What the hell is happening behind the scenes now?
Looks like contract negotiations are getting a little rough with Peter Reckell. KC, you can't go dicking around with people like Peter Reckell. Your show can't handle that right now. The guy has stood by you through thick, thin, and runny.
This is going to be a very quick entry, as I'm starving and I haven't had my tea yet, so I'm a little fuzzy-headed until a little caffeine dissipates the purple haze a bit.
BILLIE
Let's face it - Billie had an expiration date, and we're way past it now. The best they can do for a love interest for the character is a guy who dated her daughter and slept with her mother. She's the worst ISA on the planet (and on Days right now, that's really saying something), and outside of snooping through drawers and irritating EJ, what the hell else can they really give her to do? You've got too many damn cops, ISAs, detectives, and FBI agents on this show. Get rid of some. You shouldn't need twenty law enforcers to bring down an eighty year old man who hangs out at home and drinks ninety-five percent of the time we see him.
Which brings us to...
ROMAN
I don't really want to say it, because I try to stay away from specifically naming the actors I don't think can act, but Josh Taylor can't act. There. It's out there. I feel pretty good about it. Roman hasn't been useful since...um...well...Wayne Northrop. Bo has been doing a perfectly good job of towing the line. Any information Roman moseys on in to drawl at his not-always-dynamic duo can be found on the internet, which can handily be accessible at any time thanks to those tablet thingies he gave Bo and Hope months ago that we've never seen them actually use. It's time to send the guy out to pasture. His kids are grown, his baby brother ain't no baby, and the show has Rafe, aka Roman 2.0.
JENNIFER
There was a time when I would have said, "What? You can't have her! Take Marlena instead!" but with Jack gone, Jennifer will be rendered useless again. She and Jack, as parents to crazy ol' Abigail, balanced each other out. What little story they've gotten has been about keeping their family together. Keep the family together, Days, on or off-screen. A DiMera (sort of) is mayor right now. Eggs are being stolen. CEOs are being hired and fired. Kids are hiding under tables. Safe houses are blowing up, and prominent citizens of Salem are dying. Jack and Jennifer have plenty of stuff they could be writing about or investigating for the Spectator. Abby could have been an intern. It's all about family, right?
But I digress. Where Jack goes, Jennifer should follow.
GABI
Should I even waste characters on this one? She's boring as arse, there's no viable love interest for her, she has no real relationship with her brother, and, when it comes to crazy interloper, she ain't no Abby.
KAYLA
Kayla is in a similar situation as Jennifer was when she first made her way back to Salem without her clever, charming, charismatic husband at her side. You can't bring back half a super couple. You just can't. That's all I'm going to say about that.
ABE
I flip-flop on this one, simply because I think he's got potential outside of his relationship with Lexie, if it's written properly. He's a soon-to-be widow who is going to find himself raising his autistic son alone. If he's given a good story, something heartfelt and real, I wouldn't mind keeping the big lug at least until that story plays out. If the writers can't do it (and do it well), he should pack up that adorable tyke of his and ship out to Boston.
LUCAS
I know, right? People are asking, "Why not Rafe?" Well, it's because, whether I like it or not, Rafe serves a purpose. They just haven't entirely figured out what that purpose is. He has some good chemistry with Carrie (who I've heard is coming back after her unceremonious firing only a week ago) that could be nurtured if they're given a decent story, and if Carrie is written as less of a self-righteous shrew. If the writers let it stick for more than a couple of weeks (and if Peter Reckell stays), I could see them working together. Also, whether the character is fighting or friendly with Nicole, there are sparks there. He doesn't have to be limited to one pairing, as he has been for the past three or four years
Unfortunately, Lucas is a one-woman guy. He has two love interests right now - Sami and Kate. If you find yourself in a love triangle that includes your mother for way over a decade, you're doomed. I appreciate Lucas' history on the show. He's a legacy character, and I respect that. However, he returned to the canvas and found himself quickly painted into the same corner he was in when he left. I had originally thought that if we were going to be stuck with Madison, writers might as well have given she and Lucas a try together. It's a similar dynamic (Kate hates Madison, Madison hates Kate, etc.), but he'd be able to interact with far more characters (Brady, Ian, and John, for instance). Lucas is trapped in a vacuum right now. Someone needs to pull the plug.
