Dan Kroll

Allentown

Online soap pioneer. Bunny whisperer. Award-winning snacker. Prize-winning gardener. Lord of @KrollManor. Red Carpet chatter-upper. Sorta doctor. Almost Mayor.

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Articles

My View From Beyond the Gates: Midlife Crisis Bingo Card

1 week ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

2025 has already been quite a year, and it’s not even halfway over. Beyond the Gates is not about to be outdone by reality. Television’s newest soap has concocted some wild scenarios that I sure hope I never find myself in. But seeing other people in those scenarios? Oh, that makes for must-see TV. In three short months, we’ve transitioned from a show that seemed to revolve around the aftermath of a marriage’s breakup to something so twisty that it rivals a pretzel.
General Hospital Commentary: Lights, camera, action!

2 weeks ago | danjkroll.com | Liz Masters |Dan Kroll

Dear readers, the 2025 Nurses Ball was the best I’ve seen in recent years. General Hospital has always pulled out all the stops for the beloved annual event, but this year was particularly exciting. I loved everything about it from the performances to the shocking twists and turns. The best part was the end when our new Michael was unveiled. The prodigal son returned home and did what so many of us had been clamoring for.
It's not an obsession... I just enjoy it

2 weeks ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

I am loath to comparing things thatI like to one another because I worry that it will diminish the amazingness of the two things that I like. However, since I tend to flex my hypocritical nature in these columns, let’s do a little comparisonizing. No, that is not a word, but this is my site and my opinion column, so I get to make or break the rules. Beyond the Gates reminds me a lot of All My Children.
My View From Beyond the Gates: Bill and Ted’s Sexcellent Adventure

3 weeks ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

I was really, really torn this week, Beyond the Gates fans. Not about the show, but what I wanted to title this column. I was absolutely convinced that it was going to be “Some kind of demented Yoda,” but I wasn’t sure that the folks at Disney would allow me to Yoda-fy the lovely Leslie/Sherry/Dana (LSD for short). So I went with my second choice: Bill and Ted’s Sexcellent Adventure.
Beyond the Gates renewed for a second season

3 weeks ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

Long live the Duprees (and all of their family drama)! Just eleven weeks after its premiere, CBS has announced that it has renewed Beyond the Gates for a second season. The first new soap opera to launch in more than a quarter of a century and the first-ever hourlong daytime drama led by a Black family, Beyond the Gates has been a success out of the gate. How much so?
My View From Beyond the Gates: DEFCON Dana

4 weeks ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

Every week I try to figure out what I’m going to title my column. In some weeks, the show dialogue writes the title for me. Such was the case with my column a couple of weeks ago about Joey’s infamous Ass Tax. Last week, Gatecrashers sort of came to me because it seemed like the perfect word. This week there were so many juicy nuggets within the dialogue that could have made for the perfect column title.
My View From Beyond the Gates: Gatecrashers

1 month ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

An online dictionary describes a gatecrasher as “someone who enters a party or event without being invited, typically without a ticket or invitation. It’s considered rude and disrespectful to the host.” Boy, is that an understatement. And for once, I wasn’t the one that showed up uninvited!Before we get into dissecting the dra-ma (there is a pause between the syllables for emphasis) of the past week, I wanted to offer a suggestion to make the show even better.
Beyond the Gates: Who needs tariffs when you have an Ass Tax?%%page%% %%sep%% %%sitename%%

1 month ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

It isn’t often that politics and soap operas collide. In 30 years of owning and operating Soap Central, there were very few times that the two worlds became inextricably linked. Most of them came in the past decade — before Beyond the Gates hit the airwaves — and involved soap stars that ran for public office or sued over policies that were being enforced in the workplace. Now, thanks to Chief Economist, Director of Mobster Affairs, and Ambassador to Pimplandia Joey Armstrong we have another.
My View From Beyond the Gates: Doomsoaping

1 month ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

I don’t know what’s gotten into my lately, but as I sit in front of the television enjoying my weekdaily dose of Beyond the Gates, I find myself overcome by this feeling that bad things are going to happen. Yes, this is a soap and bad things happen, but I keep thinking that worse than soapily bad outcomes are imminent. What is a worse than soapily bad outcome? I was worried that the can of room deodorizer was going to explore and take out the entire Dupree family.
My View From Beyond the Gates: Lights! Camera! Potassium AF!

1 month ago | danjkroll.com | Dan Kroll

I learned something this week: if ever I find that my access to Fairmont Crest is revoked, I can simply head over to Garland Memorial and claim to be a new hire. Sure, you might get a few pointed questions from the nursing staff about who you are and why you’re there, but the perfect wig and fake accent will quickly convince everyone that you’re the real deal.