Daytime Confidential's Melodie Aikels conducted a joint Zoom chat with Y&R's Bergman and BTG's Daphnée Duplaix (Nicole) last week to get the tea. The talented actors shared their excitement over the temporary merging of their respective CBS soaps, the large scale of the event and offered a sneak peek at what to expect.

Duplaix teased "the energy was palpable" in the makeup room at 6:30 a.m. the first day of filming the crossover. Check out our full interview with her and Bergman to find out if that excitement continued throughout the week. Then be sure to tune in to the BTG/Y&R crossover event starting today on CBS Daytime.

Oh, what a tangled web we weave! 

On The Young and the Restless, Lily (Christel Khalil) has been "kidnapped" while her family is desperate to find her: her ex-husband Cane (Billy Flynn) in particular, because their children are also missing. Little does he know, not everything is as it seems!

Lily is actually working with the Mustache in charge of the whole ordeal, Victor Newman (Eric Braeden). In a soap first for the character, she's basically kidnapped herself. Lily and Victor have a not-so-stellar past, but the enemy of my enemy is my friend!

The mess is about to pick up because Lily returned to Genoa City on March 26! Daytime Confidential sat down with Lily's portrayer, Khalil, to dish the character and actress' return.

How does she feel about Lily's new attitude?

Lily's always been this very straight and narrow kind of character, and it's nice to see her do something a little bad!

She also gave her thoughts on the Winters family and who is Lily's true love: Daniel (Michael Graziadei) or Cane? The answer may surprise you!

Check out the full interview below!

"Going to the chapel...er...runway and they're going to get married!"

The Bold and the Beautiful's Carter Walton (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Daphne Rose (Murielle Hilaire) are about to tie the knot! It's been a long time coming for Carter, who seems to have a penchant for proposing to his lady loves. Carter may just be on the brink of living out his dreams!

Meanwhile, Daphne came on to the scene immediately interested in Carter. However, he was in a committed relationship with Hope (Annika Noelle). Daphne didn't let that stop her and chased Carter all through his relationship with Hope. She eventually came out victorious when Hope went back to her ex-husband Liam (Scott Clifton).

While the duo's journey to the altar was full of twists and turns, the big event finally happens on Thursday, Feb. 12. The ceremony happens on the newly-created Forrester Creations runway.

Daytime Confidential had the chance to speak with Carter and Daphne's portrayers, Lawrence Saint-Victor and Murielle Hilaire, about the big day! The two dive in to why the characters fell for each other, special moments in their history, and possible shenanigans during their wedding!

Also, find out who believes the couple could slow down and who thinks everything is just right in the full The Bold and the Beautiful interview below!

Every year there are actors and actresses who step up and do the work, but whose characters don't drive the front-burner storylines or whose acting doesn't get the credit it deserves. 

Sometimes it's a singular scene where the actor delivers an unexpectedly powerful performance. 

Other times, it's the actor whose character provided the "calm amidst the storm," allowing other actors in the storyline to show out and chew up scenery (good or bad) and sets.  

Some are actors who got a thankless role or storyline but still turned shit into sugar. 

Here are 10 unsung actors and an honorable mention who put in the work in 2025. 

No. 10: Rebecca Budig, The Bold and the Beautiful

Rebecca Budig may have had one of the most thankless job of 2025: portraying The Bold and the Beautiful's beloved Dr. Taylor Hayes. Across social media and commentary, she faced reactions like "she's a good actress but she's not Taylor Hayes." She still showed up and delivered what was asked of her by B&B.

We can never begrudge anyone landing a role and earning coin, so we hope in 2026 B&B figures out what to do. One Life to Live had a Tale of Two Todds. Maybe B&B could write itself out of the whole mess with a Tale of Two Taylors? 

No. 9: Jasmine Burke, Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates premiered in 2025 and introduced soap opera viewers to a crush of unfamiliar talent. One of those talents was Jasmine Burke, who portrays June, the unhoused biological mother of Martin (Brandon Claybon) and Smitty's (Mike Manning) children. 

In 10 short months June has gone from unhoused to holding down a job and reconciling with her children. It has been quite the trajectory and Burke has mastered all facets of her character brilliantly. Whether winning us over with her infectious smile or makes us root for June as underdog competition for Ted Richardson's (Keith D. Robinson) heart, Burke has us cheering her on.  

No. 8: Melissa Reeves, Days of Our Lives

Melissa Reeves has portrayed Days of Our Lives' Jennifer Horton off and on since 1985, but since Abigail's murder the character hasn't been seen in Salem a whole lot. Jennifer pops in and out of Salem for special occasions and random grandmotherly moments with Abigail's children but there haven't been scenes an actress can sink her teeth into. 

Then came 2025 and Jennifer's decision to steal Chad's (Billy Flynn) children from him "for their protection" from Cat's (AnnaLynne McCord) influence. 

We understand a grandmother's concern, but in the lead-up to Jennifer and Chad's confrontation we didn't buy her argument about Cat being such a threat. 

Then in the middle of Horton Square Jennifer and Chad faced off and Jennifer eviscerated Chad as only a woman who grew up with Horton privilege could. By time the scenes were over, we were reminded Jennifer can be a world-class cauldron-stirrer. Kudos to Reeves for doing the work in the stellar scenes. 

No. 7: Rick Hearst, General Hospital

Rick Hearst has a long and distinguished soap opera pedigree and maybe it's that pedigree that makes it seem like General Hospital takes him and his character Ric Lansing for granted by giving him minimal airtime. 

Whether steaming up our screens with Ava (Maura West) before their relationship detonated over trust issues and resulted in him being hog-tied to a medical stretcher and ball-gagged for a month or going toe-to-toe with Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn) over their daughter Molly (Kristen Vaganos), Hearst didn't pull any punches. He also conveyed Ric's humanity and need for a relationship with his half-brother Sonny (Maurice Benard) as the two inched their way toward trust and reconciliation. 

No one should take Rick Hearst for granted. And he definitely needs more airtime in 2026. 

No. 6: Mike Manning, Beyond the Gates

On a soap opera armed with standout leads and newcomers making names for themselves, Mike Manning is Beyond the Gates' B-2 stealth bomber and secret weapon. 

For much of 2025 his portrayal of Smitty was a calming presence as Martin vacillated between his memories of his traumatic past, '50s-style chauvinist inclinations, and an extremely overbearing parental presence in the Richardson-Smith home. At these times, Manning's Smitty stole the spotlight with quiet power, understanding, and heart, providing the emotional parachute Martin needed. 

No. 5: AnnaLynne McCord, Days of Our Lives

We've loved AnnaLynne McCord since her Nip/Tuck days as Eden Lord and with her 90210 reboot pedigree; there are few actresses who embody "she was born to be a soap opera star" like her. 

Whether depicting Days of Our Lives' Cat falling for Chad but being torn from him by his children, going undercover to spy on EJ, or holding her sibling family together, McCord made sure we never fast forwarded or looked away from her scenes. 

No. 4: Joshua Morrow, The Young and the Restless

Nick Newman is the conscience and glue that binds the Newman family together on The Young and the Restless, and without Joshua Morrow Genoa City wouldn't be the same. 

Morrow is the ultimate team player and even as Y&R put Nick Newman through the wringer in 2025, he never took his eye off the ball. To mix metaphors, Morrow's Nick gave us Y&R comfort food: the son who calls out his father, the father who protects his son, and the man who is still in love with his one true love, Sharon. 

No. 3: Stacy Haiduk, Days of Our Lives

Days of Our Lives' Stacy Haiduk is a multi-talented threat on the screen, and very few people in daytime today switch between characters as seamlessly as Haiduk switches between DiMera bad girl Kristen and the kooky-quacky Susan Banks. 

There's a reason Salem residents love Susan and indulge her multitude of quirks and it's for a similar reason we love Haiduk's Susan: She's just so ignorantly well-intentioned (at least most of the time). Susan is best appreciated in small doses, and DAYS has found the perfect balance of Susan airtime to let us love her when she's on and not grow to resent her. 

Kirsten got a lot of airtime in 2025, but it wasn't as the lead in a storyline like we're accustomed to. DAYS' primary focus for Kristen was to play the protective mother to her sociopathic daughter. Like mother, like daughter? So it's no surprise that in this Haiduk excelled. Haiduk made us believe Kristen's motivation for covering up her daughter's crime while imbuing Kristen with a trait we don't see from her often: humanity. 

No. 2: Zuleyka Silver, The Young and the Restless

It's difficult to truly quantify how horrifyingly bad the writing at The Young and the Restless was in 2025. A lot has been said on the podcast and social media and it's even reflected in Y&R's ratings; we're still not sure it fully encapsulates how bad Y&R was. 

However, if there's anyone who deserves credit for not batting an eyelash and still giving it all at Y&R in 2025, it is Zuleyka Silver as Audra Charles. Even when Audra was being pimped out by Victor (Eric Braeden), Silver conveyed how trapped Audra felt. A lesser actress would have crumbled beneath the one-note writing. 

Even as Audra was entangled in a web of her own making, Silver showed Audra's humanity and compassion in her scenes with cancer-ridden Amy Lewis (Valarie Pettiford). 

While Y&R championed Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Claire (Hayley Erin), it was obvious to anyone actually watching the show that real chemistry magic remained between Audra and Kyle. 

Our hope is that in 2026, The Young and the Restless wakes up and realizes what a powerhouse they have in Silver and the innumerable potential Audra has as a long-term citizen of Genoa City. 

No. 1: Brook Kerr, General Hospital

General Hospital's Brook Kerr is a soap opera veteran who got her start on Passions and over the years has rarely received her flowers for the work that she delivered. 2025 was an especially strong year for Kerr as she navigated Portia Robinson's relationship insecurities and demise of her marriage and being blackmailed by not one but two men; she ended up with a new lover and then was forced to reveal that affair on the stand in a public trial. 

Kerr's court scene performance, where she was forced to reveal personal and professional secrets to remove herself as a suspect in Drew Quartermaine's (Cameron Mathison) shooting, was simultaneously powerful and heartbreaking. Afterwards, she showed Portia's desperation at trying to connect with her angry daughter while revealing to her soon-to-be ex-husband that the baby she carries might not be his. 

After a stand out 2025, we hope General Hospital elevates Kerr and Portia further in 2026 as she's proven she can deliver. 

Honorable Mention: Sean Kanan, The Bold and the Beautiful

If anyone deserves an Honorable Mention as an actor who did the work, look no further than The Bold and the Beautiful's Sean Kanan as Deacon Sharpe. Amidst the absurdity of Sheila's (Kimberlin Brown) "death" storyline and identifying a body based on missing toes, Kanan always stepped up. He never looked bored. Then, midway through 2025, Deacon and Rebecca Budig's Taylor shared scenes where their chemistry popped off the screen. We need more of Deacon and Taylor in 2026.

Soap opera fans love a good soap couple, but for every fun soap couple or every true supercouple, there are also a lot of terrible soap couples, and 2025 was no different. 

