I just finished watching the Season 3 premiere of Venice, and I must say I am damn impressed! While I wasn't wowed enough by the first season to commit to Season 2, the premiere of the recently launched third season was cable worthy. In fact, it was so good, I will be whipping out the old Visa to buy Season 2 on DVD so I can play catch up!

The 25-minute episode opens with a red-hot exchange between volatile designer Gina (Crystal Chappell) and sensitive photographer Ani (Jessica Leccia) that is truly the stuff of fantasies. Gina doesn't have a lot of time to spend on her romantic life in the installment, however. She has to convince a rehab nurse played by Glee's Dot Jones to help with getting her and Owen's (Galen Gering) ornery dad,  John "The Colonel" Brogno (Jordan Clarke), back on his feet post a debilitating stroke.

Speaking of Owen, he's dealing with life without Sami (formerly played by Gina Tognoni) by hooking up with some other chick, while a new character played by Eric Martsolf makes moves on Nu-Sami! Gina and Owen's wacky aunt Guya (Hillary B. Smith) is back and seeing dead people (Liz Kiefer), that is when she isn't flirting with hunky, younger dude Brandon (Shawn Christian), or playing raunchy, slightly sacrilegious board games with her niece and nephew.

Glam Katherine Pierce (Tina Sloan) looks to be close to mixing business and pleasure with Alan Anders (Chappell's real-life hubby Michael Sabatino), and even Jaime (Harrison White) is getting a little action. It isn't all romance and light for the denizens of Venice Beach, though. It appears Ani's novelist gal pal Lara Miller (Nadia Bjorlin) likes to get drunk and beat up on her!

Chappell and Co. packed a helluva lot of soapy, stylistic, smart drama in this premiere. But enough of me talking about it, watch the Season 3 premiere of Venice after the jump and sound off with your thoughts in the comments! Will you be purchasing a subscription to watch the entire season?
 

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As more sad news breaks about big money production companies and their inability to make soaps work online, it's important to remember many soapers have already been providing us sudsy content on the web. One such visionary is former Days of Our Lives, Guiding Light and One Life to Live actress Crystal Chappell, whose popular, sapphic sudser Venice returns today at 3 pm EST. Check out a video teasing the upcoming Season 3 of Venice after the jump!
 

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Former Days of Our Lives and Guiding Light star Crystal Chappell co-hosted the 25th Annual Emery Awards with Good Morning America’s Sam Champion on November 10. The event, held at Cipriani Wall Street, honored Ralph Lauren’s Charles Fagan, Newark, NJ Mayor Cory Booker and Macy’s.  The yearly celebration is thrown by the Hetrick-Martin Institution, which helps provide empowerment, education and advocacy for LGBTQ young people age 12-24 and their families. See more photos after the jump!

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Her once strong, opera diva character Chloe Lane might have turned into a hot mess on Days of Our Lives in recent months (almost committing suicide, becoming a reluctant hooker), but Nadia Bjorlin couldn't have had it more together when I ran into the actress recently at the Daytime Emmy Awards Gifting Suite in Las Vegas.

The striking starlet, who has been playing the immensely popular Chloe on and off since 1999, took time out from checking out the swag with her equally-hot, soaper boyfriend Brandon Beemer (Owen, The Bold and the Beautiful) to discuss with Daytime Confidential why she believes TPTB decided to write out her character.

Bjorlin also dished about what's next for her career, including an upcoming, big screen romantic comedy and the E! reality show pilot presentation she recently filmed with General Hospital stars Kelly Monaco and Kirsten Storm and One Life to Live's Farah Fath. We also chatted about her pal Crystal Chappell (who was also recently let go from DAYS), winning a Daytime Emmy for her popular webisoap Venice, which Bjorlin costars in. Will Bjorlin be back for a third season of Venice as troubled lesbian Lara Miller? What about her dreams of playing the title role in Wonder Woman? Is she still holding out hope of playing Diance Prince one day? Keep reading to find out.

Daytime Confidential: Fans are really upset that Chloe’s going to be leaving Salem on Days of Our Lives. What’s next for Nadia Bjorlin?

NB: That’s a good question. What is next for Nadia Bjorlin? I’m actually shooting a movie in August, right after I leave DAYS. It’s a romantic comedy and I can’t really say more than that right now.

DC: I can totally see you doing rom-com on TV as well. Have you ever considered it?

NB:  Oh I would love to! Actually one of my dreams would be to do a sitcom or a comedy. READ MORE

Soap vet Sydney Penny is dropping into Salem for a brief visit. According to TV Guide, Penny will appear on Days of Our Lives for seven episodes as a doctor at the rehab center Carly (Crystal Chappell) is checked into.