I really liked Eileen Davidson's performance because you could feel her anger and devastation over all that she had lost as she faced a woman that she loathed. She was the frontrunner until I saw Heather Tom's performance when Katie Logan confronted her faithless husband and sister who had betrayed her by having an affair. As hurt and shattered as Katie was, her scenes were ultimately empowering as she made it clear that she was through with both of them.
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Bradford Anderson
Damian Spinelli
I liked all of the reels in this category, but I recall watching the scenes when Spinelli learned that he had an infant daughter that he had known nothing about and that the woman he loved had kept the truth from him. Damien Spinelli was always a character who was quirky and used mainly as comic relief, but these scenes showed that there are far more layers to Bradford Anderson's talents than playing a nerdy geek. I remember thinking when I watched those scenes that he definitely put in an Emmy-winning performance.
Who will win: Bradford Anderson (Damian Spinelli)
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Kelly Sullivan
Connie Falconeri
I have always loved Melissa Claire Egan and had actually been tempted to pick her, but in the end, I went with Kelly Sullivan. It's an odd phenomenon that I've noticed throughout the years of watching soaps that when an actor is on their way out, they seem to give us their best performances. Connie Falconeri was a tortured soul who had suffered from dissociative identity disorder because she had been raped as a young teenager and then had abandoned her newborn son shortly after giving birth to him in secret. Fast-forward a couple of decades, and her son appears in Port Charles, but the troublesome alter personality is in control. She despises the child, until, in a tragic twist of fate, he suffers a fatal gunshot wound that stirs her maternal feelings for him. Rather than offer her comfort and sympathy, the man that she loves tries to reach her host personality. These scenes ran the gamut of emotions, and Kelly shined throughout it all.
Who will win: Kelly Sullivan (Connie Falconeri, GH)
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR
Bryan Craig
Morgan Corinthos
All of the reels were great, but my pick is Bryan Craig. Surprisingly, I was not a fan of the character during the scenes used for his Emmy reel, yet despite that, I felt terrible for Morgan when his estranged father, in a manic phase of bipolar disorder, shattered Morgan's trust by revealing a secret at Morgan's wedding party that destroyed Morgan's marriage. I felt genuine compassion for Morgan despite the fact that ultimately he had lied to his wife. Bryan knocked the scenes out of the ballpark as he confronted his father about the betrayal, so he deserves to take home the Emmy.
Who will win: Bryan Craig (Morgan Corinthos, GH)
OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS
Lindsey Godfrey
Caroline Spencer
First, let me say that I was not happy that Cole and Hope were killed off when GH introduced three characters from OLTL shortly after OLTL went off the air. Worse, within a year, the writers were forced to write off the characters and then re-introduce each of the actors as new characters. It is something that I just prefer to put behind me and forget. However, on a shallow note, watching the reels made me realize that I prefer Kristen Alderson as a blonde. Perhaps it was watching all the heartbreak and drama, but I found that watching Lindsey Godfrey's reel was a refreshing change, and I really enjoyed her performance.
Who will win: Lindsey Godfrey (Caroline Spencer, B&B)
OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
The Young and the Restless
I'm so incredibly disappointed that General Hospital's writing team was not even a nominee because I would have picked Ron Carlivati/General Hospital in a heartbeat. However, that's not an option, so I'm going with The Young and the Restless.
Who will win: The Young and the Restless
OUTSTANDING DIRECTING IN A DRAMA SERIES
One Life to Live
I'm picking One Life to Live to win this category for the same reason that I picked it to win Outstanding Drama Series. It deserves to win, and I want someone who has the power to return this soap to our airwaves, along with All My Children, to get the message that these are quality shows that are still appreciated.
Who will win: One Life to Live
PICKS AT A CLICK (Check an overview of all our panelists' picks)
DAN J KROLL (Soap Central Founder)
recapper) --->
TEDDI GIGGY (Soap Central recapper)
MIKE BRADFORD (Soap Central recapper)
JENNY SMITH (Soap Central recapper)
LISA SVENSON (Soap Central editor/Non-soap viewer)
