Though, without Bernau, Alan just wasn't Alan. Likewise with Beverlee McKinsey and Alexandra.

This.

The problem with Ron Raines was when they first hired him he did RESEMBLE the character (similar in the face and haircut to Chris Bernau}. The writers were OK with portraying him as the "old Alan" initially. However, as time went by Ron bulked up, giving him a physically imposing stature that went totally against Bernau's slighter look. The writers turned Alan first into a blinded by lovesick puppydog with Annie, then back to a one dimensional villain similar as written for Pilon, ignoring his sympathetic qualities (not that Raines isn't a great actor).

When the writing was there, I thought that Raines did a great job as Alan. He wasn't Bernau, but he turned some solid performances. I really don't think that Raines' physical appearance played a role in how Alan was written. At some point, the Spaulding stopped being a force in Springfield. Instead we had to hear about the wonderful Coopers and why couldn't the Spauldings more like them as if Alan and Alexandra would ever give that family a second glance. The writers watered the Spauldings down and took away the business and family stories which took away the main source of conflict for Alan and Alexandra. With no children to manipulate or business rivals, Alan had little to do. His blind obsessions with Reva and later Annie were ridiculous and totally out of character. It didn't help that the writing teams keep changing and no appreciation for the Spauldings.

Edited August 17, 201015 yr by Ann_SS

Totally agree with you about Pilon. I personally thought he at least had some of Chris's mannerisms down perfectly. Problem was Alan was being written as a total villain at that point, in part to sacrifice the character at the alter of Roger Thorpe (the writers didn't want 2 similar characters on the show, so they switched their personas a bit). There probably was the foresight that it was near impossible to totally replace a character previously played by such an iconic actor (who was known at that time to be dying so as never to return).Ironically enough, the exact same problem they would have with Roger years later. They would try to turn Alan Michael (as played by Rick Hearst) into a "mini-Alan" (IMO somewhat unsuccessfully).

The problem with Ron Raines was when they first hired him he did RESEMBLE the character (similar in the face and haircut to Chris Bernau}. The writers were OK with portraying him as the "old Alan" initially. However, as time went by Ron bulked up, giving him a physically imposing stature that went totally against Bernau's slighter look. The writers turned Alan first into a blinded by lovesick puppydog with Annie, then back to a one dimensional villain similar as written for Pilon, ignoring his sympathetic qualities (not that Raines isn't a great actor).

Well, lets face it..RR ISNT a great actor, but he is adequate and I think he could have made a good Alan with the correct writing and direction. And yes, Alan as a lovesick puppy for Annie really kind of ruined him for me. They missed a great opportunity to make Alan Annie's tutor..as she tried to be a better person, but to keep her under his control and bed, he keeps appealing to her darker side, and showing her how to channel those impulses in a more subtle way. Unfortunately, at that time with MADD in control, all subtleness left the shows and all characters were stripped down to their bare essentials, so something like that the TPTB felt would be over the head of the viewers. But woudlnt that have been great, with Alex in the mix to constantly stand in Alan and Annie's way.

But I would have hated to see Zaz as Alan. They did attribute his more mellow ways to meditation, and being on the Island by himself and ruminating on his lost life, away from his daughter, and Holly and of course, the money and the power he wanted. I remember a monologue where Roger talked about that, and how he realized that no one was to blame but him, this of course was during the time he first came on, and everyone was tyring to guess if he was lying or not. It made sense in a soap opera way. I dont mind goofy excuses, as long as we get an excuse for bad behavior and an attempt to explain things. Hated when McTrash made him back to his crazy ass self.

When the writing was there, I thought that Raines did a great job as Alan. He wasn't Bernau, but he turned some solid performances. I really don't think that Raines' physical appearance played a role in how Alan was written. At some point, the Spaulding stopped being a force in Springfield. Instead we had to hear about the wonderful Coopers and why couldn't the Spauldings more like them as if Alan and Alexandra would ever give that family a second glance. The writers watered the Spauldings down and took away the business and family stories which took away the main source of conflict for Alan and Alexandra. With no children to manipulate or business rivals, Alan had little to do. His blind obsessions with Reva and later Annie were ridiculous and totally out of character. It didn't help that the writing teams keep changing and no appreciation for the Spauldings.

RR DID do a good job with the part when the writing was there. Please don't confuse what I said with the differences in appearance with his acting, which I am a fan of. Frankly if Bernau was alive and they brought him back those years later, the writing would have still tarnished the Alan legacy. It's as if the writers decided to bring him back by just making him "the evil rich guy" instead of reading old scripts to see what made Alan tick.