First off, I was interested in watching these three series, but didn’t have the time yet to check them out.

I Have a Crush at Work

I don’t think any streamers picked up this office romance series, which is pretty surprising. I thought the genre was relatively popular. I haven’t really watched an office romance anime since The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague and was hoping to watch this one, but it wasn’t meant to be!

The Apothecary Diaries Season 2 (Crunchyroll)

I never watched the first season, but as this season was airing, I kept hearing great things about it from friends. It’s apparently really well done and I appreciate series with longer episode orders so you get lots of story. Maybe I’ll get to it another time!

Sorairo Utility (HIDIVE)

After enjoying Rising Impact and Tonbo I was looking forward to watching another golf themed series. This one sounded like a fun initial twist on how the character finds golf. Next time I’m craving a sports anime I’ll try to check this one out! 

These twelve anime series from Winter 2025 caught my attention for many reasons and I was (mostly) very glad I watched them!

12) Anyway, I’m Falling In Love With You (Crunchyroll)

Honestly, this is one of the most boring anime series I have ever watched. The story follows a girl and her looking back on her younger life, bouncing between the present and past. The past is a time when a “virus” disrupted life, but they still found ways to be kids and fall in love. The show really wanted to ignore the “virus” aspect yet kept bringing it up? The show was so forgettable, I’d forget what happened by the time the episodes ended. Everyone was in love, but no one was making moves? It was just vibes. Really strange. It also will be back for a second season. Not sure if I will though!

11) Honey Lemon Soda (Crunchyroll)

This romance series had potential and moments where I was really pulled in, but it just lacked a cohesive thread as a whole. The main characters were flawed and it’s the point that they can grow and become better people. I just didn’t buy the romance aspect. The guy was cold often, which helped the main girl grow, but it was just strange at times. The way the adults were portrayed as well was odd. They also flew through storylines when they could have used more time to really flesh out the stories.

10) The Red Ranger Becomes an Adventurer in Another World (Crunchyroll)

When I read the description of this series, I knew I had to check it out. A power ranger essentially ends up in another world in possession of his power ranger technology, giving him the abilities he had in the real world in the new one. It was funny, had some fun fight scenes, and I appreciated the “magic” lore that began to grow as the series went on. I found myself wondering how the physics of the power ranger magic worked in the new world and if it still existed in the real world. Tonally it bounced all over, but it was still funny and charming.

9) My Happy Marriage Season Two (Netflix)

Season two of this romance started off with a great evil stepmother storyline. It was juicy and helped our main heroine Miyo grow even stronger as a person. She was so bashful and soft spoken in the first season, this arc allowed her to become more confident and want to become stronger. The second half focused on a bigger threat, and less on her personal growth, and even the main romance aspect of the series. It was all still there, but the bigger threat took the main time of the storyline. Seeing Miyo tap into her true potential all season long was the main draw. Beautiful, poignant and a delight.

8) Medaka Kuroiwa Is Impervious to My Charms (Crunchyroll)

The romantic comedy series could have easily been a one joke story that they drove into the ground quickly, instead, it became more complex and the humor helped keep it fresh all season long. I loved seeing Medaka try to resist his obvious attraction to Mona. She still tried to get his attention all season long, and eventually was able to make small chips in his armor. It was charming and I loved the way the characters’ inner thoughts were portrayed. The series will return for a second season.

7) Sakamoto Days (Netflix) 

Part one of this series was full of great fights and funny moments. A former assassin has taken a quiet life as a family man running a business. When a bounty is put on his head, he successfully and often comically avoids the attempts on his life. He’s smooth, quick and always at attention, despite his new plumper body size. The characters around him are just as deadly, and are unintentionally funny. I enjoyed the first half of the story and look forward to when it returns this summer.

6) Link Click: Bridon Arc (Crunchyroll)

This new story is pretty much a prequel series, though its placement in the main storyline is later. There’s also some hints that we’ve been on an all encompassing time traveling plot even longer than we knew. We go to the past again, this time for an extended period of time. We see younger versions of the main characters and get to know them even more. Things begin to change in the timeline that are unexpected. In the end, it left me with even more questions. I miss the case of the week way the first season told its story, but it’s another compelling season of Link Click that I want to live in for a long time.

5) Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective (Crunchyroll)

If you take a medical show and mash it up with a detective series, you have Ameku M.D.: Doctor Detective. A young gifted doctor helps solve unique medical cases by looking at the full pictures. She’s got her quirks and even though she is brilliant, she still questions her abilities, making her feel even more human. Some cases took multiple episodes to solve. Some stories were stronger than others, but I really enjoyed the vibes of this series. A few production issues led to delays, but I still looked forward to the next episode.

4) The 100 Girlfriends Who Really, Really, Really, Really, Really Love You Season Two (Crunchyroll)

This comedy series is seriously bonkers in the best way. Season two dials up the wacky even more, leading to even funnier episodes and jokes. We meet even more girlfriends this season, and each is quirkier than the last. It’s such a wild premise that it could easily fall flat and repetitive. My favorite arc was the baseball one. It was full of so much humor, great character development, and so many meta moments made me crack up. I’m so glad I kept up with this one! I can’t wait to see the Rentaro family grow even more.

3) Zenshu (Crunchyroll)

I almost didn’t watch this one going into the winter season. As an original story, it always runs the risk of losing its hold midway. Somehow, Zenshu gets even better as it quickly becomes self assured in the tone and story it wants to tell. It’s part isekai, part fantasy, part comedy and part drama. It is such a unique story story. I don’t want to give away too much of the plot, because it’s a lot of fun seeing how it all goes down. I’m glad I went in blind. It made me appreciate the story more. The animation is on point, as it is MAPPA, and it is so confident in itself in every aspect. I hope we see more bold unique stories to come.

2) Medalist (hulu)

This one wasn’t even on my radar going into the Winter season. As I’ve said before, sports anime are some of my favorite series for a reason. I don’t think I’d normally watch a series about figure skating, yet, it is compelling and must see. The characters are precious, hopeful, and full of so much life. You can’t help but root for everyone. Inori and Tsukasa are such great characters. They’re adorable, funny and great at what they do. They also don’t shy away from their insecurities and past difficulties. Major performances are CGI animation and the transition might be a little jarring, but I grew to love it. They’re well choreographed, and the are a sight to see. I am so happy the series will be back for a second season!

1) Solo Leveling Season Two (Crunchyroll)

The first season was enjoyable, but season two takes the series to a new level. Jinwoo is exponentially growing in power, strength and ability. Episodes fly by with tons of action, sure a few slower episodes every now and then, but it is telling a lot of story in a short time. I almost wish some arcs could have been an episode or two longer just so I could have lived in the moments longer, but they were so good! The battles are intense and beautifully animated. I’m not sure how much more there is to adapt, but I hope we get more real soon! It is so intense, shocking and confident in itself. I need more!!

With the Spring 2025 season about to begin, I’m looking forward to checking out these new and returning series: Lazarus (adult swim/Toonami), Go! Go! Loser Ranger! (season two, hulu), Wind Breaker (season two, Crunchyroll), Witch Watch (Netflix/hulu/Crunchyroll), Mono (Crunchyroll), Yaiba: Samurai Legend (Netflix/hulu), To Be Hero X (Crunchyroll), Moonrise (Netflix), and Lycoris Recoil Short Movie. Hopefully I will be able to watch them all and I’m sure I’ll find even more unexpected ones to watch!

What were your favorite series of the Winter 2025 season? It’s never too late to start a new series! Here’s to more great anime in 2025!

These series and more can be streamed with English subtitles and some English dubs on various streamers including Crunchyroll, Netflix, hulu, Prime Video, Max, HIDIVE, and more.

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Ted and Hope

I must say that I had high hopes when these two first got paired together. I thought, “Hey, maybe he will bring her out of her shell and make her fun again!”. Needless to say that didn’t happen. Don’t get me wrong, it was nice to see Hope stand up for her beliefs and morals when it comes to Ted. He’s a shady dude. Yes, he wants to be “better” for Hope; He wants to be a man who “deserves” her. But when you get down to it he has done some shady and questionable things. After everything Hope went through with Aiden, she wasn’t going to go down that route again. It really doesn’t matter how she feels about him. 

All of that being said, I’m sad to see Gilles Marini go. He could have been so much more than the sum of his parts. Wouldn’t it have been cool if he had been Franco Kelly’s brother? 

