Your soap character "type"

[applcin]

Yes, I had a similar reaction to her. My first impressions were based on my intermittent child/teen years catching the show here and there. So, for years, my main memories of Jillian were of an exotically beautiful attorney who made no apologies for her choices and wasn't afraid to say what she thought. Years later, as an adult getting to watch the show more completely (at least the first 6 years anyway), there were certain of her behaviors that, in other contexts or portrayals, would have turned me off yet, with Jillian, there was always something likeable. For instance, the whole willingness to be a man's mistress for years is distasteful. Yet Jillian wasn't being "kept" by Frank. She had her own very successful career and, despite her loyalty to Frank (and all the stuff Seneca pointed out to her in the early years that I was cheering him on for saying), she still carried on with her life. Yes, she pined over Frank (ad nauseum at times) but you didn't see her try to manipulate him or do something out of desperation over not having him (a la Delia). She just survived and went on about her life. You don't see that kind of nuance anymore...it's all about "if I can't have you, nobody can," "I'm gonna make you want me," entrapment, etc.

Basically, between the sophisticated writing and Nancy Addison's portrayal, I liked Jill even when I cringed at what I thought to be her misplaced devotion to a married man.

[DRW50]

Jill somehow always kept her integrity, even though on paper she should have had none. I give much of the credit to Nancy Addison, and also to some of the dialogue and speeches the character made. Some of those should have driven me nuts, but somehow they made me sympathize with her, even in that weird story where she wanted to be with the country rock folk singer while also having a future with Frank. She just acted the hell out of that, and it moved me.

[JackPeyton]

Ive been trying to think of this all week, and I have no idea. i mean, my favorite all time characters are Marlena, Maggie, Sami & Bo from Days, Lauren from YR, Ryan and Amanda from AW and Elizabeth from GH.