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Soaps’ Best and Worst of 2021: From the Biggest Shocks and Hottest Plots to the Dumbest Moves and ‘Wiggiest’ Decision Ever
Friday, December 31st, 2021
Before the ball drops on New Year’s Eve, we’re doing some dropping ourselves — of truth bombs.
The months remaining in 2021 have dwindled to days and now, at last, to just a few hours that will soon be mere minutes. Spend a few of them with Soaps.com, why don’t you, as we review the year gone by on The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital, Days of Our Lives and The Young and the Restless.
If our shows, like us, will shortly be making New Year’s resolutions, perhaps they can zero in on areas in need of improvement by perusing our picks in such categories as the Plot Device Nobody Wanted Back and Biggest Waste of a Character, Most Questionable Recast and Most Controversial Decision.
More: Fans sound off on what soaps just don’t ‘get’
Of course, we’re not only singling out the things that didn’t work. We’re also shining a spotlight on the stuff we loved, from the Best Murder Mystery and Best Break-Up to the Best Entrance and Hottest Hookup.
We even gave a shout-out to 2021’s Funniest Scenes — despite the fact that we’re still not 100-percent sure that they were supposed to be funny.
Ready to see if our opinions of the year that was line up with yours? All you have to do is click on the photo gallery below, and off you’ll go down the path to daytime’s best and worst of 2021. Then be sure to come on back and hit the comments with the categories and winners that you would have added to the mix.
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Image: ABC
1/50
<p><em>General Hospital</em> broke our hearts right along with Valentin’s when he realized that Brook Lynn had been lying to him and baby Bailey was no more his than… well, than she was hers.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
2/50
<p><em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> did such a bang-up job of turning the Logan sisters into the planet’s cattiest judge and jury that we too often found ourselves rooting against rather than for them. Take it down a notch, ladies.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
3/50
<p>We were psyched to begin with when <em>Days of Our Lives</em> announced that Jackée Harry was joining the cast. But then we met the glamtastic Paulina, she started letting drop her truth bombs, and we couldn’t have agreed more with her assessment of Salem: “This town <em>needs</em> me.”</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
4/50
<p><em>The Young and the Restless</em> has needed a shot in the arm as much as any of us before we were vaccinated — and the Locke Ness Monster beautifully fit the bill. Now if only the show would let us <em>see</em> just how bad Richard Burgi’s Big Bad is instead of merely telling us over and over again that he’s powerful and scary.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
5/50
<p>Fans of <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> seemed to agree that the daring new direction of the show’s wardrobe was bold, alright. But from what they dubbed Hope’s “Little Bo Beep” dress on, they weren’t at all sure about beautiful. (<a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/599163/bold-beautiful-fashions-ugly-stylish-best-worst-dressed/" target="_blank">See more of the avant-garde fashions here</a>.)</p>
Image: ABC screenshot (2)
6/50
<p>Never in a million <em>years</em> did it occur to us that <em>General Hospital</em> would pair up Scotty and Obrecht. But when the show did, we were like, “Why didn’t <em>we</em> think of that?!?” The schemers are a match made in… well, we’re not sure where, actually. Heaven <em>and</em> hell? Regardless, wherever Franco is, we suspect that he approves.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
7/50
<p>Enough with the masks already, <em>Days of Our Lives</em>! It’s a great enough stretch of the imagination to expect viewers to believe that they can alter characters’ height and voice as well as their face, but to have Kristen coming up with new ones as easily as we do excuses to drink that fourth glass of wine? No, <em>Days</em>. No.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
8/50
<p>From the moment we met Amanda’s estranged family on<em> The Young and the Restless</em>, we wanted more, more, more. But rather than give us strained relations and awkward dinners, the show thrust Amanda and her newfound kin into a story we don’t care about centered on the death of a character we never met. D’oh!</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
9/50
<p>Sure, as <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> is wont to do, it put together a love-starved Quinn and Carter <em>way</em> too fast. But since their night of passion was so! Freakin’! Sexy! we can’t blame the show for being in a hurry to get to it. Just glance at that photo; no one looks <em>that</em> guilty if they haven’t done something fantabulously scandalous.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
10/50
<p>We know we’ll take heat for saying it, but “Sam who?” Britt and Jason’s tryst on <em>General Hospital</em> was so steamy, it took us all the way back to when he was having no-strings-attached sex with Carly in the ’90s.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
