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Credit: Howard Wise/JPI, John Paschal/JPI, Jill Johnson/JPI, CBS Screenshot, ABC Screenshot

Plus, previews of what’s coming next! 

Christmas is over, but for those who celebrate, we’re willing to bet this past week has been pretty crazy. So chances are you didn’t get the chance to keep up with your favorite soaps or their news as much as you would have liked. But don’t worry, we’re here to catch you up on all the happenings of the soap world before New Year’s madness takes hold! Whether you love The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital or The Young and the Restless — or all of the above — this is your one-stop shop to find out what’s going on.

The Bold and the Beautiful

bold taylor brooke finger HW

We’ve been waiting to see Taylor and Brooke butt heads ever since the shrink returned to town and started making nice with Ridge. Well, it finally happened, and we’ve got plenty of thoughts on how it went! Check out our take and let us know if you agree!

  • Krista Allen finally stopped beating around the bush and answered the one big question we’ve all been dying to know: What’s with Taylor’s wig? Read her hysterical comments on WigGate and find out when the offending hair is going to go!
  • The cast of Bold & Beautiful kicked off the holiday week by tackling some fun Q&As. Watch the video to see if you agree with their answers!
  • Tanner Novlan (Finn) brought his family to the most magical place on earth, and he’s got the adorable photos to prove it! Check out the pics, and we can guarantee you’ll share in the joy on his daughter’s face.

In this week’s Bold & Beautiful column, Richard wonders if Taylor’s being sincere with Brooke or playing a long game. Plus, which storylines were coming up roses and which were like being pricked by a thorn?

What Went Down Last Week: Taylor found it tough to hide the fact that she’s still in love with Ridge. Brooke visited her longtime rival and they kinda-sorta-maybe decided to try being friends. Deacon continued bonding with both Brooke and Hope. Steffy and Thomas clearly hoped their parents would reunite. In a shocking move, Taylor convinced Steffy and Finn to let Sheila spend some time with them over the holidays. Sheila overheard Taylor admit she wished Ridge were part of the celebration.

Days of Our Lives

Philip glares at the Kiriakis mansion on Days of Our Lives

Philip’s been heading down a dark, twisted path for so long now, not even his “death” and resurrection surprised us. What would surprise us, is if Day of Our Lives somehow managed to redeem him. It’d be difficult… but not impossible. And we’re pretty sure there’s only one character who could do it!

  • The new year’s about to start and that means a whole new slate of Hallmark movies are on the horizon. We’ve got premiere dates and info for a little romantic fare with your favorite Salemites like Alison Sweeney and Jen Lilley!
  • One man’s loss is another man’s gain, and that’s especially true for Abe and his portrayer, James Reynolds. Find out why Salem mayor’s drama is just one of the reasons why Reynolds has had his best year ever.
  • Our hearts went out to Zach Tinker (Sonny) as he suffered a Christmas Eve loss we wouldn’t wish on anyone. Hopefully the New Year brings healing, love and happier times.

Watch out, Kate, because Lori’s coming for your parenting skills! But with both Philip and Lucas such a mess, can you blame her? Plus, with MarDevil looking to wrap up soon, she can’t help but wonder where the consequences are. It’s just one of many things she looks back on as Lori gives her thoughts on the highs and lows of 2021 in this week’s Days of Our Lives column.

What Went Down Last Week: MarDevil awoke Jan and helped her morph into a Belle doppelganger. The real Belle walked in to find Shawn in bed with her double who, after morphing back into Jan, said she and Shawn would forever be connected by the sex they’d had. Jack brought Jennifer home for Christmas. MarDevil made it clear she wants Ben and Ciara’s baby. With an assist from Gabriel’s medal, John overpowered MarDevil, who woke up strapped to a bed.

General Hospital

ava nikolas GENERAL HOSPITAL - Episode "14865" - "General Hospital" airs Monday-Friday, on ABC (check local listings). (ABC/Eric McCandless)MAURA WEST, MARCUS COLOMA

Okay, we’ll admit it. We were caught by surprise at the red-hot sparks between Nikolas and Ava at first, but we are totally here for them. Unfortunately, it seems like General Hospital may have just thrown a wrench into this particular love story that we never saw coming. Find out why we’re treading carefully when it comes to Nava!

  • Rebecca Budig tackled the news and haven’t gotten a chance to catch up on last week’s General Hospital, we’ve got a first glimpse of the new Charlotte.
  • Are Lucy and Martin the supercouple pairing that’s been decades in the making? They just might be! And that’s got especially excited for what’s to come in the new year!
  • Things may still be tough for many of us, but there’s no denying that we’re in a far better place than we were a year ago. Not many folks have managed to capture that as beautifully as Jon Lindstrom when he shared some adorably sweet then and now photos!

