News
The Young and the Restless Draws Biggest Weekly Audience Since February!
Looks like as much as viewers protested how much they would tune-out the death of little Delia storyline via a hit and run, they actually tuned-in and in droves! According to CBS, the top rated soap opera drew its largest audience for the week ending October 20th since earlier this year!
According to Nielsen, The Young and the Restless delivered its largest weekly audience since last February 10th with 4.76 million viewers. In addition, Y&R was number one in women 25-54 and 18-49 key demos!
The rest of CBS’s daytime lineup also had very strong week-to-week growth including: The Bold and the Beautiful which was up +8% in viewers (3.65m from 3.38m), +15% in women 25-54 (1.5/09 from 1.3/08), +38% in women 18-49 (1.1/07 from 0.8/06) and +40% in women 18-34 (0.7/04 from 0.5/03). And the afternoon chat fest series, The Talk was up +3% in viewers (2.67m from 2.58m), +17% in women 18-49 (0.7/04 from 0.6/04) and +33% in women 18-34 (0.4/3 from 0.3/02) week-to-week.
So what do you think about Y&R’s rating increase during the controversial storyline? Weigh-in!
Go Y&R………………..
Won’t last this show is getting progressively worse!:). I’m not watching it again until this regime is gone!
I think the acting has been superb.
haaa
Y&Y brought in people who like to be depressed and sad..
Guess some people are masochist and like to feel the pain even if pain of others.
ohh well some people like psychological mental pain, self punishment..
I prefer to have my day happy and enjoy entertaining soaps as GH and not wallow in the pain of Y&R….
I never stopped watching. The acting has been incredible, and more than makes up for a depressing, but true to life story line. I know the pain, but have always found opportunities to share it with others suffering in the same way, helps make it more bearable. I realize many watch soaps for a release from the pressures of everyday life, and to enjoy watcing a good romp in the hay, once in a while, but a story like this does have its merits and place, just as other pertinent issues do.
For anyone who has “tuned out” I respect that, but you missed some stellar performances.
“…know the pain, but have always found opportunities to share it with others suffering in the same way, helps make it more bearable.”
I hear that…. it’s fascinating to know how our minds work, trigger, relate…. and so on and so on.
If I had the time… I would squeeze in Y&R…. I do record fridays epi.
remember back in the day… when there were upwards of 10 – 12 soaps. each network had 3-4 shows each.. guesstimate
LOL… that’s ALL I watched…. I swear… I would record 5 soaps a day.
soaps abound – I love GH and DOOL
Bingo! Tremendous and incredible acting. I just don’t understand the hate from others!
WELL SAID.
Speaking of stellar performances— wait until you see Monday’s show (Friday’s show in Canada) and the scenes between Billy and Ashley-won’t give anything away, but if you are a fan of the Abbott family– there is a special treat coming on Monday— a door will be unlocked
Rating for week ending 9/27 were 4.73M; so an increase of 20K – 30k over a loss of 228k last week? I guess its about rebounding off of bad press about last week.
Will get excited when #s stabilize and key demos show significant increases.
Write something that gets people talking and others tune in to see what the fuss is about…it sometimes dont work but other times it does and this is one of those times it worked, so those who hated the storyline of Dehlia’s death you actually helped increase the ratings by so much talk about it but will it last…if i like a soap or not…and if i watch or not…im just glad there is enough people out there to keep all 4 remaing soaps on the air!!!
Oh, was referencing difference of 20k to 30k over Feb high. Sorry for confusion.
ps. at 2/3/12 (and prior week of 1/27/12) Y&R had 4.96M. 2112 highs have yet to be topped. Maybe by year’s end……
Of course this got ratings that is why they wrote it. For every person who might have not watched, there were probably two or more that did just to see what all the fuss was about. And to be honest and as much as I hate to say it– it was the most exciting thing to have happened on the show for a while. It was depressing, but it was never boring, which is more than I can say for some other stories on the show right now. So it was a calculated risk on their part– short term gain, but whether this will pay off in the long term, whether they will keep the lookie lous, who showed up just for this one development has yet to be seen.
