Dan Wells Switches From Day to Night

Many of you might remember him as Stan/Sami on "Days of Our Lives." As Dan Wells told me about the role, "It was nuts!" I interviewed him yesterday for the Feb. 9, 2007 Daytime Dial Interview column. While I can't divulge the contents of the interview here just yet (must wait until publication date), I can tell you that it was a superfun interview. Dan was very nice and very eager talk with me -- which I always appreciate. He even got apologetic a few times, asking me if he was talking too much, or babbling on too much. And the answer, of course, was, "Of course not!"

I like it best when the person I am interviewing talks and talks. In this way, they tend to reveal more, or remember more. It's less controlled, and in that way, they become more conversational, and a lot more interesting and fun to talk to.

But anyway, the reason I am writing now, is to turn ya'all on to watching his new nighttime telenovela called "Watch Over Me." It's on MyNetworkTV. The series started in December and runs for 65 nightly episodes. However, although you might have missed a month's worth of episodes, Dan assured me that you can pick it up on any night and just start watching it, and you won't be confused. Or disappointed. So, check out Dan Wells tonight at 9 p.m., and let me know what you think!

SPOILERS! Week of Jan. 22

Before I get to previews for this week, a quick note: Don't forget to tune into B&B this Friday, Jan. 26, for a tribute to Darlene Conley, who played Sally Spectra, and who recently passed away from cancer.

AMC: Zach spills several secrets after Ryan drugs him with truth serum.
ATWT: Brad Snyder (played by new castmember Austin Peck) has the hots for Vienna.
B&B: Rick is less than thrilled to find Brooke and Ridge shackin' up again.
Days: Mimi learns the identity of the skeleton. Will she give her mom up to the police?
GH: Several lives are in danger at the Metro Court.
GL: The soap celebrates its 70th anniversary with a special episode this Thursday!
OLTL: A delusional Spencer plans his fantasy wedding to Blair.
Passions: Sheridan continues to mentally torment Fancy.
Y&R: Sheila's life is in Lauren's hands.

Tyra Banks Gets Schooled in Soaps

This should be a fun episode that fans of any soap would enjoy:

Talk-show host Tyra Banks graduates from soap opera school after getting lessons in cat fights, passionate kissing scenes and the inevitable death bed scene from The Young and the Restless’ Joshua Morrow and Michelle Stafford, General Hospital’s Rebecca Herbst and Greg Vaughan, Days of Our Lives’ Brandon Beemer and Martha Madison and Passion’s Heidi Muller and Adrian Bellani. This episode of The Tyra Banks Show airs on Friday, January 26 (check local listings for time/stations).

(photo credit: Warner Bros./Carin Baer)

"Passions" the Latest Soap Casualty

Although it hasn't been officially announced, rumor has it that "Passions" has been canceled. I feared as much when I recently learned that the show's contract was up. Last year, "Passions" agreed to some major budget cuts in order to stay on the air. (The soap has always ranked last in overall ratings against other daytime soaps.) What's a shame is that in recent months, the show has been at its best creatively (love the pairing of Luis and Fancy!) and the stories are moving along faster. (Theresa still pines after Ethan, but now she has Jared to keep her warm at night.)

So enjoy the next few months, because it will likely be the last for "Passions." NBC plans to add an extra hour of "The Today Show" to its lineup and needs the room, but that won't start until September, so hopefully we'll have "Passions" around for another eight months.

Stay tuned here for any updates. Hopefully I'll have some good news to report, like another network picking up the fledgling soap. Keep your fingers crossed!

We'll Miss You, Darlene

I'm sad to report that Darlene Conley, who played Sally Spectra on "The Bold and the Beautiful," has passed away. The news was shocking because she had just undergone surgery for stomach cancer, and her prognosis was good. She died on Jan. 14, 2007, and is survived by her son, Raymond Woodson; her ex-husband, Bill Woodson; her sisters Carol Fontana and Sharon Wilson; many nieces and nephews; her longtime friend and caretaker, Eva Hansen; and her manager of 24 years, Sandra Siegal.

She also leaves behind her CBS family. Darlene played the one-of-a-kind, brassy Sally Spectra on "B&B" from 1988-2006. Sally started out as the Forrester family's biggest rival, but later became their friend.

I'll be writing a tribute to Darlene in my Daytime Dial newspaper column. I hope I can do her justice.

SPOILERS! Week of Jan. 15th

AMC: Jonathan thinks he knows who is committing the murders in Pine Valley. Well, it takes one to know one.
ATWT: Carly says goodbye to Jack, Simon and Oakdale.
B&B: Alexandria's disapproval of Thorne and Taylor's relationship may be too much for the couple to bear.
Days: Steve goes on the hunt for EJ down in Mexico and has another brain attack.
GH: Monica has a warning for Dillon and Lulu. Do they know too much?
GL: Someone in Springfield will march down the aisle -- will they live happily ever after?
OLTL: When it comes to Nash, Jessica discovers she may have too much in common with Tess.
Passions: Kay and Miguel get hot and heavy at the ... playground?!
Y&R: JT's need for the truth is more than he bargained for.

Darlene Conley (Sally Spectra, "B&B") Emergency Surgery

Darlene Conley, who plays the one-of-a-kind Sally Spectra on "The Bold and the Beautiful," was recently diagnosed with stomach cancer and underwent emergency surgery, but fortunately her prognosis is good. Doctors expect her to fully recover, and she is undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

If you would like to send a card expressing your warm wishes to Darlene, "B&B" has provided the following contact information:

Darlene Conley
c/o The Bold and the Beautiful
7800 Beverly Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA 90036

NAACP Image Awards Nominations

This just in from "Days of Our Lives":

James Reynolds (Abe Carver) has been nominated for Outstanding Actor in a Daytime Drama Series. The other nominees are, Antonio Sabato Jr (B&B), Bryton McClure (Y&R), Kristoff St. John (Y&R) and Michael B. Jordan (AMC).

The awards will be televised Live on Friday, March 2nd on FOX.

For a complete listing of all nominees, go to: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory?id=2783056.

Congratulations and good luck to all the nominees!

Spoilers! Week of Jan. 8th

There's lots of excitement this week in the soap world this week, so fire up those Tivos!

AMC: The investigation into Zarf's past hits too close to home for Zach.
ATWT: Emily suspects Craig is behind a recent kidnapping.
B&B: Taylor finds herself reliving the night she killed Darla -- will it happen again?
Days: Willow gets revenge against Shawn and makes a little extra cash in the process.
GH: Maxie's manipulations are finally catching up with her. Who will expose the truth?
OLTL: Spencer offers to tell Todd where his son is, but wants something in return.
Passions: Jessica thinks she knows who raped Fancy. Can he be stoppped?
Y&R: Someone is getting even with Dru on Carmen's behalf.

--Dana

Former "Days" Heartthrob Saddles Up on "Wildfire"

Eric Winter, who played Rex Brady on "Days of Our Lives" from 2002-2005, will be featured in a multi-episode arc on the ABC Family channel drama "Wildfire" beginning Jan. 15. He plays a rodeo cowboy and will appear in five episodes -- Jan. 15th, 22nd, 29th, and Feb. 5th and 26th.

The horse-racing drama stars Genevieve Cortese, Ryan Sypek, Micah Alberti, and Nicole Tubiola. Also returning this season is Amy Jo Johnson ("What About Brian" and "Felicity"), and joining the cast is John Terry ("Lost"). Also, don't forget to tune for the Mar. 12th episode when Ignacio Serricchio, who was recently killed off "General Hospital" as Diego, guest stars.