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Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott Tug At Heartstrings During Special Episode of Y&R!
Courtesy/CBS
The Young and the Restless, Eric Braeden (Victor) and Melody Thomas Scott (Nikki) turned in masterful performances on Thursday’s episode of the number one soap opera.
Victor was grief-stricken over the supposed loss of his lush of wife Nikki Newman only she wasn’t dead at all. She was recovering in a rehab facility meeting up with a counselor named Angel (Frank Runyeon), and facing her demons and deciding it was better to sober up than to lose her family.
Watch the video below of the performance and then weigh-in on what you thoughts of the performances of two great icons?
I’m sorry, but I have seen Victor cry over Nikki’s grave, and Nikki crying over Victors’ one too many times over the years to be moved by yet another fake death scene. It has been done before and done better.
Also the way the show writes them always fighting, breaking up and reuniting, it stopped being a romance years ago, so I don’t buy how in love they are in. It is not love anymore it has become a dysfunctional relationships that I wish would just end. If they won’t write them living happily ever, then I think they should just keep them apart for good.
I agree 100%! I am so tired of Nikki, Nicholas and Victoria forgiving Victor’s evil acts. (Much like I was sick of Stephanie and Brooke’s forgiveness on B&B). Victor has become so heartless and Nikki has just become pathetic…falling for some heath crisis to forgive the fact that he is evil incarnate. And tired of his Crocodile Tears….he only loves Nikki when she is his obedient servant.
I do agree. People in their 60’s and 70’s don’t divorce and remarry 17 times. As an ongoing genre…soaps NEED to find writers who can write these shows not as they have always been written. There is nothing remotely entertaining about couples who keep doing that. Even Carly and Jack on ATWT were right played out and Victor and Nikki have been at it much longer. Soaps have this misguided notion that there are either happy couples….or unhappy ones. Couples don’t sit around talking about how happy and how in love they are…nor do repeatedly divorce and remarry. What makes relationshis endlessly fascinating is in all of life. Soaps have not even begun to scrape the surface of the minutiae involved with couples. On a completely unrelated note, does anyone else find it awkward and uncomfortable watching any scene with Valerie and NuKiki on GH? Terribly contrived jeuvenile writing combined with…um….severely limited acting skills is a recipe for wtf?? And seriously, NO ONE….even casually been like “So Val. You’re mom was white. You’re not. Let’s talk.”. GH is an unwatchable crapfest at the best of times but these two gals….no offense…..they’re not doing themselves any favours by being on this show. I hope no casting director ever sees their work on GH.
Imagine if your whole family is white and theres a knock on the door and its a black girl who claims to be part of your family. Not ONE member of your white family is going to say, oh by the way, your very pretty but I cannot help but notice, how did you get that wonderful tan! STUPID AND LAZY! SHES BLACK, THE SPENCERS ARE WHITE, WHY?
So agree with you Mary this was just an Emmy ploy by JFP I guess they really think long time viewers have forgotten how many times Victor has wished her dead.
Aden and Timm, it is odd. I can only surmise that we’ve become so politically correct that we attempt to fight racism in all the wrong places–as if we have to take being color blind to the point of being in denial.
I’m relatively new to the Y&R since the demise of OLTL and AMC. So I haven’t experienced all of the marriages and divorces of Nikki and Victor. But just in my short time I have not been able to figure out why Nikki stays with him, and why Victoria enables him even though she knows down deep that he is possibly pulling another scheme. And Nick…well I’ve just become disillusioned with him over the last couple of years. What he and Victor do have in common is they never look in the mirror and take any responsibility for the, not ripple, but large wave affects to others their actions produce. And I know Nikki has to take responsibility for her sobriety, but Victor just doesn’t acknowledge his role in it.
PLEASE let Sharon be back with Adam 🙂
PLEASE GET RID OF CHELSEA AND SAGE!
I’m sorry.. but we here had a good laugh..
