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News Roundup: Heartbreaking Twists, the Latest Returns, and a Killer Reveal
Monday, October 3rd, 2022
Plus, sneak peeks at what’s coming next!
With so much going on in the world of daytime, it’s easy to miss a story or two — including some of the biggest ones unfolding on screen. Fortunately, we’ve got you covered with our guide to everything that went down last week on Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful and The Young and the Restless. Plus, we’ve got previews of what to expect next and even coverage of primetime’s best sudsers!
The Bold and the Beautiful
Tragedy is headed to Bold & Beautiful this fall, and it’s got Carter’s name written all over it! His whole world is about to be turned on its head, and that can only mean one, horrible thing for him!
- We’ve got the most shocking scandal since Sheila’s toe on hand, er, foot, and its initials are C.P.S. You won’t believe what we think really happened!
- A new Big Brother winner has been crowned, which, Krista Allen (Taylor) teases, may mean we’re about to be joined by a new face on Bold & Beautiful!
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It’s time to shake things (and more importantly, couples) up with the return no one was expecting — well, almost no one!
- All good things must come to an end, which unfortunately means the cast of Bold & Beautiful had to say a difficult goodbye.
Apparently, Bold & Beautiful really, really wanted to get to Aspen, because as Richard notes in his column, this week’s episodes went into hyperdrive. For a moment there, it looked as if Taylor had finally come to her senses, but rest assured, Steffy was there to make sure her mom didn’t lose sight of her Ridge obsession!
What Went Down Last Week: Deacon met with Genoa City’s Nikki Newman to give her info on a mutual acquaintance and Sheila came face-to-face with the socialite… but Nikki didn’t recognize her in her disguise. While Steffy kept pushing for her parents to reunite, Brooke paid Thomas a visit and was appalled when he used a knife to cut an apple in front of Douglas. She later told Ridge she’d call CPS on his son if she had to. Cue CPS knocking at the door of the Forrester mansion. Ridge assumed his wife was responsible, but she denied it. In other news, Taylor decided not to fight for Ridge and Steffy agreed to take her to Bill’s house in Aspen to clear her head.
Days of Our Lives
When Nancy first returned to Salem all those months ago, we never would have guessed that she’d break our hearts not just once but twice! It’s time for the show to fix the tragedy that her life’s become and bring her back from the brink — but not in the way some fans are clamoring for!
- In a Soaps.com exclusive, Paul Telfer delved into the never-ending push and pull that is Xander’s life as the actor prepared viewers for the rarest of scenes!
- Is Days of Our Lives’ move to Peacock just the beginning? Greg Rikaart (Leo) has a dire prediction about the future, but luckily there is a silver lining to be found!
- Cady McClain has been delivering a heart-rending performance as the grieving Jennifer, but her scenes mourning Abigail may have hit a little too close to a real-life tragedy.
- We know that soap opera fans occasionally have a few words they’d like to say to their favorite show’s writers, but Deidre Hall (Marlena) had something else to give to Days of Our Lives head scribe Ron Carlivati!
Days of Our Lives poured on the heartbreak as Clyde’s killer nature was finally exposed to all of Salem. But Curtis can’t help wonderingr in this week’s column if we’re finally going to get some healing or just more tragedy!
What Went Down Last Week: Chad brought Clyde at gunpoint to Abigail’s grave, where Clyde confessed that Belle was his intended victim, but Abigail was the only one home. Clyde strangled Chad, but EJ arrived and shot him. Despite their best efforts, Clyde survived. Chad then said a tearful goodbye to a vision of his wife. After taking a pill, Jennifer had her own visit with Abigail and got behind the wheel of a car that may have run Gwen over. Gwen survived with no idea of who hit her, but Jack connected the dots. Stefan got his shares back from Gabi and plotted to win Chloe back. Rex returned and connected Kayla, Kate, and Marlena’s illness to Roman’s from 25 years ago. All they needed to create the cure was a rare orchid, which Rolf revealed to Kristen he had.
General Hospital
The way we look at the attacks in Port Charles will change this week when Diane wakes up and reveals a shocking detail. Might the info she shares send the investigation into an entirely different direction? (In a word… definitely!)
- Sonny’s been undergoing some changes lately, and we don’t mean for the better! Because at the end of the day, his latest scheme just makes no sense.
- Could Finn’s wife finally shed some light on the hazy mystery of Elizabeth’s past? While we wait to find out, we’ve got the answers to a few of your burning questions about Reiko.
- Join us in paying tribute to Nancy Lee Grahn on the anniversary of her General Hospital debut with a gallery full of all things Alexis! And be sure to check out the hilariously unmissable excerpt of the actress’ upcoming memoir in her own anniversary celebration.
