With the change over this week in many regions of the country from analog to digital television. It seems that many of the soap fans didn’t have an opportunity to really enjoy their soaps, so it’d be very difficult to say to those viewers that this was one of daytime’s brightest weeks but it certainly was. “The Bold & the Beautiful,” “The Young & the Restless” and “All My Children” had standout scenes. But this week, I take a look at 2008 and make choices for the best performers of 2008 which shows are deserving of being considered daytime’s best dramas.

With the daytime Emmy ballots circulating and stars all chatting about who they should vote for, I decided it was time to give the actors who gave 2008 all the credit they deserve for a job well done.

“The Bold & the Beautiful” is one of those shows that had so many outstanding performers this year, the three top male performers were Jack Wagner, Kyle Lowder and Ronn Moss. Wagner has been consistently one of the best actors on the series for years now and Ronn Moss is always playing Ridge to perfection. But Kyle Lowder broke out of the pack this year and turned the character of Rick on it’s head and has not slowed up a bit since given rich and incredible lines to read. The ladies of “B&B” are equally as talented and the choosing three actresses who deserve Emmy nods include Susan Flannery, Katherine Kelly Lang and Heather Tom. Tom has had the best storyline of any actress in daytime during 2008.

“The Young & the Restless” has probably the toughest choices. There are so many outstanding performances that you simply cannot count them all. But the ladies who stand out on this show for the upcoming summertime Emmy awards include Michelle Stafford, Melody Thomas Scott and Jeanne Cooper. These three women poured out emotions on almost a daily basis last year and make the show exciting. The men who stood out last year include Eric Braeden, Peter Bergman and Daniel Goddard. My vote goes to Goddard!

“As The World Turns” hasn’t stopped surprising viewers since the return of Grayson McCouch. McCouch surely deserves an Emmy nomination as Dusty, but Austin Peck as Brad and Michael Park as Jack are also standouts. Emmy won’t elude Liz Hubbard as Lucinda, Maura West as Carly or Julie Pinson, who has become one of the most outstanding actresses in daytime history. She makes Janet loveable and tough. Pinson is the best female performance on “ATWT” for 2008 with Hubbard narrowly behind.

“Guiding Light” is daytime’s veteran soap, but last year was tough to watch for most of us. The show has changed so much and not primarily for the good, but Ellen Wheeler who produces the series deserves credit for making sure fans are a major part of the series and I love what she’s done with Reva, played by Emmy winning actress Kim Zimmer. Zimmer leads the list for women on the show who deserve an Emmy nomination. But the other female performances don’t shine in my opinion and so it would be unfair and dishonest of this reviewer to offer anymore nominations for this show’s female cast. That also includes the male cast.

ABC soaps had a stellar year as well. “All My Children” should put up Susan Lucci and Bobbie Eakes whose characters did so much twisting, turning and scheming in Pine Valley last year. While actors Thorsten Kaye, Cameron Mathison and Michael E. Knight were all over the place this past year with great acting and even better storylines. Knight however really deserves the attention this year. He’s reinvented Tad Martin so many times over the past few decades that we are always amazed when he’s able to pull out another performance that makes his fans overjoyed. That he did in 2008.

“One Life to Live” has two strong male performances in Michael Easton and Trevor St. John. These two young men have carried the series most of 2008. The ladies on this show are unforgettable. Robin Strasser, Melissa Archer and Bree Williamson continue to entertain and surprise the audience as Dorian, Natalie and Jessica. With these five performers on the front burner, the fans are never bored. While ABC’s “General Hospital” has far too many performances to limit to six, but let's try. The three best male performers on the show are Steve Burton, Anthony Geary and Maurice Benard. While the ladies include Nancy Lee Grahn, Kimberly McCullough and Laura Wright. Burton and Wright make Jason and Carly more exciting than almost any other characters on the series.

NBC’s only soap, “Days of Our Lives” should consider Deidre Hall, Kristian Alfonso and Mary Beth Evans for their best lead performances. James Reynolds as Abe rounds out that show’s best actors. But if I had to pick the best two performances of 2008, my vote would go to Katherine Kelly Lang and Kyle Lowder, both “B&B” stars. With “B&B” and “Y&R” tying for Best Show and the category of best writing should go to Bradley Bell. Official nominations will be announced at a later date.

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