Tuesday, April 4, 2017
MISS USA 2017 - Separating The Contenders From The Pretenders
After IMG's first Miss USA Pageant last June, the change in the direction the competition was taking was clearly evident.
With the crowning of Deshauna Barber the tone was set that the pageant was looking for someone with good communication skills and a story to back it up.
Barber has confirmed in recent media interviews that this year's pageant will be no different and that interview is the most important phase of competition.
Therefore, it makes it more difficult to clearly assess who the frontrunners might be for the 2017 Miss USA crown, to be given out May 14th on Fox.
I'm going to try anyway.
After all, the same criteria was given for the recent Miss Universe Pageant and we still ended up with a stunningly beautiful Miss France as the winner, so there is no reason our next Miss USA can't have the attributes the organization is looking for and still be gorgeous.
So, here goes with my pre-arrival picks, which certainly will change after the preliminary presentation show, after which I'll put up a separate blog with more likely and more accurate and detailed predictions and observations.
THE FRONTRUNNERS -
UTAH has NEVER left my top three and I continue to rank her as my favorite to win the crown. Not only is she gorgeous, but she has a story, a pretty good one, too. Her mother, Gretchen Polhemus, was MIss USA 1989, and one of the most popular winners in the pageant's history. That would certainly attract a lot of media attention, wouldn't it? My only suggestion for Bayley would be to trim her overly long locks.
If this were old school Miss USA, TENNESSEE would be my choice. I still have her in my top three and should be a certain Miss Photogenic winner. She just doesn't take a bad picture and has a huge personality. In a sea of many blondes this season, she clearly stands out.
Completing my Top Three is MASSACHUSETTS, and not just because she is a cheerleader for my favorite football team, the New England Patriots, either. She is tall, stunning, yet not at all pageanty at all. Have heard her speak numerous times and she can do the job. As far as stories go, not sure either MASS or TN have one, but hopefully they do to maintain their status as frontrunners.
Finally, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, could score a repeat with this year's winner, who was first runner up to Deshauna in DC last year. Facially beautiful and well spoken, my only concern is that she sometimes appears too confident and it could be misconstrued as arrogance. We will see.
THE SECOND TIER -
The following states are consistently looking and sounding good and could move up to frontrunner status if my top four falter.
NEVADA - Another gorgeous blonde, whose director is Shanna Moakler, Miss USA 1995, and Shanna knows what she's doing. She softened her blonde coloring and has consistently had Lauren in the public eye since her crowning. She may, however, still be a little too sexy for the new image the pageant is reportedly going for, though.
ARKANSAS - Another blonde, but one who seems a little more Girl Next Door than Nevada. She has consistently improved her look since winning her state title.
CALIFORNIA - The winner in an extremely competitive key state, she has been fairly lowkey in pre-pageant media posts, however, she dominated her state pageant and I expect her to turn it on once she arrives at the actual national pageant.
PENNSYLVANIA - With stunning red hair, she will definitely stand out, however, her girl next door look is what brings me in even more. I would not be surprised if she made top three or actually won the whole thing.
OTHER STRONG POSSIBILITIES -
SOUTH CAROLINA is one I keep going back and forth on. ILLINOIS, too, but I think SC has lived up to her hype more than the latter. Would like to see a little more energy from SC and a little more glamour from ILL
MINNESOTA - A former Miss South Dakota at Miss America, she is tall and beautiful and has good communication skills, however, I haven't seen a lot from her since her crowning in a very competitive state pageant. Undecided.
MY SLEEPERS -
There is not a lot of hype on SOUTH DAKOTA, but she could actually be exactly what they are looking for. A former contestant at Miss America, Tessa has a gorgeous face and tremendous interview and personality. Her downfall if she had been competing three years ago would be her height. I don't think that will be a problem with the new direction the organization is clearly headed toward. She's definitely my sleeper pick. Love her!
COLORADO is one who will either soar or go unplaced. I personally like her look and communication skills, but don't know a lot about her. Just call it a hunch, but there is something about her that makes me think she could contend.
MAINE - My main criticism of her is that she hasn't always looked fresh and at 26, she is one of the older contestants. However, in recent candids, she has shed some of that pageant tread and has made me look at her again.
VIRGINIA - Another red head, I liked her when she won her state pageant, but she has been kind of under whelming since then. Needs to bring her A game, especially since PENNSYLVANIA is constantly bringing hers and because a reported top 12, rather than a traditional top 15, means only the strong will survive.
OTHER THOUGHTS -
TEXAS might get up there on sash factor alone, but I think she is in trouble, as she has a sort of harsher look and does not look fresh. She is going to need to refer to MAINE of all states, for lessons on how to fix that before the pageant begins.
NEW YORK went from blonde to red hair and it didn't do her any favors. Two red heads are red, three might be overkill. While there are a ton of blondes this year, which may have prompted her hair-color change, I just think it was a mistake and that she actually stood out more as a blonde rather than a ginger.
ALABAMA - I originally thought the state's placement record was over when she was crowned, however, she has stepped up to the plate and used her negative - being still in her teens - and turned it into a positive by getting a chic haircut and dominating the social media airwaves with a strong voice. Still think she's iffy, but would put her in before I put either TEXAS or NY in the top 12.
NEW JERSEY - Like her ethnic look, but is a little underwhelming when in action. That could easily be fixed before prelims begin.
STILL LOOKING AT -
ARIZONA, IOWA, MICHIGAN, NEBRASKA, NEW MEXICO ( tho she's dropping fast) and RHODE ISLAND.
Of course, this list isn't exhaustive or definitely not perfect by any means, it's just a pageant fan's opinion on an ever-changing competition that IMG will likely even tweak some more before the prelims begin. Also, as any pageant fan will confirm, once the girls arrive and the real pageant starts, favorites almost always fall and underdogs almost always emerge. This blog is simply my annual pre-arrival opinion.
So until next month, these are my thoughts on what should actually prove to be a quite competitive national pageant.
For more information on the candidates for Miss USA 2017, download the Miss Universe app.
Sunday, February 26, 2017
Under Review - BREAKING - Bolts Lose Their King to L.A.
By Allan Brown
Follow Allan On Twitter
There are only five words to describe tonight's trade by the Tampa Bay Lightning of goaltender Ben Bishop.
It just doesn't make sense.
The Lightning announced early this evening that Bishop was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for netminder Peter Budaj and OHL defenseman Erik Cernak, a 2017 seventh-round pick, and a 2017 conditional pick from the LA, which in exchange received the veteran goalie and a 2017 fifth-round pick.
The Lightning certainly need defense, but today, not in the future. A reported deal between St. Louis and the Lightning that would have brought the Blues D-man Kevin Shattenkirk to Tampa in exchange for Bishop allegedly fell through earlier in the week.
One has to summize that Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman could not find a better deal - or defenseman - in exchange for Bishop and social media reports earlier in the evening that had the King's Drew Doughty coming to Tampa ultimately proved to be untrue.
Now, that is a deal that actually would have made some sense.
What tonight's deal tells us is that Yzerman has all but given up on this season, which has proven disastrous for a Lightning team that many had picked to win it all last September.
In order to do so now is definitely an uphill battle for the team that has struggled all season on defense, has often played only as good as the team as they are up against offensively and that foolishly vacillated between the proven commodity, Bishop, in net against the promising, yet still maturing Andrei Vasilevskiy, for the entire season.
Clearly, Yzerman opted to put the future of the team in Vasilevskiy's hands.
Good luck with that.
While Vasy has had his moments, at age 22, he's a good five years away from being in his prime.
And, remember, this my friends, Vasy isn't a good starter, remember the 8 games he played when Bishop was hurt and went 1-7 as a starter??
The team has never really rallied around Vasilevskiy the way they did Bishop.
They're going to have to now.
Unless, Yzerman alternates Vasy with Budaj, who actually had decent numbers in 51 games with the Kings this season when he replaced an injured Jonathan Quick.
In those games, Budaj posted a .917 save percentage and 2.12 goals against average, which were actually slightly better than Bishop's numbers in his 31 Lightning starts.
However, if Yzerman plans on alternating his new goalie with Vasilevskiy, that would ultimately defeat the purpose of the trade in the first place, wouldn't it?
It certainly wouldn't make any more sense than the Kings wanting Bishop unless they intend to trade him elsewhere in as the team, only one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, shores its squad and lines up for a postseason push.
Or, perhaps, Quick, who just returned to the team this week after being out all this season recovering from a lower body injury, isn't as fully recovered as he insists that he is and acquiring Bishop was provides the team with a safety net.
Ultimately, though, tonight's decision likely means no playoff push for the Bolts, but only time will tell if that's an accurate assessment or not.
What is fact, though, is this: Bishop, whose 5-0 and .953 save percentage was the best in the league this month.
Basically, Bishop, who was in the last year of his three-year deal with the Bolts, was going to be gone after this season anyway, so Yzerman did everything in his power to get the most out of this trade that he could.
And, maybe, time will prove the GM right, as it almost always has in the past.
However, it's doubtful that tonight's move reaps immediate dividends for the team.
Who knows for sure.
This much, though, is certain, Bishop will be missed by the Lightning faithful.
Good luck, Bish in LA - or wherever you ultimately land - Hope you get to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. Thank you for your service in Tampa.
Hmm. Two Vezina nominations, a Cup Final and the best numbers in franchise history.
He deserved better than this.
Maybe Yzerman did Bishop a favor tonight.
To many, Bish is already a King, so maybe it's appropriate that he now gets to sport a crown on his chest when he puts on the Los Angeles sweater for the first time later this week.
