Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

So basically Carly’s going to have a new face in two weeks. The only problem I have with it is that the new face very closely resembles another new face currently on the canvas. Color me bemused. Truly, this has been the only feeling I’ve had about Tamara Braun leaving the show. I had to laugh when I read a fellow columnists’ take on her departure, it sounded like he did everything but dress in sackcloth and ashes and rend his hair in despair. Resignation and acceptance are part of the soap watchers existence.

Get used to it.

People come and go, characters either work or they don’t. TIIC get castrated either for being cheap and not coughing up the bucks to keep a fan fave or for giving some titty-baby actor a mile high deal that everyone bitches about anyway. Same shit, different day.

When it was bandied about the ‘net that Jennifer Brandsford was the frontrunner for the plum job, I cha-cha’d over to www.soaptownusa.com and checked out her pic since I had no clue who the chick was. Only there was a problem… the only picture I saw was of Kari Wuhrer a.k.a. Reese Marshall – or was it? I had to double check because I really couldn’t tell the difference between the two. Then I looked again, and it reminded me vaguely of Jennifer Skye (ex- Sarah Webber) with dark hair. Still not sure I was in the right place I googled Jen B and finally found some pictures that clarified she was indeed a separate entity but I still think she looks like Reese2 so that’s what I’m going to call her from now on. Not Carly III, or NuNuCarly or FauxCarly or ImposterCarly or anything else you might have seen floating out there – just Reese2. Got it?

I do think Tamara Braun did a great job coming in as a recast. She added different layers to a character and an actress that was by all accounts irreplaceable. She made Carly her own. This has been talked to death I know. Sarah Brown was a 3-time Daytime Emmy winner, she originated the character – love her or hate her, Carly was hers to screw into the ground. Yada Yada Yada. Then when Sarah announced she was leaving, well hell – you might as well have told people there was no Santy Claus. All hell broke loose and the weeping and wailing commenced – any of this ringing a bell?

The fact of the matter is that there are very few actors as characters that are irreplaceable. To suggest that someone is irreplaceable is the ultimate compliment. In my opinion, I cannot possibly entertain the idea of anyone but Tony Geary as Luke, Maurice Benard as Sonny, Jane Elliott as Tracy or Constance Towers as Helena. But those are my examples, I’m sure you have your own. Can you picture anyone but Susan Lucci as Erica Kane? Try it for a second… it’s damn near impossible. They would kill off these characters first. And maybe they should. Besides, they’ll eventually be undead anyway- am I right?

But to be fair, we keep watching. It’s like not being able to turn away from a car accident. Morbid curiosity perhaps. Maybe we tune in to convince ourselves that those fools made the biggest mistake of their careers and we can’t wait to be a witness to the carnage that will ultimately unfold when the new actor fails dismally in the recast. Why? So that we can have the satisfaction of saying “I told you so!”? Does it matter that much?

I appreciate that there are fans of Tamara’s, just as there were for Sarah Brown, who feel that Carly isn’t Carly unless she’s being played by one of those two people. To those folks, you have my condolences, and I hope that either of your favorites ends up in places that you can follow them and their careers with your usual diligence. Knock yourself out.

Meanwhile, I’ve got things to see and people to do.

Random Randomness

I like Greg Vaughan’s haircut. I liked it long, but even he had to admit it was getting out of hand. It’s not buzzy, still has a little length and a hint of curl. Definitely some of the best hair on the show. Two thumbs up.

Sean Kanan as a possible AJ recast? I could do him, I mean that … just send him to GV’s gals at the GH Hair and Make-up department and get him a new ‘do. We can’t have competing sticky-outy hair even amongst brothers and I think Steve Burton has seniority in these matters so SK’s front end will have to be aligned.

TPTB Dumbass move of the week: Recasting Maxie – WTF? I guess they have to find out that the brick wall does indeed hurt when you bash your head into it… a second time.

I get that Corbin Bernsen’s time is limited. Even if it hasn’t actually been officially addressed, six months is six months, but why oh why do the writers insist on denigrating the dialog of what has been one of the most intelligently written short-term characters in years? I get that he’s a little off his nut, but damnit give the man more to do than constantly repeat the same three sentences over and over again. “Sonny is a criminal” “Everyone around Sonny is in mortal danger” and my personal favorite, “Don’t let Michael’s death be in vain” - come on, I keep waiting for the spittle to appear in the corners of his mouth and his eyes to roll back in his head. Enough already.

Y’know I think I liked Dillon and Georgie better before they knocked boots. All that build up for what? And where was the Adrienne Leon song we were promised? Did I blink and miss it? Oh wait, I blinked and missed GQ actually making love – my bad.

Yay for Steven growing, albeit a little late I’m afraid – a pair of stones. Too bad they weren’t in place when he hit the canvas, it might, just might have made a slight difference. Then again, probably not.

I really loved the scene with Liz, Cameron and Ric. Becky Herbst is really getting her licks in recently… that bit with the baby yanking on the neck of her T-shirt was reality. I bet she’s a really good mom ‘cuz she didn’t miss a beat or try to rearrange the prop, I mean kid, just kept on going.

Note to writers: Hardeman wants more Jason/Sam love.

Addendum to Note to Writers: Be sure that Greg Vaughan’s assets are amply displayed in any and all upcoming love scenes. We’ve got a crowd to please and it doesn’t seem that GV suffers from the same malady as Steve Burton, that being nipple anxiety. Besides that, the boy hasn’t gotten laid in two years so ‘ho him up some!! Remember, Kelly B is watching and if she ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy!

I crack myself up.