Teddi Giggy is a Soap Central Two Scoops columnist for The Young and the Restless and a former One Life to Live recapper. She has been a soap fan since the early 70s and is currently a devoted fan of the four remaining network soaps, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Young and the Restless, and The Bold and the Beautiful. She appreciates all of the different writing styles for each soap and enjoys having her favorite -- and not-so-favorite -- characters on each show. This is her third time predicting Daytime Emmy winners, and she hopes to improve her record from each of the prior two years when she went three-for-eight.
Previous Predictions
2012: 3 for 8
2011: 3 for 8
But OLTL's final two episodes on network television contained enough drama to last a lifetime and finished with closure for the majority of the storylines. These two episodes had everything, including Viki's thank you speech to all the fans of soap operas. Plus, it ended on the ever-famous cliffhanger, when it was revealed, at the very end, that Victor Lord Jr. was alive and being held captive by Allison Perkins. This was great stuff and was also a great way to end a classic dramatic series at that time.
Who will win: One Life to Live
Peter Bergman has already won three Daytime Emmy awards for his portrayal of Jack Abbott on Y&R, and he has also been nominated numerous other times. In this submission, Jack fired Billy after he learned of his brother's betrayal, and later, as Jack faced surgery, he kicked a remorseful Billy out of his hospital room. Peter Bergman always pours his heart and soul into Jack Abbott and brings out Jack's shining attributes as well as the character's many flaws. Because of Peter's leadership qualities, Jack Abbott rises above the others, which makes for the ideal Lead Actor.
Patrick Drake imagined talking to his wife, Robin, on the day of her funeral on GH. Patrick looked so lost and alone, while one tear ran down his cheek, as he realized that his wife was not actually alive. This episode was very, very sad, and I had to keep reminding myself that Robin is actually still alive, just so I would not bawl like a baby while watching Jason Thompson's heartfelt submission. With that emotional performance, Jason Thompson could very well win in this category as Dr. Patrick Drake, and I would not be the least bit surprised if he did.
Paul Williams was an honorable man, who was forced to kill his own serial-killer son, Ricky, on Y&R. Doug Davidson presented Paul in the aftermath of the shooting with a blend of calmness, anger, and sadness, as Paul told his attorney and the detective the story of why he had shot Ricky. However, when Nina later visited Paul in jail, Paul broke down in tears and regretted that he had needed to kill his own son. Doug Davidson has always brought out the heart in good-guy Paul Williams, and he has offered many other award-winning performances for Paul throughout the years. Yet Doug Davidson has never won a Daytime Emmy Award, so maybe it is time he did. I would say he has an excellent chance for it with this very outstanding performance.
Who will win: Doug Davidson (Paul Williams, YR)
On Y&R, Phyllis Summers Newman verbally attacked Christine in Crimson Lights, as she tore up her summons for Christine's lawsuit. Michelle Stafford played Phyllis like no one will ever be able to, as her verbal attack escalated, even though she knew that she could end up damaging her own court case. Later, Phyllis realized that no words that she said to Nick would be enough to get back his love. Love her or hate her, Phyllis Newman has never been boring or unforgettable, and that is due to Michelle Stafford's enormous talent. This was another standout performance by a standout actress.
As last year's Lead Actress winner, Heather Tom from B&B has already shown that she has what it takes to win. After enduring her heart problems, Katie Logan Spencer feared to love her newborn baby because she believed she would only end up deserting him, due to her health. With tears in her eyes, Katie bid her baby goodbye as she explained her huge sacrifice for him. Heather Tom gave a perfect example of a woman with emotional and mental problems that had arisen due to her physical ailments. With this dynamic performance, Heather Tom could triumph again in her quest for another Lead Actress win.
However, this year, I have to give the nod to Heather's fellow B&B cohort, Susan Flannery, who played Stephanie Forrester. This feisty yet realistic lady wanted to spend time with Brooke during the last moments of her life. Stephanie never backed down from a fight, until she was faced with an opponent she could not beat -- cancer. But Stephanie refused to go down without the dignity and grace that she deserved. As Stephanie made amends with her archenemy, Brooke, she also admitted that she loved Brooke. Since B&B will no longer have the majestic presence of Stephanie Forrester, I sincerely hope that Susan Flannery is rewarded for this powerful, yet heart-breaking, performance. I miss her already.
