Your must-have guide to what the shows have planned for the year ahead.
BOLD AND BEAUTIFUL
“It’s going to be fun and it’s going to be exciting,” promises Executive Producer/Head Writer Bradley Bell of what’s in store. “There’s some twists and bombs and things that are completely unexpected. We have a great mix of characters and actors and crew, and everyone here is enthusiastic and confident. 2023 could really be our best year to date, where everything is looking good at the kickoff here. We take our viewers’ time very seriously and we’re grateful that they give us as much time as they do. We’re determined to entertain them as best we can, and I think that we’re going to deliver in 2023.”
Brooke/Ridge/Taylor: “After all of the deception, thanks to Thomas, they’re really trying to reassess, look deep inside themselves and try to move on with a new perspective. So it’s a time of great self-reflection for all three of them. A wonderful thing about it is that Taylor and Brooke, after all these years of being rivals, are going to find that they have much more in common than they ever realized. And they’re becoming, of all things, friends.”
Bill/Sheila: “Sheila has been working behind the scenes, as she does. Bill has been down and depressed and lonely, and that’s not good for Bill. He feels a bit lost and wonders if there’s a woman out there who can handle him, someone that he could love who is tough and resilient. Bill and Sheila find one another and this relationship and bond forms. The question is, does she immediately fall in love with Bill, and is it for real? And Bill, although he’s almighty and powerful, is he able to keep her out of prison and protect her from the law? So it’s a really fascinating coupling and they’ll be highly watchable. Bill is really going to go to bat for this woman, thinking that maybe she’s the one.”
Deacon: “Something real happened there with Sheila and Deacon, but Deacon is trying to distance himself from Sheila. He really wants to create a better life and be a better person. He’s going to take his job seriously and really try to make a go of it as a restaurateur and take over running Il Giardino.”
Finn/Steffy: “They are going to have incredible family challenges, one of them being Sheila. Finn feels some guilt for trying to welcome his mother into their lives, and he’s no longer feeling that way. He knows she was trouble; he wants nothing to do with her. Steffy and Finn are really going to be put to the test in 2023.”
Liam/Hope: “Their family is going to be challenged once again, so they are going to be put to the test, as well, in a completely new way, and we’ll see if they can survive. It will be a great one.”
Carter/Katie: “This will be a slow burn and I don’t say that in a bad way. They both feel that there’s something very special between them, but they will take their time. They both have loved and lost and they’re both hoping that a beautiful, romantic and lasting relationship will form. They’re going to be on a bit of a journey together, and an investigative journey together, as well.”
Thomas: “We know he’s a brilliant designer, we know he does things and that he regrets them. He doesn’t know why the whole world thinks it’s so awful that they’ve thrown him out of Forrester Creations. Thomas is really going to be working to get back in the good graces of Hope and his family and get back to work at Forrester Creations. He’s currently in exile.”
Paris/Zende: “With Thomas gone, Zende, along with Eric and the whole design team, will be heading up the Hope For The Future line, so he is really going to have an opportunity to strut his stuff as a designer. And he and Paris love one another, as friends and as co-workers. Will this be their year? There’s going to be someone who is going to challenge him and vie for Paris’s affections.”
Eric/Donna: “They’re happily cohabitating; they feel no need to rush to the altar. But there is going to be someone who’s going to appear, someone we know who doesn’t like Donna and Eric together. In fact, this person thinks that it’s really appalling that they’re together and is going to challenge their existence in a very aggressive way.”
New Characters: “There will be some new characters this spring. I’m looking to bring in a next generation of characters from all the families on the show and then some new, fresh families and characters mixed in, as well.”
DAYS OF OUR LIVES
“We have big changes, three major characters are facing death, and there are going to be some larger-than-life elements of the story that are really fun to watch and play out,” says Head Writer Ron Carlivati. “And of course, like always, there will be adventure and romance.”