Alas, what could have been.

Eve

Eve’s house of cards fell around her as Jack found out she has pretty much been lying about everything. Wasn’t it kinda poetic and a nod to my review last week that Eve smashed those vials with a rock heart? I told y’all Eve doesn’t know how to love. She burns it all down. Not only did she destroy those vials, she shut down the lab that made it! She thought she had the last laugh, but Jack fired her. I loved how shocked she was. Did she honestly not see it coming? What was she expecting? More importantly, what is she going to do now? You know she isn’t done wreaking havoc in Salem. 

Can she sit on Xander’s face for a while? 

Stabi

Gabriela Josephina Hernandez DiMera, I love you so much. 

Talk about a girl that goes for what she wants and doesn’t give a damn about the consequences! Not only did she marry Stefan, she’s stripped him of everything, became CEO of DiMera and kicked him out of the house. Damn girl! This is going to come back and bite her in the ass so hard. Whether she wants to believe it or not, she’s in love with Stefan. She cares so much more than she is willing to admit. 

Camila and Brandon have that special something. It is seriously reminiscent to the chemistry between Ali Sweeny and James Scott. There is a lot of hate bubbling over, but beneath the surface there is something so sexy and undeniable. I really hope that they figure it out sooner than later. I would really hate for Gabi to find herself alone in that big house just to realize this isn’t what she wanted. 

I also want a miracle baby. Get on it, Ron.

Nicole/Kristen

Kristen married her brother again. I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence. 

I’m assuming the show is disregarding that last iteration of Andre/Tony and when Tony “died” on the pier during that fight with Phillip was actually Tony and not Andre?

Anyway, Tony and “Nicole” are married. Can someone please explain to me how Brady is just okay with this? Isn’t he Nicole’s friend? Doesn’t he care about her at all? Why the hell is he just standing there letting her do this? Is he seriously that stupid? None of this rings any warning bells? The constant mentioning of Kristen, the obsession with DiMera? Nothing? Yikes. When all this comes out, I want Eric to rub it in Brady’s face that he knew there was something wrong. Just once. Let my priest be a petty bitch just once. 

But like most Kristen’s plans, this one blew up in her face. So now she’s gonna go after Gabi? If that gun is any indication, this may be how we lose our Stefan. Would he take a bullet for the woman who betrayed him?

Speaking of bullets, where are John and Marlena in all of this? They should be a bigger part of this storyline. Spoilers have me hoping for more and I really hope they deliver. 

If Kristen is going down, it should be a Black that puts her down.

Eric/Sarah/Rex

The end is near! Thank God!

Now that “Nicole” is married, Eric had no choice but to drown his sorrows in greasy chinese food with his half-brother, nephew, nephew-in-law and the woman he is still pining for. 

Seriously?

Doesn’t dishy Eric Brady deserve something more than the constant pining over women who don’t want him or can’t be with him? My heart broke a little for him when he asked Roman what was wrong with him. I mean, he’s a good guy. He killed Daniel for all of us! Why can’t he have a romantic love interest? 

Alas we all know what is going to happen. He and Sarah will get together and be happy for a while. Nicole will inevitably come back, Holly in tow, and Eric will once again be stuck between a rock and a hard place. 

Can Sarah sit on Xander’s face after that?

Elani

Eli is the new commish! He will probably be the best one since Abe. Does this mean that Elani will finally get a story? Please don’t tell me that this will be the kiss of death that puts them as outliers in every story without ever having one of their own. I love Elani and Sal and Lamon deserve to shine again in a new story. I really hope that the writers have some ideas for these two because they could honestly be the best cop duo since Bo and Hope roamed those halls. 

Bottom line: Give them a story that’s well written. Sal and Lamon have the acting chops to get it done. Give it to them.

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Back in October of 2016, after months of begging, my best friend finally convinced me to watch The 100. “You’ll love it!” She said, “And you’re totally going to ship Bellamy and Clarke.”

I started watching and still have the messages from where I told her, “How could you think that I would ever ship any of these people? I hate everyone except Wells (RIP) and Octavia!” My, how things have changed.