- While we (im)patiently wait for a game-changing “Sprina” smooch, Nicholas Alexander Chavez shared an adorable kiss of his own that we just had to share
General Hospital has been awash in secrets lately, and in this week’s column, Dustin’s got a feeling that they’re all about to explode at once! From Sonny and Dex to The Hook’s true identity, there’s no way the show can keep the lid on everything for much longer.
What Went Down Last Week: After Diane was found attacked by the hook in Brando’s garage, all eyes were on Dex, who was nearby when all three attacks occurred. Thanks to Finn developing an antidote to the toxin on the hook, Diane had a fighting chance of pulling through. Sonny however had Dex strung up and tortured into confessing, but he insisted he was innocent. However, it was Joss who gave Sonny reason to pause and rethink his suspicions. After failing to use Lucy to get to Victor, Valentin and Anna finally gave in to their passion and made love. Later, Valentin realized Nina could be the key to getting access to Charlotte. Jordan confronted Portia over her suspicions that Trina was Curtis’ daughter, and warned her to tell him the truth before he discovered it on his own. Maxie, Felicia and Mac pushed Cody to take a DNA test to learn if he was Mac’s son or not.
The Young and the Restless
For years, we’ve watched Victor Newman manipulate those around him… including family members. So why does his attempt to take over Chancellor-Winters rub us the wrong way?
- It looks like all those months of rumors were true: Mishael Morgan is checking out as Amanda! The actress opened up about her decision and what Amanda’s future may yet look like in Genoa City.
- As Trevor St. John joined the cast, he revealed that who he’d be playing was not what “shocked” him about the role!
- Uh oh! It looks like there’s far more to Audra than meets the eye — and we’re pretty sure that means she’s a threat to at least one couple in Genoa City!
- From the new opening credit photos to an audio version of the show, big changes are headed our way for Young & Restless‘ 50th anniversary. But there is one part of the sudser that they absolutely cannot touch!
The buildup to the show’s 50th anniversary is hitting (almost) all the right notes for Candace in this week’s column. But as juicy as things like the Adam/Sally/Nick triangle are, it’s the thought of a downright shocking connection coming up that’s really got her excited!
What Went Down This Week: Victoria and Billy told Johnny that Chelsea’s his birth mother and it did not go over well. Adam was taken aback to hear the news but was more distraught to get confirmation that Sally and Nick were sleeping together. Ahead of Kyle and Summer’s vow renewal, Diane kissed Jack and then retreated in embarrassment, only to find the mystery man who’d been texting her in her suite. Nikki returned from her LA trip with a photo of the Bentley Diane was seen riding in. Elena, unable to stomach Nate’s plot against his family, moved into the Grand Phoenix, and Audra asked him out. Summer and Kyle’s ceremony began at the Abbott mansion with Phyllis and Diane vowing that nothing would spoil the day.
In Other News
- The Duttons are back — or will be when Yellowstone returns on November 13 — and they are stirring up more trouble than ever. Check out the spoiler-filled trailer for Season 5 (but be warned, the very adult primetime drama uses a blue word or two in the promo!)
- As Chicago Fire prepares to kick off its 11th season, we can’t help but wonder what (or maybe that should be who) is next for Gallo and Brett! Plus, check out our brand new photo gallery of the Chicago Fire stars and their real-life partners!
- Nearly four decades ago, All My Children sensation Marcy Walker took a huge gamble with Santa Barbara — and it ended up paying off big time!
What’s Coming Up…
Now that you’re all caught up on what went down last week, here’s a glimpse of what’s just around the corner!
- Pack some warm clothes and meet us at the airport, because this week, we’re jumping on Bill Spencer’s jet and flying to Aspen. And guess who’s about to crash the party? (No need to guess… you can just check out this Bold & Beautiful preview!)
- This week on Days of Our Lives, Nancy comes face to face with someone she and Craig were pretty crappy to in the past. Plus, Chad is about to do something that won’t go over well with some viewers!
- It wouldn’t be a Genoa City wedding if things went as planned, right? But wait until you see what happens in this week’s preview to throw Kyle and Summer’s wedding into pure chaos. Plus, looks like we may finally find out why Noah was such a sadsack when he returned to town… and it wasn’t just because he was mooning over Tessa!
Take a look at out photo gallery of the best and worst of soaps in 2022 so far as you ponder what you would add!
