I agree with Jean, I can see where you guys are coming from too in that Abby shouldn't be expected to be perfect ... but I agree she is being written like a 15 year old, not an amibitious 19 year old college girl full of drive and ideas ... the garage, the unimaginative business major, the obsession with Max are dragging her down at this point, for me. I can respect people feel otherwise, and I agree that she wasn't really a defined character before, but they could've used the little details they did give her over the years -- she loves to write, she has convictions about the leukemia society, she spent formative years in Africa and Ireland, she has dealt with death, she grew up in a family of doctors, etc etc -- to take her higher than just a typical teen. But I can see where people are coming from saying that the Abby criticism is overboard. Like Jean said, things can change in the blink of an eye.

I don't get the Abby hate either. It's her first love. She's acting so typical for that! What's the big f-ing deal.

I so agree

PR, I don't believe you read the last two of my posts regarding Abby which very clearly demonstrates the way she has been changed just as surely has Shawn Douglas was. He was studying law and working for Uncle Mickey until his character was sent on a rocket into the wild blue...same as Abby now. It's the writer's of course, not the actors. Ashley is beautiful and talented, but the writing is so wrong for the character as she was meant to be, imho.

In regard to Max's age. He is supposedly about ten years younger than Frankie who is about 36-39. I cannot see Max as 29 so lowered it to 26. Remember he is a reknown race car driver and that title takes a few years to earn. Also, he is a noted playboy and since he's been in Salem a couple of years that means he had to have earned both titles before coming to town. I believe he is about 26 in spite of how old the actor is, imho.

Yes, in real times, he is 26. When Max came onto the show in 1986, he was 6 years-old. However, you cannot make age a set in stone thing in Salem. There is no way Max can be 26. Darin Brooks does not look 26 in no way.

LOL, and Abby doesn't look or act 19 either. But then again look at the disparity of the characters and the actual actors and the actors age is irrelevant to the character. For instance the 44 or 45 year old Judi Evans (Bonnie) and the 39 years old Brody Hutzler (Patrick). That is one of the finer things of stage productions.....age and even gender can be a projection. It appears that right now we are seeing the de-aging of Mimi and the sorasing of Belle and putting Shawn at the age he should have been. It appears this way as the story is written right now, who knows by next month.

In my opinion the best Abby has been written was during the recent race when she drove to the airport to pick up the representatives of the two charities that were being benefited. She was marvelous and so lovely and gracious, even though so young. That's the real Abby....the one who cares about "World Peace" and devotes herself to those efforts. Her true love should be someone who fits into her idea of the perfect adult life (which should not be racecar driver or garage owner).

Edited December 23, 200619 yr by DaysFanJean

I will agree with you that Abby's age has been f*cked up. She should only be about 17, like the actress. However, Reilly wrote her as 17 in April 2005 when the actress was 16. And then in September, Abby was all of a sudden in college. But now, this year, they are saying this is her first year of college, so she should be around 18-19. But you cannot say that Darin Brooks is making Max 26. There's no way in hell he could pass for a 26 year old

All the young folks' ages are kinda whacked up ... how old are Belle and Shawn?? Certainly they don't seem Mimi's age any more. What can we do!

PR, I don't believe you read the last two of my posts regarding Abby which very clearly demonstrates the way she has been changed just as surely has Shawn Douglas was. He was studying law and working for Uncle Mickey until his character was sent on a rocket into the wild blue...same as Abby now. It's the writer's of course, not the actors. Ashley is beautiful and talented, but the writing is so wrong for the character as she was meant to be, imho.

In regard to Max's age. He is supposedly about ten years younger than Frankie who is about 36-39. I cannot see Max as 29 so lowered it to 26. Remember he is a reknown race car driver and that title takes a few years to earn. Also, he is a noted playboy and since he's been in Salem a couple of years that means he had to have earned both titles before coming to town. I believe he is about 26 in spite of how old the actor is, imho.

I did read them Jean and I don't agree. Abby is the same old girl. She is worried right now about Max and she likes him. It is making the worst come out in her because she is frustrated and jealous. It's typical of a girl her age. Just because she changed to a business major and her age changed doesn't mean she is any different. Shawn has gone back to his old self and she will too. It's just the circumstances that made Shawn rebellious and he came around and Abby will too after the circumstances she is dealing with subside. Girls Abby's age always change their mind so why can't she change to a business major? In any event, characters can change. It doesn't mean they are being ruined. You don't have to like it but they can change and go back to the way they were depending on situations. I give Hogan credit for not changing her overnight. Slowly, she has came out of her shell where she was always shy and in the background and now she is doing something and isn't wallpaper. She is speaking out and while some of it is over the top, at least it's not the Abby who stood around saying nothing.

Abby was never even fleshed out under JER so I think it's unfair to say she is being ruined or to blame anything on Hogan. There was nothing there before to ruin. JER once in awhile threw something out there like her career aspirations and so on. Let's also remember her parents are gone and maybe that is adding to her frustration not having them there. She is still the sweet, charitable, daddy's girl she always was. Your just not seeing it right now because of what she is dealing with.

People who do not want Max and Abby together are using this supposed big age difference as an excuse, and it doesn't hold water. Max dated Chelsea, who is the same age as Abby.

