The punch heard around the world. Formidable friends standing up to protect their company. And a couple of much-needed conversations helped make the week of July 20-24 a memorable one in soaps. Soap Hub breaks down the hits and misses across all five soaps — Days of Our Lives, General Hospital, The Bold and the Beautiful, The Young and the Restless, and Beyond the Gates.
Key Takeaways
- Beyond the Gates: Vernon offers Bill unexpected support while Hayley’s deadly scheme needs to pick up the pace.
- General Hospital: Jason’s heartfelt talk with Rocco stands out, but GH’s hospital leadership raises questions.
- The Young and the Restless: Sally and Audra prove they’re a powerhouse team as Victor targets their company.
Hits and Misses Breakdown: July 20-24, 2026
Beyond the Gates
HIT: Vernon and Bill’s talk. Bill (Timon Kyle Durrett) is going through a rough time. He had another health scare, and that is messing with his head. In Thursday’s episode, Vernon (Clifton Davis) willingly sat down with Bill, and they had a good talk. The Dupree patriarch even said that if Bill ever needed anybody to talk to, he could talk to him. Fairmont Crest’s most powerful attorney may be despicable, but he’s also human. And it’s nice to see the support offered at a time when we know his wife is trying to kill him. Speaking of which…
MISS: It’s time someone figured out Hayley’s a black widow. We love the two faces of Hayley (Marquita Goings), and that Bill is just another one of her marks. However, it’s taking too long for anyone to know that Hayley is actively trying to kill her husband. Or to dig into her background and figure out she’s a con artist. How is Bill even standing? His health is faltering one second. But then it rebounds. We need this story to speed along. Luckily, next week that may start to happen.
Honorable Mention (HIT): A story is brewing for Andre. During Andre (Sean Freeman) and Dani’s marriage, much of the drama has focused on Dani (Karla Mosley). But this week, it looks like a storyline centering on Andre is developing. That anonymous gift to his wife instantly rattled him, and we’re here for whatever that means.
MORE: Here’s what’s coming up next week on Beyond the Gates.
The Bold and the Beautiful
HIT: Heather Tom. Again. Heather Tom is already nominated for a Daytime Emmy this year. The way things are going, she’s a shoo-in for another nomination next year. All she needs to do is submit the scene from Friday’s episode, when Katie’s sisters basically disowned her. She showed up at the Forrester manse, apologetic about Will (Crew Morrow) hitting Eric (John McCook). Both Brooke (Katherine Kelly Lang) and Donna (Jennifer Gareis) coldly told her she was no longer part of the family. Katie was devastated. Tom gave a wonderfully heartbreaking performance.
MISS: Will punches Eric. We’ll keep saying it. This violent streak of Will’s doesn’t track. Yes, he’s drinking a lot more. And his feelings are all over the place. And R.J. (Brayan Nicoletti) isn’t making it easy for Will. They can dress Will up in dark colors while R.J. and Electra (Laneya Grace) wear white. It doesn’t mean that he’s the villain here. Having said that, it seems like anger management classes need to be in his future.
Honorable Mention (MISS): Finn is going to have to stand up for himself at some point. It’s clear Finn (Tanner Novlan) is torn between his wife and his mother. We love that Finn is getting some airtime that’s more than being a sounding board. But it’s endlessly frustrating that he won’t take a stand for whatever it is that he wants.
MORE: See what’s coming up next week on The Bold and the Beautiful.
Days of our Lives
HIT: Kristen gives her unofficial goodbyes. Let’s hope that Kristen (Stacy Haiduk) realizes she went too far. Enlisting Sophia (Rachel Boyd) to murder Johnny (Carson Boatman). Then murdering Sophia (as far as we know) wasn’t the flex she thought it would be because of EJ’s vindictive tendencies. She knows she is in deep you-know-what. And that EJ (Dan Feuerriegel) has plans to kidnap her and exile her to that isolated DiMera island. And while we don’t feel sorry for her because she made her bed and needs to lie in it, her “goodbyes” to Rachel (Lorelei Olivia Mote), Brady (Eric Martsolf), and Lani (Sal Stowers) were heartbreaking.