That was above sapy campy..
here,, my g/f hubby was mincing Victor and she was Nikki and they were hilarious minicing the over the top campy,,
The biggest laugh we had was the angel guy..
Jason asked= ”who is that guy”.. we said an Angel he said looks like Jesus Christ is he the angel Jesus..
well, it was sappy fun, for sure..
And kudos to all for their intervention performances..
Melondy was great !! the best I’ve seen her in years..
BRAVO Melody !
OMGoodness…I am in agreement with you and your g/f’s on this.
Is that what was said? That the Angel looks like Jesus?
Frankly, this guy is a poor representation of what an angel would look like. He looks like the missing link to me.
hi 🙂
the whole intervention was campy satire..
we had fun with it..
when Jason said ”is that the what? the angel Jesus, we cracked up..
had to be there..
Sops are not meant to be serious and are always campy fun, especially when shared with friends..
I’m also a Rocky Horror Show fan .. 🙂
suoo, I hate to quibble with you but the Nikki intervention scenes were NOT good examples of campy satire. That does not fit the definition of camp or satire. They were meant to be taken seriously and perhaps in it’s own blundering way, it became funny.
Also incorrect–soaps are indeed very often meant to be serious dealing with serious real life issues such as bipolar disease, cancer, marital struggles and cancer. The soap opera genre does provide escapism but since its inception on radio, it has delved into serious every day issues.
That said, Nikki falling off the wagon and the family staging an intervention is boringly redundant. I perhaps could have tolerated it had the entire show revolved around this one story and this one character. In short, it seemed to be dedicated to the actress engaging in some serious naval gazing. To me, that is not entertainment–it’s not even campy fun.
Harry, I took the scene as serious also. Campy never entered my mind…
I was just a bit confused. What was that? ….an out-of-body-experience for Nikki? Did she die and was revived? Or, was she in a drunken stupor?
Obviously, the purpose of this scene was meant to awaken her out of her self-destructive slumber and embrace life by starting anew. Well, I sure hope so, Harry….I definitely do not want to go on any more drunken trips with her…..especially not in hotel rooms with strange men doing the cuchi-cuchi.
Furthermore, I hope this will open everyone else’s eyes, as well. But, it’s a soap, there are demons in every corner, ready to pounce.
Cee Cee, well said (as par for the course with you) and thank you for the validation.
Su00? I give up–you win. I honestly do not know what I was thinking.
I am tired. I played tennis with an opponent today who kept hitting the ball way out of bounds and of course, I could not return her shot. Because I could not return her shots, she assumed she had beaten me and I just let her think so.
I didn’t like this drunk story at all. Another mess from Chuck Pratt . Sorry not sorry but he needs to be let go
Dear Harry..
the way soaps deal with bipolar, cancer, tumor, whatever stuff is a fictional story and not a real representation of any illness written by non-medical peoples, they are exaggerated and written for soapy drama and over acted..
Soaps are not medical journals they are entertainment..
The stories can make you cry and at times ridiculous, but not factual.
Nikis intervention was sapy campy, it had campy humor with the over acting and nothing like an actual intervention, as seen on the tv show ”Intervention” .. heh!
anyways we had fun with it.. 🙂 the intervention was a mess, actually lol
Wow!!! A whole lotta people need to dust off shelves and make room for Emmys!!! Pratt can do all his high velocity plot maneuvers, but as long as he can do deeply affecting heart tugging , character driven brilliance like this episode…I’m on board. This had shades of Santa Barbara all over it and I say Bravo to all involved.
com’on ..
I hear that every time an actor does their job and gives a good performance..
So far this year there are the least, via the fans, 18 emmy worthy scenes LOL
the acting was good, that is what is expected of the actors, but emmy?? naww..
((example; they gave an emmy to Hunter for her crying))
Melody was at her best, for sure..
100 percent agree.
Really? I thought Melody overacted and was mugging it big time up for the camera. I am surprised the set is still standing after all Veteran Actress Chews up Scenery Part 12 came to town.
Aden, I really resent it when it feels like an entire show is dedicated to making sure an actor gets the brass ring–the Emmy nomination.