Here are the worst soap opera couples of 2025. 

No: 10: Drew and Willow, General Hospital

We're so conflicted over General Hospital's Drew Quartermaine (Cameron Mathison) and Willow Tait (Katelyn MacMullen). They don't have chemistry. Individually, each character is repugnant (one in a good way, the other in a not-so-good way). We've never hated a romantic pairing so much while at the same time loved the umbrella storylines they're driving.

After we endured years of the Michael and Willow pairing, their custody battle and the Who Shot Drew mystery engulfing Port Charles have us riveted. 

So we wrap up 2025 shaking our fist at General Hospital for enjoying their storylines but hating Drew and Willow being together just as much. On the bright side, at least "Mildew" is over. 

No. 9: Tate and Holly, Days of Our Lives

On paper, Days of Our Lives' Tate (Leo Howard) and Holly (Ashley Puzemis) should work, but the only time they're remotely interesting is when Sophia or his mom are causing them problems. Like a candle tipped into a trash can that burns a dorm room, so too this couple needs to burn to ash. No firefighter can save them. 

No. 8: Jacob and Naomi, Beyond the Gates

A detective and an attorney pairing is a classic soap trope and when they have chemistry, their storylines pop, and the couple works (see Bo and Nora on One Life to Live), it's a thing of beauty. Unfortunately, Beyond the Gates' Jacob (Jibre Hordges) and Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) are missing all three. When they're together, they mostly sit around arguing. She's a boring, pro-bono lawyer who gets stuck mostly with "PSA" career storylines. Meanwhile, he oozes chemistry with his wife's cousin Kat. 

Unlike Andre and Dani's breathtakingly contemporary and fresh relationship storyline, Jacob and Naomi's "one wants kids and the other doesn't" storyline feels old and musty, like the grandparents' basement you have to clean out after they die. 

No. 7: Chase and Brook Lynn, General Hospital

Once upon a time, General Hospital's Chase (Josh Swickard) and Brook Lynn Quartermaine (Amanda Setton) were a couple we had high hopes for. Soap fans love a "good guy" cop paired with a bad-but-trying-to-be-good "bad girl" pairing (see As the World Turns' True North supercouple, Jack and Carly).

Unfortunately, somewhere between them falling in love, getting married, wanting to have a kid, finding out they couldn't have a kid, and then discovering Brook Lynn's biological son was living in Port Charles, our high hopes were shattered as their chemistry tanked, Chase became a one-note, obsessive, vigilante cop and Brook Lynn oozed chemistry with her baby daddy Dante.  

Break them up in 2026 so he can run off with Willow and explore BLQ and Dante's dynamite chemistry.  

No. 6: Kyle and Claire, The Young and the Restless

If soap couples came with a Tinder profile you watched instead of read, we'd have swiped LEFT on The Young and the Restless' Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Claire (Hayley Erin) early in 2025.  

In 2026, we hope we can swipe RIGHT on Kyle and Audra and more Holden and Claire. 

No. 5: Trina and Kai, General Hospital

General Hospital's Kai (Jens Austin Astrup) and Trina (Tabyana Ali) pairing is like watching primer, not paint, dry. At least watching paint drying gives you color and vibrance while it dries. Primer is forgettable, and so is this soap couple. 

GH did a lot of things well in 2025, but this couple wasn't one of them. Break them up in 2026.

RELATED: Best and Worst of Soap Operas in 2025 Part 1 | Best and Worst of Soap Operas in 2025 Part 2

No. 4: Ridge and Taylor, The Bold and the Beautiful

Ridge (Thorsten Kaye) and Taylor (Rebecca Budig) as a romantic paring wasted viewers' time in 2025. No The Bold and the Beautiful viewer believes Ridge will end up with anyone besides Brooke but B&B contorts itself to try and convince us otherwise.

These former All My Children co-stars have known each other a long time and give us "friends" vibes. Meanwhile, Budig's Taylor has SMOKIN' hot chemistry with Deacon Sharpe. 

Let's hope 2026 doesn't revisit the Brooke, Ridge, and Taylor triangle and instead gives us more Taylor and Deacon.  

No. 3: Kat/Tomas/Eva triangle, Beyond the Gates

In 2025 there were a number of terrible soap opera couples, but Kat (Colby Muhammad), Tomas (Alex Alegria), and Eva (Ambyr Michelle) take the crown for awful soap triangles. We loved Kat vs. Eva in pretty much every storyline they've had this year, EXCEPT this triangle. It pained us to watch these half-sisters fight over the cardboard equivalent of a male romantic lead. 

We never believed Eva when she touted her sex with Tomas and we hated that Kat only seems to stay with Tomas out of spite for her sister, especially when Kat had such sizzling chemistry with her cousin's husband Jacob. Plus, Tomas' "broken penis" subplot has become a running joke that viewers aren't laughing at. 

No. 2: Carter and Hope, The Bold and the Beautiful

The relationship between The Bold and the Beautiful's Carter (Lawrence Saint-Victor) and Hope (Annika Noelle) in 2025 felt as contrived as the show's decision to write them as the power couple capable of taking over Forrester Creations.  It doesn't help that we knew Carter was a speed bump in the Liam and Hope super-highway and remember fondly his chemistry with Quinn Fuller.

No. 1: Derek and Ashley, Beyond the Gates

Beyond the Gates' Derek (Ben Gavin) and Ashley (Jen Jacob) are truly the worst soap couple of 2025. They have zero chemistry. Her "naive" new nurse schtick and his "I have more brawn than brains" personality didn't deliver in 2025. Unfortunately,  neither character has romantic chemistry with any else on the BTG canvas.

To be honest, we're not even sure why they're on screen, except to be talk-tos for another terrible couple already mentioned: Jacob and Naomi. 

Beyond the Gates could have used all of the airtime Derek and Ashley devoured in their throuple with a fridge and used it to improve other storylines that came out of left field over the year. 

We hope BTG cuts its losses in 2026 and writes these characters off. 

People watch soap operas for a lot of reasons. There are the compelling storylines, the topical, socially relevant issues explored, the aspirational elements... Oh, who are we kidding? The main reason we watch daytime sudsers is to live vicariously through the often against all odds love stories the genre does oh-so-well.

After years of bloggers and podcasters like us decreeing the Soap Opera Supercouple is dead, the 10 intoxicating pairings below from General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Young and The Restless, and Beyond The Gates had us convinced rumors of the supercouple's death were greatly exaggerated in 2025.

No. 10: Gio and Emma, General Hospital

Who said star-crossed couples are a thing of the past on soaps? With Gio Palmieri (Giovanni Mazza) and Emma Scorpio-Drake (Braedyn Bruner), General Hospital proved once again that if you cast dynamic actors to play characters tied to legacy families and give them a young adult story full of angst and romance magic can still happen.

No. 9: Claire and Holden, The Young and the Restless

A few martinis and a mutual love for James Bond flicks was all it took to have Genoa City newcomer Holden Novak (Nathan Owens) swooning over Claire Newman (Hayley Erin) on The Young and The Restless. 

If only Claire could get over Kyle Abbott once and for all, we think she and Holden-Out-For-A-Hero could go the distance.

No. 8: EJ and Belle, Days of Our Lives

Everything about EJ DiMera (Dan Feuerriegel) hooking up with Belle Black (Martha Madison) was so wrong it was right on Days of Our Lives. Not only is she his ex-wife's sister but she's Salem's District Attorney. Meanwhile, Elvis is quite often atop the town's Most Wanted list! 

None of that has stopped us from rooting for this dangerously inappropriate duo to continue steaming up the sheets, especially since it makes Sami's visits all the more fun. 

No. 7: Eva and Izaiah, Beyond the Gates

Eva Thomas' (Ambyr Michelle) self esteem to a major hit when she realized that, despite taking her to bed, skeevy lawyer Tomas Navarro prefers her half-sister/sworn enemy Kat Richardson on Beyond The Gates. 

Enter Izaiah Hawthorne (David Lami Friebe). Even though Jacob's brother has chemistry with just about every woman he meets in the DMV (including Jacob's wife!), the tall drink of water is all about Eva. Lucky girl.

No. 6: Portia and Isaiah, General Hospital

Often times on soaps, the best romances begin as torrid affairs. Dr. Portia Robinson (Brook Kerr) was still married to Curtis Ashford when she finally gave into temptation and had sex with fellow physician Isaiah Gannon (Sawandi Wilson) on General Hospital. 

In Portia's defense, she thought her marriage was over but we digress. Throw in an attempted murder, a paternity puzzle and plenty of chemistry and "Black Scrubs" had us glued to the tube all of 2025.

No. 5: Vernon and Anita, Beyond the Gates

When Black Love meets Black Excellence you get an instant supercouple like Vernon (Clifton Davis) and Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie) on Beyond The Gates. The former Senator-turned-college professor and his superstar wife head up fictional Fairmont Crest's most prestigious (and deliciously dysfunctional) dynasty. 

The Duprees do so with elegance, grace and just a hint of malice when it comes time to take down anyone who would dare harm one of their loved ones.

No. 4: Ric and Ava, General Hospital

Ric Lansing (Rick Hearst) really has a kink for his big brother Sonny Corinthos' baby mamas on General Hospital. He married Alexis only to cheat on her with Sam. Then, upon returning to Port Charles after a years-long absence, he got mixed up with the lethal Ava Jerome (Maura West). And boy was it hot, at least until Ava, Alexis and Kristina decided to hold the lawyer prisoner in the basement. There really is a thin line between lust and hate.

No. 3: Johnny and Chanel, Days of Our Lives

In the grand tradition of beloved Salem couples, Johnny and Chanel DiMera (Carson Boatman and Raven Bowens) have had to overcome seemingly insurmountable odds on the road to happily never after on Days of Our Lives. 

The year 2025 saw the couple contend with Chanel being exposed to radiation, Johnny going on trial for the attempted murder of his father, fertility issues, adoption woes and a coed sexting scandal! 

We hope our favorite baker and her film buff bae get a chance to be happy for at least 5 minutes in 2026.

No. 2: Leo and Javi, Days of Our Lives

Proving even the most lascivious characters can find redemption and be worthy of love, reformed schemer Leo Stark (Greg Rikaart) found his person when he fell hard for emergency responder Javi Hernandez (Al Calderon) on Days of Our Lives. 

This opposites attract pairing only became more root-worthy when Javi brought home an infant anonymously surrendered at the fire station. Leo and Javi grew to love baby Tesero as we grew to love them. 

No. 1: Dani and Andre, Beyond the Gates

Love can be so much sweeter the second time around. Catwalk queen Dani Dupree (Karla Mosley) was devastated when her husband left her for a younger woman on Beyond The Gates. She found someone willing to lick her wounds and so much more in Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman), the gorgeous photographer who happened to be the nephew of Dani's brother-in-law. Holy, inappropriate sneaky links, Batman! 

At first, Dani and Andre were content with their no-strings-attached hook-ups. She was still hung up on Bill and he was swooning over Nurse Ashley. Then the unpredictable duo got drunker than Cooter Brown in Vegas before being married by an Anita Williams impersonator. It might not have been the most conventional road to wedded bliss, but some how it works for these two.

