Table of contents for 7/17/2017 in ABC Soaps In Depth

The In Depth Story: A lot of longtime viewers think of Jason and Sonny as something of a supercouple. After all, over the years, they’ve been through thick and thin — not to mention sick and sin together. And although Sam has been a pretty big shipper of the pair in the past, she now thinks it’s time for her husband to sever his ties to her onetime lover, Sonny. “Sam sees Sonny as a threat to her future with Jason!” “Sam sees Sonny as a threat to her future wi t h Jason,” says co-headwriter Jean Passanante. “It is both that simple and that complicated. Because while it’s clearly unchara c t e r i s t i c f o r S am, i t a l s…

The In Depth Story: Davidson returned to the set of the NBC soap in early June to begin taping a N o v emb e r S w e e p s stor yline. However, the show is keeping secret which of the Emmy winner’s five Salem characters (Kr isten, Susan, Thomas, Sister Mar y Moira or Penelope) she’ll be playing! “I do like being able to play differe n t k i n d s o f [roles],” the actress previously told Soaps In Depth. “That’s why I keep doing it. “I would be open to [playing Kristen again],” she added at the time. “It would depend whether we could work i t out schedulewise.” Clearly, the soap/reality star was able to work out any such issues between her…

The latest comings and goings — and how they will change your shows! The In Depth Story: After taking several months off for personal reasons, Storms returned to work on June 16, sharing on Instagram a cheery selfie from her dressing room. The soap’s Instagram page followed suit, posting a behind-thescenes shot of Storms and TV hubby Ryan Paevey (Nathan). “She’s baaack!” the picture was captioned. “We could not be more thrilled to have Kirsten back in Port Charles.” The show had announced Storms’ unexpected leave back in March, and while there was no direct explanation given as to her reasons for needing the break, the actress recently gave fans an inkling of what she’s been going through after a Twitter hater blamed her absence on a drug problem. “I…

Wo r d i s that Finola Hughes (Anna) is planning to spend her annual summer vacation on Italy’s AmalfiCoast with her family. But GH co-headwriter Jean Passanante tells Soaps In Depth that the Emmy winner and her alter ego won’t be completely MIA. “We always work around people’s vacations, and there will be organic reasons why we won’t see Anna so much during that period. But we are very fortunate that we will have Finola available to us quite a lot this summer.” It wouldn’t be terribly difficult to explain Anna’s absence, should the need arise. After all, she could easily decide to jet to the West Coast to visit Patrick, Robin and Emma. She could also find herself caught up in WSB business, especially now that ex-hubby Rober…

When Valentin reaches out to Nina on Wednesday, July 5, will she take his call or send him straight to voicemail? One thing Nina’s sure of on Friday, July 7, is that there’s more to the story than she knows! Will she finally get answers or only walk away with more questions after a visit to Wyndemere on Monday, July 10? In other news, Julian manages to say exactly the wrong thing to Sam on Wednesday, July 12, and her reaction will not be pretty! Felicia has a word of warning for pal Bobbie on Thursday, July 13. And Kiki has the best of intentions on Friday, July 14, but winds up finding out just how true what they say about the road paved with those really is! Dates are…

When Hilary and Jordan “clear the air” on Monday, July 3, will it bring them closer or convince them to go their separate ways for good? Worried about his mom, Nick hopes Tessa might be able to set his mind at ease on Tuesday, July 4. Victoria makes big changes at Brash & Sassy on Wednesday, July 5, and we suspect some people will not be pleased! Cane’s entire world falls apart around him on Thursday, July 6, and on Friday, July 7, Nikki refuses to cancel her big show!…

Just when Steffy’s life on THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL seemed to be falling into place, personally speaking, she now has yet another thorn in her side… in the form of her corporate rival, Sally! Though Thomas would love to broker a peace accord between his sister and his lady love, Steffy’s portrayer, Jacqueline MacInnes Wood, thinks his chances of succeeding are zero! “Steffy and Sally are going to go head to head,” previews the actress. “It’s a stor y about two powerful females tr ying to make their way to the top and, in Stef fy’s case, stay there.” Wood predicts there will be lots of comedy in the coming weeks and months as — sorry, Thomas — the two women continue to goad each other. “They are both…