So there you have it. Like I said, there's already a second part to this list a-brewin' in my head, but I must take my leave of you now. In the meantime, let's cross our fingers and pray that Peter Reckell gets what he's after. We need that boy.
Tea. I need tea.
Great thoughts as always Diggy!
ReplyDeleteThe bottom line is that if they're going to clean house, which they most assuredly are since the $$$ are pretty tight, they should at least put some thought into it and remove the many useless characters from the Salem canvas. Unfortunately, Days has had a great deal of difficulty distinguishing useful, popular, charismatic, essential characters from worn-out, unpopular, boring, and unnecessary nuisances.
Billie really needs to go - in fact, she shouldn't even be there right now.
The corner they've painted Lucas into - yet again - really doesn't give him any purpose beyond hanging onto his mother's coattails and subjecting the viewing audience to his tepid brother-sister chemistry with Sami. As with the Billie return, this one remains a complete mystery. In most scenes, he awkwardly stands around or hangs onto Sami or Kate rather like a handbag (and not of the expensive, designer variety - rather of the knockoff variety), stands around looking awkward, or angrily berates the two females in his life (Kate and Sami) for being their true selves. Yeah, useless.
I look forward to Part II of the continuing saga of Days departures. I've agreed with all of these and I'm sure I'll continue to do so. :)
Hey Diggy,
ReplyDeleteICAM. And, as much as I hate Rafe, I see more opportunity for potential chemistry between the actor and other actresses than there is for BD and the remaining fems. There's a lot of deadwood on the show.
If Days is smart, they'll use this time to clean house and add a bit of green to their wallet. Wish they'd invest the $$$ saved for excellent writing. That would save the day.
I can't disagree with any of your comments regarding the aforementioned characters, but you were faaaaaaaaar more charitable to Rafe than I would have been. He's the wooden Indian in a tobacco store. He's doesn't even rate a meh.
ReplyDeleteTrue enough. Still, I've got a pretty strong suspicion Rafe will be one of the last men standing, so we might as well make the best of it. Even if the best isn't very good.
Delete"If you find yourself in a love triangle that includes your mother for way over a decade, you're doomed".
ReplyDeleteHa ha, true. Can you pass the message along to the ppl over at B&B, so they can get rid of Ridge? Then they can bring Nick back for Brooke :-).
I wouldn't waste any time on Gaby either, what a bore! Thanks for a great column.
I never thought of it that way before but you're right.
ReplyDeleteSami/Lucas/Kate triangle really is all the storyline Lucas has.
After almost twenty years that's just sad.
I can't disagree with any of your cuts and I'd add Daniel, even though I like him.
I disagree with you : a character should not be limited to the so called 'supercouple' he/she is involved in, it is unfair to the actors and their characters and a far too much simplistic written characterisation.
ReplyDeleteSo Jennifer Horton is certainly needed, no matter who she fucks for a time. And i love love Jack but as well as with Jennifer i can see him without the so called 'partner' he is/was written with ad nauseam..for example i really liked him with Sami few years ago.
And i disagree about Rafe : he is dull, useless and really annoying, even Carrie (who is needed as the Brady heroine, good girl) deserves better ! Rafe and his family should be the first to be let go. Majority want it, it is time to listen to us if you want to save your show Corday !! As the blue collar 'hero' Roman is far more legitimate, Josh Taylor or not !! Roman is Sami and Carrie's father, he is needed, Rafe NOT.
As for Lucas well he is good as Sami frenemy, friends but the lover doesn't work..actually the character doesn't work well in the romance department..maybe writers should be search a new love interest for him (since they so want new characters) and keep him as a sidekick, he is not leading man material, never has been never will be and i like Lucas but it is the truth.
And why Nicole is not in your 'cut' list, how she is needed ? Her stories are lame, she has not ties, they even have to make remake of Sami's stories to give her a purpose..it is pathetic, a Nicole's pregnancy ?! Really writers ? How original..how stupid..how lame..ZZZZZZZZZZZZZ
I'll be honest - I've had so much fun replying to your comments that I had to do it again!
DeleteObviously I don't have to remind you that all of this is my opinion, and, of course, I have absolutely no impact on the show, so my Jedi mind powers won't make any of these firings happen. :D
Look at how many people commented on my other blog that I was too kind to Rafe. These are people who hate Rafe and won't be talked out of it. Trust me - I'm no Rafe fan, but I'm a person watching the show and going by storyline potential.