I think Nikki is a fantastic actress but I’m tired of her putting up with that Victor. He is an evil man and in real life off set I would bet he’s a bully. No matter what he does he’s always above the law and I’m so sick of Nick forgiving his father all the time. As for the funeral I think we saw all of it before but the guy that played angel was great. He looks so familiar great acting. My favorite lately is Jack Abbott, my gosh can that guy act!! He should put in for an award next year.
While I enjoyed the episode for the most part (it was nice to see Frank Runyeon back on Daytime, but what was up with that Chia Pet-like goatee?), the only hollow spot in the whole thing was the fake Jack (“Yack”) giving Nikki phony and hollow words of encouragement. This would have been better if “Yack” was not there.
Why was a fellow alcoholic being the mediator?
I completely agree. I can’t buy that Jack#2 could have had the exact level of empathy for Nikki as Jack #1 would have had – so much so that the only person who seemed surprised was Victor (of course).
great episode. this will be emmy worthy
GOOD ACTING BY ALL……HOWEVER, HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SEEN THIS SAME OLD…SAME OLD…..STORY LINE……TIME TO WATCH GENERAL HOSPITAL,,
Magnificent, and totally Exquisite acting by Mr. Braeden! He gave one of the Greatest performances of his long and respected career in yesterdays episode!! Since I have been a fan of Mr. Braeden’s for over 50 years, I have seen him give countless, Award Winning performances, Movies, T.V. shows; comedies, mysteries, westerns, so I know that he has a huge range as an actor. He can display in his portrayals, many complicated emotions, and so effortlessly. He is clearly ‘an Actor’s Actor’! And yesterday he validated that fact! Why Mr. Braeden never became a Major Motion Picture Star long ago, is a complete mystery to me. However he Is a ‘Star’ to millions of devoted fans all over the world who have followed his Amazing career for so many years as I have. He is a true Icon! In my opinion, Mr. Braeden is every bit the actor that my other two favorite actors were; the Great Marlon Brando and the Exceptional Jack Lemmon! All three, Sensational actors All!
I love Eric, as well. He IS daytime. Him and Anthony Geary.
Sorry, it didnt tug at my heart strings. The who show tugged at my remote control! It was an awful show! First of all they should have had John Abbott as the “Gate Keeper” in heaven. Secondly, they have a ton of audio they could have used on dialogue Nicki and Kay have shared over the years. Why not have a figure off into the clouds being Katherine and having her talk to Nicki? Last thing, having Yak there was senseless. How the hell does this guy have so much background info on Nicki? VERY weak! However, he did give her some good advice. Melody, good job, Y&R,bad writing!
Although Nikki didn’t really die and never was in heaven, it does seem odd that her vision didn’t include Katherine, not even a mentioned. I like your idea of them using audio from the many lecture Katherine gave Nikki about drinking. But if that would be too bothersome to deal with royalties to her estate to use JC voice, they could have at least mentioned Katherine during the intervention.
As for Yack being there, well, only we and Victor know he is a fake. The real Jack would have been there. Nikki is his ex wife and they share the addiction so I think it would have been odd if Jack wasn’t there. One can assume when Victor hired him, Yack was given history on all the people in Jack’s life including his ex wives. Plus we now know Yack was speaking from his own experiences, having a girl friend who addicted to drugs.
Timm, I could not agree with you more.
yes,, it was a bit campy, wasn’t it 😉 lol
Ha! Yes, campy. Everyone was wearing Timberland boots, lying in sleeping bags while roasting marshmallows roasted on the camp fire.
Great points Timmm! John Abbott would have been great, and scenes with Kay would have made a lot of sense – but given that the history of the show and the authenticity of the characters seems lost on these writers, a great opportunity was lost.
I always say, it would be difficult to write so much dialogue everyday BUT why do us fans always seem to have better ideas?
I thought it was very well done. I cried it was so touching.
