... if I was in Ellen Wheeler’s position, I would have said, “You are raping the show. No, I won’t produce GL this way.” I give Ellen credit for trying to be the second coming. [Laughs] I had a really hard time with the new production model because it affected how the writers wrote our show — and that killed us in the end.

If that wasn't enough, Zimmer's perspective adds an additional extra dimension to what killed GL: READ MORE

First, let me offer congratulations to Daytime Confidential's Jamey Giddens, along with TVGuide.ca's Nelson Branco and Soap Opera Digest editor Stephanie Sloane in their debut as commentators during the awards pre-show. Though one could detect a teeny bit of the jitters at various times, they were a class act all the way. I also must give praise to DC's Melodie Aikels, who did a bang up job offering live blog commentary during the pre-show & ceremony. READ MORE

One of the hardest tasks in all of television must be bringing a daytime drama to a close. In other realms of entertainment, plays and musicals can be resurrected through countless revivals. Primetime TV shows can come and go, yet have the potential to be re-imagined or rebooted for the small or big screen. The biggest box office disasters can live on via countless direct-to-DVD sequels. Radio hosts and their dubiously talented sidekicks can be fired for the most hateful commentary, yet live on with the same formats other stations to be spiteful for another day.

With the exception of Dark Shadows, once a soap opera is canceled it is gone forever. During my time I've watched some of my favorites disappear: The City, Port Charles, Generations, Texas, and — in my opinion — two of the genre's titans, Santa Barbara and The Edge of Night. Many of you are still missing your own beloved shows over the last three decades as well. Fans of Capitol, Love of Life, Sunset Beach, Passions, Search for Tomorrow, and the still mourned Another World among others express their loss as if there yet remains a certain kind of grief that has not yet abated after all these years. Soon we will lose another giant among soaps: in less than ten short weeks, Guiding Light will shine for the last time on CBS. READ MORE

Insiders are buzzing that Bradley Bell will be casting Marcus’s father soon. Paging Shemar Moore (ex-Malcolm, Y&R)! Hey, I’ll settle for Réal Andrews (ex-Taggert, GH), who got shafted by One Life as Dr. Evans.

Does this mean CBS's finally getting with their diversity program? Stay tuned.

TVG: Chris Engen dressing up as Sabrina was one of those watercooler moments soaps used to deliver. What was it like to lose Chris in the middle of this breakout storyline?

ED: Chris is terrific as Adam. I love Chris and I think he’s a great person. Everybody has his or her own demons, choices and process. I can’t judge his decision because it was a personal one. I can say I love working with [recast] Michael Muhney. He’s a terrific actor. Though Chris and Michael are very different actors, so we’ll see. As for Chris, he really nailed this character. Chris’ all-American looks add another layer to this story: he looks like he regrets being so evil, but he can’t help himself. When Chris told me he was leaving, I told him he really accomplished something by being so likable playing this villain. For someone like me who is playing a heroine on this show, I would give my eyeballs and teeth to play a character like Adam Newman.

TVG: When the writing got better, Chris really began flourishing in the role … READ MORE

ED: That’s the ironic part: When the writing got better, that’s when Chris became unhappy!

In a time when the world is correcting itself [racially], I hope the ‘Snub Club’ at Y&R realizes what it feels like to be snubbed by your peers. Some of us can’t even get on the pre-Emmy ballot. Maybe Y&R knows what it feels like now. Thank God Debbi Morgan will be representing the shrinking and invisible casts of African-American actors in daytime dramas.

Who are your Top 3 Guilty Pleasures?

TVG: Kimberly, we were all a little bit surprised when you returned to GH a few years ago because you had relative success in other mediums. Are you planning on staying on GH for the foreseeable future? READ MORE

It never fails. When a hair model exits a soap, the performer in question will surprise critics by deciding to act at the very last minute. And Ray Smith was no exception. After Ava gave birth to Remy’s baby, the character began to suffer from an unforgiving case of postpartum depression that had this critic asking if she was really acting — it was that real. The kicker? Ray Smith was pregnant in real life. If the actress ever returns to GL, I hope she’s with child.
 

For Branco's pick on the most improved producer and couple check out the entire list at tvguide.sympatico.msn.ca.