The Best And Worst On General Hospital, Young and Restless, DAYS, B&B and BTG in January
From the reveal of Drew’s (Cameron Mathison) shooter on General Hospital leading to a whole new shocking twist with Willow (Katelyn MacMullen) to Jack (Peter Bergman) seeming to finally get one up on Victor (Eric Braeden) on The Young and the Restless and more, here are our critics’ picks for the best and worst on soaps during the month of January.
General Hospital
Best: Willow did it!
Despite most of the evidence pointing to Willow probably having been the one who shot Drew, Alexis created reasonable doubt for the jury that Michael might have pulled the trigger. Then, in a shocking scene, Acting DA Turner asked Willow if she had ever touched the gun that shot Drew, and she flashed back to stealing it, going to Drew’s, and shooting him. Around the same time, Trina and Kai confirmed the ringtone they heard the night of the murder belonged to Willow. They blabbed to Alexis, who informed them it was too late. Closing arguments were the next day, and, as Alexis suspected, she had put on such a good defense that Willow was found not guilty.
Case closed? Hardly. That night, Willow jabbed a syringe into Drew’s neck, injecting him with something that made it look like he had suffered a stroke. We watched her calmly dispose of the syringe in the G.H. hallway and then sob so loudly at Drew’s diagnosis that even Nina did a double take. (Nina actually felt obligated to remind her daughter that Willow doesn’t, in fact, love Drew.) In addition to Alexis, Trina and Kai knowing Willow attempted murder, other fallout includes Chase putting his job on the line to defend his ex-wife, being demoted to beat cop, and brawling with Michael. (“How long until you’re back in Willow’s bed?” taunted Michael as fists flew.)
Brook Lynn isn’t thrilled, especially since they all live together.
On soaps, the person arrested for the crime is rarely the one who committed it. Kudos to GH for pulling a fast one and giving us an arrested development that truly paid off.
Worst: Sidwell Is Making Everyone Look Dumb
We’re all for strong villains creating drama, but not at the expense of veterans being completely smoked by the newcomer. Jack Brennan is supposed to be this big WSB honcho, but he has no clue that Sidwell killed Dalton or even that Dalton is dead. When questioned by WSB director Cullum in late January, Brennan insisted “the purchase of the piers seems legitimate,” unaware that Sidwell blackmailed Sonny into it. (Don’t get us started on Brennan’s girlfriend Carly hiding fugitive Valentin in her attic.)
Sidwell had leverage over Sonny because when the mobster came to Laura’s rescue in 2025 after she found Dalton’s body in the trunk of her car, he photographed the scene. With hindsight, Laura was the mayor, and there was no forensic evidence connecting her to the body, so that made no sense. We get the soapy reasons why Laura called Sonny instead of coming clean to Nathan when he came upon her on the side of the road, but Sonny and Laura now helplessly waiting on instructions from Sidwell re: how they can help advance his criminal agenda is wrong. It rings false.
Smart Lucas is living at Wyndemere, oblivious to what his boyfriend Marco and his dad, Sidwell, are doing… Britt is ditching work at G.H. to sneak off to Spoon Island… Aside from Emma, no one misses Anna enough to seriously flag that she’s missing (and being held captive by Sidwell). Jenz Sidwell may be charming, but practically everyone in PC is aware of his violent crimes re: Lucky, Jason, Anna, Sasha, Carly, etc. Shouldn’t one of them be sounding the alarm that all is not right with this man?
Young and Restless
Best: Jack beats Victor (For Now)
The Jack v. Victor feud took a surprising turn in January, with Jack getting the upper hand.
It started with Kyle, who had the bright idea to have the Newmans followed. That led the Abbotts to find Newman Enemy No. 1, Matt Clark, who was quickly captured. Jack proposed a trade with Victor: Matt in exchange for Cane’s destructive AI program (which Jack planned to destroy). Nikki urged Victor to take the deal so they could get the Y&R baddie out of their lives for good. As Victor considered it, he got sidetracked by a disturbing text and threw the Abbotts out. Having observed Victor’s panic, Jack rightly deduced that the AI program was gutting Newman Enterprises.
Phyllis also lent a hand, teaming up with Cane to take back the stolen program she had given Victor and using it against him. Diane and Kyle wanted to toast Victor being brought down by his own evil plan, but Jack cautioned that the war was not over. Victor confirmed that when he found Nikki in Jack’s arms, being consoled over her loss of Chancellor and ordered him to leave. “Have the day you deserve,” snarked Jack on his way out.
Knowing Victor, he’ll be giving all of them what he feels they deserve soon enough.