Regardless, I kept watching and then….my moment came. The clouds parted, the sun shone, and I realized, “Oh, okay. I live for these two now.”

The puppy dog eyes that Bellamy gives Clarke and paired with the softly spoken, “That’s good.” I was done and I’ve been on this yacht ever since.

What’s your story? When was your shining moment?

Was it this?

Or this?

Maybe this?

Or perhaps one of their iconic hugs like this:

Sound off in the comments below and tell me when, why, where, who and/or what got you in to shipping this pair of post-apocalyptic babes.

The 100 returns Tuesday April 30th, 2019 at 9/8c to the CW.

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Many of us, myself included, are in denial about the loss of characters and the seeming changing of the guard. It’s a safe bet that the big names and faces that have defined the MCU from the beginning will no longer be with us moving forward. We can expect that Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and Captain America (Chris Evans) are most likely bidding us adieu, but what does this universe look like without them?

***SPOILERS BLACK PANTHER AHEAD. STOP READING IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO BE SPOILED***

Photo: Matt Kennedy/©Marvel Studios 2018

Black Panther does a great many things well, one of which is establish the world of Wakanda within the MCU as a viable place for characters to grow. If in fact we are losing Iron Man and Captain America post-Infinity War, The Avengers are going to need someone to step up and assume the leadership position.

The events of Black Panther sets up King T’Challa (Chadwick Boseman) as the perfect person to lead them. It begins with T’Challa’s coronation as a young King, unsure of himself and his ability to lead the people of Wakanda. A trip to the ancestral spirit world finds him questioning his father, the former King T’Chaka, about how he can do this without him and feeling confident that he has raised his son well, T’Chaka sends T’Challa from the spirit world with hope. Throughout the film, T’Challa goes from maintaining the status quo to questioning everything he has believed about the people of Wakanda and his father’s reign.

T’Challa’s journey forces him to confront the mistakes of the past in order to navigate the events of the present, leaving him with an outlook for the future that is bright. From a scared young man hiding his people from the world in the beginning, to a confident, strong King addressing the UN; telling them Wakanda will become one of the leading nations to bring about progress and goodness in this world. A wise leader he already is and when The Avengers need someone to look to, T’Challa will be there.

Photo: Matt Kennedy/©Marvel Studios 2018

The mark of a good leader is not only the leader themselves, but the counsel in which they keep. Black Panther introduces us to T’Challa’s closest advisers — Shuri (Letitia Wright), Nakia (Lupita Nyong’o), and Okoye (Danai Gurira).

Shuri, T’Challa’s sister, is the leader of the Wakandan Design Group. She is their innovator, their scientist, the one who develops all of their modern technology and the one who will undoubtedly create Cap’s new shield in Infinity War. Shuri possesses genius level intellect rivaling that of Tony Stark. Should The Avengers find themselves without Iron Man, Shuri would seamlessly fill that role as designer and innovator. We could find the Avengers making camp in Wakanda or, at the very least, see Shuri travel frequently to their base in Upstate New York (or work out of the Wakanda Outreach Center in Oakland, CA).

Okoye, the General of the Dora Milaje (the fierce warrior women) and the head of their Armed Forces, is a loyal protector who isn’t afraid to question her King but will defend him with her life. Okoye and her army are a formidable force, strong enough to serve as aids to The Avengers much in the same way that Black Widow or Hawk Eye do. While they may not possess superpowers, their training and strength assures they can go toe to toe with any villain.

Nakia, Wakandan spy, member of the War Dogs, and love of T’Challa’s life, is the moral compass of Black Panther, as well as a capable partner to T’Challa. She inspires his change of thought and helps him open Wakanda up to the world. A fierce ass-kicker on her own, Nakia isn’t some damsel in distress that T’Challa has to rescue.

Photo: Matt Kennedy/©Marvel Studios 2018

When we first meet her, it isn’t a rescue mission, it’s an extraction; she is working with the War Dogs  to help the people of Africa. Her strongest conviction is that she use her strengths to help people in need and she imparts this upon T’Challa. The MCU doesn’t always do couples well and this was a welcome change as she wasn’t just his love interest, but rather someone that pushed his boundaries and brought about reflection and change. She is what Peggy would have been for Steve, had he not been frozen for 70 years.

