Daytime Confidential

On episode 1191, Daytime Confidential looks back at 2025 with the Best and Worst of 2025 in Soap Operas, Part 2. Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dive into the Best and Worst of Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines, including all your favorite long-running categories. Listen to Best and Worst of Soap Operas in 2025, Part 1.  Share your picks for Best and Worst of Soap Operas in 2025, Part 2 in the comments! Best Scene: Worst Scene: Glittery Hoo Hoo of the Year:   MP (Magical Penis) of the Year: Most in Need of some Lovin': Why, Just Why:   Read a Book (Dumbest Character): Einstein Award (Smartest Character): Soap Opera Scenery Chewer of the Year:   Hall of Shame: Charity Ramer Award for Babies Who Don't Know Who they Are: Worst Daytime Drama: Best Daytime Drama: All this and more on the latest Daytime Confidential podcast! Bluesky: @DCConfidential, LukeKerr, JillianBowe, Josh

On episode 1190 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels look back at 2025 and the Best and Worst of Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines, including all your favorite long-running categories. Share your picks for these categories in the comments below!  Most Improved Character: Best Male Character: Best Female Character: Biggest Waste of Talent (Male or Female): Most in need of a Makeover: Character Most in Need of a Recast: Dreams Really Do Come True: Be careful what you wish for: Best Couple or Triangle: Worst Couple or Triangle: Worst Storyline: Best storyline: All this and more on the latest Daytime Confidential podcast! Bluesky: @DCConfidential, LukeKerr, JillianBowe, Josh Baldwin, and Melodie Aikels. Facebook: Daytime Confidential Subscribe to Daytime Confidential on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.

For this Daytime Confidential Reflections special, episode 1188, Luke Kerr sits down with longtime Daytime Confidential contributor J. Bernard Jones for a straight shot of soap history, fandom and survival. J. Bernard opens up about the stroke he suffered in May and how laughing at the occasional scrambled word has helped him keep moving forward. J. Bernard remembers how he first found Daytime Confidential through the blog and became "a pure a-hole" in the comments before Jamey Giddens recruited him to write. He talks about launching J.F.Y., a glossy magazine for Black gay men that briefly thrived before collapsing with the ad market in the mid 2000s. J. Bernard traces his soap roots to watching The Edge of Night with his mother, the bombed honeymoon that hooked him, and how that led to a lifelong obsession with Procter & Gamble soaps, Santa Barbara and Guiding Light. He and Luke compare the old magazine wars and AOL chat rooms to today's forums tab on Google and social platforms. The conversation turns t

On episode 1187 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe and Joshua Baldwin dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines. BEYOND THE GATES Eva and Kat go head-to-head, and neither blinks. Leslie stirs the pot at the club and enjoys every second. Hayley eyes both Bill and Izaiah. The panel floats theories about Hayley's angle and how Izaiah might catch on. Andre and Dani's relationship continues to evolve. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Luna pulls off a jailbreak and the guards are written like fools. The discussion hits the contraband phone, the laundry-through-the-bars mess and the beach house lacking security. Bill's new zen phase gets mocked as temporary at best. DAYS OF OUR LIVES Days of Our Lives kicks off its 60th anniversary with flashbacks and Horton family history. Holly and Tate's film assignment ties into the celebration. The gala mixes nostalgia with confrontations. Jennifer and Chad fa

On episode 1186 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines. BEYOND THE GATES Andre chooses Dani over Ashley. Martin has a self-righteous meltdown over his daughter's "Magnum" scandal. Kat doesn't deserve the blame, and Eva calling Ted "Dad" sets her off. Luke predicts Izaiah will turn out to be Joey's son. THE BOLD AND THE BEAUTIFUL Taylor and Deacon's chemistry is undeniable, and Sheila senses a threat. What will Luna do next to get out of prison? B&B's refusal to use the word "rape" continues to kneecap the story. Electra is at her best when she's mean. DAYS OF OUR LIVES Who is the pumpkin slasher? Rachel is a demon seed child, but so was Ciara when she was Rachel's age. Will Rachel grow up into a good girl like Ciara or a bad girl like Sami? Johnny and Chanel finally get their baby, but it's Leo and Javi's good

