OLTL: SOAPnet March Preview

[DavidEvanSmith]

Maybe it's just cause they were both lawyers? Maybe biracial lawyers aren't worth watching? Not "edgy" enough, despite Rachel's history with drugs and prostitution and Justus's dalliance with murder?

[DeeeDee]

:lol: :lol: :lol:

[Leia]

Did you mention that they have to do all with a smile?

And still carrying the torch of his untainted pure love for her.

Antonio got it for Nash. Cris got it for Will and then John.

Too busy writing for Todd, John and everyone else but don't worry I'm sure they won't bother to write him in for ONE episode to escort his niece off the show. The same niece who was dumped within 9 months of her return.

It's sad isn't it? Rachel was the best shot at finally stemming the tide. And I predict the new Wards won't even last as long as Rachel did.

[Vee]

Jesus Christ, eleven pages in the last couple hours? What are you people drinking?

[DeeeDee]

The Vegas haven't got it much better.

Breaking them up for The Santis was one of the worst decisions ever.

Jamie's MIA.

Adriana & Tea barely interacts with them.

Killing poor Talia Antonio's most successful romance since pre crazy Keri was garbage & Pat Mauceri's bigotry marginalized Carlotta even further.

Given all the available younger actors & lack of young actresses The Qwardtermaines MIGHT get a year.

Despite her marrying his brother & him marrying her sister.

[Vee]

There are certain exceptions which must be noted. Antonio got the rock for Nash because people absolutely hated Antonio and Jessica, and they liked the fresh change with Nash. It wasn't even a minority representation issue because at that time, OLTL's attitude was, "minorities? We have Antonio on everyday!" They pimped him like his junk was candy. He was all they apparently thought they needed; him and later, Evangeline. And people hated the latter-day Antonio, they hated his stories and he'd been hated since he came back in 2000, and until he was put with Talia (a couple I believe KDLR was lukewarm on since it lowered his profile) nobody liked him again. Another promising minority couple that got snuffed. Meanwhile, Sarah Roberts has basically functioned as "white Layla" for several incarnations now - the last few writing teams certainly didn't care about her. I don't think Layla's going anywhere, though; if I'm being cynical I suspect the only reason she was kept this long was to keep a black woman on the show, and now they're back down to one again, her presence is seen as a necessity by the suits, though one they will likely allow very little story for. When Duplaix was first cast, people were predicting Sumpter's immediate exit because it was more than one black female.

I won't even get into how much that Barbara Niven mess offended me. As for DF, though, he was evidently quite bored with Cris/Natalie after the first year, and left the show of his own accord by his choice. It's my understanding that he wasn't interested in going back to that couple.

As for other minorities, it's a lot of questions and a lot of other issues. The Blair issue is ancient, but as I've said in another thread, it was an example of a bizarre case of "casting colorblind" - apparently, Michael Malone had always envisioned Blair as a Southern belle, but when Mia Korf showed up they determined she was the best audition for the role, as it should be. When the time came to recast, however, Malone had his say and insisted on finding a "Scarlett" type, regardless of Blair having previously been Asian. I don't know how the production justified that to themselves, but they did. I do often wonder what the show would be like today if they'd cast another Asian woman, and I think Asian representation is horrifically lacking on daytime; however, KDP really took off in the role and I wouldn't be without her, either - she is part of the foundation now, and I think, like RSW, holds more of the show together than people realize given what are often thankless roles. The discussion does bring to mind something else, though, which is whether it would be racist to introduce new Asian characters through Kevin and Joey's old nanny, Kim, the way the Vegas were introduced through Carlotta - I think it's a good idea, and it was done on Y&R as well, but who knows how people would react today?

catsmeouch is unbelievably off-base about everything the show stands for and has stood for; yes, we have Lords and Buchanans but nothing has ever precluded them from being in interracial romances (like Clint's with Maria, producing Cord, or Jessica's with the Vega boys, or Kevin's with Rachel and Tea, or Todd and Joey's flirtations with Evangeline and Roseanne). Any personal tenet you have as to whether "white people" and vets on the show can romance or produce characters of another color has been violated since day one, when Carla was taking on both Price and old white Jim Craig, and Niki was hanging with Polish Vinnie, and so on and so on. The creator of the show and its longest-running cast members, such as Erika Slezak and Robin Strasser, will tell you that this kind of ethnic diversity and intermingling of all walks of life is what the show was built on - Slezak in fact went out of her way to criticize Paul Rauch's approach to this in the late '80s, and Strasser vs. Rauch is a whole other kettle of fish. The point is that inter-diversity is OLTL's identity and that's why people are so put out by the current marginalization of the black canvas.

[DeeeDee]

Which was SO stupid on his part cause that pairing did wonders for him & Antonio.

Killing her when she could have just as easily left town with him was a mistake.

[DeeeDee]

If it was done with care & dedication it shouldn't be a problem.

The commitment by TPTB along with the writing & acting has to be present for the characters to thrive.

If not then you get The Chens & their magic restaurant.

Bring on Eric Steinberg for Kassie!

[Vee]

It was the Chins. The Chins! As in the old racial slur, "more ____ than a Chinese restaurant!" And they owned a Chinese restaurant! It was like something out of Arrested Development.

[Eric83]

Tika Sumpter is only still here because RC needed someone to be Fish's beard and a Kish prop afterwards.

[DeeeDee]

And Henry's cheating BROUGHT SHAME UPON THE FAHMOLEE!

[Vee]

Maybe, but it's been her best work on the show and has only upped her profile and fanbase.

[Leia]

I didn't have a problem with that if they planned to do anything with the character. I also wasn't one who complained about Rachel propping Tea because I counted it as utilizing her ties in preparation for her future story. I just don't understand how a bi-racial daughter of a core character is unceremoniously dumped. Tika will stay around long enough to witness Cristian's pure love for Jessica. Then she'll cheerlead them before she goes off to look after Evangeline never to be heard from again.

[Eric83]

Oh I agree. I just don't think she is safe anymore, and that she will end up fired after Cristian realizes he loves Jessica. She no longer has a purpose in RC's eyes.

[DeeeDee]