24 minutes ago, titan1978 said:

She has some beautiful scenes during the BJ/Maxie heart transplant, the one with Alan comes to mind. It was interesting seeing her growth as it was happening. She was mostly a selfish schemer who had a heart but was often her own worst enemy trying to social climb. But the Labine’s took Lynn’s ability to do screwball comedy and kind of revealed her to be an eccentric person more than a villain. You could see where this person was maybe a nerd at one point and her background in library science made sense. She was still often comic relief, but she was also very hot tempered and it wasn’t all a joke at her expense.

To me, her evolution began with Deception, she finally had her own ideas to stand on and saw success, and her relationships with Scotty and Dominique and being the surrogate for Serena. It kind of culminated with her part in the Damian/Bobbie storyline, and how it intersected with BJ’s accident. She had been working at being a better person and then was part of something that hurt people again, and didn’t like how it made her feel to do that to Tony and even Bobbie, who she did not ever have a good relationship with.

What I liked about Lucy is that she had the ability to have female and male friends. That probably sounds silly, but people like Luke, Sonny, and Brenda all loved her. She was fantastic as a supporting character in Stone's death. It's not really her story at all, but she made it so real with Kevin, Felicia, Mac having a huge part as well. The Labine cast was very well connected.

I adore Lucy and always will. The show wants it both ways with her today like they do a lot of characters; they're always ready to have her as the butt of the joke to shore up other characters like BLQ's business acumen in industries they shouldn't even be in, or to make her an easy utility player for virtually any story (it makes zero sense why cosmetics giant Lucy is still doing realtor work in Port Charles on the side for guys like Sidwell, Curtis, etc.). They keep Lynn busy, they value her BTS and she's clearly having a good time. But the use of Lucy is often cheap and lazy and could be so much better, beginning with Deception and how they've stripped away her supercouple with Kevin. Yes, Jon is absent right now but there are other things she could be doing with better romantic options than Martin or Sidwell in the meantime.

I've mentioned it before (not in any romantic context) but Lynn is also one of the few who can still wake up MB. He was alive with her a couple weeks ago. Putting them together in as many scenes as possible, playing on that old friendship between Sonny and Lucy that caroline remembers as well, would likely be good for him.

Edited 3 hours ago3 hr by Vee

22 minutes ago, Vee said:

I adore Lucy and always will. The show wants it both ways with her today like they do a lot of characters; they're always ready to have her as the butt of the joke to shore up other characters like BLQ's business acumen in industries they shouldn't even be in, or to make her an easy utility player for virtually any story (it makes zero sense why cosmetics giant Lucy is still doing realtor work in Port Charles on the side for guys like Sidwell, Curtis, etc.). They keep Lynn busy, they value her BTS and she's clearly having a good time. But the use of Lucy is often cheap and lazy and could be so much better, beginning with Deception and how they've stripped away her supercouple with Kevin. Yes, Jon is absent right now but there are other things she could be doing with better romantic options than Martin or Sidwell in the meantime.

I've mentioned it before (not in any romantic context) but Lynn is also one of the few who can still wake up MB. He was alive with her a couple weeks ago. Putting them together in as many scenes as possible, playing on that old friendship between the characters, would likely be good for him.

ABC had confidence enough to give Lynn the lead in a (failed) spinoff soap. She obviously has fans. Lynn is fabulous and a team player, but her work should be rewarded more.

She might not care, but the writing makes her a fool. Lucy is not a fool and it is lazy and trite.

I can watch a number of scenes with Lynn including when she learns of Stone's death and they take me out they are so good. When she silently cries at the altar at Sonny/Brenda's non wedding it is just quiet supporting work and this isn't even her best stuff. These are just background things she's doing. That's not even the leading material she did. You can use her in a better way even in recurring capacity.

22 minutes ago, carolineg said:

She might not care, but the writing makes her a fool. Lucy is not a fool and it is lazy and trite.

I don't like it when it gets too jokey, either.

I do think Lynn Herring cares, but I also believe she's a pro and a joy on the set. I see her as someone who's positive, who never complains, and who gets along with everyone. She gets ridiculous story and instead of opening her mouth, she is the consummate pro and tries to make it work.

That enables these writers not only to throw anything at her, but to be lazy and trite.

