Hey everyone -- it's Dan. This week's Two Scoops columnist is on vacation and I didn't want to leave you folks without something to read. So instead of having you flood me with questions asking where the column is, I decided to preempt that and write a little something for you this week. It's been a while since I wrote a Two Scoops column so don't be too harsh. And here we go...
Poor Annie Lavery... the girl has lost her mind. I can understand talking to a dead loved one, I know that a lot of people find comfort in that. But, um, most people do not talk to someone that they had a hand (or maybe two in this case) in killing! I guess you do whatever you have to in order to get by. I have to admit that Annie was never a favorite character of mine. The moment Melissa Claire Egan stepped onto the screen in July 2006, I kept thinking, "This woman should have been the 'new' Greenlee." The resemblance between Egan and Rebecca Budig was a little spooky. Spooky in a good way because both women are beautiful. Maybe that resemblance is why Egan changed her hair color. Then there was that whole "the real Greenlee returns" debacle and -- to make a long story short -- Annie bored me. What a difference a tire iron makes. From the moment Annie started spinning out of control, she suddenly became interesting.
Most soap fans know that when someone goes off the deep end, it usually means the end of their run on the show. This is apparently not the case for Annie. New head writer, Charles Pratt, Jr., has said that he sees a lot of potential in a crazy Annie and he wants to keep her around. Whereas a few months ago, I would have been annoyed, I'm actually looking forward to seeing what sort of damage Annie can do in her new, much-more-fun state.
Elsewhere across town, Adam Chandler is back. I'm not sure who that gray haired man was living in Chandler Mansion for the past few years or so, but it was not Adam Chandler. I love that Adam is secretly plotting to stick it to just about everyone around him. JR is so involved in his own mission to plop Babe into the Fusion throne, that he has no idea that his father is trying to undermine him. From what I hear, Adam's shenanigans will not stay a secret for long. Erica and Kendall are going to get wise to his scheme and Erica is going to try to put the screws to Adam. What happens any time Erica has a man in her life with whom she is feuding? That's right! Romance! There is a lot of storyline coming up for David Canary and Susan Lucci, an AMC pair that has oodles of chemistry. You may not want Adam and Erica as a couple, but there is no denying that Canary and Lucci light up the screen when they are together. I'm just happy that the storyline will not involve orange jumpsuits, safe rooms, or Phantom of the Opera masks.
Side question: I understand why Adam gave Carmen his credit card. It was her supposed reward for giving him a deliciously evil idea. But isn't someone at the store going to see the name on the credit card when Carmen presents it and realize that Carmen isn't Adam? Carmen is a convicted, um, criminal. I'm not sure what else to call her. Is it really wise to go into a store and run the risk of being arrested for credit card theft?
I suppose she could always go to the new fashion store in town where Randi-with-an-i works. Oh, that's right. She is now a personal assistant at Fusion. What created this hooker fantasy that we all seem to have? Pretty Woman was a huge box office hit and, admittedly, is one of my favorite movies. Jack the Ripper preyed on prostitutes. Didn't Jodie Foster win an Academy Award for playing an underage hooker? Then there is AMC, with its beautiful young woman -- who just happens to be a hooker -- who is savagely beaten by her drunken, slimy pimp and now she's been saved by the young doctor, Frankie Hubbard. I want to care -- really, I do. When Randi was initially in the hospital and refusing treatment, I found myself telling Frankie to let the woman walk. She was a completely unsympathetic character and I found her obnoxious. I'm not sure what happened, but I don't have that strong of a feeling towards Randi any more. I was intrigued by the brief exchange she had with Carmen a week or so ago. I am slated to interview Denise Vasi, who plays Randi, later in the week, so maybe she and I will go through this storyline bit by bit and figure out exactly what's going on with Randi.
Cassandra is gone. I'm not sure that I particularly care one way or another. I had so much hope for the character, but it just never panned out on-screen. Again, I am not sure what I wanted to see, but it was not a whiny, one-note character. I think YaYa DaCosta could have done so much better with meatier material. She's now moved on to an off-Broadway play, something that I hope challenges her a bit more than having to throw temper tantrums every day.
Who else haven't I addressed? Greenlee and Aidan. I hate them. No couple should be that good looking. Actually, I'm just kidding. I like that Greenlee is paired with someone new and I like Aidan actually has -- what do you call that? -- a purpose. Aside from the Maureen Gorman fiasco, name me two other storylines that Aidan has had since his debut in 2002. I'll wait... Okay, time's up. Sad, isn't it? I'd still like to see something a little deeper than just a love story. Aiden Turner must be able to do something more than just taking off his shirt and flashing a pretty smile.
I don't want to leave on a sad note, but it looks like I might have to. There is a rumored tornado coming to town and there will be at least one death. The death is said to be that of a prominent Pine Valley resident and many are speculating that it will be Eileen Herlie's Myrtle. Herlie has been in poor health recently, according to published reports, and she may be unable to return to the show in the near future. AMC used its last tornado to address the real-life death of Frances Heflin, who played Mona. Mona wasn't killed by the tornado proper, but rather she died peacefully in her sleep while the tornado was wreaking havoc on the rest of the town. I actually remember quite vividly that episode. Erica slowly descended the steps of her home with a somber look on her face. Her mother was gone.
And now I am going to leave too, but I will be around elsewhere on the site. Thanks for letting me pop in to share some thoughts on All My Children. With any luck, your regular columnists will be back next week and I can tend to updating some character profiles or interviewing a few more stars. Have a great week and feel free to use the little link at the bottom to send me email with your thoughts on my column, the show, or anything else.
dan
