Sheffer (with the encouragement from Corday) was the one who took the easy way by making Tony good and Andre bad instead of keeping Tony as one, dark, complex character.

The easy way? I'd like to see anyone create a viable character from the Andre a.k.a. "Tony" of the Reilly 2000s.

I really don't get the TP love.I find his acting style annoying

I think he is great. He is completely unique on daytime and has a line delivery all his own. It doesn't always seem realistic because no one else talks like him, but if people go with it he always delivers. Actors trying for hyper realism are all over soaps because they don't have the talent to give a little extra more. Thaao is able to play outlandish evil villains and you go with it, and then he can turn around and play a believable relationship with Leann Hunley. If we run down the list of current soap stars and emmy winners, I am not sure which of the could have played Evil Tony as well as he did.

He is one of my faves would love to see him and Kristen again

True, but Tony was already an absolute cartoon by that point. The 2002-03 Tony was interesting. The one who got mauled by a tiger, walked around behind Marlena telling her to kill people, trained with a Samurai master, kidnapped Philip in a war zone, etc., was a ridiculous, over-the-top villain. JER 2.0 did so much damage to Tony that I don't think it would've been possible to play him as much besides a Stefano-lite. But yeah, the 2007 retcon then created so many holes and so much confusion that Tony just feels… lost.

I agree that Reilly took him too far in 2004-2005 (minus the samurai part which I thought was awesome). But they could have changed that easily by writing that Andre took Tony's place right before Melaswen. Remember that Tony was going to reveal who the Salem Stalker was at the circus, so Andre could have decided to have Tony "killed" to silence him. Or they could have written that Andre took Tony's place in 2003 when he was in a coma. At the night of the Basic Black fashion show, when Bo and Hope were attack and the Salem Stalker storyline started, Tony went missing at the hospital for a few hours.

The easy way? I'd like to see anyone create a viable character from the Andre a.k.a. "Tony" of the Reilly 2000s.

See above answer. There was no reason to rewrite who the character had been for 20 years when it would have been enough with 3-4 years.

I think he is great. He is completely unique on daytime and has a line delivery all his own. It doesn't always seem realistic because no one else talks like him, but if people go with it he always delivers. Actors trying for hyper realism are all over soaps because they don't have the talent to give a little extra more. Thaao is able to play outlandish evil villains and you go with it, and then he can turn around and play a believable relationship with Leann Hunley. If we run down the list of current soap stars and emmy winners, I am not sure which of the could have played Evil Tony as well as he did.

THIS!

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/OdessaCee1">@OdessaCee1</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/billymflynn">@billymflynn</a> Dear Mr. Flynn, Be ready for Thursday when DiMera confronts DiMera.</p>&mdash; Thaao Penghlis (@ThaaoPenghlis) <a href="

@OdessaCee1 @billymflynn Dear Mr. Flynn, Be ready for Thursday when DiMera confronts DiMera.

— Thaao Penghlis (@ThaaoPenghlis)

May 19, 2015

19, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Why is it that I love to play villains with delicious fervor and yet I love monasteries? Is not life hypocritical? Andre thinks not.</p>&mdash; Thaao Penghlis (@ThaaoPenghlis) <a href="

Why is it that I love to play villains with delicious fervor and yet I love monasteries? Is not life hypocritical? Andre thinks not.

— Thaao Penghlis (@ThaaoPenghlis)

May 20, 2015

20, 2015</a></blockquote><script async src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

I am just so happy Thaao's back and there's potential there to undo Tony's pointless death. Wasn't Tony smoking cigars when he was killed off? I wasn't really into the show at that moment in time but I heard that, and isn't that a sign of Andre?

I love that Billy Flynn is ready to work with him <3 love Flynn as Chad, even though I still laugh when Chad tries and fails to be a nasty DiMera. I'm sorry but Chad will never be a threatening kind of character.

Edited May 20, 201510 yr by KMan101

Chad is match for Andre

Maree is the only surviving original cast member? Isn't John Clarke still with us? (I know that Mickey is dead, but...)

Maree is the only surviving original cast member? Isn't John Clarke still with us? (I know that Mickey is dead, but...)

Maree Cheatham, John Clarke, Richard A. Colla (credited as Dick Colla back then and husband to Denise Alexander), and Flip Mark are still with us.

Thanks for confirming that. I was sure there was more than one left.

Loved my scenes w/ Deidre Hall today Tomorrow it's my fave "Oh Sami." Thank goodness 4 all the scripts coming DiMera's way Daddy's next week

— Thaao Penghlis (@ThaaoPenghlis)

June 4, 2015

Aww. Thaao sounds so happy to be back. I love it.

A Few Good Dudes pic.twitter.com/DIquy1oYCh

— Stephen Nichols (@officialnichols)

June 4, 2015