I can't see Maurice Benard or Laura Wright or Jane Elliott going along with some of the stuff Lynn Herring is fed.

25 minutes ago, ranger1rg said:

I don't like it when it gets too jokey, either.

I do think Lynn Herring cares, but I also believe she's a pro and a joy on the set. I see her as someone who's positive, who never complains, and who gets along with everyone. She gets ridiculous story and instead of opening her mouth, she is the consummate pro and tries to make it work.

That enables these writers not only to throw anything at her, but to be lazy and trite.

I can't see Maurice Benard or Laura Wright or Jane Elliott going along with some of the stuff Lynn Herring is fed.

I have always gotten really good energy from her and the late Wayne Northrup. They just seemed cool like someone you want to BBQ with lol.

I do assume when she was practically shut out after PC was cancelled she's happy to have a job and hang out with her friends and co stars. Given the fact she lost her longtime husband and her children are grown she's probably fine with having something fun to do.

She still deserves better.

I do know she was very unhappy about how she was treated at Days and spoke out about that like 35 years ago, but she's probably mellowed since.

I would give Lucy a lot more to do. But I've made that no secret lol. The audience is there for it!

5 minutes ago, Vee said:

I would give Lucy a lot more to do. But I've made that no secret lol. The audience is there for it!

As would I. Lynn has made a pretty unlikeable initial Laureton role a classic character. The audience loves her, but, hey why not more Britt instead?

Is she the only character to be introduced back then and truly survive Laureton?

40 minutes ago, carolineg said:

Is she the only character to be introduced back then and truly survive Laureton?

Seems like it. I was actually thinking about a little storyline that would revisit elements of it to give her some excitement, given the fact is she came on as the accomplice of a serial killer. Or get a bit deeper into her family - I know nothing about that beyond the hilarious Aunt Charlene (who should reappear).

GH had a good angle a few years ago where IIRC a young reporter or podcaster came to town to question Felicia about Ryan Chamberlain, but I don't think that media angle panned out much further. Something like that could today if someone got onto the scent of Laurelton, or someone else wanted revenge on ol' Lucy.

Edited 1 hour ago1 hr by Vee

Lucy was thrown away by the show decades ago. So was Felicia, but Felicia had a main character for a daughter and also a pairing they could slot her back into. Lucy had neither of those (Kevin had been gone from GH for as long as Lucy and Scott/Lucy have never worked as a true romantic pairing). While Lucy did interact with Sonny, her biggest years as a character were before he began dominating the show. She means nothing to that whole generation of fans who only watch for Sonny, Jason, Carly, Sam (when she was around), Liz, etc. That's always going to hurt her.

I do think the writing is less humiliating than it was in the last few years, faint praise as that may be.

Edited 53 minutes ago53 min by DRW50

26 minutes ago, Vee said:

Seems like it. I was actually thinking about a little storyline that would revisit elements of it to give her some excitement, given the fact is she came on as the accomplice of a serial killer. Or get a bit deeper into her family - I know nothing about that beyond the hilarious Aunt Charlene (who should reappear).

GH had a good angle a few years ago where IIRC a young reporter or podcaster came to town to question Felicia about Ryan Chamberlain, but I don't think that media angle panned out much further. Something like that could today if someone got onto the scent of Laurelton, or someone else wanted revenge on ol' Lucy.

She had a cousin right? Married to Felicia? Colton? Sorry I feel like my brain is dead right now lol.

5 minutes ago, DRW50 said:

Lucy was thrown away by the show decades ago. So was Felicia, but Felicia had a main character for a daughter and also a pairing they could slot her back into. Lucy had neither of those (Kevin had been gone from GH for as long as Lucy). While Lucy did interact with Sonny, her biggest years as a character were before he began dominating the show. She means nothing to that whole generation of fans who only watch for Sonny, Jason, Carly, Sam (when she was around), Liz, etc. That's always going to hurt her.

I do think the writing is less humiliating than it was in the last few years, faint praise as that may be.

Idk, she had a whole spin off based on her and Kevin so I don't necessarily think she disposed decades ago. They saw some value with her.

As someone that grew up in the Sonny, Jason, Carly era I never thought she was of a different generation of my viewership. I think it was an overall dicey situation when they hired KeMo as a different character and you had to explain that. Brian Frons won that round I suppose.