Y&R will always be my first soap love. I haven’t enjoyed it much since the Alden/Smith era; and I do hope that the decision makers will make the needed corrections with its show runner and creative staff before the ratings start to become affected. When you compare Y&R’s numbers to other shows on daytime, it is quite the numbers juggernaut, whether it’s good or not, which many of us will say it is not. I would like to see the show returned to its former glory that matches its numbers.
Bravo to the actors in this horrible storyline. However today was the first day in over a week that I didn’t need tissues.
I gave up on Y&R a few months ago. The stories were too depressing and boring. IF ratings are up, I have no doubts they’ll be in the gutters again soon. Fans may only be briefly tuning back in, simply out of curiosity’s sake. Not sure how it happened, but my TV ended up on CBS this past week, as Y&R came on. I saw the story about Deliah and quickly tuned out. I just turned off my TV, completely. IF the DVR was still going, who knows? If that goes towards ratings… it’s a mystery to me. I don’t believe many of the ratings I read anyways. I think their inflated for advertisers. Ratings don’t prove anything…
I love Y&R and will not stop watching because I don’t agree with the writers and story lines. I have to say that his story line has by far the BEST episodes I have ever seen in daytime Soaps. If you turned it off you missed amazing acting.. It is sad that people can’t deal with real life situations. Yes people die, children die. It is a part of life. Some people don’t know about death of a loved one and when that time comes and it will to all of us, they don’t know how to handle it. Kudos to Y&R and this story! Emmys all around!
I tuned out cause the show is boring, I say all more if its entertaining but the show has lost it! Music sucks
New actors suck
No good villain suck
People who are hung up on the Delia thing are pathetic she’s only been on the show a handful of times.
The internet soap opera community who whine and complain about Y&R, JFF, and especially this death of Delia storyline are nothing but a fraction of the 4 million+ people who watch this show daily. Yes the story is dark and depressing but the performance of the actors has been Emmy worthy and the fact that it’s drawing a record number of viewers means the show’s writers and producers must be doing something right.
This show’s been number one for years so I wouldn’t say it’s because the current team is doing outstanding work; I think people just watch out of habit and with so few soap options to change over, they stay on hoping things will improve.
Wait a minute–it doesn’t say anything about records; it says the show had its best ratings since February. That’s an accomplishment and something the show can be proud of, but it’s more like regaining lost ground than anything else–and the key question is, is this part of an upward cycle, or did the controversial storyline goose the ratings temporarily and do longer-term damage?
THE ACTORS HAVE BEEN AMAZING IN THIS S/L .ESPECIALLY MICHAEL MUHNEY ,BTW I ‘M SICK OF THE MOB S/L.ON GH.
I JUST DON’T FEEL ANYTHING FOR THE MOB AND ROBINS RETURN JUST DIDN’T TOUCH MY HEART WHILE Y& R S/L WITH ALL THE CHARACTORS HAVE,
that’s why i don’t pay any attention when i see a mass postings all over the internet from fans saying they are going to stop watching any soap because of a particular s/l….i watch all 4 soaps on the air & get very upset at times when they have horrible story lines but i don’t stop watching……………
with an increase of viewers such as this people were watching and it wasn’t all new viewers either!
How is that even possible?!?!
Every “Young and the Restless” message board over the past two weeks has been filled with angry women screaming killing Delia was the worst thing to happen to this show … well since Steve Burton came aboard with Jill Farren Phelps.
Could it be the Nielsen households get off on kids dying on soaps? Weird and not in step with the majority of viewers.
I dont think anyone gets off on seeing a kid die even in fiction. It’s about the story becoming shocking and interesting. This story puts Adam in a new light and it makes us wonder just how he’s going to get out of this if he is the culprit.
