AMC Monday 12/28/09

[DRW50]

Tad/JR scenes tend to do the opposite for me -- they make me just hate JR more, because JR rages at Adam for any slight, yet he forgives Tad for horrific lies Tad perpetuated against him, and still wants Tad's approval. I think the JR/Tad relationship is one of those which became too much about "good" Tad and "bad" Adam; it only works if the characters actually are good and bad. I think JR needs a lot of serious repair work (I also wouldn't be too upset with a recast, as long as they find a good one), and the relationship with Tad is one reason why; it's very toxic.

Tad/Jake are OK, they have good chemistry as brothers, but not when it becomes about how morally superior they are to other people. They work better with humor.

If they can fix Tad, then I hope he stays around, but I don't think what he is now can work any longer. The positive memories just become sad and bitter reminders of what used to be.

Most of all I'm just tired of him abandoning his children.

[EricMontreal22]

The thing is Adam isn't a better dad than Tad--I do agree they're at least equally bad (and Adam is less hypocrtiical about it) but the fact that he keeps his beloved decanterset in the living room and then mocks JRs alcoholism speaks volumes. Anyway I agree with SFK--there's too much history there not to try to do something with the character.

[DRW50]

Adam's not a great father, but he's not written as a great father. Even then, I believe he genuinely loves JR. I sometimes am not sure if Tad knows how to love anyone now. Tad is written as a great father, and yet the moments which Tad presided over, like the baby switch lies, horribly damaged JR as a person. Tad was also front and center in the decisions which caused Dixie to run out of town in 2002, which also damaged JR. It's hard to get past all that when they start in with the Tad as a good dad.

I agree the history is there, if they know what to do with it.

I think recasting Liza with someone like Liz Keifer might help.

[EricMontreal22]

I actually like the chemistry with him and NuLiza I half hate to admit--at least as friends.

[Jonathan]

Me too. I think this coupling is going to make me like Tad again. And I was never into Tad/Liza before.

[cct]

I, too, like Tad and Jake's brotherly dynamic. They riff off each other like me and my brother...Jake's poutiness has to go though. I can't determine if it's the writing or the acting yet.

For me, the character of JR is played out. The good Tad/bad Adam/yes, I want to live in the mansion/No, I don't want to ever come back here again/I'm drinking/I'm not drinking is all getting tiresome. And God knows, bringing on Bland Marissa didn't help.

Maybe it would be interesting if we found JR taking on some of Tad's "caddish" ways?? Not in a misogynistic let-me-see-if-I-can-push-you-off-a-balcony-or-drop-a-shelving-unit-on-you kind of way, but it would've been interesting to see JR grieve Babe's death by becoming a bit of a womanizer.

(and SFK, is that who I think it is in your avatar?)

[SFK]

If you were thinkin' Susie and Helmie, then yes. I'm kind of disappointed with the way it turned out all scrunched up here on SON, it looked much better full-sized, especially the look on Susan's face.

It's hard for me to believe that I liked JR for about a minute when he first came back to town with Babe. I'm really beginning to think that soaps underestimate the value of characters who actually have their [!@#$%^&*] together, I look at someone like JR who has just continued to sink sink sink with glimpses of redemption, and I am just sick of it already. I don't think level-headedness is boring, we do enjoy characters who've got some sense, who speak what we are feeling, and Angie seems to be doing that all on her own. I'm not saying that I want JR to be that guy, I agree with cct that his current self is played out.

[Jonathan]

That's so cool. Where is that from?

[EricMontreal22]

I actually, for some reason, have liked JR more post Babe even with bland Marissa. And I actually wish they'd do more with his cancer storyline

[AllMyDaysatGH]

I am opposite on half of this. I do not like what JR has become post Babe. He has turned into a wimp, just like Adam has in this relationship with Annie. I like the more critical, tough business guy JR. I miss how he used to be more like his father. This relationship with Marissa has brought JR to such a boring point to me. I can't get invested in his storyline, because he's alongside an Actress who is just awful and boring!

I agree with you on the cancer storyline, though. I wish something more would be done with it. It's like it's only brought up once a week, and whenever it is, it's just JR putting off treatment or talking to Marissa about not giving up. I want to see some emotional scenes, JR suffering the side effects from chemo, stuff like that. The story is just so bland right now.

When this is all over, I hope JR get's his tough mentality back and dumps Marissa, I would much rather see him doing business at Chandler Enterprises and doing dirty business with Adam, or if the writer's must have him in a relationship with someone, perhaps Madison?? Idk, I just want the old JR back!

Hey that would actually be interesting! I like that idea, never thought of that.

[R Sinclair]

Um... I don't think that was anything near what I was talking about, but okay.