Q. This may sound like a basic question… but why can’t GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Nina have kids, and why is it her mom’s fault? Carl Fontaine Charleston, SC A. While it’s a sad tale, you can be forgiven for not recalling the details since it unfolded decades before any of the players involved landed in Port Charles! Back then, Nina was happily married to Silas, who was having an affair with Ava. When Nina got pregnant, she hoped the child would save her marriage. Wanting Silas out of her daughter’s life, however, Madeline drugged Nina in the hope she’d miscarry. And while her cruel actions did cause Nina to lose the baby, they also landed her in a coma for over two decades. Worse, when Nina . nally woke up, she…

If you’re ready to s e e GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Griffin find love in the afternoon, you’re not the only one. After over a year in Port Charles, portrayer Matt Cohen is not only anxious for his own stor y, but he also longs to see how Dr. SexyPriest fares in a good old-fashioned love story. Bring It On! Between the drama at GH and his friendships with Anna and Sonny, Dr. Father Griffin Munro sees quite a bit of action. “I feel like I have my nose in everybody’s stor y,” Cohen agrees. “But they’ve got to punt me in some direction soon. It’s not as fun to bounce around. I’m anxious to bite onto somebody on that set — whether that be a love interest, family or whatever.” Having…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: November 28. Birthplace: St. Louis, MO. Raised: Syracuse, NY, and Bristol, RI. What You Didn’t Know: In addition to designing her shoe line, Sole 9, Tognoni has tried her hand at songwriting! Relaxation Technique: To unwind, the beauty heads for the kitchen to cook! Life is good for THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Gina Tognoni (Phyllis). She recently finished a huge renovation on the New Jersey home she shares with hubby Joe Chiarello and began another frontburner storyline with the Phyllis/Billy/Victoria love triangle. And, oh yeah, she recently picked up her first Lead Actress Daytime Emmy (she has two for Best Supporting Actress). “This has been an incredible year in so many ways,” smiles the beauty, who once played ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Kelly and GUIDING LIGHT’s Dinah.…

Quinn is besotted with her hubby, Eric, and Sofer admi t s she pret t y much fe e l s the same adoration for his portrayer! “Every day I get to go to work and have that man give me a hug and know that he is my ‘husband,’” she says. “It’s incredible. I actually get very territorial over him!” Case in point: Sofer says that i f she hears any of her costars even jokingly suggest that their character would be a better match for Eric, she is quick to set them straight. “I’ll be like, ‘Hey, hey, hey! He’s mine! We will . gure our way back together if we have to, but he’s mine!’”…

McCullough didn’t just go co-ed for her baby shower, she and her man dispensed with all the standard fare. “There were maybe 20 minutes of opening presents, but the rest of the time, people were just dancing, mingling and getting drunk,” she revealed. “We had a DJ, a bartender and a food truck. So it didn’t really feel like a shower. It just felt like a giant party.” In spite of getting a bit wild, the . esta, which doubled as a housewarming, still helped the parents prepare for baby. “I got so much stuff,” McCullough marveled. “My friends and family were so nice and so good to me. It was overwhelming.”…

FYIFYIFYI A Fateful Move: Corday was just 15 years old when his parents moved the family from New York to Los Angeles to launch DAYS. Keeping Count: On the day of the celebration, Corday remarked that DAYS was shooting its 13,226th episode. The Music Man: Corday received his master’s degree in music from San Jose State University. Changing Lanes: Corday served as DAYS’ music composer for nearly a decade before becoming the show’s assistant producer in 1980. Giving Back: After years of supporting Operation Smile, Corday was honored with the charity’s John Connor Humanitarian Award in 2014. to hear him tell it, Ken Corday would have been absolutely fine with just writing the music for DAYS OF OUR LIVES, the soap opera created by his parents, television pioneers Ted and…

