And Daytime Emmy Season Kicks Off!

It's here! The time of year we've all* been waiting for**: Daytime Emmy nomination day!

*By "we" I mean "soap bloggers"

*By "waiting for", I mean "thinking about warily, if we think about it at all, because it's hard to get genuinely excited about a show televised on the CW [Edit--actually on CBS! Thanks for the correction, Jennifer!] with a budget of $64 that rarely, if ever, awards the gold statuette to the most deserving nominee. And also, what is the deal with the musical numbers?"

I watched Bree Williamson and that doctor from The Doctors announce a few of the nominees on The Early Show this morning, because...well, because I was up and bored, and it's already rainy and dreary, so what could make the morning worse? The answer to that question is Bobby Flay, folks. Bobby Flay and his smug face make things worse. Luckily, I didn't have to see him speak, but he smiled obnoxiously about, like, goat milk, and now I am even crabbier than I was when I woke up! Um, back to the nominees, though:

Outstanding Daytime Drama

All My Children

The Bold & The Beautiful

General Hospital

The Young & The Restless

Outstanding Lead Actress

Sarah Brown, General Hospital

Crystal Chappell, Guiding Light

Bobbie Eakes, All My Children

Michelle Stafford, The Young and the Restless

Maura West, As The World Turns

Outstanding Lead Actor

Peter Bergman, The Young and the Restless

Doug Davidson, The Young and the Restless

Jon Lindstrom, As the World Turns

Michael Park, As The World Turns

James Scott, Days of Our Lives

Outstanding Supporting Actress

Beth Chamberlin, Guiding Light

Julie Pinson, As the World Turns

Carolyn Hennesy, General Hospital

Arianne Zucker, Days of Our Lives

Bree Williamson, One Life to Live

Outstanding Supporting Actor

Billy Miller, The Young and the Restless

Bradford Anderson, General Hospital

Jonathan Jackson, General Hospital

Ricky Paull Goldin, All My Children

Brian Kerwin, One Life to Live

Outstanding Younger Actress

Christel Khalil, The Young and the Restless

Marnie Schulenburg, As the World Turns

Molly Burnett, Days of Our Lives

Shelley Hennig, Days of Our Lives

Julie Berman, General Hospital

Outstanding Younger Actor

Drew Tyler Bell, The Bold and the Beautiful

Drew Garrett, General Hospital

Dylan Patton, Days of Our Lives

Scott Clifton, One Life to Live

Zack Conroy, Guiding Light

That's...a lot to take in.

For starters, let's look at the slow motion trainwreck that is the Outstanding Daytime Dramacategory: AMC, GH AND Y&R? I know that soaps as a whole are in a bad place right now, a bad place marked by awful writing, illogical plots and offensiveness, but way to pick what I have to assume are the three least deserving soaps, because 2009 on Y&R had such horrifying things as Victor continuing to do no wrong, and the death of Colleen Carlton and far too much Jana/Kevin/Daniel/Amber for anyone's liking, including those of the actors who play Jana, Kevin, Daniel and Amber.

Last year on AMC was the year of Bianca and Reese, and Erica and Ryan, and Stuart's murder by Adam, and trying to make Randi happen, and we're going to reward them with the chance to be called the best in daytime? And GH's 2009 brought us Rebecca, the world's worst PPD story, Sonny and Claudia and their unholy union of glurg, and the murder mystery of the Player Mayor's mistress that I literally forgot about until this very second, and Ethan, and Franco's story, which was awesome in all the wrong ways and, oh, right a teenager killing someone and the point that I'm trying to make is that there were, at most, five genuinely entertaining moments on GH this year amidst the metric ton of crap, and I can only hope that they are nominated just to cruelly make Jill Farren Phelps think that she won and, as she goes on-stage to accept her award, one of those musical numbers begins with a chorus line descending on stage, singing a song about something along the lines of "As if! Get your grubby, hack hands off of the award that we're going to give to The Bold and the Beautiful for the second year in a row, which is a scary sentence to sing, but it's slim pickings here".

There is a name conspicuously missing from the Outstanding Lead Actor nominees, isn't there? Where on earth is David Canary?!?! His work after Stuart's murder was legen--wait for it--dary. I kept thinking that the indignity of having one of his beloved characters killed off because Charles Pratt was bored and then having it turn out that his other beloved character did the killing would at least lead to another Emmy win, but NO! I think that this calls for a melodramatic clutching of peals and a slow-motion scream of "Whyyyyyyyyy?" For tips and tricks on how to play such an over-the-top expression of horror, we can all learn from nominee Doug Davidson! I hope against hope that he submitted his breakdown over the truth about Mary Jane/Patty, because it continues to make me happy, months later. If he wins, do you think his index finger will get a special mention in his speech?!  Peter Bergman being nominated always makes me happy, especially because it means we will see him looking dreamy in a tux this summer. James Scott was the biggest surprise for me, and his was one of the categories announced on The Early Show and when they said his name, I flailed a little bit, and could almost hear Becca's giddy shriek. Sooo not expecting that!

