A Cynic Soaps Up, By Kate Brown - A Shrewd and Insightful Look into AMC, OLTL and Noteworthy Others

Come and knock on our door
We've been waiting for you
Where the kisses are hers and hers and his
Three's Company, too!

The Pepper Pot Players are happy to announce their winter production will be Three’s Company starring:

Maureen Gorman ………………… Janet
Aidan Devane ……………………..Jack
Kendall Hart……………………….Chrissy
Edmund Grey……………………….Mr. Roper
Brooke English……………………...Mrs. Roper
Larry…………………………………TBD

The understudy for Ms. Gorman will be Maria Santos-Grey

I interviewed the Pepper Pot’s stage manager/director Axel Green and he was not a happy camper:

“ To be honest, this is the worst cast I have worked with. None of them have checked their egos at the stage door, I can tell you that! First of all, Ms. Gorman Santos whatever-the heck her name is just won’t take direction if I dare call her “Maria” on a day when she is feeling more “Maureen.”

And then Aidan, whoa! I mean his is a looker, but if only he could speak without sounding like he has a mouth full of bangers and mash. Without enunciation the subtext of the dialogue is lost, I tell you, lost.

And then Miss Hart. A lovely girl and goodness knows she would have chemistry with a door knob, but she insists that somehow Ms Erica Kane is behind Janet having more lines than Chrissy! As if the Pepper Pot could be so lucky as to have a wonderful woman like Ms. Kane take an interest in little old us.

OMG and don’t get me started on Mr. Grey. At first it seemed like perfect casting. I mean he has no sense of humor and neither does Mr. Roper. But he thinks because he has had a Pulitzer, he should get to re-write so that Janet and Jack never are on stage at the same time. I mean Ok, so he had sex with Roxanne Pulitzer, does than make him a writer? I think not.

And then there is Miss English. Well, at least I got her to stop crying. Now if only I could her to stop saying “I’m sorry” every time something goes wrong. At first it was endearing but now it’s getting rather old, you know what I mean?

And I am having such trouble casting Larry. At first Roger Smythe agreed. I thought his droll delivery would be the perfect counterpoint to the play’s buffoonery. Then he died. It happens. Then I found another perfect Larry. Leo DuPres. Then he died. I am beginning to feel as if taking the role of Larry is tantamount to being the drummer for Spinal Tap.

I am not complaining, mind you. I am a professional. It is my job to pull this cast together and I will. But first I need to go catch a meeting.”

I have decided to start the New Year by saying what I like about AMC right now:

I am surprised to find myself enjoying the Kendall/Aidan/Maria troika. It isn’t perfect story telling but it has some positive things. Aidan has the most chemistry with these two, so it works for his character. Maria needs another friend besides Aidan. Even if it is Kendall “you are such a girl” Hart. And it would be good for Kendall to learn that women do make great friends. That not all women are the enemy.

And women making great friends is exactly what I like about Fusion. Sure this storyline also has major holes in it. For example, why did the super-controlling parents of Joni and Laurie let them pull an all nighter with strangers? And why do I think that whole “special” episode was just to show us that Petey can dance like his father? AMC does many things a lot better than other soaps, but stand-alone episodes are not their forte.

That said, it is wonderful to see women on a soap doing something besides competing with each other over some man. I can only applaud that.

As I applaud the way TPTB are having Greenlee mourn Leo. That she has not recovered overnight. That grieving people are not always noble. Sometimes they are really selfish. And angry. And bitchy. And sad. Rebecca Budig is doing a great job in portraying the roller coaster Greens is riding.

We have Fusion adding a whole new dynamic to AMC. And over on Front Street we have the clinic adding another dimension.

It seems like this not going to be just a pit stop for David. Janelle Anderson is a pretty strong character in her own right. It seems Reggie will be sticking around. I am looking forward to seeing exactly how well Janelle and Jackson know each other. The Front Street neighborhood once played an important part on AMC. I hope that it will again.

AMC also, finally, has a competent therapist. I am loving Lysistrata. Her first scenes with Greenlee were so well done. She is able to empathize with her clients’ pain without making herself part of it. Now if she could only get Zeke McMillan on her couch……

I even find myself liking Jamie. Micah Alberti has relaxed into the role nicely. This Jamie is a keeper and I hope TPTB see it that way, too.

(And no, I am not discussing nunuJR. I am talking about what I like about AMC right now.)

I like that the “William” story has ended. I was afraid it was going to turn into “Nightmare Adoption on Elm Street.” Maybe the writer who had the bad adoption experience and hated therapists has left the building?

All My Schmattes

George Clooney was in my dreams the other night. It turned out his aunt, Rosemary, had not died after all. George asked me to help him pick out clothes for her next concert tour. And why did he ask me? Because he really enjoys “All My Schmattes.” Hey, it was my dream remember? We had a good time, except for a slight disagreement about a hat. Boy, can that George throw a hissy fit when he doesn’t get his way.

I have a suggestion for the costumers at AMC: please watch the Fusion episode again. See how beautifully elegant Liza looks in that all white outfit? Take notes so she can look that great every day. And see how ridiculous Maggie looks in that hat? Take notes so she never looks that way again.

The AMC list

1. I understand they want Joni to be the counterpoint to JR and Laurie’s behavior. It would be more effective and she would be a bit more sympathetic, if she was not such a judgmental counterpoint.

2. It was great seeing Derrick. It was not great seeing Derrick be incompetent. I would think if one was searching the bus station for a male fugitive, the first person you would notice would be the only male inside the bus station wearing a hat and sunglasses.

3. Wouldn’t it have made more sense for Robin to fly over to PV so Anna would not have to fly alone to Zurich? After all, it is questionable whether a six month pregnant woman should be flying at all, let alone flying by herself?

4. Do the writers really think a dinner in a cold, smelly stable is romantic? Or maybe I just am not a romantic. Or maybe the writers have no idea how smelly a stable is.

5. And I have to address Liza’s comment to Adam, “Must you be such a cynic?” Why, yes, Liza I must!!!

I hope everyone reading this had wonderful holidays.

I am curious what you think about the clinic storyline. I look forward to hearing from you.