11/50
<p>We didn’t count, but if we had, we’d be willing to bet that the half-heart necklaces over which <em>General Hospital</em> had Nina obsess got more mentions — not to mention more screen time — than Mac and Felicia. Combined.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
12/50
<p>If we live to be a hundred, die and come back from the dead, we <em>still</em> won’t get why <em>Days of Our Lives</em> decided to write off Linsey Godfrey, thereby breaking up what was arguably its cutest (and certainly its most fun) couple, Sarah and Xander — “Xarah” to their friends.</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
13/50
<p>Love Mark Grossman. Love his work as <em>The Young and the Restless</em>’ tortured Adam Newman. <em>Don’t</em> love the way the soap makes the character borderline psychotic one day, an unlikable ass the next, a romantic hero the day after that, and by the time you read this, probably a Martian from outer space. Time — make that <em>past</em> time — to decide who Adam is and let him evolve in a way that springs from character, not plot necessity.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
14/50
<p>As <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> launched Fartgate, we couldn’t help but feel bad for Delon de Metz and Diamont White, who were stuck playing out a scenario in which Paris’ date with Zende was ruined by Zoe-induced indigestion. It was supposed to be funny (we think), but it turned out to be anything but a — sorry, Paris — gas.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
15/50
<p>Not only did <em>General Hospital</em> kill off Roger Howarth’s Franco, it did so on a freakin’ Tuesday! <em>That</em>, folks, is how you make sure viewers know that they can’t afford to miss a single episode.</p>
Image: NBC screenshot
16/50
<p>Even after Eileen Davidson reprised her former role of <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Kristen for <em>Beyond Salem</em>, we couldn’t in a million years have predicted that the devil would transform into that version of the character in hopes of seducing John. In a turtleneck. Which will never <em>not</em> seem like it was an odd choice to try to make the former priest hot under the collar.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
17/50
<p>Having <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ Ben psychically begin “hearing” Ciara — literally <em>yelling</em> at him through the cosmos — might have been quicker and easier than having him and Shawn actually track down the kidnapped bride. But it made us embarrassed for all concerned; they — <em>and</em> viewers — deserved better.</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
18/50
<p>Maybe it wasn’t the best idea <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em> ever had to let Thomas and Finn’s confrontation with paternity-test tamperer Vinny get physical in the age of social distancing. What resulted was less tense than intensely funny.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
19/50
<p><em>General Hospital</em> pushed Peter down a staircase, shoved him in a freezer, threw him off a cliff and put him in a coma. The one thing they didn’t do, despite literal begging on behalf of the audience, was kill the bad guy who long ago wore out his welcome. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI (2)
20/50
<p>When we saw the sparks fly between <em>Young & Restless</em>’ Nick and Phyllis’ nemesis Sally, all we could think was, “Oh, honey, pass the popcorn! We are <em>here</em> for it!” But to this day, the question remains whether the show will capitalize on the sizzling chemistry between Joshua Morrow and Courtney Hope… especially now that her alter ego is eyeing his brother/enemy, Adam!</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
21/50
<p>“If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a thousand times” isn’t just a saying on <em>The Bold and the Beautiful</em>, it’s the truth. Not since <em>Passions</em> has a show played its dialogue on as exhaustive a loop as this. (And you know how that worked out for <em>Passions</em> in the end… )</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
22/50
<p>We’re not sure if <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ newly-created 1990s flashbacks (with Jennifer playing Laura and Abigail playing Jennifer) were supposed to be hilarious. But they were — right down to that unexpected cameo by <em>Seinfeld</em>’s legendary puffy shirt.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
23/50
<p>We’re still not entirely convinced ex-lover Ryan was the one who sent <em>General Hospital</em>‘s Ava that well-preserved cockroach. We are, however, sure that the blonde bombshell will, once the truth comes out, crush them beneath heel in much the same way she did their unwanted gift.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
24/50
<p>After severing Lola’s ties to Kyle and sending would-be beau Theo off the canvas, <em>Young & Restless </em>inexplicably relegated Sasha Calle to the literal backburner as her alter ego was rarely seen outside the Society kitchen. Only after the actress scored the role of Supergirl in the upcoming <em>Flash </em>film did the soap briefly throw Lola back into the action just long enough to make sure we’d miss her all the more when the character returned to Miami. </p>