Daytime Confidential marks 19 seasons with a familiar voice: Karen from Wubs, one of the earliest General Hospital bloggers and a friend of the site long before the podcast existed. In Episode 1185 of the Daytime Confidential Reflections mini-series, Karen and Luke Kerr reminisce about SoapZone handles, Helena Cassadine debates, and the moment she pushed Luke and DC onto Twitter back in 2006. From there, the conversation turns to what has changed — and what hasn't — in daytime: bigger sets, smart reuse of space, and why the rooftop pool set still feels fresh. Karen breaks down how social media reshaped soap fandom. Karen reflects on Tristan Rogers' legacy and why his final General Hospital scenes felt like the right goodbye. She explains how Smarmy Drew unlocked Cameron Matheson's edge and why Alexa Havins makes Lulu compelling even at her messiest. They dissect Lucky's short-lived return and praise Isaiah new energy on the canvas. The conversation moves to Sidwell's foil to Sonny, and Luke and Karen draft a

Daytime Confidential celebrates 19 seasons as Luke Kerr reconnects with early guest-turned-longtime co-host Mike Jubinville for Episode 1184. This special Daytime Confidential Reflections episode looks back at the origins of the podcast and the relationships that shaped nearly two decades of soap coverage. Luke and Mike revisit the early days when Daytime Confidential covered nine soaps each week. They remember the weekly Performer of the Week episodes and the Top Five countdowns that sparked so many debates. Mike recalls joining the show during its first year and watching the podcast's online community turn into lasting friendships. They share stories and reminisce about Mike's affection for As the World Turns. From late nights editing episodes to growing the DC brand, Luke and Mike reflect on the changes in podcasting and what it means to stay creative after 19 seasons. The discussion shifts to Beyond the Gates, the newest soap opera that has become a DC favorite. Luke and Mike talk about pacing, character

On episode 1183 of Daytime Confidential, the Daytime Emmys are behind Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe and Joshua Baldwin, who catch up on their favorite storylines from Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless of the past two weeks.  Viewers finally know what Hayley's true motives are and how she's scamming Bill on Beyond the Gates. David Lami Friebe debuts as Izaiah and has immediate chemistry with Eva and did we see a spark in Naomi for her brother-in-law? Should BTG pursue an Eva/Izaiah/Naomi triangle OR should they go after an Eva/Izaiah/Kat triangle? Taylor and Deacon have chemistry on The Bold and the Beautiful and we're not opposed to it. Is B&B better than The Young and the Restless right now?  Is the Sarah and Xander relationship in danger of being recycled too quickly on Days of Our Lives? The DC crew debates. Sophia's secrets are out and facing the consquences of her actions.  Carly is pissed that Josslyn is a WSB agent and she wan

On Daytime Confidential podcast episode 1182,  Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels react to the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. Melodie spills tea about Daytime Emmy red carpet and winners walk interviews The team shares their first impressions of the show, from it to being streamed to Mario Lopez hosting, the In Memoriam and debated whether or not the award show's stage felt like an award show stage.  From the surprise winners to the Daytime Emmy favorites taking home the night's biggest awards, the DC crew dive into all the major catagories, including: Outstanding Drama, Lead Actor, Lead Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Emerging Actor, Guest Actor and Writing Team.  See the full list of winners from the 52nd Annual Daytime Emmy Awards. They also dive into how the Creative Arts and the main ceremony was merged. They reflect on Gold and Silver Circle inductees and Deborah Norville being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award.  Finally, find out which Daytime Confid