Over in Outstanding Lead Actress, you have the women who are guaranteed a nomination every year (Michelle Stafford and Maura West), an actress who is reliably awesome on any soap (Crystal Chappell), an actress who got saddled with a poorly written mess of a character that I can only describe as WTFWTFWTFFFFFF(Sarah Brown) and an actress who plays a character that manages to be both useless and offensive on every level (Bobbie Eakes). Interesting.

Since I don't watch most of the soaps the Outstanding Supporting Actress nominees come from, I can only say that I am...surprised by Carolyn Hennesy's nomination. It's not that I don't enjoy Diane. I do, in small doses! And luckily, that's all we get of her, because she is a very, very supporting character. I wish that Rebecca Herbst had gotten the nod. I am happy about Arianne Zucker, though--she's more than a little awesome.

My fourteen-year-old self is squealing over Outstanding Supporting Actor and Jonathan Jackson's nomination in particular. I have been completely upfront about finding him to be the bee's knees, so this nomination would have delighted me even if he didn't give a series of amazing performances following his return to the show. Luckily, he did, though, so the nomination is both awesome AND deserved. Bradford Anderson is a good actor under the layers of annoyingness and Spinelli speak, so I am not going to quibble with his nomination (unless he wins, and then we should all be prepared for an anti-Spinelli rant) and I adore Billy Miller. And then there is Ricky Paull Goldin, and I can only say...buh? Buh and can you believe he and Bobbie Eakes are nominated from AMC and David Canary is NOT? What is HAPPENING to the world?

Outstanding Younger Actress is almost nearly perfect: I'm not at all surprised that Lily's cancer storyline garnered Christel Khalil a nod, and I love Julie Berman and Shelley Hennig. Molly Burnett, though, is...um...well, in the interest of full disclosure, I fast-forward and/or mute all of the scenes in which she appears, so maybe I missed her award-worthy acting.

Does anyone else really want Drew Garrett to win Outstanding Younger Actor, not just because he is hugely deserving of it (seriously, he made me like Michael Corinthos, who is horrible on every level. He's that talented!) but also because it would be interesting to see how GH and ABC Daytime deal with that awkward situation. I mean, I already know that they would deal with it poorly and obnoxiously, because that's what they do, but I'd like to see just how bad they'd be.

What say you, Serial Drama readers?

Comments

[Jennifer]

The emmys are being aired on CBS this year. It was announced a month or so ago.

Plus I was highly surprised that Tony Geary didn't get a nomination for just showing up.

[Beth R.]

I wish I was shocked by GH's nod but I do believe I heard they submitted CarnEvil this year....so nope...that was their one gimmick that worked this year. (Which of course had to since their other choice was Toxic Balls) why do I think it was teh episode with Jason's Walk of Pain?

While I'm confused by CH's nomination...I think Becky Herbst not getting one was the right call. 2009 was a horrifically written year for Liz and her only real story of note was Niz....and we do not need to revisit that.

And while I find him a talented actor and always have....I'll say it right now. Jonathan Jackson's win is a "Welcome Back" Emmy. Next year it will certainly be deserved but I didn't find anythign he did from October to December particularly memorable. But I knew he was going to be on the Nominee list the second I heard he was coming back. But the cheese will probably stand alone on that.

Sarah Brown's nod I think is deserved as she committed to a character that was unworkable on any level and fully committed at that. I don't want it rewarded but as these things are decided on teh basis of one episode....I can see where it came from.

Doug Davidson and his finger FTW!!!!

[Dawn]

I know you are peeved about David Canary not being there but I am OVER THE MOON that TONY GEARY is not there. If he was nominated one more time for nothing this show would truly be more of a joke then it already is.

[Jason]

Where the hell is Stacy Haiduk? Doug Davidson and Peter Bergman only belong there because of her storyline. She was the best thing about Y&R in 2009, early 2010. Maybe she gets a nom next year since she had essentially been Lead in 2010?!?!

[Emmy]

I've only been watching AMC for a short time, but I find Jake Martin and Ricky Paull Goldin's portrayal of the same largely intolerable. This was a terrible terrible year for nominations. Except Drew Garret. I will be pulling for him.

[Amy]

I haven't read anything but the NOM's, so forgive me if I repeat anything:

1) Bobby Flay ROCKS!! LOL! Sorry, but I love that guy! He can Throw me Down anyday!

