Table of contents for September 12, 2016 in ABC Soaps In Depth

The In Depth Story: “I’m going to have to do [THIS IS US] for a little bit here — there’s definitely a break” at Y&R, Hartley told the press at the Television Critics Association summer tour, a gathering that allows network bigwigs and their stars to tout their new and returning shows to the media. He then confessed for the first time that he wasn’t entirely sure if he’d be able to do both shows! “I don’t know if I can… I try to stay out of that!” THIS IS US has already scored high in advance screenings, and its trailer has been seen by a record breaking 90 million viewers! “That’s very humbling,” smiles Hartley, who plays Kevin, an actor suffering from ennui and hoping to make a change…

Wally Kurth continues to recur as Justin on DAYS OF OUR LIVES — but he will bring Ned back to Port Charles this fall! The soap-hopper, who was last seen at the Nurses Ball, shared at the GH Fan Club Weekend that he’s been working at DAYS all summer in a big story line, but he’ll resume taping at GH in September. (Kurth is currently airing on DAYS, but since the NBC soap still films several months in advance, the scenes he’d taped there this summer won’t hit the screen until this winter. He should be back on the GH canvas later this fall.) “I just love working with Jane Elliot (Tracy) and being a son on GH,” he raved. “Then on DAYS, I’m a dad, and I work with…

Bradford Anderson’s Spinelli makes another GH appearance on Friday, September 2. Could The Jackal be weighing in on another P.I. case… or might he be back for nonwife Maxie’s wedding? (We hear that the former couple’s daughter, Georgie, is not coming along for the ride this visit, which leads us to believe that Spinelli is probably in Port Charles on business.) Meanwhile, Anderson also returns to the stage this fall with his Port Chuck bandmates, Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny), Scott Reeves (ex-Steve) and Steve Burton (ex-Jason; now Dylan, Y&R). For the band’s tour dates and ticket info, visit portchuck.com.…

Adam has no choice but to put his fate in someone else’s hands on Monday, August 29. But will he wind up regretting the decision? How will Nikki feel about being drawn into Victor’s latest attempt to protect their family on Tuesday, August 30? Chelsea deals with an unexpected dilemma on Wednesday, August 31. Thursday, September 1, the show airs its 11,000th episode — featuring guest stars and a major twist for Nikki and Victor! And on Friday, September 2, The Mustache finds his world being rocked!…

YOU WIN SOME... Julian’s dream of reuniting with GH’s Alexis finally came true… YOU LOSE SOME... … only to find out he was actually having a nightmare! When Ava opened up to Laura about the fact that Nikolas had “died” saving her life, it was as emotionfilled as it was unexpected. While Maura West (Ava) and Tyler Christopher (Nikolas) had only shot a few scenes together before he was temporarily recast, we saw great potential between them. Clearly, given how fondly Ava has reflected on the prince’s latest supposed passing, it’s apparent that the writers saw it, too. Knowing that Christopher will soon be back on the canvas, we can’t wait to see his alter ego and Ava pick up where they left off, not to mention how the other…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: April 28. Confession Time: “I watched 2 episodes of BACHELOR IN PARADISE,” she admits. “I’m guilty, but it was not pleasurable!” Her Geek Cred: Back in 1994, Grahn played a bald alien poet on an episode of the sci-fiseries BABYLON 5. Food For Thought: “I’m constantly hosting dinner parties despite being a terrible cook with delusions of Gordon Ramsay! I have the vocabulary but lack the skillset!” It ’s a good thing GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) likes a challenge, because life is throwing more than a few her way! While her Port Charles alter ego is paying a high price for having loved and apparently misjudged Julian, the actress herself is coping with empty-nest syndrome as her daughter, Kate, is now at college. “Both Alexis and…

GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Maurice Benard (Sonny) can’t say enough about the “phenomenal” cast and crew behind his upcoming indie movie, Hold On, in which he plays a shady music producer. The beloved daytime icon even exposed his own super-fan side when he met one of his co-stars. “In Hold On, I have one scene with John Savage, who was in two of my favorite movies, The Deer Hunter and Salvador, among others,” says the Emmy winner, admitting that he’s not immune to geeking out in the presence of greatness. “It happens,” he laughs. “I was like, ‘Wow, it’s John Savage!’ And then I did Joy, where I met Robert De Niro… Hey, he was in Deer Hunter, too! That’s just dawned on me right now. How amazing is that?” Now, all…

Regrets. GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Maxie has a few. But she’s hardly the only woman in Port Charles history to have made a mistake (or 20!) in the name of love. Did she do the following, or was it Skye Quartermaine, Helena Cassadine or Lisa Niles? a. Maxie sought revenge by fingering her competition for a murder she didn’t commit. b. Maxie slit the throat of her man’s songbird mistress. c. Maxie got her competition suspended from GH with a lie about stolen medication. d. Maxie went Fatal Attraction over a guy, stalking and tormenting his true love. e. After drugging a married man, Maxie played out a faux suicide attempt, a faux pregnancy and a faux miscarriage. (A classic trifecta!) see page 92 for answer key ghblamegameanswers a. Skye, b. Helena,…

In the early 1990s, Dondré Whitfield played ALL MY CHILDREN’s Terrence Frye, Livia’s teen son who struggled to find acceptance in Pine Valley. “He got beat up during an incident in the health club where a couple of Caucasian patrons didn’t much like his presence. Subsequently, a racial incident came about,” the actor recalls. “I enjoyed my time on the show, because I felt like the storylines were relevant then, and unfortunately, they’re still relevant now.” Boys To Men The actor now has an initiative called The Manhood Tour (themanhoodtour.com) that allows him to teach young guys good values. “Most people think you automatically become a man when you turn 18, but that’s just not the case,” he says, citing the absence of fathers in households as contributing to the…

Q: Do you have any unusual nicknames at work or in real life? Ryan Paevey (Nathan, GH) “At the Renaissance Faire, they call me The Hammer, because I hold the Southern California record for that sledgehammer [swing] where you ring the bell. I did it 72 times, and then the mallet exploded. I’m pretty good at it.” Vinessa Antoine (Jordan, GH) “People usually just call me V.” Sonya Eddy (Epiphany, GH) “S.J. My middle name is Jean. I’m named after my mom. She’s Robbie Jean, and I am Sonya Jean.” Lisa LoCicero (Olivia, GH) “People call me Lisa Lo, but that’s not really a nickname.” Thaao Penghlis (Andre, DAYS) “Just ‘T.’ When I first heard it, I thought, does that mean I’ve arrived? And it’s not like someone asked me,…

Parker broke Kristina’s heart — again! — when portrayer Ashley Jones appeared last week, but is this really the end for the lovers? Insiders tell In Depth that the actress remains on recurring status with the soap, so it’s possible that Jones will bring Parker back to town again somewhere down the line! Meanwhile, Valentin was awaiting extradition to Greece in mid-August, but that doesn’t mean that GH viewers have seen the last of the evilest of all Cassadines portrayer, James Patrick Stuart.…

It’s a big week for the residents of Salem, beginning when Paul and Sonny run into one another on Monday, August 29. That same day, Joey seeks out Jade and makes it clear he wants her to be a part of his life. Tuesday, August 30, finds Chloe and Philip working on their cover story. But they may have a tough time pulling this off, especially since real dad Deimos already is getting suspicious! Claire is looking for a little romantic advice on Wednesday, August 31, but what she gets is a shock! Brady hopes Victor is innocent on Thursday, September 1, but all the evidence seems to suggest otherwise!…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Linsey Godfrey (Caroline) admits she and co-star Thorsten Kaye (Ridge) mourned the end of their characters’ coupling last month right along with their fans. “We’ve put a lot of heart and soul into [their romance] and fought to make them a really solid, beautiful couple, so it’s hear tbreaking for us, too,” the actress acknowledges. “Whether it’s something that’s temporar y or something that plays out for a little bit, you just have to enjoy the ride and see where it goes.” Ridge seems to be using his exwife, Brooke, as an increasingly relied-upon sounding board these days, and any hint of romance between him and Brooke would surely knock the wind out of Caroline, says Godfrey. “Oh, of course! I think whomever Ridge ends…

