Daytime Confidential's 10 Best Soap Couples of 2009
No. 1: Olivia and Natalia, Guiding Light
For months, Guiding Light teased viewers with a possible pairing between seemingly heterosexual maneater Olivia Spencer (Crystal Chappell) and naive, Catholic mom Natalia Rivera (Jessica Leccia), all the while swearing to the media the pairing would never happen, as opposed to promoting it like crazy to an L-World mourning, upwardly mobile, niche demographic.
In 2009, GL's last year on the air, Otalia did happen. The fire between Chappell's Olivia and Leccia's Natalia— former rivals for the affections of the late Gus Aitorro (Ricky Paull Goldin)— was enough to burn those damn cookies Natalia was forever baking in the kitchen of the late Hart Jessup's old farm house. It really is a shame TPTB didn't have the courage or confidence in their audience to give the most buzzed about pairing in the last decade of soaps the same kind of affectionate, intimate scenes it afforded their straight counterparts. Who knows, it just might have bought the sudser another year? Maybe not, but at least GL fans, not to mention Olivia and Natalia, would have gone away satisfied.
Despite the behind-the-scenes obstacles the pair faced, and plenty of plot driven ones onscreen (Frank impregnating Natalia anyone?), Otalia's love proved to be one that not even prejudice, fear or small-mindedness could destroy. If you don't believe us, just as the IT people for CNN International, or the ones manning the official Venice The Series website. Otalia fever is so doggone strong people are actually paying $10 for a chance to see Chappell and Leccia finally get their chance at love, playing two new characters on a web soap opera, when just a few years back the Writers Guild of America was forced to strike because greedy, Hollyweird producers were refusing to pay up for online content, stating there was no money to be made with scripted ventures online. Silly, silly Procter and Gamble, lesbians buy soap too, ya know!
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Comments
15 July 2008
21 hours 14 min
Why am I not surprised - No JaSam. LAME. No Zendall LAME. I think the Zendall JaSam and EJami fans should ban together and storm the castles. (DC HQ LOL)
I would have agreed with Jake Amanda at one point, but not any more. He is Sir Grouchalots and she is AmanDUH of late.
15 July 2008
21 hours 14 min
I forgot to add Todd and TEA?? Bah - first off he loves Blair (although Blair deserves better) Secondly, hmmm, lets see A rapist that frequently cheats or threatens her and a woman who lied about the paternity of her daughter to everyone. If this is one of the top ten couples of the year, its no wonder soaps are in the trouble they are in.
4 December 2009
54 min 54 sec
Damn you, EET! My thoughts exactly!
13 June 2009
1 year 37 weeks
Good list. IA that these are the couples that I enjoyed/was curious about/heard a lot about in 2009.
Otalia was definitely the #1 couple of the year, and Kish was DEFINITELY #2 (and no doubt will be #1 in 2010, if OLTL continues on this track with them).
And EET, it pains me to disagree with you, but I DO think Todd loves Tea...as much as he can love anyone. I think he also does love Blair, though, which is why I don't really want Tea with him anymore. Because I don't think she'll EVER have his heart, completely.
23 November 2009
3 years 19 weeks
Your picks for #1 & 2 ....... SPOT ON!!!!
22 January 2008
6 hours 56 min
Secondly, hmmm, lets see A rapist that frequently cheats or threatens her and a woman who lied about the paternity of her daughter to everyone. If this is one of the top ten couples of the year, its no wonder soaps are in the trouble they are in.
