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(VOTE) Which Soap Opera Was Best in 2023?

By Michael Fairman

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Photos: JPI and ABC

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.

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GH gets top nods from me but Days isn’t really too far behind.

Totally agree that General Hospital is number 1

Honestly, not the best year for soaps at all. The CBS soaps don’t air down here, so I can’t even speak to those. GH had some interesting “retro” moments with Ice Princess 2.0, Holly’s return, and Tracy being back in town, but that ridiculous Tricky Dick Nixon Falls mess is still dragging the whole show down. And the recent massive “bait & switch” with the Pikeman storyline did not help matters at all. Lose Nina. Lose Hallmark Drew. Bring Jason Back. Flush the post 2012 toilet spiral already

As for Days… a Devil doesn’t want to appear biased, but they have really gone downhill since I left Salem, haven’t they? The return of Bo & Hope seemed promising, but it was a short lived bait & switch, and the two legendary characters had a whole two minutes in a scene together before poor Bo was literally shot in the back by his own son and sent off to veggieland in a coma. Victor Kiriaks’s death was used to create a new cartoon villain who is already past his pull date. Be gone, Konstipation… or whatever your name is. And don’t get a Devil started on GwenTheresa… or the ridiculousness of Eric raising his own baby, and being too dumb to figure it out.

So best soap of 2023? Hate to say it, but I have to vote for “None of the Above” this time.

B&B

Days is my favorite not just story but actors, sets, lighting. Y and R and B and B were ok but not spectacular and look sloppy. I dont watch GH.

What sets on Days of Our Lives? Most hilarious thing I’ve heard.

I know! Ask anyone who’s caught 5 minutes of any of the 4 shows and they’d all agree DAYS has inferior sets and lighting.

Days gives the most for the buck never boring always moving bold in second Yandr good one day abysmal the next Days gets the nod

None!

The bold and the beautiful get the top nod from me.it got the queen of bad.no young villain is no match for all time best one.the queen of bad aka shelia. My legend soaps villain. And the deacon men with her .they are a. Good couple.thanks for the deacon man get her out of prison.I know they was just temporarily have queen of bad in prison for temporarily.but not for ever.for the young viewers.the deacon men know the shelia women from they yr day.they was your outcast couple on they.whenever the queen of bad retirement.as Shelia is alive.they got keep her she make the show interesting.the other person are boring.they need an another young queen of bad.to be like the Shelia person.maybe one day Shelia come back yr where she first start.have an interesting backstory.yr would be behind the bold and the beautiful.

Please learn how to write the English language.

The bold and the beautiful get top nod for me.it got the queen of bad.Shelia.no young villain can beat the all time best one .the queen of bad .Shelia.my legend soaps villain.Her with the deacon men are an good couple.thank deacon for help my legend soaps villain.they was temporarily keeping her in prison.I know they wasn’t going keep Shelia in they for long.for the young viewers.the deacon men know the Shelia woman from they yr day.they was your outcast couple on they.they need keep Shelia the queen of bad on the bold and beautiful.she make the show interesting the other person boring.when Shelia retire.but hopefully it not for an long time.they need an another young woman to become like the Shelia character. An another queen of bad.maybe Shelia can go back to yr one day where the woman first started.have an interesting backstory.I watch the bold and the beautiful. And young and the restless.would get the second nod.me and my granny when I was little on my day off from school I would watch those two with her.I did not watch the other two soaps.two yr person tie to gunsmoke Eric Braden aka victor the mean old man.and Jess Walton aka Jill the gunsmoke woman.my legend soaps villain aka Shelia the queen of bad can go up against western bad guy.the women is similar to western bad guy.have three nickname crazy woman,evil witch,she devil.

Young & Restless!!!

GH remains the Best Soap for 2023 with B&B a close second. Great stories and some of the best acting! Looking forward to 2024.

I have one for the Worst of 2023. How about “The Ongoing Torture and Abuse of Sasha Corbin”. Seriously over the top and dragged out story arc that lasted the entire summer and didn’t conclude until October.

It’s not the actual story of Sasha being placed in the mental institution under Doctor Mental – it was how long GH took to resolve a story from a character who for 2 years had been knocked down again and again. Borderline abusive.

GH has great stories to tell – but the fans are getting tired of waiting an average of 2 years to see them resolved. A new story begins and we now know that it will be 2025 before the good guys come out on top or our favorite couple is happy. It’s too long.

With the regular writers now back, there’s a noticeable speed up in wrapping up storylines or plot points. Pikeman/Anna’s stalker took two episodes to tidy up. Seems like the long-running Nina turning in Carly & Drew story as well as the recent Finn’s malpractice suit may wrap or move to the aftermath. Felicia being on to Cody is another welcome advancement. With JJY out for some time, that’s probably going to simmer for a bit more.