… or do you miss Kelly’s? Sure, the new coffee shop set is nice and all, but we’d rather it be used in addition to the beloved diner as opposed to instead of it, which seems to be the case lately. Kelly’s not only has a rich history that fans connect with, but it’s served as a literal home to many characters, thanks to the rentable rooms above the establishment. Let’s face it: In real life, far more people live in boardinghouses than fancy hotels like the Metro Court. Since Perks is outside and on the waterfront, here’s hoping that it’s the equivalent of a summer fling, and when winter comes, folks will head back to Kelly’s for a bowl of the chili they’ve always loved.…

Which lessons has Grahn learned? “Too many to name,” she laughs. “Social media, like most things, needs a steady hand. It’s great having a voice and interacting directly with people, but sometimes I need to take a breath before tweeting. Twitter can move so quickly!” This has proven especially true during this controversial political season. “Everyone who knows me, whether they agree with me or not, gets that I’ve always been an outspoken activist,” says the actress. “The problems usually arise with those who don’t know me! I have GH fans that cover all political spectrums — those who agree and those who disagree with my politics. My allegiance to my network and my show, while maintaining my allegiance to myself and my sense of womanhood and citizenship, requires temperance.…

With over 40 years in Tinseltown under her belt, Robin Riker (Naomi) shares her wisdom in her book, A Survivor’s Guide To Hollywood: How To Play The Game Without Losing Your Soul. “I’m not trying to teach you to act. It’s about living between the jobs,” she says. “It’s a way to keep your spirits up, hope alive and humanity intact if you decide to set your cap for this business — or any challenging business.” The only problem with the book? Riker wrote it in 2013 — before GH! “Almost as soon as it came out, I started working a lot,” she laughs. “I wrote about THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL [where she played Beth], but now I’ll have to add a chapter about GH. I also wrote a…

FYIFYIFYI Born: Brooklyn. Raised: Staten Island. Birthday: February 26. The Ex-Files: Rikaart loves working again with Elizabeth Hendrickson (Chloe). “It was a giggle-fest right away!” he says of their first scenes together. The life of THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Greg Rikaart (Kevin) has undergone some huge changes. Last year he wed his longtime boyfriend, Robert Sudduth, in a romantic beachside ceremony in Hawaii. And this year, on June 12, the couple welcomed their son, Montgomery Argo, into the world. How did they come up with the name? “I liked the entomology of it, which is Anglo-Scottish,” reveals Rikaart. “It means ‘rich man’s mountain.’ And I wanted an ‘A’ for his middle name, because I wanted his initials to be ‘MARS.’ We chose Argo, which is from the Greek word,…

In the dramatic film Me Before You, quirky Louisa may have been paid to be quadriplegic Will’s companion, but when they fell in love, it was she who it cost dearly, because he took her heart with him when he died. It was the kind of tragic love story that daytime television has been perfecting for decades. Although fans find it difficult to watch their favorite couples become parted, they can’t help but tune in to see how it plays out. Which of these cut-short romances from GENERAL HOSPITAL, ALL MY CHILDREN and ONE LIFE TO LIVE have you found hard to forget? NIKOLAS & EMILY Emily might have been all knock-kneed and pigtailed when she and Nikolas first met, but she grew up to be the Cassadine prince’s perfect…

AND SO IT BEGINS… GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Fan Club Weekend was a “scream” right from the start! GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Fan Club Weekend Kickoff Welcome Event was like the proverbial calm before the storm — well, a calm that included ear-piercing screams! The fi rst cheers came from dedicated fans reconnecting with each other before the event even began, and the hoots and hollers only continued as the stars began filtering into the Embassy Suites, The Hilton Los Angeles North/ Glendale & Executive Meeting Center one by one. A few favorites had promised their attendance via social media, but for the most part, it was anyone’s guess which actors would show up — which added to the excitement as fans sipped on cocktails, munched on tacos and caught up on all things…

