[Soap Opera Network]

Photo: Errol Lewis/SON

(SoapOperaNetwork.com) — Resurrecting the Messenger may have been the easiest route to take, but it was also the most logical.

On Monday, November 9th, it was revealed that Llanview’s ultimate evil villain Mitch Laurence managed to cheat death for a second time. Though many fans seem to be enjoying the former cult leader’s return, others are calling the reveal that he was stalking Jessica and that he is Rex’s biological father a cop-out.

However, those who share this view fail to realize the potential that it creates. And, while it may have been one of those storylines that was as transparent as scotch tape, it is still a perfect fit nonetheless. Prior to the confirmation that Roscoe Born was returning to “One Life to Live” as Mitch several months ago, which was first reported by SON back in September, rumors ran rampant on the Internet that Spencer Truman or another villain from Llanview’s past would most certainly be revealed as the likely culprit.

Pausing for a just  a moment, let’s just consider the prospect of Spencer Truman being responsible for everything that has transpired recently. Overlooking the obvious, i.e. the mad doctor having no real connection to Jessica during his original reign of terror, the man has no other family in Llanview (aside from his half-brother David, who is out of town more than he is in). True, he did cause a tremendous deal of pain for numerous other characters on the canvas, but Spencer being the man behind both the stalking and the long lost father storylines, leaves you scratching your head.

In my opinion, Mitch is the only person who could tie the two plots together in a neat little bow. Plus, it creates tons of drama for at least half of the cast. It gives Rex a real sister in Jessica, a father (vile as he may be), plus an adorable little niece. And it also strengthens his bond with Natalie, whom he has long considered a sister. To put it into perspective, Natalie and Jessica are sisters, Jessica and Rex are siblings, and Rex and Natalie are ’siblings.’ This gives Shane another aunt (one that isn’t a stripper), and a new cousin. And just think of the drama that Mitch’s return will also cause for Roxy, Viki, Dorian, and their families as well. There are a wealth of storyline possibilities here.

It also does not require a great deal of reinventing “One Life” history in order to make things work. We have known for years that Rex’s ‘father’ Dr. Walter Balsom was one of Mitch’s disciples. It shouldn’t be very much of a stretch to think that Roxy and Mitch interacted (albeit off-screen) while married to Walter for all those years. If Spencer had been revealed as Rex’s father instead, the show would have had a lot more explaining to do in order for viewers to believe that it could even be possible.

And you have to consider that Roxy was very afraid of Mitch, but that in all likelihood, she wouldn’t have been scared of Spencer. Let’s face it…Spencer was a psycho, but in many ways he wasn’t all that scary. He was just more smug and arrogant, but could also be charming at the same time. Mitch is just pure evil, even down to his voice. You just didn’t have that with Spencer.

However, as much as I enjoyed Mitch’s return, I must say that I am a little disappointed in what they have done to Charlie. I like the idea that he, in a drunken stupor many years ago, accidently murdered someone and then not remember it. But I don’t think that making Jared’s abusive stepfather as the intended victim is a very good fit. Instead, I believe that it would have made much more sense to reveal that Charlie was once involved in a hit and run while driving drunk, and that the victim was someone that was very close to Viki. That would have things much more intriguing. Although, right off hand, I can’t think of a family member or close friend of Viki that was killed by a drunk driver. That idea requires a little more research, but it would cause some friction between the husband and wife, before ultimately finding their way back to one another and seeking forgiveness. But what do I know…I’m just a long-time fan of the show, so I guess my opinion doesn’t count. Oh well.