Speaking of Captain America, Civil War saw Steve leave his best friend Bucky Barnes, The Winter Soldier, with T’Challa in the post credits scenes. If like me, you were wondering where he was hiding this whole movie, Shuri makes reference to him when T’Challa brings in Agent Ross, saying something to the effect of, “great, another broken white boy for me to fix”. She doesn’t explicitly say Barnes’ name, but we know T’Challa promised Steve he would take care of him at the end of Civil War.

The post credits scene shows Bucky coming out of a tent in Wakanda and thanking Shuri. It was evident in those few moments, that Shuri has in fact healed Bucky Barnes. There is precedent in the comics for Bucky to be the next man to take on the mantle of Captain America and who else would Steve Rogers want to carry on his legacy besides his very best friend. There is precedent for Sam Wilson, Falcon, to take on the mantle, but my money’s on Bucky considering we spent the entirety of Civil War rescuing him and chose a post-credits scene in Black Panther to confirm to the audience he has been healed. Trailers for Infinity War have shown Bucky to be fighting alongside the Wakandan’s and its a safe bet that he’ll play a pivotal role in the future.

Basically, if you were in any way, shape, or form concerned about what the MCU looks like post-Infinity War, have no fear, King T’Challa’s here. Black Panther fully develops T’Challa as a strong, capable leader while introducing us to characters like Shuri, Nakia, and Oyoke who prove their skills and assets will be integral to the future of The Avengers. Should Infinity War leave us with a few less heroes, Black Panther has prepared us for the loss well.

The post How Marvel’s Black Panther Could Reshape the Marvel Cinematic Universe appeared first on TV Source Magazine. TV Source Magazine - TV News, Spoilers, Recaps, Interviews

***SPOILERS AHEAD: DO NOT READ IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO KNOW WHO IS IN DANGER***

After some heavy-handed foreshadowing within the storytelling, it was revealed that Carl Grimes (played by original cast member Chandler Riggs) was suffering from a Walker bite and death is impending. In case you somehow missed the 7500 hints they gave us in the extra-long episode, Carl is in fact going to die. If his willingness to sacrifice himself to Negan, the letter he left his dad, or his sweeping monologues didn’t give it away, I’m not sure what to tell you, but here we are. And so, this opens up an issue I have with this show and seemingly have had for some time now. It’s gotten predictable and obvious and that is not a good thing.

I’ve seen many people feeling good about this season so far, saying things like it’s been “faster paced” (I guess) and “action packed” (sure). What I’ve seen this season is more of the same. I don’t feel like we’ve moved anywhere at all. This season started with an assault on the Saviors, and that is still going on… with no end in sight. I’ve read the graphic novel on which this show is based and so I’ve been able over the years to pinpoint when certain moments from the comics were going to crop up and when certain moments have defected from the canon.

Spoiler Warning for Comic Storyline: Long story short, Negan and Rick eventually engage in hand to hand combat which results in Negan passing out and waking up to Rick standing over him. Rick and Carl have a conversation about what to do with him, Carl wants him dead, Rick wants to build a better tomorrow and Negan is jailed. I thought this would happen at the end of Season 7, especially considering two things. 1) ratings fell 2) the ratings drop could be directly credited to fan response to Negan. But alas, no, we are still telling this story midway through Season 8 and as much as I adore Jeffrey Dean Morgan as an actor, I’m ready to move on to the next phase.

The next phase of this story involves a strong, united people working together, Rick and Maggie as respective leaders, to create a better world. They are the alpha’s now. But it seems Scott Gimple thinks that continually watching them mildly get a leg up and get beaten down again is what we want to see. No. I’m ready for them to prosper. This has gotten tired and old. We have watched basically the exact same story play out over and repeatedly for the past seven and a half seasons and I’ve grown tired of it.

The repetition isn’t the only storytelling flaw, the past few seasons have had issues with character development. One of the things I loved about this show early on, it was a story about people. Often non-watchers would ask me why I watch this show and my answer was always the same, because it’s not about zombies, it’s about people reacting to the world in a post-apocalyptic setting. I never needed to know the how or why of the zombies, because they were tertiary characters. The story was in the morality of human beings and the decisions they would make to protect themselves and their families in this heightened environment. That was fascinating to watch. Some fans complained at times that it was “too slow”, too much time was spent on dialogue and character moments and not enough action. But for me, that’s what made this show unique. Listening to characters talk to each other, learn about one another, and navigate this world together was enticing. But it hasn’t been that way in a while.

