The Year In Soaps: Best Duos of 2014

Britt and Spencer, GH
The Prince and The Pauper

We loved the pairing of Britt and Nikolas, but the best part of their story was the bond formed between Britt and Spencer. A scheming bad girl and precocious little boy should make for a wacky partnership, but they were surprisingly sweet as partners in crime. Britt’s yearning to be loved by Prince Charming and Spencer’s desire to have a mother lead to them forming an alliance to ensure Nikolas didn’t end up with Elizabeth (the mother of Spencer’s rival Cameron). Though they plotted and schemed, there was so much more to their relationship than that. They are two people who wanted to make a whole new family to fill in the missing pieces of their own.

Spencer went as far as to help his father pick out Britt’s engagement ring! It’s little moments like that, that would humanize Nikolas’ over-the-top child. When Spencer asked if Britt could be his new mommy, it was a rare glimpse at the maternal void he’s suffered his entire life.

Eventually the lies and manipulations caught up with them, and Nikolas was rightfully furious and hurt by their actions. With no future in store for her and Nikolas and the threat of prosecution hanging over her head, Britt decided to leave Port Charles for good.

Little Spencer wasn’t ready to say goodbye to the only mother he’s ever known and was prepared to move in with Britt! Even when he found out she was leaving, he was willing to follow the Britch to lands unknown. But Britt knew he belonged with his father and wouldn’t take him away.

Their goodbye scenes gave the audience heart strings a big pull.

“Don’t I mean anything to you?” Spencer asked with tears welling in his eyes.

Britt struggled to keep it together, reassuring the little one that she loved him. “Oh, Spencer… more than you’ll ever, ever know. Your father and I may not have worked out, but he came into my life for a reason — so I could meet you.”

Theresa & Anne, DAYS
The Frenemies

We’re waiting for the day that the Days of our Lives writers put these best frenemies on a candy factory assembly line, arguing through every mishap a la Lucy and Ethel. Theresa Donovan came into Salem like a wrecking ball much in the same way that Anne Millbauer did, not even taking a moment to breathe in the fresh Midwestern air before starting to ruin the townsfolk’s lives. It only makes sense that these two schemers forged a bond and what a funny bond it’s become! From Theresa constantly blaming Anne for her failed attempts at rekindling romances or covering up violent assaults to Anne shooting holes in Theresa’s wings whenever she flies off into her delusions; alone they balance each other out but put them up against someone else like the newest target Melanie Jonas, and this duo will scheme until said target is buried. Watch out, Salem because these ladies are armed with deadly quips and no moral codes!

Franco and Nina, GH
Here, we’re safe.

When 2014 started, viewers were absolutely sick of the name “Nina Clay” and many fans were ready to ship Franco to the land of forgotten about characters, never to be heard from again. However, once Emmy Award winning actress Michelle Stafford made her debut and started sharing scenes with Roger Howarth’s Franco, fans knew that this was a dynamic duo worth tuning in for.

Howarth and Stafford share explosive chemistry, both sexual and non-sexual, and their witty banter, filled with pop culture references from both the early 90s and now, makes even the most questionable of plots, such as kidnapping the latest spawn of your husband’s baby mama, into a plausible and enjoyable time.

Stafford is a high energy actress who can go from 0-100 and back again with ease. Howarth has the same ability, with a great knack for improv. It’s rare that these styles would compliment one another, but they do here. That comes from having trust with your scene partner — knowing they want you to succeed just as much as you do and want for them. Their success is yours. No phoning it in; no backpack of hubris here, just two megastars pulling the best out of each other. It’s beautiful to watch these two perform onscreen.

Rooted within this off-centered duo’s connection is a shared belief that no one understands them. Nina was a blank slate for Franco. She accepted him and his eccentricities without judgement; and he did the same for her. It’s akin to walking through life thinking you’ll always be alone, and one day you meet someone who just gets you. Nina and Franco get each other.

They are the yin to each others crazy yang and 2014 was just the start for this great duo and we cannot wait to see what they have in store for us as 2015 rolls around.