These days, unfortunately, I find my focus is on knowing these actors on YR have to spend hours learning their scripts and then add their own acting skills, plus follow the director for that show & do the job. It’s not really about getting lost in the story lines anymore as many are either boring or just so fictitious even an author of a novel would have trouble getting the plots past an editor for a publishing company.
This episode by Melody and Eric was such a great example of why as their characters they have lasted on the show for all these years. Whether Eric’s tears were real (or induced with drops administered, which can be done for a tearful scene) or not, it had be blinking back my own. The acting and script delivery was impeccable and memorable for me.
It was great to see their ‘work’ on screen given the hour to expand the emotions they bring to the scenes. Rather than the familiar few minutes every now and then throughout the hours of the show.
The cast on YR do their jobs. That is what they are hired to do. To bring a character to life, add the very subtle nuances of each scene as many do, takes great skill and dedication to character development.
Melody’s very indignant walk when outraged, Victor winding up for a loud, “You got that?” are two examples. The ritual of seeing familiar characteristics in the different cast are part of what i watch now. So, even though plot, story lines are the result of new direction with JFP and Pratt, I can still enjoy the actors, their skill and admire them for pulling off every challenge thrown their way.
Melody Thomas Scott is hands down the best drunk on TV. Her balancing act of sobriety has been excellently played. While this is soap opera and stories hit the fine line of ridiculous reality, I have to say that I love how the character of Nikki doesn’t just miraculously get healed of her addictions. How many times do we hear in the news of some actor or actress have fallen off the wagon for the upteenth time? I give kudos to the writing team for making Nikki have those sad, pathetic moments because that is true to her addiction. She is still a strong lady and a fighter but this addiction is stronger and she knows it. Victor is always the villain and never strays from it. True to his character. I hear many people say they are tired of it but no one would like seeing Victor sitting around the table playing Canasta and tweeting to his friends at the office. Victor Newman is VICTOR NEWMAN. No conscience or rules, just a heart that beats to slay ANYONE who attacks his family in any way. He isn’t right. It isn’t rational but it’s who Victor is. The only thing that annoys me the most is that they keep making Nicholas Newman so judgmental of everyone, family and friends alike but he can’t keep his pants on for any reason whatsoever! I mean my god, every woman that comes to town he is going to poke. Phyllis, Sharon, Grace, Avery, Sage and god knows who else….and he comes down on Sharon? And this I am not having any relationship until Faith accepts it. So basically he is teaching his daughter to sleep around with any one and every one as long as you don’t make your kids upset. Faith is going to be a huge slut if he keeps that up. I mean Summer is getting there herself. I love Victoria because even though she comes off as bitchy she still is human. She has heartbreaks, she loves her children and she is confused at the way her life works. She is hopelessly in love with Billy but can’t accept it. For all those that are slamming these characters I have to say they seem pretty realistic to some people I know in real life. I think both Eric Braeden and Melody Thomas Scott deserve kudos for keeping their characters true to their natures. I really don’t want to see Nikki stop her drinking. I love her as a drunk. But I know we have to have her take that delicate walk back to sobriety. I am just glad we got such a good ride with Nikki this time around. She is amazing. Let’s all lift a glass to Nikki’s alcoholism. Cheers. (Yes I know I am awful)
I agree – Nikki is fun to watch, particularly because she’s not all buttoned up when she is drunk and she says what she thinks. I also think they did a good job last week of showing the “angry drunk” side of her – and she played it brilliantly. It seems that in the past she was also repentant when drinking, but last week she was really harsh with everyone.
As for Faith, I simply cannot wait to see what she will be like when they inevitably fast forward age her. Certainly manipulative and definitely addicted to sugar. Seriously – can they stop feeding her cookies to get her out of the room??
Pretty decent episode….Melody Thomas Scott is wonderful.
I would like to see follow up in rehab to make this believable.
Could we puleez split Nikki and Victor up tho – he’s really got to start paying for his misdeeds…enough is enough already !!
lisa, hi
Ohhh noooo!
