ATWT: April Discussion Thread

[Limenade]

There is some truth about Chris Hughes not being much of a character. I think the many recasts didn't help either. I think had Bailey Chase stayed as Chris and the writing been more consistent, there could've been a very good scene between Nancy and Chris on Friday. But I love the scene between Nancy and Casey! Billy Magnussen and Helen Wagner actually have very good chemistry--made me wonder whether the scene would've been just as effective had Zach Roerig stayed... Magnussen has a more dynamic style, whereas Zach had just this grungy, sulky look all the time.

[Soapsuds]

What a show!! Bob and Kim arguing while the family watched and tried to intervene.

I hope Silbermann and others on that show watched this eppy. That's what you call acting Silbermann and Co. I havent seen a good family episode of ATWT in a long time.

[Soapsuds]

Julianne Moore looked awesome in the previews. It feels like she never left as Frannie.

[MichaelGL]

I think a poster earlier in the thread pointed out what's the defining difference between DC's Chris and the others, I've never seen Chris as a character with a sense of humor, and the way DC plays him, and what the show writes for him, he's coming off as that.

[MichaelGL]

To add to that whenever I think of Katie and Chris together, I can't help to think about the Chris ten years ago that they had following Katie around at WOAK. Played by some guy who's first name was Ben.

[Soapsuds]

Here is a pic of Christian Seifert....pre-teen Chris.....now and then....kind of hard to see though

[DRW50]

Ben Jorgensen.

Whenever I think of Chris and Katie I think of Katie taking photos of Chris and Molly making out.

I don't mind a Chris recast because the role is so vacuous, but it's not really gelling for me yet as him being a Hughes. I think it's because the Hughes are generally not goofy or comedic people. He fit better as Bill Lewis because that's what the Lewises are. He never had anything to do at AMC so I can't say there.

I would say he'd do well as Joey on OLTL but since most of the leading men on there abuse women, he wouldn't fit in.

[P.J.]

Well, apparently Justin Deas played a looser Tom back in the day. I personally don't remember it, even though I did see some of the Mr. Big story.

IA, I don't think TIIC have ever had a clear vision of who Chris should be. Although I do appreciate that they haven't gone back to making him such a momma's boy. I forget which actor played him when Kim was constantly covering his ass...it was probably Paul Korver, who was a complete screw up Chris.

[Soapsuds]

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Some photos of the past.

[Saving ATWT]

I like DC as Chris, think he serves the purpose, and am glad that this time around the character isn't such a shrew up. It seems like Goutman wants all younger Hughes boys to be slackers: Adam, Casy, the former Chris incarnations. Over the last decade, the Hughes family has been marginalized in favor of the Snyders. Brad, Jack, Holden and Aaron have been playing the roles Marland intended for Chris and Andy. Personally, I think this choice was a big mistake. Goutman tossed so much history into the trash. I also think they should have aged Daniel a few years ago: It would have been cool to see the show end starring Chris Hughes and Daniel Stewart just as it began.

As a footnote, I loved the last Chris and was pissed when he was fired. He could act, looked good and gave the character a more edgy layer. The guy was sexy!

[Jay]

There have been so many Chris Hugheses and Paul Ryans, I have a hard time distinguishing the characters from each other. Or at least I did before Roger Howarth started playing Paul. I think of Bailey Chase and Scott Holroyd as being the same person, even.

[P.J.]

IA that the Hughes' have been slighted---but I wouldn't say Brad, Jack, Holden and Aaron were taking over for Andy and Chris. One, Aaron was a marginal character at best. Holden and Andy were established around the same time. I know Jack and Brad have only come while Chris was SOARSed, but they hardly filled the same roles (especially Brad, before he was deSOARSed). I know the Snyders have been fruitful and multipled, but the Hughes can't populate the entire town either. (Before Meg and Brad came back, it had been Holden and Jack only for like ten years.)

TIIC's problems with the Hughes boys in particular, don't have a lot to do with the Snyders at all. Chris has been killed by recasts of varying skill---while I liked Dylan Bruce, I thought Bailey Chase was a complete and total dud. There geekChris who only lasted a month between Korver and Chase, while Korver was a pretty boy, he was green and the writing certainly never helped. TIIC also bringing back Adam was an epic fail...while I would have enjoyed a Adam/Casey rivalry, turning him into a psycho rapist was one of the biggest blunders of Goutman's tenure. As for Casey---Roerig got overshadowed by Will Munson, not a Snyder. Roerig was just hitting his stride as Casey when he decided to leave. While I've come to enjoy Billy Magnussen, sticking him with Alison is a SNORE, and again---nothing to do with the Snyders.

I also agree---I don't understand why Daniel hasn't been brought back to the canvas.

[DRW50]

The Snyders aren't much of a family anymore anyway -- they're just Jack and kids and Holden and kids.

I think Hogan's loathing of traditional, warm, supportive families probably helped sideline the Hughes, as I remember them having a little more to do under Goutman and Laiman. Hogan trashed Tom in a very early interview, and he never seemed fond of Kim. I'm sure Bob, who didn't justify adultery by saying his wife couldn't satisfy him/painting his wives as desperate whores, also offended him.

So the Hughes had less prominence and then you had the big returns of Paul and Dusty, both with completely rewritten personalities and no longer having any history on the show, beyond the most one-dimensional (Dusty loved Lily! Paul is screwed up thanks to his parents!). And the Hughes are a family who thrive with history. So it was easier to not show them, to continue to push the pets, and then bring in even more pets.

[P.J.]

I'm trying to remember when the Hughes were last "prominent". The mid-90's? Frannie's been gone forever, you can argue that Scott Holmes' Tom has rarely ever even led a story---he was always reacting to Margo's stuff. Andy isn't technically a Hughes..."the Hughes" by the extension of Barbara's family are still prominent. But you can argue they were hamstrung by the fact for a good thirty years, Bob only had two children on the show, Tom and Frannie.

What's kind of sad is that Kim has only one biological grandchild that we know of, Andy's daughter Hope.

[All My Shadows]

TV Guide's description for today's episode:

"Frannie returns to celebrate Bob and Kim's anniversary. Reprising the role of Frannie is Oscar-nominated film star Julianne Moore, who appeared on the show from 1985-88."

I thought she was an Oscar winner?