Table of contents for January 29, 2018 in ABC Soaps In Depth

“You never know which counterpart they actually are, so it becomes very, very interesting.” The In Depth Story: The series, premiering Sunday, January 21, explores a mysterious parallel dimension hidden beneath a bureaucratic United Nations spy agency based in Berlin. Rademacher is slated to appear in the seventh and eighth episodes as Friederich, the best friend of the agency’s director. Not only did the West German-born, Australianraised actor get to use a German accent for his new role, but the gig reunited him with series star Nazanin Boniadi, who played Leyla on the ABC soap. “We were friends when she was on GH,” Rademacher tells Soaps In Depth. “Her character’s husband and mine have the same title at the agency. There’s an East and a West Berlin, but there are…

“Cupid’s definitely a little more dangerous than Dillon.” PSST! Like many GH viewers, Kiki has been missing Robert Palmer Watkins’ Dillon desperately. And while the actor hopes to continue to appear on the soap in a recurring capacity, Watkins has in the meantime taken the lead role in an upcoming series for The CW’s digital channel, Seed. “CW Seed is now creating original content, not just streaming repeats of The CW’s shows, and one of the new shows is CUPID’S MATCH, based on a hugely popular on-line book series,” Watkins tells In Depth of author Lauren Palphreyman’s viral sensation, published on Wattpad. “The first story had over 28 million readers last year, so The CW teamed up with Wattpad and [crowdsource studio] Tongal to bring it to life. We’re going…

Sally makes it clear to Hope what her intentions toward Liam are on Monday, January 15. Thorne and Rick try convincing Eric he should oust Ridge from Forrester on Tuesday, January 16. Brooke is shocked to discover a devastated Steffy on Wednesday, January 17. Shaken following an unwelcome visit from Ridge, Bill contemplates Justin’s theory about a possible future with Steffy on Thursday, January 18. And on Friday, January 19, Hope visits Liam for the first time since her return to town. How will Steffy feel about this?…

1 Finn’s annoyance. “Don’t shush me!” he told Anna after she’d done exactly that. 2 Maxie’s decree. “Friends don’t let friends do drab,” she insisted while helping Sam pick an outfit. 3 The newlyweds. Kevin and Laura were glowing after exchanging their vows… and we were thrilled for them! 4 Sonny’s take. “It’s gonna get messier,” he told Carly of the Jason/Sam/Drew situation. 5 Nathan’s quip. When Nina was looking for her MIA hubby, her baby brother responded, “Maybe he stopped for a crime spree.” The limited scope. Like all soap media, Aurora only seems interested in stories that take place in one tiny little town! ... And 1 Thing We Could Do Without...…

OUR TAKE GH Hot Topic: What Secrets Lurk In Drew’s Missing Memories? As GENERAL HOSPI-TAL’s Drew fights to balance his mysterious past, confusing present and precarious future, we certainly don’t envy him. He and Sam have been clinging to the life they’ve built together… but what happens to that life when and if Drew gets his memory back? Sam has chosen to stand by Drew, but what if something from his past winds up tearing them apart? That scenario could wind up putting Sam in the rather ironic position of “losing” the past few years in much the same way that Jason did! The beauty of the story GH has crafted is that while Jason knows exactly what he’s lost, Drew’s past remains a secret. We know he had a…

THE YOUNG & THE RESTLESS’ Lane fans might not have been thrilled to watch Lily and Cane’s marriage fall apart in 2017 — thanks to him lying about his drunken one-night stand with Juliet — but there is no question that the emotional material gave Mrs. Ashby’s portrayer, Christel Khalil, a lot to play! “I have not seen any of [the scenes], which is so bad because literally everyone has been coming up to me and saying how amazing they have been!” the Emmy winner shares with a smile. “I need to go on YouTube to watch them! “But it felt really good when we were doing them,” she continues. “I feel like Daniel [Goddard] and I have been very connected doing this storyline, and that’s good.” In fact, Khalil…

GENERAL HOSPITAL’s decision to kill off Sabrina may have been a blessing in disguise for Teresa Castillo: Ever since, she’s had her hands full with daughter Victoria, 3, and son Sebastian, who celebrates his second birthday this week. “I had two under 2 for four months,” she marvels. “[Motherhood] has definitely changed my life! It takes a village, and my husband and I thought we should probably live close to ours, so we bought a house near my parents.” Happy “Home”-coming Having that help allowed Castillo to have some much-needed “me time” via a recent run in a production of In The Heights. “It was incredible to be back on stage,” she says. “I played this fiery dancing queen.” The experience brought back both Nurses Ball memories and a new…