It's that time of year again. Daytime Confidential is counting down the Best and Worst of 2025. 

We're starting off with 10 soap opera newcomers who showed up and showed out all year long on sudsers like General Hospital, Days of Our Lives, The Young and The Restless, The Bold and The Beautiful and a newcomer itself - Beyond The Gates. 

Check out who made the cut below!

No. 10: Braedyn Burner, General Hospital

Braedyn Bruner had some big shoes to fill when she recreated the popular role of Emma Scorpio-Drake on General Hospital in 2025, and fill them she has. While we'll always have fond memories of former child actress Brooklyn Rae Silzer's version of Robin and Patrick's daughter, Bruner has more than made the role her own, especially in scenes opposite Emma's super spy grandmother Anna Devane and/or tortured love interest Gio Palmieri. 

Follow Bruner on Instagram @braedynbruner.

No. 9: David Lami Friebe, Beyond the Gates

Beyond The Gates' casting director needs a raise after selecting Tyler Perry's Sistas alum David Lami Friebe to bring Detective Jacob Hawthorne's bad boy younger brother to life on the new soap. College counselor Izaiah may be the Cain to his cop brother's Abel, but he's proving to be so much more than forbidden fruit for Eve, err Eva Thomas . 

Follow Friebe on Instagram @lamimusik.

No. 8: Marissa Reyes, Days of Our Lives

Former kid star Marissa Reyes went from Raven's Home on The Disney Channel to Salem U.S.A. on Peacock when she took on the role of Will, Sonny and Gabi's SORASed daughter Arianna Horton on Days of Our Lives. Ari didn't have much time to get reacclimated to life in Salem before she and her pals were enrolling in college, surviving dorm fires and contending with one seriously unstable coed. Ari, much like Reyes, has taken it all in stride. Now, if DAYS can only give her a love interest... 

Follow Reyes on Instagram @marissarys.

No. 7: Laneya Grace, The Bold and the Beautiful

Who better than a literal former model like Laneya Grace to play a fashion house heiress on CBS Daytime's The Bold and The Beautiful? Eric's budding jewelry designer niece Electra is perfectly named considering she causes major sparks opposite hunky publishing scion Will Spencer. 

Follow Grace on Instagram @official_laneya_grace.

No. 6: Jermaine Rivers, The Young and the Restless

Pour some Crown Royal out for the homie, Damian Kane. We hardly got the chance to know the sexy, long-lost son of Nathan Hastings and Amy Lewis on The Young and The Restless before he was killed off. While Damian may now reside in Soap Heaven, we predict his talented portrayer Jermaine Rivers is just getting started. We can't wait to see what he does next — hopefully another soap. 

Follow Rivers on Instagram @jermaineriversofficial.

No. 5: Ernestine Morrison, Beyond the Gates

It should come as no surprise to fans of the wildly popular Kountry Wayne comedic soap opera sketches that Ernestine Morrison knows how to steal a scene. The Atlanta local quickly made nosy nightingale Shanice Johnson, R.N. a fan favorite when CBS Daytime's Beyond The Gates debuted in 2025. 

After almost a year of being all up in fellow Nurse Ashley Morgan and firefighter Derek Baldwin's  messy relationship business, Shanice is finally getting a romance of her very own, courtesy of newly divorced plastic surgeon Dr. Ted Richardson. We are seated. 

Follow Morrison on Instagram @mrsernestinemorrison.

No. 4: Sean Freeman, Beyond the Gates

Beyond The Gates had us itching to get married and have our first husband cheat on us with our daughter's best friend in 2025, all so we could rebound with a fine-as-hell tenderoni like Andre Richardson (Sean Freeman)! As fictional Fairmont Crest's resident millionaire photographer/philanthropist, Freeman's Andre healed supermodel Dani Dupree's heart while stealing those of droves of CBS soap fans. 

Follow Freeman on Instagram @seanfreeman___.

No. 3: Marquita Goings, Beyond the Gates

It takes a skilled thespian to make an audience have sympathy for a she-devil like Hayley Hamilton on Beyond The Gates. It's a good thing for the soap and its viewers that Marquita Goings proved she was up for the challenge in 2025, as one of two heat-seeking homewreckers who blew up the Dupree sisters' marriages. 

Heaven help Hayley's unsuspecting hubby Bill if this Black Widow pulls off the ultimate con by killing him and making off with his fortune. 

Follow Goings on Instagram @marquitatenaya.

No. 2: Alice Halsey and Rachel Boyd, Days of Our Lives

A pair of recast young starlets drove plenty of story on Days of Our Lives in 2025. As tween attempted murderess Rachel Black, Alice Halsey brought quiet terror to Salem for much of the year. Not only did bad seed Rachel shoot her Uncle EJ, but she sent poor Dr. Sarah Horton Kiriakis into anaphylactic shock when she secretly fed the deathly allergic physician pistachios! Those were some heavy stories for someone Halsey's age to play. Heck, they'd be heavy for an actor of any age. 

As if Rachel's descent into madness wasn't enough for the grieving Black family to deal with this past year, her big brother Tate's  not-quite baby mama Sophia Choi (Rachel Boyd) unraveled when the truth about her son's paternity (and the fact that she lied about putting the tyke up for adoption in Chi-town) came out. As fate would have it, both Rachel and Sophia now find themselves in the same mental institution. Here's hoping the widowed Dr. Marlena Evans recovers from Lyme Disease soon, because we have a feeling Salem is going to need a good shrink on standby for quite some time. 

Follow Boyd on Instagram @rachel.boyd.

No. 1: Colby Muhammad and Ambyr Michelle, Beyond the Gates. 

Kay vs. Jill. Dorian vs. Viki. Erica vs. Brooke. Liz vs. Sam. Daytime television has given us plenty of female rivalries to salivate over. But none have been quite so fabulously melanin-hued as the all-out war raging between posh Kat Richardson (the amazing Colby Muhammad) and her street smart half-sister Eva Thomas (the equally awe-inspiring Ambyr Michelle) on Beyond The Gates. 

Kat had Eva's number long before the truth about the young women sharing a father came out in spectacular fashion at Ted and Nicole's anniversary party. While the rest of her family has forgiven Eva for her role in Leslie's duplicity, Kat will forever have smoke for her newfound sibling and the feeling is quite mutual. We wouldn't have it any other way. 

Follow Muhammad on Instagram @colbynatasha. Follow Michelle @ambyrmichelle_. 

On episode 1190 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels look back at 2025 and the Best and Worst of Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines, including all your favorite long-running categories.

Share your picks for these categories in the comments below! 

Most Improved Character:

Best Male Character:

Best Female Character:

Biggest Waste of Talent (Male or Female):

Most in need of a Makeover:

Character Most in Need of a Recast:

Dreams Really Do Come True:

Be careful what you wish for:

Best Couple or Triangle:

Worst Couple or Triangle:

Worst Storyline:

Best storyline:

All this and more on the latest Daytime Confidential podcast!

Bluesky: @DCConfidential, LukeKerr, JillianBowe, Josh Baldwin, and Melodie Aikels.

Facebook: Daytime Confidential

Subscribe to Daytime Confidential on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.

The Real Housewives of Potomac are causing quite a stir at the Fairmont Crest Country Club. Grand dame Karen Huger appeared in Beyond The Gates' very first episode witnessing Dani (Karla Mosley) slugging Hayley (Marquita Goings). More recently Gizelle Bryant and Wendy Osefo guest starred as a pair of well-heeled women who Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli) marketed her escort service to.

Bryant chatted with Daytime Confidential about the fun stint and revealed if she'd be open to a return engagement in Suds Land.

Daytime Confidential: How did your trip at Fairmont Crest come about, and what was it like working with Lauren Buglioli and Karla Mosley?

Gizelle Bryant: Well, it came about… let's see. How did this happen? I don't know. I think I was dreaming that one day it would happen, and then, lo and behold, somebody got in contact with my manager. I think that they wanted to incorporate some Real Housewives Potomac girls into Fairmont Crest for the holidays, which I thought was so super cute. The real, you know, bona fide actresses. They said we did a good job. So, that's all I needed.

RELATED: Vanessa's Escort Service Hits The Skids [Recap]

DC: When you were initially pitched the storyline centered around your Beyond The Gates character, what was your reaction?

GB: I was super happy. My character is Gloria Darvell. That [name] is very sophisticated, classy and very Giselle. So, I was extremely happy.

DC: Let's just keep it brass tacks. Has anything like this happened in Potomac? 

GB: Listen, absolutely anything and everything has happened in Potomac. So, this was right up my alley and I was here for it.

DC: What are your thoughts on the DMV getting its flowers in terms of, first a reality-based series and now a daytime show?

GB: [It's been] a super long time coming. Listen, Potomac is in its 10th season. So, it basically took 9-10 years for Potomac to really be beloved by other people, I think, outside of the reality space.  We've worked hard over here. I'm happy that finally we're getting our due, our props, our kudos, our everything.

DC: You're coming off BravoCon. We saw you reunited with La Dame herself, and the first Potomac co-star on Beyond the Gates, Karen Huger. How's she doing and did she give you any tips on making your soap debut?

GB: Well, when I filmed Beyond the Gates, Karen was "occupied." She was not to be called about this [laughs], but I did talk to her team, or her team talked to mine. They were super happy that I could do it. I'm happy that —and rightly so — that Karen would have entered into Fairmont Crest first, right? Because, she's the Grand Dame, of course. I think that we did not embarrass her. She is super happy that we were able to follow her lead.

DC:  Will we see you make another appearance on Beyond The Gates? Full disclosure, I am a Potomac stan. I'm also in the La Dame hive. I'm also in the Giselle hive. You've won me over these past few seasons. I love how you and Karen get the girls together!

GB:  [Laughs] Well, first I want to say thank you that I've won you over. It took me probably 8 years, but I have won you over.

DC: [Laughs] Yes.

GB: I would love to come back to Fairmont Crest. I have even put into the atmosphere and the universe, i.e. the producers, that I think Gloria would be a great little, like, mistress, you know? Like tearing down a marriage. You know what I mean? Just for 5 minutes, and then, you know, the couple gets back together. So, I'm here for all of it.

DC: Andy Cohen is a die-hard soap fan, and he's revealed that the RHO shows are the ultimate soap operas, and he got a little, influenced by daytime soaps. He's an All My Children boy. Do you agree with him that the franchise is similar to soap operas?

GB: Absolutely. I mean, it's real-life soap opera at its finest. We see that when for instance, Karen was not there this season but people are still looking for their favorite, "character" so to speak. You know, they're looking for that same core group of ladies, and whatever it is that's going on with them at that particular time in their life. Yeah, it is 100 [a soap opera] It took me a long time to really understand that, yes, I am working in a real-life soap opera.

Hold on to your cocktails, Fairmont Crest! There's a new doctor headed to town. Multi-soap veteran Greg Vaughan officially debuts as Dr. Kial Rollins on Beyond the Gates on Monday, Dec. 8. 