And I like watching tragic stories because it’s a catharsis. It gives you a chance to experience the emotion of the characters in a safe setting because its all fiction. And some of the best acting I have ever seen on soaps has come from tragic stories.
And I think viewers take the stories far too seriously. Its all fiction. No one is really dead. Viewers lose sight of that fact. I bet most of the viewers complaining dont even know the actress’s name who played Delia. I’m sure they are more upset than little Sophie Pollano. Even at her young age Im sure she realizes that this is just a fictional story. Delia doesnt really exist. Sophie has a new job on the ABC sitcom The Millers and she has moved on. Viewers need to dry out and come back to reality.
It’s a story and tragedy has always been a staple of soap operas.
I would prefer tragedy to all of the ridiculous and at times indecent sex that goes on.
And nothing was really shown on screen. We didnt see Delia in front of the car ( which has been done on other soaps in the past). Soap tragedies have been a lot worse in the past.
BB actually featured the shooting of a child by a stray gang bullet years ago in the 90s or early 2000s. It was ridge’s daughter Bridget I believe when she was a baby. Brad Bell took a lot of heat for that story. And he also once tricked the audience into believing that Steffy was kidnapped and eaten by a shark, lol.
One Life to live in the 78 showed 13 yr old Brian Kendall being hit by a car on location. On GH in the early 90s we actually saw little 7 or 8 yr old BJ being pulled out of her overturned school van by Ricky Martin.
In 1979 Ryan’s Hope killed off infant Edmond in a fire caused by a faulty space heater. They actually showed the heater smoking next to the infant sleeping in his crib! All of these plots spiked ratings considerably for the show not because we “got off” on watching the fictional kids suffer, but because we were shocked by the tragic occurrences and we were compelled to watch how the parents got through it.
People need to take a step back into reality. It’s just a story, its not real people!
I have not watched since they killed Delia.
Get a grip
All of these people are complaining like she was a major character. She was a child that we barely saw, lol. Its ridiculous! And I doubt that any of these people could name the actress who played Delia ( without Googling), lol.
It’s a story people and soaps have featured tragedies since the beginning…miscarriages, stillbirths, kidnappings, horrible accidents. They are a stape of the serial genre. If you cant handle stories like that you shouldnt be watching serials.
Go watch children’s TV or cartoons. Everything is tame there.
Mike is just stating his opinion, God forbid.
Actually she has been discussed more since they killed her off from reading the blogs I guess she played with Faith. Since when did that happen? Esther spent more time with her then anybody and she is locked in her room.
Eat that haters! Y&R is the best it has been in YEARS. And it’s only going to get better; ratings are proving that right now!!!!! Loving everything I am seeing on the show right now. It’s fire, and so entertaining. I haven’t been this intrigued in years.
Small minds easily entertained!
OMG@Scott … “best it has been in YEARS”???
Are you absolutely insane or in denial??? Did you ever see an episode from 1988? Or even 1998?
THAT is when this show was in the “best” phase.
Okay. Both of you “insulting” me because I happen to be enjoying something is sad. You both must have little to no time on your hands. Please go entertain yourself elsewhere.
I cant wait to post this on the GH facebook group pages, lol.
Wow. That must be the most exciting thing to happen in your life.
I don’t like that YR got such big ratings off of this story. We know that there are other equally compelling tales that could be told and acted like crazy by their talented cast.
But ALL the shows now write for the ratings, including GH, which I just can’t watch, and DAYS. They have had ridiculous stories going. I tuned into GH on Wed, and there were at least three separate characters who had or were pointing guns. Really?
And a priest was raped on Days not too long ago?
Violence and aggression on these shows seem to be a hit with their fans.
I hope YR drops this quest of killing off legacy characters, whether they are children or not. It’s shameful to do these stunt stories on ANY of the shows.
Just tell a good story and people will watch whether there are guns or baby killings.
