Here we go! The category you have been waiting for. This is where we count down to the Best Daytime Soap Opera of 2023:
The Bold and the Beautiful:
The Bold and the Beautiful had a wonderful year in 2023! We got Bill and Ridge hilariously teaming up to try to take down Shelia, and then later, Steffy finally got to confront her for everything she had done. We had an amazing location shoot in Rome and then a fashion showdown between father and son back home in LA with some great crossovers from Y&R. We had high emotional drama with Eric’s illness and experimental treatment complete with Brooke reading from the Bible without it bursting into flames in her hands. We got some new young blood, which this show badly needs, and best of all, we got Thope, one of the best new couples of the year! Sadly, we lost Krista Allen, who was amazing as a recast Taylor when the show let her go later in the year, but it’s never too late for them to course-correct that one and bring her back. Let’s hope they do! Overall, B&B had a wonderful year, and we are hopeful for even more in 2024!
Days of Our Lives:
2023 was a great one for Days of Our Lives but also a bit of a roller coaster! We got Bo and Hope back onscreen, but many fans were unhappy with how it all played out, with the super couple not getting to share an actual reunion. Megan Hathaway was a delicious villain, and her son, Dimitri, was an amazing addition to the canvas. His surprise romance with Leo was a delight to watch unfold. Abe’s memory loss storyline and the returns it brought were a highlight as well, and the fictional soap opera that it spawned, Body & Soul, was a fan favorite. The acting in the storyline of Nicole and EJ’s baby dying was beyond amazing and the tribute that was paid to John Aniston when Victor’s onscreen death played out was beautifully done. There have been so many great moments and storylines this year, along with some fun new pairings, but also a few disappointments for fans, with stories disappearing for weeks on end and some missed opportunities that seemed like no-brainers. All in all, Days has been on an upswing and we look forward to seeing what 2024 brings in Salem.
General Hospital:
General Hospital had an amazing 2023! Wonderful throwbacks and great villains, complete with a plot targeting the world that used the Ice Princess to kick off the 60th anniversary celebrations. The acting was superb and the entire cast was used in wonderful ways. The Nurses Ball had a triumphant return and Laura Collins was not only the mayor of Port Charles but also leading the charge to save the world from the crazy, evil Cassadines! We had romantic proposals and weddings and adorable, if not a bit large, babies were born into core families. The celebration of Jacklyn Zeman’s 45th anniversary with the show at the Nurses Ball was especially poignant because we lost her to cancer about a month later. Jackie was one of many heartbreaking losses that the GH family suffered this year, but the cast and crew kept at it to bring the show to the fans every day despite their broken hearts, and the fans love them for it. In many fans ‘ opinions, not everything was great onscreen, though. Many strong feelings on both sides for more than a couple pairings, and, as per usual with GH, the screen time was not really divided up like many think it should be on an ensemble show. In the end, General Hospital had a pretty solid year and seems to be off like gangbusters in an attempt to snag the crown for 2024!
The Young and the Restless:
Our pick for Best Daytime Soap Opera of 2023 is none other than The Young and the Restless! The use of history and amazing casting really won this for them this year. While Cameron Kirsten returning to terrorize Sharon was amazing soap, Y&R topped itself with the introduction of evil Aunt Jordan and her niece Claire, who actually turned out to be the baby daughter, Eve, Victoria and Cole thought had died decades ago. Auntie had led Claire to believe that her parents had thrown her away and involved her in the plot to punish the Newman family for her sister, Eve Howard’s, death. Casting beloved soap actress Colleen Zenk as Aunt Jordan and soap fan favorite Hayley Erin as Claire was nothing short of genius and made many a fan recant every horrible thing they had ever said about EP & HW Josh Griffth. There were other bright spots as well. The character of Audra gave us a classic soap vixen, which is always fun. Trevor St. John continues to make us laugh as a recast Tucker McCall, Lauralee Bell’s 40th anniversary, the New Year’s Eve vow renewal of Michael and Lauren as well as other amazing romantic moments that made us catch our breath, and, of course, the rare sightings of Teriah that we all live for were a delight. If we had a bone to pick with The Young and the Restless, it would be who and what there was not enough of. The pairing of Mariah and Tessa should be front and center, Sharon Case should have a front-burner storyline always, and, for the love of all that is holy, they need to get some young to go along with the restless! Aside from that, Y&R more than secured their spot as The Best Daytime Soap Opera of 2023. Let’s see if they can hold onto the crown next year!
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