Time flies when you’re having fun. So says THE BOLD & THE BEAUTI-FUL’s Courtney Hope (Sally), who never imagined what a whirlwind experience her first year on the job would be. From international travel and multiple love interests to on-air food fights and near-death experiences, her storyline hasn’t had much of a lull since she first shocked viewers with her surprise debut last January. “It’s been a phenomenal year, and I’ve definitely been blessed and feel thankful to have gained a new family and get to do what I love every day,” says the actress. “I began this job open to whatever came my way. I didn’t really know what to expect. To have now gained this whole collective group of people as friends… to me, that was the biggest…

Even as GENERAL HOSPITAL villainess Cassandra’s business was falling apart, she did her best to maintain her cool exterior and control. But Jessica Tuck showed the cracks in her character’s facade, often turning on a dime, to earn the week’s Gold Star. Target: Sonny When Cassandra showed up to take Valentin on a “little outing,” Tuck relied on knowing looks and her signature smile — you know, the one that hints at an unspoken threat! — to chilling effect. Even when Cassandra ordered Valentin to take out Sonny, it sounded more like she was asking him to load the dishwasher. And when Valentin angrily knocked her phone across the room, she used a swiftly raised hand to keep lackey Erich at bay as she calmly weighed the situation. The Awful…

GEORGIE ON OUR MINDS! Lindze Letherman shares what she’s been up to since being killed off GENERAL HOSPITAL. LIFE SWAP! GH’s Emme Rylan (Lulu) reveals which other character she thinks would be fun to play. WINTER PREVIEW! We’ve got the lowdown on what’s coming up on GH during February Sweeps. Don’t Miss The Next Issue Of ABC SOAPS IN DEPTH On Sale... January 29 February 12 February 26 March 12 March 26 April 9 April 23 May 7 May 21 June 4 June 18 July 2 July 16 July 30…

PSST ! GH’s Kristina ran off to Oregon with Parker while portrayer Lexi Ainsworth shot a multi-episode arc on TNT’s final season of MAJOR CRIMES… but Pristina fans got a treat when Ashley Jones (Parker) also appeared in those episodes of the crime series! “It was fun seeing the reactions from fans when they realized we were in the same episode!” Jones tells In Depth. “Lexi’s name even popped up [in the opening credits] when I was on screen! “I was thrilled to get to work on the show,” she continues. “Then I heard that Lexi booked a big job and texted to congratulate her — not knowing it was the same show! Total fluke! I never got to see her over there, but I have a feeling we will…

This week in Genoa City, J.T. does what he can to cover his tracks on Monday, January 15. Nikki and Nick decide to join forces on Tuesday, January 16, while that day finds Victor being blown away by what he discovers about someone close to him. Abby will be shocked by who winds up standing on her doorstep on Wednesday, January 17, while that day finds Tessa going to extremes. Dina makes a confession on Thurs day, January 18, while Mariah has her world rocked by what happens on Friday, January 19!…

Steve Burton (Jason, GH), with a take-out order, leaving RoRo’s Chicken on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood. Lisa LoCicero (Olivia, GH), walking into Nordstrom’s at The Grove in Hollywood. Kristen Alder-son (ex-Kiki, GH), all smiles on a beautiful day exiting Penn Station in New York City. Garren Stitt (Oscar, GH), bowling at Lucky Strike at Hollywood & Highland in Hollywood. Wally Kurth (Ned, GH), at the cash register, buying dog treats at Unleashed on Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood.…

Quick: Name the worst enemy that GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Nelle has. Think it’s Carly? Think again — it’s actually Nelle herself! Just look at her (mis)behavior since she first showed up in Port Charles, in particular with regard to Michael. “She’s desperate for love, but I don’t think she knows how to maintain it,” suggests portrayer Chloe Lanier, “and it scares her.” That’s why the minx further muddled the mystery of her fiancé’s suspicious death by piling lies on top of more lies. Ill-advised as that move was, “she’s just doing what she’s done her entire life. Her lack of honesty is a problem, but old habits are hard to kick.” Now that Chloe is pregnant with Michael’s baby, she has in her arsenal a new weapon that’s left her more…

The Coach When GENERAL HOS-PITAL’s Steve Burton (Jason) started Burton Nutrition, it was about more than helping people get in shape, physically. “We’ve changed a lot of people’s lives. Health is a huge aspect of that, but positivity is also a big part of it,” explains the actor, who’s seen clients decrease both their diabetic insulin intake and their pant sizes. “Our greatest testimony is Courtney, whose pictures are all over my Instagram and Face-book. After 25 years of struggling, she got the weight off and looks fantastic — and she feels good. That’s what it’s really about. You want people to feel good about themselves again, because if they do, they’re going to pass that on, have a more positive outlook on life and just try to be better…