Days of our Lives. Really glad it’s still available to watch on Peacock, although it should never have been taken off NBC!

DAYS has the best HOTTIES and twisted story lines. Like the PHOENIX, it keeps rising. But there are too many new characters taking up LEGACY characters air time. AND like several others way too much Baby Mama Trauma!

General Hospital bar no contest. But, realistically, both EastEnders and Neighbours topped ALL American soaps in every single category.

I only watch GH, and I think they had a good year overall. The show gets a lot of criticism on social media and various soap websites, with some people almost gleefully wishing to see it get canceled, which I never understand. Some people seem to get off on being miserable and negative.

It has its ups and downs in storylines just like any other year, just like any other show. I’ve been watching for 30 years, and there have been years where I would say they had a down year overall, the writing was a mess, whatever. But I wouldn’t say 2023 was one of those years. I’ve enjoyed far more than I’ve disliked this year. I use the fast forward button when I watch on Hulu a lot less than I have in the past, I’ll put it like that, lol.

When it comes down to it, GH still has the best cast from top to bottom, especially in the lead actress category. Maura West, Finola Hughes, Cynthia Watros, Laura Wright, Genie Francis, Nancy Lee Grahn, Rebecca Herbst, the list goes on. If they have one issue it’s that the cast is so large, it’s sometimes hard to find stories for all the main cast members.

They’ve done a much better job than they have in the past at using the beloved legacy characters. Rena Sofer returning as Lois after 26 years was a highlight as was the queen Jane Elliot returning as Tracy.

They brought some old school adventure this year with the blast from the past Victor Cassadine Ice Princess/weather machine story, and the return of Emma Samms, Holly faking her death etc. I’ve enjoyed the spy stuff with Anna and the WSB, her shooting Charlotte brought some good drama. Ryan and Heather working together as a team of super villains was a hoot, revealing Esme as their daughter was a cool twist.

They’ve told some good medical stories, which GH is known for. The word “Hospital” is in the show’s title after all. They’ve had romance, comedy, and family drama. Aiden coming out to Elizabeth and the under stated way they told the story, it was a part of an every day conversation, was one of the best and most important scenes for so many reasons they’ve done all year.

I think overall the show has a nice mix of what makes a good soap. GH was the best soap of 2023, in my opinion. Happy New Year to all!

General hospital is the 2023 best soap of the year!

I’ve watched Y&R since I was very young and it will always be a favorite, but, Days of Our Lives has been my favorite in 2023.

Sonny & Nina ruined GH. I now only watch Bold.

I’m just tired of the Adam bashing enough already it’s getting real real real old

Y&R, my all time favorite soap was disappointing for most of the year. But, it did redeem itself with the Jordan/Claire/Nikki etal “story”.
GH has reached a low blow for me with nuTrina, albeit Spencer, as hot as he is, is starting to get on my nerves—NuTrina à La Sorbonne? Didn’t realize the girl was a genius. Bonnie chance!!

That should read “bonne”. Not Bonnie—C’est français—autocorrect has no clue!!

Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations Announced: ‘The Young and the Restless’ Tops With 18, ‘Beyond the Gates’ With 16

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The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences (NATAS) today announced the full list of nominees for the upcoming 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, and it was CBS daytime’s The Young and the Restless and broadcast television newest soap opera, Beyond the Gates that racked up the most nominations with 18 and 16, respectively.

The full reveal on Tuesday follows the announcement of several major categories including Lead Actor and Actress on Monday via Extra and Entertainment Tonight and The View today revealing Daytime Drama Series and more.

The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmys ceremony is set to take place on Friday, October 30 at the historic Hollywood Palladium in Hollywood, California.

Photo: CBS

In a statement, Adam Sharp, President and CEO of NATAS expressed, “We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television, As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”

“Each year, the Daytime Emmy Awards celebrate the creativity, passion, and dedication that drive this vibrant community of storytellers,” said Rachel Schwartz, Head of the Daytime Emmy Awards. “Congratulations to this year’s nominees, whose work continues to entertain, inspire and connect with audiences every day. We look forward to celebrating their remarkable achievements in Hollywood this October.”

The Daytime Emmy Awards have recognized outstanding achievement in television programming and crafts since 1974, honoring work in a variety of genres, including daytime dramas, talk series, entertainment news, culinary, adventure, instructional and legal/courtroom programming.

This year’s Lifetime Achievement Honoree, Gold & Silver Circle Inductees, and ceremony host will be announced at a later date.

Now below, check out the nominees in the daytime drama, talk show, entertainment news series and creative arts categories and congratulations to all!

