DAYS and B&B fight it out for GLAAD media award

[EricMontreal22]

I shouldn't find this so funny--because I do think the media awards serve a purpose--even in this day and age, and I like many of the (other) nominated choices, but it still always seems so arbitrary...

http://www.glaad.org/mediaawards/nominees

[Pine Charles]

Who should win? Neither?

I haven't seen the stories. Which one has better acting? I'm assuming the writing on both isn't that great.

[EricMontreal22]

I think DAYS has it in the bag, simply because of more screentime.

[Mr. Vixen]

B&B had a gay storyline? Are they referring to the 3 episodes of Crystal Chappell and Joanna Johnsln?

[jfung79]

Pine Charles, as a then non-Days fan (now a new Days fan) who got sucked in a couple weeks ago because of this story and has spent countless hours on YouTube catching up, I think the writing for Days's gay storyline has been quite strong (except for the idea of Will sleeping with his ex-girlfriend when he was emotionally beaten and self-hating one day, after he had already come out, and the girlfriend getting pregnant -- tired twist, yes, but the execution of even what to do about the pregnancy since then has been amazing). The story holds together well, and progresses. It doesn't seem like a bunch of isolated episodes. There aren't crazy Z twins (ATWT reference) or dropped threads. Well-developed, layered characters and interactions. Often understated and subtle scenes instead of always going for the shock value and shouting, though there have been plenty moments of high drama too.

Days knew in February 2011 they were going to have Will come out. They knew in the summer of 2011 that they were eventually going to put Will and Sonny together. But they took their time and crafted a story. They had the knowledge that Will was gay inform how Will interacted with his girlfriend Gabi in the actors' minds before any of that was verbalized on screen. They portrayed a realistic, gradual friendship for Wil land Sonny, with Will and Sonny working on projects together and Sonny helping Will in his coming out through the winter and the spring of 2012 as a mentor, then over a year after Sonny came on, had the relationship start. Already there have been many twists and turns with them since then, but they love each other, they can't bear to be split for long, and it shows. It hasn't been "villain of the month" coming between them, it's been character-based stuff. Both characters are part of major Salem families so there are familial ties, rivalries, and insecurities to draw on there that were missing with people like Noah and Reid for Luke. (I say this despite how much I respect ATWT). The show's history has been an important element throughout (although this is one of the reasons some people did not like the early part of the comng out story, as Will was angry at Sami just like Sami had been at Marlena, and some apparently think Will was too angry ... lately Will has been really chill though). Days has also continued to have Will involved with other stories in addition to his coming out and later romance. The acting has been great; Will's portrayer, Chandler Massey, won the Younger Actor Emmy last year, the first ever Daytime Emmy win for portraying a gay male character. The actor who plays Sonny, Freddie Smith, is no slouch. And vets like Deidre Hall, Ali Sweeney, Judi Evans, and Bryan Dattilo have also done great in many well-written scenes related to this story, along with good younger actors like Blake Berris and Casey Deidrick. The families are always present. Will and Sonny are not on an island on their own. Days has not shied away from portraying intimacy in the bedroom either. And yes, there has been ample screentime.

I don't know anything about the lesbian storyline on B&B, haven't seen it, and never heard much about it. Certainly doesn't seem like it has made anything like the impact of Otalia on GL. It's too bad we're down to so few soaps that Days pretty much has to win by default, but it will be a well-deserved win nonetheless if it happens.