On episode 1181 of Daytime Confidential Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels reveal their 2025 Daytime Emmy Award Predictions.  Find out which actors and shows they think Should Win and Will win in all six major categories.  Outstanding Lead Actress In A Daytime Drama Series Sharon Case, The Young and the Restless Eileen Davidson, The Young and the Restless Melissa Claire Egan, The Young and the Restless Nancy Lee Grahn, General Hospital Michelle Stafford, The Young and the Restless Laura Wright, General Hospital Outstanding Lead Actor In A Daytime Drama Series Peter Bergman, The Young and the Restless Eric Martsolf, Days of Our Lives Greg Rikaart, Days of Our Lives Paul Telfer, Days of Our Lives Dominic Zamprogna, General Hospital Outstanding Supporting Actor In A Daytime Drama Series Tajh Bellow, General Hospital Blake Berris, Days of Our Lives Michael Graziadei, The Young and the Restless Gregory Harrison, General Hospital Jonathan Jackson, General Hospital Outstanding Supporting Actr

On episode 1180 of Daytime Confidential Luke Kerr, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels count down their Top 5 Worst Soap Couples on Current Soaps.  Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless all had couples that earned spots on the DC co-hosts' list. Take you best guess who they might be before you tune in and after share your Top 5 Worst Soap Couples on Current Soaps in the comments at Daytime Confidential! All this and more on the latest Daytime Confidential podcast! Bluesky: @DCConfidential, LukeKerr, JillianBowe, Josh Baldwin, and Melodie Aikels. Facebook: Daytime Confidential Subscribe to Daytime Confidential on iTunes, Google Play, and Spotify.

On episode 1179 of Daytime Confidential Luke Kerr, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless, including: Luna wants to be pregnant on The Bold and the Beautiful. Thomas is back, but his relationship is over.  Leslie and Hayley crash the Dupree family's crisis on Beyond the Gates. One of the two had a better reason to be there. Should BTG pursue a Jacob and Kat pairing? Who had canabalism on their 2025 Soap Opera Bingo Card? Not us.  Kristen is sentenced on Days of Our Lives, but not before Brady interrupts and tells the judge to throw the book at Kristen. Did the DAYS writers forget that at their previous child Brady and Kristen were told Rachel would be taken away if anything more happened? Why isn't Rachel being taken away? Gabi is threading the needle between Xander and Philip. DAYS casts a new Theo Carver. Who Shot Drew is General Hospital's big storyline and the ABC soap has been build

On episode 1178 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr is joined by Carly Silver for the third Daytime Confidential Reflections episode, to catch up and reflect on moments from the past nineteen seasons. The two reminisce about how they first met through Twitter and how Carly's first podcast wasn't Daytime Confidential, but its sibling podcast Geek Confidential.  Listen as Carly shares how she first started watching soaps and how her mom introduced her too Daytime Confidential. Find out which podcast moments are her favorites. Luke and Carly discuss the differences between the soaps of today and the genre when she first started watching.  Luke asks Carly about the parallels and differences between the romance novel genre and soap opera storytelling in a post-MeToo world. Romance novels have adapted. Can soaps still tell the same type of Luke and Laura or EJ and Sami stories of prior decades or should they avoid them? Carly provides examples of how she's seen such storylines told in the present day.  The two dive

On episode 1177 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe and Joshua Baldwin dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines, including: Leslie hits the Dupree Trust jackpot on Beyond the Gates and can't help sticking it to Anita in the process. Chelsea is kidnapped, but boy did Allison's obsession escalate quickly. BTG continues to have pacing problems with its storylines.  Luna rapes a drunk Will on The Bold and the Beautiful.  EJ, Kristen and Marlena find out that Rachel is the one who shot EJ on Days of Our Lives. The co-hosts have differing opinions on the storyline's cliamx. Gabi and Xander have so much chemistry. Sarah who? Ryan Paevey returns to General Hospital. Maxie's heart gives out. Is Sidwell responsible? Drew's plot to get Michael arrested bombs. What exactly is going on in the Eastern Europe storyline?  We've discovered The Young and the Restless' potential new theme song and ship n