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<p>And the winner is… <em>General Hospital</em>. Yes, the show threw out some duds in 2022; such is the nature of the beast. But ABC’s daytime drama is the only one that consistently surprises us (RIP, Brando!), dares to ring in the new (viva la Josslyn and Dex!) and does what so many soaps have forgotten how to: keep us on the edge of our seats waiting for that first kiss (“Sprina” FTW!).</p>
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<p>The moment Victoria Grace’s Wendy appeared on the <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ spinoff <em>Beyond Salem</em>, we were both hooked and somewhat relentless in our determination to have Li’s little sis brought over to the mothership. You’re welcome. </p>
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<p>Since first being introduced back in 2011, <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Chelsea has been… let’s go with “complicated.” So in the wake of her depression and attempted suicide, having the character not only seek therapy but go on an apology tour was a great idea. Except for one little thing… </p>
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<p>When <em>Young & Restless’ </em>Chelsea apologized to Billy for having drugged and raped him when first they crossed paths in Myanmar, his response was appalling. “I walked on the wild side and enjoyed every minute of it,” he quipped. To say <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/654808/young-restless-chelsea-rape-billy-story-fan-reaction/">fans were displeased</a> would be an understatement. </p>
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<p>It only took them three decades, but <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Brooke and Taylor finally realized they both deserved better than Ridge. Of course, we’ll see how long their resolve lasts… </p>
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<p>Like <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Britt, we’re not entirely sold on Cody. We love, however, his companion Comet! The set on which the gorgeous horse lives is an odd amalgamation of human and pony habitat, but we’re always happy to visit! </p>
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<p>We didn’t see Sloan and Eric’s sex-fueled romp coming, but once <em>Days of Our Lives </em>went there, all we could hope was that these two would keep coming back for more! </p>
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<p>Our jaws definitely dropped when <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Devon and Abby suddenly started going at it on the couch… and the stairs… and against the wall… </p>
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<p>What does <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> want us to think of Bill after, in a matter of minutes, he begged Brooke, then Katie to take him back? “Pathetic” is a very new and different look for the onetime power player.</p>
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<p>It was all the way back in March of 2021 that <em>General Hospital </em>killed Elizabeth’s beloved Franco so they could introduce Austin. Since then, Austin/Maxie and Liz/Finn have both proven to be duds, leaving us to wonder yet again… what was the point? </p>
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<p>To say that most fans were upset to hear <em>Days of Our Lives </em>would be moving from NBC — where it had aired for over five decades — to streaming service Peacock would be a massive understatement. </p>
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<p><em>General Hospital</em> has kept us waiting for so long for “Sprina” to really happen that we’ve started to wonder whether the characters will be AARP members by the time they get together. That said, we’re pretty sure it’ll be worth the wait. </p>
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<p>We were happy to hear that Jefferson White and Kathryn Kelly would be Yellowstone regulars in Season 5 — until we realized that Jimmy and Emily’s Texas address meant we’d go the first seven (!) episodes without so much as a glimpse of them.</p>
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<p><em>Bold & Beautiful </em>finally took us back to the runway with a fashion show which gave us everything we’ve come to expect from the folks at Forrester Creations. </p>
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<p>No, we’re not saying <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Sally and Adam don’t have a shot at happiness. We’re actually showing you the reason she and <em>Nick</em> will inevitably hit the skids! </p>
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<p>We get that <em>General Hospital</em> didn’t have long-term plans for Rory and Trina. But why kill off the appealing newbie rather than keep him around, either to redeem Esme through a rebound romance… or to join her on the dark side?</p>
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<p>We assumed when <em>Days of Our Lives</em> had Alex hit the sheets with Chanel and Allie, viewers would rise up in protest. Instead, most seemed willing to go with the sexual flow. </p>
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<p>We were totally intrigued when weird things started happening to <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Elizabeth. But the story has taken so many ridiculous twists — She’s being haunted by Franco! She’s haunting herself! It has something to do with Finn’s dead wife! — that honestly, we stopped caring. Then, they compounded the problem by having Liz tell… </p>
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<p>We get why <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Nikolas looks so dumbfounded. We, too, were stunned when Elizabeth claimed to be carrying his baby. Sure, she “fixed” the situation by saying she’d miscarried a few days later, but by then, the damage already had been done. </p>
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<p>If <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Brooke thought Thomas using a knife to peel his apple made him a danger to son Douglas, imagine how freaked out she must be whenever someone breaks out a carving knife to slice up the Thanksgiving turkey! </p>
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<p>At the 2022 Daytime Emmys, <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Mishael Morgan (Amanda) became the first Black nominee to win Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series.</p>