It’s begun to feel like the only time characters start to have any reflections of morality or mortality is when they’re about to get killed off. That makes it predictable. We all knew Sasha was going to die last season, it was painfully obvious; the same way I knew Carl was dying last night, it was painfully obvious. And that is a problem. It also feels now like we kill characters off more for ratings than for plot. “Someone will die” uh yeah, it’s the zombie apocalypse. This has also made the show slightly unrecognizable. Rick and Morgan are the only 2 characters that remain from Season 1, Episode 1 with Daryl and Carol being the only others left from the original group in Season 1. And I feel like more and more the faces I care about are being taken away.

The Walking Dead _ Season 8, Episode 8 – Photo Credit: Gene Page/AMC

So here we are, Carl Grimes is about to die, and I’m pretty pissed about it. Not in a “this isn’t how it goes down in the comics and so I’m mad” way; I’ve never had a problem with most of the defecting down on this show from the comics. This is an adaptation and if it was the same, it would be boring for those of us who’ve read it and know what happens. It’s fun to see if a certain storyline is playing out the same or if it’s going to take a hard left.

I can see all the storyline potential in Carl dying. It creates a bond between Rick and Morgan. It will shake Negan because he has an affection for Carl. It will make Rick and Michonne stronger. It will most likely be the inspiration for Rick to not kill Negan and to honor Carl’s wishes for a better tomorrow. However, the heart of this story both in the show and in the Graphic Novel’s has always been Rick and Carl Grimes. They are the story. At inception, this is about a man who is determined to rebuild society so his son doesn’t grow up in this toxic atmosphere and the affect this environment has on his son. The story is about whether Carl grows up to be a good person or not. So now, while I still care about Maggie’s child yet to born and baby Judith, the main person I’ve followed and watched for 8 seasons is dead. And I just think that’s a mistake.

We can credit this plot decision on the fact that it’s been 8 years and telling a story for a long time is hard. Allow me to reference a little show called Supernatural, now in its 13th season. One can argue that show is of a repetitive nature. Sam and Dean are battling a big bad, someone dies, someone comes back to life, rinse, repeat. But yet, somehow that show is still interesting and still draws viewers. Why? Because it has never lost the heart of the show which is the relationship between Sam and Dean. At its bare bones, that’s what Supernatural is about and The Walking Dead, at its bare bones, was about Rick and Carl Grimes.

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Christopher Sean, who plays Paul Narita recently tweeted that Paul was about to get a new storyline as well as hinted in a interview that Paul was going to have a difficult time ahead. And it looks like that difficult time might involve Paul’s ex-lover Sonny Kiriakis.

After it being heavily rumored for the past week or so, Jason47 of Daytime Royalty confirmed on Facebook at Freddie Smith is back at Days as Sonny. However, there has been on official word from Smith or the show, nor is it known how long Sonny is back for. But those that isn’t the only news about the gays of Days that has fans interested.

Last week, rumors of the return of Chandler Massey, whose portrayal of Will won him three Daytime Emmys, began to surface on several soap blogs and websites, stemming from Massey’s agent being cagey online as to whether the actor was coming back to Days.

If this is true, Massey would be reclaiming the role after it taken over by Guy Wilson until the actor, who never gelled as NuWill, was fired and Will was killed off late last year. Of course there are many wondering how they could bring back Will when he died on screen, but they forget that back in the 90’s this show killed off half the cast on screen and had them turn up alive and well on an island a few months later. Bringing Will back to life is child’s play.

My idea? Sonny should return to Salem and he and Paul should rekindle their romance and fall in love again. Then Massey’s Will would turn up alive and we’d learn that Will was replaced with a double around the time Guy Wilson took over and it was that Will who was murdered. It would explain why Will suddenly became insecure and started cheating on Sonny, not to mention all the shady things he did, leaving Sonny torn between the love he’d found again and the love he’d thought he’d lost.

And thus begins a new, sexy steamy triangle.

PICKS AND PANS

American Crime (U.S.)

