learned that Stuart was still alive, and the two twins were later tearfully reunited. Cara revealed to Tad that she was pregnant.
Episode 2 Synopsis: Brooke purchased Chandler Mansion for Adam, and Adam promptly scheduled a party to celebrate Stuart's return. At the party, all of Pine Valley gathered to recall years of memories. Jackson angrily walked out on Erica. From a secret passageway behind the walls of the mansion's parlor, JR fired a gun into the crowd.
DAYS
Episodes #11714 and #11720
Air Dates: November 11, 2011, and November 21, 2011
Running Time: 1:13:16
Episode 1 Synopsis: Jennifer talked to Hope about her conflicted feelings for Jack. E.J. and Stefano discussed what John's trial meant to their family. John's loved ones gathered at the pub before his trial, unaware that a gunman was across the street with rifle drawn. The gunman fired several rounds into the pub. When the gunfire ceased, Sami realized that her son, Johnny, was nowhere to be found.
Episode 2 Synopsis: Rafe and Will found Johnny safe and sound at the pub. Sami confronted E.J. and accused him of kidnapping their son, but the rage turned to passion, and they had sex. Will walked in and saw his mother in the throes of passion.
GH
Episodes #12266 and #12294
Air Dates: March 21, 2011 and April 28, 2011
Running Time: 1:14:15
Episode 1 Synopsis: Carly was informed that her daughter, Josslyn, had cancer, and that a kidney transplant was