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<p>If <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> had to (temporarily) kill off fiery Li, at least Naomi Matsura’s character got one hell of a send-off, going up in flames — literally! — while being pursued by Finn’s <em>other</em> mother, lunatic about town Sheila.</p>
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<p>We’re not sure which twist we liked better… <em>General Hospital </em>dropping some pretty big hints indicating that Felicia was Esme’s mom… or the shocker that Heather’s tryst with Ryan had resulted in the hellion’s conception! </p>
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<p>Having listened to Carter pour out his heart for ages, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Quinn knew he wanted nothing more than to marry someone — pretty much anyone — and start a family. So her dumping him weeks after they got together because they wanted different things made no sense whatsoever. </p>
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<p>It was a long time in coming, but <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Stella and Portia finally discussed the racial ramifications of Esme’s having framed Trina. “I’ve lived in this world long enough to know how elusive justice can be for people who look like Trina,” sighed Stella, kicking off a discussion many assumed the show wouldn’t dare have.</p>
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<p>The final moments of <em>Beyond Salem: Chapter Two</em> revealed that bad girl Megan had been keeping Bo on (literal) ice since his death, leaving us to wonder if he and Hope might get a real reunion following that swoonworthy dance they shared in heaven. Now that both are slated to return to <em>Days of Our Lives</em> in 2023, we’ll finally get our answer!</p>
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<p><em>Yellowstone</em> ended Season 4 with a bang, alright — with Beth forcing Jamie to kill biodad Garrett. But after the thrill ride that was Season 3’s finale, it seemed like more of an “Oh, OK” than an “OMG!” climax.</p>
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<p>Remember the way that <em>Young & Restless</em> fans refused to let anything or anyone upset the apple cart that was Lily and Cane? Yeah, that’s now pretty much happening with Tessa and Mariah, a couple so untouchable, they’re all but forbidden to have dramatic story. It’ll be interesting to see what the writers do now that the pair are happily wed!</p>
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<p>Hands down, it goes to <em>Days of Our Lives</em> for its over-reliance on easy-access masks that can transform anyone into… well, anyone. Heck, if one of our rivals got their hands on one, this whole entry might have been added by an editor from one of our competitors!</p>
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<p>It may have taken a few years to get there, but the moment <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Thomas and Hope agreed to co-parent Douglas, we knew they’d eventually wind up butting heads over custody of the boy. </p>
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<p><em>General Hospital</em> can push Austin/Maxie all it wants, but every time he shares a scene with Britt, we become more firmly entrenched on Team #Braustin. #Austitt? Whatever you called ’em, we’re all in.</p>
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<p>As much as <em>Days of Our Lives </em>fans dislike Gwen — and boy, do they! — we kinda like that when the chips are down, she and Xander know they can call on one another. While we know we’ll get a whole lotta crap for saying so, it’s hard not to acknowledge that he’s a better fit with Gwen than Sarah! </p>
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<p>For months after Brooke’s New Year’s Eve tumble off the wagon, the <em>Bold & Beautiful </em>heroine asked on a daily basis, “Why did I drink?” If we chugged each time she posed the question, we’d have been dead of alcohol poisoning by St. Patrick’s Day. </p>
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<p>The year wasn’t even two weeks old when <em>General Hospital</em> had “conniving bitch” Nina talk to the hand — <em>Carly’s</em> hand, as you can see. And needless to say, Nina did not like what the hand had to say.</p>
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<p>Approximately 12 seconds after <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Quinn discovered Eric’s infidelity, she rushed off to reunite with Carter while her hubby happily moved Donna into the mansion. All in all, the situation proved about as dramatic as a bean-growing competition. </p>
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<p>After <em>Young & Restless</em> gave Michael a Very Special Episode to celebrate Christian Jules LeBlanc’s anniversary with the show, we feared that he wasn’t so much being put out to pasture as he was already there. So imagine our surprise — <em>and</em> excitement — when Victor decided to put the sneaky bastard’s unique skills to better use.</p>
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<p>It was with mixed emotions that we tuned in to the February episode of <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> in which Krista Allen’s Taylor was finally able to ditch the wig that she, we, <em>everybody</em> had had such a good time laughing over. On one hand, we’d miss the chuckles. On the other, c’mon! Au naturel was gorgeous.</p>
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<p>Only the last flashback of the final episode of <em>This Is Us </em>revealed the “secret” of the Pin the Tail on the Donkey game: Rebecca had insisted they buy it because the three children on the cover reminded her of their own brood. </p>
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<p>The January dustup in which <em>General Hospital</em> had Ava go ballistic at Carly for letting Avery sleep at “grandma” Bobbie’s after Luke’s memorial was (a) a sharp insight into the accidental conflicts that can arise in blended families, (b) all too familiar to any of us who fly off the handle before we hear the whole story and (c) hilarious, thanks to Brook Lynn’s background interjections. More real, human drama — with comedy — thank you.</p>
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<p>Why didn’t <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> have Deputy Chief Baker monitoring infamous psycho Sheila at all times? Do L.A. cops really think that this particularly rabid leopard has changed her spots?</p>
