"I Hate Todd"

[ChrisL]

Check it out at http://marlenadelacroix.com/

[Toups]

When Todd is nasty and rude and sarcastic and creepy and arrogant and dark, he's my favorite OLTL character (I haven't felt this way about Todd since 1999/2000?). Maybe it's because he was the reason why I started watching OLTL in June of 1998 (hostage situation). He's not suppose to be a romantic lead or a hero.

[DevotedToAMC]

Of course not. After all, he did rape a woman years ago and, in a rarity in soaps, got redeemed for it. I recall him being a villain for many years before becoming a schemer under TSJ's version....never been of the hero sort.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Todd's one of those characters that's been given so many interpretations and character motivations by all the different writers and producers who have come to OLTL over the past 15 or so years. The character, to say the least, had been one big inconsistent mess for a while.

[dragonflies]

Marlena's column is great! I liked Todd under Roger, but this character Trevor plays? Pfffttt not Todd

You're exactly right, but that's what OLTL has tried to pimp him as for YEARS! From what I read, that was a big reason why Roger left, he didn't like a rapist being written as a romantic hero type

[DevotedToAMC]

I recall Roger also not attending OLTL fan events anymore since someone, at one of them, wrote a sign that said, "Rape me Todd." So sick and appalling. I have had friends who have been raped (attackers were never caught. My friend daughter at a politics board I post at was raped while in the military. The military blamed it on her and took her gun away. She got discharged and is ready to have a baby...the pregnancy is not from the rape) and the subject is very serious, never to be taken lightly.

I am hoping one day she does a column on ripping AMC's Ryan to shreds....it is a long time coming (she also has permission to borrow ideas from my rants to do it )

[Toups]

I loved Roger as Todd before the left the first(?) time. I started to dislike Roger's acting and the character of Todd when he was "goofy" under Gary Tomlin's tenure as EP - for some reason, Todd is better under Gary this time! LOL

[dragonflies]

Yeah I remember reading that. I also read Roger felt Todd needed to pay more than he did too

[DevotedToAMC]

Yea it is understandable. The unfortunate part, Angie, is that there are people in this world who joke about rape. I recall reading at AMC's about.com forum years ago that someone there cheered on Michael Cambias when he attempted to rape Erica because she hated Erica. Pretty much everyone there ripped her apart for it. For some reason, the dumbass moderators did not ban her but yet I got banned for calling Michael Nader an idiot. Shows what their priorities are

[SoapQueen89]

Thank YOU! Todd is the resident villain on OLTL, came on as a bad guy, and still is a bad guy with good guy tendencies. Todd is one of my favorite characters on OLTL, but when Roger left OLTL, so did the Todd I enjoyed so much.

I don't condone what Todd has done, nor do I condone the violence against the teens, however, Starr deserves an ass whoopin for disrespecting her parents and those she lives with! My hate for Starr, overrides my discontent about Todd's actions lately - he's a father and a father who saw his 16 year old CHILD in bed with a boy. A boy that he told her she could not see - so yeah, I see where Todd's coming from and why he blew his stack.

Jen

[Y&RWorldTurner]

Who remember's Claire Labine's cartoon character Todd that talked to his green parrot all of the time? LOL!

I love Labine, but she didn't mesh well with OLTL and totally didn't get Todd. But really, as I said before, Todd has had so many different interpretations over the years...

[mr. sweet]

i get that Todd is a complex character. It is fascinating to see the character play out. But I don't get how some people don't think his actions on Cole/Markko, Starr, etc are wrong. He beat his daughter's boyfriend to a pulp. He's practically keeping his daughter prisoner. He attacked Markko and he almost hit Langston. He is pretty out of control. He's made up a scenario of Cole raping Starr and now that doesn't fly, he's blackmailing his daughter by threatening to turn him in for attempted murder. I can understand his initial reaction but now that he's had time to think about it, he's still out of control. And someone said that Todd told Starr to stay away from Cole. But what is his basis for hating Cole. It has nothing to do with Cole himself but all to do with the fact that he's Marty's child. I guess he feels guilt over his rape of Marty that he's transferring that guilt into hatred of her son. But admittedly it has been riveting drama. I think St. John, DePaiva & Alderson have been acting their asses off.

[Casey]

I think for the first time since Trevor took over the role, he has shown me that he is Todd Manning. I will always be partial to Roger Howarth (and I wish sometimes that he was there to play this story with Kristen) but Trevor's doing a good job.

And Todd is at his best when he's bad.

[Khan]

I gave up on Todd Manning a long time ago. These days, whenever I watch OLTL, I just ignore any scene he might be in.

[Popstarboy]

I guess I am a definite minority here in this thread, but I love love love Trevor St. John as Todd Manning!!!

Believe me, I loved Roger as Todd & adored his chemistry with Tuc Watkins & especially the one & only Fiona Hutchison!!!!! I could not get enuff of Todd & Gabrielle's 'friendship.' I still have some old eppys where Todd is making fun of Gabrielle's accent.... too great!!!

I wonder now, though, how would Roger even portray Todd Manning?? (Roger has been saddled with a comic strip 1 dimensional character for how long now on 'ATWT')?

Would Roger play Todd like Paul Ryan?? I think Trevor does an exceptional job & has all along!!!!!!!!! He plays different levels of Todd very very well. I applaud the scenes where Todd is with his kids. A tenderness comes across when he is in 'parent mode.' I think Trevor & Renee Goldsberry had an electric chemistry, also!!!!!

The character I currently find unbearable is Starr!!!!!! Why is Todd's violent reaction to this situation any surprise at all to Starr? She knows her father very very well. I think Kristen Alderson (sp??) is really too young for this entire storyline. Aside from that, Starr has fast become an over the top, whiny, brat of a character.... just my opinion, of course.

I say keep doing stellar work Trevor!!! He has been a 'find' since he was 1st cast.