Marlena De Lacroix's "Only the Bests" List 2008

[marlenadlc]

Original picks from daytime's most experienced and unpredictible critic!

http://www.marlenadelacroix.com

[dragonflies]

Pretty good column, don't agree with all of it though.

Tamara Braun sizzled. Eh, what exactly did she do that made her sizzle? I guess I must have missed what made her stand out when she's been pretty bland as Reese and Ava IMO

[Darn]

I have to agree that the reaction to Todd/Marty and Ron's crappy storylines was far more interesting than the actual storylines. There is a way to divide the audience and prompt debate, I think he failed at that because anyone who supported what Todd did to Marty immediately made me revile them and not even want to talk about it.

But I'm sorry, I watched Night Shift, it was nothing special. Better than GH, sure, but I've had bowel movements better than GH.

And you're welcome.

[miajere]

I have to agree, that Ron has been my favorite character all year long. I can't help but see his fingerprints on everything he touches- which kills the viewing enjoyment for me. I no longer see OLTL's characters as themselves, and have turned to identifying the characters as Ron's penmanship. I like him, I hate him, I feel sorry for him, and I sometimes want to see him cry.

I think Kristen Alderson has been such a trooper this year- her first time, run away, pregnancy, getting away from being Todd's little girl- and she gets better with time. She puts alot of the adults to shame.

[quartermainefan]

Tamara Braun fizzled as Ava. That story was painful, in no small part to her. The plane crash was the best story of the year. Rather than cite the tired and one-note Braun, I would have mentioned how John Aniston has renewed Victor Kiriakis into a player on the DOOL stage and how the whole Kiriakis clan is a welcome sight.

Ron C got a bum rap. Maybe he wrote Tina a little too ditzy, but he managed to work in a little OLTL history with Mendorra, Carlo, Cain and Tina, and for his troubles he got dismissed as being a purveyor of "camp", as if that is akin to smut. And then threw in some time travel to go with it. This year he gave the show everything including the kitchen sink, but people only want one narrow type of story in their soap. I'd much rather watch Mendorra and time traveling than Marcie and her baby woes, how did my taste become by definition wrong? It seems all of soapdom just assumes it is because there was some unspoken convention where anything not suitable for the most tedious and trite of Lifetime films gets dismissed as "camp".

[JackPeyton]

Tamara Braun was fantastic as Ava. The story sucked, the char sucked. The show sucked. She rocked.

[jinx_avery]

If she does say so herself.

I'm not sure Thinking Fans see much difference between Branco's "unprofessional" drooling over Carlivati and the Professor's constant drooling over Agnes Nixon. Seems one and the same to me.

The best I can say for this column is, at least, she didn't include any offensive cartoons of burned war veterans this time.

[marceline]

I see a huge difference. But regardless, I hate these columnists taking swipes at each other. It's like children who've been forced to play inside on a snow day. After listening to them bicker, you want to shove them all out in the snow.

So you found that offensive? I still haven't decided how I feel about that. I go back and forth.

[marlenadlc]

I give you a "D" for disrespectful, Ms. Avery!

The column states that artist Norn Cutson drew the charicature of JR Martinez out of great respect and appreciation for the actor.

Happy New Year everyone

Love, MDLC

[Ann_SS]

Well, I was happy that Marlena chose Robin and Patrick as one of the best couples. She has good taste there.

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

That's a great point. I dont.

[Darn]

Agnes Nixon is a living legend, Ron Carlivati is a neophyte. There's your difference.

[Dr. Jay S.W.]

Boo. I see no difference. Human feelings are what determine whether you act like a nut over someone or not. Agnes is a person just like Ron. It's Nelson's gushing and Marlena's own gushing which are the factors, not Agnes status nor Ron's. Status means nothing.

[rangethatrover]

I love Marlena.

But I hate this stupid thread.

I though Todd and Marty was compelling soap opera at its best. With performances that exceeded the writing. If it disgusted you so much that you can't even debate it, or all you see when you watch OLTL is Ron??? Then go watch Days Of Our Lives. If you want shmaltzy, boring, retreaded, cliche, soap opera pablum. That's what Dena writes. You will see no one's handprint because there is no vision, there is nothing to debate. Its soap opera tedium.

I am not a Carlivati worshipper, but he DOES write compelling television.

I hope he stays with OLTL until the end. I sure as hell would rather watch something that is passionately written, acted, and produced than watch the horrendous B&B.

You people can keep your unpassionate hacks like Higley.

I like the fact that OLTL provokes debate, and even slobbering over the headwriter.

I am so over apologizing or defending that storyline. I thought it was brilliant. And a real return to drama after the campy summer (Yes, the summer for OLTL SUCKED, seems to have been written by a different writer)

And Ron can put his brilliant handprints all over me anytime.

The show has been KILLER since November. I don't see the writer, I see OLTL at its best in nearly 15 years.

[marceline]

Speaking for myself only, it's the tone of Branco's fawning. It's not gushing, it's cruising or that's how it comes across. And he does it to a lot of people not just Carlivati. I can handle the fact that he has favorites, they all do, but Branco's the only one where I RME and think "Do you need a moment to 'take care' of this?"