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<p>Rather than invest in a private office, <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Sharon insisted on treating Crimson Lights patrons to analysis along with their croissants and lattes. “No, not <em>you</em>,” she might as well have told everyone in line after Abby. “As if! Only series regulars need apply!”</p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ possession storyline may have put viewers through hell, but could anyone argue that Johnny didn’t make a sin-sational host for Satan? Didn’t think so.</p>
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<p>Soon after <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> cast Cassandra Creech as Paris’ mom, we learned that Grace was both a doctor and single. Yet Grace was given nothing to do but fret about her daughter’s love life. Worse, once Paris was left at the altar by Carter, Grace vanished entirely! </p>
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<p>When Jesse Spencer decided to leave his role as the popular Matt Casey on <em>Chicago Fire</em> to concentrate on family, fans shed enough tears to douse a four-alarm blaze. Despite the huge blow of losing the leading man, happily, Casey has continued his relationship with Sylvie long-distance, which bodes well for a potential return… </p>
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<p>That would be the one in which <em>General Hospital</em> refused to release viewers from the endless — and endlessly loathed — Peter storyline. We never imagined we would start another year complaining about that one, and yet… there we were. And when the plot <em>finally</em> came to a close, it delivered the…</p>
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<p>Rather than use the fact that 99 percent of Port Charles wanted Peter dead, the show passed on playing a murder mystery in order to have Felicia whack him upside the head and leave him to perish in a bed of <span style="text-decoration: line-through">packing peanuts</span> snow. Zzz.</p>
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<p><em>Young & Restless</em> had Billy hatch a cockamamie plot to stick it to Adam and Victor, then had him not bother to follow through. Perhaps the powers that be realized just how cockamamie it was and didn’t want to read any more critiques of the storyline? And if you think <em>that</em> was anticlimactic, wait…</p>
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<p>The reason <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Billy wanted to get back at Adam and Victor in the first place was because they upended his cush job at Chance Comm. But since everyone in Genoa City is rich, powerful and related, he wound up immediately being hired anew to work with the same person (girlfriend Lily) in the same office. So yeah, <em>totally</em> sensible and relatable impetus for revenge, guys. Nailed it.</p>
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<p>Loved <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Johnny as the devil, yes, but didn’t at <em>all</em> like the rape-y way that the demon forced kisses on Gabi with the ultimate goal of bedding her. Also, wouldn’t a supernatural force <em>that</em> omnipotent have a grander plan than having sex with a random hottie?</p>
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<p>Answer: Because <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> is written based on plot necessity, not history or logic. Question: Why did Brooke make such a big deal of keeping secret from Ridge her drunken kiss with Deacon? This is the same Ridge who basically laughed it off when she mistook daughter Hope’s masked boyfriend for him and schtupped the young buck against a wall at a party.</p>
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<p>When Jack began receiving mysterious texts, we joined <em>Young & Restless </em>fans in trying to guess from whom they were being sent. We came up with some pretty far-out ideas… but never once suspected Diane would rise from her (premature) grave to stir things up again! </p>
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<p>We have problems with <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ decision to have Craig realize late in life that he’s gay — but they have nothing to do with the realization itself. (We don’t like that the show took away the fantasy that the plus-sized gal could be the hot guy’s turn-on.) That was bold, modern storytelling that many a family could tell you rang true to life.</p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/621806/chad-duell-discusses-breakup-with-courtney-hope-general-hospital-young-restless/" target="_blank">In a late-January <em>State of Mind</em></a>, <em>General Hospital</em> leading man Chad Duell (Michael) broke his silence on the subject of his breakup with longtime significant other Courtney Hope (Sally, <em>Young & Restless</em>) in such a way that he let fans know that they were OK — and that he wouldn’t be divulging any details.</p>
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<p>After what seemed like years of Ellen Pompeo indicating she really wanted to leave <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em>, Meredith finally departed for greener pastures, with her portrayer taking on a much smaller role moving forward. </p>
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<p>Hmm. You’ve just recovered your memory and come back from the dead, only to blow up your marriage by revealing that you still have feelings for your “new” self’s girlfriend… Sure, <em>General Hospital</em>, that would be a time when Sonny would say, “Ya know what? Who <em>needs</em> lithium? It’s the broccoli of drugs, and I’m not having any.”</p>
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<p>After <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> won the 2021 “award” for <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/gallery/daytime-soap-operas-best-worst-2021-couples-scenes-photos/vinny-confess-bb-cbs-2/" target="_blank">Most Unintentionally Hilarious Fight</a>, we were delighted to see the show come out swinging in 2022 with a Ridge/Deacon smackdown that was so intense, we had to put a Band-Aid and icepack on our TV when it was over.</p>
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<p>No gold medal for <em>Days of Our Lives</em>, which seemed to be so caught off guard by the two weeks of pre-emptions that accompanied the winter Olympics that it didn’t leave us with any real “Ack! But I <em>need</em> to know what happens next!” cliffhangers. Worse, the same thing happened when the soap made the move from NBC to Peacock! </p>