Zende worried that Julius’ influence was causing Nicole to be more attached to Lizzy, and Rick and Maya feared the same as they waited for the young woman to finalize the adoption papers. Wyatt and Katie bonded after he gave her an idea for a marketing campaign. Katie interrupted an intimate moment between Liam and Steffy to make her big pitch, which involved recruiting Forrester employees to model the swimsuit line. Thomas suggested to Sally that they have some fun by crashing the Forrester shoot. Ridge gave Quinn a nostalgic gift which compelled her to remind him that their inappropriate interaction was over. Sneak Preview When a new husband goes digging for information, will he find more than he bargained for?…

Don’t Miss The Next Issue Of ABC SOAPS IN DEPTH On Sale... July 17 July 31 August 14 August 28 September 11 September 25 October 9 October 23 November 6 November 20 December 4 December 18 January 1 January 15 ADORBS! GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Lisa LoCicero (Olivia) lets us tag along on a trip to the park with daughter Verity — wait till you see how big she’s gotten! HMM… Our midyear report card grades GH’s current plotlines. KNOCKOUT! Soaps In Depth looks back at 20 years of daytime beauties, including Vanessa Marcil (ex-Brenda).…

The In Depth Story: “It’s just one of those things where a lot of factors in my life fell into place,” Passanante says, “and I thought, ‘You know, my contract is up, and things are very nice and harmonious, and maybe I’m insane, but… it seems like the per fect time to just move on.’ “I’m not walking away with any kind of enmi t y, ” she hastens to add. “I have only the best feel ings about working on this show and wo rking with [its team].” “I look back,” the soap-hopper admits, “and think, ‘I can’t believe we did that.’” The daytime vet, who also worked as a top scribe at ALL MY CHIL D R E N , A N O T H E R W…

Hoping to continue its 30-year run as the top-rated network in daytime, CBS renewed its entire afternoon lineup for the 2017-’18 season. In addition to a new season order for THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL, Y&R was renewed for a three-year deal! The announcement also included new seasons of THE TALK and LET’S MAKE A DEAL, and an additional two years of THE PRICE IS RIGHT. “CBS Daytime has never been stronger,” raved Angelica McDaniel, executive vice-president of CBS Daytime. “From 30 consecutive years of being No. 1 in the ratings to another year as the most honored network at the Daytime Emmys, our lineup of talk, game shows and dramas connects with our audience like no one else.”…

Though it doesn’t look like the Corinthoses will be going through with their divorce, Maurice Benard (Sonny) would love to see Carly’s cutthroat attorney, Martina, return to Port Charles. “Usually, when I’m with a new chick, it’s a nogo,” says the Emmy winner. “But this one was different. There was something that worked there. It was cool, and I was into it. And [Daya Vaidya is] a great actress, man.” While Benard is rooting for Vaidya’s return, he’s not rooting against Carly and Sonny. “Laura Wright and I love playing their history,” he explains. “They will always be together — that’s the nature of the beast. But we always need to throw wrenches into it. I didn’t have a problem with Carly and Jax… but Sonny did! And then they…

Even as Abigail is making plans to walk down the aisle with Dario on Monday, July 3, Jennifer goes to Chad and begs him to prevent her daughter from making a huge mistake. Chad and Gabi wind up in the awkward position of serving as witnesses to Dario and Abby’s wedding on Tuesday, July 4! Meanwhile, Rafe makes ver y special plans for Hope on Wednesday, July 5, only to find himself thrown for a loop by how things unfold on Thursday, July 6! And on Friday, July 7, memories of Abigail manage to come between Chad and Gabi!…