Kate/Roman/Marlena/John/Kayla/Steve: “When we started the story and the women all survived, we knew we would have them relapse. So we kind of figured that the story of the women dying doesn’t have a huge payoff if one or more of them doesn’t actually die, so we gave ourselves a challenge: Are we really writing off three of our big stars? You’ll have to tune in to see. But what’s great about this story is the focus on the couples, and the high stakes of these women actually facing death. Of course, there is a twist because it’s DAYS OF OUR LIVES, but it’s a highly emotional story and it will be really fun to see where it ends up going.”
Alex/Stephanie/Chad: “We played the bond between Stephanie and Chad, but Chad is really not ready for anything more than friendship because he’s not over Abigail. Alex feels that closeness between Stephanie and Chad and is threatened just a little bit. Ultimately, Alex makes a move to get Chad out of the way, which has some unintended consequences that are really kind of devastating.”
Li/Gabi/Stefan/Chloe: “Stefan has been brainwashed to hate Gabi, to be disgusted by her, and his feelings for Chloe have been reinforced. Chloe’s been rejected by Brady and she knows Stefan is not completely in his right mind here. And I think we know Gabi is somebody that’s not gonna give up. She’s going to find a way to get through to Stefan. In the meantime, Li is not just going to give up on Gabi.”
Nicole/EJ/Eric/Sloan: “Nicole and Eric are trying to move on from each other. Even though Sloan and Eric are both looking for something casual, we see that they’re starting to grow a little bit closer. At the same time, Nicole is drawing closer to EJ, who is still very much interested in Nicole. Nicole still feels a pull toward Eric, but by putting her into EJ’s orbit, it taps into that scheme-y side of Nicole, especially as EJ and Stefan are going to war over DiMera, and Nicole is sinking her teeth into that with him.”
Will/Sonny/Leo: “It’s been kind of fun to see Leo, who was such a thorn in the side of Will, start to actually make real inroads with Sonny and start to build a real friendship. When Will comes back, he’s just in a state of disbelief that after everything, Sonny’s going to be friends with this guy. Sonny finds himself in this weird position of defending Leo and it will cause a rift between Will and Sonny.”
Allie/Chanel/Johnny/Wendy/Tripp: “Allie remains a little bit threatened by the relationship between Chanel and Johnny, and may become her own worst enemy in this situation. Meanwhile, Johnny and Wendy are drawing closer, but then Tripp comes home and we see that he’s still a little bit hung up on Wendy, so it’s going to get pretty complicated.”
Gwen/Xander/Sarah: “It’s bad enough that Xander took money to kidnap Susan Banks, but not only did Bonnie get caught up in it, Susan died, and can Sarah really stay married to this guy who committed a crime knowingly that led to someone’s death? And then here we have Gwen, who tried to do everything in her power to help him contain the situation. Jack ends up giving this surprising ultimatum that may really affect the situation and how it plays out.”
GENERAL HOSPITAL
Say Co-Head Writers Chris Van Etten and Dan O’Connor, “The new year is going to start off with a lot of fireworks, and as we barrel toward the 60th anniversary in April, we’re going to be seeing a story unfold that will give a good nod to the past, present and future of GENERAL HOSPITAL.”
Anna/Valentin: “Things look bad for Anna and Valentin as they crisscross the globe to evade their pursuers, but Anna and Valentin won’t be kept down for long. They have a lead on Lucy and they are going to pursue it — even if it means their ultimate demise.”
Ava/Nikolas/Esme: “Nikolas and Elizabeth are in big, deep trouble when Esme makes a desperate bid for freedom. Ava and Nikolas’s love receives what may a final death blow.”
Finn: “Finn is left with a lot of questions about what happened between Elizabeth and Nikolas and may inadvertently be responsible for their house of cards to come tumbling down.”
Elizabeth: “She will have the magnitude of everything she has been through in the past year come into focus, and she and she alone makes several big decisions that will have consequences for her and her family.”