2) I'm only a viewer of "Y&R", having abandoned ABC at least 2-3 years ago (haven't regretted it for a minute) THAT SAID:

1 - No Chris Le Blanc this year? (Tears) I love him.
2 - Stacy Haiduk ommission. Our "WTF" moment of the 2010 Daytime Emmy Nom List!
3- I love you Billy Miller, but I heard Jonathan Jackson has this in the bag.
4 - Bobby Eakes. BAAAAHAHAAAA!! WTF Moment Number Twwwwoooo!! AAAHAHA! But thanks for the good laughs, whoever had his /her hand in that!
5 - "AMC" in Best Dram catagory. Jesus Christ....

Last year Y&R lost out on Best Drama when they should have won. THIS YEAR I hope they WIN when they really don't even deserve the nomination for Best Show. THEN AGAIN, if AMC can be nominated for the Ryan Lavery Hour, I guess Doppelganger Central is deserving as well.

[KatR]

I am too busy being giddy at no nomination for Tony Geary. I'll have to wait until that passes to analyze the rest.

[JC]

Super Happy for Arianne Zucker, though technically she should be lead but she would of never gotten a nom there!

[Mary Beth]

GH got 18 nominations. 18!! And while I can see that on a technical scale, it is miles ahead of most of the soaps (thanks to the $ ABC seems to throw at it for HD and new sets and "special" effects), but. . . but. . . UGH.

I can only assume writing is one of them (truly, I can only assume because the daytime emmys site won't load for me). *sob*

[Daryl]

All I can say is Bobbie Eakes? Really? Where's DC .. where's Thorsten Kaye .. I suppose we should be glad Rebecca Budig isnt nominated

[Sami]

Drew Garrett nominated? If he wins, I sincerely hope his acceptance speech is a major bitchfest about GH.

[Beth R.]

AHem...Mary Beth...GH did NOT manage to gimmick a writing nod. Charles Pratt did but that's a whole other ball of WTF. But we will be spared at least ONE attempt to make Guza look like the most awesome writer of all time. Granted if Charles Pratt manages it...the Evil Empire still wins.

[horselover]

As a former GH fan who hates the CarSaSon show, I'm thrilled that the unholy trinity didn't get a nom. And I'm also thrilled TG and Bob Guza didn't get a nom. And I would love nothing better than for Drew Garrett and Sarah Brown to win a statue. Hey, it's the small things in life that give me pleasure!

[Mary Beth]

Oh, Beth R. that actually makes my day! Thank you! At least Pratt is already gone from AMC so if he managed to win, the damage is minimized.

[Beth]

Okay, major beef with best supporting actor nom from OLTL -- Brian Kerwin (incredibly annoying) vs. Brett Claywell (incredibly good) -- but given the circumstances, I'm not shocked. Glad Scott Clifton was nominated for younger actor, though I too am rooting for Drew Garrett. And while I yield to no one in my love for Jonathan Jackson, I agree that he doesn't deserve it for 2009.

[Sandy B]

What I really want to know is what episode Bobbie Eakes submitted for consideration? I watch AMC and DAYS and I really don't understand what she could have submitted that would have been better than what Alison Sweeney submitted? Not that it matters, because I'm all "Crystal Chappell FTW" anyway but it would be lovely if the nominations made a bit more sense.

Mallory, I guess we will have to disagree on Shelley Hennig. She is very attractive but does not emote well at all. She just does not seem to have a great range, a little too wooden for my taste. My opinion of Molly Burnett is a little more wishy washy. One minute, I like her and the next, I want Carly to shoot her again.

But we see eye to eye on Ricky Paul Goldin. His Jake is just awful. He did not bother me at first but now he totally grates. I think what really bothers me is that he plays Jake the exact same as he played Gus on Guiding Light and Dean Frame on Another World so I think his acting skills are quite limited, certainly not worthy of an Emmy nomination.

This may not be a popular opinion but I am glad that Betty White was not nominated. I really felt that whole thing was done for the sake of getting an Emmy so I am glad that a guest spot of a few days did not take a nomination from a year round soap actor.

And may the date of the Emmys be the last time we all are forced to utter (with complete and total disdain, of course) the name Chuck Pratt!!! Amen...

[Maria]

I would really like to see what was submitted for each category to make sense of some of this dreck.

Anyone know how to go about finding that out?

And finally, Chuck Pratt????!!!

[realbrenda4evr]

David Canary, Stacy Haiduk, and Terri Colombino are the first faces I see when I think of who was truly robbed. If what these three people in 2009 doesn't get them recognized, then what the hell will?

Molly Burnett??? Just.....no.

