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In keeping with my annual tradition of mirroring the endless year-end lists of topics presented by the media, here are my 10 Most Fascinating Soapers of 2011.
10. Colleen Zenk (ex-Barbara, As the World Turns.) of course, I’m biased here, cuz I adore CZP, but she has taken lemons and made lemonade out of the end of ATWT. She has gone on to do other projects, has continued to promote the genre (Hello, last May’s ABC protests) and received a well-deserved Emmy nod for her final season on World Turns.
9. CRYSTAL CHAPPELL (ex-Carly, Days of Our Lives.) Tho unwisely axed from Days, she continues her web soap and maybe it will rejuvenate the entire genre.
8. ROBIN STRASSER (Dorian, One Life to Live.) For continuing to not be afraid of telling it like it is and promoting scripted dramas, she is one of a kind. Please get that hotline up and running again.
7. SUSAN LUCCI (ex-Erica, All My Children.) Can’t even believe I would put ex in front of the Erica Kane moniker, but Lucci keeps on going with primetime spots, her autobiography, HSN appearances and most of all for her candid comments aimed at Brian Frons and ABC for what it did to its soap lineup. Even when taking aim, Lucci does it with her signature class.
6. BRIAN FRONS – Debated on this one, but you can be fascinating in a negative way, can’t you? This man single-handedly took ABC’s signature soap lineup and dismantled it. I would indeed, be FASCINATED to have a one-on-one chat with him, wouldn’t you?
5.MELODY THOMAS SCOTT (Nikki, The Young and the Restless.) Her departure from the sudser only emphasized how much she is needed on Y&R and her return has been spectacular! With the new Emmy process in place, can a long-overdue award finally be hers for the taking?
4. KIM ZIMMER (Echo, One Life to Live.) She’s on the list for no other reason than she is KIM ZIMMER! Seriously, tho, her autobiography was the best and most comprehensive I have read from a soap star. She fought long and hard for maintaining the integrity of both Reva Shayne Lewis and GL and her book is a must read.
3. FRANK VALENTINI – With kudos to Ron Carlivati, too. FV and RC are bringing OLTL to a close with a bang and tho I’m skeptical anyone can save what is the mess called General Hospital, those two might have a fighting chance.
2. KEN CORDAY (EP, Days of Our Lives.) A controversial figure at best, but what he is doing with the DAYS reboot merits strong applause. Bringing back former faves and integrating them into character-based plots may in the end not work due to the overall decline of the genre and lack of support for soaps in general, but at least he’s giving his show and genre a much-needed boost. DAYS hasn’t looked this good since his mother was at the helm more than 30 years ago.
1. ROGER NEWCOMB – This one was a no brainer to me and with a special shoutout to Broadway Video! Newcomb gets the top spot for his dedication to the genre alone. However, the endless hours he spent going through 31 years of ATWT videos and selecting episodes that best represent not only the Emmy-winning series, but the genre at its finest, has kept the memory of this long-running classic alive and hopefully even presented it to a new generation of followers. Thank you for your hardwork on this project and for all you do to promote this industry.
Reply5. MELODY THOMAS SCOTT (Nikki, The Young and the Restless): Her departure from the sudser only emphasized how much she is needed on Y&R and her return has been spectacular! With the new Emmy process in place, can a long-overdue award finally be hers for the taking?
All those months for which Melody Thomas Scott was gone made The Young and the Restless feel empty. The nonsense of what Victor was doing to Billy, and the stupid murder-mystery claiming Diane as victim (does anyone care about that?), were examples why this was a bloody waste for soap viewers who, in this era, just want something to watch. (After One Life to Live signs off, we’ll be down to just four serials.)
Melody Thomas Scott is one of the daytime dramas’ true greats; since her return, last month, she is the best reason to tune in Y&R.
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