Photo: JPI

Outstanding Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Lead Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Stacy Haiduk (as Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives
Karla Mosley (as Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates
Michelle Stafford (as Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless
Heather Tom (as Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful
Tamara Tunie (as Anita Williams Dupree), Beyond the Gates

Outstanding Lead Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Eric Braeden (as Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless
Steve Burton (as Jason Morgan), General Hospital
Scott Clifton (as Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful
Thorsten Kaye (as Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful
Christian Jules Le Blanc (as Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Daytime Drama Series
Linsey Godfrey (as Sarah Horton), Days of Our Lives
Camryn Grimes (as Mariah Copeland), The Young and the Restless
Beth Maitland (as Traci Abbott), The Young and the Restless
Trisha Mann-Grant (as Leslie Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Amanda Setton (as Brook Lynn Quartermaine), General Hospital

Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Daytime Drama Series
Sean Dominic (as Nate Hastings), The Young and the Restless
Timon Kyle Durrett (as Bill Hamilton), Beyond the Gates
Michael Graziadei (as Daniel Romalotti), The Young and the Restless
Roger Howarth (as Matt Clark), The Young and the Restless
Mike Manning (as Bradley “Smitty” Smith), Beyond the Gates
Lawrence Saint-Victor (as Carter Walton), The Bold and the Beautiful

Outstanding Emerging Talent in a Daytime Drama Series
Braedyn Bruner (as Emma Scorpio-Drake), General Hospital
Al Calderon (as Javier Hernandez), Days of Our Lives
Alice Halsey (as Rachel Black), Days of Our Lives
Giovanni Mazza (as Gio Palmieri), General Hospital
Ambyr Michelle (as Eva Thomas), Beyond the Gates
Arielle Prepetit (as Naomi Hamilton Hawthorne), Beyond the Gates

Outstanding Guest Performance in a Daytime Drama Series
Jasmine Burke (as June Hughes), Beyond the Gates
Jeff Kober (as Cyrus Renault), General Hospital
Eva LaRue (as Natalia Rogers-Ramirez), General Hospital
Christopher Sean (as Paul Narita), Days of Our Lives
Ray Wise (as Ian Ward), The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Writing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Beyond the Gates
The Bold and the Beautiful
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital

Outstanding Directing Team for a Daytime Drama Series
Days of Our Lives
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Casting for a Daytime Program
Beyond the Gates
General Hospital
The Young and the Restless

Outstanding Daytime Talk Series
3rd Hour of TODAY
The Drew Barrymore Show
The Kelly Clarkson Show
Live With Kelly and Mark
TODAY With Jenna & Friends
The View

Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host
Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin & Ana Navarro, The View
Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show
Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall
Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show
Sherri Shepherd, Sherri

Outstanding Entertainment News Series
Access Hollywood
Entertainment Tonight
Extra

Outstanding Daytime Personality (Daily)
Mona Kosar Abdi, Derek Hough & Terri Seymour, Extra
Cassie DiLaura, Denny Directo, Kevin Frazier, Rachel Smith & Nischelle Turner, Entertainment Tonight
Scott Evans, Zuri Hall, Kit Hoover & Mario Lopez, Access Hollywood
Star Jones & Corey Jovan, Divorce Court

Outstanding Arts and Popular Culture Program
Beyond the Gates: Welcome to the Neighborhood — An Entertainment Tonight Special
Off Script With The Hollywood Reporter
Variety & CNN Actors on Actors
Variety Studio: Actors on Actors
Working In the Theatre

Outstanding Music Direction and Composition for a Daytime

Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
Have Guitar Will Travel World
The Kelly Clarkson Show Episode 5033
Let Frankie Cook,” Getting the Band Back Together
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade

Outstanding Technical Direction and Video for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates, Episode 104
The Bold and the Beautiful,” Episode 9511
Disney Parks Magical Christmas Day Parade”
The Jennifer Hudson Show, ” Episode 4041
Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade”

Outstanding Hairstyling and Makeup for a Daytime Program

Beyond the Gates, Episode 103
General Hospital, Episode 15719
The Kelly Clarkson Show,” Episode 5033
The Young and the Restless,” Episode 13273

So, what do you think of the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations? Who are you happy to see receive a nomination and who do you think was snubbed? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Beyond the Gates

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actress Drama Series

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Monday on Entertainment Tonight, the second set of nominations for the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy Awards were announced which included the highly-coveted Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actress and Outstanding Daytime Talk Series.

ET followed suit after Extra announced the nominees, as previously reported, in the Outstanding Lead Performance in a Daytime Drama Series – Actor and Outstanding Daytime Talk Host.