Laura/Robert/Victor: “Laura has her hands full with a lot of family drama going on at the beginning of the year. But never far from her mind is the fact that she and Robert are in possession of the Ice Princess and may be thisclose to cracking the code that could bring an end to Victor and his plans for Port Charles. Within the first quarter of the year, Victor’s dastardly plans will come into focus and all of Port Charles will have to unite to take him down.” In addition, “Robert’s unlikely friendship with Diane continues to grow.”
Carly/Drew: “They continue to see each other in secret, but as Carly’s half-truths about Willow start to come to the forefront, there might be some dire consequences for them both.”
Willow: “Willow is on a roller-coaster ride as a potential bone marrow donor emerges.”
Nina: “Nina is on a collision course with Carly as the new year develops.”
Michael/Sonny: “Sonny is about to make a big move in his business, with Dex in close proximity to the mechanics of it. This is going to put Michael and Dex in a spot where they might have enough evidence to take Sonny down once and for all.”
Spencer/Trina: “Spencer and Trina continue the ruse that they are romantically involved in an effort to draw out The Hook killer. But perhaps it won’t be very long before their fake relationship blossoms into something real.”
Cameron/Josslyn/Dex: “External events put Josslyn and Dex in a very dangerous position. Cameron develops suspicions about the evolving nature of their relationship.”
Heather/Ryan: “Heather and Ryan’s twisted, morbid family unit will come into focus in the new year.”
The Hook: “The Hook killer’s ultimate plan takes shape — and takes another life in the process. The identity of the killer will be revealed to the audience soon.”
Sam/Dante: “Dante fears that Sonny has lost his way and may pay a great price as a result. Sam and Dante will put their heads together to uncover a piece of The Hook puzzle.”
Curtis/Portia: “Portia and Curtis are on the same side when Marshall changes his mind about looking further into his initial diagnosis. At the same time, wedding bells are ringing for Portia and Curtis on Valentine’s Day, but Stella begins to start asking questions about the nature of Curtis and Trina’s connection.”
Maxie: “Maxie is due for some heartbreak early in 2023.”
Austin: “Austin is licking his wounds from his breakup with Maxie, which he ultimately believes is for the best. However, he may find himself getting wrapped up in somebody else’s drama, which could spell danger and intrigue for him.”
Alexis/Gregory: “Alexis and Gregory’s friendship and professional relationship continue to blossom. Alexis will end up being the keeper of several secrets in town across the canvas.”
Kristina/Molly: “As Molly and Kristina prepare to take the next steps in their lives, the Davis sisters will at once find themselves drawn closer together and pushed farther apart.”
Sasha/Gladys: “Gladys is beginning to revert to her old ways and may cause problems for Sasha and the Corinthos family.”
Brook Lynn/Chase: “Brook Lynn and Chase are broken up, but they remain almost as deeply connected as before. Chase’s bona fides as a good guy are tested when the opportunity strikes to make a bid for his job with the PCPD, but he must weigh that against the possibility to do some real good by thwarting the scuzzy Linc.”
Britt: “Britt’s choice to face her disease alone or in Port Charles with her friends and family has profound consequences for herself and others.”
Cody: “Cody’s shenanigans have led him to deny the relationship with Mac, but his admittedly poor choices afford him a second opportunity at family. The question is whether he has the courage to seize that opportunity.”
Martin: “Martin is desperate to reunite with Lucy and will take whatever steps he can to make that happen.”
Obrecht: “Events early in the new year may drive Obrecht to extremes.”
Ned/Olivia: “Certain business secrets are about to come out, which may place Olivia and Ned on opposite sides of a family drama.”
YOUNG AND RESTLESS
“This is going to be possibly the most exciting year because it’s also Y&R’s 50th anniversary and we’re going to make the most of it,” declares Co-Executive Producer/Head Writer Josh Griffith. “Everybody will be in the middle of incredibly exciting, suspenseful, romantic, heartbreaking, emotionally powerful stories!”
