40th Annual Daytime Emmy Award Final Predictions

The 40th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards Final Predictions
(In Conjunction with The DJBC Happy Hour)

by Bryan Curtiss

39 years ago last month, the very first Daytime Emmy Awards were held outside at Rockefeller Center Plaza in New York City. NBC’s The Doctors (not the talk show) won for Best Drama and also won Best Actress honors for future ATWT vet Elizabeth Hubbard. Macdonald Carey won Best Actor for Days of Our Lives, the first of two consecutive wins for the late DAYS star. PBS’s Zoom won for Children’s Program and Hollywood Squares won for Game Show. The Daytime Emmys have come a long way in 40 years, from New York to Los Angeles, even a couple of ceremonies in Las Vegas. Anthony Geary, Justin Deas, Erika Slezak, David Canary, Oprah Winfrey, Ellen DeGeneres, Rosie O’Donnell, and the Cast, Crew, and Muppeteers of Sesame Street have found their ways to the top of Daytime Television’s Mount Olympus. Long streaks of futility (Susan Lucci and Regis Philbin, this means you) began and ended at the Daytime Emmys. When long-time vets finally got nominated (Genie Francis, Melody Thomas Scott, Robert Newman, Doug Davidson, and Eileen Fulton as Lisa), we couldn’t help but root for them, only to see them lose. Good Morning America meteorologist Sam Champion is the co-host for the ceremony on Headline News, in a year where Awards Hosts also helped out with the nominations (Champion announced the nominees on Good Morning America; Oscar host Seth MacFarlane co-presented the Academy Award nominations, Grammy host LL Cool J also hosted the Nomination Concert Special, and last year’s Emmy host Jimmy Kimmel, at the last minute co-presented the Primetime Emmy nominations), Champion seems like a natural to host. CBS leads with 49 nominations, with almost half of them going to top-rated soap The Young and the Restless (leading with 23 nods). Game Show Hosts Monty Hall (Let’s Make a Deal) and Bob Stewart (To Tell the Truth, Password) will both be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards. Until then, here is a look at who will win the top races on Sunday night (The Creative Arts Awards are tomorrow night).



DRAMA SERIES:
The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)- WILL WIN
Days of Our Lives (NBC)
General Hospital (ABC)
One Life to Live (ABC)- DARK HORSE
The Young and the Restless (CBS)- SHOULD WIN

ANALYSIS: The race is really between the two shows that the late Bill Bell co-created with his wife. Both DAYS and GH submitted one great episode and a second episode that can be put to question, while OLTL submitted the final two episodes of it’s long 44-year ABC run. While sentimentality could be on OLTL’s side, it’s been 17 months since OLTL has been on ABC. Y&R submitted the better episodes, while B&B has the advantage, and is expected to dominate on Sunday night by most experts.


LEAD ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Peter Bergman (Jack, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Doug Davidson (Paul, The Young and the Restless, CBS)- WILL WIN
Michael Muhney (Adam, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Jason Thompson (Patrick, General Hospital, ABC)- SHOULD WIN

ANALYSIS:  It's a two-man race, with apologies to Y&R's Bergman and Muhney.  Doug Davidson has been on Y&R for 35 years. Jason Thompson is 36. Since last summer, all soap fans have been watching this two-man race very closely (until the category placements were leaked in February, we were watching mostly in the Supporting Actor race, with the possibility the two could both go lead or one could go lead and the other supporting). Thompson submitted a reel where his characters gets ready for his wife’s funeral, while Davidson submitted a reel from the storyline where his character accidentally kills his own son in self-defense. Thompson’s reel at only five minutes is very emotional, but Davidson submitted the better reel.



LEAD ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Susan Flannery (Ex-Stephanie, The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS)- SHOULD WIN
Peggy McCay (Caroline, Days of Our Lives, NBC)
Michelle Stafford (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Heather Tom (Katie, The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS)- WILL WIN

ANALYSIS:  For the first time in 40 years, a category with all Emmy-winners (McCay has a Primetime Emmy, while Flannery, Stafford, and Tom, who have a combined 10 Daytime Emmys).  At almost 15 minutes, Tom has the longest reel. In it, her character is suffering from post-partum depression. It was a gut-wrenching performance, and last year, Tom became the first soap actor to win in all three levels (Lead, Supporting, Younger). Despite former co-star Flannery’s swan song, Heather Tom is hard to beat.


SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Bradford Anderson (Spinelli, General Hospital, ABC)- WILL WIN
Jeff Branson (Ex-Ronan, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Scott Clifton (Liam, The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS)- SHOULD WIN
Billy Miller (Billy, The Young and the Restless, CBS)

ANALYSIS: Clifton’s reel at 13 minutes is the longest of the quartet, and it’s a mix of comedy and empathy as his character shows up hungover for his own wedding (something about Emmys and alcoholism should be put here). Meanwhile, I was blown away by Anderson’s reel, and Emmy voters also love empathetic people. It’s a tight race, any of those two could win.


SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Julie Marie Berman (Ex-Lulu, General Hospital, ABC)- WILL WIN
Jessica Collins (Avery, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Melissa Claire Egan (Chelsea, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Katherine Kelly Lang (Brooke, The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS)- SHOULD WIN
Arianne Zucker (Nicole, Days of Our Lives, NBC)

ANALYSIS: It took Katherine Kelly Lang 26 years to get her first nomination, an amazing feat in itself. (Daytime Emmy) History has dictated that luck is not on her side (just ask Melody Thomas Scott and Robert Newman), but Lang (and Susan Flannery as well) submitted the show where Stephanie (Flannery) dies in Brooke (Lang)’s arms. Julie Marie Berman submitted a great reel, which goes to show how much she is missed (she left GH in March) on GH.


YOUNGER ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Max Ehrich (Fenmore, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Bryton James (Devon, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Chandler Massey (Will, Days of Our Lives, NBC)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Freddie Smith (Sonny, Days of Our Lives, NBC)

ANALYSIS: Case closed, because there is no real competition in this race. Massey will join the late Macdonald Carey as the only back-to-back Emmy-winners for the NBC soap, plus the only two-time winners, as well.


YOUNGER ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES:
Kristen Alderson (Ex-Starr, General Hospital, ABC)- WILL WIN
Hunter King (Summer, The Young and the Restless, CBS)
Lindsey Morgan (Ex-Kristina, General Hospital, ABC)
Jacqueline MacInnes-Wood (Steffy, The Bold and the Beautiful, CBS)- SHOULD WIN


ANALYSIS: Kristen Alderson has been in daytime since she was seven, playing Starr Manning, first on OLTL, then (after ABC cancelled OLTL) to GH, until the whole Prospect Park legal soap opera (Alderson now plays a different character on GH). In her reel, Starr grieves the loss of her boyfriend and daughter and vows to avenge their deaths. Her biggest competition is Jacqueline MacInnes-Wood, who submitted a reel where she not only acts, but sings. Tough call.


WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES:
The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
General Hospital (ABC)
One Life to Live (ABC)
The Young and the Restless (CBS)
ANALYSIS: B&B submitted Stephanie’s death, which will be hard to top (GH submitted an action-packed episode and OLTL submitted the penultimate episode).

DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES:
The Bold and the Beautiful (CBS)
Days of Our Lives (NBC)- SHOULD WIN
General Hospital (ABC)- WILL WIN
The Young and the Restless (CBS)

ANALYSIS: GH has the edge (GH submitted the disaster stunt from September), with DAYS (which submitted the post-Olympic DAYS-aster) and Y&R (which submitted the episode where Paul killed Ricky) not far behind. B&B (which submitted the Hope/Liam wedding in Italy) is a non-factor.


TALK SHOW ENTERTAINMENT:
The Ellen DeGeneres Show (Syndicated)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Live with Kelly and Michael (Syndicated)
The Talk (CBS)
The View (ABC)

ANALYSIS: I can never fully support the show that replaced ATWT. Never, never, never. So until Ellen stops submitting in this category, she’s favored to win.


TALK SHOW INFORMATIVE:
The Doctors (Syndicated)
The Dr. Oz Show (Syndicated)
Katie (ABC/Syndicated)- WILL/SHOULD WIN

ANALYSIS: Katherine Anne Couric (Katie for short) is daytime and network news TV royalty, having been the co-anchor of the Today Show for 15 years, and then evening anchor for the CBS Evening News, and now daytime talk show host. Katie is the new Donahue/Oprah/Rosie/Ellen/Dr. Oz of Daytime.


