OLTL: Discussion for the week August 30

[EricMontreal22]

Kim was appealing 99% cuz of the actress, IMHO. She really was what Stacy shoulda been--someone who was manipulative but you could see why someone would fall for. I thought Jared was a Higley creation for some reason--he was popular, I'll grant you that.

[SFK]

I do not understand what was Jared's appeal. I'll tell you one thing, I have liked Natalie at least 95% more since he's been out of the picture.

[SFK]

Kim had at least a slice of what Erica and Tina had. Even when the acting was iffy (and it was iffy) there was this spark, charisma, look in those wide eyes that just sold actress and character. And she had a great look (even if inspired by that other Kim who I have a real love/hate relationship with. ) The last time I saw an exotic face like that on soaps was probably Roya Megnot.

[EricMontreal22]

...me too... But I will accept he was more likeable than most of Carlivati's characters (though actually I liked Natalie even less with John... A woman like her would NEVER be with someone so utterly lacking in, well, FUN as him)

I usually am cynical of people who are as strikingly beautiful (male or female) as her--and I was when she first appeared, but I think she proved herself--not only by having a *distinctive* look (she was gorgeous--yes, but in a way no one on soaps usually is--it wasn't cookie cutter) and I think, while not a brilliant actress, she had a natural charisma and delivery that made her appealing. And *yes* that's exactly what early 1978 Tina (watch on youtube) and of course vintage Erica had, and went with. I hope she gets a primetime show--I actually believe the way primetime is filmed--especially procedurals, that often a so so actor will appear a better actor than they would on a soap which is so much more demanding. But otherwise, she prob coulda done worse than growing at least a few years on a soap...

[SFK]

I agree, she would have found her stride and I would much rather be watching Kim "Annie" her way through the Bukes (remember how even Renee and Nigel were about to get thrown some scraps with that s/l??) than the saga of the Ford brothers and their mom who could use a good shaking.

[SFK]

Oh, and I agree about procedurals where it seems less about acting and more about delivering information clearly and with little *bothersome* inflection.

[EricMontreal22]

Yeah though with primetime, and movies, I think the fact that it's so unlike theatre--you can memorize one scene and do that scene for a WEEK, and then move on, is so diff from soaps. Witness Brandon Routh--perhaps THE single worse actor I've ever ever ever seen on a soap, when he was on One Life (yes, worse than whoever played Carlose on All My Children--and I had to cover my eyes whenever Carlos was on he was was awful)--and then, while not brilliant... he was ok in Superman.

[SFK]

I'll have to look him up, I really wasn't watching around that time. But I do remember reading that he got all indignant when he was let go, and sounds like it was warranted.

[EricMontreal22]

It was during the brief era when Rayfield/Cascio were writing and Frons told them to make it like Sex and the City. He was a Fusion janitor who it turned out was a secret poet sending messages to Greenlee--oh and maybe was involved in the "reality" "Sexiest Man" contest AMC had, and had a weird past, and yeah it was one awful mess. McTavish came in and killed him off and brought in his brother Juan Pablo--who was some cheezy telenovela hire but was like Olivier next to whoever played Carlos. It was actually one of the smart moves she made immediately when she first came back as HW (which didn't last all that long...).

[SFK]

You know, I meant Routh, but I missed those guys too! Hell, ABCD has spread the awful ALLLLLL around. I do know that Juan Pablo made for a memorable AMC blooper:

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[SFK]

I love RB's big brown eyes. I believe you've mentioned that your mom has commented on their largeness.

[TeamEric]

Agree on the triangle, it's a corpse the writers keep trying to resurrect when neither side wants ever to watch it again.

Disagree on the contrived BFFs. It was good for Blair's character but horrible for Téa's. Blair was propped as this wise, caring, earth mother while Téa was painted this stupid, silly child who couldn't make a decision to save her life without Blair's assistance. It was highly insulting to watch Téa, who's always been 200% more independent than Blair, play feeble, unable to help herself, just to prop up sainted, smarter Blair. As a Téa fan, I resented that very lopsided portrayal.

Adding insult to injury I'm expected to believe Téa asks the woman who endangered her precious daughter's life and who has made a career of using children as weapons against Todd, to be Dani's mother. Risk throwing Dani into the T vs B custody wars? Um, hell no. Kept true to her character and history Téa would have naturally asked Viki to be there for Dani, to watch out for her and aid Todd when he needed parental help. Notice Viki was carefully kept out of this story lest viewers recall,Téa always viewed Viki as a surrogate mother.

But to prop up the contrived Téa & Blair BFF, my Téa was isolated from Viki, and Carlotta, and anyone else who cared for her so she had only one option, Blair.

I had no problem with Blair and Téa calling a truce in a moment of crisis as Dorian & Viki have over the years but they'll never be the BFFs and that's how it should be for frenemies.

As for death kinda changing people, I enjoyed Dorian's response to Viki's cancer and heart near death stories. They buried the hatchet for s short time and had some poignant moments but at no time did Dorian take over Viki's life and never in a million years would Viki ask Dorian to raise her kids. EVER.

[TeamEric]

I was so surprised how much I enjoyed Routh in Superman Returns.

[TeamEric]

I know.

Erika Slezak also loved Ben and Blondie and publically called it one of her best stories.

She's a great actress but I don't always agree with her ;-)

[DRW50]

I doubt any isolation from Carlotta and Viki had to do with BFF with Blair. They rarely interact with anyone outside of a very limited circle. Carlotta barely appears.

Given that Tea has endangered her daughter's life through her relationships with Ross and then Todd, and was more than happy to use Starr to get to Todd and later manipulated Starr into getting criminal charges against Todd dropped, I don't know what would be "true to her character." "Independent" Tea also ran off with a man who threw her out in the snow in nothing more than a short robe, beat her, conned her into thinking that he had MPD, then humiliated her on their wedding day. After that, "independent" Tea ran off again with Todd, who then left her to die on an island. Finally, "independent" Tea married a man who had her disbarred and cheated on her. Her decisions regarding Danielle also didn't strike me as an independent-minded woman -- didn't she leave her in the boarding school to protect Todd? That story made no sense to me anyway.

I don't think Tea was presented as a stupid child. She was presented as a long-suffering martyr. Blair was there to help Tea as we watched Tea suffer. Would it have been as effective a story in manipulating viewer sympathy for Tea if she had been perfectly competent? I doubt it.

This is also being done so that