1 The shout-out. THE RACHEL MADDOW SHOW’s host acknowledged the soap’s 13,826th episode while discussing the televised Congressional hearings. 2 The guest star. How fun was it to see Jennifer Bassey (Marian, ALL MY CHILDREN) as Amy’s publisher, Quinn? 3 Laura & Kevin. Their romance is a bright spot in the sometimes dark world of Port Charles! 4 The moan. We didn’t need to see Ava’s scars, because her gut-wrenching wail told us all we needed to know. 5 Carly’s confession. “You’re a much more forgiving soul than I ever was,” she told Michael. The instabond. When exactly did Hayden and Elizabeth become gal pals? It sure didn’t happen on screen! ... And 1 Thing We Could Do Without...…

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Jill recently returned to Genoa City with a singular goal in mind: separating son Billy from lover Phyllis and reuniting him with his ex-wife, Victoria! “Jill believes that he should be with his family, and she doesn’t really let up on that!” laughs Jason Thompson (Billy). “I don’t know how many times he says, ‘Stop, stop, just stop!’ “But I think there is something ver y much alike about Jill and Billy,” he adds. “They don’t take no for an answer easily!” While Billy has spent a lifetime pushing back against his mother’s agenda for him, Thompson admits that his alter ego is concerned about her ticker. “Billy doesn’t want to stress her out, given what she’s been through,” insists the actor. “He doesn’t want…

1 Last Issue: 7 Carly & Sonny Corinthos, GH 2 Last Issue: 2 Alexis Davis & Julian Jerome, GH 3 Last Issue: 1 Maxie Jones & Nathan West, GH 4 Last Issue: 3 Brooke & Bill Spencer, B&B 5 Last Issue: 6 Liz Webber & Franco Baldwin, GH 6 Last Issue: 5 Lily & Cane Ashby, Y&R 7 Last Issue: 4 Hayden Barnes & Hamilton Finn, GH 8 Last Issue: 8 Sam & Jason Morgan, GH 9 Last Issue: 9 Kiki Jerome & Dillon Quartermaine, GH 10 Last Issue: 10 Lulu & Dante Falconeri, GH…

While many fans guessed Hughes was playing Anna’s sister, Alex, long before the twist was revealed, Cohen was clueless. “I kept telling Finola, ‘You’re playing this really neat. Your performance is really cool and edgy. It’s stando. sh, but I like it. Keep going!’” he recalls with a laugh. “I didn’t know until Robin told Gri. n. I’d been having conversations with the wrong lady for two months, and I had no idea!” To be fair, that was by choice. “Finola told me she knew something big, and I asked her not to tell me,” he explains. “I thought, ‘Maybe I’ll . gure it out in character,’ but I had no idea there even was an Alex. I enjoyed the ride and the surprises, for sure!”…

As far as Tognoni is concerned, winning a Daytime Emmy is not done in a vacuum. In fact, she says without her family’s support throughout the years, it would never have happened. “I really want to raise up my mom and dad. They have been my greatest encouragers. My dad is the one who encouraged me to go into acting. I was going to go to journalism school!” she laughs. “If it wasn’t for their support — emotional and . nancial — I’m not sure if I’d be here. But you see these faces in your mind when you go up to accept the award — my brother and sister-in-law, my other sister-in-law from my husband’s s ide, my mother-in-law, Robin, who is such a gif t to me… my…

GENERAL HOSPITAL superstar Maurice Benard has been shooting some intense story as Sonny, so he wasn’t quite ready for the event he and his wife, Paula, were hosting for Care- Rite Vocational Services, an organization committed to helping adults with intellectual and physical disabilities reach their highest level of independence. “I had been working a lot, so I was exhausted, but Paula kept saying it was going to be great,” the actor recalls. “Let me tell you — she was right. As soon as it got started, I forgot I had ever been tired. “I have a deep, deep affection for adults with special needs,” he adds. “I’ve always felt a connection, so it was such a beautiful thing to give back to these young ladies. It was unbelievable.” The…

