By Marlena Delacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman For any soap opera, a “love to hate” character is money in the bank. Fascinated by their endless power to manipulate other characters and instigate interesting plots, these diabolical characters are adored by audiences who avidly follow all that they do. “Love to hate” characters … [Read more...]
Sunday Reflections 7: Central Actors’ Leave-takings on Days of Our Lives, Bold & Beautiful and General Hospital; Headlocks and Diction on B&B and GH; One Strange Interview from B&B
August 25, 2012 by 6 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix a.k.a. Connie Passalacqua Hayman Days of Our Lives, The Bold and the Beautiful, General Hospital: When I used to work on newspapers it was journalistic thinking that a list of three of anything -- three sightings of groovy over-the-knee boots on the subway, three Hollywood divorces, three murders in a Queens … [Read more...]
When All Soaps Are In Lockstep, Is Improvement Possible?
November 16, 2010 by 20 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix What's a soap critic to do? There are only six soaps. I have a long memory and remember the very early 90s, when Bill Bell originated the homeless storyline with Stephanie, which way proceeded the current one. Ken Corday is an enemy of free speech; he sought to destroy the critical arm of Soap Opera Weekly years ago. But … [Read more...]
Kiboshing Kish: Betrayal and Malfeasance
March 16, 2010 by 21 Comments
By Marlena De Lacroix I've had a lot of problems with One Life to Live over the last two years, but Kish (Kyle and Fish) was never one of them. The shocking write-off of these characters is wrong, wrong, wrong on so many levels. Of all the ways this failing soap could be improved, dumping Kish NOW isn't one of them. Goodbye Kish: Scott Evans … [Read more...]
Marlena’s Midsummer Night’s Questions
July 14, 2009 by 30 Comments
Thinking Fans' summer thoughts on Destiny et al.: JTG says Shenell Edmonds' Destiny is no stereotype. "It's obvious OLTL's writers are positioning Destiny as Matthew's first girlfriend. Most of the time, the stereotypical 'mammy' character is either sexless or oversexed. That is not the case with Destiny" ... while Mike Goldberg confides Destiny … [Read more...]
One Life to Live: Defending Dorian
June 17, 2009 by 17 Comments
Thinking Fans defend Dorian, too: Rebecca demands, "Dorian has always been a great soap villainess. I have a big problem thinking that she actually was in her cups at the party she hosted for Markko -- as we all know, soap villains do not lose control. I want the indomitable, formidable woman that Dorian is back on screen, giving no quarter to her … [Read more...]
Soap January: Bombs Away!
January 29, 2009 by 22 Comments
Thinking Fans Comment Update: Steve's take on AMC's "January stunts" is "I don't know if I can think of a more blatant example of the type of heartless sickness that has wounded soaps" ... and S. Woods adds: "The crud on offer from these soaps is giving tastelessness a bad name" ... while Twb6y optimistically doesn't believe John and Marlena are … [Read more...]
On the Soap Shrink’s Couch: One Life to Live’s Dorian Cramer Lord, Part Two
July 14, 2008 by 7 Comments
Thinking Fans Comment Update: CeCe says Dorian should leave Llanview ... cher wonders if Dorian is ready for therapy ... Dale tries to imagine a "good" Dorian. See Comments below. _________________________ Part 2 of a 2-part OLTL 40th anniversary appointment! By Damon L. Jacobs When we left off on Friday, we discussed Dorian's symptoms which … [Read more...]