Unless, he's traded elsewhere, that is.
Follow Allan On Twitter
There are only five words to describe tonight's trade by the Tampa Bay Lightning of goaltender Ben Bishop.
It just doesn't make sense.
The Lightning announced early this evening that Bishop was traded to the Los Angeles Kings in exchange for netminder Peter Budaj and OHL defenseman Erik Cernak, a 2017 seventh-round pick, and a 2017 conditional pick from the LA, which in exchange received the veteran goalie and a 2017 fifth-round pick.
The Lightning certainly need defense, but today, not in the future. A reported deal between St. Louis and the Lightning that would have brought the Blues D-man Kevin Shattenkirk to Tampa in exchange for Bishop allegedly fell through earlier in the week.
One has to summize that Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman could not find a better deal - or defenseman - in exchange for Bishop and social media reports earlier in the evening that had the King's Drew Doughty coming to Tampa ultimately proved to be untrue.
Now, that is a deal that actually would have made some sense.
What tonight's deal tells us is that Yzerman has all but given up on this season, which has proven disastrous for a Lightning team that many had picked to win it all last September.
In order to do so now is definitely an uphill battle for the team that has struggled all season on defense, has often played only as good as the team as they are up against offensively and that foolishly vacillated between the proven commodity, Bishop, in net against the promising, yet still maturing Andrei Vasilevskiy, for the entire season.
Clearly, Yzerman opted to put the future of the team in Vasilevskiy's hands.
Good luck with that.
While Vasy has had his moments, at age 22, he's a good five years away from being in his prime.
And, remember, this my friends, Vasy isn't a good starter, remember the 8 games he played when Bishop was hurt and went 1-7 as a starter??
The team has never really rallied around Vasilevskiy the way they did Bishop.
They're going to have to now.
Unless, Yzerman alternates Vasy with Budaj, who actually had decent numbers in 51 games with the Kings this season when he replaced an injured Jonathan Quick.
In those games, Budaj posted a .917 save percentage and 2.12 goals against average, which were actually slightly better than Bishop's numbers in his 31 Lightning starts.
However, if Yzerman plans on alternating his new goalie with Vasilevskiy, that would ultimately defeat the purpose of the trade in the first place, wouldn't it?
It certainly wouldn't make any more sense than the Kings wanting Bishop unless they intend to trade him elsewhere in as the team, only one point out of a playoff spot in the Western Conference, shores its squad and lines up for a postseason push.
Or, perhaps, Quick, who just returned to the team this week after being out all this season recovering from a lower body injury, isn't as fully recovered as he insists that he is and acquiring Bishop was provides the team with a safety net.
Ultimately, though, tonight's decision likely means no playoff push for the Bolts, but only time will tell if that's an accurate assessment or not.
What is fact, though, is this: Bishop, whose 5-0 and .953 save percentage was the best in the league this month.
Basically, Bishop, who was in the last year of his three-year deal with the Bolts, was going to be gone after this season anyway, so Yzerman did everything in his power to get the most out of this trade that he could.
And, maybe, time will prove the GM right, as it almost always has in the past.
However, it's doubtful that tonight's move reaps immediate dividends for the team.
Who knows for sure.
This much, though, is certain, Bishop will be missed by the Lightning faithful.
Good luck, Bish in LA - or wherever you ultimately land - Hope you get to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. Thank you for your service in Tampa.
Hmm. Two Vezina nominations, a Cup Final and the best numbers in franchise history.
He deserved better than this.
Maybe Yzerman did Bishop a favor tonight.
To many, Bish is already a King, so maybe it's appropriate that he now gets to sport a crown on his chest when he puts on the Los Angeles sweater for the first time later this week.
Unless, he's traded elsewhere, that is.
Sunday, January 29, 2017
In The End, Miss Universe And The Judges Got It Right
After worrying in my preliminary competition blog about what kind of pageant the 65th Miss Universe Pageant would actually be, about the only thing I didn't like was the opening.
It was all uphill from there.
Don't get me wrong, I love Flo-Rida and loved the opening music, I just didn't care for having the 86 contestants parading on stage with an announcer you could barely hear announcing their home countries. These women worked hard to get there and they should have had their moment and should have been able to introduce themselves and the country they represent.
With all of the talk about setting beauty aside, the top 13 was actually beautiful and since I had mentioned at least 11 of them in my preliminary blog, I was pretty darned happy.
I liked how Steve Harvey spoke with each of the top 13, reminiscent of what Bob Barker used to do in the good old days, and even though it wasn't officially judged, some cracks in the armor of the favorites were shown.
I'm convinced Miss Brazil was doomed from the start with her answer and ultimately she did not advance after the swimsuit round, almost assuredly because of her horrendous response in the Q&A round.
Conversely, Miss Canada probably did advance because of a superior answer and to show that beauty queens come in all sizes. Her hideous evening gown, though, likely affected her into making the cut to the final six.
Miss Philippines coasted into the top six in spite of a mediocre swimsuit and gown due to being the home country representative. A mediocre answer to her first question was definitely a sign of things to come, though. Whereas, the People's Choice, Miss Thailand, only solidified a top six placement with a great swimsuit, decent gown and tremendous answer in both rounds of the competition.
Miss USA was on the bubble to me following an underwhelming preliminary performance, but it was evident from the clip package showing portions of her preliminary interview and her on-stage answer that she was, indeed, a force to be reckoned with. A gown choice that I wouldn't select for a girl competing in anything but a local pageant, sealed her fate and she did not advance to the final six.
If only she had, I would have loved to have heard her answer to Miss Kenya's question, which was a totally inappropriate question for her to have to answer in the first place. This wasn't the Miss USA Pageant, it was Miss Universe, and I would have still given her high points for at least attempting an answer to it.
In swimsuit, I thought France was the clear winner and it wasn't even close, though I would have ranked Colombia and Brazil or Panama - neither of whom advanced to the top nine - second or third. Again, Brazil was already doomed,though, and wasn't going to come anywhere close to winning the crown.
Miss France, on the other hand, only solidified her status following evening gown, where she looked regal, confident and beautiful - the epitome of what a Miss Universe should be.
Would she grab the crown, though, in a year where MUO executives stressed substance over style and Miss France didn't have the story that Miss Kenya, Miss Haiti, Miss Thailand, Miss USA or Miss Colombia had?
The answer, of course, was yes, and then some as decent - but long-winded answers - were enough to give her country only its second crown in Miss Universe history and the first since the second year of the pageant in 1953.
In addition to Miss France, Miss Mexico and Miss Haiti were my favorites in gown, the first two showing that you don't have to compete in stripper shoes and, in fact, you look more elegant if you do not wear those.
France and Haiti were joined in the top six by Miss Colombia, who I thought actually gave the best answer to her question, but did not connect with a Filipino audience who was clearly rooting for Philippines, who gave the worst answer in top 6, and Miss Thailand, who I thought gave the second best answer.
France and Haiti, tho, both were solid and were clearly judges' favorites in other rounds and made it to the top three, where both belonged, along with Miss Colombia, especially if you select the final three on the basis of all areas of competition.
To me, Miss Colombia gave the best answer to the final question, but none really nailed it. Miss Haiti gave a sentimental answer, but it really didn't address the question, and Miss France, again, was a little long-winded, but considering the interpreter didn't give her answer it's proper due - thank you, Victoria Humphrey for pointing that out to me - her answer certainly was appropriate.
In the end, the judges went with beauty over a story and all is well in the Universe tonight, as Miss France is easily the most gorgeous creature to capture the crown since Puerto Rico's Zuleyka Rivera did a decade ago.
And, in the end, the judges got it right and the producers were right on the mark in having two final rounds of questions, which I had feared they would not, fairly compact video packages that allowed us to get to know the top 13 and a slick production that featured the beautiful host country of the Philippines without shoving it down our throats like some prior MUO Pageants did.
Other than the opening, the only other thing I would have changed was to have a cavalcade of swimsuits in the beginning where we saw each contestant in their swimsuit - for ratings sake - and then by doing it allowing only the top 9 to compete in swimsuit and flip-flop it to where the top 13 competed in evening gown, which is my favorite part of the competition and probably is the favorite among real pageant fans, too.
Steve Harvey was both funny and personable as host and should remain.
And, most importantly, he got the winner right this time.
And, so did the judges.
Overall grade: WINNER A+/ PAGEANT - B+ or maybe even an A-
A definite slow start to the proceedings, yes, but overall the rest of the pageant moved along briskly and kept my attention due, in part, to a great top 13 being narrowed down to the right final three.
Good job, MUO and IMG. Keep it up!
It was all uphill from there.
Don't get me wrong, I love Flo-Rida and loved the opening music, I just didn't care for having the 86 contestants parading on stage with an announcer you could barely hear announcing their home countries. These women worked hard to get there and they should have had their moment and should have been able to introduce themselves and the country they represent.
With all of the talk about setting beauty aside, the top 13 was actually beautiful and since I had mentioned at least 11 of them in my preliminary blog, I was pretty darned happy.
I liked how Steve Harvey spoke with each of the top 13, reminiscent of what Bob Barker used to do in the good old days, and even though it wasn't officially judged, some cracks in the armor of the favorites were shown.
I'm convinced Miss Brazil was doomed from the start with her answer and ultimately she did not advance after the swimsuit round, almost assuredly because of her horrendous response in the Q&A round.
Conversely, Miss Canada probably did advance because of a superior answer and to show that beauty queens come in all sizes. Her hideous evening gown, though, likely affected her into making the cut to the final six.
