For 2009, I did my likes and yikes for daytime soaps and I wanted to share my list for 2010. This is similar to the print edition of TV Guide and their famous Cheers and Jeers section and like that feature there are things that are seen as both likes and yikes. This is far from comprehensive, but lists the things that stood out for me most in 2010. Here are my thoughts on All My Children, As the World Turns, The Bold & The Beautiful and Days of Our Lives. The rest of the soaps along with any other general comments about daytime will be listed in another entry.
All My Children:
Likes: The write out of Adam Chandler by bringing Brooke home so they could reconcile. The only negative is that with what went on with the company, I can’t believe Adam didn’t come back or didn’t send Brooke to Pine Valley as an emissary to deal with what happened between Scott and JR.
Yikes: Angie going blind due to a budget cut at the hospital, which limited medical supplies. While I have no issues with the acting, the disease she was given and how she caught it was very far-fetched. You may say this is a soap opera, and they aren’t known for realism, but this bothered me.
Likes/Yikes: My feelings on the relationship between JR and Annie are very mixed. While I appreciated how The Soup featured the scene where Adam walked in on JR and Annie though really guys a lot of things happen in soaps, but we haven’t gotten to the point where a father and a son have sex with a woman at the same time… Having Scott and Annie get married, and then Scott goes to prison, and then recast. This hurt the momentum of the story along with the swap of actresses for Marissa, so my opinion is still out on this one.
Likes: The 40th anniversary episodes back in January. While the tribute wasn’t perfect, I liked it pretty much and in those scenes we got to see Palmer one last time. I am so glad that James Mitchell was able to tape that before he passed.
Likes/Yikes: AMC updated their opening finally. While I appreciated that they kept the book theme, I miss seeing the past characters in the opening. I thought it honored history when we saw pictures of those who’ve departed this world like Phoebe.
As the World Turns:
Since I seldom watch ATWT and now it is off the air, this will be short.
Likes/Yikes: I appreciated that the majority of the characters had happy endings, but the fact that Luke did not was disappointing. I know there is no way you could make both fans of Luke with Noah and Luke with Reid happy, but this way there were no winners.
Likes: Seeing John Dixon on my screen again even if it only happened because the show was cancelled. I’m glad things came together so we could see this character for a few more episodes before the final curtain. I am also relieved that they allowed Bob and Kim to be together for the program’s final scenes as sadly Helen Wagner who played Nancy passed away before the show's filming ended. I do appreciate they did a tribute to Nancy before the end.
Bold and the Beautiful:
Since I seldom watch B&B this is going to be brief.
Likes/Yikes: While some may see it is good that B&B has become used as fodder less often on The Soup, I find that disappointing, as it was one way I keep up with the show. At least we got to see them on Ellen’s talk show, due to her deejay doing a guest part on the program.
Likes: I appreciated when I saw Amber finding out she was pregnant at the end of the year that the history between her and the Forrester family was remembered. Becky even got a mention as well as the child Amber lost.
Days of Our Lives:
Likes/Yikes: If someone had told me, I would have liked anything to do with the sarcophagus story I would have laughed at them, but the jokes on me. I’m almost ashamed to admit this, which is the reason for “the yikes portion.” Even though I was not a fan of the concept, the idea of Victor, Brady and Philip on the same side for once worked for me. Seeing them interact with a common enemy was interesting for a change instead of seeing them fight amongst themselves. Also I appreciated the look on people’s faces when I told them about this story in real life as they thought I was kidding.
Yikes: Chad is revealed to be Stefano’s son. This isn’t something I am against from a story standpoint. The reason for this yikes is that we haven’t had enough development of this plot. Chad may have hastened his mother’s death after confronting her about her past as a prostitute. He was ignored by the man he thought was his father, and then finds out Stefano is his dad. While I appreciated the one episode in which Chad and Stefano talked about the shared loss of Grace, I want to see more, which perhaps is a good thing.
Likes: The unexpectedness of Victor and Maggie. While I may not be the biggest fan of Victor and Maggie, I appreciate the fact the relationship is slow burning and while unexpected didn’t come out of nowhere. IMO it is too soon for Maggie to move on with someone after Mickey’s death, but I appreciate how Days had a story featuring characters with grown grandchildren that wasn’t about the children.
Yikes: Chloe being pregnant with Philip’s baby. On paper, this is the kind of story I should have loved. I was a fan of Phloe back in the day, but I was disappointed with how it has played out so far. In some ways, it was cruel for those who appreciate Daniel and Chloe, as they didn’t even get to enjoy seeing Daniel with the baby as nearly every scene with the child, Philip was there. Also having Caroline being the person responsible for switching the test was outrageous. It felt like dartboard meet suspect, so while it could be justified due to her hatred of Victor, it came out of nowhere.
Likes/Yikes: Melanie is Carly and Daniel’s daughter. This revelation comes out on Melanie’s wedding day after Carly accidentally shoots her daughter. Melanie and Daniel become instantly close, as they were both lied to by Carly for years. While I think having Melanie be related to someone on canvas, tying it into Carly’s missing years was a good idea there was something missing in the execution: Max Brady. Melanie sees Max as a brother, and he is Carly’s brother. Even if they weren’t interested in bringing the character back, this should have been part of the story somehow even if there were just vague references to telephone calls or emails.
Likes: Alice’s funeral and bringing back characters from the past for that event. Seeing old favorites from the past brought home part of why I became a soap viewer as a kid.
More about the things I liked, loved, loathed or merely tolerated in part two.
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