Worst: The AI Program Eats The Show
Y&R first started mentioning reclusive billionaire Aristotle Dumas in late 2024, which means we’re 13 months into a story based on a computer science program. It took seven months to officially “meet” Dumas — who turned out to be a recast Cane Ashby — and six more months for him to use the program to take over Newman Enterprises. January was full of machinations involving AI as Victor, Jack, Cane and Phyllis took turns trying to control it. We watched long scenes of every Newman and Abbott A-lister debating the benefits of AI and how it could be used to ruin their enemies and save themselves.
The problem is that none of it matters. We’ve been watching NE, Jabot, Chancellor, and every other major company in Genoa City change hands for years. A new CEO puts different photos on the desk, makes some noisy hires, and they do it all again a few months later. There is no rooting value in watching one corporation take over another; it’s the people viewers care about — and Y&R has not made the case for Cane. They didn’t properly reconnect him with Lily or bring back his children, Charlie and Mattie (who hate him). In fact, Lily grew so fed up with Cane that she left town, communicating with Victoria how disgusted she was that he destroyed Newman. Here’s hoping this AI story doesn’t do the same to Y&R.
Bold and Beautiful
Best: Sheila Starts Sheila-ing
It never made sense that a woman who would feed her toe to a bear to avoid prosecution could hand out menus to her former victims with a peppy “Welcome to Il Giardino!” So it was an ah-ha moment when Sheila showed up unannounced at Taylor’s office in early January to try and get Deacon’s therapist to discuss his progress. “Your impulsive nature worries me,” Taylor cautioned Sheila, refusing again to discuss her patient. Sheila’s statement that she doesn’t know what she’d do if she ever lost Deacon didn’t reassure Taylor. It doesn’t make Deacon feel any better either.
“Do you think she could turn again?” he asked his therapist. Taylor admitted she has questions about Sheila’s emotional stability, resulting in Deacon saying he felt like a fool for marrying her. That’s a sentiment shared by Deacon’s son Deke, who told his dad he deserves to be married to someone with morals and decency who is not a convicted felon (!). Sheila overheard the conversation and called Deke on it. He would have none of it, scolding his stepmother that it was a private conversation. Her eyes narrowed, and we all saw it: Psycho Sheila is back!
Former victim Steffy sees it too, especially now that she’s aware of Taylor and Deacon’s growing feelings for each other. She warned her mom she cannot get involved with Deacon, which B&B cleverly juxtaposed with Hope telling Deacon he should get involved with Taylor. That resurrected longstanding issues between Hope and Steffy, with Steffy warning Hope that Sheila will “go insane” if her mom and Hope’s dad get together.
As we all know, that’s not too far a trip!
Worst: Dylan Feels Like ‘Here We Go Again’
Will and Electra “met cute” at Forrester Creations in October 2024. Since then, they’ve battled Remy (who stalked Electra) and Luna (who stalked Will) while never doing anything 20-somethings normally do, like go on a date. Just as Will settled into his new beach house and the duo started doing typical things like having a cookout, they realized Electra’s friend Dylan was living out of her car — so Will invited her to stay.
“Let’s show you to your room,” he invited Dylan on the January 2 episode. Electra was hesitant about the new living arrangements from the jump, instantly reminding Dylan that Will was her boyfriend and Dylan needed to respect that. Of course, Dylan responded, while surreptitiously spying on Will through the drapes, doing his laundry, and swooping in to keep Will company when Electra had to work late. By the end of the month, Electra had warned Dylan to stay away from Will numerous times and put the kibosh on her “friend” getting a job at Forrester. Dylan insisted she has total respect for their relationship, but consistently proves otherwise when Electra gets called away.
This story would feel like less of a rerun if Will and Electra at least talked about what Remy and Luna’s stalking did to their relationship. Electra’s paranoia is understandable, but Will’s “Aw, shucks” vibe while he obliviously makes teriyaki chicken for yet another woman preying on him rings false. Dylan may be a dime-store Luna, but even pale imitations can pose a threat.
Beyond The Gates
Best: Bill and Dani Can’t Quit Each Other
BTG has achieved something very hard to do with ex-marrieds: They’ve kept them front and center and hot. They flirt shamelessly with each other at the club (“You trying to get a reaction out of me?” said Bill, leering at a dress cut down to Dani’s navel). He calls the Duprees “my family” in conversation with his new wife, Hayley, and was front and center during the cancer scare for their daughters and Dani’s mom, Anita. Dani routinely visits Bill’s office to talk about “the girls” sporting killer outfits and a sassy attitude, but their game-playing took a dangerous turn when they succumbed to a steamy kiss.
