soapcentral.com panelists predict the Emmy winners

by Dan J Kroll

OUTSTANDING DRAMA SERIES
All My Children. This is an extremely tough category because As the World Turns has also been great. But, I think the Academy will go with All My Children because of their sensitive, intelligent Bianca "coming out" scenes. The acting, directing, writing and producing involved in these scenes were top-notch. As the World Turns' writing, acting and directing is great, but I think the Academy needs more than two-episodes to be charmed by them.

As for the other nominees, General Hospital has slipped in quality dramatically. And I think the Academy is willing to give awards to other soaps besides The Young and the Restless.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTOR
Tom Eplin and David Canary have been simply marvelous. However, I think that Eplin's best work was earlier this year, unfortunately after the cut-off point. Since I am torn between Canary and Eplin, I'll decide by selecting the men both as winners, but for different years. I think Canary should win this year and Eplin next year. Canary was simply great this past year with the Adam and Stuart "Oak Haven Confrontation" scenes. I think Eplin is a truly great actor, but his best scenes were indeed this year and should win next year, as I stated before. I'm going to make David Canary my final answer, I think he'll walk away with his fifth Emmy award.

Peter Bergman is a great actor but I don't think he has what it takes this year. Jon Hensley is great but doesn't have what it takes to compete against Eplin and Canary. My jaw dropped to the floor when I learned of John McCook's nomination. My initial reaction was "How is he going to select his reels?" I didn't think he did much to earn his nomination.

OUTSTANDING LEAD ACTRESS
Tough call! Julia Barr had some fantastic scenes this year but should have been in the Supporting Actress category. Marcy Walker was fantastic when Liza admitted the truth on who Colby's real biological father was in court. Susan Flannery was fantastic once again but I don't think the Academy will give it to her two years in a row. I believe the competition is between Susan Lucci and Martha Byrne. Both actresses were totally magnificent. But I'm going to say Susan Lucci, as the Academy loves to give away awards to performers involved in gutsy, compelling storylines.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Michael Park and Hunt Block were great this year, but I don't think they have the material to push an Emmy win. Josh Duhamel as AMC's Leo is entertaining and fascinating, but I think the Academy is looking for high-drama scenes. The competition, in my opinion, is between Michael E Knight and Benjamin Hendrickson. Knight had some great scenes throughout the year including "Stuart's Death." Hendrickson gave the performance of his career this past year, I thought. My final prediction is Hendrickson, truly deserving.

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Rebecca Budig is a great performer, but like her co-star Josh Duhamel, she needs high drama scenes to help her out. Maura West and Lesli Kay are talented actresses but their work, to me, wasn't the best compared to the other nominees. The two I think are the most likely to walk away with the award are Cady McClain and Colleen Zenk Pinter. McClain was great as AMC's Dixie but I think Pinter will walk away with a golden statuette. But don't look too surprised if McClain makes an upset.

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTOR
Jesse McCartney is a phenomenal little actor but his best work was this year. Justin Torkildsen's nomination confuses me, as well as Paul Taylor's. Josh Ryan Evans is a cute and nice actor, and his character is very original and comical. But the Academy is looking to give the award away to someone with high-drama. The storyline and the character itself will also turn off them, I mean, a talking doll living with a witch? David Lago is a marvelous actor but I think his co-star, David Tom, will sneak by another win. He had some great material and was a core-part of the show last year

OUTSTANDING YOUNGER ACTRESS
If anyone but Eden Riegel takes home this award I'm going to be EXTREMELY upset. Eden gave the performance of the year, struggling with the death of her father and most importantly, her own identity. Yes, her character Bianca is gay and she had to struggle with many issues during this storyline, including finally saying that she's gay "out-loud," and most importantly, telling her mother, man-Loving, selfish Erica Kane, that's she a lesbian. The scenes in which Bianca got her heart broken by her lover Sarah and then she told her mother the truth, were tear jerking and wonderfully acted. If the Academy doesn't recognize Ms. Riegel's enormous talent, something is seriously wrong.

OUTSTANDING WRITING IN A DRAMA SERIES
All My Children. The writing during the Bianca storyline was fantastic. You could tell that it was carefully written to make it shine in magnificence. But the show had some other great points too, which should not be forgotten. Passions is a unique soap but I don't think it deserves the award, the storylines are terribly slow and boring at times and the episodes basically repeat themselves. The Young and the Restless is always entertaining and they always ooze with consistency but I think it can't compete with AMC or ATWT. As the World Turns has improved wonderfully, but as the case in the Outstanding Drama Series category, the Academy needs more than two episodes to be charmed by them. That's why I say All My Children will take home the Gold. It also doesn't hurt that the writers took home the Writer's Guild of America award either earlier this year. And don't get upset ATWT fans, I think their directors will walk away with the award for Outstanding Drama Series Directing Team!