Is there nothing that Maura West can’t do? Rhetorical question. Time and again, she’s proven that she does it all and does it all brilliantly. And, when GENERAL HOSPITAL returned Ava to Port Charles, the Emmy winner got a chance to show us once more that she’s as gifted a comedienne as she is a dramatic actress. As will happen, she earned another Gold Star along the way! Shocking “Sex Barnacles” It isn’t easy to fake surprise, but West’s screech at the sight of Scotty and Lucy in Ava’s trashed apartment felt very real to us! Incredulous, she slung insults. But with the “sex barnacles” believing their behavior perfectly reasonable, she finally turned cold. Using her sweetest purr, she dropped Laura and Kevin’s names on them like weapons, not seeming…

They Have SINS! Besides his upcoming guest spot on THE VAMPIRE DIARIES, Rick Hearst (Ric, GH) has landed a regular role on an upcoming crime suspense series, SINS. “Very excited to be joining the cast in the role of FBI Agent Jack Bellows,” he tweeted. Fellow GH-er Nathan Parsons (ex-Ethan) plays serial killer David Jagger Jr. in the drama, which centers on a female prosecutor’s decade-long chase to track the criminal. But when she finally gets her chance to put him on trial, does she have the right man? The series, which also stars Eric Estrada and Florence Henderson, is slated to begin production in September, before hopefully finding a home on a streaming service or network next year. Twice As Nice! Soap alums Danneel Harris Ackles (Shannon, ONE LIFE…

The latest comings and goings — and how they will change your shows! The In Depth Story: Rogers kicks off a short arc this week — and Robert’s visit is not just about bringing Laura news and checking on Julian’s case. “They’ve got me associating with people I’ve never associated with before,” the actor tells Soaps In Depth. “It’s fun. When you’re with the same people all the time, it gets kind of predictable. But when you mix and match, that’s actually a better way to go. The public will connect and say, ‘Yeah, they look good together,’ or ‘They don’t work.’ It’s like a test.” Unfortunately, since Hughes recently expanded her summer vacation into the fall, Robert and Anna won’t be taking any walks down Memory Lane this time…

Following a three-month sabbatical during which he enjoyed lots of family time, Tyler Christopher is expecting to resume filming as GH’s Nikolas sometime in September. But until then, he’s been getting back into acting mode by working on a new project. The Emmy winner has spent the past few weeks filming The New Wife, a movie that also stars his onetime GH co-star Annie Wersching (ex-Amelia) as well as former New Zealand soap actress Kimberley Crossman, who will be playing Christopher’s missus. The film is being distributed by MarVista Entertainment, which provides content to cable networks like Lifetime and Hallmark Channel (plus offers Video On Demand). Be sure to follow us on Twitter (@soapsindepthabc) for further updates — as well as when Christopher will be back on GH!…

On Monday, August 29, Bill makes Brooke an offer that includes a contingency plan regarding their future together. Eric and Quinn deal with Forrester family backlash on Tuesday, August 30, as Wyatt desperately attempts to salvage his marriage to Steffy. Grateful for the second chance she’s been given because of Eric, Quinn opts to pay it forward on Wednesday, August 31. While signing her marriage dissolution papers on Thursday, September 1, Katie questions whether she is making the right decision. On Friday, September 2, she attempts to play Cupid for Ridge — with an ulterior motive in mind!…

... And 1 Thing We Could Do Without...…

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Kevin has been ruled out as Bella’s father. So what if Chloe’s plan to conceive with Billy’s stolen sperm worked? Furthermore, if he’s the babydaddy, could that be the catalyst to bring the exes together again? Elizabeth Hendrickson, who plays the former fashionista, admits that she’d relish her alter ego having more Billy time. “I’ve always felt that the Billy/Chloe relationship needed to be explored further, especially after the death of their daughter,” says the actress. “That ball was really dropped. Victoria and Billy went for counselling after the death, but somehow Chloe wasn’t a part of that. “Now, with possibly having Billy as the father of [Bella],” she continues, “there are so many different avenues to play with these characters.” They aren’t all love…

