Going all the way back to her first days on All My Children, Elizabeth Hendrickson has long been a favorite in my book. There is nothing more heartwrenching than the death of a child. We've seen many (probably too many) storylines on the soaps involving a little one's tragic death. There is a moment early on in Hendrickson's reel where viewers see her character's reaction to learning of her daughter's death, and the audio is muted. Even with no audible screams or sobbing, you immediately feel her devastation. In the midst of the hysteria, there is a well-placed flashback to a happier time. It's perfectly done. The performances of Hendrickson's costars are perfect.

Melissa Claire Egan submitted the same episode as Steve Burton did in the Supporting Actor category. Is that good? Is that bad? Well, I pegged Burton to be the winner in that category... so it's entirely possible that lightning will strike twice. I've picked Egan to win in the past, and she hasn't won. So there's a part of me that thinks if I don't pick her, she might finally get the win. Egan and Burton play off of each other perfectly, as though they've been working together for years. At the time, they had barely been working together for six months. I worry that these scenes were geared more towards Burton, and I am not sure if voters will see it that way, too.

Amelia Heinle submitted the same episode as Billy Miller submitted for Lead Actor. Interestingly, I respond differently to the episode for both performers. With as incredible as Miller is, I feel that Heinle is much stronger in a supporting capacity. Heinle's character quite literally supports Miller's -- physically and emotionally. It could be easy to get overshadowed and be an afterthought when opposite such a powerful actor. That's not the case here. In watching the reel, you can feel the uneasiness, the awkwardness that Heinle's character feels. What can she do to make Billy feel "better" about losing his daughter? It's perfect writing and an equally strong performance, one of the best of Heinle's career.

Jane Elliot is long overdue for a Daytime Emmy. She's one of the last-standing Quartermaines and she's a consistently solid actress. I feel she was overlooked in a few recent years by the nomination process. In this scene, she stars opposite squillion-time Emmy winner Anthony Geary, which certainly doesn't hurt. This is also one of the few reels that doesn't involve a dead baby or child. Then there is the part of me that says voters will respond more positively to the dead child scenes. I personally like the variation, and I really like the chemistry between Elliot and Geary. There's also something about the scene that appeals to anyone who has ever wanted more from a relationship than the object of their affection. There are moments when Elliot could choose to go extreme with her emotions, but she smoothly bites her lip or drops her head back and takes a beat or two before moving on.

I happen to really like Kelly Sullivan's Emmy reel. I know that her character may not have been the best received character, but Sullivan delivered a solid performance throughout her run. Her reel is the shortest of any of the acting submissions. That could be viewed negatively by some, but there is also the "short and sweet" concept. I don't think that viewers will necessarily understand that Connie has an alternate personality, so that might be a hindrance. But there is a great display of controlled emotion. There is anger and crying, and also a surprising vulnerability.

Who I'd like to win: Jane Elliot
Who voters will pick: Elizabeth Hendrickson
The final rankings: ELizabeth Hendrickson, Jane Elliot, Kelly Sullivan, Amelia Heinle, Melissa Claire Egan

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