Is it just us, or do all signs point to General Hospital ending the year with a bang? Nina’s finally getting her hearing, and Peter’s comatose and (seemingly) out of commission. But is that bang going to end on a high or a low? Dustin gives his thoughts in this week’s soapbox and weighs in on the rollercoaster of ups and downs of the entire year.

What Went Down Last Week: Victor managed to help Spencer, although the teen would still have to spend 30 days at Spring Ridge. Esme, Trina, Joss and Cam planned to take Spencer to Sonny’s cabin before he had to go away. Nina’s hearing got underway with Sonny taking the stand. Lucy and Martin hooked up. Laura came home after being told by Cyrus that he was not the person trying to kill her. Drew continued to bond with Scout. Shawn learned all the charges had been dropped against him.

The Young and the Restless

Joshua Morrow (Nick Newman) and Sharon Case (Sharon Newman). Don't miss the excitement of Victor and Nikki's vow renewals on THE YOUNG AND THE RESTLESS, Thursday December 28 (12:30-1:30 PM, ET; 11:30 AM-12:30 PM, PT). Photo: Sonja Flemming/CBS ©2017 CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved

Is it time for a Shick reunion? Judging by a recent Young & Restless episode, it certainly seems like the writing is on the wall for Sharon to split with Rey and get back together with Nick! Find out what happened and what we’re pretty sure is going to happen.

  • Sad as we all are about the apparent break-up of General Hospital‘s Chad Duell (Michael) and Young & Restless‘ Courtney Hope, there’s also something we sort of need to accept about it. And not everybody is going to want to hear it.
  • This past year has been incredibly difficult for Jess Walton (Jill), but that doesn’t mean the actress has lost the love in her heart. Read the heartfelt message she shared on a very special day.
  • For her daughter’s 12th birthday, Michelle Stafford decided to share an inspiring message, plus a boatload of adorable photos! Celebrate along with Phyllis’ portrayer as you check out just how cute her daughter is!
  • We were bowled over when Friday’s Young & Restless ended with a cameo by Hunter King’s Summer. But it may have backfired on the show in some ways… and here’s why.

In this week’s Young & Restless column, Candace gives her two cents about how fine a line Billy’s been walking, plus the missed beats for Tessa and Mariah. She also looks back at what worked and what didn’t in 2021, even as she looks ahead at the exciting new rivalry we may have to look forward to in 2022!

What Went Down Last Week: After an extended dream in which everyone in his life gave him advice, Nick received a call from Summer who suggested he visit her for New Year’s Eve. Billy moved forward with his plan to frame Adam despite Jack making it clear he disapproves. Mariah was stunned when Tessa had a change of heart and began talking about them possibly having (or adopting) a baby. Abby tried pretending everything was fine with Chance, but he was clearly continuing to struggle.

You Speak Out

Rebecca Herbst, Roger Howarth"General Hospital" SetThe Prospect StudiosABC Studios06/10/19© XJJohnson/jpistudios.com310-657-9661Episode # 14340U.S. Airdate 07/09/19

With the holidays being all about wish-fulfillment, we asked soap fans what they want… and boy, did you tell us! From a story for Young & Restless‘ Mariah and Tessa to General Hospital‘s Franco being alive, find out what your fellow viewers wished for, then share what you’d have gone with.

What’s Coming Up…

Now that you’re all caught up on what went down last week, here are a few previews of what’s coming up next!

  • John may have taken MarDevil down for Christmas, but he’s going to need some backup to face down Satan at full power. But the devil’s not going down without a fight, and you’ll have to see it to believe all the tricks he pulls out of his sleeve in the Days of Our Lives weekly spoiler video.
  • Victor’s barely been in Port Charles for a few days and already he’s stirring up trouble — and taking out hits! And as Willow takes the stand in Nina’s trial, will she speak the truth or bury Sonny’s Nixon Falls romance deep where it won’t ever be found? Watch how she reacts on the stand in this week’s General Hospital spoiler video.
  • As Adam crashes Victoria and Ashland’s celebrations, is he looking to start the New Year with a bang? And what about Phyllis? She’s bored and looking for a way to ring in the New Year, too, and that might just involve stirring things up between Lauren and Chloe. But Chloe might have other ideas in this week’s Young & Restless spoiler video.
  • It looks as if Bold & Beautiful is about to pit Sheila and Brooke against one another. But what’s really surprising is how the audience is reacting to the battle between the former pals.

And finally, as the year comes to a close, we celebrate with a gallery of the best recasts of 2021 — along with our rankings of the best daytime recasts ever, from all your favorite soaps!