OLTL: Discussion for the week September 14

[Juliajms]

It's driving me completely nuts. There is no reason that Blair would ever want Todd again. I wanted Blair and John. I liked her so much more when she was with him.

[leevo64]

What really makes me mad is that I remember a conversation with Blair where she told John (or someone) that she was an abused wife. Why go back to that? Because John left her? Maybe Ross will sweep her off her feet and they can go off into the sunset together. Until Blair remembers she's an adult she's lost a fan

[DRW50]

What a Puritan, insulting response to one of the OLTL actors who always goes out of his way to interact with fans on Twitter. I thought better of Cat Hickland than to be so condescending towards someone because they used the f-word. If her morals are that easily shaken then why is she still agreeing to work on a show that tells us the ideal man is a murderer and a multiple rapist?

[DeeeDee]

Exactly!

Especially after the Marty crap.

[Faulkner]

I'm watching now on Soapnet and the little Blair/Tea arguments are SO humiliating for both characters. Todd being this "leading man" is a huge WTF on an otherwise decent show.

[Marc]

LOL! Why are people acting brand new? Todd's been a leading man for the past 15 years…

[Cheap21]

I think you are misunderstanding them. I think "romantic lead man" is more accurate

[Toups]

I didn't want to know the identity of Rex's father in case one day Ron was able to tell the story. You know me and spoilers...I HATE THEM. LOL

Frons didn't like the identity of Rex's father.

[Marc]

But isn't romanticism a component of all leading men—especially on soaps—no matter how amoral, or lacking in ethics, their characters may be? I just have to laugh when I come here and read the same people continually grumbling about Todd being a leading man…when he's been one since practically day one…and women fighting over him. As if it's some sort of new thing. Blair and Téa have been sparring over Todd since 1997…and if it's not Tea Blair's fighting with over him, it's Marty…or Evangeline…or ANY woman who takes his attention away from her. Once can't be a leading male character on a soap opera, without being in a relationship, and having women fight over them. That's just the formula. It doesn't matter if he's a serial killer, rapist, puppy kicker, or jay-walker. Furthermore the "he's not worth it" sentiment that some keep implying is funny. It isn't as if the women fighting for his attention are exemplementary of class and virtue themselves. Blair has a record as long as Todd's…and a reputation just as spotty…but I'm supposed to believe that she deserves better and is LOWERING herself by fighting over him. Puh-lease. No honorable man would go for her either. Not talking to you specifically Cheap21, but rather everyone with this tired turned up nose posturing where Todd is concerned.

[Cheap21]

No romanticism isnt a component of all leading men. Maybe to an extent but it isnt necesary. I loved Todd and Tea both times, but one can notice an extreme difference with the way Todd is now. He's all about loving, courting, wanting to do right by his woman and trying to change who he is all in the name of love. He's usually the antagonist but now he is being written as the ionnocent party with Blair scheming to destroy his relationship and Tea lying and keeping a vital secret from him. Im not complaining bc I do like this story and loving Todd and Tea but I understand where people are coming from with the way they are viewing the writing for Todd. He's always been a different type of leading man, dark, angsty villian, who didnt fit into the typical mold, but now they are switching that up for the sake of the story and making him out to be a romantic lead for the sake of the plot. In the process, they are ruining Blair and to an extent making Tea look foolish considering all the crap he has done and to them, especially over the past year

[DRW50]

I don't want to say anything about Todd right now because if I do I'm going to lose some of the positive feelings I have about the show at the moment, so instead here's Robin Strasser's return as Dorian:

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[Doyen]

Yet if Todd was punching her in the face, throwing her out naked, or refusing to be open with her because Blair was on his mind, I have a feeling the same folks would bitch about that too. No matter which angle the writers take with Todd, certain posters get a damn hemorrhoid. If Todd is showing a rare instance of trying to be decent where a woman is concerned, then what exactly is the problem here?! Seems to me that some posters just like to complain, and can't stand that he isn't being enough of an a--hole right now to give them much fodder to bellyache. So instead they get a hair up their ass about that. Complaining that other characters supposedly being villified to prop him, while he's being treated as lauded romantic lead. Yeah, right. In that case, let me go back a year or so when he was being a abrasive about Starr, Cole and Marcie and claim that other characters were being haloed to make him look worse.

The truth of the matter is, not much new is going on here now. Blair has always schemed to destroy Todd and Tea (or, at the very least, displayed a very nasty and combative attitude about them) and Tea has always been a sucker for his love. The only difference now is that Todd is being chill, while Blair has less company in the antagonistic sandbox. That's what's killing people. How much sense does it make to complain about Todd calmly trying to move on, while [laughably] insinuating that a combative, immature and vindictive Blair deserves better than him? Wouldn't it make more sense to be disgusted at her. Instead of using the opportunity to shake Todd out of her hair, of finding someone who *snicker* is "worthy" of her, she's trying her damndest to antagonize and compete. She is the one who won't let it go.

And when she finally does strike that nerve in Todd that causes him to react in an overblown and negative way, I don't wanna hear anyone complaing....

[Juliajms]

I love TSJ, but I agree. Todd has done too much to humiliate and abuse (and assault) Marty, Blair and Tea to ever be a rootable leading man. It's too bad because TSJ does have that potential, but when Todd is light and sweet I always think TSJ is playing himself right now, not Todd.

[All My Shadows]

I'm sorry, but Todd has given Blair (and Starr) all types of hell in the last two or three years alone. If Blair is supposed to be a mature woman who is thinking about what's best for her and what's best for her children, she is not going to stay with a man who has deep, serious psychological issues. Yeah, you can feel bad for him and hope that he gets help, but it should be painfully obvious to all involved that Todd Manning is still one royally fucked up individual.

Besides heartache and no doubt mind-blowing sex, what exactly does Todd have to offer to Blair or Tea?

[Juliajms]

Well, he is seriously rich. IA with people who say Blair also sucks right now though. I really liked her when she was with John and trying to stay away from Todd, T&B bring out the worst in each other. Actually Todd really brings out a side to Blair that I dislike. It's time for the Blair character to be a mature woman who puts her children first. I felt like we had finally gotten that and it was snatched away again. I guess T&B is a signature couple and the show is just afraid to change it, but I wish they would.

As far as Todd goes, I like him best as the anti-hero. I liked it when he had that opportunity to shoot John and he didn't, but you could tell 49% of him wanted to. Todd is best when he is the character people either love to hate or hate to love.