Daytime Emmy poll: Will ‘Bold and the Beautiful’ win best drama series again?

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After winning the Daytime Emmy Award for best drama series for the last two years, ‘The Bold and the Beautiful’ has a very good shot at prevailing again when trophies are doled out this Sunday at the Las Vegas Hilton (8 p.m. ET/PT, CBS).

The reason: The episode submitted by its producers to Emmy judges has a strong social message about the marginalized homeless. The soap about the goings-on in and around the L.A. fashion industry didn’t receive much Emmy love after debuting on CBS in 1987, but it finally broke through with nominations in 2003, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010 and 2011 and now seems to be on a winning streak.

‘The Bold and the Beautiful’s’ toughest competition might be ABC’s ‘General Hospital,’ which has won the top prize more often than any other soap: 10 times. Centering on a hospital in the town of Port Charles, the show has changed its focus in the past few years to the criminal underworld led by mob boss Sonny Corinthos (Maurice Benard, a best actor winner in 2003 and a nominee again this year). It keeps winning in large part due to its savvy episode submissions: often big-budget extravaganzas like hotel fires and train wrecks that play more like action movies than soap opera. This year it hopes James Franco will be its lucky charm. The Oscar-nominated actor made headlines when he joined the cast as a deranged serial killer in 2009, returning in summer 2010 for a story line now included on ‘General Hospital’s’ Emmy reel.

But don’t count out CBS’ ‘The Young and the Restless,’ which has been TV’s highest-rated soap for more than 20 years. It has won the top prize seven times, most recently in 2007, and it submitted a strong episode that was set and partially filmed in New Orleans.

‘All My Children,’ alas, isn’t expected to win best drama this year (it hasn’t won since 1998). The 41-year-old soap -- the home of Erica Kane (Susan Lucci), arguably daytime’s most famous character -- was canceled by the network this year to be replaced by reality programming. It airs its last episodes in September, meaning the series will get one last chance to take the top prize next year.

‘As the World Turns,’ which was canceled last year, was snubbed for best drama series. So was ‘One Life to Live,’ which goes off the air next January. Follow the discussion of the Daytime Emmys in our message boards.

-- Tom O’Neil

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