Who will win: Susan Flannery (Stephanie Forrester, B&B)
On Y&R, Jeff Branson had provided a vulnerability to Ronan Malloy that had previously been absent in the tough, by-the-book cop. After an awkward first date, a very drunk Ronan later surprised Phyllis with pizza and beer, but Phyllis was not pleased and questioned why he wanted to be close to her. Ronan finally wanted to be close to someone, Phyllis, but she shot him down. The look on his face when Ronan realized the reason was Nick was priceless. Jeff Branson brought a new dimension to Ronan, which totally enriched the character.
Billy Abbott on Y&R contains many different layers, and that is thanks to the wonderful Billy Miller. When he learned that Jack had set him up, Billy Abbott was angry and refused to continue to be Jack's good little soldier, but later, Billy expressed his love and concern for his brother in the hospital. Billy Abbott tends to be a bad boy who tries to be good but is not always successful, and that is why his fans love him. Billy Abbott is my favorite character on Y&R, and I really want him to win this year
I believe, however, that the award will go to Scott Clifton as Liam Spencer on B&B. In his scenes, Scott offered a wide range of emotions, first, as a wimpy Liam, who begged Hope on bended knee to still marry him, and later, as an angry Liam, after his father yelled that no son of his should ever beg for crumbs. Liam growled as he tried to escape from the hold his father had on him and then broke down and cried in his father's arms. Scott has shown time and time again that he can go toe-to-toe with Don Diamont in any scene, which is impressive in itself. This was a tough call for me, but I feel that Scott Clifton will win in this category.
Who will win: Scott Clifton (Liam Spencer, B&B)
Jessica Collins' Avery Bailey Clark on Y&R portrayed a sad daughter who tried to deny that her father had covered up his unsavory past. This tough attorney's softer side showed once she realized he had lied, since she had chosen to stick by her father, who had lied throughout her years of growing up. Avery's eyes mirrored the hurt and pain that she felt when she learned the truth about her dad, and she cried when she realized that her entire life had been based on a lie. Jessica truly had a breakout moment in her submission as Avery Bailey Clark.
On Y&R, Melissa Claire Egan was a betrayed Chelsea Lawson Newman, when she learned that her husband, Adam, had covered up an arson committed by his ex, Sharon. Chelsea cried when she realized that Adam had risked everything, including their marriage, to save Sharon. Melissa gave a powerful performance as the deceived wife who feared for her heart as she struggled to find a way to keep both her husband and her marriage.
Katherine Kelly Lang can cry at the snap of a finger, which certainly helps her play the character of Brooke Logan on B&B. And she had plenty of reason to cry in this submission. Stephanie was dying, so all of the fans cried during this! It was right that these two strong women admitted their love to each other in the end, even after all of their many battles throughout the years. Katherine played this scene with her heart, which is what Brooke gave to Stephanie in the end.
I absolutely love Nicole Walker on DAYS. I know she can be scheming and conniving, but that's what makes her fun to watch. And Arianne Zucker sure can pull off the emotional performances. In this submission, Nicole cried and cried when she finally admitted the truth to Daniel about the death of her unborn baby. I actually thought Arianne would pick the episode when she first learned her baby was no longer alive, but this one works too. That's how good Arianne is -- she has numerous episodes of excellent acting that could win awards. Arianne really gives Nicole the heart and soul of a terrific soap character. I pick you, Arianne, for the win.
Who will win: Arianne Zucker (Nicole Walker, DAYS)
In his Daytime Emmy submission on Y&R, Bryton James's Devon Winters feared that his implants would fail and that his hearing would not be restored. He discussed his fears with his family before the implants were tested. Once Devon realized he could hear again, the joy on his face was remarkable. Bryton James expressed that joy in such a way that it even brought tears to my eyes. Bryton's expression conveyed his happiness and relief that he was finally able to hear again. It was a beauty to behold.