I think if an audience segment was going to hurt Lucy that badly it'd already have done the work. Certainly Lucy could not have survived Guza II intact, had she been around. But the mob-centric audience that only cared about them (and that did not begin watching before them, as both caroline and I did) has dwindled dramatically in recent years to say nothing of the mob's almost irrelevant story space, so I don't think any cross-section of viewers is any danger to Lucy whether they like her or not. Sure, some folks don't like her. The show uses her regardless.

I agree with @carolineg . The problem with Lucy today is not in having an audience there for her IMO; a lot of fans still love her. The problem is in that usage. She is on much more regularly lately and the show clearly cares about Lynn and wants to keep working her. The issue is how they choose to use her and the lazy habits they fall back on when they do.

Edited 41 minutes ago41 min by Vee

Just now, carolineg said:

Idk, she had a whole spin off based on her and Kevin so I don't necessarily think she disposed decades ago. They saw some value with her.

As someone that grew up in the Sonny, Jason, Carly era I never thought she was of a different generation of my viewership. I think it was an overall dicey situation when they hired KeMo as a different character and you had to explain that. Brian Frons won that round I suppose.

ABC did trust her appeal enough for a spinoff, but other than the Nurses' Ball and the Mac/Felicia wedding she no longer had any presence on GH (maybe she was at Katherine's funeral - I can't remember). So to GH viewers she became detached. When PC ended Guza/JFP were able to just give her and Kevin the appearance at Lila's funeral as a parting gift and moved on with no fuss. She did return on a more frequent basis, a decade later, but to such a different world.

I don't think any of those viewers who came into the show in the mid '90s/late '90s/early '00s have it out for Lucy, but I think she just doesn't matter to them, and that is still a big portion of who the show caters to. That's one of the reasons they can get away with moments like the ritual humiliation of Deception, and Home & Hearth or whatever it's called.

1 hour ago, carolineg said:

Is she the only character to be introduced back then and truly survive Laureton?

I can say with authority that yes, yes indeed, she is.

37 minutes ago, Vee said:

Seems like it. I was actually thinking about a little storyline that would revisit elements of it to give her some excitement, given the fact is she came on as the accomplice of a serial killer. Or get a bit deeper into her family - I know nothing about that beyond the hilarious Aunt Charlene (who should reappear).

GH had a good angle a few years ago where IIRC a young reporter or podcaster came to town to question Felicia about Ryan Chamberlain, but I don't think that media angle panned out much further. Something like that could today if someone got onto the scent of Laurelton, or someone else wanted revenge on ol' Lucy.

Perhaps Lucy's tell-all book, Lust for Death, gets a 40th anniversary reprint. It ends up luring Dr. Patrick O'Connor back from wherever he's been since 1988.

That is one cheap looking cover!

5 minutes ago, carolineg said:

She had a cousin right? Married to Felicia? Colton? Sorry I feel like my brain is dead right now lol.

At least three, in fact. Colton Shore and Decker Moss, Aunt Charlene's sons, plus Dr. Eric Simpson.

Just now, DRW50 said:

I don't think any of those viewers who came into the show in the mid '90s/late '90s/early '00s have it out for Lucy, but I think she just doesn't matter to them, and that is still a big portion of who the show caters to. That's one of the reasons they can get away with moments like the ritual humiliation of Deception, and Home & Hearth or whatever it's called.

Home & Heart isn't about that though; that's clearly a device to keep Morgan Fairchild and Susan Batten in their health insurance. Which I respect Frank for doing in principle, but you could make much better use of those two side characters as gophers at some Deception outlet store or something vs. constantly bringing back that terrible in-story TV show.

I do think a lot of '90s fans adore Lucy. I know I do. People who came in on the Fab 4 era in the early 2000s might or might not, but again, there's not enough of them left to be some audience portion that dictates her use or how it's done. It's just the show thinking Lucy can do anything, that Lynn can sell anything (she can) and therefore being too careless with how they use her.

1 minute ago, Franko said:

Perhaps Lucy's tell-all book, Lust for Death, gets a 40th anniversary reprint.

She did what?!

Edited 34 minutes ago34 min by Vee