Posted Monday, June 16, 2014 12:52:41 PM
2014 Daytime Emmys: Predictions from Dan J Kroll

DAN J KROLL

Dan is the founder of Soap Central and the host of the weekly, live Internet radio show, Soap Central Live. His became hooked on soaps because of All My Children and quickly fell in love with the genre. His work on Soap Central for the past 19 years has given him an appreciation for all the soaps and the talented men and women in front of and behind the camera. Dan started Soap Central as part of his personal home page in 1995. Dan has appeared as an extra on As the World Turns and as a soap expert on the SOAPnet reality-ish program, Relative Madness.

▸ Skip ahead to Dan's picks for Drama Series
▸ Skip ahead to Dan's picks for Lead and Actress
▸ Skip ahead to Dan's picks for Supporting Actor and Actress
▸ Skip ahead to Dan's picks for Younger Actor and Actress
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Previous Predictions
See Dan's predictions from past years

 2013: 6 for 8
 2012: 3 for 8
 2011: 3 for 8
 2010: 2 for 8
 2009: 3 for 8
 2008: 5 for 8
 2007: 2 for 8

 2006: 5 for 8
 2005: 3 for 8
 2004: 0 for 8
 2003: 2 for 8
 2002: 2 for 8
 2001: 1 for 8

Steve Burton

OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTOR
Steve Burton
Dylan McAvoy
 
  I may be repeating myself, but Bradford Anderson deserves an Emmy. His reel is like an amusement park ride. There's the anticipation of sitting in the station before the ride takes off, the mixed emotions of going up the incline, and then the rush of adrenaline as you make the first drop. Watching Anderson bring to life Damian coming to the realization that he has a daughter was incredibly moving. There's surprise, sadness, and eventually rage. Pretty much everything that you could want in a reel. It's unfair, but I feel that Anderson is hamstrung by the fact that his character is unique and talks in what has come to be known as Spinellisms.

They say never to share scenes with babies or animals, but Steve Burton did just that. Okay, only a baby. For so long, Burton has been gun-toting, black-tee-wearing Jason Morgan on General Hospital that I almost forgot what he's capable of as an actor. His performance in the episode he submitted was stellar. It wasn't just his delivery of lines that hit the mark, but even the subtle movements and glances that he made when his scene co-star, Melissa Claire Egan, was talking.

Scott Clifton gives great facial expression. That seems like a trivial thing to say, but as I mentioned above in describing Steve Burton's reel, acting is very much about nuance. Clifton gets great support from Don Diamont in the bulk of his scenes, and the son-father dynamic is incredibly powerful. There is great contrast between Liam's emotional outburst in the first part of the reel and his incredible restraint in the latter half. However, that being said, I almost feel as if Clifton would have been better served to just submit the first episode. In much of the second half, he's not featured as much as I would want. And yes, that contradicts the whole theory behind the supporting in Supporting Actor.

Interventions are a soap opera staple. They are the things that win Emmys. All My Children's Susan Lucci won her Emmy for an intervention scene. Ditto for General Hospital's Tony Geary. Eric Martsolf could very well add his name to that list. While his character is the subject of the intervention, the scene is supported by Martsolf. I think this episode might be the best performance of Martsolf's career. It's believable. It's real. It's raw. It's Emmy-worthy.

As was the case with Scott Clifton's reel, Dominic Zamprogna's reel is bolstered by some great father-son scenes. Zamprogna and Maurice Benard have wonderful chemistry, and this is the least soapy of the nominees. The dialogue was real. The acting was spot-on. However, there are way too many odd cutaways in the scene, and that really ruins the flow of great performance.

I think that this is another case where the second and third place votes will determine the winner because I can see all five nominees getting first place votes.


Who I'd like to win: Bradford Anderson
Who voters will pick: Scott Clifton
The final rankings: Steve Burton, Scott Clifton, Bradford Anderson, Eric Martsolf, Dominic Zamprogna



Elizabeth Hendrickson
OUTSTANDING SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Elizabeth Hendrickson
Chloe Mitchell
 
  Three actresses from The Young and the Restless are nominated in this category, and I do suspect that one of the three will win. Which one? I have no idea. I would also put out there that the two other nominees from General Hospital are also deserving.

Going all the way back to her first days on All My Children, Elizabeth Hendrickson has long been a favorite in my book. There is nothing more heartwrenching than the death of a child. We've seen many (probably too many) storylines on the soaps involving a little one's tragic death. There is a moment early on in Hendrickson's reel where viewers see her character's reaction to learning of her daughter's death, and the audio is muted. Even with no audible screams or sobbing, you immediately feel her devastation. In the midst of the hysteria, there is a well-placed flashback to a happier time. It's perfectly done. The performances of Hendrickson's costars are perfect.

Melissa Claire Egan submitted the same episode as Steve Burton did in the Supporting Actor category. Is that good? Is that bad? Well, I pegged Burton to be the winner in that category... so it's entirely possible that lightning will strike twice. I've picked Egan to win in the past, and she hasn't won. So there's a part of me that thinks if I don't pick her, she might finally get the win. Egan and Burton play off of each other perfectly, as though they've been working together for years. At the time, they had barely been working together for six months. I worry that these scenes were geared more towards Burton, and I am not sure if voters will see it that way, too.

Amelia Heinle submitted the same episode as Billy Miller submitted for Lead Actor. Interestingly, I respond differently to the episode for both performers. With as incredible as Miller is, I feel that Heinle is much stronger in a supporting capacity. Heinle's character quite literally supports Miller's -- physically and emotionally. It could be easy to get overshadowed and be an afterthought when opposite such a powerful actor. That's not the case here. In watching the reel, you can feel the uneasiness, the awkwardness that Heinle's character feels. What can she do to make Billy feel "better" about losing his daughter? It's perfect writing and an equally strong performance, one of the best of Heinle's career.

Jane Elliot is long overdue for a Daytime Emmy. She's one of the last-standing Quartermaines and she's a consistently solid actress. I feel she was overlooked in a few recent years by the nomination process. In this scene, she stars opposite squillion-time Emmy winner Anthony Geary, which certainly doesn't hurt. This is also one of the few reels that doesn't involve a dead baby or child. Then there is the part of me that says voters will respond more positively to the dead child scenes. I personally like the variation, and I really like the chemistry between Elliot and Geary. There's also something about the scene that appeals to anyone who has ever wanted more from a relationship than the object of their affection. There are moments when Elliot could choose to go extreme with her emotions, but she smoothly bites her lip or drops her head back and takes a beat or two before moving on.

I happen to really like Kelly Sullivan's Emmy reel. I know that her character may not have been the best received character, but Sullivan delivered a solid performance throughout her run. Her reel is the shortest of any of the acting submissions. That could be viewed negatively by some, but there is also the "short and sweet" concept. I don't think that viewers will necessarily understand that Connie has an alternate personality, so that might be a hindrance. But there is a great display of controlled emotion. There is anger and crying, and also a surprising vulnerability.


Who I'd like to win: Jane Elliot
Who voters will pick: Elizabeth Hendrickson
The final rankings: ELizabeth Hendrickson, Jane Elliot, Kelly Sullivan, Amelia Heinle, Melissa Claire Egan

CLICK FOR DAN'S PICKS FOR DRAMA SERIES AND LEAD ACTOR/ACTRESS

CLICK TO DAN'S PICKS FOR YOUNGER ACTOR/ACTRESS AND WRITING/DIRECTION

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