All My Children Tribute Thread

[Pine Charles]

Gillian is unique in that she was trashed in the soap mags when she debuted, but quickly became a fan favorite, during a time when new characters rarely caught on with the audience.

Esta’s quirks (which became part of her character) were endearing, and it’s such a shame she was killed off - especially in the manner in which she was.

It seemed personal.... 

Shot in the head, with her heart being put into the body of an unpopular recast.

A fan poll would’ve definitely favored saving Gillian - as opposed to the Laura Kirk English recast, who was hugely UNpopular.

The fans on Media Domain had a funny nickname for the Laura Kirk English recast, but I can’t remember what it was.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Pine Charles

[Vee]

I thought Laura Allen was great as Laura early on with Bianca. It was clear they'd cast an actress who read as queer-adjacent and were toying with those two together. Putting her with Leo as a weak spoiler for him and Greenlee ruined it.

[FrenchBug82]

What was the criticism?

[dragonflies]

Plus Gillian was the ONLY pairing that truly worked for Ryan as a character too

[DemetriKane]

@ghfan89 Thank you so much for posting this. Awesome interview, it’s great seeing them together again after all these years, for a nice length of time too! I’m looking forward to them doing a film or something in the future. Not sure if I want her on GH  though.
 

@Pine Charles Yes her death was very personal. It’s been said a producer didn’t like her, and my instincts tell me Cam played a part in it too! He never seems enthusiastic about those earlier storylines for whatever reason, especially compared to the Greenlee/Kendall stuff.

Laura was a legacy character. I get it, they expected her to lead story for the next ten years with Bianca.

[Pine Charles]

Well, while the idea of having the daughter of Brooke English and the daughter of Erica Kane involved in a same-sex tryst IS quite intriguing - and Lucci and Barr had some dynamite scenes at the suggestion - I remember fans (at least on the message boards) LOATHING Laura Allen SO MUCH at the time.

This increased DRAMATICALLY after she was given Gillian’s heart.

Retrospectively watching some of Laura Allen’s scenes, she wasn’t as bad as I remember on original viewing.... the day-to-day writing was still lacking, though.

 

In SOD’s ‘Best & Worst’ - of either ‘97 or ‘98 - I believe Gillian was named ‘Worst New Character’ (female) or some such. 

I don’t remember the specific write-up, but the character was called something to the effect of being “obnoxious.”

I don’t believe they “got” her.... and I remember fans warming up to her fairly quickly.

Edited July 30, 2021 by Pine Charles

[Vee]

I don't remember people loathing Laura until the Leo mess. But that's me.

I sincerely doubt that, lol. Cameron has never been anything but complimentary about the Gillian years. People let their hatred of his character bleed through too much.

[DRW50]

I mostly remember people laughing at Laura Allen's weird acting choices for much of her tenure. Then the hatred kicked further in when she got Gillian's heart and Leo married her. When Culliton came in and she became a blatant scheming bitch rather than a bizarro we were meant to pity, she got a more positive  reception. 

[DemetriKane]

@Vee. You’re totally entitled to your opinion. I can’t and won’t knock you for it. I’m not a Ryan hater though, actually the opposite. I have enjoyed each of his pairings outside of Greenlee, adored his inclusion into the Kane family and his mother/son relationship with Erica before their romance. I cheered for him on his quest from the conman to becoming the next Adam Chandler. I even liked when his siblings joined the show. The only thing I disliked was his screen time.

[Vee]

I still remember her terrible performance as a drunk with Leo. It was painful. But the early stuff with Bianca, I thought, was good. The rest was a mess, including her bitch phase.

[marceline]

I had no serious opinion about Gillian but this is really cool.

[Soaplovers]

The main critique fans had when Gillian first came on was that her accent was heavy so they couldn't understand her.

Gillian was a character that seemed tailor made for All My Children... unique and full of passion/excitement.  So it wasn't a surprise that viewers grew to love her, once they understood what she was all about.

 

[DRW50]

When Gillian first came on the show, she was  chasing after Edmund, as she was the typical European royalty, cash poor. 

Once McTavish came in, the character was humanized through the pairing with Ryan, as they were the classic story of the two con artists finding their hearts. 

Unfortunately McTavish, as often was the case, ruined it by having Gillian have sex with David for money (which was basically rape), with Ryan shaming and berating her after he learned the truth, even though she had done this to get him bail money. 

After that Gilian lost a lot of her personality and I lost any interest I ever had in Ryan/Gillian as a pairing (or Ryan as a character). 

[Pine Charles]

More memories are coming to me after some of your responses.

I remember adopted Laura #2 being pretty unpopular from the get-go; I remember people commenting what a lousy, laughable actress Allen was (as compared to Lauren Roman, whom many people seemed to have found superior in the acting department) and how the character seemed to have a completely different personality.

I now remember her “scheming bitch” phase, and her scheming with Vanessa (“Proteus”).

The whole “teen drug” story (which morphed into “Proteus”) from that time was laughable.  I believe the drugs were supposed to be Ecstasy or something.... but the writing & acting were not very good.

I remember 1994, with Louie Greco and Julia and Noah, and the writing/production/acting had a gritty realness then (as much as you could get on a Daytime soap) that was so much better in comparison.

I guess it’s unfair to compare an “adult” heroin plot point to “teen Ectasy,” but....

 

Edited July 31, 2021 by Pine Charles

[DemetriKane]

!!!