http://www.tvguidemagazine.com/soaps/the-best-in-soaps-2009-3534.html

The Best in Soaps 2009

by Michael Logan December 15, 2009 02:34 PM EST

Best Soap: ABC’s General Hospital

I know I’m going to take crap for this pick because no soap maddens its fans like this one does. Yes, GH is dark and dismal and depraved. It glorifies skanks and mobsters and utterly lacks transcendent romance. You might even call it soulless. But, compared to the rest of the soaps this year, it is the one that most commanded our attention, and not just because it somehow happened to land James Franco (who is doing a weird, fine job by the way).

GH, on its best days, is smart, muscular and chillingly complex, daring to let its characters be ugly and screwed up and, sometimes, hopelessly doomed. (Claudia’s death by hatchet was a welcome relief.) It boasts the finest acting ensemble in daytime and a casting director, Mark Teschner, who ushered in lots of startling young talent in 2009 (nuKristina, nuMichael, nuMolly—all marvelous!). The production design and camera work remain rich and artful despite the drastic across-the-boards budget cuts that are making most other soaps look kinda cheap. (However did they pull off that sprawling, spectacular Carnival of Terror?)

GH is not without its laughs (thanks in large part to Carolyn Hennesy’s caustic Diane) and it can be infectiously charming when it wants to be (Maxie and Spinelli’s almost-wedding was the best episode of the year) but it stubbornly decided long ago not to be your mama’s cup o’ tea. Instead it’s for folks drawn to Dexter and Rescue Me and Breaking Bad—shows that mesmerize even as they sicken and repel.

Best Actor: Eric Braeden

The Young and the Restless claimed to be in talks with “names” after Braeden quit in a contract dispute (Paul Michael Glaser indeed!). But there’s no way in hell you could ever replace this guy. His Victor Newman—love god, toxic bully, heart-melting mensch—is an incomparable creation. Braeden returns January 15, thank heavens. Y&R has been a bore without him.

Best Actress: Robin Strasser

It was tempting to detest her shameless One Life to Live character, Dorian Lord, who pretended to be Buddhist in order to snag a wealthy heir, then faked being lesbian to win the gay vote in the Llanview mayor’s race. But the timeless Strasser—who joined OLTL 30 years ago—magically made us laugh and care and, yes, even forgive. No one in soaps performs with such pride and passion.

Best Supporting Actor: Peter Bartlett

This revered Broadway vet—a true supporting actor—has long been a snooty hoot as OLTL butler Nigel Bartholomew-Smythe, and now he’s doing double duty as Nigel’s toothy Brit cousin Neville. It’s pure, goofy bliss! Bartlett would have been perfect for those great screwball comedies Hollywood made back in the ’30s and ’40s but, alas, he was born too late. Lucky us.

Best Supporting Actress: Lisa Lo Cicero

As GH stunner Olivia Falconeri, she’s having a cougar fling with one guy, yet also loves the local mob boss who doesn’t know he fathered her kid. And now the kid’s working with the cops to bust daddy for murder! Throughout this hot mess, Lo Cicero has been a tough and tender marvel and the best thing to hit Port Charles in years.

The Rest of the Best

• The Bold and the Beautiful may well grab its second best-soap Emmy in a row for killing off its pain-in-the-ass matriarch Ann Douglas. The four-day event—featuring a sublime farewell performance by Betty White—was deeply sad yet profoundly uplifting, and unlike anything ever seen in daytime drama. Kudos, too, to B&B wonder woman Ashley Jones (Bridget) who juggled her front-burner role on the soap with a big story arc on True Blood and terrific guest stints on The Mentalist, FlashForward and CSI. You can have it all!

• More Great Performances: Louise Sorel, who is back and 50 kinds of crazy as Days diva Vivian Alamain; Scott Evans as the closeted gay cop Fish on OLTL; Beth Maitland as Y&R’s ever-mourning earth mother Traci; Robert Newman and Kim Zimmer as GL’s legendary Josh and Reva. They were brilliant to the bitter end.

• The shocking cancellation of As the World Turns can’t be allowed to overshadow how good the show is these days. The writing is increasingly sharp and the cast—led by Maura West (Carly) and Michael Park (Jack)—remains awesome. GL was brain dead long before the plug was pulled. Not so with ATWT. This is a show still brimming with life and limitless possibilities!

Star of the Year: Crystal Chappell

She was absolutely everywhere. Steam queen Chappell became a worldwide media sensation when her formerly straight Guiding Light character, Olivia, entered into a romance with her housemate Natalia (Jessica Leccia). Fearing conservative backlash, GL wouldn’t let the gals kiss, much less have sex, so Chappell satisfied angry “Otalia” fans by producing the sumptuous web series Venice. It kicked off December 4 with Chappell and Leccia (as another pair of lovers) exchanging hungry liplocks after a night of unbridled lust. Take that! When GL left the air, Chappell also made a triumphant return to Days of Our Lives—after 16 years—as bad-news heroine Carly Manning. The show’s ratings instantly zoomed up. Cowinky-dink? I don’t think so.

Edited December 16, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

GH and Peter Bartlett???

I wish DAYS would start getting some love. It was the best soap of 2009 and had the best story out of any soap - the baby switch. No other soap had a one year arc the way DAYS had in 2009.

I have a feeling SOD/SOW aren't going to pick DAYS either.

I have a feeling SOD/SOW aren't going to pick DAYS either.

They already did their best of issue? No?

I have a feeling SOD/SOW aren't going to pick DAYS either.

