Unpopular opinions: cancelled soaps edition

[Forever8]

Though I like his acting and certain stories he was in to me, Trevor St. John was checked out performance wise on One Life To Live after 2006. I felt like when they stopped going forward with that pairing, Todd/Victor was going to have with Evangeline, and they decided to go back with Blair for the 250th time. It became obvious he wanted to be anywhere but on that set. Though, he great chemistry with Florencia Lozano as Tea and with his on-screen children. Even Ted King on his SOD podcast interview admitted when he was on as Tomas TSJ didn't want to be there.

 

[Frank2803]

I noticed Roger Howarth also checked out various times during his stint as Todd.

Edited September 30, 2021 by Frank2803

[Mitch]

I love DAM but..someone who was trying to kill a child....and while yes, he did try to kill Reva...depending on who you talk to that should have gotten him a medal...it was hard.  I know they kind of explained it as when he fell it knocked whatever tumor was in his head loose so he was more normal but...here is something non popular...I HATED Scott Holmes as Tom..he was stodgy, cranky and stiff.  I think DAM would have been a great recast..yes, it would have been another de-aging of Tom but he would have made Tom fun, and sexy again.

 

HA..they backed off of that as the "internet" found out and went nuts...only a core group of, uh, women of a certain age..loved Cole and it came out when word got out..they just wanted to pretend everyone loved him so they backed off. They were also going to make Ashley Rick's daughter when he donated sperm but wisely canned that idea. What I think they should have done and can't believe they didn't, is make a daughter of Rick/Annie be alive..(didnt they say Annie miscarried Rick's kid) they LOVED pumping the Annie well, can you see a teenage version of Annie, who comes on acting all sweet, but has an agenda, coming in and being a Bauer too.."Michele, did anyone ever tell you that your annoying???"

[Bill Bauer]

Maybe Gentry just plays angry son better than he does concerned father. 

[Spoon]

That leads me to another unpopular opinion...Richard van Fleet wasn't a bad Ed at all. He shared more qualities with Mart Hulswit than Peter Simon ever did.  RVF running around Beiruit especially gave me MH vibes.

Rick could've easily have had a kid with Abby as she left town right after their split. I hated Ashley but at least making her a Bauer would give her a point as opposed to local rando with no strong ties to canvas.

[vetsoapfan]

I think the weak, unfocused writing and tone of the overall show at that point did him in. The show did not seem to know whom they wanted Ed Bauer to be, who he had been in the past, or what to do with him. TPTB have to understand the history of a legacy character, and have a solid plan for him, if they choose to return him to the canvas. This was not the case with Gentry's Ed, sadly. Another World spectatularly failed with Jacqueline Courtney's return as Alice in 1984 too. TPTB never learn. 

Please register in order to view this content

[Chris 2]

I liked Richard Van Vleet, but he was also the first Ed I ever saw. I like him less now that I’ve heard Susan Pratt’s stories about what he was like on set (“I used to be a big deal on All My Children!”)

As for Robert Gentry: I never saw him during his original run, but he seemed like a complete miscast upon his return. I’m guessing too much time had passed (something like 30 years) since he originally played the role, and the character had changed.

[Spoon]

That's how I feel about Peter Simon, he was my first Ed. When I started reading forums people would rave about "70s Ed" Mart Hulswit, later saw clips with him, Mike and Roger and I could see the warmth and energy that PS's Ed lacked by comparison.

 

 

[Frank2803]

Adding on about Peter Simon's Ed came off like a wuss.

I could not believe this guy could stand up to likes of Roger Thorpe and Alan Spaulding 

Although a smaller guy I could buy Justin Dea's Buzz being a tough guy and standing up to the two big bullies of Springfield 

Edited September 30, 2021 by Frank2803

[Bill Bauer]

I couldn't stand Peter Simon. I actually have a bad physical reaction when he pops up on screen. I'm not entirely sure why. I actually prefer Richard van Vleet and that's saying a lot!

[Liberty City]

I concur.

[Mitch]

Lord..more then one person saying they liked RVF as Ed..the world has gone MAD!!  I never like PS, I know he is a good actor but he comes across as so..disinterested and cold.  I heard they tried to get MH back but I just can't see Rauch and MADD and that group wanting to bring back a "fat" guy!

 

Ashley was.uh a bit bigger...so she could have been a Bauer...(I like the Bauers to look like real people with some meat on their bones..following in Charita's mode..) and she was always butting in and giving people unwanted advice so yea. I can't see Abby hiding that fact from Rick, especially as that was the reason they gave for her wanting to leave, she wanted to focus on her career and delay kids...plus I always  wanted a bad Bauer on screen..and imagine an Annie offspring!

Deas Buzz had a Napolean complex...and that worked except for the fact that no one brought him down a peg or two. I can see bulldog Buzz going after the big guys but I can' see Alan or Roger being intimidated by him. If by tough you mean loud..yes.

Following along the theme, an unpopular opinion might be that O'leary never came back as Rick and they recast the role either at the time they brought Rick back...(JFP was throwing a bone to fans in the aftermath of Mo dying) or later on, around the time O'leary indulged in his worst tendancies of mugging and thinking he was daytime's Bill Murray and lets face it, when he got sloppy fat!

 

[Soaplovers]

I will say I actually liked Barbara Crompton as Mindy.  It's just that the show kept her in the Nick.and Alexandra too long.  The last few months of her stint, she felt more like Mindy..and had a good rapport with Robert Newman at Lewis Oil when she was working there..and had chemistry with MOL (who came back a few weeks before she left).

I would have preferred Simms be the Mindy to make visits in the last several years.  She had matured Mindy..and I always felt KT regressed Mindy maturity wise.

[Bill Bauer]

 

Oh, I never said I liked RVF. I actually didn't like him at all. I just preferred him over Peter Simon. That's not saying much though. 

[Mitch]

That's weird as that was the time I felt she came to life was during her last few months out of the dark cloud of Alex/Nick and with her family and Rick. Agree, she was one of the few women who had that kind of chemistry with him on screen.