Moving on, how funny is it that Nash is one character that seems to be talked about more in death than he was in life? I must admit that I rather enjoyed watching Jessica freak out at the sight of his rotting corpse last week. Someone at “OLTL” must have a huge grudge against this guy to drag his memory through the mud like they have. I mean, how many other deceased Llanview characters over the years have experienced similar treatment? Ha ha. And I mean don’t say that to offend anyone. I realize that there are some very vocal Nash/Forbes March fans out there (just as there are for Evangeline/Renee Elise Goldsberry) who were disgusted and horrified by the macbe turn of events, but personally it made me laugh more than anything. Like everyone else, I have had favorite characters and actors leave the show over the years, many never to return. So I know what they’re going through. However, at the same time, there comes a point when you just have to get over it. And again, I’m not trying to offend anyone by that, but Nash was just one of those characters that never had very much appeal to begin with.

I think that, considering what’s happened, that it is safe to say that the character is not coming back. On the other hand, I am not totally convinced that the corpse belonged to Nash. In my mind, Mitch had one of his minions dig up Nash’s grave, and hide his body somewhere else nearby in Llanview. Then he either had another of his goons dig up a body from a cemetery in Napa and dress him up to look like Nash, or just create his own ‘dead body’ knowing that Jessica would be too hysterical to tell the difference. That’s just my two cents anyway, however it does help to explain how Mitch was able to get some of his dirty work done anyway.

It’s not easy to say you’re sorry, but I owe an apology to ‘Joe McCusker.’ Joe brought an error to my attention recently. In past columns and articles, back when Ray and Lola Montez called Llanview home, I accidently misspelled the name of their native country as ‘Columbia,’ when it should have read ‘Colombia.’ In my hurriedness to complete the column and finish several other articles I was working on, I failed to catch the mistake. I guess that’s what I get for relying mostly on just spell check. And what makes this error even more embarrassing for me, given my interest in geography. So again, I apologize for not catching that and I’ll try to do better next time.

Also commenting on my last column was ‘Shon,’ who mentioned something that he/she found annoying on “OLTL” recently. “Where were you when Bo and Rex were struck by lightning and went to Texas and basically changed history? Bo (Rex) ended up sleeping with Davids mother bc Asa (Bo) couldn’t do it.” Thanks Shon for your comment! And if anyone else has pet peeves about the show right now, be sure and pass them along as well.

And we here at SON are toying with a new, slightly revised logo for our website. Let me know what you think. Click here for a sneak peak.

For those of you who follow my Twitter page, sorry for falling behind on updating it recently. I have been so busy, I have had to place in on the back burner for the past couple weeks, however I hope to get it all caught up again in the next few days.

No one correctly (or incorrectly for that matter), guessed the identity of the mystery person from my last column. The right answer was Mrs. Charlotte Stonecliff, and she was portrayed by Phyllis Somerville.

For those who may have missed the clues here they are: In 1997, Mel and Cassie are greeted by an elderly lady, who still resides in the Cramer farmhouse. She tells them about Dorian, Addie, and Melinda’s parents Sonya and Louis, and how they died in a plane crash in Kentucky. The old woman then proceeds to inform them how Dorian had a very violent temper as a child, and would fight constantly with her sisters. As they continue their visit, the elderly lady states that she came to live with the Cramer family she was only 15 and that she grew up in Illinois. She tells Cassie about her grandmother’s love of music and how her grandfather adored her, but recalls that everything changed after the children were born. Even though the girls mother loved them as much as her music, they were quite a handful. She evens goes so far as to tell them how Addie once looked Dorian in a well house and left her there all day, prompting a frantic search for her. Fortunately she (the old lady) was the one who found Dorian, who was shaken but otherwise unharmed. As a result, Addie was institutionalized, however Dorian and Melinda were told that she had passed away. With Addie out of the picture, their mother became closer to Melinda because of her gift of music, causing Dorian to feel left out.

After the chat, the old woman takes Mel and Cassie to visit her grandparents gravesite. She explains to them that they were coming home from Kentucky when the accident occurred and that she herself brought back the bodies in a hearse, and that it was a small funeral. When Cassie exclaims that it must awful, the woman responds that “it was the worst day of my life, except for one.” When Mel asks her what the saddest day of her life was, she confesses that it was the day that Melinda was institutionalized. Then she told them that Dorian still feels the need to protect her sisters.