What's happening to Abby now is a parallel to what happened to her mom Jennifer. Jenn was born in 1976, should have been 30 this year. But she was SORASED in 1986 to about the age Abby is now, and a couple of years later she met and fell in love with Jack, who was older and not her type, when you think about the character. Frankie was the safe one, Jack wasn't. Now we have Abby falling for Max, when MIA boyfriend Josh is the "safe" choice. But Josh is out of the picture. Why bring him back for Abby? The Josh/Abby romance was nothing. It was a blip on the radar.

Max/Abby is a nice nod to the history of Jack/Jennifer. Abby should not be this perfect, princessy character. She should have a stubborn streak and a bit of rebel in her like her parents. Max is looking for a girl who will be true and not play head games. He has that in Abby. He certainly won't have that with Mimi. She says she's a better person now, but if she's threatened again, she'll go right back to lying to keep her man as she did with Rex and Shawn. Mabby all the way!!!

I'm watching now..comments to follow.

OMG, Chelsea: "Don't get your thong in a twist."

Yeah, RIGHT. Like Ms. Goody Two Shoes, squeaky clean loser Abby even HAS a thong. :lol: Funniest thing I heard during the show so far. Yeah, Abby probably has granny panties if she has anything. Oh, Abby, you poor wannabe. You will NEVER be as crazy/sexy/cool as Chels. Don't get me wrong, I'm definitely a Mabby fan, and I love the Abby character, but one thing can't be denied: her DORKINESS. There's a reason why she and Nick are related!

This is probably the deepest and longest discussion of the character of Abby yet. It's been fun to see everyone else's ideas. I'm not budging with mine for the time being, but as PR says, Abby is developing so she won't be this type girl forever. I just hope that Hogan or anyone who matters, will see how important the fans hold Abby and treat her very well.

People who do not want Max and Abby together are using this supposed big age difference as an excuse, and it doesn't hold water. Max dated Chelsea, who is the same age as Abby.

What's happening to Abby now is a parallel to what happened to her mom Jennifer. Jenn was born in 1976, should have been 30 this year. But she was SORASED in 1986 to about the age Abby is now, and a couple of years later she met and fell in love with Jack, who was older and not her type, when you think about the character. Frankie was the safe one, Jack wasn't. Now we have Abby falling for Max, when MIA boyfriend Josh is the "safe" choice. But Josh is out of the picture. Why bring him back for Abby? The Josh/Abby romance was nothing. It was a blip on the radar.

Max/Abby is a nice nod to the history of Jack/Jennifer. Abby should not be this perfect, princessy character. She should have a stubborn streak and a bit of rebel in her like her parents. Max is looking for a girl who will be true and not play head games. He has that in Abby. He certainly won't have that with Mimi. She says she's a better person now, but if she's threatened again, she'll go right back to lying to keep her man as she did with Rex and Shawn. Mabby all the way!!!

Great post. I agree. Most of the complaints seem to be coming from those not wanting Maby together but I guess they are entitled to think what they want.

Jean, you bring up a good point. The fact that we are all talking about Abby so much lately says alot because she has never been the source of much discussion like she is now. She never used to do anything of interest but now that she is we are able to talk about her, which is a nice change from her being nothing but a background character who supports Chelsea (I always felt it should be the other way around as Abby is the daughter of a supercouple but I do like Chelsea) . It is nice to Abby doing something and developing as a character.

Great post. I agree. Most of the complaints seem to be coming from those not wanting Maby together but I guess they are entitled to think what they want.

Jean, you bring up a good point. The fact that we are all talking about Abby so much lately says alot because she has never been the source of much discussion like she is now. She never used to do anything of interest but now that she is we are able to talk about her, which is a nice change from her being nothing but a background character who supports Chelsea (I always felt it should be the other way around as Abby is the daughter of a supercouple but I do like Chelsea) . It is nice to Abby doing something and developing as a character.

I wish the Mabby fans would realize that this is a soap opera. It's a not Harlequin romance novel or a sitcom.

If they want to see Mabby on the show, then those two characters have to be shown in storylines doing various

things that eventually lead them to being together. Abby has never even been a character until now and what

Hogan is writing for her makes perfect sense. She's young, she's emotional, she's inexperienced, she's eager.

It is very realistic that she would act this way and it's obviously going to lead to some story point that will move

their situation along.

Max has never really been a character either and he's interesting with Mimi and Abby both. I like the dilemna that

is being built up and I just don't understand how these people can ignore good storytelling. Hogan is doing a really

great job with characters that were once nothing more than cardboard! Chelsea is a diva! She's so on point it's not

even funny.

Could we just enjoy the show sometimes and let love happen?

I agree that Hogan is just starting with the character of Abby. He is slowly going to develop her into a mature young woman who will be the new heroine of the show. I remember when Jennifer came on the show, and we were able to see her grow up right on screen with the rest of us at that time. I always felt so connected to Jennifer (except when JER tried to ruin her character) because we were able to watch her through every storyline become more and more of a wonderful leading lady. I expect that we are going to go through the same thing with Abby. Abby is a Horton, but it will take her a while to grow into that responsibility. It is sort of the same thing with Sami except she was stuck acting like a teenager by JER. It is what makes watching a soap so great. You get to watch characters grow and mature just like your own family.