Dr. Rollins is a traveling surgeon with his fair share of baggage. He's a widower with two grown children. During a blind date, he will cross paths with a very important citizen of Fairmont Crest! 

Daytime Confidential had the honor of speaking with Vaughan on his new role. Vaughan revealed how his role came about, the vibe on a fledgling soap, and his excitement of creating a new character.

The actor shared:

"I'm new to this show. What can I bring and add? What kind of flavor you want me to throw at you?"

This is the first brand new character for Vaughan! He's a daytime veteran with over twenty years under his belt, but this time is a little different! 

How different? Check out his full interview below for more!

Which soap was the Best Daytime Soap of the Week?

Beyond the Gates gave us a healthy serving of Leslie, the introduction of a new character, Naomi and Jacob's marriage straining under the weight of a possible pregnancy, Vanessa wanting to be equals with Joey and Kat breaking Tomas' penis. 

The Bold and the Beautiful gave us Finn Finnegan in grey sweatpants for grey sweatpant season. Nothing else needed. 

Days of Our Lives saw the collapse of Xander and Sarah's relationship...again, Philip and Gabi doing the two-sheet tango, Brady questioning his direction in life, all of Sophia's secrets coming out and Johnny and Chanel no closer to adopting Sophia's baby than they were before. 

General Hospital was jam-packed with Tracy facing off with Ronnie over Monica's will. Drew blackmailed Alexis to defend Willow. Multiple people hopped on jets to see Valentin in prison. Michael strengthened his alibi with the hooker. Chase and Michael measured the length of their sauna towels (see Shirtless Soap Hunks). Rena Sofer wrapped up her run as Lois by trying to get Giovanni to give Dante and BLQ a chance. Oh and then there's everything surrounding Nathan, Britt and is or isn't Faison alive. 

The Young and the Restless introduced Tamara Braun as Sienna Bacall, had Sharon crying over Noah's bed a lot, us throwing up over Daniel and Tessa kissing, Mariah seeing ghosts (or was it), and Phyllis stealing Cane's super AI. 

So which daytime soap opera do you think was the Best Daytime Soap of the Week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital or The Young and the Restless? 

Vote below and let us know in the comments who and why you made your pick!

View the original article to see embedded media.

It's Grey Sweatpant season and shirtless soap hunks are bringing the heat to our TVs.

Kicking things off this week was The Bold and the Beautiful's Tanner Novlan as Finn Finnegan, who slipped through his sliding door boasting the reason for the season: a pair of grey sweatpants. Was he done surfing or was he checking a package...er...an amazon package? A sip of coffee never looked so delicious. Too bad Finn's kids interrupted. 

Jibre Hordges' Beyond the Gates character Jacob Hawthorne might be the character who ends up shirtless the most. And this week he didn't disappoint as Jacob faced the reality of Naomi's insistence she never wants to be the mother. Disappointment never looked so sexy. 

Days of our Lives is probably the show that gives us shirtless soap hunks the most consistently and this week it was John-Paul Lavoisier's Philip Kiriakis who carried the torch for Salem lovers everywhere. Philip and Gabi's (Cherie Jimenez) clothes ended up all over his hotel room, including on a lamp, and they sizzled beneath the sheets. Robert Scott Wilson and Paul Telfer have been DAYS' strongest shirtless torchbearers, but JPL is also quickly becoming a favorite of the show. 

Josh Swickard's Chase and Rory Gibson's Michael Corinthos faced off over Willow in the sauna on General Hospital and couldn't help getting out a yard stick to measure the length of their towels. Who cares about Willow when measurements must be made? General Hospital fans everywhere thanked the GH soap gods everywhere for the scenes.  

Check out this week's shirtless soap hunks and then vote below on which is your favorite!

View the 21 images of this gallery on the original article

View the original article to see embedded media.

David Lami Friebe made his debut as Izaiah Hawthorne on Beyond the Gates on October 22 and immediately had sizzling chemistry with scene partner Ambyr Michelle's Eva. 

The brother of Fairmont Crest's resident by-the-book cop, Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Horges), viewers and Eva learned Izaiah is studying for his GREs, has been living in the Pacific Northwest and has a job interview at Banneker.  

In light of how quickly Izaiah and Eva vibed onscreen we can't wait to see his interactions with Kat (Colby Muhammad) and find out exactly how well he gets along with his brother and dad. And because of so much immediate chemistry with Eva, could Eva, Izaiah and Kat be BTG's blockbuster young adult triangle that every soap wants? 

Catch every twist in Izaiah Hawthorne’s journey — read the latest Beyond the Gates recaps

In September, when the news of David Lami Friebe joining the Beyond the Gates cast, the actor shared his excitement on Instagram.  

For fans who may not be familiar with Friebe, that's okay. His acting credits begin in 2020, but in five short years he's already had a run on Tyler Perry's Sistas as Trey, appeared as D'Marcus in Bloody Famous and did a stint as Evan on All American. He also appeared as Casey in The Haunting of Hollywood. 

 Find out what’s next for Izaiah Hawthorne in our Beyond the Gates spoilers. 

What are your First Impressions of David Lami Friebe as Izaiah Hawthorne on Beyond the Gates? Share your initial reactions in the comments below!

A black clothing on a red carpet is often a timeless combination and a large number of daytime favs chose black for the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Even more striking, how many chose ensembles including black pants. 

See all the women who walked the red carpet in our Daytime Emmy Red Carpet Gallery!

From leading ladies at General Hospital, Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless to soap opera newcomers, these women delivered timeless looks on the Daytime Emmy red carpet.

See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Who do you think is most beautiful in black on the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy red carpet? 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Gold, Silver and Bronze always make a statement on the red carpet and the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards was no exception.

See all the women who walked the red carpet in our Daytime Emmy Red Carpet Gallery!

From The Young and the Restless icon Michelle Stafford to returning veteran Alexa Havins of General Hospital and the newcomers from Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless (Ashley Puzemis, Braedyn Bruner and Zuleyka Silver respectively), these glamorous women definitely made a statement on the Daytime Emmy red carpet.

See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Who do you think is most enchanting in silver, gold or bronze on the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy red carpet? 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Blue is always a regal choice for a red carpet gown and the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards was no exception. 

See all the women who walked the red carpet in our Daytime Emmy Red Carpet Gallery!

From Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement inductee Deborah Norville's light blue gown to the deep navy blues chosen by General Hospital's Tabyana Ali, The Young and the Restelss' Valarie Pettiford and Days of Our Lives' Tina Huang, no one was singing the blues about these beautiful women on the Daytime Emmy red carpet.

See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Who do you think is the most beautiful in blue on the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy red carpet? 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Pink was one of the most popular colors on the Daytime Emmy red carpet in 2024 and this year it still had a strong presence at the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

See all the women who walked the red carpet in our Daytime Emmy Red Carpet Gallery!

From brighter shades of pink chosen by Days of Our Lives' AnnaLynne McCord and The Young and the Restless' Melissa Claire Egan and Hayley Erin to the softer shades chosen by GH's Kate Mansi and Days of Our Lives' Raven Bowens, these women glowed on the Daytime Emmy red carpet. 

See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Who do you think is the prettiest in pink on the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy red carpet? 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Green made a comeback on the 2025 Daytime Emmy Awards Red carpet. In 2024 the color was almost nowhere to be found among the women who walked the red carpet. This year that all changed. 

See all the women who walked the red carpet in our Daytime Emmy Red Carpet Gallery!

From the soft seafoam green worn by The Young and the Restless' Sharon Case to the deep forest green worn by Days of Our Lives' Emily O'Brien and General Hospital's Eden McCoy and the stunning patterned greens chosen by GH's Katelyn MacMullen and DAYS' Cherie Jimenez, each of these woman made a statement on the red carpet. 

See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Who do you think is the most gorgeous in green on the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy red carpet? 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Daytime Emmy's big winners at the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, like Days of Our Lives' Paul Telfer, left the stage from accepting their awards and made their way to the press room. 

See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards.

Now go behind-the-scenes to see the moments not captures on the Daytime Emmy Awards stream. 

Visit Daytime Confidential's Daytime Emmy Awards hub for complete coverage of Daytime's Biggest night!

View the 19 images of this gallery on the original article

Glamor! Glitter! Fashion and Fame! No, I'm not talking about 80's cartoon soap Jem and The Holograms — which incidentally just celebrated its 40th anniversary. I'm referring to the glitzy cast of CBS Daytime's Beyond The Gates.

BTG actress Jasmine Burke (June) hosted the Fulton County Arts & Culture (F.A.C.E) FACEs of Fashion: A Glam Experience September 30 in Atlanta. Several of Burke's costars, including Tamara Tunie (Anita), Daphnee Duplaix (Nicole), Karla Mosley (Dani) and Sean Freeman (Andre) donned their snazziest rags to come out and support.

Media insiders and style tastemakers alike were invited out for the elegant evening at Atlanta's Origin Hotel. Attendees were treated to a mini fashion show, designer and model meet-and-greets, live music by DJ Tron and more. Check out the photo gallery below, courtesy of Stephon Williams!

View the 9 images of this gallery on the original article

Days of Our Lives stars Paul Telfer (Xander), AnnaLynne McCord (Cat), Deidre Hall (Marlena), James Reynolds (Abe), Eric Martsolf (Brady) and Abigail Klein (Stephanie) walked the red carpet at the 33rd Annual Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame. DAYS, which is celebrating its 60th anniversary, received the Iconic Show Awarrd at the ceremony September 30 at New York’s Ziegfeld Ballroom.

RELATED: Days of Our Lives' Deidre Hall on Marlena Finding Love After John: "We're All Struggling With It" [Interview]

The Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame recognition comes amidst a wave of publicity surrounding the Peacock soap opera's big anniversary. Hall, Reynolds and Martsolf swung by TODAY to help promote the show's milestone. Be sure to check out their TODAY segment. 

RELATED: Eric Martsolf Talks Peacock, Drake Hogestyn and 60 Years of Days of Our Lives [Interview]

Actress-turned talk show host Drew Barrymore was also an honoree at this year's gala, along with long-time Live! with Kelly and Mark Executive Producer Michael Gelman and Abbott Elementary star Sheryl Lee Ralph.

Check out some of your favorite Days of Our Lives cast members at the 33rd Annual Broadcasting + Cable Hall of Fame!

View the 9 images of this gallery on the original article

On episode 1179 of Daytime Confidential Luke Kerr, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels count down their Top 5 Worst Soap Couples on Current Soaps.

Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless all had couples that earned spots on the DC co-hosts' list. Take you best guess who they might be before you tune in and after share your Top 5 Worst Soap Couples on Current Soaps in the comments at Daytime Confidential!

All this and more on the latest Daytime Confidential podcast!

Bluesky: @DCConfidential, LukeKerr, JillianBowe, Josh Baldwin, and Melodie Aikels.

Facebook: Daytime Confidential

Subscribe to Daytime Confidential on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.