Afterward, Mel tells Cassie that he thinks the woman was lying to them. Once they leave, she immediately contacts Dorian. Searching for answers, Mel and Cassie research the aforementioned plane crash, and discover that the old lady’s story doesn’t quite add up. Back in Llanview, Kelly answers the phone only to hear the woman’s voice on the other end. After claiming that Dorian wasn’t home, she hangs up the phone just as her aunt walks in the room. Kelly lies and says that it was someone looking for Blair.

Some time later Mel, Cassie, and Kelly assemble privately to discuss how everything seems to be tied to Dorian. Mel announces that he has contacted the FAA, who told him that they have no record of the crash the old lady was referring to. Furthermore, the local clerk’s office in Kentucky had no death certificate for either Mr. or Mrs. Cramer, even though the undertaker in Canton did. Mel tells them that all death certificates are numbered and that the ones matching Dorian’s parents were made out to other people. He suspects that the old woman forged the documents before giving them to the undertaker.

Meanwhile, Dorian remembers seeing her father’s body on the floor and hearing the woman telling her that it was all her fault and that she will never be forgiven. Later, Mel and the girls confront Dorian and urge her to go and talk to the woman in person, resulting in a terrible fight between her and Mel. Some time later, Dorian turns up missing. Unknown to her loved ones, she has traveled to Canton, where is lays roses on her parents grave.

It isn’t long before it is discovered where Dorian has gone, and Mel and Cassie head for Ohio. When Blair suggests they call the old woman, Mel says they had better not tip her off. On their way out of Llanview, they ask Viki for some time off from The Banner, and she wishes them luck on their journey.

Back in Canton, Dorian visits the old home place. After taking a stroll down memory lane, Dorian tells her that she knows Mel and Cassie came to see her. The woman asks if she got her messages, to which Dorian says that she did not. The lady isn’t sure why they wouldn’t forward the message to her. Dorian admits that they her family has been probing her concerning her mother’s death and asking all sorts of questions about Melinda’s accident and about the old woman. The lady asks Dorian what she told them.

After recalling what she told her family, Dorian remembers how her mother forced her to challenge Melinda to a race and cut the girth on a saddle. The woman tells Dorian that it is not the correct version of the story and that disaster struck after Dorian told her father that ‘lie.’ Several miles away, Mel and Cassie arrive at a motel, where they decide to spend the night.

While in her old bedroom, Dorian awakens and is terrified to hear her mother’s piano music playing. The woman attempts to calm Dorian by claiming it is only one of her mother’s old practice tapes. After going back to bed, Dorian spots a mysterious, shadowy figure in the doorway. The next morning, Dorian confronts the old woman and let’s her know that she has found out about the forged death certificates, and she knows the glass of milk she gave her the night before was drugged. The two women then get into a rather heated argument with Dorian demanding answers as Cassie and Mel arrive. As Dorian explains what is going on, Mel starts questioning the woman as well, going so far as accusing her of killing Dorian’s parents herself. The bickering takes its toll on the old lady, who clutches her heart and falls to the floor. They set her up in a chair and place a cool rag on her forehead as she comes to. Shortly thereafter, she is taken upstairs where Dorian is supervised to learn that she is staying in her parents old bedroom.

Mel and Cassie agree that the old woman is putting on a show and that they need to try a more subtle approach if they are to get answers from her. After apologizing to Dorian for their actions, the trio decide to turn in for the night. Cassie decides to stay in one of the bedrooms down the hall. However, instead of going to sleep she follows the sound of a person playing a piano. Hearing someone approaching she hides and watches the old woman unlock and open a door, and then lock it again behind her.