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<p>Continuing its new tradition of turning away from drama as often as possible, <em>Young & Restless</em> set up an Abby vs. Devon fight over Dominic… and then resolved the matter amicably with no courtroom histrionics whatsoever. Where’s the fun in that?</p>
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<p>Even though it’s as plain as the smile on Link’s handsome face, <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em> doc Jo never thought in all the years that they’d been friends that they’d make a sweet couple? Seriously? As you can see, all she had to do was have someone Google it, and boom! Their pairing would have been obvious to her. (Hey, at least she finally got there!)</p>
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<p><em>Young & Restless</em> recast Noah with the appealing Rory Gibson, only to turn the legacy character into a sad sack obsessing over an ex who was never all that into him in the first place. Why? Fortunately, Noah would eventually find a new lady over whom to moon in Allie. </p>
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<p>Every post from <em>General Hospital</em>/<em>Days of Our Lives</em> alum Tyler Christopher seemed to say the same thing between the lines: I’m back, I’m well, I’m ready… Who wants me? </p>
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<p>Holy [bleep], if <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> ever let Taylor be <em>half</em> as hilarious as portrayer Krista Allen is on Twitter, Ridge would have gone running back to her ages ago. “You’re so self-aware and funny and cool, I don’t even <em>notice</em> the wig anymore!” Speaking of hairpieces…</p>
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<p>We are 100-percent behind our characters getting older right along with us. It makes us feel less like the world is Benjamin Buttoning! But explain to us why, exactly, when <em>Days of Our Lives</em> brought back Patrika Darbo as Nancy, it outfitted her with a wig straight out of the Mrs. Claus collection?</p>
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<p>Richard Burgi felt terrible about it. But after accidentally violating <em>Young & Restless</em>’ COVID policy, he was pink-slipped and replaced by <em>Guiding Light</em> vet Robert Newman (Josh) as Victoria’s hubby, Ashland… who wound up being killed off less than six months later. </p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em> brilliantly brought the past into the present by having poor, addled Sarah come to believe that she was, in reality, Stefano’s long-dead daughter, Renee. Great, bonkers use of history to make us go, “WTH?!?”</p>
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<p>After Stella put her engagement to Kelly in doubt after going radio silent on him while on tour with Girls on Fire, this duo has since proven they are meant to be. <em>Chicago Fire</em> fans were delighted when Severide came through with the ring he promised Kidd and told her he was “the luckiest man in Chicago” as he slid it onto her finger. It was a truly magical moment under the stars as they heated the chilly air with a hot, passionate kiss to seal the deal. </p>
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<p>Fans who’d been seriously ticked at <em>Bold & Beautiful </em>for causing Steffy so much heartache were over the moon upon learning that Finn’s adoptive mom, Li, had fooled everyone into thinking he was dead even as she worked to bring him back from the brink. </p>
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<p>We actually felt kinda bad for <em>Young & Restless </em>newcomer Kelsey Wang when her Allie was stuck wandering around Keemo’s empty house talking to her dead dad. Thankfully, she soon had a new talk-to in <span style="text-decoration: line-through">Taylor</span> Diane… not to mention a beau in Noah.</p>
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<p>We still don’t buy that <em>General Hospital</em> really killed off Anthony Geary’s infamous Luke, but nonetheless, the character’s memorial was spot on. From the “party” crashers to the meaningful throwbacks, it was a feat of mourning glory.</p>
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<p><em>Bold & Beautiful</em> oughta listen to Darin Brooks. He was really onto something when he floated the notion of <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/623299/bold-beautiful-darin-brooks-wyatt-breaking-up-with-flo-hope/" target="_blank">Wyatt gravitating back toward Hope</a>. The twist would not only get his character out of storyline Siberia, it would give Annika Noelle’s something to do besides obsess over her parents.</p>
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<p><a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/news/622908/days-of-our-lives-paulina-preview-sends-wrong-message-about-abuse/" target="_blank"><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ winter tease</a> that played Paulina’s reaction to her abuser for laughs — and then suggested that she needed relationship advice — wasn’t just wrong, it was all <em>kinds</em> of wrong.</p>
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<p>It took us a minute to realize just how sly and charming <em>Grey’s Anatomy</em>’s Kai is. But once it clicked in our heads, we started falling for E.R. Fightmaster’s character as quickly as Amelia.</p>
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<p><em>General Hospital</em> really went there. As upset as fans were about the Carly/Sonny/Nina love triangle, the show still let the don and his “other woman” cross the line — and, in spectacularly sudsy fashion, just in time for his wife to catch them!</p>
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<p>Like, wow. She really <em>is</em> nuts. Somehow <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> had Sheila convince herself that she was innocent because she hadn’t <em>meant</em> to shoot Finn. She’d only, um, meant to murder his wife in cold blood. Like that’s somehow OK?</p>
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<p>While not all fans were thrilled to see <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Ben and Ciara literally sail off into the sunset, they took some comfort in knowing that the pair were alive and well, raising son Bo, somewhere out there. </p>