The stars aligned in the Peach State last week for CBS Atlanta Fest. Paramount Skydance gathered luminaries from The Young and The Restless, The Bold and The Beautiful, Beyond The Gates, Survivor, Big Brother, Ghost, Amazing Race and numerous Tyler Perry Studios cable and streaming soaps to celebrate the launch of CBS Atlanta and it's new augmented reality/virtual reality (AR/VR) newsroom.

RELATED: CBS Announces Fall Daytime Premiere Dates and Soap Crossover

 Y&R's Christian LeBlanc (Michael) and Tracey Bregman (Lauren) flew in for the soiree, as did B&B's Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter) and Heather Tom (Katie). Prior to attending the posh cocktail party at Retreat by The Gathering Spot, the suds stars stopped by Assembly Studios where Beyond The Gates shoots. Speaking of BTG, the fictional Dupree family's core four: Tamara Tunie (Anita), Clifton Davis (Vernon), Daphnee Duplaix (Nicole) and Karla Mosley (Dani) were also dressed to the nines and ready to party last Tuesday.

I got to do a bit of double duty by helping to cover the event for Daytime Confidential, while also repping the Beyond The Gates writing staff. Oh, who am I kidding? My friend and colleague, Survivor alum-turned-social media influencer Davie Rickenbacker, did all the heavy lifting while I mixed and mingled. Check out his teaser video from the glitzy, exclusive red carpet event below.

Which soap opera do you think was the best soap of the week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or The Young and the Restless?

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Which soap opera do you think was the best soap of the week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or The Young and the Restless?

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

As summer 2025 winds down, we want to take a moment to look back at the summer that was on Beyond the Gates. So, what did the newest soap opera deliver for its inaugural summer from Memorial Day to Labor Day?

Beyond the Gates kicked off summer 2025 with Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant) causing problems for the Duprees and Kat (Colby Muhammad) playing Nancy Drew to find proof Leslie ran Nicole’s (Daphnée Duplaix) poor assistant off the road. However, BTG was crammed full of front-burner storylines, so Kat vs. Leslie turned into a summer footnote.

BTG's biggest storyline of the summer was the one that had been building since the show premiered in February: The secret Anita (Tamara Tunie), Vernon (Clifton Davis), and Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) were covering up about Martin (Brandon Claybon). Only it wasn’t just those three covering for Martin. It turned out Joey (Jon Lindstrom), Jacob’s dad, and Ted (Keith D. Robinson) were all involved in the cover-up, too. The storyline then pitted Martin’s husband Smitty (Mike Manning) and Jacob against the cover-up they stumbled upon while investigating a dirty cop.

When Martin’s secret finally came out, it shook the Dupree family to its core and fractured his relationship with Smitty. The aftermath continues to reverberate, we hope for a long time.

Anita and the Articulettes reunion drove most of Anita’s story for the summer and climaxed in a great concert by the trio. BTG deserves kudos for its production of the concert and weaving multiple storylines into those scenes. This includes a tribute to the previously unknown (to the public) Articulette, Barbara, that comes back to bite the Dupree family in the butt. Anita had set up a trust for Barbara’s family, having no idea that the sole heir was resident villainess Leslie.

Speaking of Leslie, they should just nickname her Madame Web, because the web she wove across Fairmont Crest was quite impressive. Kat tried to frame her with her own evidence. Nicole tried to strangle her. Anita threw her out. Bill threatened her and Ted, well, sad sack Ted did almost nothing of significance. Half the time her own daughter, Eva (Ambyr Michelle), couldn’t deal with her. However, Leslie and Eva’s relationship brought pure joy to viewers. Then, when Leslie found out she inherited Anita’s Dupree money-funded trust…she tried to be bougie but is still ratchet. That being said, her repaying Ted’s money as a small but important bit of character development.

Hayley has the potential to be a strong character. Hayley (Marquita Goings) vs. Dani (Karla Mosley) could be a great soap opera rivalry, but BTG spent a large chunk of the summer sequestering Hayley with Bill. Her fake baby rabies storyline felt half-baked and the climax disappointed. We’re crossing our fingers Dani learning the truth is gratification delayed.

Andre (Sean Freeman) and Dani sizzled onscreen and are the single best couple on the show. Gimme more! Gimme more! Gimme more!

Naomi (Arielle Prepetit) as Mrs. Do Good was the biggest waste of talent. The storyline of June (Jasmine Burke) reuniting with her children felt super-rushed, was barely messy, and got wrapped up all tidy with a bow. We also didn’t like how Naomi COMPLETELY ignored the meaning of “closed adoption.”

Beyond the Gates ended summer 2025 with Chelsea's (RhonniRose Mantilla) kidnapping by a cannibal-inclined Allison (Brianna Roberts). We don't think there is a BTG fan in the world who had "cannibalism" on their 2025 bingo card. We aren't sure if we should shudder or applaud BTG for thinking outside the box. The story is certainly dramatic and has pulled in nearly the whole canvas (which we love), but it's another BTG storyline whose pacing feels off. 

Other highlights (it’s up to you to decide) of Beyond the Gates’ summer 2025 storytelling included:

• Dani gets Beyond the Gates’ best one-liners! Leslie is a close second. We're here for both!

• Derek (Ben Gavin) and Ashley (Jen Jacob) are barely worth mentioning. This is their mention.
• Tomas (Alex Alegria) has better chemistry with Eva than Kat, but we’re not exactly sure why either of them are into him.
• Bryton James’ Devon Winters helped usher Beyond the Gates into the same universe as The Young and the Restless and The Bold and the Beautiful.
• Jacob (Jibre Hordges) finally realized that keeping Nancy Drew…er…Kat close is a better strategy than letting her out of his sight. Jacob and Kat spend more time together than Jacob and Naomi...
• Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli) loves playing with fire, but one of these days Joey will have had enough and burn her to the proverbial ground.
• Give us more Shanice (Ernestine Johnson) without a side of Derek. 

What grade do you give Beyond the Gates' summer 2025?

View the original article to see embedded media.

As summer 2025 winds down, we want to take a moment to look back at the summer that was on Days of Our Lives. So, what did the Peacock soap opera deliver from Memorial Day to Labor Day?

Days of Our Lives started off the summer by paying tribute to Drake Hogestyn with the storyline that saw his iconic character, John Black, die and Salem mourn his loss. The heart-wrenching story brought back numerous DAYS faves for John’s memorial. We grieved with Marlena (Deidre Hall) as she coped with devastating heartbreak and faced her new reality.

DAYS fans also smiled through their tears at the reunion of Bo (Peter Reckell) and Hope (Kristian Alfonso). The joy of Bo’s miraculous recovery countered the loss of John as he reunited with Fancy Face and his children and met his youngest grandchildren.

While June was dominated by John’s death and Bo’s recovery, July and August focused on three major storylines: Who Shot EJ?, Xander vs. Philip/the DiMera takeover, and the Sophia/Tate/Holly triangle.

“Who Shot EJ (Dan Feuerriegel)?” was DAYS’ biggest storyline for the rest of the summer. Viewers were given any number of red-herring suspects. Johnny (Carson Boatman) was arrested and put on trial for the attempted murder, only for EJ to come forward to defend his son: the same son who fired him near the end of the trial. EJ’s romantic relationship with Belle (Martha Madison) imploded when he exposed it in court. When EJ’s shooter was finally revealed, viewers learned it was his niece Rachel (Alice Halsey) that pulled the trigger. So Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) decided to play the martyr and confess to a crime she didn’t commit. Of course, the love of Kristen’s life, Brady (Eric Martsolf), has had some thoughts about her actions. However, once again, he’s in the dark.

Xander (Paul Telfer) learned about Philip’s (John-Paul Lavoisier) fraud and beat him to a pulp. However, their feud also filled a lot of airtime as their takeover of DiMera Enterprises was threatened by Philip’s secret being exposed. Not that half of Salem didn’t find out what Philip did, because by the end of the summer, nearly as many people knew about it as there were red herrings in the “Who Shot EJ?” storyline. Adding complexity to the matter was Xander trying to play the single dad while at work, as well as Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) teaming up with Tony (Thaao Penghlis) to steal DiMera away from the Kiriakis brothers. And how could Xander avoid his ever-annoying, soon-to-be ex-wife Sarah (Linsey Godfrey)?

It’s a standard of the genre for there to be a “teen” summer soap storyline and this year’s version of that at DAYS was "My Teenage Pregnancy." Sophia (Rachel Boyd) desperately tried to keep Tate (Leo Howard) in her life via the pregnancy, but when the baby came, she dropped it off at the fire station, where it was taken in. Leo (Greg Rikaart) and Javi (Al Calderon) are currently caring for the little one. Meanwhile, Holly (Ashley Puzemis) was distracted for a bit by Doug III (Peyton Meyer), but by the end of the summer he had skipped town, and she was all-in on Tate again. Tate struggled with the “Chicago birth” of his and Sophia’s child, not knowing she was lying to him. It doesn’t take much to fool Tate; he's Brady's kid, after all. However, Brady suddenly found a brain cell and realized Sophia’s story was off. You know you’re in trouble when Salem’s biggest himbo is on to you.

Other highlights (it’s up to you to decide) of DAYS’ Summer 2025 storytelling included:

• Brady's vote decided whether EJ or Xander won ownership of the hospital.
• Paul (Christopher Sean) and Andrew (Colton Little) jumped the broom.
• Steve (Stephen Nichols) celebrated 40 years in Salem.
• Arianna (Marissa Reyes) returned to Salem to cause problems for Gabi but ended up kidnapped with Holly because of Doug III.
• Gwen (Emily O’Brien) returned to Salem to take up residence in the DiMera mansion, though it’s not clear exactly why, yet. We don't really care, since we love Gwen's snark.
• Susan (Stacy Haiduk) just knew, knew, knew that her grandson Johnny was innocent, but didn’t stick around for a verdict.
• Cat (AnnaLynne McCord) has gone undercover to uncover where EJ is getting the money to fund the purchase of the hospital and who, if anyone, he might be working with. Yet little progress was made because she’s spent more time with Chad (Billy Flynn) than at the hospital.
• Julie (Susan Seaforth Hayes) decided she wasn’t filling up her time by meddling in everyone else’s lives and decided to buy a bookstore to keep herself busy.
• Stephanie (Abigail Klein) wrote and published a romance novel in less than six months, breaking all land speed records in the publishing industry.
• EJ took away all of Kayla's (Mary Beth Evans) prized bananas.
• Alex (Robert Scott Wilson) was shirtless more than once. 

View the original article to see embedded media.

As summer 2025 winds down, we want to take a moment to look back at the summer that was at The Young and the Restless. So, what did the No. 1 soap opera deliver from Memorial Day to Labor Day?

The Young and the Restless kicked things off by celebrating Nikki’s (Melody Thomas Scott) birthday with a party at which Claire (Hayley Erin) and Kyle (Michael Mealor) tried to convince Victor (Eric Braeden) he should give his approval to their relationship. The Kyle and Claire story turned out to be a major subplot in the summer.

