Y&R: Adam Wilson

[rhythmchyc]

One of my favorite soap characters is Trevor St. John's version of Todd Manning. He's really portrayed him with a wealth of depth and a humanity that other gray-to-dark soap characters don't have currently. Interestingly enough, I think Adam is nearly the same type of character, blaming everyone else around him for his bad decisions. Chris Engen and the Y&R writers have unfortunately made Adam snivel and whine about his current misfortunes whereas Todd rarely does.

I just wonder why the Y&R writers have made Adam such an immature bratty character without any redeeming qualities. Rarely do we see Todd whine and he does have some values buried deep inside him, even though he doesn't do the best thing with them. I know there are Adam fans out there but I personally don't see the appeal. His saving grace would've been his love for Heather but he clearly used her to attempt to avoid jail time. And initially they interspersed scenes of him remembering his mother but once they stopped, it seemed as if they didn't want us to see him as anything but a low-life trying to ruin Victor's life.

I'm wondering if the writers made him so dishonorable on purpose because they

[Dan]

See, I'm the complete opposite. I completely understand Adam's character and his response to the events over the last few months, whereas I see absolutely no redeeming value to Todd (either version) who I feel is so completely amoral that I wonder why he has become so popular.

I will agree though that Adam has become a bit too whiny. But I can understand it and almost relate to it. He comes into a new family wanting to feel a part of it and they take turns dumping on him. The father he has grown up without suddenly turns on him when he plays the same game that his other (sanctimonious) children do. As for the scheme with Jack, Adam has become blinded by resentment and, being a novice to the kind of games Victor and Jack play, he got himself roped in to a rather stupid and obvious ploy.

Meanwhile, I just want Todd to vanish. Not in that "I love to hate him" kind of way that we feel with certain other characters, but because I do think that the show would be better off without him.

[Y&RWorldTurner]

I don't think Adam is leaving for now. Daytime Confidential was the only source that reported that, and it hasn't been confirmed since, and it's been weeks.

Though, they made it kind of blurry in regards to whether he used Heather or not. They did play on his guilt in the airport scenes and when he asked her to run away with him. He didn't get upset with her until she turned him in.

Though, he's certainly not the only Newman spawn that's a whiner. Nicholas is by far the worse offender of that, and Victoria isn't far behind.

Adam has been an outsider since he stepped foot on the show though. He's never been accepted into the Newman fold, and Victor clearly used him in an attempt to make Nick and Victoria feel like crap. When Adam didn't live up to his expectations and went against him, Victor turned on him fast and went back to his other children.

And I agree with Dan, I've yet to see what's so redeeming about Todd. I think he's been eating OLTL alive for years and is deserving of a brutal death that results in a murder mystery. Many people have motive to kill him.

[JackPeyton]

am i alone in thinking Adam is just one big bore?

he could easily be the most complex and intersting and layerd char's on the show. As well as have one of the best under 30 romances on the show with heather. yet everything falls flat for me.

[juniorz1]

I actually have very little problem with the way Adam's been written. I think he is written with layers, though I agree that he's still not as complex as he should be. My problem is with the actor, Chris Engen. He has very little depth and never plays the subtext of his scenes. Instead, he makes painfully obvious acting choices and never hits the mark, making Adam one of the least interesting characters on the show right now.

[rangethatrover]

You sound like you are describing Melissa Archer from OLTL! (As I gag, I find her awful).

I really, really like Chris Engen. He and Mark Lawson from OLTL are two of my favorite late twenty something actors, along with the new Billy.

But he was terrible in those scenes with Braeden in jail the other day. Braeden was amazing. Chris could not emote or cry. He scrunced his face, made crying noises, hid his eyes with his hands pretending to wipe tears. His eyes were bone dry, not even red.

I hate it when an actor cannot do what the script asks. And you are right- It is a lack of depth.

It was bad.

But I still find him very appealing and charismatic in a very quiet way.

I think he will be written off the show despite the denials....

[Soapsuds]

Why am I not suprised by your assessment of Adam. We always disagree. I dont find him boring at all. I think he is more Hope's son than Victor's. He tries to be like Victor but falls flat....meaning the character not the actor. Just like Nick is his mother's son with Nikki...

[rangethatrover]

And I agree with Dan, I've yet to see what's so redeeming about Todd. I think he's been eating OLTL alive for years and is deserving of a brutal death that results in a murder mystery. Many people have motive to kill him.

I agree, It is time for Todd to go. The show can more than survive it.

[JackPeyton]

See, i have no issue with the actor at all. hes fantastic. and never falls flat for me.

its the char that just bores me. and i hate it. because i want to love him. and i dont hate it, i just dont care one way or the other. hes such a bore.