Your acceptance of recasts

[DRW50]

Yes. They thought Kate was an ice queen and Melody was sweeter and easier to relate to.

A fan wrote in to SPW, replying that Collins being an ice queen was what made Natalie unique, and the layers were what Natalie needed, on a show which already had an intelligent woman (Brooke), and a moron (Dixie), and other ready-made archetypes. They said that "sweet" Natalie just made her exactly like everyone else.

[SFK]

Yeah, I can't get with the idea that Natalie ever had to be "sweet". Layered, sure, but what made KC's Natalie so special was that Montana Moorehead iciness. There was no one quite like KC in daytime, her voice, her look... She made for an excellent rival of Erica's, and she was not a character who flourished being domesticated. I'm not saying that having a loving family was out of her sphere, but she was not a happy home maker type and I think her relationship with Trevor and even Tmmy could have better reflected her resistance to being pigeonholed as that type of woman. I think she would have remained stronger and even more fascinating had they not made her a town pariah and victimized her after Ross raped her. Not a big fan of character's losing their teeth for the sake of sympathy.

[DRW50]

AMC seemed to have problems writing mysterious women, or anti-heroines, starting in the late 80s. You got Marisa, Skye (who was redeemed after a few years), ciphers like Galen and Laurel. It's a shame they didn't keep more of that edge. Even with a recast, Anderson probably would have been better with an edge.

[cct]

Yes. Carter Jones (Galen's ex) set the fire, I believe. Natalie thought he was a sweet man who visited her in the hospital during her stay, but the audience really knew who he was...

It was Kate Collins that lost her sight in the fire, but Melody Anderson that awoke in the hospital, yes?

This was fall of 92?

[Khan]

Yes.

[SFK]

Yup, her first scene was in the hospital bed with her eyes bandaged and she was so sweet and almost ingenue-like, not one note about her said "Natalie" (or "Kate Collins", if I'm being fair). Speaking of Galen (thanks cct), I wonder if she'd auditioned for that part and got Natalie instead. I've wondered the same thing about Carmen Duncan and that art curator character on AW.

[juniorz1]

Me too! Maureen McCormick was the PERFECT Rebecca. Maureen played her as an icy bitch and fit the role to a "T". Andrea Evans played her as a caricature, as she most often does. Of all the actors/actresses in daytime that are treated like goddesses, Andrea Evans is the one that makes me scratch my head the hardest. Karen Witter came onto 'OLTL' and within 2 months, it was like, THIS is Tina Lord! Who the hell was that IDIOT that Andrea Evans was playing?

Eh, touche on Collier. I practically baited you on that one!

And let's face it- Hart died the second that Leonard Stabb was in that handgliding accident. He was perfection.

Really? She had me from her 1st scene in the bubble bath. Anne Heche's arrival is when I finally took notice of AW again. I hadn't been truly interested since Nancy Frangione, Anna Stuart, and Julie Osburn left (the first time(s))

Jarring??? That's putting it mildly. It didn't help that they changed actresses during a party sequence and that skimpy size 0 spaghetti strapped orange dress jumped to a size 6 and sweet-voiced, calculating Paulina was suddenly a bull in a china closet. Evans NEVER won me over and I'm pretty sure I said so in my original post. If not, add her to the list.

Jensen Buchanan too, but some re-casts I feel like it goes without saying that they sucked.

Like Darius McCrary's Malcolm, for example.

And suddenly, JFP has the hottest black men joining Y&R since......well, Shemar!

But she's the devil and will RUIN Y&R, right dragonflies?

WOW! I'm shocked!

I didn't count her as a recast because she was playing Ashley when I started watching so to me, she's the original. But I totally disagree. She went from being an advertisement for dark roots, greasy hair, thick black eyebrows with "blonde" hair, and the voice of an incapable telemarketer to the beautiful, intelligent, classy, princess of the Abbott family she always should have been.

But then again, had Eileen stayed on Y&R, Carrington Garland probably would have played SB's Kelly til the end.

Oh well. Everything happens for a reason.

Actually, Chris Robinson and Laurence Lau played pivotal roles. Yeah, Robinson wasn't around for as long as the others (save Miller) but his character drove story for almost 2 years.

Lau was pivotal, but you always were wondering why the hell Lisa and Vicky were so hung up on Jamie? He was such a dork. It would be one thing if they were playing up the money factor, but Vicky was already rich in her own right. Her attraction to Jamie was completely sexual and Lisa was actually in love with the loser.

When Russell Todd finally showed up, it was like "Where have YOU been for the past 4 years?" Now there was a guy whose cock was worth fighting over.

As for Philiece Sampler and Denise Alexander, the less said about them, the better.

[P.J.]

I know I was starting to wonder if you were okay, it took so long to get a response from ya!

I'm not sure "perfection" is the word for it---but Grillo was certainly not the somewhat cornpone character who hung with his horses at the ol' family ranch.

You're aware John calling Ash "my beauty" started while Eileen was in the part, yes? "Princess" is probably a good way to describe Epperson's version, but that's certainly not a good thing. Ash went from being independent and intelligent to a woman treated like a fragile five year old...not a match for or an equal to Jack.

[juniorz1]

You are aware that calling Eileen Davidson "my beauty" from 1983-1987 would be the equivalent of calling Brenda Dickson "my rock" from 1987-2012, yes?

[juniorz1]

I don't EVER remember Epperson's Ashley being treated like a fragile five year old (you must be thinking of ED's first or last run) during her time on the show. Ashley was tough as nails, went head to head with Mari Jo Mason, and certainly was MORE than a match and equal to Jack.

1:58

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KpqsTylyddw

3:08- I don't believe this clip has EVER been posted here and Brenda's Ashley SERVES Jack. SO sick of hearing that Brenda's Ashley was such a victim who had no backbone because it wasn't the case. Clearly, some of you weren't paying attention back then, and 1994 was one of Y&R's strongest years of All-Time IMO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2WDaEfzPSuQ

[DRW50]

I tend to think of Eileen's Ashley as tough on the surface, weak inside, Brenda softer on the surface, stronger inside. Eileen's Ashley repeatedly fell for unavailable men, had two complete mental breakdowns, aborted a baby she wanted solely because of Victor.

I felt like Chris Robinson just sort of floated around AW until Jason Frame suddenly became evil in order to have a reason for a murder mystery. They likely hired him because of his chemistry with Denise Alexander, then did nothing with it. The only time I enjoyed watching the character was his brief feud with Rachel and Mac over the Frame farm and business.

[P.J.]

Y'know, it's just my overall lasting impression of her. She's the mope sitting in her window seat, mooning over the infinity necklace Victor sent her (even though she thinks it's from her dead husband), getting dissed by a bratty Victoria, and receiving the infamously horrendous "rap proposal" video from Brad.

She's my Lindsay Frost, that's all.

And dark, heavy eyebrows were in at the time, damn it. Blame Brooke Shields.

[DRW50]

I loved Lindsay Frost as Betsy, although that's just based on Youtube and my Meg Ryan apathy. If I was watching at the time I'm not sure how I'd feel.

[P.J.]

I was actually okay with Lindsay Frost (and I actually love her when she turns up now, although that's less and less now) until she slept with Josh. Then I was done.

Marland went way WAY overboard trying to justify the redemption of that rapist.

[EastMA2]

I'm a big fan of Elaine Princi, but her Linda Anderson role on Days wasn't great, compared to Margaret Mason.