“We were reminiscing about the past, and this meant nothing,” stammered Dani, adding that Hayley can never know. Bill hastily agreed it would stay between them just as Tomas walked by his office. Tomas — who dates Dani’s niece Kat — was then quickly (and humorously) promoted. Tomas later pressed Bill on whether it was worth the risk to his marriage to be playing footsie with his ex-wife. Bill was surprisingly honest, saying Dani stopped being the woman he fell in love with by subverting herself to him during their marriage — but she’s gotten her groove back since their divorce, and he can’t seem to quit her.
Interesting timing since his new wife is trying to kill him…
Worst: Murder She Wrote, Er, Took Her Sweet Time With
Speaking of Hayley trying to kill Bill, that story needs to get moving. We learned Hayley was a black widow last fall and have watched her slowly trying to poison Bill ever since. Her cousin Randy is supplying her with some kind of deadly liquid that Hayley hopes will 1) end Bill and 2) leave her with $10 million dollars. She routinely puts the liquid in his tea, telling him to drink up because it’s a special wellness brand that will be his “savior.” By mid-January, Bill was so sick of drinking it he called it “poison” (haha, get it?) but acquiesced after telling Hayley he knows she is just trying to prolong his life. But does he know that?
This is either the slowest-acting poison on record or Randy is supplying his con artist cousin with a placebo. That, or Bill’s onto her. As Hayley’s black widow act drags on, even strangers are starting to suspect something is up. “Whatever long game you’re playing,” taunted Leslie when they ran into each other at the club, “you’re running out of time.”
Get on it!
Days Of Our Lives
Best: Jack and Jennifer Kumbaya With Chad
The build-up took over a year, but DAYS finally addressed the lingering animosity Jack and Jennifer have for their former son-in-law Chad. His insistence that imposter Cat really was his late wife/their late daughter Abigail angered Jennifer from day one, and Chad later falling for the scammer made it worse. Things got to the point where Jack and Jennifer wanted custody of Thomas and Charlotte, but Chad fought back. They settled on mediation, which was settled in January… we think.
“I’m their father,” asserted Chad as the meeting began, arguing that he has been the only constant in the kids’ lives since Abigail died. Jack and Jennifer moved to Boston, Chad took over their family newspaper, and things were fine until “Abigail” came back from the dead in the person of Cat. Chad tried to defend Cat’s actions, saying she was blackmailed by Clyde Weston and deserved forgiveness. Jennifer countered that Thomas was so upset that his father was dating his mother’s imposter that he asked to move in with her and Jack. Jack later allowed that Thomas was upset when Chad got kidnapped, and all three agreed they want the kids to be safe and happy. Jack and Jennifer agreed to drop their suit in exchange for Chad staying away from Cat and lots of grandparent visits, and they all joined hands in agreement.
Thomas, however, had other ideas. “Dad lied about Cat before,” he reminded his grandparents.
Worst: Stephanie’s Stalker Falls Flat
Stephanie Johnson has had a stalker for months, ever since she was revealed to be the author of a racy novel released under her nom de plume Anastasia Sands. Dangerous fan mail revealed the bad guy knows a lot of personal information about her, which caused Jada to interrogate Jeremy, who dated Stephanie many years ago. Jeremy proclaimed his innocence, backed by Julie, whose judgment on young men (like Doug III) is suspect at best, and he was released.
Steve moved in with his daughter and her fiancé, Alex, to protect her, and he put her engagement notice in The Spectator to draw out the stalker. A box soon arrived: It was a picture frame with a note ostensibly from EJ congratulating them on their engagement. “Who would have thought?” marveled Stephanie.
Who indeed? Alex wondered how EJ could have known since he’s out of town, but Steve dismissed his concern, saying EJ must have seen the announcement in the paper. The camera panned out, and we saw the back of a person listening to them discuss the “trap” they had set for the stalker via a listening device that had been planted in the frame.
Can you spell L-A-Z-Y? In what universe does ace ISA agent Steve “Patch” Johnson fall for a phony picture frame with a recording device in it, supposedly sent by a DiMera? This is the guy who solved undercover crimes for decades, using his elite spy skills to form “Black Patch” with fellow agent John Black. There is no universe where Steve doesn’t put the frame back in the box to research its origins before cluelessly displaying it in the home of his endangered daughter. This smacks of the writers inserting red herrings into a dragged-out mystery because they don’t know where it’s going. Dumbing down Steve Johnson means it’s going nowhere good.
Conversation
All comments are subject to our Community Guidelines. Soap Opera Digest does not endorse the opinions and views shared by our readers in our comment sections. Our comments section is a place where readers can engage in healthy, productive, lively, and respectful discussions. Offensive language, hate speech, personal attacks, and/or defamatory statements are not permitted. Advertising or spam is also prohibited.