AMC: Monday May 3, 2010

[SFK]

I'd rather see Kate Collins back as Natalie than Janet. Natalie was a great icy bitch foe for Erica (I swear she must have inspired Cathy Moriarty's Nurse Nan in Soapdish at least a *little* bit), would love to see someone like her with money again and running a rival company. But despite the miscasting of Melody Anderson, Natalie's blindness and regaining her sight staring at the miracle Christmas angel was some beautiful stuff, just wish she hadn't been killed off.

Kate as Natalie and Robin as Janet would have been interesting, didn't they do at least one dream segment with those two? I'm almost positive Natalie came back from the dead when Timmy was in some jam, I know she was in the Gillian goes to garden party heaven s/l with the very much alive Jesse.

[EricaKane70]

Who did erica's hair today, it looks a HOT MESS!!! Fire whoever did it ASAP.

[Pine Charles]

Well, good. I secretly wanted to sound like one, but said the "not to..." to be polite.

[DRW50]

When Janet was about to marry Trevor, Natalie's ghost visited her and made peace with her.

I'd love to see her as Natalie again. Kate Collins is a very good actress and everything I've seen of her work as Natalie was superb. That type of icy anti-heroine with vulnerability underneath is something AMC hasn't succeeded at in recent years.

Seeing her as a cartoonish Janet doesn't bother me as much as it would have with Robin Mattson in the role, but I just don't care about Amanda or weird, unwashed, smarmy Jakeass.

[SFK]

I guess it's besides the point at this point, but from day one I had trouble buying that James Kibered and Robin Mattson made Chrishell Stause. I don't know her ethnicity, but there's something almost Maddie Santos about her.

[Pine Charles]

I actually didn't understand the blonde Amanda from the '90s, since Janet's natural hair is very dark (almost black) and Trevor had brown hair.

[Jonathan]

Chrishell is either 1/8 or 1/4 Japanese. I forget the fraction. She posted that on twitter a few months back.

[SFK]

Interesting, wow, with her skin color (her tan?) that wouldn't have been my guess.

[Jonathan]

I just read her bio. She also has some Spanish blood. That's probably what you're seeing.

[SFK]

Gotcha. She is a beautiful young woman.

[EricMontreal22]

Yeah I guess Opal was just there to remind Jake he loved Amanda or something--it seemed odd, but I never mind seeing her.

I think Damon's always been one of the stronger young actors they've had lately (which isn't saying much, the last decent male one I can think of really was Sam, if you don't count Petey of course ) and I actually find his reaction pretty typical given all we've seen of him and know. It's true that his stage roots showed and it took a while to work better for TV (something I'm NuColby sometimes has overcome but then seems to fall back on). Still, I'd rather they cast someone with theatre and acting experience who needs to learn how to really work the tv, over a male model or something. (I will grant you that it is odd that he seems to dress and do his hair and even talk like he's a teen from the 90s, but I don't see that as his fault...)

I hate to say this, but I loved Janet's over the topness today, almost despite myself. I get people's complaints with the character, but at the same time after what she did last time, I think there's not much turning back and it makes sense that Amanda would have never told her about her daughter. I do wonder how long this is gonna go on--we can't have nutty cartoon Janet (even if she fits the Agnes Nixon/Billy Clyde mode to a tee)for very long really without it getting unbearable. But I accept Kate as wacky Janet now, there's no real way to return to the Robin Janet.

[EricMontreal22]

Remember how green and miscast she seemed when she came on? Maybe not miscast, but bringing Amanda back, without her parents or even Timmy and suddenly a totally conniving bitch just felt random. I think she's come a long way (writing and acting wise)

[R Sinclair]

This Cartoon Janet serves no purpose. This show has spent months climbing out of the campy, silliness rut and got back to a place where stories of realistic human emotion and consequences are being told... only to go back to this? For what? To build up Jake and Amanda? These two have done enough on their own to make them look idiotic. Do they really need Janet from Toon Town to give them conflict?

[marceline]

So true. Amanda's return was poorly handled but Chrishell really turned it around for herself and the character.

On this we wholeheartedly agree. If I wanted to watch The Joker, I'd rent Batman.

[Khan]

These days, anything is possible, and I wouldn't put it past them to think of that or to snag a former CBSD star to play the role.