Susan Haskell

While The Young and the Restless and One Life to Live are the two must see soaps on daytime right now, our schizophrenic As the World Turns is firing on most of the right cylinders and can't be counted out of the fight. The last time I posted about ATWT, I had a great many concerns about the direction of the show and it's storylines given the supersonic speed by which they are told. In the last week however, the show has made me sit up and take notice with some interesting developments. Continue Reading...

Susan Haskell has been "shooting" it out of the park the last couple of days. Take your best shot at this Caption This. I say One Life to Live is arming itself to do battle with General Hospital for title of the show the best Annie Oakley impression.

"You have changed me."

Those desperately uttered words have perfectly and succinctly summed up the sick, twisted and ultimately riveting story line of Todd and Marty on One Life to Live.

I use the word "riveting" in its purest sense: not to imply something that is entertaining or enjoyable for entertainment's sake alone, but rather as a thing that keeps our attention for better or worse, against whatever other instincts that might ask us to look away. In other words, this story line of compounded lies and grand delusion has kept many of us as glued to the screen as a car accident might induce a chronic case of rubbernecking or a nasty lover's quarrel in a supermarket might cause us to turn and watch. Yes, this is the story we thought "they" would never tell, but there is a question lurking just beneath the surface reactions for those fans titillated by the prospect of the loathsomely nicknamed "Tarty" and those other fans filled with disgust and anger:

Exactly whose story has been told? Continue Reading...

I would like to take a moment to recognize Susan Haskell and Trevor St. John's amazing performance today. For the first time since her arrival, I now understand why Susan Haskell's return was looked forward to by so many. Her portrayal of an emotionally betrayed, unstable Marty holding a gun on Todd was gripping. At the same time, Trevor St. John did an outstanding job conveying the rationalization of Todd trying to make the right decision after realizing he had done wrong.

It should be noted that my applause of these individual performances do not negate my overall disdain for this truly awful rapemance storyline. At this point, it is what it is. Hopefully, One Life to Live can salvage something out of this hurricane-like disaster.

My suggestion, don't give Marty her memory back all at once. Let Marty continue to have the occasional flash of memory, but require her to question everything and everyone. Haskell's performance today as an innocent who has had the wool pulled away from her eyes, yet not knowing what or who to believe proves there is merit in dragging out Marty's total recall. 

The story you never thought would happen, or wished would never happened, actually went down today flush with flashbacks of Todd (Trevor St. John) and Marty's (Susan Haskell)  first time. Check them out at your own risk after the jump. Continue Reading...

I'm sorry, I don't care how "breathless" next week's One Life to Live is supposed to leave us, but the Todd (Trevor St. John) and Marty (Susan Haskell) scenes are just disturbing. I'll be fast forwarding through them. With any luck they'll have Marty create "the mood" by playing "Did I Shave My Legs For This?" in the background.

TV Guide Canada's Nelson Branco has a new interview with Michael Malone storied career on soaps. Branco questions Malone about Ron Carlivati's decision to pair One Life to Live's Marty and Todd romantically.

TVG: As you know, Carlivati has taken on a death wish by pairing Marty and Todd romantically. Your gang-rape storyline is universally hailed as the gold standard because Todd was punished for his crime, and Marty and Todd never fell in love. [After explaining the story set-up] How do you feel about Ron heading in this bold direction with one of your signature storylines?

MM: It was a soap-opera collaborative. Of course, along with Linda, Josh, Susan Haskell [Marty], and Roger Howarth [then-Todd] were instrumental to the story's success. When Todd was created he was called Frat Boy No. 1 — and that was his only purpose at the time. Todd was just there to help us tell this story about college date rape. Howarth’s remarkable ability to play the monster, and the tragedy inside that monster, allowed us to connect him to the canvas in a larger way. We were all pleasantly surprised with how Roger took that character and made him real.

On one hand, it surprises me because Ron has been a far more conventional soap writer than I was. He’s also a great lover of the form, and has worked in the form for a long time. Ron loves the conventions and traditions of the form. So, my first reaction is, I’m surprised. The character having amnesia literally erases the real moral consequences and the real spiritual journey Marty has embarked on. It’s like telling Othello he’s white and Desdemona doesn’t really die. Presumably, Marty will gain her memory, and what will happen? She will be horrified…

Be sure to check out the interview and tell us what you think of this controversial storyline.

We haven't done these in awhile and like I've said, I'm a bit behind on my One Life to Live, so bear with me.

Here's the Scoop!

Love Lindsay? We do and the RUMOR mill says she may not be in Llanview much longer. Catherine Hickland is a Daytime Confidential favorite and Lindsay will be sorely missed. Supposedly there will be one more meeting for Bo and Lindsay, but that footage may hit the cutting room floor. Expect Bo to start flirting with Dallas,TPTB are attempting to see if real life chemistry can translate to reel life. However, Dallas is also rumored to be one of the murders coming soon, so fan response will dictate.

How does Clint react to Bo and Dallas? Not well and this should cause some friction for Nora. Clint has other issues coming up as well.

Have you seen the Fall Preview? Interesting tease of an Antonio - Jessica reunion or was the tease a Cristian - Jessica reunion?
Continue Reading...

UPDATE: This just in from TV Guide Canada's Nelson Branco. "Rebecca signed an initial four-year deal with ABC with a one-year out, which expires this winter. If she agrees to stay, she's committed to the soap for three more years, but if she's going to bolt she has to do it now. I hear she is inclined to stay in New York, but she's very unhappy with her storyline right now, and of course, her 'botched' comeback due to the 'real' Greenlee campaign."

ORIGINAL STORY: The latest Suds Report is out and Nelson Branco has a response to last week's blind item. Is an ABC darling, who's return was "botched", ready to leave now that her year deal is coming to an end? Nelson suggests that this blind item MAY refer to no other than Luke's favorite Rebecca Budig. What in the world will our main man Luke do if Greenlee high tails it out of Pine Valley? Continue Reading...

One Life to Live leading man Trevor St. John (Todd) had to issue a mea culpa following comments he made at a recent Fan Club Luncheon.  Allegedly, when asked about the controversial storyline involving his character Todd Manning and Todd's rape victim Marty Saybrooke (Susan Haskell), St. John replied, "I'm all for gang rape."

The actor issued the following response to SOAPnet.com:

"I regret the way I responded to the question about the upcoming Todd and Marty storyline. It was meant in jest and I should know better than to ever try and make a joke about such a serious subject. I intended no disrepect and apologize to anyone I offended." --Trevor St. John