However, before we arrived at Nikki’s birthday celebration, the two words on everyone’s lips were “Aristotle Dumas.” And Aristotle Dumas, who turned out to be Cane (Billy Flynn), drove the dominant storyline of the summer. Y&R fans couldn’t escape it. First there was the mystery of Dumas’ true identity. Then we spent weeks in France, during which the fine, upstanding citizens of Genoa City learned the mysterious billionaire was boring, old Cane Ashby.

What should have been a major secondary storyline to come out of the Dumas mystery plot, with massive implications and aftermath, was the murder of legacy character Chance Chancellor (Connor Floyd). Instead, Chance’s rich history with Jill (Jess Walton), Nina (Tricia Cast), and Katherine (Jeanne Cooper) was glossed over. Calling it an “afterthought” would be kind.

Chance wasn’t the only murdered by a day player in France. Damian (Jermaine Rivers) fell in love with Lily (Christel Khalil), which basically put a bullseye on his back because of how glaringly obvious it was that Cane’s return was meant to be a Cane and Lily storyline. Damian who?

Chance and Damian weren’t the only The Young and the Restless characters to die this summer. Cole (J. Eddie Peck) croaked, but much like Chance and Damian’s deaths, it wasn’t much of a plot point. But at least the character’s death got the Newmans to get out their black outfits and parade around the living room of the ranch.

Victor’s hate for Kyle and the Abbotts continued throughout the summer and manifested in Audra’s (Zuleyka Silver) attempt to seduce Kyle and break up him and Claire. In return for her work, Victor funded Audra’s imaginary cosmetic company. However, when Kyle called her bluff and exposed the truth, Victor cut off Audra. She scrambled to keep track of all of her lies after Claire told Nate (Sean Dominic) the truth, and whether or not Audra and Nate’s relationship will survive is still TBD. However, by the end of the summer, Victor decided he was okay with Kyle and Claire dating, but told Kyle, “I’ll be watching you.”

Other highlights (it’s up to you to decide) of Y&R’s Summer 2025 storytelling included:

• Jack (Peter Bergman) and Diane's (Susan Walters) vacation was hijacked by Cane.
• Nick (Joshua Morrow) and Sharon (Sharon Case) are on track to be an official-official couple again.
• Mariah (Camryn Grimes) might have cheated on Tessa (Cait Fairbanks) with an old man, but she won’t talk about it.
• Tessa gives Daniel (Michael Graziadei) guitar lessons and suddenly he has feelings for her.
• Daniel’s mom Phyllis (Michelle Stafford) just seemed to annoy everyone.
• Two funerals happened off-screen.
• Cricket (Lauralee Bell) and Danny (Michael Damian) got engaged.
• Billy (Jason Thompson) was teaming up with Dumas before he found out it was Cane and then still wanted to team up with Dumas, but Victor is trying to blackmail Cane into teaming up to take down the Abbotts.
• Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) spent a month trying to keep Adam (Mark Grossman) from posting an expose on Billy’s bad business track record.
• Victor and Nikki got mad at each other. Victor and Nikki made up.
• Lily got mad and stayed mad at Cane for hiding the truth about himself from her and their children. 

What did you think of The Young and the Restless summer storylines for 2025? Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Since 1987, CBS’ The Bold and the Beautiful has called Television City in Hollywood, California home. The former baby soap earned its stripes across the hall from sister soap The Young and The Restless and fan-favorite game show The Price is Right. 

However, the time comes for every show to venture out on its own and Season 38 was the lucky number for Bold! On Tuesday, Aug. 19, B&B celebrated its big move to Sunset Las Palmas studios. Daytime Confidential joined the grand festivities to welcome the CBS sudser to the new space.

In a change of pace, all of the action was outside! The show’s cast, crew, executives, and more gathered right outside Studios 3 and 8 for photos and food. Executive Producer and Head Writer Brad Bell appeared and spoke to the audience. He shared, "When we started this search one year ago, the first place we looked was Sunset Las Palmas!"

The studio is one of the oldest in Hollywood, first opening in 1919. Sunset Las Palmas has hosted I Love Lucy, Green Acres, Mr. Ed, and countless other productions over the years. The lot is buzzing with history, and an air of potential.

After the ribbon to officially start production was cut, confetti cannons showered the crowd while a live band began playing the show's theme song. The party was on!

Lawrence Saint-Victor (Carter Walton) mentioned, "We have windows now. It’s pretty cool!" Annika Noelle (Hope Logan) spoke up about the day as well: “It’s my first day shooting! I’m so excited to be here for this great day!”

In all the celebrating, I had a chance to speak to Don Diamont (Bill Spencer Jr.). He’s been working at Television City since his Y&R days in 1985. What are the biggest changes between the old and new studios? Diamont revealed, “I guess if you want to point at one thing, we have 30,000 square feet at TV City, which was the stage, the production offices, hair, makeup, wardrobe. We have 60,000 square feet here. So, all the sets can be up. We also have an auxiliary stage, which is amazing.” 

The soap now has double the space to make the magic happen. There’s even a new sound stage that hasn’t opened yet, so expect fictional Los Angeles to get much bigger. There’s also the permanent sets, and Diamont’s alter ego happens to occupy one of these spaces. “It’s just my office, but it’s up and it’s great that it can be up permanently. It just was a real problem at TV City at that stage to fit the set!”

Speaking of the sets, DC was able to tour and walk through all the sets currently up for The Bold and the Beautiful at Sunset Las Palmas. Everything seems to have received a new coat of paint, a bigger set-up, and the opportunity to be connected. All the sets at Forrester Creations now connect. You can walk from the design office to the foyer to Eric’s (John McCook) CEO office easily. There’s also some new additions. There’s a brand-new Forrester Creations runway that directly opens from the CEO office.

On the home front, Steffy (Jacqueline MacInnes Wood) and Finn’s (Tanner Novlan) beach house not only has the living room and kitchen up, but the bedroom, too! Brooke’s (Katherine Kelly Lang) house, as well as the Forrester mansion, are still looking fabulous. Look for some extra seats in the back on the balcony. Deacon (Sean Kanan) and Sheila’s (Kimberlin Brown) mini-apartment isn’t so small anymore. The set that expanded the most is Il Giardino; it can now fit a total of 17 people.

Now, what does Bell think of all of this? After all, his father, William J. Bell, created the show, and he’s held the head writer reins since 1993! Bell gave insight into his feelings on the move: “It feels wonderful. We are in a very celebratory mood. This move has been unbelievable in record time. We’ve moved from TV City here to Sunset Las Palmas and it feels great. Lots of space, lots of positive energy, and lots of hope for the future.” He mentioned hiding a few things in the first episode on the new set. “Actually, the first episode you see that Eric’s here, and there’ll be some little Easter eggs in that episode.”

Everyone wants to know what’s coming up with the Forresters and Logans, and Bell dropped a little tea. “So, we are headed into an era of The Bold and Beautiful that will begin here, that is going to be highlighting fashion much more than we have in the past, much more frequently! Also, getting back to a two-battling fashion house way of storytelling like we did with the Spectras and the Forresters. We’re putting fashion in the forefront again!” 

With the runway set-up, does that mean more fashion shows? Bell responded, “So, we’ll see more fashion shows, but we’ll see more like a steady diet of fashion because Eric can open this back door to his office and the CEO office. There you can see models going at any time, but we’ll see more interacting craft designer with models backstage, how-it’s-all-made type of scenes, and more fashion.” A return to fashion is certainly a notch in the win column!

The day concluded with a catered food truck for everyone. Here’s to The Bold and the Beautiful having continued success in the heart of Hollywood at Sunset Las Palmas!

The show airs weekdays on CBS and anytime streaming on Paramount Plus.

View the 7 images of this gallery on the original article

Which soap opera do you think was the best soap of the week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or The Young and the Restless?

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Drew Quartermaine’s…er...Cain's (Cameron Mathison) transformation from a third-string player to a bases-loaded, hit-the-ball-out-of-the-park home-runner has been nothing short of astonishing. Soap fans have seen a lot, but this isn't something we see often.

The writing team at General Hospital deserves a lot of credit for turning Dudley Drew into a self-centered, manipulative, burn-the-house-down, smarmy politician that nearly everyone in Port Charles hates but none can ignore. They have written Drew into so many corners that more than once we thought they were going to kill the character off. And yet they’ve found a way for Darth Drew to weasel his way out of nearly every scenario. Drew’s evolution may be one of the most significant character transformations since As the World Turns’ milquetoast Meg Snyder (Marie Wilson) went dark and became the must-see Nut Meg.

Cameron Mathison also deserves kudos for his performance. This Drew Cain is a far cry from his most famous character, All My Children’s Ryan Lavery, but Darth Drew is quickly evolving into what could be a signature character that eclipses the Ryan Lavery legacy. And this Drew Cain is a far, far cry from the Drew Cain that went to jail to protect Carly (Laura Wright). He’s unleashed so much chaos on Port Charles that if General Hospital decided to do a Who Shot Darth Drew storyline, nearly everyone would be a suspect, and they’d all have motives. The crazy thing is, we don’t want Drew dead. We need him alive, because the writing and Mathison’s performance keep us watching. Whether you love or hate the character, everyone is watching.

“Who shot (insert your favorite devilish character)” storylines are a staple of soap opera storytelling, both in daytime and primetime. Days of Our Lives is racing toward the climax of their “Who Shot EJ” storyline. Dallas famously captured the world’s obsession with its "Who Shot JR" cliffhanger. Another World’s “Who Shot Jake McKinnon” storyline inspired a photo spread fans remember to this day.

Which begs the question, should General Hospital do a "Who Shot Darth Drew" storyline?

The photo with this article would ten of the most obvious possible suspects, but after you get past them, there are even more with motives, including other obvious people like Carly, Sonny (Maurice Benard), possibly Martin (Michael E. Knight), and Trina (Tabyana Ali). But then there are even more characters orbiting the first fourteen suspects who could easily become entangled with Drew and end up with a motive, like Kristina (Kate Mansi), Molly (Kristen Vaganos), and Danny (Asher Antonyzyn).

Considering Darth Drew is practically a puppet master at this point, it wouldn’t surprise us if the GH writing team decided to give literally everyone in Port Charles a motive and unleash a cascade of cover-ups by characters trying to protect themselves or someone else they suspect of the shooting.

What do you think? Is it time for General Hospital to give viewers a Who Shot Darth Drew storyline?

Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

On this week’s Daytime Confidential podcast, the topic of who is to blame for the transformation of Drew (Cameron Mathison) from a character not many people cared about into his must-see, can’t-stop-watching reincarnation as Darth Drew on General Hospital came up.

The discussion kicked off when it was suggested that Tracy (Jane Elliot) is responsible for Darth Drew. She has certainly gone toe-to-toe with Drew and made him jump through all kinds of hoops. Their family feud got so ugly that at one point he was going to move the Quartermaine crypt.

However, not everyone agreed that Tracy is responsible for Darth Drew. 