Khalil hopes that her alter ego will continue to be a working professional. “That’s always been a thing of mine — I don’t want Lily stuck at home doing nothing,” she smiles. “I like when she’s involved in the business world. It’s fun because you are more involved with the other characters on the show.” In fact, the Emmy winner says that Y&R’s executive producer/headwriter has really integrated the characters on the show a lot more. “I feel like I have more scenes with Victoria and Billy,” she observes. “Before, I felt the groups were more separated, and it shouldn’t be. Everybody should be more intertwined — and there’s definitely more of that going on, which I love!”…

GENERAL HOS-PITAL’s Sonny is — and not necessarily in this order — a ladies’ man, a family man and a made man. And now that Soaps In Depth has chronicled the wild ride that is his life in A-to-Z format, he’s also the man who has everything. Check it out! A  Alexis Davis: Sonny’s lawyer got pregnant with Kristina after only a single night with the smooth criminal. B  Brenda Barrett: For years, the supermodel couldn’t stay away from Sonny any more than a moth could a flame. C  Carly Corinthos: Sonny’s on-again/ off-again wife might just be his true love. (Ed. note: As we went to press.) D  Dimples: Sonny’s are the only things more dangerous than the firearms with which he’s forever accessorizing his outfits. E  Emily Quartermaine:…

Valentin “will do what he has to do to make sure Nina’s okay!” The In Depth Story: Valentin thought he’d buried the truth by forcing Erich to confess to injecting Cassandra with those opioids. Unfortunately, Anna’s realized someone else was the culprit, but she doesn’t know it’s Nina… yet! “It was very sort of Mr. & Mrs. Smith for a minute there, with Valentin and Nina cleaning up the scene of the crime after the injection,” grins James Patrick Stuart, whose character is moved by his wife’s efforts to protect their family. “Not only did Valentin get a chance to reveal himself, warts and all, to Nina, and she still loved him, but now she’s actually playing the game his way! He finds that sexy as hell, and at this…

The In Depth Story: All kidding aside, with Cassandra stuck in a deep sleep, Tuck isn’t sure what’s to come for her character. “There’s been no discussion, so I’m in the same place as the viewers are,” she tells Soaps In Depth. “It’s still TBD.” That said, the actress — who got her start playing ONE LIFE TO LIVE’s Megan before landing on series like TRUE BLOOD and JUDGING AMY — would jump at the chance to make a Port Charles return. “I would love to cause more trouble,” she shares. “Soaps are where I started, I know the medium, and I love that it’s such a team effort. One of the things about daytime [production] being so fast and furious is there’s no time to get stuck in your…

OUT DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ Theo finally regained consciousness after the surgery to repair the gunshot damage went awry, but now he is being sent elsewhere to seek longterm treatment! Look for portrayer Kyler Pettis to exit the soap any day now. The young actor was first reported to be leaving back in August after posting his final scenes on his Vimeo account. (They were quickly removed.) Even though Pettis finished up over the summer, he hasn’t lost his connection with Salem pop James Reynolds (Abe). “We’re in touch. We text and all of that,” Reynolds told In Depth at the Day Of DAYS event in November. “His dad [Gary Pettis] coaches for [recent World Series winners] the Houston Astros, so he’s probably in pretty good shape about now!”…

Kate and Andre’s big night is interrupted most unpleasantly on Monday, January 15. JJ is flying high, thanks to the fact that he and Lani are having a baby. The only problem? She’s feeling guilty on Tuesday, January 16, since the child she’s carrying isn’t his! (Things could get even more complicated when Gabi stumbles upon incriminating evidence that day!) Theo says farewell to Salem on Wednes day, January 17. And Andre opens his heart to Kate on Thursday, January 18, only to wind up being eyed suspiciously by Chad on Friday, January 19!…

Lanier enjoys running into GH fans a lot more these days. “When I first started and Nelle was drugging Sonny, people were very cruel,” she says. “No one knew Nelle’s back story yet, so I think people were genuinely scared she was going to try to kill him — and that would be the ultimate end on GH! One woman even called me the devil.” Lanier might still get called that today… but the delivery has changed entirely. “This guy came up to me and told me I was the most hated woman in America right now… but he was actually very nice and very complimentary about it,” she laughs, adding that after Nelle flaunted her pregnancy in front of Sonny and Carly, “I ran into someone who said, ‘You…

GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Monica has always been the quintessential Quartermaine — fierce, feisty and morally flexible. But was she responsible for the following, or was it one of her relatives, Edward, late husband Alan or Ned and Lois’ daughter, Brook Lynn? a. Monica faked a heart attack to test her kid’s loyalty. b. Monica had a fling with her psychiatrist, then tried to give the shrink a lobotomy! c. Monica planted a bomb in the boathouse in hopes of blowing up her adulterous spouse. d. Monica tried to wire Quartermaine money to her own account the minute she moved into the mansion. e. Monica faked her own son’s death in order to protect him from a prison sentence.…

