DAYS: Recast Lucas?

[MikeGoldy]

For fans that enjoy Lucas, could you enjoy a new actor in the role? Try as a I might, I just can't accept Bryan Datillo as a leading man. Back in the Austin-Carrie-Lucas days, I never thought for a moment that Carrie would pick him over Austin. And now, in the current EJ-Sami-Lucas triangle, I just don't believe that Sami would find Lucas more attractive. Whenever Lucas tries to be a "man" when he goes up against Bo or the DiMeras, it looks like a little boy playing dress up. But, with Lucas being Kate's son, and being a Horton, he SHOULD be an important character. Who else could play the role of Lucas? And for fans of Datillo, what do you think he brings to the role?

[IMissAremid]

His character's history doesn't endear him to me in any way whatsoever so if Dattilo was no longer in the role I'd rather they just wrote the character out.

Even if I'm not much of a Lucas fan, at this point I think BD is making noticeable strides in his portrayal of Lucas under Ed Scott, so much that I am actually capable of enjoying his scenes. I would be happy with him getting a falling off the wagon story after Sami leaves him, getting a new job and a new girl but I just don't want him anywhere near Sami unless it's fighting with her or reinforcing that she has feelings for EJ. He makes me like Sami less otherwise. And I have discovered in the last week I am capable of liking Lucas outside of this triangle so I would love it if the writers went with that.

[MikeGoldy]

See, I want to enjoy Lucas, but I don't think it's possible with Datillo in the role.

[Toups]

If you're going to keep Lucas in town, keep Datillo. What's the point of recasting? You just erase 14 straight years of history and flashbacks.

Could you image if Lucas was played by another actor when Sami/Lucas got married? Fans of the show wouldn't have any emotional connection to the marriage and we wouldn't have gotten great flashbacks.

Datillo is a good actor. He's not amazing, but he's not bad. He's not untalentess (ie Marcus Patrick).

[billyjill]

Yeah I agree he can be a solid actor with some guidance. He's basically been on the show during a tenure where the premium placed on quality acting has just shrunk over time.

Anyway, part of the appeal of Datillo's Lucas IMO is that he ISN'T that conventional leading man, sometimes the unlikely heroes are fun to root for. That he and Sami weren't perfect pretty Carrie and hunky tall Austin was what initially characterized and distinguished them. So no, being a standard soap man wasn't ever part of the deal with him (not that that has to make anyone like him, just saying those who do, I'm not sure they're all looking for the standard soap lead qualities in him).

Does that necessarily relegate him to supporting role status? I don't know. I've long wanted to just give him a chance to shine so I could see once and for all what he's capable of, I hope Ed Scott will give me my answer. The writing has been really poor for him given how long he's been on the show, a lot of the time he was just there for the Sami character or as a Carrie/Austin spoiler. I guess for me it remains to be seen, but I don't know if I'd call for a recast at least at this point.

Plus: yeah, good point about the longevity. At this point, why? Even if he's not the perfect actor he's not a bad actor at all, so why throw away the continuity and history?

[Faulkner]

He's kind of dorky - but in an endearing way. The show just doesn't have the character-driven writing to support that kind of quirkiness.

[MikeGoldy]

Yeah, he's been on the show for 14 years, but what has he really done in those years? It's not as if any story really was about him, so it wouldn't be the same thing as recasting Hope. I tend to think that Lucas COULD be a major character, but even the people at DAYS don't think he could be. The Sami and Lucas pairing is about Sami, and how Lucas reacts to her. As for the flashbacks, eh. I think it's silly that soap fans worry about that stuff. I just cringe when I see Datillo on screen and it just takes me out of the story

[ljacks13]

I don't agree at all. I think Bryan Dattilo is a fine actor. He and Alison Sweeney have amazing chemistry together, and I began watching because of the both of them.

[MikeGoldy]

Honest question; what do you see in Bryan Datillo and his performance that you don't think can be duplicated? Separate from his pairing with Alison Sweeney

[DaysFanJean]

Yes, if Bryan is not Lucas, just write the character out. It would be a waste since it's the character that most people don't like, Bryan just happens to be the actor.

[maconrich]

ITA. If he decides to go or whatever, a recast wouldn't work. He's been playing the role too long so if BD goes, Lucas should too.

[IMissAremid]

To turn this back around on you Goldy, what do you see in the character of Lucas Roberts bringing to the show that can't be duplicated by a new character or giving some other guy Lucas's screentime?

[Vee]

Too bad!

Srsly, I think E.J. and Sami are hot and all but enough. Lucas was here first and I love him too.

When Lumi finally first got together it was about who they both were and what they both did. Today it's about Sami, and Lucas comes off neutered compared to E.J. E.J.'s a great character and very hot, but [!@#$%^&*] this [!@#$%^&*]. Lucas is Lucas and I love him.

[David_Vickers]

Bryan Dattilo is a fine actor, and the role SHOULD NOT be re-cast. EJ & Sami as a couple make me SICK. EJ forced Sami into sex to save Lucas's life, that's RAPE. EJ is very like Stefano. I hope the rumors of EJ being killed off are true. I like James Scott and think he's a good actor, but I'm sick of DAYS teasing the audience with a pairing of EJ & Sami and even more tired of the lame Santo/Colleen love letters and flashbacks. I surely hope Ed Scott ends this crapola very,very soon.

[bellcurve]

I'm with Toups and Faulkner on this one.

I think Datillo, with great directon and writing, could give us good performances. I really like the character of Lucas Roberts and more than that, I like that the same actor has played him for over a decade.

Recasting Lucas won't change the Sami/EJ agenda the writers seem to force on us. So why recast Lucas? If he needed something to do, give him a May/July pairing with Stephanie. That might be fun to watch.