Are you frickin' kidding me? Genie Francis limited run on GH was much better than what I've seen in this story so far. Too much BULL in this article, and because it needs repeating....there is the obsession that Susan Flannery can do no wrong and IMO that takes away from having objective opinions with her.

I agree with the Flannery obsession clouding judgement. She is a good actress, but let's face it she is no Erika Slezak who has the 6 emmies to prove it. When OLTL wrote about Vicki's abusive past it was embracing history because we lived through some of it and she had the talent to revisit it and make it interesting not corny. Susan tends to overpower people rather than meet their skill and push them to higher ground. Erika has the ability to make other actors step up their game. Ever wonder why KKL never gets nominated?? Susan's overbearing performances and they aren't consistant.

I agree with the Flannery obsession clouding judgement. She is a good actress, but let's face it she is no Erika Slezak who has the 6 emmies to prove it. When OLTL wrote about Vicki's abusive past it was embracing history because we lived through some of it and she had the talent to revisit it and make it interesting not corny. Susan tends to overpower people rather than meet their skill and push them to higher ground. Erika has the ability to make other actors step up their game. Ever wonder why KKL never gets nominated?? Susan's overbearing performances and they aren't consistant.

Well you may hate me here but I don't think Erika Slezak deserved every single one of those emmy's. But I do agree with you where I highlighted. As for Katherine Kelly Lang, I never thought she was that great. Her acting reminds of Lauralee Bell's (Y&R ex-Christine).

Susan tends to overpower people rather than meet their skill and push them to higher ground. Erika has the ability to make other actors step up their game. Ever wonder why KKL never gets nominated?? Susan's overbearing performances and they aren't consistant.

I think that just depends on the other person. She does overpower some people. But I think she helps others. Take Lesli Kay, I think her and SF are both strong, and so they can easily play off of each other. But another person that isn't as strong would definentely be overpowered. I wouldn't want to see one of the younger people and Stephanie in a big confrontation. As far as KKL, seems to me that her emotional scenes are usually with other people. Her stuff with SF is usually just a yelling match.

^Think about this about 90% of B&B's cast is WEAK. This leaves Susan Flannery to take the star position because nobody on B&B can match her. But if you take other soaps, there actors continuously have to go up against powerhouse performers. So its sink or swim with them. But with Flannery, who's going to possibly match her on B&B. The closest to a good match for SF would be Lesli Kay or my dear sweet underappreciated Darlene Conley.

thats kuz Bell is not a good writer.

^^

I'm surprised that Massimo was on for that long too. Usually, these new characters that Bradley creates bite the dust after a few months.

The character was absolutely useless. Making him Ridge's biological father? Just stupid!! And of course, it also resulted in the show bringing on Nick.

Well you may hate me here but I don't think Erika Slezak deserved every single one of those emmy's. But I do agree with you where I highlighted. As for Katherine Kelly Lang, I never thought she was that great. Her acting reminds of Lauralee Bell's (Y&R ex-Christine).

This is strange because I usually agree with your posted opinions DRU but for you to say Slezak didn't deserve any of her emmies is unbelievable. Have you seen Nikki Smith??? Tori, Jean, Tommy, Victor or Princess...each one of these personalities Slezak pulled of convincingly and each with different nuances. You could tell Jean pretending to be Vicki didn't act the way the real Vicki acted nor did she act like Nikki prentending to be Vicki. That was raw talent unmatched by any performance I have ever seen in daytime history. I will admit Eileen Davidson's run on Days as Quinteplets was acting genious and deserving of an Emmy (she was robbed) and the great Judith Light back to back emmys for her portrayal of Karen Wolek was acting at its best. There have been moments of brillance for Flannery, Zimmer and even Gene Francis performance when they thought Lucky died in the fire. However year to year from Stroke to Multiple Personalities, to child abuse to heart disease Erika Slezak has delivered and set the bar very high. I will applaud some leading women today such as Nancy Lee Grahn, Mara West, Leslie Kay and dare I say Laura Wright who can deliver with depth and range...but Erika Slezak's are few and far between, maybe one of those emmies should have gone to Jessica Tuck who played Vicki's daughter on OLTL but she submitted a comedy tape instead of her death scene and lost to Slezak who submitted the death scene and won.

This is strange because I usually agree with your posted opinions DRU but for you to say Slezak didn't deserve any of her emmies is unbelievable. Have you seen Nikki Smith???

I'm not really a fan of Nikki Smith. But I do think that Erika Slezak did do the damn thing in the past when she used to get good stories. I said she didn't deserve every single emmy, but then again I'm not sure what she submitted compared to the other actresses.

So, is it official that this story was a flop?

I mean c'mon after 30 years, and the span of a couple of days, everything is sugary sweet for these two. Brad Bell said that Betty White's role will be a "memorable" one, but I think it's only memorable in name only. Such missed opportunities.

So, is it official that this story was a flop?

You seem to be pretty much the only one who thinks that way...

That story was brilliantly acted, wonderfully written, greatly staged - I for one loved every second of it. Judging TV Guide I wasn't the only one.

As for your Susan Flannery bashing: IMO, you were comparing apples with peaches. I won't diminish the glory of Erica Slezak of whom I've seen to little to judge her appropriately but alternate personalities, riding through the wild west, visting Eternia (or how was that future city called) is outlandish drama and leaves totally different acting opportunities than family drama on B&B - which is sometimes campy but in its core more realistic than all of these things on OLTL. Therefore, it is hard to compare that. Add the fact that ES is working probably half the amount that SF is doing - who is REALLY a lead actress whereas ES is one of a bunch at max! - and you maybe get my point.

For me, Susan Flannery is the gold standard and no one can convince me otherwise. It seems that a lot of people are agreeing with me on that. Yet, personal taste allows different views - even if tehy're wrong .

EDIT: That picture of Brenda Dickson. Eww. I loved her coldhearted b*tchiness back in the day (although I prefer Jess Walton's portrayal) but she looks so plastic nowadays and that blond hair. Honey, waht happened? LOL at that Jerry Douglas comment...

Edited December 31, 200619 yr by sheilaforever

So, is it official that this story was a flop?

I mean c'mon after 30 years, and the span of a couple of days, everything is sugary sweet for these two. Brad Bell said that Betty White's role will be a "memorable" one, but I think it's only memorable in name only. Such missed opportunities.

While the acting was tremendously amazing from all parties, I agree on some level about the floppyness. it was too rushed and should have been played out over a 3 month period, rather than a measly 3 weeks. That's the only problem I had with the storyline. But from every scene we had between Stephanie and Ann, it was brilliant from the first time the camera panned to Betty White's face. "Is she?"

How in the hell do they explain that one?

What do you mean? She's in boarding school. That's it. Nothing weird about it.

Maybe it is just me who disliked the storyline but oh well. I still stand by my opinion

I'm going to push the Erika Slezak thing aside from the discussion, because I didn't want it to turn it into a battle.

I guess I believe the acting and writing left a lot to be desired. It was good, but not the best I've seen on daytime this year.

Dru, I thought it was good for what it was, a cheap stunt that will be forgotten in six weeks. I loved every moment of it, but I still haven't forgotten what a garbage writer Brad Bell is. The same people saying he deserves an Emmy will be calling for him to be fired in a couple of months.

The only way Ann's story would really work for me is if they had cast a daytime vet as Ann, someone willing to stay in the role long enough to do it justice. Betty White was fabulous, but 10 episodes? GMAFB! It's like when people talk about how great Miss Ellie's 2-episode Breast Cancer was on Dallas. This is a soap opera, I don't want the good stories condensed.