Miss Philippines coasted into the top six in spite of a mediocre swimsuit and gown due to being the home country representative. A mediocre answer to her first question was definitely a sign of things to come, though. Whereas, the People's Choice, Miss Thailand, only solidified a top six placement with a great swimsuit, decent gown and tremendous answer in both rounds of the competition.
Miss USA was on the bubble to me following an underwhelming preliminary performance, but it was evident from the clip package showing portions of her preliminary interview and her on-stage answer that she was, indeed, a force to be reckoned with. A gown choice that I wouldn't select for a girl competing in anything but a local pageant, sealed her fate and she did not advance to the final six.
If only she had, I would have loved to have heard her answer to Miss Kenya's question, which was a totally inappropriate question for her to have to answer in the first place. This wasn't the Miss USA Pageant, it was Miss Universe, and I would have still given her high points for at least attempting an answer to it.
In swimsuit, I thought France was the clear winner and it wasn't even close, though I would have ranked Colombia and Brazil or Panama - neither of whom advanced to the top nine - second or third. Again, Brazil was already doomed,though, and wasn't going to come anywhere close to winning the crown.
Miss France, on the other hand, only solidified her status following evening gown, where she looked regal, confident and beautiful - the epitome of what a Miss Universe should be.
Would she grab the crown, though, in a year where MUO executives stressed substance over style and Miss France didn't have the story that Miss Kenya, Miss Haiti, Miss Thailand, Miss USA or Miss Colombia had?
The answer, of course, was yes, and then some as decent - but long-winded answers - were enough to give her country only its second crown in Miss Universe history and the first since the second year of the pageant in 1953.
In addition to Miss France, Miss Mexico and Miss Haiti were my favorites in gown, the first two showing that you don't have to compete in stripper shoes and, in fact, you look more elegant if you do not wear those.
France and Haiti were joined in the top six by Miss Colombia, who I thought actually gave the best answer to her question, but did not connect with a Filipino audience who was clearly rooting for Philippines, who gave the worst answer in top 6, and Miss Thailand, who I thought gave the second best answer.
France and Haiti, tho, both were solid and were clearly judges' favorites in other rounds and made it to the top three, where both belonged, along with Miss Colombia, especially if you select the final three on the basis of all areas of competition.
To me, Miss Colombia gave the best answer to the final question, but none really nailed it. Miss Haiti gave a sentimental answer, but it really didn't address the question, and Miss France, again, was a little long-winded, but considering the interpreter didn't give her answer it's proper due - thank you, Victoria Humphrey for pointing that out to me - her answer certainly was appropriate.
In the end, the judges went with beauty over a story and all is well in the Universe tonight, as Miss France is easily the most gorgeous creature to capture the crown since Puerto Rico's Zuleyka Rivera did a decade ago.
And, in the end, the judges got it right and the producers were right on the mark in having two final rounds of questions, which I had feared they would not, fairly compact video packages that allowed us to get to know the top 13 and a slick production that featured the beautiful host country of the Philippines without shoving it down our throats like some prior MUO Pageants did.
Other than the opening, the only other thing I would have changed was to have a cavalcade of swimsuits in the beginning where we saw each contestant in their swimsuit - for ratings sake - and then by doing it allowing only the top 9 to compete in swimsuit and flip-flop it to where the top 13 competed in evening gown, which is my favorite part of the competition and probably is the favorite among real pageant fans, too.
Steve Harvey was both funny and personable as host and should remain.
And, most importantly, he got the winner right this time.
And, so did the judges.
Overall grade: WINNER A+/ PAGEANT - B+ or maybe even an A-
A definite slow start to the proceedings, yes, but overall the rest of the pageant moved along briskly and kept my attention due, in part, to a great top 13 being narrowed down to the right final three.
Good job, MUO and IMG. Keep it up!
Thursday, January 26, 2017
Who Brought Their A Game To Miss Universe
Through the magic of YouTube and the Miss Universe app on my phone, I did not have to get up at the ungodly hour of 6 a.m. to watch today's Miss Universe preliminaries from the Philippines.
As has been the custom for the past several years, both Miss USA and Universe prelims are webcast, which gives pageant junkies - like me - a chance to handicap the competition before the live finals are telecast.
This year is no exception.
Before I get into the actual competition, here are my thoughts on a few things that the new owners of MUO, IMG, have implemented. Some are good and some are bad.
First the bad, the owners have clearly indicated that they are going in a different direction with the winner this year. What that means, though, is anyone's guess.
We do know that contestant videos will be showcased during Sunday night's three-hour event and the organization is emphasizing the 'stories' of the delegate, Whether that means we are going to end up with a Miss Universe who has a sob story that wins her the crown or one who is beautiful is yet to be seen.
I have no problem with having a Miss USA or Miss Universe who is intelligent and articulate, but not at the expense of beauty. Say what you will, but this is still a beauty pageant - and the ultimate one at that,
Maybe I'm old school, but Miss Universe needs to be beautiful and should be the composite of beauty, elegance AND intelligence. I still say the old system that crowned such stunners as Kerry Ann Wells, Anne Marie Potomo, Maritza Sayalero, Shawn Weatherly and Cecilia Bolocco worked best. Have all semi finalists, especially since they have dropped that number to only 12, compete in swimsuit, evening gown and on-stage interviews, where the judges can determine if they have the personality needed for the job.
Then have the top five answer the same question and final rankings based on the composite thought of how each one would be able to do the job as Miss Universe as the final determining factor into choosing the winner.
Pre-packaged videos tell us nothing about a young woman. They are exactly that, pre-packaged, edited soundbites. On-stage interviews would tell us much more about each contestant and that round of the competition needs to be reinstated in place of the videos.
That's just my opinion.
While I am skeptical about what kind of winner we will get Sunday, I will commend MUO for having a mixture of the preliminary judges juxtaposed with final night judges and both groups have just the right amount of former winners on the panel. They, unlike celebrity B list judges, have a better understanding of the job because they did the job.
That's definitely a step in the right direction for MUO.
Now onto the actual preliminary competition.
Since personality and the ability to speak aren't really seen by us in prelims, I have to base that solely on how each delegate introduced themself. That plus my first impression of them gave me my first list of ones I liked and will be one-third of my prelim impression.
First off, Miss Brazil, who has been standing out to me all week, definitely did not disappoint me in the parade of nations. She is stunningly gorgeous and has personality. A surprise to me just off the top is Miss Haiti, who was gorgeous and outgoing. My third star went to Miss Panama, who I've been going back and forth on since the contestants arrived in the Philippines last week. I think she brought her A game with her when it counted. Of course, let's see what she does in evening gown and swimsuit, first, tho,
Others I was impressed with were Belgium, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Mexico (who I did not like in pre-pageant photos), Netherlands, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Beauty wise, i wouldn't put either Miss Canada or Venezuela on my list, but they both impressed me personality wise in the opening and that may count for a lot from the judges seeking to crown a new type of Miss Universe.
Also a few of the young women I've consistently had on my top 12 list like Colombia, France, Sierra Leone and Aruba are still in consideration early on in the show.
A few like Miss Barbados and USA disappointed me in the brief opening, but may rebound in the actual competition,
Now, onto swimsuit....
To me, Miss Chile really started standing out to me and had one of the best bodies and walks in the competition, as did Miss Venezuela, who really worked it, but, still, to me is not facially beautiful, which should be a criteria in judging, but may not be. There's no denying her personality or body, though.
Also top swimsuit scores for me went to Miss Belgium, Panama, France, Thailand and Brazil (whose regal walk makes her look like a Miss Universe to me.) Others I really liked are Miss Haiti, Miss Colombia. Miss USA has a great body (one of the best, but did not work it whatsoever, especially in comparison to some like Miss Philippines, Venezuela, France and Colombia. USA has a story, though, so that killer body, coupled with her story, may be enough to catapult her into the 12.
Next, evening gown...
The most subjective of any pageant category, this is where the judges can really just throw points to their favorites. And my fashion style, your style of fashion and someone else's style may all be different and that's OK, actually good and often is the determining factor into who gains more points and who loses them.
With that said, here are my favorites in gown, keeping in mind that even if I didn't love the gown, the runway walk and personality shown can gain a contestant vital points. And, note, contestants can change their gowns from prelims to final night anyway.
Overall, I was EXTREMELY disappointed in this competition, way too many pale colors and gowns that were all over the place design wise. The gown I liked the best was Panama, tho it got totally deducted in points from me because of the bright red lipstick she wore with the gorgeous gold gown.
I loved Iceland's gown and also Denmark, tho the latter was too pale to wear ice blue. Venezuela was a hot mess in her contraption and Miss USA had a good gown but didn't fit correctly on top and was nothing we haven't seen before, Red is a great color on her, tho,
Brazil still looked regal, but I was expecting more from a front-runner, the same for Colombia. Neither gown overwhelmed me, but Brazil is doing it for me personality wise and with stage presence.
I'd rank Aruba second in evening gown and also loved Spain and Mexico in gowns. Other gowns I really liked were France (tho not sure on the color), Sierra Leone (tho it did nothing for her hips), Curacao (a darkhorse), and Poland. Philippines will be in there, she works everything and I loved the green color of the gown, but not the construction of it. She's one who is definitely saving her best gown for last, which I don't get why they do that, especially in a competitive year where they only cut to 12 instead of 15,16 or 20 like they have done in the recent past.
In the end, I have no clue as to what - or who - they are looking for, but here's my top 12.
1. Brazil (looks like a Miss Universe to me, which will probably hurt her,)
2. Haiti (think she's a legitimate contender and she was in my top three in opening, good swimsuit, great gown AND has a story.)