Jonathan Jackson is a great actor, but I fail to see what he did that was so Emmy-worthy in 2009. 2010 is his year as is Becky Herbst's, in my opinion.

I pray that Bree Williamson and Billy Miller win their categories.

Well, at least GH didn't get a nod for writing and Tony Geary isn't on the list. That's something.......right?

[Beth R.]

Maria - usually sites like Daytime Confidential and Michael Fairman's blog put up links to all the nominated reels right before the awards. A lot of the time the actors say what it was in interviews. (Michael Logan I beleive had said GH submitted CarnEvil in his Emmy preview piece)

[Gio]

I don't take the emmys seriously. My favorite, KKL (Brooke from B&B) gets shut out, and IMO, she holds the show together.

[RebeccaJ]

I think it's hilarious that Y&R was nommed for OUTSTANDING drama since it's been anything but. Also I can't believe Days got shut out in that category.

And while I know you're a big PB fan, Bergman didn't do anything this year that screamed "Emmy!" to me outside of wincing and squinting into the distance when he was "upset" or "brooding" or "uncertain". like he usually does. I hope Doug Davidson wins this one. Granted, the meltdown was embarrassing to watch (but hilarious to rewatch!) but overall, he's done a good job with the Patty Nutcakes storyline.

[Ashley]

I'm so glad that Drew Garrett was nominated that kid could act. He made me love/hate Michael.

J.J. doesn't deserve his nomination at all. I hate his version of Lucky, and I'm so tired of his weekly cry-fest.

I do think that Laura Wright was snubbed. She is one of the best Carly's GH has ever had.

Sarah Brown deserves her nomination. She's a great actress and she knows when her character is totally horrible.

THE BEST THING ABOUT THE EMMY NOMINATION IS .... GH DIDN'T GET NOMINATED FOR WRITING. HOW GREAT IS THAT!

[izzi]

Yay for Sarah Brown! I wish Laura Wright got a nod. The Emmy's seem to hate beautiful blondes.

Doug Davidson and his finger FTW!!!! >> totally!!

And YES, i MAJORLY want and need Drew Garrett to win! That would be sweet revenge!

[Mel]

I'm really happy that Drew Garrett got a nod and I'm really hoping for him to win because there's nothing I love more than the idea of the GH theme song playing while he gets up to accept and Bob freakin' Guza and JFP looking all sorts of confused. As much as his nod made me happy, the exclusion of Tony Geary might have just made me even more so.

[LB]

Drew Garrett for the win. Why was he fired anyway? NuMichael is okay but DG was awesome.

Laura Wright is always snubbed and I'm not sure why. I don't even like the character but the actress deserves some recognition. It's a sin that Bobbie Eakes got a nomination and LW couldn't.

[Amber]

I am SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO Happy Drew got his nomination.He played all those layers to the fulles! I miss him soo much I really hope to see him on stage with his baby blues getting his much deserved award.Especially after the way GH/ABC has treated him and his fans. Not bad only 11 months on his first soap and most likely a shoe in for the win!I hate that GH has treated Drew like he was never even on the show and keep tryen to find ways to make us DG fans like CD. ITA bout JJ,AT,Guza. I love JJ too but didn't get why he was nominated this yr.I wish LW would have gotten it with SB.LW had alot of good material this yr especially when Claudia was killed and the aftermath of the coma.

[Bourgeois Nerd]

Mallory, did you block the fact that Chuck Pratt got a nom for Best Writing from your mind? Because I was expecting an epic string of invective, and am terribly disappointed.

At least Guza didn't get nominated, though Ron Carlivati didn't, either. Really, that and the fact that OLTL didn't get a Best Drama nom is astounding. It's gone off a cliff of late, but for most of 2009 it totally deserved at least a nomination in both categories. I'm sad the Kish guys didn't get anything, but not terribly surprised.

[Dee]

Hmmm...I'd be interested enough to know what makes one "deserving" of an Emmy nod. I'd say if you bring it in the scene, if you're believable and moving, if you make the audience forget you're acting a part, you have DESERVED your nom!!

In that vein, I cannot tell you how many times I have watched TG and JJ in a scene and forgotten that they are NOT really father and son because TG and JJ bring it!

So, I certainly believe Jonathan's nominatiion was completely deserved and I congratulate him for a job well done! I'm beyond THRILLED that he was recognized!

[Luci]

I am so filled with glee that Tony Geary didn't get nominated for his" Ethan lovefest" that I can't contain my smile!

[LadyBug]

JJ did absolutely nothing in 2009 to get an Emmy nom....nothing!

OLTL needs to hire someone to help them during Emmy pre-nom time, because they always end up the losers when the show was off the hook in 2009!