TALK SHOW HOST:
Anderson Cooper (Anderson Live, Syndicated)
Steve Harvey (The Steve Harvey Show, Syndicated)- SHOULD WIN
Ricki Lake (The Ricki Lake Show, Syndicated)
Dr. Mehmet Oz (The Dr. Oz Show, Syndicated)- WILL WIN
Rachael Ray (Rachael Ray, Syndicated)

ANALYSIS: In a weak category (Ellen no longer submits in this race; the multi-host shows all were snubbed), Dr. Oz seems like the favorite, but if funny man Steve Harvey wins, odds are greater here (Harvey is also nominated for Game Show Host).


LEGAL/COURTROOM PROGRAM:
Judge Judy (Syndicated)- SHOULD WIN
Last Shot with Judge Gunn (Syndicated)- WILL WIN
The People’s Court (Syndicated)

ANALYSIS: Judge Judy has the current Daytime streak of futility, having never won for Legal/Courtroom Program. A lot of pundits thought last year would be the year, but I predicted that “Last Shot with Judge Gunn” would pull off the big upset, which it did. If you go to a swanky restaurant, you’re finally going to get served (Judge Judy, this means you), but Judge Gunn could be back for seconds.



GAME OR AUDIENCE PARTICIPATION SHOW:
Cash Cab (Discovery Channel)
Family Feud (Syndicated)
Jeopardy (Syndicated)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Let’s Make a Deal (CBS)
The Price Is Right (CBS)
Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? (Syndicated)
ANALYSIS: With Alex Trebek retiring, Jeopardy seems to be the favorite here in this category, which includes the dearly departed Cash Cab.

GAME SHOW HOST:
Ben Bailey (Cash Cab, Discovery Channel)
Wayne Brady (Let’s Make a Deal, CBS)
Billy Eichner (Funny or Die’s Billy on the Street, Fuse)
Steve Harvey (Family Feud, Syndicated)- SHOULD WIN
Alex Trebek (Jeopardy)- WILL WIN


ANALYSIS: In what could be his last rodeo at the Daytime Emmys, Alex Trebek cannot be denied.

OTHER SELECT CATEGORIES:

CHILDREN’S ANIMATED PROGRAM:
Kung Fu Panda: Legends of Awesomeness (Nickelodeon)
Penguins of Madagascar (Nickelodeon)- WILL WIN
Robot and Monster (Nickelodeon)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (Nickelodeon)- SHOULD WIN
WordGirl (PBS)


CULINARY PROGRAM:
Best Thing I Ever Made (Food Network)
Bobby Flay’s Barbecue Addiction (Food Network)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Recipe Rehab (Syndicated)
Trisha’s Southern Kitchen (Food Network)



CULINARY HOST:
Lidia Bastianich (Lidia’s Italy, PBS)
Giada De Laurentiis (Giada at Home, Food Network)
Ina Garten (Barefoot Contessa: Back to Basics, Food Network)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Ching-He Huang (Easy Chinese with Ching-He Huang, Cooking Channel)
Nathan Lyon (Good Food America with Nathan Lyon, Veria Living)
Kelsey Nixon (Kelsey’s Essentials, Cooking Channel)


MORNING PROGRAM:
CBS Sunday Morning (CBS)
Good Morning America (ABC)- WILL WIN
Today (NBC)- SHOULD WIN


PRE-SCHOOL CHILDRENS’ SERIES:
The Fresh Beat Band (Nickelodeon)
Pajanimals (NBC)
R.L. Stine’s The Haunting Hour (The HUB)
Sesame Street (PBS)- WILL/SHOULD WIN

TRAVEL PROGRAM:
Born to Explore with Richard Wiese (ABC)
Equitrekking (PBS)
Jack Hanna’s Into the Wild (Syndicated)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Over Hawaii (PBS)

LIFESTYLE PROGRAM:
Capture w’ Mark Seliger (YouTube)
Home & Family (Hallmark)
Hooked Up w’ Tom Collichio (YouTube)
The Martha Stewart Show (Hallmark)- WILL WIN
My Generation (PBS)- SHOULD WIN
This Old House (PBS)

HOST IN A LIFESTYLE/TRAVEL PROGRAM:
Paige Davis (Home Made Simple, OWN)
Leeza Gibbons (My Generation, PBS)
Jack Hanna (Into the Wild, Syndicated)- WILL/SHOULD WIN
Suzanne Somers (The Suzanne Show, Lifetime)