3. Spain
4. France
5. Thailand
The rest are just in alphabetical order
6. Colombia
7. Curacao
8. Mexico
9. Panama
10. Philippines
11. Sierra Leone
12. Venezuela (who could actually be the winner based on best personality, body and stage presence, tho gown HAS GOT TO GO, and between that and facial beauty, I'd rank her lower, than if you take that out, she'd be fifth or sixth in my rankings.)
I think any of the 6-12 have a legitimate shot at making the top five and even winning the crown.
On the Bubble - Girls I hope make it are Aruba, Iceland, Belgium and obviously USA; also like Dominican Republic and Indonesia and think they could all easily slide into the top 12.
Surprises: Nicaragua in a good way and Australia in a bad way. Australia was one of my favorites going into the competition and she really underwhelmed me all during the preliminary presentation.
So, those are my choices, with some compensation for what I think MUO might be looking for.
To me, it's anyone's guess who ends up as the 65th Miss Universe on Sunday night.
And, I have a feeling we may all be in for a surprise. If I had to guess, I'd say Venezuela might be what they're looking for, but I'd go with any of my top 5 as the winner.
As has been the custom for the past several years, both Miss USA and Universe prelims are webcast, which gives pageant junkies - like me - a chance to handicap the competition before the live finals are telecast.
This year is no exception.
Before I get into the actual competition, here are my thoughts on a few things that the new owners of MUO, IMG, have implemented. Some are good and some are bad.
First the bad, the owners have clearly indicated that they are going in a different direction with the winner this year. What that means, though, is anyone's guess.
We do know that contestant videos will be showcased during Sunday night's three-hour event and the organization is emphasizing the 'stories' of the delegate, Whether that means we are going to end up with a Miss Universe who has a sob story that wins her the crown or one who is beautiful is yet to be seen.
I have no problem with having a Miss USA or Miss Universe who is intelligent and articulate, but not at the expense of beauty. Say what you will, but this is still a beauty pageant - and the ultimate one at that,
Maybe I'm old school, but Miss Universe needs to be beautiful and should be the composite of beauty, elegance AND intelligence. I still say the old system that crowned such stunners as Kerry Ann Wells, Anne Marie Potomo, Maritza Sayalero, Shawn Weatherly and Cecilia Bolocco worked best. Have all semi finalists, especially since they have dropped that number to only 12, compete in swimsuit, evening gown and on-stage interviews, where the judges can determine if they have the personality needed for the job.
Then have the top five answer the same question and final rankings based on the composite thought of how each one would be able to do the job as Miss Universe as the final determining factor into choosing the winner.
Pre-packaged videos tell us nothing about a young woman. They are exactly that, pre-packaged, edited soundbites. On-stage interviews would tell us much more about each contestant and that round of the competition needs to be reinstated in place of the videos.
That's just my opinion.
While I am skeptical about what kind of winner we will get Sunday, I will commend MUO for having a mixture of the preliminary judges juxtaposed with final night judges and both groups have just the right amount of former winners on the panel. They, unlike celebrity B list judges, have a better understanding of the job because they did the job.
That's definitely a step in the right direction for MUO.
Now onto the actual preliminary competition.
Since personality and the ability to speak aren't really seen by us in prelims, I have to base that solely on how each delegate introduced themself. That plus my first impression of them gave me my first list of ones I liked and will be one-third of my prelim impression.
First off, Miss Brazil, who has been standing out to me all week, definitely did not disappoint me in the parade of nations. She is stunningly gorgeous and has personality. A surprise to me just off the top is Miss Haiti, who was gorgeous and outgoing. My third star went to Miss Panama, who I've been going back and forth on since the contestants arrived in the Philippines last week. I think she brought her A game with her when it counted. Of course, let's see what she does in evening gown and swimsuit, first, tho,
Others I was impressed with were Belgium, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Mexico (who I did not like in pre-pageant photos), Netherlands, Sierra Leone, South Africa, Thailand, Ukraine and Vietnam.
Beauty wise, i wouldn't put either Miss Canada or Venezuela on my list, but they both impressed me personality wise in the opening and that may count for a lot from the judges seeking to crown a new type of Miss Universe.
Also a few of the young women I've consistently had on my top 12 list like Colombia, France, Sierra Leone and Aruba are still in consideration early on in the show.
A few like Miss Barbados and USA disappointed me in the brief opening, but may rebound in the actual competition,
Now, onto swimsuit....
To me, Miss Chile really started standing out to me and had one of the best bodies and walks in the competition, as did Miss Venezuela, who really worked it, but, still, to me is not facially beautiful, which should be a criteria in judging, but may not be. There's no denying her personality or body, though.
Also top swimsuit scores for me went to Miss Belgium, Panama, France, Thailand and Brazil (whose regal walk makes her look like a Miss Universe to me.) Others I really liked are Miss Haiti, Miss Colombia. Miss USA has a great body (one of the best, but did not work it whatsoever, especially in comparison to some like Miss Philippines, Venezuela, France and Colombia. USA has a story, though, so that killer body, coupled with her story, may be enough to catapult her into the 12.
Next, evening gown...
The most subjective of any pageant category, this is where the judges can really just throw points to their favorites. And my fashion style, your style of fashion and someone else's style may all be different and that's OK, actually good and often is the determining factor into who gains more points and who loses them.
With that said, here are my favorites in gown, keeping in mind that even if I didn't love the gown, the runway walk and personality shown can gain a contestant vital points. And, note, contestants can change their gowns from prelims to final night anyway.
Overall, I was EXTREMELY disappointed in this competition, way too many pale colors and gowns that were all over the place design wise. The gown I liked the best was Panama, tho it got totally deducted in points from me because of the bright red lipstick she wore with the gorgeous gold gown.
I loved Iceland's gown and also Denmark, tho the latter was too pale to wear ice blue. Venezuela was a hot mess in her contraption and Miss USA had a good gown but didn't fit correctly on top and was nothing we haven't seen before, Red is a great color on her, tho,
Brazil still looked regal, but I was expecting more from a front-runner, the same for Colombia. Neither gown overwhelmed me, but Brazil is doing it for me personality wise and with stage presence.
I'd rank Aruba second in evening gown and also loved Spain and Mexico in gowns. Other gowns I really liked were France (tho not sure on the color), Sierra Leone (tho it did nothing for her hips), Curacao (a darkhorse), and Poland. Philippines will be in there, she works everything and I loved the green color of the gown, but not the construction of it. She's one who is definitely saving her best gown for last, which I don't get why they do that, especially in a competitive year where they only cut to 12 instead of 15,16 or 20 like they have done in the recent past.
In the end, I have no clue as to what - or who - they are looking for, but here's my top 12.
1. Brazil (looks like a Miss Universe to me, which will probably hurt her,)
2. Haiti (think she's a legitimate contender and she was in my top three in opening, good swimsuit, great gown AND has a story.)
3. Spain
4. France
5. Thailand
The rest are just in alphabetical order
6. Colombia
7. Curacao
8. Mexico
9. Panama
10. Philippines
11. Sierra Leone
12. Venezuela (who could actually be the winner based on best personality, body and stage presence, tho gown HAS GOT TO GO, and between that and facial beauty, I'd rank her lower, than if you take that out, she'd be fifth or sixth in my rankings.)
I think any of the 6-12 have a legitimate shot at making the top five and even winning the crown.
On the Bubble - Girls I hope make it are Aruba, Iceland, Belgium and obviously USA; also like Dominican Republic and Indonesia and think they could all easily slide into the top 12.
Surprises: Nicaragua in a good way and Australia in a bad way. Australia was one of my favorites going into the competition and she really underwhelmed me all during the preliminary presentation.
So, those are my choices, with some compensation for what I think MUO might be looking for.
To me, it's anyone's guess who ends up as the 65th Miss Universe on Sunday night.
And, I have a feeling we may all be in for a surprise. If I had to guess, I'd say Venezuela might be what they're looking for, but I'd go with any of my top 5 as the winner.
Saturday, December 31, 2016
Will Latin America Regain Its Stranglehold On Miss Universe?
Miss Universe 2016 is now less than a month away.
Yeah, you read that right, I said Miss Universe 2016, who will likely just be called the 65th Miss Universe.
Like in 2014 when negotiations fell through to hold the pageant in the actual calendar year of the titleholder, 2016's contest ended up continuing to be postponed until the Philippines (home of the reigning Miss Universe) could be secured. So likely, 2017 will end up like 2015 and there will be two Miss Universe pageants within a 12-month period.
Regardless of the calendar year it is being held in, the Miss Universe Pageant always attracts hundreds of millions of viewers, especially in Latin American countries and the Philippines, where titleholders are revered and treated like true royalty.
To that end, the top 15 is usually dominated by Latinas and Miss Philippines. In fact 6 of the last 10 Miss Universe winners have come from Latin America countries and 10 of 20 have hailed from that region. Five of the past six Filipino winners have made the top five. Will they continue to dominate?
Despite IMG acquiring the pageant from Donald Trump last year and supposedly going in a different direction regarding winners (reportedly substance over beauty, if last summer's Miss USA Pageant was any indication), look for the top 15 to still have a Latin flair to it.
And since the pageant is being held in pageant-crazy the Philippines, look for their queen to be a major contender.
I actually like this year's Miss Philippines and would place her in my 15 and possibly top 10, but no further.
As usual, here are my pre-arrival picks for contenders. And my picks usually change once the contestants arrive and actually are seen in candids and participate in the preliminary competitions. But, for now, here are the ladies who I think will be major forces to be reckoned with and likely one of these will be your new Miss Universe.