Victor/Adam: “In typical Victor fashion, he’s going to create absolute mayhem so that Adam seems to have no choice but to return to the Newman fold. Victor will play hardball and maybe even play dirty to get his hands on something that he thinks will be so appealing to Adam that he’ll come home to it.”
Nick/Sally/Adam: “The last thing she expected was a baby and the last thing she’s prepared for is motherhood on top of that. Just when you think you know where this story is going, it’ll take a left turn. And no matter who the dad is, Adam or Nick, it’s going to be messy and Sally’s right in the middle of it. For Victor, it’s a no-win situation because either way, this affects one of his sons.”
Ashley/Tucker: “Tucker always feels like he’s in control but there’ll be a surprise move by Ashley that even he won’t see coming — and he likes to think he sees everything. Also, expect Ashley and Jack to argue more about Tucker’s involvement in her life.”
Lauren: “To celebrate Tracey Bregman’s 40 years of playing her wonderful character, Lauren will be the recipient of this great award and it’s going to bring a lot of surprise guests to the event to share with her. We want to celebrate the amazing journey that Lauren has had and the amazing work that Tracey has given us.”
Mariah/Tessa: “They’re on the road to becoming parents but along the way, there will be a few ‘uh-ohs’. Sharon will continue to be their support system and Elena will step in to give some good advice. This will be a wonderful, heart-warming journey for ‘Teriah’ and they deserve it.”
Devon/Abby: “For years, this was a couple that I kept saying, ‘This will never happen,’ and now they’re happening. It just became one of those situations that I saw where they’ve been friends for so long and they understand each other, and then we got them into such a great dramatic place with her marriage that now it’s time to see what they can do.”
Billy/Chelsea: “From the moment that he stepped up on the ledge with her, put his hand on her arm and said, ‘I’m not going anywhere,’ this deep connection was forged and this journey is changing both of them profoundly. What’s fascinating to me is that we’re getting to tell the story realistically and honestly, plus taking our time with it. Helping Chelsea get back on her feet is changing and maturing Billy in a way that’s never happened before.”
Daniel/Lily: “They’ve both grown up a lot since the last time they were together. They’re coming back together as friends who will be there for each other. Daniel and Lily are in very different places and finding that they need each other for support.”
Chance/Sharon: “Chance will get involved in an investigation that will tie into Jack and Diane, and will lead him to question whether he needs to make a career change. Sharon will be there to offer very compelling and supportive advice, and who knows where that might lead?”
Phyllis/Jack/Diane/Jeremy: “The new year will force Jack and Diane to work together to try to defuse the bomb that is Jeremy Stark. He still poses a big danger, and as Jack and Diane try to figure out how to solve this problem, they’ll continue to get closer. Phyllis is intricately involved in this and Nikki is going to be, as well as Ashley, and Jack and Diane’s bond will continue to drive Phyllis absolutely crazy and heading toward extreme payback.”
Kyle/Summer: “Their jobs, their moms and Jeremy are putting a lot of pressure on Kyle and Summer’s marriage. Just when they think they’ve gotten over one hurdle, another one crops up and Summer will be forced to put her foot down in order to protect her family.”
Chancellor-Winters: “The IPO drama is tearing Devon and Lily apart and really breaking her heart because all she wanted was to bring these two entities, Chancellor and Hamilton-Winters, together as a family company to honor both Neil and Katherine. This will also deeply affect Nate because he feels guilty that his betrayal was the impetus for his cousins falling apart. Will he be able to mend things for everyone? As for the company, there will be an 11th hour savior.”
Victoria/Nate/Elena: “Nate’s relationship with Elena will be tested because Victoria is free and in a position where she can go after what she wants. She’s offering Nate a chance at moving forward in the world of big business and they have this incredible working relationship, so they’ll be spending lots of time together, often going into late night.”