Days later, Dorian sneaks upstairs and is horrified to discover that her mentally unstable mother is very much alive and that the woman has been taking care of her all these years. Suddenly she flashes back to her mother hitting her father over the head with a statue, killing him. When Cassie races upstairs after hearing the commotion, Sonya (Dorian’s mother) attacks her. When Cassie is hit with a fireplace poker Dorian rushes to her aid, unaware that Sonya is coming after her with the same bust she used to murder her father. Turning around just in the nick of time, the two women struggle for control. As Mel and Kelly (who has just arrived with Kevin and Joey) watch from the doorway, Dorian knocks her mother unconscious. Tending to Cassie, Dorian explains that her mother killed her father, and she wasn’t going to let her kill her daughter too.

Kelly takes Cassie downstairs while Mel stays with Dorian, who is holding her mother’s hand. Informing Kevin and Joey of what happened upstairs, the old woman hastily leaves the room. She races upstairs to find Sonya’s eyes open and Dorian soothing her by talking to her and stroking her hair. As her mother begins to fade, she asks Dorian if she can her the music playing. As Dorian cradles her in her arms, Sonya dies. However, when Dorian refuses to just leave her body there, Mel tells her that they need to go and get help.

As Mel and Dorian are headed downstairs, the old woman tells Sonya’s limp body that “I won’t let them take you away, dear. You need me, you always have. And I’ll take care of you.” She gets up to lock the door, then returns to the dead body. Meanwhile, Dorian and Mel are now banging on the door, but are ignored by the woman, who starts a fire in the room and laments that “We’ll always be together, I’ll never leave you.” With the room now burning, Brahms’ Requiem begins to play as the old lady just sets there with Sonya’s lifeless body. Mel tries to break down the door, while Dorian pleads with her to let them in. However the old lady just sets there as the fire prepares to consume them.

Now it’s time to play another round of “Llanview, Who Am I?,” a new feature where you have to use the clues to figure out the identity of a mystery character from “OLTL’s” past. See if you can figure it out. Good luck!!!

This boarding school friend of Kelly Cramer arrived in Llanview a decade ago, and quickly sought out the husband of one of Llanview’s ladies, with plans to kill him in cold blood. The woman was also the former mistress of the husband of the recently returned Rae Cummings who encouraged the lady’s new boyfriend to end the relationship, because she still resented her for causing a rift in their marriage. Later it is revealed that woman was actually the brother of the former mobster that she was sent to murder. During a party to celebrate the woman’s engagement to his grandson, Asa (who despises the girl’s family) confronted her with some incriminating photos, causing her to run away in a terrible thunderstorm. Once outside, she found her way to a summerhouse on the grounds that was currently under construction. Once inside, she fell through a hole in the floor, and soon thereafter Rae arrived on the scene to try and help her. In the process, the women made peace, and Rae learned that he missing husband was now residing in Pine Valley. However, she was unable to free the woman. Some time later, the woman’s mobster brother rescued both of them from the water. Rae survived, however the other woman soon died. In the months that followed, her boyfriend began drinking heavily and found comfort with Kelly. By year’s end, the two began to fall for one another, despite the fact that Kelly was engaged to another.

So who is this mysterious woman from the past? I’ll have the answers in the November 30th edition of “My View in Llanview.” I’ll even give you bonus points if you can tell the names of each of the other characters alluded to in the above paragraph. Until then make your best guesses and give me your feedback on the column. Also don’t forget to tell me what bugs you about the show these days. I love hearing from fellow “OLTL” fans. And don’t forget to check out my Twitter page for all the latest OLTL news and information at SON.

Now, before I wrap up this column, I’m going to look into my crystal ball and give you a quick sneak peek at a few things coming up a few weeks down the road. These are for the week of November 30th. First, Dorian is threatened. Also, Charlie finds old habits hard to break. Jessica is shaken by what she receives. Mitch is full of surprises. And Dorian settles into her new job. Enjoy…

Well that’s concludes yet another edition of the column. Hope everyone has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. Take care and try not to eat too much turkey.

And until next time remember, we only have “One Life to Live”…

“One Life to Live” airs Weekdays on ABC. Weeknights on SOAPnet. Check local listings.

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