THE CONTENDERS:
If I had to choose just a few who I feel fairly confident will make it to the 10, both Miss Colombia - my current favorite - and Miss Brazil - a close second - would be at the top of the list.
Both are statuesque and beautiful and have that Miss Universe look to them in head shots. Of course, who knows what IMG and the MUO will tell the judges to look for in a winner, but I think both have that 'IT' factor that makes both of them immediately stand out to me. I'd have them 1-2 heading into arrival day in the Philippines.
The same could be said for Miss Curacao, who I think could be the eventual victor and has been solidly in my top five since her crowning. Coming from a non-pageant nation may actually be a plus for her this year, especially if the new owners want to send a message that all nations have an equal chance of winning the international title.
Many are putting Indonesia and Russia solidly in their five, I have them both in my 15, but not the 10 or five.
Right now, I'd round out my contenders with the Misses Australia and Hungary, both are glamorous, but if you look closely, there's a lot going on in their eyes that make them stand out.
Miss Philippines may make it to the top 5, but if she does, surely there will be cries of pageant politics. Come to think of it, there will probably be those same cries if she doesn't make it, too.
STRONG POSSIBILITIES
Others who I'm giving more than a passing glance to right now are: Barbados, the first delegate they've sent in a decade, and who, in my opinion could take it all; Mexico, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, whose short hair will definitely make her stand out; USA, who has grown on me since winning the national crown and definitely has a story courtesy of her serving in the military; and Ukraine.
They would currently round out my top 10.
The rest of those who I think are solid and certainly could be right up there are Belgium, France, Guatemala, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
PRE-ARRIVAL CANDIDATES WITH STRONG POTENTIAL
That would be 14 and I'm almost certain Philippines will be in there and deservedly so, which would then be 15. For pre-arrival consideration though, I'd also have to consider France, the Netherlands, Italy and Thailand.
And while perennial pageant powerhouse Venezuela doesn't do much for me, I'd be foolish not to put her on this list, as well as the aforementioned Indonesia and Russia.
A few dark horses who have caught my eye and who I will be looking at during prelims are Turkey, Argentina and Iceland, who looks just sort of average in her headshot, but in some candids I've seen appears to have a girl next door image that could possibly fit in perfectly with the revised definition of 'Confidently Beautiful,' the official slogan of MUO.
And, of course, as in any pageant, there are sure to be sleepers and surprises and I'll address them in my blog following the preliminary presentation show next month.
For now, though, I'd be surprised if one of the young women mentioned in my pre-arrival blog isn't crowned the 65th Miss Universe when the pageant is televised on Fox on Sunday, January 29.
For photos of the contestants and more coverage, go to www.MissUniverse.com
Yeah, you read that right, I said Miss Universe 2016, who will likely just be called the 65th Miss Universe.
Like in 2014 when negotiations fell through to hold the pageant in the actual calendar year of the titleholder, 2016's contest ended up continuing to be postponed until the Philippines (home of the reigning Miss Universe) could be secured. So likely, 2017 will end up like 2015 and there will be two Miss Universe pageants within a 12-month period.
Regardless of the calendar year it is being held in, the Miss Universe Pageant always attracts hundreds of millions of viewers, especially in Latin American countries and the Philippines, where titleholders are revered and treated like true royalty.
To that end, the top 15 is usually dominated by Latinas and Miss Philippines. In fact 6 of the last 10 Miss Universe winners have come from Latin America countries and 10 of 20 have hailed from that region. Five of the past six Filipino winners have made the top five. Will they continue to dominate?
Despite IMG acquiring the pageant from Donald Trump last year and supposedly going in a different direction regarding winners (reportedly substance over beauty, if last summer's Miss USA Pageant was any indication), look for the top 15 to still have a Latin flair to it.
And since the pageant is being held in pageant-crazy the Philippines, look for their queen to be a major contender.
I actually like this year's Miss Philippines and would place her in my 15 and possibly top 10, but no further.
As usual, here are my pre-arrival picks for contenders. And my picks usually change once the contestants arrive and actually are seen in candids and participate in the preliminary competitions. But, for now, here are the ladies who I think will be major forces to be reckoned with and likely one of these will be your new Miss Universe.
THE CONTENDERS:
If I had to choose just a few who I feel fairly confident will make it to the 10, both Miss Colombia - my current favorite - and Miss Brazil - a close second - would be at the top of the list.
Both are statuesque and beautiful and have that Miss Universe look to them in head shots. Of course, who knows what IMG and the MUO will tell the judges to look for in a winner, but I think both have that 'IT' factor that makes both of them immediately stand out to me. I'd have them 1-2 heading into arrival day in the Philippines.
The same could be said for Miss Curacao, who I think could be the eventual victor and has been solidly in my top five since her crowning. Coming from a non-pageant nation may actually be a plus for her this year, especially if the new owners want to send a message that all nations have an equal chance of winning the international title.
Many are putting Indonesia and Russia solidly in their five, I have them both in my 15, but not the 10 or five.
Right now, I'd round out my contenders with the Misses Australia and Hungary, both are glamorous, but if you look closely, there's a lot going on in their eyes that make them stand out.
Miss Philippines may make it to the top 5, but if she does, surely there will be cries of pageant politics. Come to think of it, there will probably be those same cries if she doesn't make it, too.
STRONG POSSIBILITIES
Others who I'm giving more than a passing glance to right now are: Barbados, the first delegate they've sent in a decade, and who, in my opinion could take it all; Mexico, Ukraine, Sierra Leone, whose short hair will definitely make her stand out; USA, who has grown on me since winning the national crown and definitely has a story courtesy of her serving in the military; and Ukraine.
They would currently round out my top 10.
The rest of those who I think are solid and certainly could be right up there are Belgium, France, Guatemala, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.
PRE-ARRIVAL CANDIDATES WITH STRONG POTENTIAL
That would be 14 and I'm almost certain Philippines will be in there and deservedly so, which would then be 15. For pre-arrival consideration though, I'd also have to consider France, the Netherlands, Italy and Thailand.
And while perennial pageant powerhouse Venezuela doesn't do much for me, I'd be foolish not to put her on this list, as well as the aforementioned Indonesia and Russia.
A few dark horses who have caught my eye and who I will be looking at during prelims are Turkey, Argentina and Iceland, who looks just sort of average in her headshot, but in some candids I've seen appears to have a girl next door image that could possibly fit in perfectly with the revised definition of 'Confidently Beautiful,' the official slogan of MUO.
And, of course, as in any pageant, there are sure to be sleepers and surprises and I'll address them in my blog following the preliminary presentation show next month.
For now, though, I'd be surprised if one of the young women mentioned in my pre-arrival blog isn't crowned the 65th Miss Universe when the pageant is televised on Fox on Sunday, January 29.
For photos of the contestants and more coverage, go to www.MissUniverse.com
Wednesday, December 7, 2016
The Best and Worst Of Soaps In 2016
It was the worst of times, it was the worst of times.
Yeah, you read that right.
In a year that was just downright awful for soap opera fans, I can think of more bad than best categories. However, in hope that the genre can pull a 2011, when the remaining soaps rebounded and turned creative once more, I'll try to balance this year-end review with as much good as bad.
BEST COUPLE - Eric and Quinn (The Bold and the Beautiful.) For better or worse, shows just don't do supercouples any more and the majority of couples they do have generally possess no rooting value.
Eric and Quinn are the exception. And, who would have thunk it. The pairing of John McCook and Rena Sofer may not have even sounded that great on paper, but the writers plodded on and the result is pure magic.
Eric softens Quinn and Sofer portrays her with just the right of emotion that you actually root for this coupling. B&B messed up every other coupling on the show this year, but got this one right. Hoping the addition of Katie as a triangle doesn't send Quinn back to craziness, as her character now, for the first time ever, is worth rooting for.
Runner Up: Brady and Theresa (Days of Our Lives.)
Worst Couple - Wow, pick 'em. Any other B&B coupling, which also goes for worst triangles and Hillary and Devon (Young & Restless) - they have a huge fan following, however, I just don't get it. Mishael Morgan has far more chemistry with Kristoff St. John than Bryton.
Sonny and Carly on General Hospital just don't have the necessary chemistry for a super coupling; Laura Wright is far more combustible with Ingo Rademacher and the new Abby on Days (worst recast by far) doesn't have the talent or look to make Abigail & Chad a supercouple once more.
You don't have to have supercouples to make a soap successful, however, you do need to have couples with chemistry and daytime sorely lacks any of them right now.
Most Potential as A Couple - Paul & Sonny (Days of Our Lives.) - This couple has mega potential, however, the show is treading lightly on them thus far. Homophobic execs? Maybe, though probably not, but, still you have to wonder why this coupling isn't advancing as quickly as it should. Maybe because the Will/Sonny following was so popular, the writers are taking their time with 'Paulson,' though that hasn't stopped them from quickly putting Gabi and Chad together only a few months after Abby 'supposedly' died. Double standard for sure.
Best Storyline - Quinn and Eric (The Bold and the Beautiful.) Actually, that's the ONLY story working on this show right now.
Worst Storyline - Again, so many to choose from. Anything not Quinn and Eric on B&B; the return of the supervillains on Days, which did nothing to drive up the ratings, in fact they actually dropped; anything Franco and also the total destruction of Alexis by turning her into an alcoholic on General Hospital; and just the overall tone on Y&R have made this the worst year in soap operas in at least seven years.
