AMC: Monday January 4, 2010

[Khan]

Remember when AMC used to bring on terrible actors, but the roles were too good to write out, so they'd recast (and usually, with someone well-known among soap fans, like RYAN'S HOPE's Nancy Addison (ex-Jillian) replacing Nicole Orth-Pallavinci as Marissa Rampal)? Gosh. Now, those were the days. I wonder if they could do the same for Trick, excuse me, Randi.

[EricMontreal22]

If Lorraine is involved, she was one of the key writers for ALL of the Hubbard's 80s stretch which speaks well--I also appreciated (even if I grant you it's not reflected in the show) the fact Angie and Jesse were picked by ABC as AMC's top couple EVER. So at leats *some*one is aware of their appeal.

Under better writing of course Randi could be better, but I think after all this time Vasi just hasn't really improved enough--she's currently the weak link in the cast out of the main contract actors (and that includes new random teen hire Damon). When she came on, besides the fact Pratt just rewrote, in a Cliff Notes fashion the old Chuck/Donna doctor/whore storyline from the 70s, they did actually touch on some interesting aspects--she was sexually abused as a small girl, etc. I don't necesarily mean we need a heavy handed story about all that, but I do kinda resent the way she's cleaned up her hooker/porn life SOOOOOO fast--like it barely effects her anymore, and I blame Pratt for this (the man likes to write with very quick story beats and then act like that was thsame as dealing with the issue--one episode mention of abuse in a daily soap opera does not address the issue). Similarly Madison has actually been written a bit like this--now we're meant to believe her father has abused her since who knows how long and he's locked away in one episode? (I do wonder though if this may have been done by the new writing regime to move her character quickly forward, though on the other hand, as I said, it stinks of the way Pratt writes story). I admit, I oddly am starting to really like Madison, something I never thought would happen so I'm ok with that, but I would be happier iwth a triangle with Frankie if I felt Randi's actress could really make a meal the storyline.

[EricMontreal22]

Hell Agnes herself replaced like half the main cast of AMC, some of them twice, in its first year--something she learned to do from Irna. The thing is you can't be sentimental about stuff like that when yourerunnin ga soap--some actors have the potential but after 2or three weeks on the show, if they can't handle they simply aren't improving *at all* you're not doing them any favours keeping them on (well aside from a job LOL)--they need to go and learn to better act somewhere else if they're not learning while on the soap. Back then they usually were smart--tjhey'd recast within the first month of heavy story, at the least, before audiences, *usually*, grew too attached to thinking a character looks a certain way. Even by 1973 I bet you could ask any major AMC fan about Grandma Kate and none would really have much recollection of the first two actresses who played her, at all.

Hahah the only strong point for me (I admit though I haven't been in touch with GL since the Rauch era, so I cn't really comment on the actyual episode)

[EricMontreal22]

I read somewhere--could be wrong, that AMC's 20th in 1990 was the first full on anniversary show for ANY soap opera and in a way set a precedent--so they wouldn't have done anything for the 15th. To be fair, the 25th week aside, we've only ever gotten one actual anniversary show/day for the other years.

[EricMontreal22]

What the real shame is for me is ABC owns these clips and shows and they own SoapNet--I mean I get why they don't have Primetime specials on ABC itself anymore, etc. Couldn't they lose say HALF a day of their precious programming of bad Lifetime movies and One TreE Hill on SoapNet for a marathon? One of the quality of the I Love Lucci or even Tad the Cad marathons would be *soooo great*. (by the same token we really should have a DVD--they claim they want profits--milk the fans silly ABC. A basic anniversary DVD like what was done for Price is Right a few years back, where they just randomly put on a few full episodes from each era of the show's history--would cost them next to nothing to make, if they sold it on their website would cost next to nothign to market, and surely at those costs would make SOME decent profit).

[DCY]

I wouldn't mind that either.

[EricMontreal22]

It actually could have potential if they tapped into some of the themes I have a feeling they'll ignore--I mean Randi could bring up to Frankie that, maybe cuz of his failure as a soldier and cuz of being a doctor he has a huge hero complex--he fell for Randi "saving" her from her life as a hooker, and now that she's fine he seems to have moved on to Madi to save her exactly the same way. But I have a feeling even the new writing regime might not address that...

[DeeeDee]

....Failure as a soldier.

[DCY]

Frankie never "saved" Randi from anything IMO. He only helped her get out of a bad situation that she's to blame for. Nobody forced Randi to start hooking. Now Madison's situation on the other hand, yes I consider her being saved because she didn't ask for her childhood that's what she got and it was an abusive one unfortunately, but Madison has her own independence(unlike Randi)and doesn't have to rely on a man for everything. She's independent.

[EricMontreal22]

DeeDee I meant from Frankie's own POV--as they've written him he does feel he failed as a soldier bcause he got his hands injured. So don't you squint at me--squint at Pratt (to be fair I think it's realistic for a character who is so strong and capable in real life to feel disappointment for himself, as unreasonable as it is, in a situation like that)

DCY I agree and disagree. They tried to explain, again in about 5 mins of one episode, Randi's hooking as something she's done since before she was legal that she fell into partly because of a lack of any stability at home as well as being sexually abused. It's a complex issue but I do think in some ways, at least if we knew more details of her past, you could say she's as much a product of abuse as anything murderous Madi is. And I do think both situations fed into Frankie's hero complex (which let me just say is FAR more interesting than Ryan's overused hero complex lol)

[DCY]

IMO, that wasn't really rescuing because Frankie was really stalking Randi and she wanted nothing to do with him nor wanted his help. Madison wanted Frankie's help because he's the only one she really trusts.

[EricMontreal22]

Well I get your point but again that feeds into the hero complex thing--rescue even if they don't want it (and I still think it'd be a valid point for Randi to raise if they had a true triangle) Having a hero complex and being a hero (though I think Frankie is both) are two seperate things.

[DCY]

Even though we disagree on certain points, I can agree with that. Frankie reminds me a lot of John McBain when it comes to saving even though I think the circumstances are completely different.

[DeeeDee]

Randi had stockholm syndrome.

She wanted help but she didn't want to ask cause Fletcher abused & brainwashed her.