It was then suggested that Carly (Laura Wright) and Jason (Steve Burton) are really to blame for Darth Drew. Boring Drew gave up everything for Carly and then the moment Jason returned from the dead, Carly was like, "Sad-sack Drew who?”

It was then suggested that Carly holds much more blame than Jason for Darth Drew sabering his way through Port Charles. It’s hard to argue that Carly isn’t to blame for a lot of Port Charles drama, but is she SOLELY to blame for Darth Drew?

However, maybe it’s not Carly, Jason, or Tracy that is to blame for Darth Drew. He certainly blames Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard) for a lot. Could Sonny be the true cause of Drew’s embracing the dark side? Or maybe someone else?

What do you think? Vote below! And let us know in the comments. 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Which soap opera do you think was the best soap of the week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or The Young and the Restless?

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

On this week's Daytime Confidential podcast, the topic of who Claire (Hayley Erin) should be paired was debated. 

It was suggested that an alternative to a Daniel (Michael Graziadei) and Tessa (Cait Fairbanks) matchup could be a Tessa and Claire pairing. Which begs a bigger question: Who should Claire be with on The Young and the Restless?

If Claire were to fall for Tessa or Tessa were to find herself in a triangle between Claire and Mariah (Camryn Grimes), suddenly you'd have Nikki (Melody Thomas Scott) and Victor (Eric Braeden) torn between not only their two granddaughters, but also the respective daughters of their children Victoria (Amelia Heinle) and Nick (Joshua Morrow). 

Such a triangle could potentially cause a major rift within the Newman family, not from an "outside threat" like Kyle (Michael Mealor), but from within their own ranks. 

Nick and Victoria haven't feuded in a good while because Adam (Mark Grossman) was the black sheep that stirred the Newman pot. However, with their daughters' hearts on the line, could the closeness Nick and Victoria have enjoyed in recent years fracture? 

And how would Nikki and Victor react? Nikki has supported Claire's relationship with Kyle, even as Victor is actively trying to end it. Would one grandparent defend one granddaughter while the other grandparent went to bat for the second granddaughter? 

Of course, Kyle is still very much in contention for Claire's heart, at least storyline-wise. He is her first love, but in real life, how many people end up with their first love? Not many. Also, Claire grew up very sheltered, so it would stand to reason that while Kyle may be her first love, she could also be on a journey of exploring her sexual identity. Might Claire be bisexual, a lesbian, or pansexual? 

It's unfortunate that the France storyline reminded Y&R viewers of the amazing chemistry between Kyle and Audra (Zuleyka Silver). By comparison, Kyle and Claire's drought is glaring. Chemistry aside, there's the little matter of Kyle's contract with Victor. What if it was Claire that crushed Kyle's heart and not the other way around? Kyle could keep his five million dollars and be free to mix things up in a Kyle, Audra, and Nate (Sean Dominic) triangle. 

Then there is Holden (Nathan Owens). Claire and Kyle might not have onscreen chemistry, but Holden and Claire DEFINITELY do. 

It's a classic soap trope for a guy to be paid to get to know someone, only for the two to fall for each other. Now that Cane's (Billy Flynn) back in Genoa City, we'll likely find out more about why he'd have Claire on his list of people for Holden to ingratiate himself with. What if Victor gets his wish for Claire and Kyle to split up, only to discover his granddaughter is in love with one of Cane's "yes men"? That certainly wouldn't go over well.

So who do you think The Young and the Restless should have Claire be with? Should she stay with Kyle or should Y&R point her in a new direction like Holden or Tessa? 

Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Is Marlena (Deidre Hall) the one who pulled the trigger that shot EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) on Days of Our Lives? 

Marlena has been through so much in recent years, between the Devil returning to possess her and the loss of her beloved husband John Black (Drake Hogestyn). 

Now Marlena is facing life alone, collapsing in public and when she sleeps, she is having dreams about her past and Stefano's (Joseph Mascolo) manipulation. Any mention of Stefano always makes DAYS fans pay attention, so when Marlena confessed to Kayla (Mary Beth Evans) she was dreaming about the Stefano years, it gave one pause. 

Last week, EJ had Marlena hypnotize him so he could try to remember who shot him, and thus exonerate his son and Marlena's grandson, Johnny (Carson Boatman). During the session, Marlena seemed to be very professional, but the scenes definitely made some DAYS viewers wonder if EJ could be seeking help from the very woman who shot him. 

She would certainly know about location of Roman's (Josh Taylor) gun at the Brady Pub.

What would it mean if Marlena was the one who shot EJ? Or maybe it was a well-executed red herring by the DAYS writing team to put the thought in viewers' minds?

What do you think? Did Marlena shoot EJ on Days of Our Lives? 

Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

On The Young and the Restless, Audra Charles’ (Zuleyka Silver) plot to seduce Kyle Abbott (Michael Mealor) went up in smoke! Kyle had her number, but don’t count Audra out just yet. She’s under Victor’s (Eric Braeden) deadline, but things in Cane’s (Billy Flynn) secret location are getting out of control. Where’s Audra’s head in all of this? Daytime Confidential caught up with Audra’s portrayer to discuss all of Ms. Charles’ good and dirty deeds as of late in Genoa City!

It’s been an interesting few months for Audra. She seemed to find a solid relationship with Nate Hastings (Sean Dominic), but her professional life was in shambles. The girl couldn’t catch a break, until Victor Newman came along with an outrageous plan! Silver had some strong feelings on the plot: 

After the initial shock wore off, Audra came to an agreement with Victor. Was that the best decision? Silver shared: 

The move to set up Kyle also marked a return to scheming for the character! She’s been on her best behavior for months, but you can’t keep a good schemer down. The actress admitted: 

Is it all fun and games for Audra with Kyle? Or is there something deeper, because the duo have a sordid past? She said:

Currently, Audra, Kyle, and half of Genoa City are trapped in Cane’s sea of hedges in the French Riviera. It’s a big change of pace, set-wise. Silver mentioned the new scenery has been exciting, but also a challenge:

She even admitted to getting a bit turned around. 

So, where does Nate fit into all of this? Has Audra been keeping him out of sight, out of mind while they are an ocean apart? Silver said:

One of the best things to come out of Audra’s pairing with Nate is her relationship with Amy (Valarie Pettiford)! Silver said:

Those are two things that make a great gray character! What’s coming up next for Audra? Silver gave a little tease: 

Catch the dramatic conclusion of the happenings in the French Rivera this week on The Young and The Restless! Weekdays only on CBS! 

Which soap opera do you think was the best soap of the week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, or The Young and the Restless?

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) and Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix) haven’t had a ton of screen time together since Beyond the Gates premiered in February.

Most of Bill’s time is spent in scenes with his current wife Hayley (Marquita Goings), ex-wife Dani (Karla Mosley), children, or covering up Martin (Brandon Claybon), and Vernon’s (Clifton Davis) secret.

Meanwhile, Nicole’s been preoccupied with the implosion of her marriage to Ted (Keith D. Robinson) after dealing with dastardly sabotage by Leslie (Trisha Mann-Grant).

That all changed Thursday, when Martin told his mother the last of his secrets: a man was murdered to protect his secret and the murder was orchestrated by Bill.

Shocked by the revelation, it didn’t take Nicole long to pull a Dani and waltz into Bill and Hayley’s home, basically tell Hayley to get lost, and then confront Bill about his treachery!

For two characters who haven’t spent a ton of time together, their chemistry was immediate. While Dani usually deals with Bill in either some form or quiet or crazy, Nicole delivered livid ice queen. Bill faced Nicole down and didn’t pull any proverbial punches as their chemistry and heat practically melted TV screens.

Suddenly, BTG viewers must be asking themselves: Should Bill and Nicole have hate sex?

The idea is certainly tantalizing, but ironically the fallout from Bill’s current wife Hayley finding out isn’t what one’s mind jumps to first. It’s the fallout from Dani finding out. Though the revelation wouldn’t need to come quick, when it did, though…

Can you imagine Dani’s nuclear reaction if she learns that her saintly sister Nicole hit the sheets with her ex-husband Bill, who she’s still in love with? It would be dynamite, pardon the pun.

Then comes Hayley, Bill’s wife. Hayley is already so insecure about Dani she may or may not be faking her pregnancy. Imagine what lengths she’d go to when caught between Bill’s Dupree ex-wife and his Dupree ex-sister-in-law.

Then there’s the Dupree family at large. His poor daughters would have whiplash. Vernon would be furious. Anita (Tamara Tunie) would likely tell him to shove something where the sun don’t shine. Martin would be mad, but what could he do? Bill covered up his secret. Someone who definitely would do something is Kat (Colby Muhammad). She would not take the news well and such a revelation could either forge a stronger bond between Dani and Nicole’s children OR it could fracture them forever! Or at least for a soap opera “forever.”

What do you think; would you like to see Bill and Nicole have hate sex one day?

Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Isaiah Gannon’s (Sawandi Wilson) arrival in Port Charles is the best thing to come out the flop that was General Hospital's “Lucky (Jonathan Jackson) Returns to Port Charles” storyline.

He’s handsome, he has chemistry with practically everyone, and he has screen presence. However, other than a blink-and-you-missed it secret relationship with Jordan (Tanisha Harper), he hasn’t really been paired romantically with anyone on GH. Which begs the question: Who should Isaiah be paired with?

Jordan broke things off with him to go undercover against Sidwell (Carlo Rota), but what if she finds the dirt she and Laura (Genie Francis) need to kick Sidwell out of Port Charles? Jordan would be free to reignite her relationship with Isaiah, but this time it could be a public relationship.

There’s Portia Robinson (Brook Kerr), whose marriage is hanging on by a thread, but the odds of her and Curtis (Donnell Turner) living happily-ever-after after they get out from under Drew’s (Cameron Mathison) thumb do not seem to be in their favor. Isaiah and Portia have had plenty of scenes together at General Hospital and they’ve had natural chemistry together. Imagine how pissed Jordan might be to discover Portia hooking up with Isaiah.

What about Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst)? Isaiah and Elizabeth spend a lot of time together and since Lucky skipped town, maybe their respective connections to him might bring them together? She certainly deserves a new romance. 

Then there are a couple of possible wildcard pairings for Isaiah.

One dark horse candidate could be Willow (Katelyn MacMullen). Under the influence of Drew, she seems to be embracing her dark side, complete with the grin of an evil Labubu, but once Drew’s spell is finally broken and she faces reality, maybe Isaiah could heal her broken heart?

A second dark horse candidate could be Isaiah’s fellow doctor Lucas (Van Hansis). Granted, Lucas currently has eyes for Marco (Adrian Anchondo), but why couldn't Lucas find himself at the center of a Marco, Lucas, and Isaiah triangle? This would mean Isaiah is bisexual, but as previously mentioned: He has chemistry with EVERYONE! So why shouldn’t Lucas and Isaiah slip out of their surgery scrubs and into bed with one another?

The character of Isaiah has so much potential in Port Charles, we can’t wait to see who he’s paired with next. In the meantime, who do you think Isaiah should be paired with?

Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Sibling rivalries are a cornerstone of soap operas. and we’ve seen a lot of them over the years, from AJ (Billy Warlock) vs. Jason on General Hospital to Marley vs. Vicky (Jensen Buchanan) on Another World and Adam (Mark Grossman) vs. the other Newman kids on The Young and the Restless. The list goes on and on. 

Now, Beyond the Gates is serving up another delicious half-sibling rivalry with Eva Thomas (Ambyr Michelle) vs. Kat Richardson (Colby Muhammad), portrayed by two talented soap opera newcomers. Viewers have quickly fallen for stories of them going toe-to-toe over, well, pretty much everything: their father, work, evidence, and a man.

Kat doesn’t trust Eva and despises how quickly their father Ted Richardson (Keith D. Robinson) accepted Eva and wedged her into Kat’s life. She also hasn’t forgiven Eva for her part in Leslie’s (Trisha Mann-Grant) scheme to break up her parents, Ted and Nicole (e (Daphnée Duplaix). She is watching the childhood and life she knew fall through her fingers like sand.

RELATED: Eva and Tomas Kiss!

Eva came to town with her mom to meet the father she never knew. She was jealous of Kat’s relationship with her parents and Kat’s life. Who can blame Eva, with a mom like Leslie? She went along with her mom’s schemes up until the point where it really mattered, but by then she’d seen the kind of people Ted and Nicole are and didn’t want to be apart of Leslie’s schemes. However, that doesn’t mean Eva doesn’t still try and protect her mom from being arrested.

BTG has excelled at making us feel conflicted usabout which half-sister we should root for. We understand both Kat and Eva’s motivation and it makes it difficult to choose a side. But choose a side we must!

Are you Team Eva or Team Kat on Beyond the Gates?

Vote below and share your thoughts in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Xander (Paul Telfer) and Gabi (Cheri Jimenez) are two characters who haven’t spent a ton of time together on Days of Our Lives. Sure, they’ve had encounters over the years, but for the longest time Xander’s focus has been on Sarah (Linsey Godfrey) while Gabi was with Stefan (Brandon Barash) or having hate sex with EJ (Daniel Feuerriegel).

That all changed after Xander and Philip (John-Paul Lavoisier) pulled off their takeover of DiMera Enterprises and Gabi suddenly found herself with new Kiriakis bosses. The two have had more encounters. This storyline is the perfect opportunity for DAYS to chem test the two together, and that’s just what the soap opera appears to be doing.

Both are corporate professionals. Both are experiencing a form of “single parenthood.”

Xander is fighting Sarah for custody of their daughter Victoria while Gabi is doing her best to keep up with her very teenage daughter Ari (Marissa Reyes). Gabi understands mothering, but Xander barely has a clue about fatherhood, let alone motherhood. Case in point: he’s keeping Victoria with him at the Titan offices during the day. Which is where he was when a distraught Gabi showed up.

Since Xander found out the truth about Sarah and Philip’s betrayals and he beat Philip to a pulp, viewers haven’t seen a lot of compassion from Xander. That changed in his scenes with Gabi. Suddenly, the heartwarming side of Xander that makes fans use heart-eye emojis was on full display as he comforted and reassured Gabi.

Meanwhile, Gabi helped Xander with Victoria, and he saw how nurturing she could be with his child. Each of these two actors and their characters have had chemistry with other scene partners, but these scenes really seemed to bring out the best in both actors and characters alike.

So, are you digging this Xander and Gabi chem test on Days of Our Lives? Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Kyle (Michael Mealor) and Audra (Zuleyka Silver) have had chemistry from the moment they met on The Young and the Restless years ago. After a secret dalliance that got exposed, the two have been apart, but remain in each other’s orbit until recently, when the great Victor Newman (Eric Braeden) offered to fund Audra’s start-up cosmetic company if she broke up Kyle and his current girlfriend, and Victor’s granddaughter, Claire (Hayley Erin).

Audra accepted Victor’s offer and immediately began spinning her web to entice Kyle and achieve her and Victor’s respective goals.

Kyle, who knows a thing or two about Audra’s charms, figured out what she was up to and has been playing along to see how far she would go to get what she wants.

Which brings us to this week, in France, on Y&R. In the wake of finding out that Damian (Germaine Rivers) had been killed, Audra rushes to Kyle, whom she finds shirtless, and immediately plays up her fears. Now the viewer may wonder if she’s legitimately concerned or if she’s faking it, but on Monday’s episode a shirtless Kyle calls Audra’s bluff, tells her he’s known Victor’s plan and rejects her.

One thing about these scenes was glaring. Mealor and Silver still have AMAZING chemistry. Y&R is definitely playing up the enemies- to-lovers trope with these two. On this week’s Daytime Confidential podcast, the crew discussed the actors' chemistry and how they wouldn’t mind the two getting back together, so long as it’s in some other manner than Victor pimping out Audra. They also touched on the fact that Claire and Holden (Nathan Owens) have unexpected chemistry and how they’d like to see more of the two together.

Audra certainly has a chemistry that sizzles with Kyle that isn’t there with Nate (Sean Dominic). Kyle has more chemistry with Audra than Claire. However, both will be returning to Genoa City in the aftermath of death: Claire’s father dying and the murder of Nate’s half-brother. If both become preoccupied with comforting a grieving partner, could this mini-tease of Kyle and Audra reuniting be just that: a tease? 

Which begs the question, who should Kyle and Audra be with? 

Vote below and let us know in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Days of Our Lives' Xander (Paul Telfer) and Sarah's (Linsey Godfrey) marriage is on the rocks. Neither trusts the other and both want full custody of their little girl Victoria. 

Xander doesn't want to be cut out of his daughter's life and is pushing to ensure Sarah doesn't do that to him. 

RELATED: You Decide: Who Should Win Outstanding Lead Actor Daytime Emmy? | You Decide: Who Should Win Outstanding Supporting Actress Daytime Emmy?

Sarah is terrified by Darth Xander, the dark version of the man she married, but hoped she'd never see. 

Unfortunately, Xander's worst instincts got the better of him and now they are pitted against each other in a high stakes tug-of-war. 

So who do you think should get custody of Victoria on DAYS? Should Xander get custody and prove he's a good father. Or should Sarah get custody of their daughter to protect Victoria from her daddy's darker demons? 

Vote in the poll below and let us know why in the comments!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Which soap opera do you think was the Best Soap of the Week? Was it Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital or The Young and the Restless?

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

The Daytime Emmy nominees for the 2025 Outstanding Daytime Drama Series award were announced and three soap operas took home nominations. 

Peacock's Days of Our Lives, ABC's General Hospital and CBS's The Young and the Restless each scored a nomination. 

Vote for which soap opera you think should win and let us know why in the comments below!

Note: The eligibility period was January 1 - December 31, 2024 so Beyond the Gates was not eligible. 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Beyond the Gates just passed the 90-day mark on CBS and a lot of drama has gone down in a very short amount of time.

There's been a wedding with a gunshot cliffhanger, open relationships, gaslighting, mysterious flashbacks and the groundwork laid for some great long-term soap opera rivalries.

Beyond the Gates has also done well in the ratings.  

What grade do you give Beyond the Gates' first 90 days? 

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Beyond the Gates just passed the 90-day mark on CBS, and we want to know who your favorite couple is.

Is it Vernon (Clifton Davis) and Anita (Tamara Tunie), the patriarch and matriarch of BTG? 

Or maybe it's one of  their daughters, Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix), and hubby Ted (Keith D. Richardson), or maybe youngest daughter Dani (Karla Mosley) and her secret flame Andre (Sean Freeman)?

What about Dani's ex-husband Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) and his new wife Hayley (Marquita Goings)?

RELATED: Daytime Confidential Podcast Episode #1164: Beyond the Gates - 90 Day Report Card

Could it be Ashley (Jen Jacob) and Derek (Ben Gavin)? 

Speaking of triangles, are you Team Kat (Colby Muhammad) and Tomas (Alex Alegria) or Eva (Ambyr Michelle) and Tomas? 

Beyond the Gates has a slew of couples to pick from, so let us know who your favorite BTG couple is after the first 90 days!

Vote below!

View the original article to see embedded media.

Beyond the Gates just passed the 90-day mark on CBS, and we want to know who your favorite Dupree man is.

Is it patriarch Vernon Dupree (Clifton Davis), his son-in-law Ted Richardson (Keith D. Richardson), grandson Martin Richardson (Brandon Claybon) or his husband Smitty (Mike Manning), grandson-in-law Jacob Hawthorne (Jibre Hordges), or great- grandson Tyrell Richardson (Jaden Lucas Miller)?

RELATED: Daytime Confidential Podcast Episode #1164: Beyond the Gates - 90 Day Report Card

Who is your favorite Dupree man on Beyond the Gates?

Vote in the poll below! 

View the original article to see embedded media.

The Dupree family may be the cornerstone of Beyond the Gates, but the CBS soap has a diverse and dynamic constellation of other characters orbiting the Duprees.

Now that BTG has passed the 90-day mark on CBS, we want to know who your favorite non-Dupree is.

Is it ex-Dupree son-in-law Bill Richardson (Timon Kyle Durrett), a legal eagle and former consigliere, or his new bride Hayley (Marquita Goings)?  

What about BTG's mistress of manipulation Leslie Thomas (Trisha Mann-Grant) or her daughter Eva (Ambyr Michelle)? 

Could it be Dr. Doug McBride  (Jason Graham), his wife Vanessa (Lauren Buglioli), or casino owner Joey Armstrong (Jon Lindstrom)?

The hospital is a hub for BTG characters, including Shanice (Ernestine Johnson), with her ear open for the latest gossip. 

Maybe it's young nurse Ashley Morgan (Jen Jacob), her boyfriend Derek Baldwin (Ben Gavin), or her mom Jan (Jerri Tubbs)? 

What about Dani's best friend Pamela Curtis (Cady McClain) or Nicole's aide Mona Wilson (Karan Kendrick)? Or Tomas Navarro (Alex Alegria) or Randy Parker (Maurice P. Kerry)? 

RELATED: Daytime Confidential Podcast Episode #1164: Beyond the Gates - 90 Day Report Card

Who is your favorite non-Dupree on Beyond the Gates?

Vote in the poll below! 

View the original article to see embedded media.

Beyond the Gates just passed the 90-day mark on CBS, and we want to know who your favorite Dupree woman is.

Is it matriarch Anita Dupree (Tamara Tunie), one of her daughters, Nicole (Daphnée Duplaix) or Dani (Karla Mosley), or one of her granddaughters, Naomi (Arielle Prepetit), Chelsea (RhonniRose Mantilla), Kat (Colby Muhmmad), or Samantha (Najah Jackson)? 

RELATED: Daytime Confidential Podcast Episode #1164: Beyond the Gates - 90 Day Report Card

Who is your favorite Dupree woman on Beyond the Gates?

Vote in the poll below! 

View the original article to see embedded media.