Best Actor - Tough call on this one. Not generally a huge Maurice Benard fan, but he has had a banner year in the fall out after Morgan's death on General Hospital and it resulted in the best work of his career.
Runners Up: Justin Hartley (ex-Adam, The Young and the Restless.)
Eric Martsolf (Brady, Days of Our Lives.)
Daniel Cosgrove (Aiden, Days of Our Lives.)
Best Actress - Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis, General Hospital.) may very well win the Emmy for Best Actress and it wouldn't be undeserved, but I'm going with Suzanne Rogers (Maggie, Days of Our Lives) for my top honor.
Closer to 70 than 60 and in a genre obsessed with youth, Rogers started out the year on fire and never let up. The death of Maggie's son set the tone for her year. Later soap staples such as discovering she had a long-lost daughter and becoming paralyzed tormented her character in a way only those awful soap clichés could, but Rogers never uttered a false note and took it all in stride, giving the type of performance that Emmys are made for.
If she enters the upcoming Emmy race, she will likely go Supporting, however, I encourage her to go Lead, as Maggie was a front and center character and the only glue that held the often fragile Days together for most of the year.
Runners Up: Grahn, Laura Wright (Carly, General Hospital.) Gina Tognoni (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless.)
Other performers who should put themselves in the Emmy race and had standout years : Rena Sofer, John McCook (B&B); Jen Lilley, Judi Evans, Wally Kurth, Melissa Reeves (Days); William DeVry, Jane Elliot (GH) Sharon Case, Melissa Clair Egan, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Eric Braeden, Peter Bergman (Y&R.)
BEST SHOW .....
Honestly, I have to leave this space blank, as none of the four shows currently on the air deserve it.
Days may win an Emmy for their heart transplant story that started off the year or the fallout from Adrienne & Lucas's wedding, but everything in between was God awful. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though, as the past month, Days has been more entertaining than it has been in 2-1/2 years. The question is can it continue to be that interesting? If the past is any indicator, than probably not.
Y&R just regained some of the writing staff that helped the show first consistently become #1 in the ratings in 1988. However, one well-written, yet sort of boring first episode from the returning scribes does not a Best Show make.
B&B is simply a continuous retread of stories and couplings and if I had to choose an Emmy reel for them, I wouldn't even know where to begin. It's that bad.
If I had to award a Best Show, which in good conscience I simply cannot, I guess I'd go with GH only because it's been the most consistent of the four soaps. Of course, being consistently boring isn't a good criteria for being a good show.
A show that boasts such talent juggernauts as West, Grahn, Genie Francis, Jane Elliot and Finola Hughes should never be boring. Far too often, though, that's exactly what GH is. Preferring to focus on so many characters who have no ties to the show's core or whose historical ties are simply rewrites of history does not a good show make.
Unfortunately, soaps are a wasteland and basically garbage time in their current state.
I used to look forward to watching my 'shows' daily. Now, more often than not, it's become a chore - and a chore I could easily dispense of.
The genre is that bad and in that much trouble.
Sorry, daytime, you're going to have to do better next year or Y&R - and maybe B&B, which is an international hit - will be the only soaps left on the air.
And if that becomes the case, a best of column would be pretty much pointless, wouldn't it?
Yeah, you read that right.
In a year that was just downright awful for soap opera fans, I can think of more bad than best categories. However, in hope that the genre can pull a 2011, when the remaining soaps rebounded and turned creative once more, I'll try to balance this year-end review with as much good as bad.
BEST COUPLE - Eric and Quinn (The Bold and the Beautiful.) For better or worse, shows just don't do supercouples any more and the majority of couples they do have generally possess no rooting value.
Eric and Quinn are the exception. And, who would have thunk it. The pairing of John McCook and Rena Sofer may not have even sounded that great on paper, but the writers plodded on and the result is pure magic.
Eric softens Quinn and Sofer portrays her with just the right of emotion that you actually root for this coupling. B&B messed up every other coupling on the show this year, but got this one right. Hoping the addition of Katie as a triangle doesn't send Quinn back to craziness, as her character now, for the first time ever, is worth rooting for.
Runner Up: Brady and Theresa (Days of Our Lives.)
Worst Couple - Wow, pick 'em. Any other B&B coupling, which also goes for worst triangles and Hillary and Devon (Young & Restless) - they have a huge fan following, however, I just don't get it. Mishael Morgan has far more chemistry with Kristoff St. John than Bryton.
Sonny and Carly on General Hospital just don't have the necessary chemistry for a super coupling; Laura Wright is far more combustible with Ingo Rademacher and the new Abby on Days (worst recast by far) doesn't have the talent or look to make Abigail & Chad a supercouple once more.
You don't have to have supercouples to make a soap successful, however, you do need to have couples with chemistry and daytime sorely lacks any of them right now.
Most Potential as A Couple - Paul & Sonny (Days of Our Lives.) - This couple has mega potential, however, the show is treading lightly on them thus far. Homophobic execs? Maybe, though probably not, but, still you have to wonder why this coupling isn't advancing as quickly as it should. Maybe because the Will/Sonny following was so popular, the writers are taking their time with 'Paulson,' though that hasn't stopped them from quickly putting Gabi and Chad together only a few months after Abby 'supposedly' died. Double standard for sure.
Best Storyline - Quinn and Eric (The Bold and the Beautiful.) Actually, that's the ONLY story working on this show right now.
Worst Storyline - Again, so many to choose from. Anything not Quinn and Eric on B&B; the return of the supervillains on Days, which did nothing to drive up the ratings, in fact they actually dropped; anything Franco and also the total destruction of Alexis by turning her into an alcoholic on General Hospital; and just the overall tone on Y&R have made this the worst year in soap operas in at least seven years.
Best Actor - Tough call on this one. Not generally a huge Maurice Benard fan, but he has had a banner year in the fall out after Morgan's death on General Hospital and it resulted in the best work of his career.
Runners Up: Justin Hartley (ex-Adam, The Young and the Restless.)
Eric Martsolf (Brady, Days of Our Lives.)
Daniel Cosgrove (Aiden, Days of Our Lives.)
Best Actress - Nancy Lee Grahn (Alexis, General Hospital.) may very well win the Emmy for Best Actress and it wouldn't be undeserved, but I'm going with Suzanne Rogers (Maggie, Days of Our Lives) for my top honor.
Closer to 70 than 60 and in a genre obsessed with youth, Rogers started out the year on fire and never let up. The death of Maggie's son set the tone for her year. Later soap staples such as discovering she had a long-lost daughter and becoming paralyzed tormented her character in a way only those awful soap clichés could, but Rogers never uttered a false note and took it all in stride, giving the type of performance that Emmys are made for.
If she enters the upcoming Emmy race, she will likely go Supporting, however, I encourage her to go Lead, as Maggie was a front and center character and the only glue that held the often fragile Days together for most of the year.
Runners Up: Grahn, Laura Wright (Carly, General Hospital.) Gina Tognoni (Phyllis, The Young and the Restless.)
Other performers who should put themselves in the Emmy race and had standout years : Rena Sofer, John McCook (B&B); Jen Lilley, Judi Evans, Wally Kurth, Melissa Reeves (Days); William DeVry, Jane Elliot (GH) Sharon Case, Melissa Clair Egan, Elizabeth Hendrickson, Eric Braeden, Peter Bergman (Y&R.)
BEST SHOW .....
Honestly, I have to leave this space blank, as none of the four shows currently on the air deserve it.
Days may win an Emmy for their heart transplant story that started off the year or the fallout from Adrienne & Lucas's wedding, but everything in between was God awful. There is light at the end of the tunnel, though, as the past month, Days has been more entertaining than it has been in 2-1/2 years. The question is can it continue to be that interesting? If the past is any indicator, than probably not.
Y&R just regained some of the writing staff that helped the show first consistently become #1 in the ratings in 1988. However, one well-written, yet sort of boring first episode from the returning scribes does not a Best Show make.
B&B is simply a continuous retread of stories and couplings and if I had to choose an Emmy reel for them, I wouldn't even know where to begin. It's that bad.
If I had to award a Best Show, which in good conscience I simply cannot, I guess I'd go with GH only because it's been the most consistent of the four soaps. Of course, being consistently boring isn't a good criteria for being a good show.
A show that boasts such talent juggernauts as West, Grahn, Genie Francis, Jane Elliot and Finola Hughes should never be boring. Far too often, though, that's exactly what GH is. Preferring to focus on so many characters who have no ties to the show's core or whose historical ties are simply rewrites of history does not a good show make.
Unfortunately, soaps are a wasteland and basically garbage time in their current state.
I used to look forward to watching my 'shows' daily. Now, more often than not, it's become a chore - and a chore I could easily dispense of.
The genre is that bad and in that much trouble.
Sorry, daytime, you're going to have to do better next year or Y&R - and maybe B&B, which is an international hit - will be the only soaps left on the air.
And if that becomes the case, a best of column would be pretty much pointless, wouldn't it?
Sunday, November 6, 2016
The Ultimate Soap Supercouple List
Supercouple.
It may - or may not - technically be one word.
However, when two soap opera characters come together to create a coupling that neither could have portrayed on their own - or with any other acting partner for that matter - the result is, indeed, super.
The term supercouple took on a definition of its own in the 1980s when General Hospital 's Luke and Laura were all the rage. It gained even bigger prominence in the American vernacular when Days of Our Lives practically owned the rights to the word from 1981 through the early '90s.
But, as you will see, the word isn't exclusive to that decade or to that one show. Even before that, there were supercouples all across the daytime dial.
What follows is my list of the 10 - actually 11 simply because I couldn't narrow it down to just 10 - couples that to this day bring the definition of the word supercouple to life.
