DAYS: Billie Reed Returns

[Gray Bunny]

When I started watching DAYS, Peter Reckell literally just returned to the role (first week of August 1995 I believe) so my favorite Bo/Hope/Billie incarnation was Reckell/Alfonso/Rinna. Granted, their 2.0 triangle in 2002 was horrible. Rinna just aged too quickly, and Bo & Billie were already done and done (after the whole Princess Gina saga, I felt Bo & Hope had had ENOUGH. They were destined to be together. Only a child's death could viably pull them apart).

When Rinna's Billie left Salem in 1995, she had grown strong & independent. Allen's Billie returned in 1996 looking and sounding weak (gotta love that voice, oy) and seeming so dependent on landing a man in order to have a purpose in life (that was the writing, of course, not the actress, but she did no favors for the role either). I think Allen's only good work was when she lost baby Georgia in June 1998. Also, I think her and Jensen Ackles' Eric had great chemistry when they were teamed up to help Austin & Sami while they were on the run from the law in winter 1999.

(it's so funny how I remember the dates of everything back then so vividly, but couldn't tell you much specifics about the last 6-7 years...)

Julie Pinson was just plain boring. She didn't have chemistry with her male co-stars, and there was just no rooting value. Yes, she and Lauren Koslow worked well together, but unless they're gonna do a mother/daughter romance, she had no chance for a successful pairing. Didn't she date Steve Johnson for a hot minute? I could be wrong. The last 6-7 years are not crystal clear to me like 1995-2003 is.

Deborah Adair vs. Lauren Koslow is like night 'n day when it comes to the characterization of the role. Again, the writing, not the fault of the actress. Koslow's Kate just has no vulnerability. She hasn't shown any since about 1997.

[Shawn]

I've been watching days for 24 years. I probably know more about Days than most people, and I happened to love Krista as Billie. It's my opinion. Julie was about as riveting as paint drying and Lisa is decent, and had good chemistry with some actors, but I don't think that she was the greatest. Again, that's an opinion.

Why the need for insulting others for liking someone that you don't?

[Cheap21]

She was the porn Billie to me....lol. I like Krista as an actress but not for Billie. Billie was a tomboy, a bit rough around the edges as portrayed by Rinna. Krista was too sexy and as you said came across slutty in the role.

The one thing I found hard to buy was Austin being the older sibling. I used to think Billie was bc LR definetly looks older than PM and it didnt help that he was put up against Carrie and teen Sami while she was with their uncle, Bo.

[Days22]

Bu--but Krista Allen was hot..

[JtSmarts]

I so agree with that, in every Austin/Billie pair from Rinna/Muldoon to Peck/Pinson I ALWAYS found it hard to believe that Austin was the elder sibling.

[Greg]

Talk about a generalized statement!

LoL

Come to think about it, my Nana has been watching since the start in '65.

She must know the show better than anyone on planet Earth then.

Crazy.

[Gray Bunny]

Ken Corday should hire her as a consultant.

I agree that it never made much sense for Austin to be older than Billie based upon their romantic pairings.

[Sindacco]

YES! So good to see more fans of Krista Allen's Billie. I don't understand at all how anyone can like Julie Pinon the most. She ruiend Billie, it wasn't just the writing that was bad during her run as Billie but her acting as well.

1. Krista Allen

2. Lisa Rinna (run 1)

3. Lisa Rinna (run 2)

4. Julie Pinson

That's how I rank them.

[Mr. Vixen]

I'm SO excited!!!!

[Cheap21]

1. Lisa Rinna 1

2. Julie Pinson

3. Krista Allen

4. Lisa Rinna 2

[Gray Bunny]

Ditto.

I mean, Rinna's first run DEFINED who the character was. All other incarnations (including Rinna's 2nd stint) was hogwash.

[DaytimeFan]

Then I suppose I have no taste either. Krista Allen is my favourite Billie too, though I like Lisa Rinna a lot I prefer her as Melrose Place's Taylor McBride. Allen's the hottest of the lot and a passable actress, far superior to Julie Pinson who bored the hell out of me. Lisa Rinna's return in 2002 was botched (Billie, a cop? Seriously? With those lips?!) because of the writing so I'm interested to see how she does though the writers this time around are not giving me hope.

And when it comes to Deborah Adair as Kate...She played Kate for 3 years. Lauren Koslow has played Kate for 16 years. Lauren Koslow remade the role and kept a character on canvas that no other actress could have sustained. If you like to think of them as separate characters that's fine, Lauren's Kate is certainly more Dimera than Roberts...and that's how I like her. Lauren Koslow forever! She's the only reason I watch DAYS anymore!

[DRW50]

For me Krista really proved herself in the scenes where she was injected with heroin. It was amazing work, especially since she was 8 or 9 months pregnant at the time.

I'm not a regular viewer, and I've seen little of the other Billies, so I can't compare one way or the other.

[dragonflies]

Sorry but I never cared for Julie Pinson as Billie

+1

[soapfan770]

Billie, really? Not to knock any of the actresses, but Billie really hasn't been relevant since 1995.

Krista Allen was okay in my opinion, I'm pretty neutral of her time. She did some good stuff with the drug stuff and having nightmares of Curtis and I enjoyed the brief Billie/Nicholas/Kate triangle before Allen left but overall the role felt stagnated and obviously just an interloper to keep Bo and Hope apart in the short run; this became way too clear after Georgia died. They tried to pair her with Roman I think afterward to some forgettable results.

The less said of Rinna's bizarre run in 2002/03 the better. How a comestics queen/businesswoman turned into a cop/ISA agent is beyond me and ridiculous.

I actually didn't mind Pinson either but Billie had become so stale and trying to do Billie/Bo/Hope again in 2004/2005 was totally pointless and dumb. I thought she was hot with Patrick and the drunken one night stand with Nick was funny but by 2007 I had no idea why she was even on the show anymore, they didn't even write for her anymore.