General Hospital ALL ACCESS • ALL ACCESS Behind The Scenes…

When Freeform’s new series, THE BOLD TYPE, debuts on Tuesday, July 11, at 9 p.m. EST, viewers will meet three young, female professionals representing everything that is right — and wrong — with their generation. Guiding them (as well as prodding with a gilded pitchfork!) is their boss, Jacqueline Carlyle, editorinchief of New York’s No. 1 women’s magazine, Scarlet. Executive producer Sarah Watson — who shadowed the staf fers at Cosmopolitan while creating the show — says the genre has evolved… it’s not just about sex; it’s about empowerment! More To Love “I want to show the reality of what it’s like to work at a magazine in this shifting time,” Watson says. “Fashion, beauty and celebrity will always be relevant and exciting, but [readers] are also taking a renewed…

Q: What do you remember about shooting your first love scene? Anthony Montgomery (Andre, GH) “My very first was on POPULAR. It was weird, because they were very specific and technical. They told me, ‘When you go for the kiss, you want to keep your eyes on hers the whole time.’ For whatever reason, I kept looking at her lips and they would yell ‘Cut!’ It was the most inorganic thing… but, ‘Just be natural!’” Mishael Morgan (Hilary, Y&R) “I remember that I had to take a towel o. during the scene and had no idea how they were going to shoot the scene. It seemed so risqué for daytime!” Darin Brooks (Wyatt, B&B) “I remember that I wasn’t as nervous as the other person was. In acting class, we were…

Victor ordered Jack to stay away from Nikki after catching them hugging — unaware that Jack had been begging the blonde bombshell to cancel her concert! Cane accused Hilary of pushing Juliet to launch her sexual harassment lawsuit. Meanwhile, Lily vowed to stand by her man! Later, Cane told the newly returned Colin the truth about what had transpired in Tokyo. Colin, in turn, urged Cane to keep quiet in order to protect his marriage. Jill was thrilled to receive a clean bill of health — but less happy to discover Billy had reconciled with Phyllis! Sneak Preview There’s about to be a major change at Brash & Sassy!…

At press time, GH’s Emme Rylan (Lulu) was still anxiously awaiting the arrival of her third child, a daughter whom she jokingly called No Name in several Instagram posts. But two other former ABC Daytime stars added to their families earlier in June: Ricky Paull Goldin (Jake, AMC) and partner Gretta Monahan welcomed their second son, Rio, on June 12, and GH alum Kodi Kitchen (ex-Maggie) and her producer husband, Jon Berg, welcomed daughter Lola Charlotte on June 7.…

After shooting the horror flick Truth Or Dare in Alabama this May, Brytni Sarpy clocked back in as GH’s Valerie last month — which means that the cop could be back on the canvas any day now… and potentially causing even more trouble for Curtis and Jordan! While previously Valerie tried to play it cool that her ex is now dating her boss, there may be more to that story. “They had that little intermission at the Nurses Ball where everything was gravy, but I should hope there’s more coming,” Sarpy says. “Now that Valerie has stirred up the pot with Jordan about the whole Curtis saga and her shady business, there’s still some things left unsaid that need to be addressed.” Bring! It! On!…

On Monday, July 3, Quinn and Ridge deliberate over how much longer they should keep their secret from Eric. Sally’s continued publicity stunts leave Coco wondering about her job security on Tuesday, July 4. Ridge and Brooke’s mysterious breakup continues to eat at Bill on Wednesday, July 5. Ridge is chagrined when on Thursday, July 6, Eric says something he never thought he’d hear from his dad. After a date turns disastrous for R.J. and Coco, Brooke puts the young woman on the hot seat on Friday, July 7.…

It’s the second biggest return GENERAL HOSPITAL fans have been waiting for: Port Chuck is back on the road! When the tour star ted earlier this spring at The Rose in Pasadena, from the sound check to the rollicking show, Soaps In Depth was there to welcome back Steve Burton (ex-Jason), Brandon Barash (ex-Johnny), Bradford Anderson (Spinelli) and Scott Reeves (ex-Steve) — aka Port Chuck. “This was so much fun,” Burton said just before going back on stage post-performance for an encore. “It’s a great camaraderie — Brandon, Bradford and Scott — we’re all good friends, and it is so fun being on stage with them.” With nearly 100 songs in their repertoire, choosing which numbers will go in which tour or concert/city is a nice problem to solve. “We…