Pop, Pop, Friz, Friz! I like Franco and Liz. And I loved the artist in him coming alive with that gorgeous painting he did of her. Sally Snow via Soaps In Depth Facebook page SORAS Epidemic Quit aging kids in such a way that they wind up being older than those born years before them! Let’s have a little continuity. Margaret Moss via Soaps In Depth Facebook page Family Affairs I’m loving all things Corinthos. The only thing to change would be showing them more! Let’s see a large family dinner, the siblings together more and a night of Carly/Sonny romance full of dancing. Jennilouwho4 via soapsindepth.com Unhealthy Love I was extremely disturbed by the twist that found four of the young characters all dealing with an STI. How are…

When Michael Easton recently returned to GH, the soap initially kept Finn away from characters closest to his former alter ego, Silas. But the doc has finally crossed paths with Roger Howarth’s Franco — and Easton’s former ONE LIFE TO LIVE pal (they played McBain and Todd, respectively) got a kick out of the run-in. “It was hysterical, because in Franco’s reality, there was a person who looked an awful lot like the guy who used to be married to Nina — and that guy was last seen lying on the carpet with a knife in his back,” chuckles the Emmy winner. “But GH is not asking anything of Franco that they’re not asking of the audience. We’re all in!” As far as Howarth is concerned, the gamble of bringing…

Every child knows that when a parent calls them by all of their given names — first, middle and last — they just might be in trouble. Now that he’s a parent, Rikaart confesses that he has fallen into a similar double standard, as it were — calling his son by his full moniker of Montgomery during certain times and Monte at other times. “We’ve pretty much taken to calling him Monte,” he shares. “But when I’m changing his diaper and he’s being fussy, then I’ll call him Montgomery!”…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: March 6. Hometown: Harlem, NY. Ice, Ice, Baby: Inspired by her favorite director, Ingmar Bergman, Horsford moved to Stockholm, Sweden, when she was 19. Room For Improvement: The actress is currently in the midst of sprucing up her abode, which she jokes, “is what every actor does on the days they’re not working: They decorate!” THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Anna Maria Horsford (Vivienne) loves meeting new people, and it’s a good thing, because since joining the soap last year, she’s had more fans than ever approaching her to chat! “Acting is an interesting profession, not just because of the characters you play but because you learn so much about the people who watch,” she says. “It feels like I’m in another club now — the B&B club!”…

Earlier this summer, Lilley completed her final, gut-wrenching scenes at DAYS and went straight from the set to the airport in order to attend a women’s conference. “I was in Phoenix all weekend, and when I came back, my voice was gone for three weeks,” Lilley reveals. “Like no joke, I literally had to use a keyboard!” Visits to medical specialists ensued, and Lilley even tried vocal therapy in her eagerness to recover quickly and begin recording her music. Unfortunately, the answers weren’t forthcoming. “I thought maybe I had thyroid or vocal cord cancer,” Lilley confides. “All I could really attribute it to is that I literally gave everything in my exit performance. It was to the point where my voice just dropped the day after, and my body said,…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL Quinn and Eric’s relationship grew even more serious despite the vehement protests from all of their family members. Knowing he was on the cusp of losing Steffy, Wyatt pleaded with her for one more chance to reason with his mother — an uphill task if ever there was one! Thomas pledged his allegiance to the man he believed was the best match for his sister while, at the same time, making inroads on a romance of his own with Sasha. Brooke and Ridge reestablished a connection as they plotted to protect Eric from Quinn’s influence. Although Rick noticed the burgeoning closeness between his mom and her ex, her other ex, Bill, still had big plans for winning her back once he’d hashed out his divorce…