This list isn't exclusive or exhaustive. I certainly don't expect every fan to agree with my choices or rankings.
They are just that: my rankings, my choices and my personal preferences, complete with an explanation as to why I chose them and listed them in the order that I chose to.
I'd love to hear yours.
First off are those that I considered, but that didn't quite make the cut.
All My Children - Erica & Jack, Phil & Tara, Greg & Jenny.
Another World - Ryan & Vicky.
As the World Turns - Jeff & Penny, Tom & Margo, Steve & Betsy.
Days of Our Lives - Patch & Kayla, Will & Sonny (the original Will, that is!)
The Doctors - Nick & Althea, Matt & Maggie
Edge of Night - Mike & Nancy
General Hospital - Frisco & Felicia
Guiding Light - Hope & Alan
Love of Life - Bill & Tess
One Life to Live - Viki & Dorian ( not a supercouple in the traditional romantic sense of the word, but, to me a super- coupling, nonetheless.)
Search for Tomorrow - Steve & Liza
The Young and the Restless - Victor & Nikki ( who just missed my cut at #12.)
And, now, without further ado, my top 11 daytime supercouples of all time!
11. Adam and Nicole ( Donald May and Maeve McGuire, The Edge of Night.)
Adam tamed the shrew, turning the haughty Nicole Travis Drake into the leading lady of Edge in the early-to-mid '70s. They would be on my list purely for Adam's rooftop proposal to Nicole after running through the streets of New York City in order to get to her before the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. However, they are on it for so many other reasons, too, not the least of which is the clever banter and instant clicking that occurred from their first meeting to their final scene.
10. Roman and Marlena or John and Marlena (Wayne Northrop, Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, Days of Our Lives.) Pick whatever incarnation of the couple or the characters, the simple fact is Deidre had undeniable chemistry with all of her leading men and especially with these two. I prefer the original coupling, and Northrop to Hogestyn, but just as many preferred the latter. Either way you slice it, the couplings were both magical, with the first one bringing Days back to the top 5 in the ratings in the early 80s and the current incarnation keeping viewers enthralled - and Hall and Hogestyn at the top of the fan polls - now in the couple's 30-year-plus mark.
9. Bob and Kim (Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays, As the World Turns.) No doubt about it, their love stood the test of time. From the characters first glance at one another in 1972 to the series finale in 2010, Kim and Bob were the real deal and the longest-lasting super coupling on the show. That they went through torture - and 13 star-crossed years - to get together and then remained viable through countless writing regimes is testament to their undeniable bond.
8. Bo and Hope (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso, Days of Our Lives.) Put two young - yet very green - performers together and you could have a recipe for disaster. However, what Days fans got with 'Bope' is a 30-year love affair which grew as strongly as the two actors did in their signature roles. One only needs to watch Bo's death scene from last year to witness how much both grew in their parts, while, keeping intact that much-needed chemistry required for a supercouple.
7. Steve and Alice (George Reinholt and Jacqueline Courtney, Another World.) One of the original supercouples, writer Agnes Nixon created a triangle with Robin Strasser's Rachel that glued viewers to their screen in the late 60s and 70s, and that via very limited YouTube copies of those episodes, still holds up today. Despite the actors reputed reputations within the industry, their coupling was electric and the chemistry remained when Courtney & Reinholt took their talents to One Life to Live, even if the storyline they had their didn't fully utilize their talents or that chemistry.
6. Cruz and Eden ( A Martinez and Marcy Walker, Santa Barbara.) While I admittedly wasn't a Santa Barbara fan, which was too quirky for my tastes back then, but which I can better appreciate now in my more mature age, I was a Cruz and Eden fan. One of my best friends back then watched the show religiously and I would watch with her only when this couple was on. The magic they brought to the screen was evident and I would be remiss not to include them on this list. Both deservedly won Emmys for their roles on SB.
And now, my top five, which I actually had an easier time placing in order when compared to my 11-6 placements.
5. Luke and Laura (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis, General Hospital.) I know what you're thinking, how could the most popular soap coupling of All-Time be ranked so low on my list? It's not that the chemistry wasn't there, obviously it was, but as you will see with my top four couples, there were simply others I favored more. Granted, part of this ranking may have to do with Geary's vocal disdain for the coupling in later years. Part of it is definitely the fact that a supercouple is supposed to stand the test of time and Luke and Laura - mainly due to Geary's fault - did not.
4. Doug and Julie (Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes, Days of Our Lives.) From the show - that for better or worse - made the word supercouple a noun, this is the original supercouple of Salem. The real deal. While Doug and Julie went through every trial and tribulation known to man before their characters married in 1976, Bill and Susan were falling in love in real life and recently celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary. With a divorce or two in between, Doug & Julie are still married and creating daily magic on Days. Wish more video of their magic early years existed because their story was worthy of all the publicity it received and certainly was deserving of Emmys for both, although neither won the golden statue in a multitude of various nominations.
3. Travis & Liza (Rod Arrants and Sherry Mathis, Search for Tomorrow.) Many may have never even watched this supercouple, but they had me mesmerized in the Summer of '79, when Search came thisclose to knocking out GH for the #1 spot in the ratings. When Sherry's southern charm, beauty and impeccable singing voice and Rod's rugged leading man looks came together, there was little doubt the two were golden. Although the on the run perils various headwriting regimes created for the duo grew tiredsome and were an ends among themselves, the chemistry between the two never grew forced or tenuous. Whatever fool decided to kill off Travis deserves to never write soaps ever again. There's not a lot of this couple on YouTube, but what little there is simply is magic.
2. Mac & Rachel (Douglass Watson and Victoria Wyndham, Another World.) If you were alive in the 1970s, how could you not root for this couple? Mac turned Rachel's life around and provided her with the one thing she had been sorely lacking - a man who really loved her. He was her knight and shining armor and they were the show's signature couple from 1975 until Watson's untimely death in 1989. Yeah, the couple went through the wringer, but you never doubted they would find their way back to one another. And, I contend, they had the best fights in daytime history to boot! Think about the makeup sex that coupling had! Both seasoned performers rank among the best ever to appear on daytime.
And that leaves us with only one couple left....and I've saved the best - and my most detailed accolades - for last.
Here we go...of the hundreds - maybe even thousands of daytime supercouples to grace our screen, here's my choice for the best ever....
1. SKY & RAVEN ( Larkin Malloy and Sharon Gabet , The Edge of Night.) From the soap that was unlike any other comes the supercouple that stands out from the rest. Edge was a mystery soap, rather than a traditional soap, so it's appropriate that my #1 supercouple wasn't of the traditional mode of the others. Except for a plot contrivance made necessary by a plot too lengthy to detail here, the couple weren't really star-crossed lovers. And they didn't look all gaga at one another like many of the other couples on the list and that's because from the start, they were different, from the start they understood each other in a way most couples - even super ones - never did.
And from the start, they were destined only for each other. Unlike other couples on this list, for the majority of their joint time on the show, they were always together. Their coupling was fast and the spark instantaneous in both of its incarnations. (More on what that means, later.)
And while some tried to tear them apart - most notably Alicia Van Dine in the show's last great murder storyline - no one ever stood a chance of breaking the Whitneys apart. That's because the chemistry of Gabet & Malloy was second to none. While other shows could - and have - survived when their couples exited the canvas, Edge would have met an earlier death than it did without Sky and Raven. The bond between them was that great, the chemistry was that electric. When those two were in the room, it was if time stood still and like they were the only two in the scene, even if there were scores of other actors in it.
Even infidelity, a common soap staple, didn't break them up, as Sky only slept with Alicia to keep his beloved Raven out of jail. And in perhaps Malloy's finest moment as Sky, when he broke down on the Whitney stairs and later confessed his deed to Raven , the tears were palpable and free flowing because the bond between the two characters and the marvelous actors who portrayed them was so real - both on and off screen.
Sky and Raven also get this top ranking because they survived in two incarnations, the first being when Malloy portrayed Jefferson Brown pretending to be Sky, and the latter when due to Malloy's arresting characterization of Jeff, he returned to the show as the legitimate Whitney heir. Yeah, long story, I know. It's also a story - and coupling - that holds up brilliantly and stands the test of time via YouTube. By reliving those fine moments between two seasoned performers, their bond is forever saved, and forever etched in my mind. From recently rewatching many of the duo's finest moments, my ultimate selection of the ultimate supercouple was cemented and brilliantly justified.
Prior to Malloy's arrival on Edge, Gabet's Raven was successfully paired and had chemistry with each actor she worked with. She's that good and always delivered that nuanced of a performance. However, once paired with Larkin, those other couplings paled in comparison to what viewers had seen before he was written onto the canvas.
There are only two travesties worth mentioning about this duo, one is that many have never seen the couple in action. Edge was perennially run in early morning slots during its final years, that is if the ABC affiliate aired it at all. That, of course, reduced the number of people who were able to witness their undeniable electricity. The other travesty is that neither won an Emmy for their brilliant work. At least the first error can be corrected now, as the Edge archives of the Sky and Raven years exist on YouTube. I highly recommend you watch them. You won't be disappointed.
It may - or may not - technically be one word.
However, when two soap opera characters come together to create a coupling that neither could have portrayed on their own - or with any other acting partner for that matter - the result is, indeed, super.
The term supercouple took on a definition of its own in the 1980s when General Hospital 's Luke and Laura were all the rage. It gained even bigger prominence in the American vernacular when Days of Our Lives practically owned the rights to the word from 1981 through the early '90s.
