All My Children Tribute Thread

[janea4old]

I don't think they used smoosh names in those days.  Just  Erica and Jack.  Or Jack and Erica.  Well obviously Erica would prefer her name first, LOL.

[Maxim]

I love this. And of course... We will always call them Erica... And Jack.

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Oh my, how lovely to read.

[Contessa Donatella]

BITD even though portmanteaus had not yet become a thing, fans used Team denotations. AW fans had to choose between Team Vicky and Team Lisa with regard to Jamie Frame. Here, with regard to our main dame Erica (of course) we're talking about Team Jack for her.

And thanks for saying so. You are kind.

 

[Contessa Donatella]

No. We weren't doing ship names yet. If we had been though I would've campaigned HARD for #Ericson ERICa + jackSON

I think it's classy.

 

[Soaplovers]

Jack and Erica were blah...and I think he held her back as a character.  

When they were apart, Erica had two great pairings (Dimitri and David) while Jack didn't.  He should have been written off in the late 90s because there was no use for him on the show any longer.

[DRW50]

I think what held Erica back was the show never letting her mature. Resetting her in her 40s, 50s, and 60s just became increasingly empty as a gesture. 

I think she and Jack were fine enough when they had them get back together in the mid '00s. It's just the show - yet again - did a reset, and I don't think they did anything especially good with Erica from that point on.

[Jonathan]

In my opinion, Erica is meant to be immature and insecure, so if she had matured to the same level as Mona or Myrtle, it would have made her character much less compelling.

[DRW50]

I think there's a gulf between a more mature Erica and what Mona and Myrtle represented. The show never letting her move on meant we got Erica and Ryan, Erica as a showgirl, etc. and I felt like they had no idea who the character was meant to be by that point.

[Jonathan]

Yeah, I can see that. The show went through a revolving door of mediocre head writers, which led to some weak storylines for Erica. I wish Lorraine Broderick had returned sooner to give Erica the stronger stories she deserved.

[DRW50]

What would you have done with Erica in the show's last years?

[Jonathan]

That’s an interesting question.

I think David was one of Erica’s best pairings, and the chemistry between Vincent Irizarry and Susan Lucci was undeniable. I would have definitely revisited that dynamic, especially since Lorraine Broderick seemed to explore it toward the end.

I also would have brought back Mark Dalton, Ellen, and Julie to give Erica more family beyond her children.

Another idea: While Erica was a "Kane," I always wished we had learned more about Mona’s side of the family. Introducing a relative from Mona’s lineage could have added an intriguing new dimension to Erica’s story.

As for Caleb, I thought he was a complete misfire. If the show wanted to bring a Cortlandt back onto the canvas, it should have been Ross. Pairing him with Erica would have been compelling—controversial, but intriguing. I know Ross was a convicted rapist, but that could have created a complex, layered dynamic, especially since Erica was a rape survivor herself. It might be a bit dark, but watching Erica confront that, along with her own past, could have made for powerful storytelling. Adding Ellen and Mark—both of whom had history with Ross—into the mix would have made the storyline even messier and more dramatic.

Erica was often at her best when she had a strong female rival, so I would have put her and Brooke’s rivalry front and center again.

[DRW50]

@Jonathan Great ideas! Thanks. An entanglement with Ross would be fascinating given the history of the characters. And I always thought it was a mistake to not bring Mark back one last time, especially when Mark LaMura was still looking so vibrant in his 2005 return. 

[Jonathan]

Thanks! ABC, if you're reading this, I'm available for hire and ready to bring this show back to life! LOL!

[Soaplovers]

I would have had become more like an Olga and be to someone like Olga was to her.  

One of the consistent threads for Erica in the 80s was taking a young woman under her wings.  She did that with Jenny pre 1984, Dottie in 1985, Julie/Cecily in 1988/1989...and Gillian in 1997.  I also liked that she also helped Janet in 1997.

Erica's stint at Oak Haven near the end of the show was welcome...and her helping Dixie and Janet was gold.

I also think Erica could have started a business helping women...especially women over 50 that still had something to offer.

 

[DRW50]

I really like the idea of her starting a business and trying to help younger women. I could have seen her being close to Amanda.