I have no desire to watch Niki go through rehab, how awfully boring.
Niki will always be with Victor.. if she is not with Victor the Niki’s character has no purpose and Melody could be looking for work..
Her and Victor are older and they are what they are and always will be, there is nothing nor anybody else for them to be with ..
it will be Victor and Niki to the end..
I am soooooo sick of drunk Nikki! She is not convincing at all and is definitely embarrassing to watch.
How many more times do we have to watch this former stripper who lives in the lap of luxury with a man she claims drives her to drink but she won’t leave him?
I almost gagged when she told “Walt” she used to be a stripper. My first thought was, oh please don’t give him a demonstration. She looked like a tired old housefrau in that awful dress. The wardrobe lady should fired.
I usually really enjoy nikki, except when she’s drunk or she purses her lips as she’s looking down on someone.
well,
If Niki didn’t drink that made made alcohol junk and go earth natural and smoke weed, she would be much better off..
Victor needs some good weed, for sure..
Victor, stoned? Now, seeing the Mustache all glassy eyes and smiling while screaming,”I have what is called the munchies!!! Give me a frankfurter with lots of German mustard and sauerkraut!! Then he would burst into peels of hysterical laughter.
Now that is a scene I’d like to see.
I would love to see Victor stoned! heck, I would pay to see that..
someone needs to get stoned, people do smoke weed, ya know.. lol
No, SUoo, I did not know anyone smoked pot. I am shocked, shocked, I tell ya!
Now imagine you’re working the late shift at the In N Out in Genoa City.
You speak through the intercom and hear a German voice sputter out,” GIVE me a DOUBLE DOUBLE ON THE DOUBLE OR I WILL RUIN YOU!!!”
Then you hear a woman giggle hysterically and she horse whispers,”OH Victor, you should get stoned more often–you are hilarious when high!”
“SHUT UP WOMAN! I haven’t ordered my fries and chocolate shake yet!- You disgust me!” The woman’s voice answers,”OH I love this type of foreplay. Mr Mustache.”
i guess im in the minority but i ff d it and then just erased it. i lost intrest when plastered nikki crawled into bed wth some loser from the club. its been done before and much better when nikki hooked up with deacon in that sleezy motel and victor came charging in!
the only part of this story that excites me is that victoria newman is getting a back bone again! i loved when vic told niiki she didnt need lipstick, she needed a drink! i howled, amelia s killing it!
unfortunatly characters continue to act out of character, neils doin vics dirty work for no real reason, nikki s hoing around in the gcac where everyone can see, victor doesnt care that his daughters are sharing stitch, when normally victor wld ve sent stitch out of town! oh gawd, its sooo bad, i swear first year writing class students who ve never watched an ep of y n r could do better!
pratt n cbs and sony heads for letting this continue are complete ass wipes!
im just waiting for the headline “pratt and jfp canned for shitting all over y n r”
JFP and Pratt are both doing what they are hired to do..
Y&R has gained in the numbers since Pratt aboard..
They have near 60 year experience between them, they are going nowhere..
Soap writers/producers are not easy to come by they are now becoming a lost art ..
Soap writers & producers are on the endangerment list as a rare species.
I am in agreement with you, Damien. Melody is married to a CBS executive so she has a lot of pull. I think that is why they dedicated an ENTIRE show to Nikk’s intervention.
Had they interjected it with other stories it might have been tolerable. I made the first 15 minutes and then deleted it from my DVR.
im not worried suoooo about pratts and jfp s tenure… they are not a match for the quality type of show real y n r fans know the soap deserves. its only a matter of time before pratt hangs himself with his plot driven storytelling. he lacks simple character driven storytelling. averys exit which was initially involving rape is why the ratings spike. he s all stunt storytelling.it gets old quick. the february disaster has had no real consquences for the overall show, nicks silly club was rebuilt the same and speaking of nick the fact that he wld let his hlf bro shack up with his ex and not blast sharon or dyaln shows how badly pratt knows simple characters motives etc. we ‘re losing a strong beautiful character and actress in avery to make room for sage who has no real characterization and is showing no guilt in possibly hiding the real paternity of her unborn child. shows a mess and pratt needs to attend a writing course.