Image: NBC screenshot
25/50
<p>We all knew that<em> Days of Our Lives</em>’ Gwen was going to turn out to be Jack’s daughter. The writing was not only on the wall, it was in a huge-ass font. But that did nothing diminish the impact of Emily O’Brien’s beautiful performance in the scenes in which she called out Daddy Dearest for, as she put it, knocking up her mum and waltzing away.</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
26/50
<p><em>Bold & Beautiful</em> dragged out the moment that Finn learned that his adoptive father was also his biological father for so long, it made the doctor look like a total dim bulb. And his fascination with Mommie Dearest Sheila had already done a pretty good job of <em>that</em>.</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
27/50
<p>In the wake of Sonny’s supposed death, <em>General Hospital </em>gave Maurice Benard the opportunity to play a completely new character… and boy, did he run with it. “Mike” was so charming we were sorry to see him go when inevitably Sonny’s memories returned… and happy that parts of Mike still linger in his host.</p>
Image: XT Arroyo/JPI, Jill Johnson/JPI
28/50
<p>This is <em>not</em> a diss of Linda Dano, who is both a brilliant actress and a beloved soap icon. This is simply an acknowledgement that if Louise Sorel is not available to reprise her <em>Days of Our Lives</em> role of Vivian, the character should not appear on the show. (See also: the estimable Robin Strasser before Dano.)</p>
Image: Sean Smith/JPI
29/50
<p>For months, we were told that <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Bill wants to reunite with Katie. Unfortunately, we’ve barely seen the two of them together, let alone any efforts on the publisher’s part to prove himself worthy of her forgiveness. Which, by the way, he isn’t. #SorryNotSorry</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
30/50
<p><em>Days of Our Lives </em>took full advantage of the fact that half of Salem had threatened to kill Charlie by telling a well-paced tale which kept us guessing. Better still, the unmasking of Jan as the bad boy’s killer (mostly) made sense even as it kicked off the next arc of the story. </p>
Image: ABC screenshot
31/50
<p>With Sonny “dead” and Jason out of commission, it looked as if <em>General Hospital</em>’s Cyrus might worm his way into the five families. Until, that is, Carly strutted in lookin’ like a million bucks and making it clear that there was a new (lady) boss in town!</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
32/50
<p>Overnight, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Quinn and Zoe went from people who occasionally crossed paths at the office to secret-sharing gal pals. The instafriendship made absolutely no sense whatsoever… but it did serve its purpose by putting Quinn and Carter on a collision course. A sexy, sexy collision course. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI (2)
33/50
<p>It seemed like the formula for soapy success: <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Devon loved Elena but was drawn to Amanda, who was dating Nate but spending a lot of time with her dead twin’s widow, causing Elena’s jealousy to flare up and result in a one-night stand with Nate. Yet somehow, this swirling quagmire of uncontrolled emotions and loosened libidos generated about as much actual drama as a menu change at Society. </p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
34/50
<p>Chanel planting a kiss on Allie was a <em>Days of Our Lives </em>twist we never saw coming… mainly because soaps have done a uniformly awful job when it comes to playing sexual fluidity. As Chanel continues to let her heart — not societal norms — dictate her decisions, we can’t wait to see how things play out between the now sisters-in-law.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI
35/50
<p>We love wood paneling as much as anyone, but <em>Days of Our Lives </em>gave the DiMera home a makeover which proved dark plots can be cooked up in a light-filled environment. Meanwhile, we’d love to get the number of their contractor, given that the massive renovation took place practically overnight! </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
36/50
<p>We suspect that all work and no play makes <em>Bold & Beautiful</em>‘s Thomas the borderline-unstable person that he is. Instead of constantly saying how proud they are of him for moving past Hope, maybe the onetime mannequin aficionado’s family should encourage him to meet someone new… who isn’t already dating his cousin. </p>
Image: ABC screenshot
37/50
<p>Half the audience of <em>General Hospital</em> loathes Nina for taking advantage of an amnesiac Sonny. The other half, perhaps tired of going ’round and ’round with CarSon, loves the sparks that fly between “Mike” and his lady love. (Our numbers may be off; you know we suck at math.) But one thing everyone agrees on is that, for better or worse, this pairing generates capital-F Feelings.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
38/50
<p>How is it that <em>Young & Restless</em>‘ Nikki has nothing to do but take the occasional meeting with (or criticize the love life of) daughter Victoria? Nikki is far too vibrant a character — and Melody Thomas Scott too compelling a performer — to be relegated to little more than a talk-to. </p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI
39/50
<p>It was not for nothing that <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> fans renamed Finn “Dr. Dumb” after he refused to read the room at his own wedding to Steffy in order to support <span style="text-decoration: line-through">his biomom</span> the total stranger who was described to him as a cross between Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees.</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
40/50
<p><em>Young & Restless</em> had in Tara a newbie with the potential to be a supervixen on par with old-school Jill or Lauren. But instead of capitalize on that potential, the show wrote her with all the flair of a limp dishrag, rendering her about as interesting as a paperweight (and as likely to scheme her way out of a tight spot). When finally, she was written out, no one even cared enough to cheer.</p>
Image: © Howard Wise/jpistudios.com
41/50
<p>The summertime announcement that NBC’s Peacock streaming service was launching a limited-series spinoff of <em>Days of Our Lives</em> called <em>Beyond Salem</em> was beyond thrilling. The offshoot, which brought back to the fold a host of former faves, marked the first time in a long time that we’d seen a network recognize (and shrewdly attempt to cash in on) the inherent value of a daytime drama. Better still, they followed this up with a stand-alone holiday movie titled <em>Days of Our Lives: A Very Salem Christmas. </em></p>
Image: ABC
42/50
<p>That’s right, Gladys, you can have all the bubbly you want, what with being not only a breath of fresh air on <em>General Hospital</em> but in daytime in general, too. Bonnie Burroughs on the regular serves us fantastic old-school soap in the form of Brando’s mother, a seen-it-all dame who’s equal parts conniver and survivor. And we are here. For. It.</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI (3)
43/50
<p>We don’t get it and never will. <em>The Young and the Restless</em> had in Kyle and Summer a couple in whom viewers remained invested no matter how nonsensically they were written. Yet the show dispatched both Michael Mealor and Emmy winner Hunter King, in the process removing from the canvas two pivotal and well-liked legacy characters. Worse, they then had the couple get married off-screen… and return a few days later to tell us about it! </p>
Image: Aaron Montgomery/JPI
44/50
<p>As <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> had Brooke recall her checkered past with Deacon, the vintage scenes that accompanied her stroll down Memory Lane left our jaws on the floor. We’d recalled the illicit lovers being hot together but had totally forgotten how intensely tender they were with one another.</p>
Image: ABC
45/50
<p>Even if <em>General Hospital</em> used mind control to make Drew forget how to put on a shirt, we didn’t want the show to go down that road again. Did <em>you</em>?</p>
Image: CBS screenshot
46/50
<p>“This is not gonna work,” Phyllis cried on <em>The Young and the Restless</em> in the fall of 2021. “It’s over. It’s done.” She could no longer play second fiddle to Nick’s family, and he could no longer turn a blind eye to her reawakened feelings for his former stepfather, Jack. We hated to see their epic relationship end, but c’mon, what a way to go!</p>
Image: Priscilla Grant/Courtesy of the Everett Collection
47/50
<p>When the Internet began buzzing with talk that <em>Ryan’s Hope</em> lothario Michael Corbett would be raising from the grave his ill-fated character to stir the pot on <em>General Hospital</em>, we were elated. Until, that is, he revealed in an exclusive interview <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/general-hospital/news/606664/general-hospital-michael-corbett-truth-about-rumors-joining-cast/" target="_blank">whether the chatter was idle</a>. (Nevertheless, we’ll never, ever give up on the notion of ABC resurrecting <em>Ryan’s Hope</em>, one of the smartest soaps ever to work us into a lather.)</p>
Image: Howard Wise/JPI (3)
48/50
<p>To cover up Krista Allen’s short blonde hair when she took over as Taylor, <em>Bold & Beautiful</em> threw on her head… well, what was probably the year’s most talked-about accessory. “Someday, <a href="https://soaps.sheknows.com/the-bold-and-the-beautiful/news/617981/bold-beautiful-krista-allen-taylor-terrible-wig-real-hair/" target="_blank">this will be funny</a>,” said Allen. Isn’t it already, kinda? Not sure why Taylor couldn’t have just changed up her look in all the time she away.</p>
Image: Jill Johnson/JPI (3)
49/50
<p>Nothing against Precious Way, who went on to slay on primetime’s <em>Queens</em>, but <em>Days of Our Lives</em>’ subsequent Chanel, the vivacious Raven Bowens, really put the “success” in “successor.” Well done, casting department. And <em>exceedingly</em> well done, Bowens. On a related note…</p>
Image: ABC screenshot
50/50
<p>Sure, it was hard knowing that <em>General Hospital</em> was benching Nicolas Bechtel, the youngster who originally played Spencer. But the soap hit an absolute home run in tapping as his replacement newcomer Nicholas Alexander Chavez.</p>
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