Hold My Bag ▪ Laura Wright and Dominic Zamprogna may play family on GENERAL HOSPITAL, but they don’t often share intimate moments. “Carly and Dante have never had a good relationship,” Zamprogna chuckled at the GH Convention. “She’s always been kind of mean to Dante.” That’s the main reason the actors enjoyed shooting the heartbreaking scenes in which Dante told Carly exactly how Morgan died… but it wasn’t the only reason. “We had a great day working together,” Wright recalls. “And I’ll give you a little funny bit: Dante had to give Carly Morgan’s phone and [someone from] props comes over and hands Dominic an evidence bag that was giant with a tiny phone. Dominic’s like, ‘What am I supposed to do with that? Where am I supposed to put…

It’s not uncommon for movies to be filmed outside of Los Angeles, but not many sets spring up in Birmingham, AL. Matt Borlenghi (Brian, ALL MY CHILDREN) spent his vacation from his job at Mercedes Benz of Encino, CA, there playing a federal agent in Branded, a film produced by Magic City native Kevin Key. “It’s about a local cop, played by Danny Ar royo, who’s feeling vengeful toward the man responsible for putting his sister in a coma,” Borlenghi explains of the upcoming thriller. “We butt heads throughout the film about him be- ing too close to it and needing to back off and let the ‘real cops,’ the FBI, deal with the situation.” Southern Hospitality While the mind-bending tale winds up being about the world of murder for…

FYIFYIFYI Birthday: December 2. Hometown: Arcadia, CA. Unabashed Whovian: After being introduced to the BBC series DOCTOR WHO by co-star Scott Clifton (Liam), Sofer claims she’s now more obsessed with the show than he is! Three For Three: Sofer was thrilled to recently spend Mother’s Day with all three of her girls: daughters Rosie, 21, and Avalon, 12, and her 31-year-old stepdaughter, Meghann, from her previous marriage to Wally Kurth (Ned, GENERAL HOSPITAL). “Being recognized by them for being a good mom,” she says, “is the greatest thing in the world to me.” Though THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL’s Quinn has long been known for raising hell — and even attempting murder! — Rena Sofer always knew that playing the one-note conniver of the show would never fully satisfy her.…

FYIFYIFYI Twitter Handle: @whitewatercrew. Port Charles Inspiration: “I got the bug to be a director in the GH production booth,” McCullough revealed. Balancing Act: Growing up on GH, the former child star said, “I felt like I was teetering between the ‘normal’ world I lived in and this glossy soap world.” Truly Honored: McCul lough was “touched” that PRETTY LITTLE LIARS invited her back to direct an episode in its . nal season. Longtime GENERAL HOSPITAL fans watched Kimberly McCullough (Robin) grow up before their eyes, so it’s a bit wild — and exciting! — to think she’s now Mom to little Otis, born June 7. Days before welcoming her new arrival, the actress/director/writer opened up to Soaps In Depth about preparing to meet her son just as her career…

General Hospital Having been through it with Jake, GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Elizabeth was reasonably hesitant to let down her guard. She didn’t, after all, have confirmation Helena’s machinations were behind them... and unfor tunately, they weren’t! With danger brewing, Rebecca Herbst played a mother’s fear to perfection, earning this week’s Gold Star. Jason’s Scary Call In the wake of Jake’s session with Andre, Elizabeth seemed cautiously optimistic. The kid who’d almost released the chimera on Port Charles seemed downright normal as he vacillated between wanting to be a baseball star and a doctor. Hunting down Peanut Choco Chewies with her son, Liz’s growing hope was palpable. Then Jason called and spoke just about the last words she wanted to hear: “Don’t say anything to scare Jake.” In an instant, all of…