***
Yet, you would do two cartwheels if a con artist and an assassin made the cut???? So, an unrepentent murderer can get some loving but Todd is no longer viable because of the rapes? Rape is an appalling crime, but then so is murder. We suspend our disbelief every day to buy Jason as a romantic lead, so the Todd stuff makes no sense to me it really doesn't. Roger Thorpe, Luke Spencer, Jack Deveraux, Jake McKinnon, Paul Williams, Bill Horton and many others were all rapists on soaps who went on to become romantic leads. What is the difference? However, I do agree that Todd and Blair have it ALL over Todd and Tea, but my cohorts are all TNT fans! LOL
22 January 2008
6 hours 56 min
And before anyone says, murder and the mob is something that most of us can't identify with, speak for yourself, plenty of people have lost loved ones to violent crimes. They are both hideous acts in real life, but fiction has idealized mobsters and unfortunately rapists for generations, it's not TSJ's fault that he is good at making people root for the character, no more than it was Tony Geary's or Tom Eplin's, et al. That's why it's called "suspension of disbelief".
4 December 2009
54 min 54 sec
I'D rather be with a MURDERER than a RAPIST! In this case, Todd vs Jason.. Let's review: rapist with no heart who hates and screws over EVERYONE including his own daughter and grand daughter, and SISTER who has done NOTHING but help him. He's CRUEL, MEAN, ABRASIVE, HAS NO LOYALTY, CHEATS, LIES, STEALS and is just downright depressing to be around VS killer who only kills when he or his are in danger(who WOULDN"T want that priviledge?), loves deeply, cares for the people close to him, is NOT thinking of himself ALL THE TIME, is loyal, loving and doesn't hurt people for the THRILL of it. Hmmm, murderer or rapist? I think I'll take murderer!
(I wish there was a "roll your eyes" smiley!)
28 December 2009
2 years 48 weeks
Where are Scrubs? Jason Thompson and Kimberly McCullough have done an amazing job playing the strongest couple on GH this year, and it's a shame not to see them as one of the 10 Best Soap Couples of 2009!
26 June 2009
3 years 4 weeks
agree with some. disagree with others. where's scrubs & jasam ?! i mean i get why jasam aren't up there -- they just became a couple again but scrubs should definitely be up there!!!!!
25 February 2009
3 days 7 hours
Loved pic number 1 (Otalia) woo hoo and pic number 2 (KISH)........But your choice for the number 10 spot is grossing me out....I Cannot buy the Jackie M - Owen pairing at all.....Zero chemistry..................Emma Snyder of ATWT has MORE chemistry with her Pot Roast than those two.................
6 February 2008
3 weeks 6 days
God I am so sick of Kish. I am sorry but there is only one or two characters are this list I agree with but others I have no interest. DC sorry you are off on this list
6 February 2008
3 weeks 6 days
God I am so sick of Kish. I am sorry but there is only one or two characters are this list I agree with but others I have no interest. DC sorry you are off on this list
26 February 2009
43 weeks 3 days
I notice that the writeup for "sexy" Billy and Chloe and how no one could believe he would choose Mac over her did not mention that months before Mac returned to town, Billy was using Chloe as a babysitter, not a wife, so he could screw Sharon. Or that he nailed Sharon the night before his wedding! Not to mention that for most of Chloe's pregnancy, Billy wanted absolutely nothing to do with her. This couple has many, many problems beyond Mac or Chance. I have never and still do not believe Billy loves her (or anyone but himself), and Liz Hendrickson is much better at comedy and cattiness than romance. It's not a coincidence that the only popular pairing she has been involved in during her decade on soaps is Bam, which was much more about friendship than romance.
When I think of Todd and Tea all I remember is their great wedding, where the acting and script consisted of:
Tea: Weepweepweep
Todd: Kill me now.
Tea: Cryyouaremyworldcry
Todd: This is so boring.
Tea: WAH WAH WAH
Todd: What's your name again? Oh, right. You're the one who puts out. Yeah, whatever, I do.
26 February 2009
43 weeks 3 days
"So, an unrepentent murderer can get some loving but Todd is no longer viable because of the rapes?"
I think he's no longer viable because he allowed the niece he supposedly loves to run around town doing his bidding while she was mentally ill. He did nothing as her baby died, and as she nearly killed his other niece. And now no one on the show can ever mention it. He showed about five seconds of remorse and then went back to the usual bored sociopath role.
3 August 2008
8 weeks 4 days
Wait a minute....Where's Scrubs?! Oh, now that's just wrong.
