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Sunday, January 13, 2013

One Life To Live 2.0 Wish List

When the original Dallas went off the air, I remember reading in one of my mom’s fashion magazines an article on the extinction of the nighttime soap.  I don’t remember the name of the magazine or the exact wording but the author had offered up a formula for a night time soap.  Take one dashing grey haired man, one brainless pretty boy, three B actresses with great legs and mix until frothy.

I think the reboots for One Life to Live and All My Children need to have a similar character formula in mind when casting.  It shouldn’t be a mater of simply grabbing up which ever cast members they can get from the previous shows.  The characters and actors need to fill a specific purpose for the show.

One of my wishes for these shows, is that the opportunity to reinvent them is taken while still staying faithful to the shows' histories.   The move to online is a great time to bring in some fresh perspective.  What this means to me, as far as casting goes, is that they need some big name vets for the rest of the cast to be built around.  I also think it may mean taking a new perspective on some old characters.

I didn’t have the pleasure of watching All My Children when it was on television (I’m sure I missed out) but I did enjoy One Life To Live for many years.  I have compiled a list below of some of the characters who I would like to see on the online version of One Life to Live. (If you watched All My Children, I would love your thoughts and please feel free to post your wish list in the comments section.)

The Matriarch and Patriarch - Vicki and Clint

These characters are the heart of the show - especially Vicki.  They guide the rest of the cast and offer sage advise all while having their own stories and making their own mistakes.  Vicki’s journey has been essential to the show’s stories for many years not only because her character has been on the show since the beginning but because she is so likable to fans of all generations.  She is very relatable.  While most of us don’t have to deal with things such as DID, we do have crazy bickering families and messed up love lives!

When we last saw Vicki and Clint, he had purposed to her.  I would love to the new One Life To Live begin with their wedding.

The Seductress - Blair

I’ll admit I’ve been less than thrilled with Kassie DePavia’s recent couple shipping on Twitter.  One of the reason’s is that as much as I enjoyed Todd and Blair as couple, I would love to be given the chance to love Blair as her own person.  I truly think that Blair is capable of being a viable character on her own if given the chance.  In an interview, the actress once jokingly called her alter-ego an “aging slut.”  I say let’s have some fun with that.

The last time we saw Blair she was still pining for Todd while getting ready to marry her best friend’s shady brother.  I want Blair to decide that any man that has her chasing around the globe because he ran off to do secret (rogue) CIA stuff is too high-mantance for her.  Let her have flirtations and have fun.  She doesn’t necessarily need to be this generations Samantha Jones but enough with the serious life or death romances that she loses herself in.



The Trouble Makers - Cutter and Alex

Every soap needs a few characters to scheme and keep things interesting.  I have always enjoyed money-hungry Alex.  She is femme fatale meets Real Housewife.  She is not only playful and seductive but a little bit dangerous.  She also has a lot of history with One Life to Live.

Cutter doesn't have as much history but the character and actor are great.  Not only is he wily and mischievous but he’s very sexy.  He can fill the bad boy role and giving the show some sex appeal.

I was intrigued by the reveal that Cutter was Alex’s son.  We were given just enough information that a new writer would have a ton of possibilities as far as what direction they wanted to take.  I would love a little bit more backstory as well as some mother/son con-artist team ups.

The Heroine and Hero - Marty Saybrooke and Patrick Thornhart

Every soap needs a heroine to root for and for a long time Marty was that lady.  Beautifully flawed and tragic - one couldn’t help to be on her side.  She was dangerously close to being the wilting flower but ended up as one of the strongest female characters that the show has ever had.

Last time we saw her she had gone through some major character destruction. She had been morphed into a crazy killer and all over not getting the guy that she wanted.  Ugh!  It was very sad for Marty fans.  I would love for her to be redeemed and return to the strong female character that she once was.

Of course if Marty comes back, her white knight Patrick should be with her.  Every soap needs a good guy and Patrick fits that role well.  His character was classic romantic hero.  The heart of gold poet with a sexy accent and nice hair.  Together he and Marty can go on adventures and save each other while trying to save the world.



These are of course but a few of my choices for One Life to Live 2.0.  The show has had so many great characters through the years that there are of course too many to name.  I think these characters would be a good base though for the show.  Family and friends can be filled in around them.

I’m becoming more optimistic about the shows’ reboots now that some experienced writers have been attached to them.  Pieces are starting to fall into place.  Now we just need a good cast and great characters for the stories.

Please feel free to share you character wish list as well as thoughts on mine in the comments.

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