jfp just needs to be shown the door, she s shadier than victor newman , who btw has been completely destroyed as having even the slighest morality.
in a couple of years we ll have a new team, hopefully one with a clue
suooo, dont bother justifying or defending pratts and jfp s involvement with the show. its pathetic and sickening. they dont care about the show so i don t know why u d care about them.
damien..
there are many as myself who like ”plot driven stories”
that is a fact damien.. Plots are a good thing.
Plots first, that is what makes the stories is plots, the couples should always be secondary because they are boring..
and as ”pathetic and sickening” you see Y&R as being you tune in to watch it..
( there is something wrong with doing that- it is not logical)
I think Y&r should kill off Victor by Nicky like when Gewn Alden from Loving went nuts and killed her family… Maybe Victor, Sharon, Victoria and Neil could be her victims! That would shake things up! Then Y&r could focus on the Abotts and Jabot, making it more comptatible with B&B..fashion and costmetics blend well ;p
You need an intervention!
When is someone gonna put #YR’s Neil in a time-out so he can give his ivory tower a rest?! I have NEVER been a fan of the Winters clan, always posturing and parading around Genoa City like they are morally-superior to everyone else, while each member is like nails on a chalkboard: insufferable princess daughter Lily, whose sense of entitlement has always been off the charts; son-in-law Cane, whose permanent smirk and constant mauling of wife Lily are yawn-inducing; sudden-billionaire son Devon, who’s needed to grow-a-pair since he was adopted into this clan…and finally patriarch Neil, the perpetual Charlie Brown who always seems to draw the losing straw in life, yet keeps getting back-up to pontificate and grandstand for another day!! (Just last month, HE fell-off the wagon hard, and now look at him: leading an intervention and bullying Nikki like HE has all the answers?! Hypocrite!!) Nikki had the line of the episode: “He’s been sober for what, ten minutes?, and he’s gonna tell ME HOW TO LIVE?!” Why can’t Pratt do something about altering the traits of THESE characters instead of re-writing those we actually can tolerate?!
I cannot stand Devon and Cane should run fast as he can away from Lilly just not into Lauren’s arms!
Geoffrey-Martin Cyr, hi
You said that brilliantly !
The Winters family have been FF for a very long time, a horrible hoard of yuck ..
Neil and Devon the worst !
I did not like the episode. Would have been better if we had seen just the intervention and not the ‘Heaven’ part.
Rumor has it Nickii will really fall off the rails this summer and I predict she end up in Ian Ward’s arms!
Days Of Our Lives
‘Brilliant Minds’ Officially Canceled After 2 Seasons at NBC; DAYS Alum Al Calderon, OLTL Alum Teddy Sears and Zachary Quinto Among the Cast
After languishing on the bubble for months, on Friday, NBC handed down the decision and canceled the medical drama Brilliant Minds after two seasons.
Brilliant Minds stars Zachary Quinto as neurology physician Oliver Wolf, who’s character and the series is inspired by the life and books of neurologist. Oliver Sacks. The series focuses on the medical mysteries of the mind, as Wolf a larger-than-life neurologist and his team of interns explore the last great frontier, the human mind, while grappling with their own relationships and mental health.
The final six episodes of what will now be the end of its second and final season were already set to air beginning on May 27, after being pulled off the network schedule in February as viewership saw a steep decline. Brilliant Minds second season became the lowest-rated drama on linear TV viewing, which didn’t bode well fo a network renewal, although it had its hard core fan base.
Photo: NBC
There are some exceptional notables in the cast along with the talented Quinto that includes Days of Our Lives alum, Al Calderon (ex-Javi Hernandez) who joined the series in its second season as Nurse Nico Silva, and One Life to Live alum, Teddy Sears (ex-Chad Bennett) who plays Wolf’s love interest and fellow physician, Dr. Josh Nichols.