Well said. Unfortunately stunt writing is here to stay because—–
Ratings are never about how good a show is, it is about how many eyeballs the program can bring in to watch the commercials. That is what they are writing for. I read somewhere if you have the ratings black box in your house and you channel surf during the ads, your box isn’t counted. And if you have the box and you DVR it and fast forward through the ads, your box is not counted.
So ratings have nothing to do with the show–but the ads and as long as they bring in eyeballs the networks don’t care if soaps have a psychopathic gorilla killing the citizens of Port Charles, Salem, LA or GC with poison bananas for a story line, as long as people watch–and see the ads.
Sad but true– soaps today are written as means to sell product first instead of being the by product as in the early days.
And what the early soap writers knew is what you said— just tell a good story and people will watch—— and then in the process might be swayed to buy a product or two they saw during the commercial break.
Well I for one am not being a hypocrite.I have not watched since Oct.11 when Billy was going down memory lane with the future that Delia might have.I thought this direction was horrid and totally uncalled for.It isn’t what I want in a soap.One I’ve watched since Nikki was in her 20’s.I like drama but hate what JFP has done.I have heard many times that she is good at ruining a soap and now understand what people meant.I know I’m missing some good performances but that isn’t swaying me from boycotting.
Y&R was really good last week.
Yeah, right, as in…N-O-T!!!!! As a longtime soap opera viewer, I am N-O-T fooled here for a second!!!!! To me, soap ratings DON’T MEAN S-Q-U-A-T!!!!! Y&R (and ESPECIALLY Y-O-U, Jill Farren Phelps)…you are fooling NO ONE!!!!!!!
The reason Y & R is alive and well is because the actors who have been playing their characters for years are the cream of the crop. They overcome bad s/l’s and keep us watching.
No way..
whomever plays Lauren is god awful actress..
So is the woman who plays Niels girlfriend, she is terrible..
And Nikki has been better, last 2 years she has become whispering slow..
I have really enjoyed Y&R. I am an AMC refugee. It is the only soap that I can watch right now. I will take a look at B&B when Thorston Kaye starts on it. I do not like GH or DOOL.
lol
Y&R is like a car accident, all slow down, stretch their necks to see if there are bodies..
All tragedies get the curious on-lookers to see the bodies and the filling of ambulances..
People do that, gawk / wanna see the victims of the car accident..
Despite all the whining and belly aching by viewers story like this always spike ratings usually due to the shock value. The bottom line of YR’s success is that despite the decline in over all soap viewership YR loss less of its core audience over the last decade.
And the audience that is left continues to stick with it through thick and thin. YR is nowhere near the quality it experienced under the masterful hand of Bill Bell that is true. And both Maria Bell and JFP have made missteps and bad decisions. But the viewers seem to cling to show’s legacy and the well drawn characters, even when the writing isnt up to par. I think the Delia story while obviously a sweep gimmick still had strong emotional impact and gave the show shock value which is something it sorely needed.
Moving forward the new writing regime need to study the past work of Bill Bell. Josh G wrote very uncomplicated, episodic story lines and he missed several key opportunities to creating interesting ongoing conflict. The result of his tales were predictable,lackluster episodes.
The new writers need to concentrate on creating complex, long arc stories that encompass all the core families and create a sense of synergy and continuity that honors the grand history of this iconic show.
quote;
”Despite all the whining and belly aching by viewers story like this always spike ratings usually due to the shock value.”///
”shock value” and a depressing sad story of a child’s death that is going to go on and on and on and on and on to the point of becoming way overkill of a tragic story line .. ”shock” and smi-living the torment of child’s death are 2 different thing
I love ”shock” and surprises but I do not like sadness and depression in my daytime tv, it lingers.. I enjoy entertainment not a tragic child’s death story..
People are tuning in to witness a child’s death and wallow in sadness and depression over it, that is sad in itself lol ..
Y&R was falling and to get viewers over a child’s death is being very desperate; I can feel the fear of CBS over Y&R falling … lol
(this story will go on forever, yuck ..)