This is SOD's Best of 2009:

Best Story: DAYS Baby Switch

Most Shocking Plot Twist: OLTL Bo is David's Father

Most Preposterous Plot Twist: Y&R Phillip is Alive

Best Couple: GL Olivia and Natalia

Worst Couple: GH Sonny and Claudia

Most Entertaining Couple: OLTL David and Dorian

Most Tortured Couple: AMC Zach and Kendall

Best Triangle: Y&R Phyllis/Nick/Sharon

Worst Triangle: B&B Brooke/Ridge/Taylor

Biggest Waste of Talent, Male: GH Jason Cook

Biggest Waste of Talent, Female: AMC Beth Ehlers

Best Secret: OLTL Mitch is Rex's Dad

Worst Secret: B&B Justin is Marcus's Father

Best Use of History: OLTL Return of the KAD Rapists

Worst Use of History: GH Luke's secret son with Holly

Best New Character: B&B Bill Spencer

Worst New Character: OLTL Stacy

Most Boring Character: ATWT Alison

Most Boring Couple: DAYS Daniel and Chloe

Best Recast: Y&R Michael Muhney

Worst Recast: AMC Jamie Luner

Best Returns: DAYS Carly and Vivian

Worst Return: Y&R Deacon

Best Villain: AMC David

Worst Villain: ATWT Zac and Zoe

Best Hero: AMC Jake

Worst Hero: ATWT Jack

Best Weddings: Y&R (Chloe & Billy, Kay & Murphy, Lily & Cane)

Worst Weddings: AMC (Reese & Bianca, Adam & Annie, the 'slew of quickie nups' such as David/Krystal)

Best Non-Wedding: GH "Spixie"

Best Frenemies: B&B Donna and Pam

Best Psycho: Y&R Patty

Worst Psycho: DAYS Meredith

Best Teen Story: GH Dating Abuse

Worst Teen Story: OLTL Llanview "High"

Best Family: AMC's Hubbards

Worst Family: DAYS Kate's

Most Rejuvenated Family: ATWT Hugheses

Best Female Bonding: GH Ladies of Port Charles

Best Tearjerker: Y&R Brad's Death

Worst Exits: DAYS Steve & Kayla and John & Marlena

Most Creative use of Location: GH Hospital Carnival

Worst Cliffhanger: GL What happened to Jeffrey?

Best Special Episodes: B&B Price is Right, OLTL Grey Gardens

Most Improved Show: GL

"Giving this title to GL is terribly bittersweet... but 72 years of treasured history and beloved characters did not go quietly into the celluloid night..."

Most Disappointing Show: AMC

(Stories botched, such as Reese/Bianca; backburnering characters such as Tad and Krystal; introducing and dropping major plot points such as with Josh and Dixie's stories.)

Best Show: OLTL

"This year, OLTL held on to its title and continued to push the envelope with a compelling gay storyline, history-twisting reveals, a forbidden love triangle and some major story payoff."

Edited December 16, 200916 yr by Y&RWorldTurner

Michael Logan has been in GH's pocket for years. Lisa Lo Cicero? Really?

I like her but wow that role sucks. Frankly, I'd almost've been for her simply playing another recast of a role she used to be up for, Lois Cerullo, and doing the same storyline with Lois (who has a past with Sonny) while also using her to bring the Qs back into focus.

Edited December 16, 200916 yr by Vee

Michael Logan has been in GH's pocket for years. Lisa Lo Cicero? Really?

I like her but wow that role sucks. Frankly, I'd almost've been for her simply playing another recast of a role she used to be up for, Lois Cerullo, and doing the same storyline with Lois (who has a past with Sonny) while also using her to bring the Qs back into focus.

He's also been in MTS's pocketbook as well. Surprised he didn't pick her as best actress, again.

GH and Peter Bartlett???

I wish DAYS would start getting some love. It was the best soap of 2009 and had the best story out of any soap - the baby switch. No other soap had a one year arc the way DAYS had in 2009.

I have a feeling SOD/SOW aren't going to pick DAYS either.

I agree with this.

Why do these people ignore Days? The best soap and the only ratings success of the year.

Biggest Waste of Talent, Male: GH Jason Cook

...Really?

Ugh I find it so insulting when he claims that people who enjoy dark "smart" tv like Dexter (which I love) realize how brilliant GH is... ummm?

I wish DAYS would start getting some love. It was the best soap of 2009 and had the best story out of any soap - the baby switch. No other soap had a one year arc the way DAYS had in 2009.

Wasn't Logan up DAYS(and Reilly's) ass for all of the 1990's? Wasn't that enough?

Ugh I find it so insulting when he claims that people who enjoy dark "smart" tv like Dexter (which I love) realize how brilliant GH is... ummm?

I guess those millions of viewers who left are just darn stupid and not intelligent enough to recognize the show's brilliance.

I'm still a little perplexed at how he couldn't recognize Days but of course he will next year because one of his faves, CC will have been front and center for a full year.

Isnt there another Soap magazine that comes out next week with Year in Review? ive gotten one for christmas every year only thing i look forward to reading and arguing over like one year most missed character was Chloe Lane from Days i almost puked.

...Really?

Well, think about it. He is moderately talented and hasn't had a story since he started. That's pretty pathetic.

This is all pretty predictable. Logan is desperate to seem hip, and he has usually fawned over GH and Braeden because he thinks they are hip. I do agree that GH is for folks who like Rescue Me -- if you enjoy insecure machismo fests where unattractive, tic-laden men get all the hot babes, where minorities are nowhere to be found, and where rape is either no big deal or actually something the woman finds hot, then you will enjoy both shows.

As for Peter Bartlett, I'm sure he is a fine actor on the stage, but on OLTL, he seems one-note to me (to the point where they have to use comedy teeth to even show a difference between Neville and Nigel), and I didn't realize until the past few years how much Phil Carey helped him.