17 February 2009
3 years 24 weeks
I agree with the couples on the list,if not the placement.Kish is my personal #1,and I would definitely put Todd & Tea higher than #5.Also,Otalia lose points 4 me because they didn't go the distance.Not the actresses fault of course,but it makes a difference to me.
1 July 2009
1 week 4 days
Love Chilly!!! Billy and Mac are just plain awful, Billy and Chloe have chemistry in spades!
9 June 2009
18 weeks 3 days
Kish at number 2? Much deserved. Love it.
Glad Spixie and Jess/Brody made the list, where are Scrubs? I love them.
Most of the couples on this list I agree with.
9 December 2009
2 years 42 weeks
Great to see Jake & Amanda on the list. IA there was lots of bad for AMC and it was tough being a fan of the show. Jake & Amanda had their share of ridiculous and crappy sl but Ricky & Chrishell made it work and they are the reason I"m still rooting for Jake & Amanda.
22 January 2008
6 hours 56 min
Many of us adore Scrubs, but in 2009 Robin almost cheated on Patrick , while refusing treatment for PPD. Not exactly romantic. Several of the people voting LOVE Liason as well, and they aren't on the list, because their story wasn't good in 09.
26 February 2009
43 weeks 3 days
By GH standards, that's Barbara Cartland.
8 June 2008
1 year 36 weeks
First of all I want to say that I think DC's list is spot on and they definitely included some of the best couples of 2009. Especially Todd & Tea, Jake & Amanda, and Spinelli & Maxie.
I'm a bit surprised that people are wondering why Scrubs is not on the list. If you think about it, when has Scrubs been on our screen this year? Yes at the beginning Robin was in the PPD storyline, but that was so poorly executed and didn't really showcase Robin and Patrick's relationship......I'd be surprised if Robin and Patrick even were on the list.
26 November 2008
11 weeks 6 days
I think this list is spot on. I wouldn't include Jasam because their story is really just getting started, whereas the couples who were picked had storylines for most of 2009.
And I love that Billy and Chloe made the list. I will not stop until they get together dammit! Mac and Chance can go bore each other to death.
11 December 2008
22 weeks 5 days
Am I the only one sick of Otalia? Enough already. I'm over Crystal Chappel. Unimpressed.
8 December 2009
2 years 45 weeks
I would love for Billy and Chloe to try and give their relationship another shot. I thought they were hot together before and still think they're chemistry is off the charts. MAB needs to let it go with the Billy/Mac pairing. That only worked when David Tom and AshBash were playing the characters and Chloe/Chance is the equivalent of watching paint dry. I have nothing but love for John Driscoll, but he and Elizabeth Hendrickson have no chemistry whatsoever.
"Am I the only one sick of Otalia? Enough already. I'm over Crystal Chappel. Unimpressed."
I'm pretty much over Otalia and Crystal Chappell. She's a fierce actress but the way people give her a tongue-bathing, you'd think she was end all and be all of soap actresses. I'll probably get roasted for this but oh well.
15 October 2008
1 week 6 days
The Liason/Jasam debate scares me and sometimes makes embarassed to be a fan of the genre b/c ppl go at it like this is real by attacking each other and unfairly the actors. Anyways good list esp my Jessica and Brody.
18 August 2008
1 year 25 weeks
Wow, I really disagree with this list. First of all, Spixie doesn't belong on it. And, more importantly, Scrubs - Robin and Patrick- are missing from it. Of course, they got jipped out of air time in 2009...but they're still the hottest couple currently together on daytime!
18 August 2008
1 year 25 weeks
Wow, I really disagree with this list. First of all, Spixie doesn't belong on it. And, more importantly, Scrubs - Robin and Patrick- are missing from it. Of course, they got jipped out of air time in 2009...but they're still the hottest couple currently together on daytime!
4 December 2009
54 min 55 sec
shargem69-QUADRUPLE POST MUCH? We GET it, but we DON'T all AGREE!!