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<p>One day, <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> would have us believe that Paris just wants to settle down like Steffy and Finn. The next, it wants us to buy that she’s savoring being single and ready to mingle. Two weeks later, she was 100 percent into the idea of marrying Carter. Whiplash, much? </p>
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<p>We’ll give <em>Days of Our Lives</em> credit for trying something different with Duke. But we’d have given the show even <em>more</em> credit if it had realized that the talking toy was a misfire and “stuffed” the contrivance sooner.</p>
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<p>It’s gotta be Louise/Bailey on <em>General Hospital</em>, right? Could <em>you</em> tell that face no?</p>
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<p><em>Young & Restless</em>’ Tessa and Mariah gave the CBS soap its first-ever same-sex wedding — a milestone that we can’t help but think would have been reached years ago, were the late, great William J. Bell still alive.</p>
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<p>We’ll admit that for a long time, we were annoyed by Marshall. Nothing against portrayer Robert Gossett, but his alter ego spent months wandering around <em>General Hospital </em>talking about a big secret he wouldn’t disclose. Now that his past mental health issues have been addressed, we’re getting to know the charming side of Marshall… and hoping he sweeps Epiphany off her feet!</p>
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<p>When <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Ben and Ciara cut into the cake at their gender-reveal party, it appeared to ooze blood thanks to its devil-possessed baker, Allie. What really scared us, however, was the idea of the tiny treat feeding all their guests! </p>
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<p>Like the rest of us, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Forrester clan didn’t believe Detective Sanchez when he said Sheila was dead. Unlike us, they were convinced when he produced the supposedly-dead vixen’s toe. </p>
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<p>We knew Jordi Vilasuso was exiting <em>The Young and the Restless</em>, so Rey’s death wasn’t a surprise. What <em>was</em> kind of stunning was that it all happened off screen. Heck, even his funeral was held in Florida as opposed to Genoa City! Vilasuso’s wife <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-young-and-the-restless/news/629415/young-restless-jordi-vilasuso-reacts-rey-shocking-death-exit/" target="_blank">said on their podcast</a>, “People are saying Rey deserved better,” and she was right. In fact, we were among them! </p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Abby wins this one, hands down — especially since before Chad had even discovered his wife’s lifeless body, headwriter Ron Carlivati was floating the idea that <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/days-of-our-lives/comings-and-goings/633687/days-of-our-lives-marci-miller-leaving-abigail-murdered/" target="_blank">maybe she wasn’t <em>dead</em>-dead</a>. <em>Not</em> the way to get the audience to invest.</p>
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<p>They had us at “hi.” As much as we’d like to give this award to a daytime show, it goes, hands down, to Netflix’s impossibly magical <em>Heartstopper</em>, which told the love story of English schoolmates Charlie and Nick as they went from strangers to friends to so much more.</p>
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<p>Obviously, finding a way to keep uber-popular Robert Scott Wilson on the <em>Days </em>canvas after Ben and Ciara left was a brilliant idea. Having him play a character so unapologetically skeezy, however, wasn’t. Fortunately, over time, the writers have found ways to make Alex less of a jerk, but he’s still got a long way to go. </p>
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<p>The launch of <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Chancellor-Winters had glitz and glamour… and a sum total of nothing going on. When the big cliffhanger is “Will Nate go off script and reveal the company’s actual plans?” you know you should have RSVP’d no.</p>
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<p>Not since <em>One Life to Live</em> had Luna Moody arrive in Llanview by parachute has a character gotten as memorable an introduction as the one that <em>General Hospital</em> gave Cody. Unfortunately, his storyline has, thus far, been less impressive. </p>
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<p><em>Days of Our Lives</em> could have made Tripp’s send-off impactful if it had let him die to save true love Allie. Instead, the show pulled its punch, snatching him out of the Grim Reaper’s clutches, only to then banish him to Seattle.</p>
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<p>Someday, <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Wiley is gonna find out that not only did his adoptive grandpa kill his real grandpa, but his adoptive mom is the twin sister of his biological mom, who tried to kill his dad before trading him for a dead child in the woods. Paging Dr. Kevin Collins! </p>
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<p>We really meant to be reeled in by the confrontation that <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> staged between Donna and Hope after she caught her aunt “playing pickleball” with married man Eric. But we’re sorry, we — and many a viewer — couldn’t get over the fact that Hope was dressed like a cowgirl.</p>
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<p><em>Grey’s Anatomy</em> ended its 18th season with half the cast in the flux. Teddy and Owen had resigned and were on the run, all of the residents had been canned, Meredith had sent Nick packing, and on top that, we were trying to figure out what voodoo chant we had to do to get Kate Walsh to return full time as Addison.</p>
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<p>You’ve come a long way, Steve — <em>so</em> long a way that in Season 4 of Netlix’s record-breaking <em>Stranger Things</em>, we were rooting hard for him to reunite with ex-girlfriend Nancy. (Sorry, Jonathan.)</p>
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<p>Billy’s podcast on <em>The Young and the Restless</em>. Enough said.</p>
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<p>The streamer got as carried away as we did watching its teen romance <em>Heartstopper</em> and renewed the British import for not one but two seasons.</p>