On episode 1176 of Daytime Confidential Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, The Young and the Restless and Wendy Williams headlines and storylines, including: The legal drama surrounding Wendy Williams’ conservatorship heats up in the court room. Leslie’s true identity is revealed on Beyond the Gates. What will Anita do when she finds out Leslie will end up with all that money she put away for Barbara’s family? BTG spent months developing the June storyline with Naomi and then in an episode-and-a-half had Naomi tell Smitty and Martin she’d found their kids’ mom, Smitty and Martin agree to tell the kids, the kids found out and met their mom. Why was so much potential juicy drama wrapped up with a neat little bow on top? Where was the conflict between Martin and his cousin over the fact that Naomi basically violated a closed adoption? Where was the conflict between Smitty and Martin? Where w

On episode 1175 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Jillian Bowe, Josha Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines, including: Hayley's fake prengancy ends on Beyond the Gates. Will she get away with her deception now that Naomi knows the truth? When will Bill find out?  What is up with The Bold and the Beautiful's pattern of making black and asian people the villains? It's glaring and not a good look. Brooke takes a spill off a boat in Italy and Ridge dove into the ocean to save her. Who knew he was such a good swimmer?  EJ torches his relationship with Belle as a ploy to save Johnny on Days of Our Lives. A Xander, Gabi and EJ triangle could be extremely hot, but no one on the DC podcast wants to see Sarah and Brady as a couple. Sami returns to Salem to comfort her mother after John's funeral.  Rena Sofer is OUT as Lois at General Hospital. She will be much missed and hope

On episode 1174 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr is joined by Larry Flick for the second Daytime Confidential Reflections episode, to catch up and reflect on moments from the past nineteen seasons. Listen as Larry shares what he's been up to since leaving New York City and jumping the pond to the UK. He talks about surviving a heart attack followed a few years later by a bad case of COVID early in the pandemic.  He reflects on how former Soap Opera Weekly Editor in Chief Mimi Torchin told him not to focus on being a soap journalist and to pursue his passion in music. Larry reveals the "secret sauce" of radio interviews and retells stories about interviews with Madonna, Adam Lambert and Leah Michele. The two talk about how podcasting has evolved since Daytime Confidential premiered and the difference between video and audio podcasting mediums. Larry shares his first memories about the podcast and meeting Luke, Jamey, Jillian and Regan in person on The Morning Jolt. Larry recounts how he started watching Gene

On episode 1173 of Daytime Confidential, Luke Kerr, Joshua Baldwin and Melodie Aikels dish the latest Beyond the Gates, The Bold and the Beautiful, Days of Our Lives, General Hospital and The Young and the Restless headlines and storylines.  The Articulettes take the stage on Beyond the Gates and deliver show-stopping performances. There's more than a little off stage drama too. However, why did the climatic episode for Anita's main storyline  have such abrupt scene editing and why did BTG cut from the amazing concert scenes to the most boring scenes ever of a fireman, nurse and fridge triangle? What is behind Kat's regret about having sex with Tomas? The DC co-hosts discuss multiple potential explanations.  Luna is ALIVE on The Bold and the Beautiful. We're happy because it means the talented Lisa Yamada will be on our screens, but can B&B come up with a good storyline for her?  Al Calderon is leaving Days of Our Lives. Why can't the Peacock soap lock down the talented young actors/actresses it casts? S

This fall the Daytime Confidential podcast will kick off its 20th Season, so on this week's bonus episode Luke Kerr is joined by Regan Cellura for the first of a Daytime Confidential Reflections podcast series where Luke's joined by DC listener favorites and co-hosts to reflect on nearly twenty years of podcasting.  Listen as Regan shares her favorite Daytime Confidential podcast memories, including: laughing so hard while recording episodes, writing General Hospital spoilers for the site, the trip to New York City where she met Luke, Jamey Giddens and Jillian Bowe and how Jamey wouldn't take no for an answer to have her work a Paley Center red carpet when she was in California for a weekend.  The two then talk about how her active involvement in her nephew and nieces' lives changed her soap watching habits. They discuss the soap operas she's tuning in to every day. Even though she was a diehard Liz and Jason fan, she misses Kelly Monaco's Sam McCall. They discuss the difference between General Hospital toda