As 2023 is coming to a close, it’s time to reflect and look back at the year in soaps. While Michael Fairman TV’s annual Best and Worst of the Year won’t be unveiled for a few more days, we would like to hear your thoughts on which of the four major soap operas: DAYS, GH, B&B and Y&R you think gave you the most drama and was your favorite throughout the year.

After pondering some of the storypoints below, scroll to the bottom of the post to cast your vote and take our year-end poll.

The Young and the Restless brought us: the shocking Aunt Jordan and Claire storyline just in time and at the end of the year, the return of Cameron Kirsten at the beginning of the year, the Bicentennial Gala, Phyllis faking her death, Devon and Abby’s sex-filled romp as Amanda and Chance happened upon the scene, Sally losing her baby, Malcolm (Shemar Moore) returning to pay tribute to his late brother Neil, Jack and Diane’s wedding, and more.

Photo: JPI

General Hospital delivered some heart-tugging stories including: the sudden death of Britt Westbourne, Port Charles reeling from the passing of Nurse Epiphany Johnson (the late Sonya Eddy), Victor Cassadine’s plot (harkening back to the Ice Princess story of old) and the Greenland escapades which concluded with Trina leaping into Spencer’s arms, after believing he had perished.  There was the “death” of Nikolas Cassadine, plus the end of Ryan Chamberlain’s reign of terror. Emma Samms returned to the soap as Holly, while Curtis learned that Trina is his biological daughter following his wedding to Portia and its aftermath, plus there was Esme’s machinations and amnesia, Heather Webber’s antics, Sonny and Nina’s wedding, the returns of Tracy Quartermaine and Lois Cerullo, Ned’s amensia and the return of “Eddie Maine”, and more.

Photo: ABC

Days of our Lives brought the camp and nods to its past throughout the year including: the return of Orpheus who ‘killed’ Marlena, Kate and Kayla who were sent to Heaven, which turned out to be hell. Then, the three ladies wound up in cryogenic chamber and being held hostage by Megan Hathaway. Bo was officially resurrected and was brainwashed by Megan. Later, as he was about to reunite with Hope, when he was shot by his son, Shawn and put into a coma.  Shawn began downing booze and developed a drinking problem. Nicole and Eric had a sex romp while high on laced-filled biscuits. She became pregnant. Now, with Nicole married to EJ, and Eric being with Sloan, the baby turned out to be Eric’s but the DNA tests were switched. After a car crash with Dimitri and Leo, Nicole gave birth. The baby was taken supposedly to safety by Dimitri, but the baby wound up in the hands of Sloan and Melinda Trask, and they schemed to pass the baby off as Sloan’s adopted son. Dimitri wound up being sent off to a maximum security prison, leaving Leo to take down Sloan, by blackmailing her for money if she doesn’t return the baby back to Nicole.

Photo: JPI

The Bold and the Beautiful had plot twists and romance drama including: Bill Spencer all of a sudden blackmailing Steffy and Finn over Taylor shooting him years ago, if they testify that Sheila shot them both. It later was revealed Bill was working with Ridge to bring down Sheila, only it backfired and Sheila was set free. Then, there was Brooke and Taylor’s temporary BFF moments, Thomas choosing to live with Steffy, not Thomas or Hope and Liam, Sheila and Deacon falling in love, Hope lusting after Thomas and kissing him in Rome; only for Liam to see the whole thing and then turn around and kiss Steffy.  Brooke and Ridge finally reunited in Rome, too. There was Finn acting a bit creepy where mother Sheila was concerned, and Eric’s failing health and his life-saving surgery.

Photo: JPI

Now below, cast your vote for the Best Soap Opera of 2023,  and then let us know in the comment section which soap you voted for (if you so choose) and why.  There is also an option to vote for none, if you think none of the soaps delivered the best of 2023.

The 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards are fast approaching. All week long, Michael Fairman TV has been asking you to weigh-in on your picks in the main daytime drama acting categories. Now, it’s time to look at this year’s crop of Guest Performers in a Daytime Drama Series.

Five very familiar faces to daytime audiences made the final cut and are going for gold on Friday Night, December 15th, when the long-awaited ceremony finally takes place following the writers and performer strikes.

The golden anniversary Daytime Emmys will be televised live on CBS (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).