But, as you will see, the word isn't exclusive to that decade or to that one show. Even before that, there were supercouples all across the daytime dial.
What follows is my list of the 10 - actually 11 simply because I couldn't narrow it down to just 10 - couples that to this day bring the definition of the word supercouple to life.
This list isn't exclusive or exhaustive. I certainly don't expect every fan to agree with my choices or rankings.
They are just that: my rankings, my choices and my personal preferences, complete with an explanation as to why I chose them and listed them in the order that I chose to.
I'd love to hear yours.
First off are those that I considered, but that didn't quite make the cut.
All My Children - Erica & Jack, Phil & Tara, Greg & Jenny.
Another World - Ryan & Vicky.
As the World Turns - Jeff & Penny, Tom & Margo, Steve & Betsy.
Days of Our Lives - Patch & Kayla, Will & Sonny (the original Will, that is!)
The Doctors - Nick & Althea, Matt & Maggie
Edge of Night - Mike & Nancy
General Hospital - Frisco & Felicia
Guiding Light - Hope & Alan
Love of Life - Bill & Tess
One Life to Live - Viki & Dorian ( not a supercouple in the traditional romantic sense of the word, but, to me a super- coupling, nonetheless.)
Search for Tomorrow - Steve & Liza
The Young and the Restless - Victor & Nikki ( who just missed my cut at #12.)
And, now, without further ado, my top 11 daytime supercouples of all time!
11. Adam and Nicole ( Donald May and Maeve McGuire, The Edge of Night.)
Adam tamed the shrew, turning the haughty Nicole Travis Drake into the leading lady of Edge in the early-to-mid '70s. They would be on my list purely for Adam's rooftop proposal to Nicole after running through the streets of New York City in order to get to her before the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve. However, they are on it for so many other reasons, too, not the least of which is the clever banter and instant clicking that occurred from their first meeting to their final scene.
10. Roman and Marlena or John and Marlena (Wayne Northrop, Deidre Hall and Drake Hogestyn, Days of Our Lives.) Pick whatever incarnation of the couple or the characters, the simple fact is Deidre had undeniable chemistry with all of her leading men and especially with these two. I prefer the original coupling, and Northrop to Hogestyn, but just as many preferred the latter. Either way you slice it, the couplings were both magical, with the first one bringing Days back to the top 5 in the ratings in the early 80s and the current incarnation keeping viewers enthralled - and Hall and Hogestyn at the top of the fan polls - now in the couple's 30-year-plus mark.
9. Bob and Kim (Don Hastings and Kathryn Hays, As the World Turns.) No doubt about it, their love stood the test of time. From the characters first glance at one another in 1972 to the series finale in 2010, Kim and Bob were the real deal and the longest-lasting super coupling on the show. That they went through torture - and 13 star-crossed years - to get together and then remained viable through countless writing regimes is testament to their undeniable bond.
8. Bo and Hope (Peter Reckell and Kristian Alfonso, Days of Our Lives.) Put two young - yet very green - performers together and you could have a recipe for disaster. However, what Days fans got with 'Bope' is a 30-year love affair which grew as strongly as the two actors did in their signature roles. One only needs to watch Bo's death scene from last year to witness how much both grew in their parts, while, keeping intact that much-needed chemistry required for a supercouple.
7. Steve and Alice (George Reinholt and Jacqueline Courtney, Another World.) One of the original supercouples, writer Agnes Nixon created a triangle with Robin Strasser's Rachel that glued viewers to their screen in the late 60s and 70s, and that via very limited YouTube copies of those episodes, still holds up today. Despite the actors reputed reputations within the industry, their coupling was electric and the chemistry remained when Courtney & Reinholt took their talents to One Life to Live, even if the storyline they had their didn't fully utilize their talents or that chemistry.
6. Cruz and Eden ( A Martinez and Marcy Walker, Santa Barbara.) While I admittedly wasn't a Santa Barbara fan, which was too quirky for my tastes back then, but which I can better appreciate now in my more mature age, I was a Cruz and Eden fan. One of my best friends back then watched the show religiously and I would watch with her only when this couple was on. The magic they brought to the screen was evident and I would be remiss not to include them on this list. Both deservedly won Emmys for their roles on SB.
And now, my top five, which I actually had an easier time placing in order when compared to my 11-6 placements.
5. Luke and Laura (Anthony Geary and Genie Francis, General Hospital.) I know what you're thinking, how could the most popular soap coupling of All-Time be ranked so low on my list? It's not that the chemistry wasn't there, obviously it was, but as you will see with my top four couples, there were simply others I favored more. Granted, part of this ranking may have to do with Geary's vocal disdain for the coupling in later years. Part of it is definitely the fact that a supercouple is supposed to stand the test of time and Luke and Laura - mainly due to Geary's fault - did not.
4. Doug and Julie (Bill and Susan Seaforth Hayes, Days of Our Lives.) From the show - that for better or worse - made the word supercouple a noun, this is the original supercouple of Salem. The real deal. While Doug and Julie went through every trial and tribulation known to man before their characters married in 1976, Bill and Susan were falling in love in real life and recently celebrated their 42nd wedding anniversary. With a divorce or two in between, Doug & Julie are still married and creating daily magic on Days. Wish more video of their magic early years existed because their story was worthy of all the publicity it received and certainly was deserving of Emmys for both, although neither won the golden statue in a multitude of various nominations.
3. Travis & Liza (Rod Arrants and Sherry Mathis, Search for Tomorrow.) Many may have never even watched this supercouple, but they had me mesmerized in the Summer of '79, when Search came thisclose to knocking out GH for the #1 spot in the ratings. When Sherry's southern charm, beauty and impeccable singing voice and Rod's rugged leading man looks came together, there was little doubt the two were golden. Although the on the run perils various headwriting regimes created for the duo grew tiredsome and were an ends among themselves, the chemistry between the two never grew forced or tenuous. Whatever fool decided to kill off Travis deserves to never write soaps ever again. There's not a lot of this couple on YouTube, but what little there is simply is magic.
2. Mac & Rachel (Douglass Watson and Victoria Wyndham, Another World.) If you were alive in the 1970s, how could you not root for this couple? Mac turned Rachel's life around and provided her with the one thing she had been sorely lacking - a man who really loved her. He was her knight and shining armor and they were the show's signature couple from 1975 until Watson's untimely death in 1989. Yeah, the couple went through the wringer, but you never doubted they would find their way back to one another. And, I contend, they had the best fights in daytime history to boot! Think about the makeup sex that coupling had! Both seasoned performers rank among the best ever to appear on daytime.
And that leaves us with only one couple left....and I've saved the best - and my most detailed accolades - for last.
Here we go...of the hundreds - maybe even thousands of daytime supercouples to grace our screen, here's my choice for the best ever....
1. SKY & RAVEN ( Larkin Malloy and Sharon Gabet , The Edge of Night.) From the soap that was unlike any other comes the supercouple that stands out from the rest. Edge was a mystery soap, rather than a traditional soap, so it's appropriate that my #1 supercouple wasn't of the traditional mode of the others. Except for a plot contrivance made necessary by a plot too lengthy to detail here, the couple weren't really star-crossed lovers. And they didn't look all gaga at one another like many of the other couples on the list and that's because from the start, they were different, from the start they understood each other in a way most couples - even super ones - never did.
And from the start, they were destined only for each other. Unlike other couples on this list, for the majority of their joint time on the show, they were always together. Their coupling was fast and the spark instantaneous in both of its incarnations. (More on what that means, later.)
And while some tried to tear them apart - most notably Alicia Van Dine in the show's last great murder storyline - no one ever stood a chance of breaking the Whitneys apart. That's because the chemistry of Gabet & Malloy was second to none. While other shows could - and have - survived when their couples exited the canvas, Edge would have met an earlier death than it did without Sky and Raven. The bond between them was that great, the chemistry was that electric. When those two were in the room, it was if time stood still and like they were the only two in the scene, even if there were scores of other actors in it.
Even infidelity, a common soap staple, didn't break them up, as Sky only slept with Alicia to keep his beloved Raven out of jail. And in perhaps Malloy's finest moment as Sky, when he broke down on the Whitney stairs and later confessed his deed to Raven , the tears were palpable and free flowing because the bond between the two characters and the marvelous actors who portrayed them was so real - both on and off screen.
Sky and Raven also get this top ranking because they survived in two incarnations, the first being when Malloy portrayed Jefferson Brown pretending to be Sky, and the latter when due to Malloy's arresting characterization of Jeff, he returned to the show as the legitimate Whitney heir. Yeah, long story, I know. It's also a story - and coupling - that holds up brilliantly and stands the test of time via YouTube. By reliving those fine moments between two seasoned performers, their bond is forever saved, and forever etched in my mind. From recently rewatching many of the duo's finest moments, my ultimate selection of the ultimate supercouple was cemented and brilliantly justified.
Prior to Malloy's arrival on Edge, Gabet's Raven was successfully paired and had chemistry with each actor she worked with. She's that good and always delivered that nuanced of a performance. However, once paired with Larkin, those other couplings paled in comparison to what viewers had seen before he was written onto the canvas.
There are only two travesties worth mentioning about this duo, one is that many have never seen the couple in action. Edge was perennially run in early morning slots during its final years, that is if the ABC affiliate aired it at all. That, of course, reduced the number of people who were able to witness their undeniable electricity. The other travesty is that neither won an Emmy for their brilliant work. At least the first error can be corrected now, as the Edge archives of the Sky and Raven years exist on YouTube. I highly recommend you watch them. You won't be disappointed.
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