SIDEBAR: STAT
all points bulletin.
for those who love powerful women portraying intelligence, restraint, power, quipping understanding, knowing full well, they ARE and the male anatomy is just that… no thought process to mix
it’s staggering… to know
Jessica Lange
Angela Bassett
Kathy Bates
Gaboury Sidibe
and by no means left unattended “The Cast”
American Horror Story: FX: it’s the headliner of the fall season
witches coven celebrate
“please catch up”
on par to rule the emmys next year
Still think the killing Delia storyline was a cheap shot. Not the same as killing Cassie which brought home drunk driving as an issue. This was senseless, and just done for sensationalism or because the writers simply cant come up with anything original. They are also holding Micheal Muhney’s acting range potential back by constantly having him as this one dimensional monster. Same with Eric Braden. Yes people are tuning in, because even if they disagree with some oof the storylines, they keep on hoping for something new and different and becuase all the characters have become so familiat to those of us who have tuned in for decades. Y & R is one of the few soaps left, and I certaintly hope the producers realize that there are a lot of loyal fans who may begin to disappear if the writer dont begin to actually do what they are being paid to do.
News
Christel Khalil Reveals She Almost Quit Acting After ‘That’s So Raven’ Audition, But Then Came ‘The Young and the Restless’
The Young and the Restless fan favorite, Christel Khalil (Lily Winters) is the special guest on this week’s edition of Soapy Hosted by Rebecca Budig and Greg Rikaart which dropped today on Tuesday, June 23rd.
During the interview with Rebecca and Greg, Khalil who had played Lily Winters on-screen since August of 2002, nearly 24 years with the CBS soap, shared how early on her teenage acting career, she was ready to call it quits in show business, after a heartbreaking audition for the lead of a new Disney Channel sitcom, which later turned out to be the hit seres, That’s So Raven, starring Raven-Symoné which ran for four seasons from 2003-2007.
Christel recalled what happened. “I was 14 and I had always auditioned for all these Disney projects. So I auditioned for That’s So Raven, it was between me and Raven-Symoné and it was called at the time Absolutely Psychic,” explained Khalil. “The character was this girl who had psychic ability, but then when Raven got the role, they named the title of the show after her.”
Photo: CBS
HOW A BROTHERLY TALK CHANGED THE COURSE OF CHRISTEL’S CAREER
Reliving the disappointment to Greg and Rebecca, Christel explained, “I lost that part and I was just so devastated, because for the network call there were 20 people in the room watching me, and I just have always had such performance anxiety. I just completely bombed the audition and it was terrible. So, I was just devastated. I was actually going to quit acting and then I got the final call for The Young and The Restless and I wasn’t going to go.”
It was Khalil’s brother, who actually got her to reconsider, and if he hadn’t, we would not have our Lily Winters in Genoa City! Christel recounted, “I was like, ‘You know what? I’m done. I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m just going to hang out with my friends.’ I was just devastated. My brother, who is seven years older than me, and he had quit acting at the same age that I was at that time. He said to me, ‘I promise you, I actually really regret quitting. Just go on this audition and if you don’t get it, you can quit.'”
Christel’s screen-test for the role of Lily was actually with the late, great, Kristoff St. John who would play her father Neil (Later it was revealed to Lily, that Neil’s brother, Malcolm Winters was her bio-dad).
Photo: CBS
ACTING WAS EASY WITH THE LATE KRISTOFF ST. JOHN
“So, I went (to test for Lily) and I remember the screen-test was with Kristoff St. John. It was just so easy to act with him because he’s just so there. I remember just being on set, and that was my first time there for a screen-test where you were actually on set. I had never experienced that before. It was my first time being with an actor and having makeup done, which just helps you really be able to do your best work.”
Recalling the screen-test with the St. John, Khalil, “It was where I had to be emotional ( in the scene) and I always had issues being emotional at auditions. But I was there with him, it just came, and it happened. It was natural and I felt so good and it was amazing. It stands out in my mind a lot.”