Now, five leading ladies of the soaps are vying for the gold for Lead Actress and the category marked the first-ever nominations for CBS daytime’s Beyond the Gates when two actresses made the final cut. Only General Hospital is not represented among the actresses this year after Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis Davis) took home the trophy last year.

Photo: NATAS

THE FIVE LEADING LADIES OF THE SOAPS ARE …

The 2026 Lead Actress nominees are: Stacy Haiduk (Kristen DiMera), Days of Our Lives, Karla Mosley (Dani Dupree), Beyond the Gates, Michelle Stafford (Phyllis Summers), The Young and the Restless, Heather Tom (Katie Logan), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Tamara Tunie (Anita Dupree), Beyond the Gates.

This marks the first Daytime Emmy nominations for Karla Mosley and Tamara Tunie. In addition, this marks the first-time in her career that Stacy Haiduk had received a Lead Actress nod after two Supporting Actress nominations.

Meanwhile, Michelle Stafford had previously won 3 Emmys – 2 for Lead Actress and 1 for Supporting, but this recognition makes it her 11th overall nomination.

Heather Tom currently is tied for the most all-time Daytime Emmy wins with One Life to Live alum and General Hospital guest star, Erika Slezak. The B&B star has 19 nominations throughout her career.

Photo: ABC

DAYTIME TALK SERIES

In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series category, the nominees are: 3rd Hour of Today, The Drew Barrymore Show, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Live with Kelly and Mark, Today with Jenna and Friends and The View.

“We’re proud to honor the extraordinary talent and creative teams whose work continues to define and elevate daytime television,” NATAS president and CEO Adam Sharp said in a statement on the nominations. “As the Daytime landscape evolves and new forms of storytelling emerge, we remain committed to recognizing the innovation happening across the industry.”

The rest of the nominations will be revealed tomorrow on Tuesday July 14 starting on The View and then the full list of nominees in both the main and creative arts will be released by NATAS. The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are slated for October 30th in Hollywood, California.

So, what do you think about the women who are vying for the Lead Actress Daytime Emmy? Happy with who got in? Who do you feel got snubbed? What do you think of the nominees for Daytime Talk Series? Weigh-in via the comment section.

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Breaking News

53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Nominations: Outstanding Lead Actor Drama Series

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Monday afternoon, Extra kicked-off the 53rd annual Daytime Emmy nominations with the reveal of two major categories. First, Outstanding Lead Performer in a Daytime Drama Series — Actor, and second, Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host.

Previous Emmy winners all, the men who will be vying for daytime’s most coveted prize are: Eric Braeden (Victor Newman), The Young and the Restless, Steve Burton (Jason Morgan), General Hospital, Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer), The Bold and the Beautiful, Thorsten Kaye (Ridge Forrester), The Bold and the Beautiful, and Christian Jules Le Blanc (Michael Baldwin), The Young and the Restless.

Let’s take a look at the actors Emmy resumes: Eric Braeden has been nominated nine times for Lead Actor and won once in 1998. Steve Burton is a two-time Daytime Emmy winner, both in the Outstanding Supporting Actor category for GH as Jason Morgan and Y&R as Dylan McAvoy. Today’s nomination makes it his 10th overall, and his third time in the the Lead Actor category.

Photo: NATAS

Scott Clifton has won three times previously in 2011, 2013 and 2017 and has the distinction of being the only actor to win in Younger Actor, Supporting and Lead. This is his 8th nomination.

Thorsten Kaye is a two-time Lead Actor winner in 2023 and 2024. Christian LeBlanc has also won three times as Lead Actor in 2005, 2007 and 2009 and this is his first nod in over a decade.

Photo: NBCUniversal

TALK SHOW HOSTS

In the Outstanding Daytime Talk Series Host, the nominees are: Joy Behar, Whoopi Goldberg, Alyssa Farah Griffin, Sara Haines, Sunny Hostin, and Ana Navarro, The View, Kelly Clarkson, The Kelly Clarkson Show, Tamron Hall, Tamron Hall, Jennifer Hudson, The Jennifer Hudson Show, and Sherri Shepherd, Sherri.

Both The Kelly Clarkson Show and Sherri have come to their conclusions as Sherri was canceled after 4 seasons and Kelly Clarkson decided to end her talk show after 7 seasons.

The 53rd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards are set to be handed out in a ceremony on October 30 in Hollywood with more details forthcoming. The complete list of 2026 Daytime Emmy nominations will be revealed tomorrow on July 14 beginning at 12pm ET/9am PT via The Emmys.TV social channels and website.

So, what do you think of the race for Lead Actor in a Drama Series? Surprised by any of the nominees? Who are you rooting for? What do you think about the the talk show host category? Weigh-in via the comment section below.

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