Many names. Few winners. Hard decisions.
Even Miss Cleo couldn’t predict with any degree of certainty who among this year’s crop of nominees will grab Daytime Emmy gold.
After all, the Daytime Emmys aren’t exactly a popularity contest. Here’s how it works: Nominees submit videotape reels of their performances to Blue Ribbon panels, and only a handful of judges decide the outcome.
As we know you’re a soap opera junkie, here are our predictions for the 2002 Daytime Emmy Awards in seven major categories for the soaps, as we try to out-do Dionne Warwick’s Psychic Friends Network.
Drama Series
All My Children
As the World Turns
One Life to Live
The Young and the Restless
Count out Y&R and OLTL–the two soaps somehow managed to get Drama Series nods without getting many other noms. (Though a lot of OLTL performers were unfairly snubbed.) Thus it’s a horse race between AMC and ATWT. AMC had more of the heart tugging drama (Gillian’s death, anyone?) while ATWT had more of the dark, sensational drama (the boathouse blast, Craig’s trial). As AMC was snubbed last year, they should be the favorite by a nose over ATWT.
Lead Actress in a Drama Series
Martha Byrne, As the World Turns
Susan Flannery, The Bold and the Beautiful
Finola Hughes, All My Children
Susan Lucci, All My Children
Colleen Zenk Pinter, As the World Turns
Despite tour-de-force years from Byrne and Hughes, this should be Pinter’s year. After 24 years of tireless toil, she had an amazing storyline this past year–marriage to a scoundrel who ruined her financially, a near fatal brush with death in an explosion, a coma for weeks and a disfigured face she hid behind veils which empowered her to get even with her perceived enemies. Plus, the last time the show was held at Madison Square Garden, the site of this year’s awards, Susan Lucci was rewarded for her career–it would only be fitting to have a similar validation for a different longtime actor.
Lead Actor in a Drama Series
Peter Bergman, The Young and the Restless
Hunt Block, As the World Turns
Vincent Irizarry, All My Children
Robert Newman, Guiding Light
Jack Scalia, All My Children
It’s interesting to note that no show has taken both Lead Actor and Actress in the same year, except for Days. Since Pinter looks like the clear frontrunner for Lead Actress–that leaves Block out in the cold. Irizarry had one hell of a year, but Peter Bergman, a two-time winner, is the one to beat. This year the Blue Ribbon panel will get to see his romantic as well as his ruthless side–a definite plus. Bergman’s other asset: solid technique. Even when his character is just picking up a take-out order at Gina’s restaurant, the scene crackles.
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Supporting Actor in a Drama Series
Mark Consuelos, All My Children
Josh Duhamel, All My Children
Benjamin Hendrickson, As the World Turns
Paul Leyden, As the World Turns
Cameron Mathison, All My Children
Hendrickson should be the frontrunner, but he seems to be at a major disadvantage–his performances are brilliant, but they are too soft and subtle compared to some of the other nominees. (Emmy voters seem to like showy performances.) Duhamel is the dark horse: He has tons of range, can cry on cue, and is a big bright spot in even the worst scenes. Hendrickson, though, is still our choice.
Supporting Actress in a Drama Series
Crystal Chappell, Guiding Light
Beth Ehlers, Guiding Light
Kelley Hensley, As the World Turns
Kelly Ripa, All My Children
Maura West, As the World Turns
Talk about your toss-ups: any of the ladies could win it. But while Chappell and West were particularly good in specific story lines it was Ripa–with amazing work during the Haylene story and Lorenzo’s birth–and Ehlers who were the more luminary of the bunch. Ripa is my choice. She’s deserving, she’s way overdue and she’s also putting up with Regis.
Drama Series Directing Team
All My Children
As the World Turns
The Bold and the Beautiful
The Young and the Restless
How did AMC manage to win over Y&R in 1995? Tornado disaster scenes. How did GH manage to win over Y&R in 2000? Lucky’s death disaster scenes. And that’s exactly why ATWT will win over Y&R this year: great disasters scenes, including some great boat explosions.
Drama Series Writing Team
All My Children
As the World Turns
One Life to Live
Passions
Who will ever be able to forget ATWT in 2001? Will we ever be able to forget Craig and Barbara’s loveless marriage? Or Holden and Luke’s “death?” Or Barbara suffering from burns in the hospital? Or the shocker that it was Owen who planted the bomb at the boathouse that fateful night? Can we ever forget the suspense surrounding Craig’s trial? Will Craig and Sierra ever overcome the grief of losing Bryant? Will I ever write a sentence that isn’t a question? It’s ATWT‘s year.