On the other side, Max Ehrich somehow had to convince the viewers that Fenmore Baldwin was a mean-spirited, cruel bully who seemed to hate everyone. And he succeeded! I remember as this storyline had progressed last year, that I did not like what Fen was doing, especially when he was cruel to Jamie. I applaud Max for convincing me that Fen was a jealous bully. When Fen yelled that Jamie was wasted space and nothing, Max made me a believer.
I absolutely love Freddie Smith as Sonny Kiriakis! His portrayal shows Sonny as a young man with a calm persona and a self-awareness that is rare in soap characters. In his submission, Sonny admitted to Lucas, Will's dad, that he had a very supportive family, who had helped him come to terms with being gay, and who had given him the space to accept it. Sonny advised Lucas to be supportive of Will but to also give Will that space. Sonny appears to be the opposite of Will in many ways, which makes for a dynamite duo. I can't wait to see what is in the future for this fan-favorite couple, Sonny and Will.
My choice for Younger Actor, however, would have to be for Chandler Massey as Will Horton. Chandler's Will was one tortured soul last year, as he finally realized he was gay, and he wasn't sure how to accept it. In his submission, Will got drunk at a party and kissed a guy. In tears, he ran to his grandmother, Marlena, and told her what he had done. Will was positive Marlena would be disgusted by the kiss, but of course, she just hugged him. This was when Will finally questioned if he were gay, and it was powerful! I had actually picked Chandler to win last year, and he won. But I truly believe that his acting was even stronger this time around, especially with this storyline. Chandler always shines as Will, especially in scenes with Alison Sweeney as his mother, Sami, and with Deidre Hall as his grandmother, Marlena. Therefore, I would not be surprised at all if Chandler does the repeat in this category.
Who will win: Chandler Massey (Will Horton, DAYS)
Jacqueline Macinnes Wood is no stranger to Daytime Emmy nominations, and her B&B submission shows exactly why that is the case. Her character, Steffy Forrester Spencer, finally handed the signed annulment papers to her husband, Liam, in a low-key performance that proved to be very effective. Through their loving banter and their own version of Bob Hope's "Thanks for the Memories," Steffy and Liam laughed together as they said goodbye to their marriage. In a sudden twist, Liam tore up the annulment papers, and Liam and Steffy kissed. The expression on Steffy's face showed her love and joy because she knew that her husband still loved her.
GH is well-represented with a spectacular performance from Lindsey Morgan as Kristina Corinthos-Davis Mitchell, a young bride who was kidnapped by her husband's father. Tied up in a warehouse, a confused Kristina learned the man's identity and the reason for her kidnapping. She alternated between crying about her fate and screaming that her father, Sonny Corinthos, would get revenge on her kidnapper. Lindsey's scenes were very emotional, especially once Kristina learned that her father-in-law planned to kill her. This was a very strong performance and is worthy of a win.
Wow, are we even allowed to acknowledge that Starr Manning was once on GH now? Seriously, Kristen Alderson has played Starr Manning for many years, beginning with her first appearance on OLTL in 1998. But Kristen has successfully accomplished something as Starr on GH that she never was able to as Starr on OLTL: getting her very first Daytime Emmy nomination. It has been a long time coming! Starr offered both tears and anger as she said goodbye to her fiancé, Cole, and her daughter, Hope, who had both died in a tragic car accident. As she cried in the mausoleum, she also vowed to make Sonny Corinthos pay for causing their deaths. Kristen portrayed a young mother who had to somehow live on after the death of her toddler daughter, and she showed the extreme loss that she would forever feel.
Who will win: Kristen Alderson (Starr Manning, GH)
However, my prediction for outstanding writing is for the excellent death scene of Stephanie on B&B, as Brooke held her in her arms. Even though Brooke and Stephanie had a love/hate relationship throughout the years, (okay, maybe more hate than love,) these two strong women admitted in the end that they did indeed love each other. That was the best way to end the story for these two unforgettable, core characters.
Who will win: The Bold and the Beautiful
My prediction for the award for Outstanding Directing Team is for Days of Our Lives' DAYSaster episode, where the scenes had to appear realistic after an explosion rocked Salem. Citizens panicked, and loved ones died. This DAYS submission was the most memorable DAYS episode, by far, from last year.
Who will win: Days of Our Lives