Every week this show has an emotionally draining scene or two that has left me shocked, astounded or horrified. And last week it was the painful to watch moment between Eric’s parents where Eric’s mother basically said she’d rather have a dead straight son than an a live gay one.

Then added that Eric was dead to her anyway because he couldn’t be ‘fixed’ or wouldn’t get better i.e. go straight. But the topper? Her asking Eric’s dad if he’d molested Eric because that would explain why he turned out gay. Awful, but these conversations probably happen in more homes than we’d like to think.

I also couldn’t get over that lengthy scene where Coach Chris preached to the team about accepting Eric only for one player to say ‘you mean we gotta shower with him’? The stunned and disgusted look on Chris’ face was perfectly played.

Though it’s hard to feel sorry for Eric after he set Taylor up to be beaten. And the thing is, even though Eric doesn’t realize it is the team still won’t accept him. And how do they think they’re going to get away with it?

If Taylor reports them, that phone call can be traced right back to Eric. And there’s no way Taylor didn’t see his attackers. Seems like a dumb plan to me.

Out of all the awful people on this show, I think ignorant, misogynist Kevin might be one of the worst. I’m looking forward to his downfall.

I’m not ashamed to confess I found that creepy scene with Taylor and his new boyfriend kind of hot. Disturbing yes, but still hot.

EastEnders (U.S.)

That cute little wink Ben gave Paul and then Abi doing it to Ben right as she announced her clearly faked pregnancy was awesome. I literally laughed out loud. It was deliciously soapy. I’m usually against soaps giving gay men babies, but since it’s obviously a faked pregnancy, I’m actually okay with it. It’s fun.

However, Abi’s plan has a big flaw. What makes her think Ben will drop everything and be her baby daddy? Has she already forgotten that Ben already has a child he could care less about? Why would he want to be a father to this baby when he saw his first child every day for a couple of years and didn’t give a damn?

But I do get why Abi is so clingy to Ben and why she could concoct this tragic scheme. Even though he was using her as a beard, Ben’s treated her better than her own family, who has always crapped all over her. So her obsession with him, while sad, is rooted in story and character.

I’m curious though, if Ben is so in love with Paul then why was he is he out picking up men? And Ben didn’t offer any real explanation as to why he’s screwing around on both his girlfriend and his secret boyfriend. Even if Paul gets Ben (no real prize, IMO), he should be very wary.

So who is this guy from Ben’s past? He obviously knows Ben (when different actors were playing the roles, I guess). Any details? I’m betting though he’ll be Abi’s next boyfriend after she’s through making Ben miserable, but Ben will hate it and interfere, creating drama for Ben and Paul down the line.

Jay is kind of full on for a girl he just met. Things are moving way too fast. Clearly this relationship is going to be a complete disaster for him. But it’s nice to see him in a story all his own.

The post Gays of our Lives: Better ‘Days’ Ahead? appeared first on TV Source Magazine. TV Source Magazine - TV News, Spoilers, Recaps, Interviews

For 42 years, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has honored the soap industry and all of the hardworking persons involved by acknowledging the great talent daytime has to offer. The cast and crew of these programs are arguably the hardest working individuals in the entertainment industry and they deserve the accolades.

Though most soaps produce over 200 episodes a year, when it comes to the Daytime Emmy Awards, it’s just a few minutes that matter. Watching an actor bring his or her character to life over a course of a year is very different than watching a sampling of what they consider to be their best work. It’s up the actors and shows to pick the scenes that best show off their talents.

TVSource Magazine staff got together and reviewed the submissions, breaking down our picks by who should win and who will win. We’ve all been there, wondering why a star with a great tape didn’t win over someone who didn’t have one as good. A variety of factors play into why some reels play better with the jury than others. We tried to venture into that area with our breakdown this year.

Over all the reels for Outstanding Lead Actor were good (though not always great). Though Billy Miller and Christian Le Blanc’s reels showed some nice work for both of them, at times it felt like those scenes really belong to their screen partners. Predicting who will when this year is a real no brainer but once in awhile the Emmys surprise us.

