In companion to the thread for actors you initially don't think much of, have there been any times when actors you have been watching for 10, 20, however many years, start to impress you or depress you? Or are your feelings set in stone?

There's always the chicken and the egg of writing and acting. For instance, I often feel like the light went out with, among others, Laura Wright, Lisa Brown, and Beth Ehlers. I'm not ever entirely sure why or when, as some actresses who had a lot of crap writing still sparked to the end (Maeve Kinkead).

I've never seen any spark with Laura Wright to begin with. She's always approached every one of her soap characters with the same annoying ticks to me.

If you want to see a really lazy veteran cast, just tune into Y&R. Bergman, Braeden, and Copper especially either ham it up or just don't care to put in any type of performance anymore.

And those who try (Melody and Jess) are given some of the most offensive material to make sense of.

Having originally never seen Kim Zimmer's first run on GL, I didn't like the performer or the character when she came back in the mid 90s. However it was around the time that Millee Taggart was writing in 2002 that I came to like La Zimmer as an actress, and grow fond of Reva. It wasn't clones, psycho Annie, or earthquakes that made me grow to like Reva, but the story where Reva took Richard off life support.

Oh, sweet Jesus....Kim Zimmer. Reva in the eighties rocked. But something was different when she came back. Reva just became nails on the chalkboard (well, after Annie anyway.) When she came back to OLTL, I was ready to hate her. But I admire her restraint in the role.

I don't know if it was the writing or what...but whatever I felt for Eileen Fulton's Lisa just evaporated.

OTOH, I was consistantly amazed by Liz Hubbard, Larry Bryggman, Ben Hendrickson and Colleen Zenk.

And seeing Jerry verDorn as OLTL's Clint---I have no words to express my amazement.

Edited April 25, 201114 yr by P.J.

Oh, sweet Jesus....Kim Zimmer. Reva in the eighties rocked. But something was different when she came back. Reva just became nails on the chalkboard (well, after Annie anyway.) When she came back to OLTL, I was ready to hate her. But I admire her restraint in the role.

I don't know if it was the writing or what...but whatever I felt for Eileen Fulton's Lisa just evaporated.

OTOH, I was consistantly amazed by Liz Hubbard, Larry Bryggman, Ben Hendrickson and Colleen Zenk.

And seeing Jerry verDorn as OLTL's Clint---I have no words to express my amazement.

I sure loved Hubbard and Zenk rivarly as Lucinda and Barbara. That was such great times. I dont think any of it is on youtube.

Edited April 25, 201114 yr by Soapsuds

Maybe I'm too influenced by the Y&R negatively on this board LOL, but I watched a couple of times last week and almost everyone seemed bored beyond belief. Case did look somewhat refreshed, what with her new hair color, but everyone else seemed to be sleepwalking. I used to like Jess and Tristan, but something seems off there now. She just doesn't seem into the whole thing.

Before the Tad-Cara story begin, I thought it was time for MEK and Tad to be put out to pasture. Talk about bored beyond belief. But he seems more energized with Hartley.

In retrospect, Martha Byrne is another one I now think sucks beyond belief. While she is the most popular Lily and defined the role, I thought she gave up acting long before Goutman ousted her ass.

In retrospect, Martha Byrne is another one I now think sucks beyond belief. While she is the most popular Lily and defined the role, I thought she gave up acting long before Goutman ousted her ass.

Awww..don't poop on Martha.

Actually a lot of the ATWT folks checked out way before the cancellation...exceptions were Hubbard, Zenk, Hastings/Hays and Park/West.

Edited April 25, 201114 yr by Soapsuds

It was kind of a sad moment for me when I realized that my Dorian Lord love was conditional. I have continued to admire RS as an actress and as a person warts and all but my love for the character began to wane when DID wrapped. The silly stuff she's been given to play in recent years as Dorian has become more and more a caricature of herself and as RS's acting has become more and more OTT to meet the material has been a tough pill to swallow.

Jon Hensley was a zombie for the longest time.

Oh how could I have forgot Widdoes. She was awesome till the end.

Van Hansis was bored to tears until Eric Sheffer Stevens showed up and brought life to Luke.

Jon Hensley was a zombie for the longest time.

Him too.

Holden and Lily, starting with Byrne of course, were insufferable to watch over the last decade.

While Jack and Carly had shitty and repetitive writing too, Park and West never gave up on trying to act it out, unlike Hensley and Byrne.

Him too.

Holden and Lily, starting with Byrne of course, were insufferable to watch over the last decade.

While Jack and Carly had shitty and repetitive writing too, Park and West never gave up on trying to act it out, unlike Hensley and Byrne.

Hensley was tired of Holden being with Lily. For the longest time he wanted another pairing. I think it showed onscreen with him and Martha. I am not saying he didnt love working with Martha he just hated Holden with Lily. Where as Park and West enjoyed the Carly/Jack dynamics. I think they tired to keep them fresh with their actigns skills..etc..etc....Hensley just said his lines with no emotion and got a paycheck.

I think Days' Josh Taylor is well beyond his sell-by date. I've already found him generally awful, even in his Chris Kositchek days, though he was quite beautiful to look at back then. I know he's BFFs with Corday, which guarantees that he'll be with the show til the very end.

No matter what the writing for Kate, I just always love Lauren Koslow...Same with John Aniston. I'd listen to him read the phonebook.

A lot of late 80s episodes are on but not a lot of specific moments for them - although there are some good scenes where Lucinda is blackmailing Barbara.

About 2 minutes in

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lS0e2F4ipoY&feature=related

3:20 or so

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywETQytJD2g&feature=related