You can check out the full Soapy conversation with Christel Khalil where she also discusses juggling motherhood, marital life, and the demands of soap operas.
Fan can listen to weekly episodes of Soapy on Audacy or wherever podcasts are available, and can watch full video episodes weekly on the CBS =Brand YouTube Channel. Whether a lifelong fan or discovering the genre for the first time, SOAPY offers a fresh, fun behind-the-scenes look at the stories – and storytellers – that define daytime drama.
Now let us know, over the years what had been your favorite Lily Winters story on Y&R as played by Christel Khalil? What did you think of of Christell’s recollection where she was up for the lead of “That’s So Raven” as a teenager, before it was even titled that? Let us know via the comment section.
This summer beginning on July 21, Netflix streams the return of WWE: Unreal for its third season. The behind the scenes docudrama series gives fans a glimpse of life in WWE and inside the writers room, as injuries, last-minute pivots, and career-defining decisions reshape WWE’s biggest event of the year, WrestleMania 42.
WWE Unreal is taking fans deeper than ever inside World Wrestling Entertainment’s creative process, The hit docuseries will once again pull back the curtain on some of the biggest moments, boldest decisions, and unforgettable storytelling with some of the WWE’s greatest legends who’ve shaped the industry and new stars who are emerging as prominent parts of the future.
In the new season of ‘Unreal’ which consists of 5 episodes at 50 minutes each: John Cena says goodbye, a fan favorite returns, and the next generation of Superstars rise to the occasion.
Photo: WWE
The cast and WWE superstars featured include: the aforementioned Cena, plus Cody Rhodes, Liv Morgan, CM Punk, AJ Lee, Trick Williams, Lash Legend, Stephanie Vaquer, Oba Femi, Bron Breakker, Chelsea Green, Matt Cardona, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
As previously reported AJ Lee revealed on General Hospital star Maurice Benard’s (Sonny Corinthos) mental health series, State of Mind, that she was part of the cast of WWE: Unreal.
WWE: Unreal production credits include: Directors/Showrunners: Chris Weaver and Erik Powers Executive Producers: Peyton Manning, Jamie Horowitz, Ross Ketover, Keith Cossrow, Ken Rodgers, Jessica Boddy, Lee Fitting, Ben Houser, Marc Pomarico Sr. Producers: Harley Glantz, Brian Decker, Michael Flynn Producers: John Galiani, Dan Gati, Jeremy Lundblad Production Companies: Omaha Productions, NFL Films, Skydance Sports, WWE.
So, what do you think of the loglines for the new season of WWE: Unreal? Who are you most excited to see featured in the behind the scenes drama from the list of WWE superstars and the twists and turns leading into this past April’s WrestleMania 42? Let us know via the comment section below.
If you have ever tuned-in to the soap opera genre over the last 50 years, and witnessed some of the greatest romances, drama, classic and outlandish storylines of all-time, you would have seen Deidre Hall smack dab in the middle of it as longtime Salem heroine, Dr. Marlena Evans.
It was 50 years on this date, June 21, 1976 that Hall first appeared on DAYS on NBC which was its home for 57 years before it moved to its current streaming platform on Peacock in September of 2022.
In Hall’s first episode she was introduced as a psychiatrist treating Mickey Horton (John Clarke) at Bayview Sanitarium after he suffered a complete mental breakdown. Mickey learned that his brother Bill Horton (Edward Mallory) was the biological son of Mike Horton (Wesley Eure) with his wife Laura (Susan Flannery) and that he had been lied to for years and years. From that moment on, the rest is television and soap opera history. Days of Our Lives put Hall front and center.
Photo: NBC
There were so many heartbreaking and shocking story twists involving the beloved Marlena. One of the first was the historic crib death of baby DJ (Don Jr.) in 1980, Marlena’s infant son with Don Craig (Jed Allan). The story had never been told on daytime television and Hall’s performances received accolades from TV critics to fans when Deidre received thousands of letters from grieving mothers who had gone through the same thing in their own lives.
