HOLLYWOOD—This week’s Gold Standard was extremely hard to choose. I could have chosen so many performers this week, with such a strong showing on behalf of daytime actors in their varied performances. Before I reveal this week’s choices, let me say that I always watch each soap every day. Thanks to TIVO. This week’s top three outstanding stars include Julie Pinson, Janet Snyder on “As The World Turns”; Peter Bergman, Jack Abbott on “The Young and the Restless”; and Susan Flannery, Stephanie Forrester on “The Bold and the Beautiful.” These three players all dealt with family secrets this week. Each one dealt with the secret in their own unique way, but outshined many others in soaps.
Photo courtesy of Julie Pinson
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Julie Pinson’s Janet has been a fan favorite ever since the beautiful and talented actress first appeared on the CBS soap. “ATWT” writers offered a character rich with potential and the brilliant casting directors found Pinson to be the perfect leading lady for the role. This week when Janet’s little sister Teri showed up in Oakdale courtesy Craig Montgomery who was looking for a nanny for his lady love Carly’s two kids. Janet was stunned to see her mirror image. Julie Pinson played it brilliantly and kept Janet’s emotions close to surface. With Janet’s revelation to Teri that their parents actually sent her out of town and exiled her from the family with a one way bus ticket in order to not shame the family when Janet became an underage unwed mother, Teri and Janet were left in shock of all the family deceit.
Teri had been led to believe by their parents that Janet left on her own because she wanted no connection to the family anymore and was a teenage runaway. Janet’s feelings of love and kinship to Teri seemed palpable within Pinson who is one of the most underrated actresses in television. We’ve seen a sadness in Janet’s eyes ever since she came to town. The soulful and beautiful brown eyes of Pinson’s are really a window into the actress’s soul. She manages to entice the viewers into falling in love with Janet and offering the actress for herself, our intense and sincere admiration. Pinson has come a long way since the late 1990s on the soap opera “Port Charles.” Here’s to finding out more of Janet’s deep dark secrets in the coming weeks on the hit show.
Peter Bergman wins Emmys, he wins over the hearts of millions of fans on the number one daytime drama “The Young and the Restless,” which is also an icon throughout the world. Peter’s Jack can turn an emotional storyline on it’s head. The week started out with Jack being concerned for his ex wife Phyllis, whose daughter has received brain damage as a direct result of a woman Jack was sexually involved with. Then he confronted his arch nemesis Victor Newman played by the dramatic and unbendable Eric Braeden, when Jack blamed himself for bringing Mary Jane Benson into the lives of other citizens and friends. Unbeknownst to Jack, Victor is in fact the person to blame for Ms. Benson. Though Jack humbly asked Mr. Newman for his help in protecting Sharon, Phyllis and other members of the family. Bergman was superb in being humble, but still keeping his guard up when it comes to Victor Newman.
However, the secret that sent Jack into a tirade was to find out his ex wife Sharon had lied to him weeks ago telling him that he was the father of her unborn daughter. Sharon became frustrated over Jack’s hovering over her constantly, trying to protect her from his psycho ex lover Mary Jane and also from the stress and guilt Sharon feels due to her breakup with ex husband Nicholas. Sharon simply blurted out, “Jack, you are not the father of this baby.” Those words sent tears into Bergman’s eyes and the outrage and disgust Bergman exuded as Jack, who is fed up with being lied to by Sharon, was immeasurable. Bergman manages to offer an abundance of high drama and emotions on any melodramatic storyline he’s given. He’s a gifted performer who cannot be equaled for his individuality as an actor and his consistence as well.
Susan Flannery we can say all of those things about and then some. Stephanie learned a secret on Monday. Her granddaughter Steffy and grandson Thomas had been texting Brooke Logan from their father’s cell phone trying to keep the once married couple apart. Ridge is soon to be remarrying their mother Taylor and Stephanie, who is the smartest socialite in Bel Air figured it all out. When Steffy said, “Grandma, I know this is wrong, but please keep this a secret.” Though my grandmother would have slapped my hand for such deceit, Queen Stephanie commended her grandchildren, calling them geniuses.
Where does Brad Bell get this stuff? You can’t find a granny like Stephanie. Then again, only Bell is lucky enough to have an actress like Ms. Flannery. Susan’s ability to make an exciting storyline is a staple on the series. “B&B” brass know what they have in the multi Emmy winning actress. By week’s end, Stephanie had continued the deceit against her son and Brooke by helping her grandchildren bring their parents together. Just as the couple was about to say their I Do’s, in comes Brooke Logan on a horse. What started as Stephanie’s secret plan to rid her family of Brooke Logan forever, ended as a secret that could never be held.
Susan Flannery’s powerhouse performance continues on Monday. Don’t miss it. Secrets in daytime television are a dime a dozen. Julie Pinson, Peter Bergman and Susan Flannery are worth more than the gold in Fort Knox. For the three actors who handled their secrets best this week, here are the Gold Standard of daytime television.
