IN-DEPTHLearn more about Sheffer's exit from As the World Turns.As the World Turns continued its dominance in the Outstanding Writing Team category, earning its fourth win in five years. Despite becoming a veritable dynasty in recent years, this year's win was bittersweet.
The scenes submitted for Emmy contention were all penned under former head writer Hogan Sheffer. Earlier this year Sheffer took what was supposed to be a 3-month sabbatical from the top scribe slot. However, during the hiatus period it was announced that he would not be returning. Immediately rumors surfaced that he and executive producer Christopher Goutman had had a "falling out."
The topic was still a sensitive issue for the show's current head writer, Jean Passanante [Pictured], who had served as a co-head writer under Sheffer.
After noting that Sheffer was not present onstage to accept his Emmy, Passanante thanked her former partner for his "big heart and brilliant imagination." She then ended by saying that she and the rest of the show's writing team "miss [Sheffer] very much."
This was As the World Turns' fourth win in this category, tying the show with All My Children for the most Writing wins.
For the second year in a row, ABC's General Hospital earned the win in the Outstanding Directing Team category. The show submitted scenes that revolved around its "Towering Inferno" storyline.
Soap fans may think that the show's director and technical teams are given advance notice to prepare for such big budget productions. But surprisingly, that is not the case. According to the show's director, they were given "about two to three weeks notice" that they'd be overseeing the major storyline. And while rumors that another major plot twist is in the works for the summer months, the directors claimed to not have heard anything about the sizzling story.
But despite the occasional high production scenes, General Hospital director Joe Behar states that "The main story will always be two actors pouring their hearts out."
In other developments, there are plans to film General Hospital in high-definition, but it is reportedly at least a year from becoming reality.
This was General Hospital's fifth win in the Directing category. CBS's The Young and the Restless leads the pack with a whopping ten wins.
