I don't think that Alderson's look had a negative impact on the stories (although honestly I think the stories were poor to begin with). I think in some way it sort of added to the drama, because viewers could sense that Starr was still too young to have had a child and too young to be in this angst-ridden and sometimes very ugly relationship. If she was cast with some random 25 year old? As uninterested as I am in Starr, I think that thanks to Alderson staying around the character does have some believability, and a fan base.

I think the real mistake was in letting Starr keep the baby. I think OLTL should have had Marcie adopt the child as originally planned. Then Starr would have had more freedom in stories and this also could have set up material years down the road.

I don't believe that SORASing does much of anything to help in most roles. Remember all the talk about how Erin Torpey was too young to be a believable Jessica and how Bree Williamson would be more mature? Instead Jessica has been regressed and infantilized to a shocking degree.

I thought Bree was great as Jessica when she took over, much more enjoyable than Erin. Unfortunately nearly every one of her stories since has been about Jessica being a victim. When she leaves the role, the main thing people will take away from it is crazy.

I think Missal is too low-key to be able to handle that type of material. I remember how terrible she was when she screeched at Destiny to show how "feisty" she was and how she was just like Todd and Tea. She is better when she's quieter and when the women in Danielle's life try to protect her.

The whole idea of Todd's insta-child and the endless fighting over him, especially considering what a terrible father he is, I think would have been too much too soon. Last year's story was all about denigration of women as Todd stood around smirking, zoning out, and pouting -- and they got a ratings drop as a reward.

Whatever their reasons, I think having Starr and Danielle get along is the better writing choice, then maybe they can clash later on.

what type of material? Its pretty simple and basic and doesnt call for some Emmy winning performance to play a sibiling rivalry. They wouldnt have to fight over Todd bc initially Dani didnt even know Todd was her father. The story would have been focused in on the mothers, and the history between them and how it affected her daughters. Thats the core of where I would have preferred to have seen it

Edited November 14, 201015 yr by Cheap21

ET's Jessica was way more mature than Bree's. By several continents. She was the even contrast to Natalie's fire. She seemed like a rational adult who could hold down a job. They say Jessica has been working at first The Banner and then The Sun since 2003 but I don't believe a word, and not just because they only rarely show her there. I bought Erin's Jessica as Viki's successor - I never bought Bree's as that.

While I think BW can do a lot more than the crap she is given year in and year out, I'd give a lot to have Erin back, or someone who can mature the role. I just think the character needs time off, though.

I think KM is fine feisty. The issue is usually what it is she's being feisty about.

Edited November 14, 201015 yr by Vee

what type of material? Its pretty simple and basic and doesnt call for some Emmy winning performance to play a sibiling rivalry. They wouldnt have to fight over Todd bc initially Dani didnt even know Todd was her father. The story would have been focused in on the mothers, and the history between them and how it affected her daughters. Thats the core of where I would have preferred to have seen it

Screeching and carrying on about who is the better daughter for Todd and oh the angst and agony and drama of being the miracle child of Todd and Tea and how will she accept this man and see how wonderful he is -- I think it would have been way too much for Missal, and the story itself is handicapped because it can never end in anything but Danielle seeing Todd as a great guy. It would be like the Kristina story on GH, which sputtered out to the point where a car bombing was a sign of fatherly devotion.

The Tea/Blair stuff never really worked, IMO, because it was so one-sided. It's always been one-sided. Tea is great. Blair is a pretender. I know a lot of people hate their friendship but I will take that over their rivalry because there was never a genuine rivalry, not the first time around, or now.

Then there's the Blair/Starr relationship, which has been neglected for years, which meant that any sudden fighting because Starr was Blair's daughter would have seemed contrived.

I think the writing and casting both served to take away any real power a fight between the sisters would have had. I also think that seeing sisters get along is kind of a refreshing writing choice.

To me if there was a rivalry it should have been between Jack and Danielle.

ET's Jessica was way more mature than Bree's. By several continents. She was the even contrast to Natalie's fire. She seemed like a rational adult who could hold down a job. They say Jessica has been working at first The Banner and then The Sun since 2003 but I don't believe a word, and not just because they only rarely show her there. I bought Erin's Jessica as Viki's successor - I never bought Bree's as that.

I think Bree is very generic and fake in the emotional and ingenue moments which Erin was more natural at. I think that's also one of the reasons why the show dances around ever having Jessica be normal.

Then there's the Blair/Starr relationship, which has been neglected for years, which meant that any sudden fighting because Starr was Blair's daughter would have seemed contrived.

To me if there was a rivalry it should have been between Jack and Danielle.

they didnt have a relationship when Starr was pregnant? Blair and Starr's bonding and all their scenes throughout that ordeal was the strongest point of that story. Watching Blair wake up, grow a backbone and throw Todd aside as she stepped up as a mother to Starr was a highlight. Their relationship definetly wasnt ignored then

Dani and Jack? Maybe had she not been SORASed beyond him but having a 15 yr old feuding with a 10 year old is just silly and immature. Its not something that could carry a storyline or have anyone interested for more than a few episodes.

I think the one constant in Blair's character over the last decade is her loyalty to family and her dedication to her kids, even when she's being screwed by any number of stories. I think the Starr/Blair relationship was pretty well-defined until this past year, when they really sectioned the characters off. Even when Starr hated her for "being mean to Dad" over the years, Blair always was devoted to her daughter. And she's still taking in Sam, Langston, Dani - other people's kids. I think that can potentially add tension down the road, and it's occasionally even touched on onscreen - the fact that Blair and Lang or Dani are now potentially closer than Blair and Starr.

they didnt have a relationship when Starr was pregnant? Blair and Starr's bonding and all their scenes throughout that ordeal was the strongest point of that story. Watching Blair wake up, grow a backbone and throw Todd aside as she stepped up as a mother to Starr was a highlight. Their relationship definetly wasnt ignored then

Dani and Jack? Maybe had she not been SORASed beyond him but having a 15 yr old feuding with a 10 year old is just silly and immature. Its not something that could carry a storyline or have anyone interested for more than a few episodes.