The rest of the talented cast includes: Tamberla Perry, Ashleigh LaThrop, Alex MacNicoll, Aury Krebs, Spence Moore II, Donna Murphy, John Clarence Stewart, and Brian Altemus.
In an ironic twist of fate on Thursday, April 30, Days of Our Lives finally revealed the actor who was Al Calderon’s successor in the role of Javi, when they announced that actor Jacob Martinez had now stepped into the role. Since DAYS tapes ten months ahead of streaming new episode, Calderon left in the spring of 2025, but will be seen in the part for the final part this month, and then on June 20, Martinez debuts as Salem’s new Javi.
Taking to his Instagram with a sorrowful and heartfelt post on the Brilliant Minds cancellation was Teddy Sears who wrote, “Thank you, Brilliant Minds. I got the call today and I didn’t want to hear, but I knew that it would come, You have to be a particular vintage to quote Don Henley from memory, but that’s the line that came to mind earlier today after I got off the phone with our inimitable showrunner Michael Grassi who delivered the news that NBC has cancelled the series”.
Photo: NBC
Sears continued, “To say that I feel sad to be moving on from these stories, this character, and this cast and crew just doesn’t paint the entire picture. I’m sad, sure. But I’m also deeply grateful that I got hired to play this part, so proud of the stories we told, and the other actors I got to play alongside. I’m excited to see what comes next, what adventures await, and terrified to be without a professional home. A quick and heartfelt thank you to everyone, all over the globe, who found us and found themselves in us, in our characters and in our stories. We wouldn’t have been able to tell them without you. And we still have 6 fresh episodes yet to air, and I do hope you tune in enjoy the remainder of the series. They’re the best we’ve done.”
As he wrapped up his sentiments, Sears signed off with, “The more I know, the less I understand. All the things I figured out I have to learn again. I’ve been trying to get down to the heart of the matter. But everything changes…Thank you, Brilliant Minds.”
The medical drama was created and executive produced by Michael Grassi alongside Greg Berlanti, Sarah Schechter, Leigh London Redman, Lee Toland Krieger, DeMane Davis, Jasmine Russ, Henrik Bastin, Jonathan Cavendish, Andy Serkis and Shefali Malhoutra.
So, what do you think of NBC’s decision to cancel Brilliant Minds after two seasons? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.
General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Jonathan Bennett Receives 3 ‘Critics Choice Real TV Awards’ Nominations for Hallmark Series, ‘Finding Mr. Christmas’
Many things are coming up roses for Jonathan Bennett! On the heels of the news that he is set to debut this month in the role of Joe Fitzpatrick on General Hospital, who is rumored to be a new love interest for Lucas Jones (Van Hansis), comes the news that Bennett’s reality series, Finding Mr. Christmas has received 3 nomination for the Critics Choice Real TV Awards.
Bennett’s Hallmark Channel series finds itself in tough competition alongside fellow nominees: RuPaul’s Drag Race (MTV), Squid Game: The Challenge (Netflix), Survivor 50 (CBS), Top Chef (Bravo) and The Traitors (Peacock). In addition, Jonathan himself is nominated for Best Show Host and the series participants as the Best Ensemble Cast in an Unscripted Series.
The Critics Choice Association (CCA) revealed the nominees for the eighth annual Critics Choice Real TV Awards on Thursday, which recognize excellence in nonfiction, unscripted and reality programming across broadcast, cable and streaming platforms. Winners will be announced online at CriticsChoice.com on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 9:00am PT/12:00pm ET.