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<p>No other soap can top <em>Bold & Beautiful </em>when it comes to the show’s look. Whether it’s routinely doing location shoots or doing whatever it takes to get the shot, this show will do it. </p>
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<p>In an attempt to help son Michael, <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Carly put it all on the line… and lost! We thought it might be fun to watch Sonny’s ex try and remember what it’s like to live on a budget, but aside from losing her share of the Metro Court to Nina, Carly’s life hasn’t changed a bit. </p>
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<p>Maybe it was the fact that <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Ashland didn’t live up to his pre-introduction hype. Maybe it was that the part had to be recast mid-story. Or maybe it was that even in death, he remained the most talked about person in town. As the saying goes, “How can I miss you if you won’t actually leave?” </p>
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<p>No wonder <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Rafe is only so-so as a cop: He couldn’t even detect the heat being generated between his new wife and her former husband. The rest of us, however, knew his marriage would have a shorter shelf life than month-old milk. </p>
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<p>The only way to explain <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Nikolas sleeping with his young son’s equally young girlfriend was that the writers thought, “Hey, this is a fun twist!” Unfortunately, it really wasn’t. And boy, did we hate how often they flashed back to the supposedly sexy scene. </p>
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<p>Nothing we saw on our daytime shows could compete with the steam generated by <em>Bridgerton</em>’s Anthony and Kate when at (long) last, they gave in to passion and made love.</p>
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<p>When at long last <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Lucas was revealed as Sami’s real kidnapper, the stage was set for big drama… especially after she found out sis Belle was sleeping with EJ! Instead, Sami left town, Lucas went to jail and the whole story turned out to be much ado about nothing! </p>
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<p>The only thing harder to buy than <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Bill eating in a seafood shack? That the restaurant son Wyatt had discovered just happened to be a few feet away from where a traumatized Li had apparently been living ever since driving off the wharf! </p>
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<p>Both <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Nick and his son, Noah, ditched working at the non-profit New Hope in order to, respectively, rejoin the family company and open a nightclub. But hey, it’s not like Genoa City has any poor folk in need of help these days. </p>
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<p>Say what you will about <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Rolf, but the dude <em>did </em>manage to keep a literally heartless Stefan alive four years, including when the MD himself was locked behind bars! As for his methods… </p>
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<p>Anybody else think actress Adele Lamont — star of the 1962 flick “The Brain That Wouldn’t Die” — is giving <em>Days of Our Lives’ </em>Stefan side-eye, as if to say, “Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” </p>
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<p>The music swelled and the tears flowed as <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Steffy rushed into the arms of her newly-resurrected husband, and it all happened against the gorgeous backdrop of Monte Carlo. It was everything a soap fan could want… and more. </p>
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<p>At this point, it’s a wonder that Nikolas hasn’t been ordered by Port Charles officials to rip the parapet off the side of Wyndemere. Then again, since it tends to be <em>General Hospital</em> evil-doers like Esme who plunge from its heights, maybe everyone has agreed to look the other way. </p>
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<p>Alex spends so little time dressed that one might assume there’s a fabric shortage in <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Salem. Not that we’re complaining, mind you. </p>
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<p>Seriously, when’s the last time you remember seeing <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Chance smile? </p>
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<p>The moment <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Ridge and Taylor locked lips in Monte Carlo, we knew it was a clip we’d be seeing again. What we couldn’t have predicted was that the gorgeous scene would get more airtime than two-thirds of the cast. </p>
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<p>From the moment <em>Days of Our Lives</em>‘ Chad found his dead wife’s body, portrayer Billy Flynn has stunned us with his work. That continued up to (and beyond) him finding his wife’s killer, confronting Clyde and getting some small bit of closure via Abigail’s ghostly visit. </p>
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<p>Bad Pun Warning: From the moment <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Ava was attacked during the Quartermaine party, we were hooked — sorry, we had to do it! — on the show’s <em>I Know What You Did Last Summer </em>homage. </p>
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<p>Yeah, Elena, we don’t get it either. But apparently, <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Nate is now a wildly-ambitious guy ready to throw everyone he’s ever loved — including you — under the bus if it means he gets to be a major player. </p>
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<p>Given how much we love troublemakers, it’s no surprise that we were stoked to learn Chloe Lanier was bringing Nelle back to <em>General Hospital</em>. So imagine how disappointed we were to find out she was only appearing as a ghost! (Despite this, we’re still holding out hope that Nina’s daughter will one day resurrect, just like so many other locals!) </p>
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