AMC Photo of Zarf as Zoe

[Laurie]

I'm actually finding myself intrigued by this story. I actually think Jeffrey is doing a great job in the role and Eden has also been great in this story. I adored the scene with Zarf, Bianca and Miranda that aired this week. I can't wait for these scenes to air.

[JER Soaps Fan]

Um, if you're criticizing the story on those parts (and you are), then it doesn't sound conservative nor homophobic.

[David_Vickers]

If Jeffrey Carlson gets an Emmy nom for this horrible storyline and this horrible character, then the Daytime Emmys might as well be canceled. This Zarf character is taking over the show and is very, very irritating. It's also stupid to have he/she be Bianca's new love interest and end up being Bianca's new girlfriend likely under the hack Megan McTavish horrible writing these days. The serial killer storyline is good writing while this Zarf is totally not AMC imho.

[David_Vickers]

I agree. Keep Maggie on permanently and/or bring back Lena and/or give Bianca a REAL new love interest NOT a man. Zarf would be more interesting as gay or as a transexual drawn to a man, which is the usual case.

Me too.

[SteveFrame]

Well I have been one of AMC's biggest critics this year. I didn't even watch very many episodes between Feb and November but even before Zarf was annouced as coming I felt the show was trying. I still hate MMT and want her gone, but I have actually enjoyed AMC again since mid-Nov. And I think they are doing a good job so far with the Zarf story and the serial killer story. And I like that the two are blending together right now.

I know that Zarf has been on quite a big right now but I don't feel he has been shoved down my throat at this point. He is one of the chief suspects right now in the s/k story esp. in Zach's mind. So I think him being used in his story and that one is great.

I felt this story was going to be awful, and I do see it as a cop out to give Bianca a legitimate female lover, but I am glad that they are exploring this story, and doing it with a different angle than the man trapped in a woman's body and wanting to be with a man. That is the most obvious route to take with a transgender story, but there are those men that still love women but feel trapped in a man's body - thus a lesbian male I guess you could say.

One of the biggest complaints about AMC for several years now is that they no longer took risks with these type stories - stories that the great Agnes Nixon would do. Well they are doing it and I give them credit.

They got big criticism about too much of Colby and her set. They have corrected that and I feel that is balanced now. So once I again I give them credit.

Now if they could give me back my vets they fired - we would be on lots better terms.

[bellcurve]

Some would argue that my way of thinking about this storyline isn't "progressive" or open-minded enough.

Thanks for further elaborating my point and I agree 100%.

The problem with Bianca falling for "Zoe" is that the true blue lesbians I've met(lipstick and butch) want nothing to do with a man because of their genatalia. Doesn't matter whether or not it was there before. Even gays are closed-minded and selective.

The first lesbian I met and had a conversation with flipped the [!@#$%^&*] out when I asked her, "How do lesbians have sex? Do they use d****s on each other?" She raised a hellstorm and said, "How do gay guys have sex? Do they use fake vaginas on each other?!"

This is why I am SO against a Bianca/Zoe pairing. I've met lots of lesbians. I work at a gay club. This stuff just wouldn't happen, and, IMO this won't ring true to the audience they are trying to pander to and it will raise even more stereotypes and confusion to the whitebread Middle American audience whose minds they are trying to change.

I'm just SO against this storyline because of my own personal beliefs.

There...I said it.

P.S. Jesus Christ....22 Guests reading this topic?!

[Cheap21]

from what Ive seen, I actually like Zarf and I HATED him when he was on in the summer. I think this story has potential to be good and I like him with Bianca

[leevo64]

I think this storyline's a bad idea. If the show wanted to introduce a transgendered character why couldn't they make he or she a Martin, Chandler, Montgomery, Santos, Marick, Cambias, Kane or even a Lavery? Why does it have to be a death rocker named ZARF who is hideously over the top and the prime suspect in a serial killer case? And WHY is Bianca involved? Because she's the token lesbian? Because the show's afraid to pair her with someone with real female genitalia? They may think they're going all progressive, but really they're skirting around a real issue: the show's own homophobia.

[KLN]

Doesn't sound homophobic at all. I've had the same exact thoughts.

[KLN]

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

[Tishy]

I think that this sl could have been split. Give Binks a real love interest with a real woman. She can still be friends with Zoe. Then you will have another storyline where Zoe can explore the issues she must face with being a man while really being a woman. Bianca could be a friend who helps facilliatate this, but not the love interest. (MAGGIE! Bring back Maggie full time!) Yet don't shove it down our throats. You have a love story and a social issue story. JMO. I am still split on how this could turn out. Even it out with the Martins and the serial killer storyline and Zendall and we could be on track.

And regarding the picture of Zoe and Bianca. I think Binks looks stunning.

I like Zoe's dress. But Zoe's hair to me looks like it has way too much product in it. I am just nit picking, I don't find it attractive at all.

[Kylie]

I'm so torn. I've seen clips and Jeffery Carlson is a good actor, and this storyline has potential. So a part of me, for the social impact of it wants it to succed. But the other part of me, saw them reference Erica's abortion, and how groundbreaking and crap that it was, while whitewashing the fact that hte fetus is alive, in the same article makes me want this storyline to crash and burn. MMT thinks we're stupid, and that scares me more then anything.