MISS: Gabi doesn’t learn. Gabi (Cherie Jimenez) makes a snap judgment and accusation AGAIN. Gabi had no proof that Philip (John-Paul Lavoisier)and Xander (Paul Telfer) were responsible for the Gabi Chic knockoff bags. And she should have realized that on her own, instead of having to be told. She’s a smart woman, after all. Her friendship with Theo (Tyler Joseph Andrews) still hasn’t recovered from this same type of accuse-without-proof scenario. And sure, Xander and Philip aren’t the most reliable of individuals, but they told her their truth, and she didn’t believe them. She dug a hole for herself.
Honorable Mention (HIT and MISS): Lani and Eli. It was great seeing Eli (Lamon Archey) back in town and reconnecting with his wife for their anniversary. But what’s going on here? We’re anxious to see them in situations that go beyond just reconnecting or supporting other characters. Hopefully, they will get their own storyline soon.
MORE: Here’s what’s coming up next week on Days of our Lives.
General Hospital
HIT: Jason and Rocco talk. It didn’t take long for Jason (Steve Burton) to come face-to-face with Rocco (Finn Carr) after he returned to Port Charles with Danny (Asher Antonyzyn). Jason said all of the right things to Rocco. Hopefully, the teen will be able to dial back the angst, anxiousness, stress, and anger that he has been feeling ever since this went down. And that it will help heal his relationship with Danny. These scenes were satisfying and emotional. Burton and Carr did a great job with them.
MISS: Britt has to go through Stella and Elizabeth (Rebecca Herbst) to get her job back. This felt odd. Good for Stella (Vernee Watson) becoming the hospital’s new chief administrator. But why are the chief administrator and the Head Nurse deciding whether a doctor should get reinstated? Where’s Terry (Cassandra James)? GH currently has no chief of staff present and accounted for. Something that should be rectified.
Honorable Mention (HIT): A story is brewing for Trina. Trina (Tabyana Ali) creating a healthy distance between her and her parents was the smart move. Unfortunately, she may need her parents’ protection at some point. With the supervillain saga featuring Cullum, Sidwell (Carlo Rota), and Cassius (Ryan Paevey) dying down, we’re intrigued by the stalker story that seems to be developing for Trina.
MORE: Here’s what’s coming up next week on General Hospital.
The Young and the Restless
HIT: Sally and Audra. These two are arguably Genoa City’s best friends. Now they have instantly become our favorite corporate collaborators, too. This week, Sally (Courtney Hope) and Audra (Zuleyka Silver) had to deal with Victor (Eric Braeden) targeting Spectra Charles Media because he wanted to rip Newman Media away from them. The women had differing opinions. But they talked them out honestly and logically. And they provided a united front. They were reasonable, formidable, practical, and supportive. And they were willing to compromise. It was refreshing.
HIT and MISS: Adam tries to solve the Newman Media problem. It’s great that Adam (Mark Grossman) wanted to deal with Newman Media in a way that didn’t go scorched earth on Sally and Audra’s company. But Chelsea (Melissa Claire Egan) tried to warn him about Victor’s reaction. Adam didn’t think it through. It hasn’t played out yet, but there’s no way he’ll be happy with Adam’s move. We hate to say it, but Adam acted a bit delulu this week.
Honorable Mention (HIT): Traci faces Martin. First, Traci showed how strong she is when she told her family she would talk to Martin to get them info about Dr. Laurence Markham (Jere Burns). And in the video call, the manipulative man, of course, asked for something more than she wanted to give. But she’s going to do it. She will see him in person. Once again, Beth Maitland was fantastic. And it was great to see Christopher Cousins return as Martin.
MORE: Here’s what’s coming up next week on The Young and the Restless.
What are your hits and misses for the week?
Additional reporting by Soap Hub staff.