I thought that Blair became noticeably less involved with Starr's story around the time of her pregnancy. That was when they moved her more towards the story with John, and it's been a very slow but steady drift since then. Whether it's intentional or not (I think it might be, since Frons can sever the only strong female bonds the show had), OLTL has very effectively whittled away most of the "Cramer women" bonds over the last few years. Starr/Blair, Blair/Dorian, Dorian/Langston. It kind of bothers me because I think there is a lot of power in mentoring relationships or intergenerational relationships. It's one of the reasons I like the Blair/Dani relationship.

Jack is a very entitled and disturbed child who sees his father as the ideal. I think that he would hate Danielle and cause big problems for her, and to me that adds more conflict than, say, look at how mean Matthew is being to poor Nate. Danielle probably doesn't have a lot of self-esteem and I can see Jack preying on that.

Edited November 14, 201015 yr by CarlD2

I agree Dorian and Langston's bond winks in and out because neither of them have much screen time together anymore, despite what I suspect were actually efforts by RC early on. And while I think Blair and Starr's shared time has been whittled down, I think their bond is still there. Dorian and Blair, though - that's never changed. Any time they have a scene together, the rhythm is just exactly the same.

I think Dani is a lot more grounded than her mother, which is why she relates to Blair. And I think that's a great point of tension in future years with all three, plus possibly Starr who has been living in a teen dream world for ages. And now I'm repeating myself, nothing new.

Edited November 14, 201015 yr by Vee

KA does not have enough range to play whichever direction the show wants to take Starr. When they decided that Starr would be a teen mother mature enough to move out, she should have been recast. If they go back to the little bitch, heaven help us all because KA simply does not have the chops and TIIC don't dare recast her. I have not liked the character since she kicked Blair's ass in the middle of the living room several years ago, and KA gets too much air time for such a weak actress. I'd hoped years ago that Lang would become the center teen because Brit is a much better actress, but now she's this vapid little slut with - no substance whatsoever. I will just ingore the teens and watch Clint and Echo. Can't wait for these 2 to have some very angry sex.

ANDREA

"I'd hoped years ago that Lang would become the center teen because Brit is a much better actress, but now she's this vapid little slut with - no substance whatsoever. I will just ingore the teens and watch Clint and Echo. Can't wait for these 2 to have some very angry sex."

Agreed.

Whether it's Reva or Echo, KZ def gives the scary sex vibe. The type who likes to grab your balls like a vice grip. "I'M COMIN' BUD!"/"OWW! "

You know, wouldn't it be something if Langston, Starr, and Dani all end up getting played by the show's Ford agenda? If the next thing you know, new girls are brought in for these guys instead of the traditional other way around? Hmmm...

Langston I can see that happening, as I don't think the show sees her as all that important, and she is mainly there now to redeem Ford.

I can't see them getting rid of Dani or Starr anytime soon, as my guess is they might give them credit for the show's teen demos. They also serve to give Todd more story.

Edited November 14, 201015 yr by CarlD2

There's two impediments to bringing back "bad Starr" the actress and what's been done to the character. As has already been stated, KA is just too slight (in so many ways) to play Starr as the force of nature she should be but also how can you get back to Starr being a badass - a REAL badass - as long as she's got that baby. Whether she's slinging Hope around on her hip or leaving her with a nanny, the concept that the same whipsmart kid who took taxis all over Llanview when she was seven or eight was stupid enough to have unprotected sex with Cole, NOT get a morning after treatment, get knocked up, NOT have an abortion, put the baby up for adoption, think that the baby died, get the baby back, slog through high school as an object of ridicule and decide to spend her time changing diapers and servicing the loser who knocked her up to begin with is ridiculous.

If I'd had my druthers Starr would've hidden her pregnancy and given birth in a bathroom stall during homecoming. After all, the dumpster baby phenomenon is not rare among well-to-do white girls then Marcie McBain would've found the baby and saved her. Starr would eventually have been found out then sent away for therapy and/or jail time then come back as a recast.

... now that BB is gone and that the ever increasing rumours that RH is returning , this would be a great time to turn Starr back into the fiesty naughty girl she started off as.

I just have to ask, what "ever increasing" rumors are you referring to? From what I've seen, it's the same rumors we've been seeing for years.

Edited November 14, 201015 yr by marceline

They should have done the story Emmerdale did with Debbie Dingle (Debbie hid her pregnancy, only reluctantly kept the baby when she thought it could win the father back, then after that didn't work, passed the baby off to a woman who was unpaid babysitter and didn't have any children of her own -- the woman then fled town with the baby, and Debbie was uninterested in being a mother for years).

That would have beena lot more fun to watch and Starr would have twice as many fans.

That would have beena lot more fun to watch and Starr would have twice as many fans.

Agreed. There's a reason the foreign soaps are kicking ass while the U.S. ones are dying. That story is a perfect example.

That would have beena lot more fun to watch and Starr would have twice as many fans.

I agree it would have been more fun to watch, but I definitely don't agree about Starr having twice as many fans. If everyone is complaining now (for reasons I simply don't get, but that's just me) could you image if she had done something like that. I can see the post now. There is just no way......