Heart and Soul of Soaps

[DRW50]

Her lack of contact with her granddaughter, the relationship with Luke, and Finola's detachment from the role were very damaging.

[y&r_fan]

Even now?

Nikki isn't a viable heroine?

[quartermainefan]

Maybe he is referring to them personally and how they interact with the daytime community? Does DOOL not have a heart and soul?

[marceline]

I'm a Broadway nut so if that statement is true I would be happy to see/hear what plays she's been in. But even if she's Patti Lupone on stage that doesn't make her TV work good.

[Khan]

Nikki isn't a viable anything.

[antmunoz]

This is good news for Eden, Chloe and Chelsea, all of whom are dying to be The Next Big Heroine on Y&R.

But, like her or not, Lily has been a major heroine for years now. I'm not sure about Victoria. She's almost an anti-heroine. Or is that Phyllis? I'd still call her s villainess, but God knows she was set up to be the heroine in several Diane and Sharon stories.

As for Hearts and Souls...Jeanne Cooper. Doug Davidson. Jess Walton. Kristoff St. John. Anyone who'd devoted their adult or later-life career to their show or to soaps for two decades or more. And that's just Y&R. We "lost" so many when GL, ATWT, and the others left the air. He'll, for length of service alone, I'd include Frank Dicopoulous on the list. And anyone who always considered their lifelong soap career as a positive thing.

[Bright Eyes]

This may seem like a strange choice, but I think Peggy McCay is definately a contender. She's been in the soap industry longer than anyone that is currently involved in it. A soap survivor if there ever was one.

[kathyj]

For me, the heart and soul of Days is Maggie -- Suzanne Rogers.

I stopped watching for awhile -- the first time I tried to come back John Black was on screen so I gave up for a little longer.

The second time I gave Days a chance Maggie was on screen -- so I stayed.

[DramatistDreamer]

Branco is just nutty.

If he's going to mention Finola Hughes, why not Deidre Hall (and I don't even watch DAYS!)?

Does anyone truly regard anything he says, though?

Someone posted the sentiment (can't find the post right now, or I'd quote it) that many of the people who were/are the heart of these soaps (past and present) were often unheralded. I could name some but then I'd get a bit wistful thinking about how some of them were made irrelevant before being put out to pasture (a la Susan Flannery) for the 'hot' characters/storylines on the show. I can say one thing for Susan though, at least she was heralded. When I think of how actresses like Kathryn Hays, Elizabeth Hubbard and Eileen Fulton hadn't received much accolades for their contributions to ATWT, it makes me a bit miffed and I start to think that ATWT deserved to be where it ended up before it was cancelled.