The same goes for Jennifer. My opinion that Jennifer should leave has nothing to do with the actress and whether or not I think she should be tethered to a super couple for all time. My issues are that the character, in my own personal opinion, hasn't grown. She hasn't changed. Since she's been back, she hasn't added anything to the canvas except a boring triangle and some implausible (even by soap standards) scenes in which her heart was ripped from her chest then reinserted like someone putting a book back on a shelf. From a storyline point of view, Jennifer still being in town after Jack leaves does a huge disservice to both Jack and Jennifer, even as individuals. Jennifer bounced back and forth between Jack and Daniel for many weeks, and it was tedious (for me, anyways - which is the only person I'm thinking of when I'm writing). You have to remember, whether it's unfair for the actress or not, I'm thinking of myself first, which sounds selfish, but that's what this blog is about - it's me bitching and complaining, or loving and praising, a show from my point of view. I love Shawn Christian, and I'd hate for someone to lose their job - especially over something that is beyond their control - but I'm of the opinion that the character doesn't bring anything to the table. This isn't Melissa's fault, and wanting Kayla gone isn't Mary Beth's fault. They've been done somewhat of a disservice by writers - they've been written in such a way that they have no real identity outside of their couple, which is what I meant but obviously wasn't able to articulate properly because you seem to want my head on a platter! :D
It's the same as you saying you hate Rafe and want him off the show because he's useless. You aren't taking into consideration that someone might lose their job. You hate the character, you think the actor is awful (no disagreement there, to be honest), and you want him gone. What you feel about the actor is irrelevant. I'm sure Josh Taylor is a wonderful person, or maybe he isn't - who knows? But I'm of the opinion that he isn't a great actor and he has no storyline potential, therefore I deem him to be unnecessary, whether he has kids on the canvas or not. But, of course, you have your reasons to want to keep him, and they are perfectly valid reasons. I won't change them, and no one can change mine.
Thanks again, Mystery Commenter, for letting me be privy to your opinion! Always appreciated! :)
Brilliantly said my dear! The need for Lucas was to get rid of Rafe, but Rafe is starting to look pretty good compared to Lucas. I would have loved for Madison to come back.
ReplyDeleteKayla without Steve is dull as fuck, and might I add, annoying.
Gabi, well, yeah.
I was happy about Billie (Lisa Rinna) coming back, but Lisa Rinna ruined it. Now I am waiting for her to go.
Loved what you said about Lucas! I find it funny that for the ten years before he was gone, his dialogue was pretty much the same. He then leaves for FOUR years. And when he comes back, his dialogue is still the same. Way to show character growth there!!
ReplyDeleteBillie, Jennifer, Kayla: Well once Jack leaves, there is no need for Jennifer, and the other two are just so utterly useless.
I, too, will leave Gabi as it is. She is one of THE most boring characters to ever grace a tv show, let alone a daytime drama.
Check, check, and check. Can't disagree with your recommendations. Billie and Gabi are the worst, and I never could stand Abe. I fall asleep whenever he's on-screen as it is. Without Lexie making him tolerable, I have no use for him whatsoever.
ReplyDeleteI see what you're saying, but I'd still keep Lucas over Rafe. Rafe's just too darn dull, and he's been on constantly for too long.
ReplyDeleteAs to Jennifer, she may be one of my favorites (I mean, real Jennifer, not the version we've long been subject to seeing), but she needs to exit with Jack. The truth is, for me at least, it was Jennifer's faith and tenacious love for Jack that won me over to her in the first place, and I've had no use for this awful character the show tried to make her into to try to move her past him. I unapologetically think supercouples should stick together. Sometimes, a character's love for another character IS a defining trait, and that's true of both Jack and Jennifer. The show trying to tell me Jennifer loved Dan was just awful, because I knew it wasn't true.
Billie and Gabi seem like no brainers to me. I don't know why Days is bothering with them.
They really need to bring Viv back,at least she stirs up some excitement. I agree about Gabby, totally a bore. Mia wasn't this boring and that's saying something. If Stefano is really dead, who are they going to blame for everything bad that happens? Maybe he'll come back as a vampire, hope they saved the coffin.
ReplyDelete