By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman
It’s been quite an eventful November sweeps so far. Stories built over the course of a year or more usually reach their apexes if not their conclusions over sweeps months (February, May, November) and writers plot their most dramatic action to stretch over these months. This November’s star plots on The Young and the Restless, The Bold and the Beautiful and General Hospital varied in quality but mostly offered actors who pulled out all the stops and gave their best, sometimes Emmy-worthy performances during the month. Let’s partake of the feast:
The Young and the Restless — This was finally the month that Sharon’s long held secret – that she had switched the DNA results and Summer was really Nick’s biological daughter, not Jack’s as all had believed for the last year — was disclosed. It was Phyllis (Gina Tognoni) who forced Sharon (Sharon Case) to disclose her lie on the very staircase where Phyllis had taken a fall, resulting in a coma that lasted a year. Tognoni (once Kelly on One Life to Live) was particularly forceful here, full of rage and tears, all aimed at Sharon. Also giving a fine and very affecting performance was Peter Bergman, whose Jack tearfully and shockingly found out that Summer wasn’t his natural daughter after all.
The Bold and the Beautiful — This is the month Eric picked his successor as CEO of Forrester Fashions. His first choice was his son Ridge — until model Maya disclosed at a board meeting that Ridge had been kissing his sister-in-law and design collaborator, Caroline, who is Rick’s wife on the sly. Jacob Young gave a particularly sympathetic and believable performance full of great depth as the betrayed Rick, as did Linsey Godfrey as the shattered Caroline. Thorsten Kaye showed what a bastard normally good guy sly Ridge could be by brushing off responsibility for his amorous action. Rick was finally chosen CEO.
General Hospital — GH took us through several weeks when secrets were disclosed all over the place. Roger Howarth was just delicious as Franco exposed his bride Carly mid-wedding ceremony as a cheat and a liar. Carly had covered up the fact that Sonny killed his adopted son’s natural father A.J. Laura Wright was extremely harrowing as the betrayed Carly, as was the even more betrayed and shocked Michael. Chad Duell has been giving the performance of his GH career in this plot denouement Also very good has been the always dependable Robin Mattson, whose escaped criminal mental patient Heather got mixed up in the almost wedding and held several characters including Jordan and Sean hostage. But best of all was long time acting couple Finola Hughes and Ian Buchanan, as police chief Anna had to arrest her lover Duke for covering up Sonny’s presence at A.J.’s murder. These two actors always shine together, but were particularly effective and heavenly here.
And November sweeps isn’t even half over yet.