Photo: Hallmark
Taking to his Instagram to celebrate the nominations, GH’s Bennett, enthused, “3 Critic Choice Nominations! I’m so proud of the FINDING MR CHRISTMAS and to be in the company of all the legends in all these categories is so surreal! Congrats to Hallmark Channel and to our nominated cast and nominated show and everyone who made this magical show possible. This is crazy! This gives FMC 6 Critics Choice nominations in 2 years. Not bad for a little show on Hallmark Channel. What are your thoughts on our show?” Jumping first into the comment thread was one of his new GH co-stars, Dominic Zamprogna (Dante) who expressed, “Yeah buddy!!!🔥🔥”
In the series, Bennett, the host and co-creator spends eight weeks guiding 10 aspiring actors through a series of “festive face-offs” and acting challenges alongside actors like soap opera notables, Hunter King (ex-Summer, Y&R) and Alison Sweeney (Sami, DAYS). Along the way, they develop their skills and a bond with one another. The show, which is available on Hallmark Channel and Hallmark Plus, highlights LGBTQ+ representation with openly gay contestants vying to be the next Hallmark star.
It should be noted that Traitors received the most Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations with 6 nods, followed by Dancing with the Stars with 4.
Bennett is very familiar to daytime fans having started his career as JR Chandler on All My Children in 2000-2001, before landing the part of Aaron Samuels in the motion picture, Mean Girls in 2004 starring Lindsay Lohan, which would become his breakout performance.
You can check out the full list of Critics Choice Real TV Award nominations here.
So, excited for Jonathan Bennett’s General Hospital debut this month? Have you ever watched Finding Mr. Christmas on Hallmark? Let us know via the comment section below.
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General Hospital
‘General Hospital’s’ Kelly Thiebaud on Britt and Cassius Sibling Drama, But Who Will Ultimately Blow His Cover?
On the April 30 episode of General Hospital, Britt (Kelly Thiebaud) had some choice words and warning for her brother Cassius Faison (Ryan Paevey) who has been masquerading as his twin, the very dead, Nathan West.
As the story has unfolded, viewers learned that Britt knew all along that when “Nathan” showed up in Port Charles seemingly resurrected with a missing 7 years of his life unexplained, that Cassius was taking his place.
Now in developments on today’s GH, Josslyn Jacks (Eden McCoy) is figuring out that this guy pretending to be Nathan is someone else, and Cassius learns from Britt, that Joss is not just a ditzy sorority girl as he claimed, but a WSB agent! The moment stuns Cassius. Are the walls about to close in on him and his charade?
Courtesy/ABC
Daytime Emmy winner, Kelly Thiebaud spoke to Soap Opera Digest, about the story point and getting the opportunity this time back at GH to work with Ryan Paevey, when she hadn’t had the chance to before.
BROTHERLY LOVE?
Thiebaud expressed on sharing scenes with Ryan Paevey, “It’s just been so wonderful to have him back and to actually work with him! When he first came onto the show (as Nathan at the end of 2013) I was kind of heading out — it was right towards the end of my contract, so we didn’t actually work together a ton. It’s been really refreshing and so much fun to really spend time together and get to know each other and work together. I think we have really great on-camera chemistry and banter with each other. I really enjoy working with him.”
With the stakes at an all-time, Thiebaud explained how she views her on-screen alter-ego’s involvement with her more hot-to-temper sibling and why Britt revealed the truth about Josslyn to him. “People finding out about Cassius would expose what she’s involved in and what she agreed to do,” explains Kelly “And now Josslyn is digging around, and she’s connected to Carly (Laura Wright) to Jason (Steve Burton) and that whole dynamic! It’s messy!”
BRITT’S MURKY FUTURE
Britt has currently also reached her breaking point with Jason being carted away by the WSB, Rocco (Finn Carr), the child she gave birth to, shooting Cullum (Andrew Hawkes) to protect her and Jason, Marco (Adrian Anchondo) being killed after trying to help her, and Cullum holding over her head getting her Huntington’s disease medication to control her symptoms, while blackmailing her into finishing the research on her father, Cesar Faison’s, final project. Thiebaud summed it up best for Britt right now, sharing, “It’s been a really tough time for her.”
So, who do you think will be the person to blow Cassius’ cover? Will it be Britt herself? Josslyn? Liesl? Brennan? Nina? Lulu? Rocco, Maxie, Cullum or someone else? Let us know your pick in the comment section.
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