AMC seems to only ever get part of the picture...and that scares me about this storyline, despite Jeff and Eden in the roles. I can see this being a Josh replay disaster, and I can see it being a storyline that makes me proud of AMC again. I just don't know where it's going to go...

[DruRocks]

I don't know if I agree with you here...

[rsmith2k2]

Generally speaking, I think McT's perception of her own talent, ability and genius necessary to handle the TG and the inner lesbian story is far, far too generous. And it IS confusing the uninitiated, I see it all over the boards. It's not just Zarf/Zoe's orientation that's being questioned and challenged...it's Bianca's. And I would hope anyone upset by The UnAbortion, would have a problem with this as well.

Exactly. Add the marketing opportunity for a soap on the ratings skid and you got it. And this is coming from a lesbian who's 100% supportive of a TG storyline on Daytime...in general. I'd like the one n AMC a whole lot better (and I really admire Jeffrey Carlson's work so far...not an easy gig) were Zarf were written better and the BS PR blitz to insinuate a relationship with Bianca a bad dream.

BTW, I don't think they're going there but are using Bianca once again to sell an ET-bait sensational storyline. And this storyline is Zarf/Zoe's, not Bianca's, imo. There's no reason to create a romantic entanglement with the lesbian, it's really nothing to do with a TG story. Great for friends and support during a difficult coming out and coming to terms, but romance? Do folks in the throes of their trans-self-revelation and accompanying angst press for a relationship when they're not even certain about their own gender identity?

May I say again: Bianca is a lesbian rape victim who never slept with a man. This kind of story (TG falls for lesbian and vice versa) can and does happen in RL, but for this character, for Bianca it's just bogus, imo. Why focus a pseudo-romantic relationship for bio-lesbian Bianca with a male-presenting person with an inner lesbian, the rarest of rare romantic possibilities (and NOT more common than a TG being "straight") when there are tons of deliberately LOST potential and opportunity for Bianca to have more typical bio-lesbian love interests? It ain't for social relevance's sake. I understand the line TPTB are selling, but I ain't buying her confusion over him. I buy she's vunerable and needs some adoring attention showered her way and deserves it. I'm just not buying the entire package, as it were.

More than anything, I think I have a problem with Zarf/Zoe as a person really outside the TG realm and I was/remain open to a TG story as long as they keep Bianca out of any insinuated or real romantic entanglement. It's the selfishness and mindgames he's (and he's presenting himself as male to Bianca) playing with Binky. Bianca is vunerable, heartbroken, lonely because she's feeling rejected by her cheatin' ex and wigged out over the murders.

Zarf knows this yet has pushed, cajoled and challenged her identity, scoffed at the label of lesbian, one Bianca herself told him she embraced. He asks to reveal everything, but has given her nothing in return. He asks her to accept a date with a man, knowing how that challenges everything Bianca is, then WHAMMO!! shows up as Zoe. It's sucky behavior straight, gay, bi-, TG and every stripe in between. It's a betrayal and it's cruel. I acknowledge what must be Zarf's devestating and ENORMOUS angst over Zoe but that gives her no right to screw around with Bianca's mind and life because Zoe's too afraid to say it aloud herself. She wants Bianca to "see," to "feel" her inner lesbian, to confirm/validate who she is...that's Zoe's own job. Get a therapist and while you're at it, make Babe your BFF or something, she's all about me, Me, MEEEE, too.

Excellent post, Kylie and sums up a lot of my feelings. I want it to succeed because the story is different, I want TG representation on Daytime and Jeff is such a good actor. But I also want it to fail in some measure because I don't like Zarf, the character and I hate that aspects of the story and the PR are disrespecting Bianca's sexuality.

This is not the first time, McT's and AMC's discounted lesbian sexuality to the point of "soul attraction" (a large part of my with Bianca and Maggie as a couple) to the complete ignoring of physical desire. And, in what is never mentioned in any of these innumberable articles on Zarf's/Zoe's story....what detrimental impact the drive to push Zarf/Zoe's may have on one of the few longstanding and most signficiant LGBT characters on network television (who, btw has yet to see an equitable to straight characters, fully drawn and executed love life with a bio-woman).

It's like Kylie said, AMC and imo, this is mostly a McT thing, only gets part of it right. So everytime there's something remotely progressive or interesting, particularly as it relates to Bianca a lot of the time...there's some simultaneous aspect of the story that is offensive or patently ridiculous. Like being kissed and slapped at the same time.

I feel confident that Eden and Jeffrey will make more of the material than is on the page. The real drama's just starting, so I'll reserve my final judgement until I see how the big confrontation scenes and maybe how/if it intersects with Maggie's return.

PS-I'm rooting for Leslie, The Comfort Lesbian for Bianca.

[Adam]

I have loved this storyline so far and its been handled delicately and Zarf has been alot more enjoyable than I ever thought he/she would be. Especially in his scenes with Bianca. This story potentially can put AMC back on the map as the most socially relevant soap on TV, but it also could backfire as Kylie said. I am reserving judgement and along for the ride, a ride I am enjoying so far. I can't wait to see these scenes. Its television history!