DAYS also brought Deidre’s twin sister, Andrea Hall Lovell to the show as her on-screen sister Samantha, who had a grudge and even locked Marlena up in a sanitarium and took her place! Fast-forward and in 1982, DAYS launched the Salem Strangler story where everyone believed Marlena was his next victim, only it turned out to be Samatha. Jake Kositchek (played by Jack Coleman) was revealed to be the actual serial killer.
Later, Deidre would assume the role of Marlena’s look-alike, Hattie Adams in 2004, once played by her sister, Andrea. Over the years, Hattie has come back to Salem and caused trouble giving Hall a chance to play a different type of character, then the always upstanding Marlena.
Photo: JPI
THE LOVES OF MARLENA
Deidre Hall struck gold with all her leading men: from the late Jed Allan, to Wayne Northrop as Roman Brady, and of course, her enduring love story with the late John Black played by the iconic Drake Hogestyn. In fact, Marlena’s 1986 wedding to John (who was believed to be Roman at the time) remains a favorite of fans to this day.
TOP MARLENA STORYLINES OF ALL-TIME
While the list is long, here are several that were some of the memorable during Deidre’s five decades in Salem!
The Possession (1994- 1995)
Considered one of the most ambiguous, outlandish and unforgettable story arcs in soap opera history, then Days of Our Lives head writer, James Reilly went there! Marlena was possessed by the devil! That included; the demonic eyes, hissing at father John (Black) the priest, morphing into creatures, and the classic levitating in her bed! It became a cultural phenomenon and cemented Deidre Hall’s status as a daytime television legend. Just ask Ryan Gosling!
Photo:JPI
The Affair with John Black (1993)
John and Marlena’s forbidden love could not be denied and they had passionate affair, while she was still married to the real Roman. Problem was her daughter, Sami (Alison Sweeney) caught her mother having sex with John on a desk that changed Sami forever.
The Salem Stalker Mystery (2003-2004)
In a shocker, Marlena was revealed to be a serial killer who bumped off several Salem favorites residents who were all alive on the island of Melaswen (spelled “New Salem” backward). Turns out, she was manipulated and gaslighted by Andre DiMera (Thaao Penghlis) to do the “killings” and had no memory of her actions.
The Pier Scene (1991)
This remains Michael Fairman TV’s all-time favorite Deidre Hall moment, which featured some of the best acting in the storied careers of both Hall and Drake Hogestyn.
In the story, a presumed-dead Marlena returns after four years. One foggy night on the pier, John is alone, and Marlena steps out of the fog to reveal herself, and is reunited with the love of her life. You can watch it any year, any decade, and in any moment, and it will have you reaching for the hankies again and again. (best music score fo a soap scene of all-time too!)
Photo: NBC
Kristen’s Secret Room Reveal (1997)
Marlena was caught in Kristen Blake’s (Eileen Davidson) elaborate web of lies, when she was held hostage in a secret wine cellar/room until John managed to track her down, leading to an iconic on-screen reunion. The classic catfight between Hall and Eileen Davidson was one for the ages.
It should be noted that Maison Blanche, Queen of the Night, Possession, Aremid and Lady in a Cage were all a part of classic DAYS storyline and all featured Hall at the epicenter of it from 1993-1996.
THE RECENT YEARS OF MARLENA
In recent years, DAYS brought back the possession 2.0 storyline under then head writer Ron Carlivati in 2021 where the devil leapt back in Marlena after taking advantage of a frail Doug Williams (the late Bill Hayes)
In 2025, viewers watched the end of the love story of John and Marlena, as John succumbed to injuries sustained in an explosion saving a vial of medication needed to bring Bo (Peter Reckell) back to life. Marlena has been a widow on-screen since June of 2025 as Hall as portrayed the good doctor struggling with her grief and to move on with her life since his death.