The Nominees

• Anthony Geary as Luke Spencer, General Hospital, ABC
• Christian LeBlanc as Michael Baldwin, The Young and the Restless, CBS
• Billy Miller as Billy Abbott, The Young and the Restless, CBS
• Jason Thompson as Dr. Patrick Drake, General Hospital, ABC

The Stats

• Anthony Geary – 16 nominations (1981, 1982,1983, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008,2009, 2012, 2015); 8 wins for Outstanding Lead Actor (1982, 1983, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2006, 2008, 2012)
• Christian LeBlanc – 10 nominations (1999, 2000, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2014, 2015); 3 wins for Outstanding Lead Actor (2005, 2007, 2009)
• Billy Miller – 5 nominations (2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015); 2 wins for Outstanding Supporting Actor (2010, 2013); 1 win for Outstanding Lead Actor (2014)
• Jason Thompson – 5 nominations (2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015)

The Reels

Anthony Geary – Daytime Emmys
Christian Le Blanc – Daytime Emmys

Billy Miller – Daytime Emmys
Jason Thompson – Daytime Emmys

Find out who we selected as our “Should Win” and “Will Win” picks on the next page.

Photo credit (l-r): Christian LeBlanc courtesy CBS.com; Tony Geary courtesy Craig Sjodin/ABC; Billy Miller courtesy Matt Petit/ABC; Jason Thompson courtesy Rick Rowell/ABC

The post 2015 Daytime Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Lead Actor appeared first on TV Source Magazine. TV Source Magazine - TV News, Spoilers, Recaps, Interviews

For 42 years, the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences has honored the soap industry and all of the hardworking persons involved by acknowledging the great talent daytime has to offer. The cast and crew of these programs are arguably the hardest working individuals in the entertainment industry and they deserve the accolades.

Though most soaps produce over 200 episodes a year, when it comes to the Daytime Emmy Awards, it’s just a few minutes that matter. Watching an actor bring his or her character to life over a course of a year is very different than watching a sampling of what they consider to be their best work. It’s up the actors and shows to pick the scenes that best show off their talents.

TVSource Magazine staff got together and reviewed the submissions, breaking down our picks by who should win and who will win. We’ve all been there, wondering why a star with a great tape didn’t win over someone who didn’t have one as good. A variety of factors play into why some reels play better with the jury than others. We tried to venture into that area with our breakdown this year.

Two of the nominees for Outstanding Supporting Actor really should have submitted in Lead. One of the issues prevalent in the reels for this year was a lack of focus on nominee. Some reels felt cluttered with other cast members, felt like someone else’s reel or featured a lot of flashbacks. The reels didn’t have the same punch to them as last year as a result. Though we were almost unanimous on who should win and who will win, it didn’t feel like there was a clear winner or anyone who truly stood out as a leader of the pack.

The Nominees

• Scott Clifton (Liam, The Bold and the Beautiful)
• Chad Duell (Michael, General Hospital)
• Kristoff St. John (Neil, The Young and the Restless)
• Jacob Young (Rick, The Bold and the Beautiful)

The Stats

• Scott Clifton – 8 nominations (2004, 2005, 2006, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2014, 2015); 2 wins for Outstanding Younger Actor (2005, 2011); 1 win for Outstanding Supporting Actor (2103)
• Chad Duell – 4 nominations (2011, 2012, 2014, 2015)
• Kristoff St. John – 6 nominations (1990,1991, 1993, 2007, 2008, 2015); 1 win for Outstanding Younger Actor (1993) 1 win for Outstanding Supporting Actor (2008)
• Jacob Young – 5 nominations (1999, 2002, 2005, 2009, 2015); 1 win  for Outstanding Younger Actor (2002)

The Reels

Scott Clifton – Daytime Emmys
Chad Duell – Daytime Emmys

Kristoff St. John – Daytime Emmys
Jacob Young – Daytime Emmys

Find out who we selected as our “Should Win” and “Will Win” picks on the next page.

Photo credit (l-r): Scott Clifton courtesy Giles Toucas Photography; Jacob Young courtesy Giles Toucas Photography; Kristoff St. John courtesy CBS.com; Chad Duell courtesy Rick Rowell/ABC

The post 2015 Daytime Emmy Predictions: Outstanding Supporting Actor appeared first on TV Source Magazine. TV Source Magazine - TV News, Spoilers, Recaps, Interviews