Photo: JPI

Now let’s take a look at the Guest Performer nominees.  Two of this year actors have already taken home a few Emmys throughout their career – Steve Burton and Kevin Spirtas. Now, these two and three other beloved favorites are in this category.

The nominees are: Steve Burton for his work as Harris Michaels in the Peacock limited series, Days of our Lives: Beyond Salem, Cassandra Creech (ex-As the World Turns) for her work as Dr. Grace Buckingham on The Bold and the Beautiful, Alley Mills for her turn as Heather Webber on General Hospital, Robert Newman (ex-Guiding Light) for his performances as Ashland Locke on The Young and the Restless, and Kevin Spirtas as Dr. Craig Wesley on Days of our Lives.

Photo: JPI

From Alley’s turn as cray cray Heather, to Kevin’s work as now out of the closet gay man trying to find his footing, to Newman’s turn as the treacherous Ashland, to Steve’s work as the brainwashed Harris, to Cassandra’s performance trying to be there for her daughter but with some troubling back-story, each of these nominees brought different facets to their work.

Photo: JPI

So, let us know below, who you think should take home the Emmy for Guest Performance Daytime Emmy by casting your vote in our poll, and if you so choose, tell us in the comment section who you are rooting for and why.

The 50th annual Daytime Emmy Awards are just two days away! All week long, Michael Fairman TV is asking you to weigh-in on your picks in the main daytime drama acting categories. Now it’s time to look at this year’s crop of Lead Actor Nominees.

Five of daytime’s finest leading men have all been nominated in a very tough category to call, but who will take home the gold on Friday night, December 15th?  As soap fans know, the annual kudofest was originally slated to be held in June. However, due to the writers and performers strike, the ceremony and broadcast were postponed, making it a longer wait for the nominees and the viewers.

Now that all comes to a conclusion when the golden anniversary Daytime Emmys will be televised live on CBS (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) and streaming on Paramount+ (live and on demand for Paramount+ with Showtime subscribers, or on demand for Paramount+ Essential subscribers the day after the special airs).

Photo: JPI

Let’s take a look at this year’s Lead Actor nominees: Maurice Benard (Sonny), General Hospital, Peter Bergman (Jack), The Young and the Restless, Billy Flynn (Chad), Days of our Lives, Thorsten Kaye (Ridge), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Jason Thompson (Billy), The Young and the Restless.

In an interview with Michael Fairman TV, Maurice Benard shared some intel on his nom which features General Hospital’s Sonny struggling with bipolar disorder: “First, I have scenes with Michael (Chad Duell) where Sonny wants to reconcile with him, and we talk about how many people have died. You can tell something’s off with Sonny. Then, he has scenes with Carly, where Sonny wants to get back with her and she didn’t want to, and then he’s very emotional, and he leaves, goes to the nightclub and he’s manic. I love those scenes. He goes home with Nina and she has to deal with someone who’s manic. Those scenes happened earlier in the year, and I think it was kind of forgotten about, but I felt really good about them, plus it was dealing with bipolar disorder. So, I’m very proud of the work and the writing was phenomenal.”

Courtesy/ABC

The Young and the Restless star Peter Bergman, in his record-breaking 24th Daytime Emmy acting nomination, also chatted with Michael Fairman TV on his nominated scenes, revealing: “I submitted scenes that I had with Diane (Susan Walters) in Los Angeles as Jack is finding out her plan. On all these submission tapes, I only put people in who are really good and Susan Walters has proven to be just fantastic. The rest of my tape is with Phyllis (Michelle Stafford), when Jack goes to work to polish some things off, and Phyllis starts getting in his face one too many times and Jack blows up.”

Photo: JPI

During the Michael Fairman Channel’s 9th annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Special Days of our Lives star, Billy Flynn shared his reel featured the heart-breaking scenes at Abigail’s (Marci Miller) graveside, when Chad says a final farewell to his late wife, in order to move on. Jason Thompson spoke on his reel which showcased Billy being the person at the other end of Chelsea’s (Melissa Claire Egan) suicide attempt and what that is like when you are thrust into a frightening moment that one wrong move, or word, could cost someone else their life.

Now below, cast you vote in our Lead Actor poll and then let us know who you think deserves this year’s Daytime Emmy in a category featuring powerhouse performances in the comment section.