General Hospital In Depth asked... Would you like to see Liz stay with Franco or reunite with Jason? This issue’s question... Should Sam ultimately wind up with Drew or Jason? Reader Reaction: 83% FRANCO 17% JASON TOP 5 GH COUPLES 1 Alexis Davis & Julian Jerome 2 Elizabeth Webber & Franco Baldwin 3 Sam McCall & Drew Cain 4 Carly & Sonny Corinthos 5 Maxie & Nathan West TOP 5 ACTORS (as voted by Soaps In Depth readers) 1 Last Issue: 1 Maurice Benard (Sonny, GH) 2 Last Issue: 4 Roger Howarth (Franco, GH) 3 Last Issue: 2 Steve Burton (Jason, GH) 4 Last Issue: 5 William deVry (Julian, GH) 5 Last Issue: 3 Ryan Paevey (Nathan, GH) TOP 10 COUPLES (as voted by Soaps In Depth readers) 1 Last…

My favorite days at GH are when I get to: “Explore further into Jordan than I originally thought I was going to explore.” My first day, I thought: “‘Gosh, they move fast!’ That was me, my heart beating, watching [the feed].” When I get to work, I: “Go in my room, put down my things, turn on my lights, burn a candle, play some music and wait for them to call me to hair and makeup. If I get there first thing — say, at 6:45 — I’m still waking up, so I like something to ease me into the day, something chill, like jazz. But at the end of the day, I might be bumping some Drake!” My most embarrassing moment at GH was when: “I could not remember…

Although Ron Carlivati’s material has only been airing since July, he’s actually been DAYS OF OUR LIVES’ headwriter for a year now. We recently chatted with the former top scribe at ONE LIFE TO LIVE and GENERAL HOSPITAL about taking on a new show, the character he simply had to bring back and what he’s got in mind for Salem’s future! Soaps In Depth: Now that you’ve had a while to get settled in, how does it feel? Ron Carlivati: Absolutely great. It was an easier transition than anyone probably thought it would be! I grew up watching the ABC soaps, so when I worked on OLTL and GH, I knew the history, I knew the characters, so it was easy to jump in. DAYS was a show I hadn’t…

Q: Which of your co-stars would make a great guest panelist on THE VIEW? Laura Wright (Carly, GH) “Oh my God, Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis) would be incredible. She won’t hold back. She’ll say exactly what she feels, and she’s extremely intelligent and well-spoken. It would be complete entertainment. You’d either want to kill her or be cheering her on, depending on what you believe. She would be perfect. I can just hear Nancy go!” Haley Pullos (Molly, GH) “Honestly, Tequan Richmond (T.J.), because he has such interesting opinions on a lot of things and I think he could bring some really cool points of view to THE VIEW.” Sharon Case (Sharon, Y&R) “Eric Braeden (Victor), because he always has something interesting to say. And Joshua Morrow (Nick), because he’s…

LEGAL MATTERS Sam and Jason started divorce proceedings. HOSPITALIZED Finn suffered withdrawal. Cassandra went into a coma. STABBED Nina injected Cassandra. COVERED Valentin, for Nina HOT TOPIC P.K. Sinclair’s novel about a feuding father and son. PATERNITY ISSUES Faison is Nathan’s father and might have another son! SEARCHING Several locals began hunting for Faison. AGREED Laura and Ned promised to run a clean mayoral race. POSITIONED Controversial developer Jim Harvey got to know locals. RALLIED Molly started a rent strike against her landlord.…

THE BOLD & THE BEAUTIFUL Liam left Steffy (and quit his job) after finding out about her tryst with Bill. Katie, and later Wyatt, also learned the truth about Steffy’s infidelity, and they both reamed Bill for his betrayal. When Sally bumped into a hastily departing Liam in the Spencer reception area, she quickly realized that he was not okay and made comforting him her top priority. Bolstered by Katie’s encouragement that Liam would forgive her, Steffy hoped for the best when he returned to the beach house. But Wyatt privately told Katie this his brother would never get past this incident. Hope returned to Los Angeles to surprise her mother and, in making the acquaintance of Sally for the first time, learned that Liam and the redhead had shared…

Dressed To Thrill GENERAL HOSPITAL’s Tamara Braun (Kim) puts a cool spin on “cocktail attire” with this cropped trousers-and-jacket combo, and the ribbon draped around her neck is the perfect extra touch! Eye-Catching Ombre This silky dress with ruching at the waist easily beat out the more spectral white gown on Jamie Ray Newman (ex-Kristina, GH). Long Necklaces Regardless of whether you’re dressing up or down, it’s easy to make a bold statement by tossing a long necklace around one’s nape. These current and former ladies of ABC Daytime did exactly that… to great effect!…