Photo: JPI
One story that never goes away is Stefano DiMera’s (the late Joe Mascolo) obsession with Marlena, his “Queen of the Night.” Even in death, Stefano is toying with her from the great beyond with the mysterious chess set and the missing “pawn,” that he had gifted John and Marlena in his will. The mystery is currently unfolding on all-new episodes of Days of Our Lives.
Tune-in to Days of our Lives on the Monday, June 22 episode as Marlena looks back at her 50 years in Salem.
Share your congratulations to Deidre Hall for this incredible 50-year milestone as Dr. Marlena Evans on Days of Our Lives in the comment section. Then let us know, what is your all-time favorite storyline or moment in the life of Marlena over the past 5 decades? And, just for kicks, and to celebrate this amazing milestone, here is Marlena levitating below circa Christmas Eve 1994.
Christel Khalil Reveals She Almost Quit Acting After ‘That’s So Raven’ Audition, But Then Came ‘The Young and the Restless’
DAYS OF OUR LIVES: Marlena Looks Back at 50 Years in Salem
‘WWE: Unreal’ Season 3 Premiere Date, Cast of Superstars, Announced by Netflix
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom
Deidre Hall Marks 50 Years as ‘Days of Our Lives’ Dr. Marlena Evans
Maurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
‘Days of Our Lives’ Eric Martsolf Recalls Moment He Learned He Was Cast as Brady Black, and Last Scenes with Drake Hogestyn (SOAPY Exclusive Preview)
‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Weighs-In on Dante and Elizabeth Pairing and Sharing Scenes with Rebecca Herbst (Exclusive)
GENERAL HOSPITAL Promo: Rocco’s in a Panic as Britt’s Health Takes a Turn, Chase is Called to the Carpet
Christel Khalil Reveals She Almost Quit Acting After ‘That’s So Raven’ Audition, But Then Came ‘The Young and the Restless’
‘WWE: Unreal’ Season 3 Premiere Date, Cast of Superstars, Announced by Netflix
GENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Carly and Lulu Make Plans to Rescue Their Children; Anna Looks Determined to Secure Her Freedom
Deidre Hall Marks 50 Years as ‘Days of Our Lives’ Dr. Marlena Evans
Y&R Preview: Matt Clark Asks Phyllis on a Date, Would You Be Down for the Pairing? Roger Howarth & Michelle Previously in GH’s Franco/Nina Romance
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General Hospital2 days agoMaurice Benard Gives High Praise to ‘General Hospital’ Writers; Teases Upcoming Sonny Scenes with Anna, Jason, Justine and Ric
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General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Controversial Luke and Laura Rape Episode: Writer Sheri Anderson Reveals Behind the Scenes Decisions and Admits ‘I Was Wrong’ to Defend It (Exclusive)
-
Days Of Our Lives1 week ago‘Days of Our Lives’ Eric Martsolf Recalls Moment He Learned He Was Cast as Brady Black, and Last Scenes with Drake Hogestyn (SOAPY Exclusive Preview)
-
General Hospital1 week ago‘General Hospital’s’ Dominic Zamprogna Weighs-In on Dante and Elizabeth Pairing and Sharing Scenes with Rebecca Herbst (Exclusive)
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General Hospital1 week agoGENERAL HOSPITAL Promo: Rocco’s in a Panic as Britt’s Health Takes a Turn, Chase is Called to the Carpet
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Days Of Our Lives2 days agoAl Calderon Reflects on ‘Major Chapters’ Coming to an End on ‘Days of Our Lives’ and ‘Brilliant Minds’
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Beyond the Gates5 days ago‘Beyond the Gates’ Star Karla Mosley Weighs-in on Dani Dupree’s Love Life Endgame: Are You Team Bill or Team Andre?
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General Hospital1 week agoGENERAL HOSPITAL Preview: Michael Puts Willow On Notice After Tracy Is Arrested
