UPDATED 3-24-08

CRAZE

Starr Manning:  Baby Momma!

Now that the ongoing speculation has turned into a confirmed
spoiler, it's time to take a deep breath and analyze what
little Starr's pregnancy means for One Life to Live.

Happy Belated Easter and Spring Solstice, everyone. Too bad it snowed six inches here on the first day of Spring! Ugh. Spring is a time for fertility, and the news is now official that our little Starr Manning is with child. True, Ron Carlivati could change course on this story (which he didn't initiate) and make it a false alarm.  But Starr will get a positive pregnancy test, folks. And as you've probably heard by now, she and Cole are going on the run a la Luke and Laura (although no one can compare!). I don't usually like to focus a column on something that hasn't happened yet on-screen, but in this case I can't help it. Starr is still a little girl to me, and I found my jaw hitting the floor hard when I finally read the words, "Starr is PREGNANT!" I already suspected this was the case, especially in light of ABC's new Starr blog addressing teen sexuality issues (without a pregnancy or std in the storyline, I doubt they would have this blog).

After my initial shock wore off, I realized that this storyline has the POTENTIAL to be riveting AND may very well change the fabric of One Life to Live. Clearly, some of our favorite actors (Trevor St. John, Kassie DePaivia, Kristen Alderson, Robin Strasser, Erika Slezak) will be getting some juicy material to play. At the end of the day, that is probably the best thing about ANY storyline. For that reason alone, I'm thrilled that Starr is preggers. But beyond a month or two of rich storytelling and actors getting to show their stuff, things become less certain. The main question is this: Will Starr go to full term? If so, will she keep the baby or give it up for adoption? And if not, will her loss drive her even further away from her father, or will she and Todd be forced to reconcile? Let's examine the options and decide what has the most dramatic possibility.

SCENARIO 1:  Starr has an abortion.

I don't see this being likely at all. ABC did show some major gumption by doing a teen abortion storyline on General Hospital with Lulu. In that respect, I do believe they're capable of doing it with Starr. But I don't think (unlike Lulu) that Starr would want an abortion. Starr is so in love with Cole that she would probably want his baby at this point. She no longer trusts her family. Cole is everything to her.  Perhaps having a baby of her own would somehow neutralize Todd's wrath, though more likely, it would only serve to intensify it. But it WOULD solidify Cole's place in the family and force Blair to simmer Todd down for Starr's sake and the baby's sake. Not that I think Starr is against abortion or anything - I just can't picture her aborting THIS baby. She'll be terrified, yes - but not interested in an abortion. Cole will be supportive of whatever Starr decides.

The only way we'll see Starr end up at an abortion clinic is if she tries to do it before either of her parents find out about the pregnancy. But I think even that is unlikely.  Besides, the writers would be wasting a lot of dramatic fodder available if the baby is lost by accident or is born. The only way I can see Carlivati going ahead with an abortion, is if he still wants to break up Cole and Starr. It certainly looked like he was going in that direction before the writers' strike. If he is intent on going ahead with a Cole/Langston pairing, what better way than to have Starr take his baby away from him? Starr would do it to protect Cole from prison, but Cole would see it as the ultimate betrayal; another casualty in his list of horrible, tragic losses. Starr would become an accomplice to his grief. Langston would be the only person capable of reaching out to him in his newfound depression. Langston could even take Cole's side, fracturing her friendship with Starr. Again, I don't THINK this is what's going to happen, but I COULD see it now that Carlivati is back. 

SCENARIO 2:  Starr loses the baby.

This is the most likely (and easiest) path for the writers. It provides the dramatic punch of a teenage pregnancy, and heightens the Todd/Starr drama which is currently the best thing going on the show. If Starr and Cole's going on the run ends in the loss of the pregnancy - possibly caused by the stress of running from Todd or by Todd's direct actions - it could make for the perfect way to reunite and strengthen the Manning family which has been crumbling rather rapidly of late. Then again, if Starr blames her father for the loss of her child, their feud could escalate and become even more bitter. A miscarriage would give Alderson, DePaivia, and St. John (not to mention Brandon Buddy, whose character has already lost so much) some Emmy-worthy material and boost their storylines for months to come. If Todd is somehow (accidentally) responsible for Starr's miscarriage, it would also play into Dorian and Viki's feud. I like this option (not because I like dead baby stories - I'm no Bob Guza!) because I think Starr is too young to be a mother, and having her loss of sexual innocence result in so much angst and drama and grief could propel the character into a more adult sea to swim in. Starr could rebel even more, allowing Kristen Alderson to take on other stories, like drug addiction. Or Starr could, instead of trying to reunite her parents like she so often has done in the past, set out to destroy their marriage. There are so many possibilities that would make Starr one of the most complex and watchable characters on television. I don't think I want to see her being a mother at 16. It would limit her storylines in the next few years. 

SCENARIO 3:  Starr has the baby and gives it up for adoption.

Then again, having the baby wouldn't necessarily restrict Starr's future storylines if she gave it up for adoption. And you know who she'd give it to, right? Marcie and Michael! The irony would be almost too much. To get revenge on Todd, Starr signs over her baby to Marcie and Michael (despite the obvious suspension of disbelief required due to Marcie's baby-snatching past and realistic adoption laws). Todd and Blair are enraged and begin a new war with the McBains. Even within this scenario, Starr could still lose the baby, causing disappointment all around. Or, she could give her baby to Marcie. The rumor that Marcie and Michael aren't long for Llanview has only gotten louder in recent weeks. If somehow, they could leave town with a little bundle of joy, it might wrap up their story perfectly - and increase their importance on the canvas if they were ever to return. Another option would be to have Starr give her baby to strangers or a new character... I just can NOT see Todd and Blair going for that.

SCENARIO 4:  Starr keeps the baby.

I guess the biggest question is to what extent, as a minor, Starr would be calling the shots in regards to her pregnancy once Blair and Todd find out about it. I think Blair would want Starr to keep the baby, and she would just raise it as her own and let Starr be as normal a teenager as possible. But what about Todd? Since Todd seems to view his children as property more than anything else, I assume he'd want his grandchild to stay under his roof. But this child would be the spawn of Cole Thornhart, himself the flesh and blood of Todd's rape victim. Is this really something Todd would ever accept - especially in light of his recent mental collapse? Could Todd be trusted with the care of the child of a boy who knocked up his daughter at age 16?  I can't see it. 

What if, after Starr decided to raise her own baby with Cole and Blair's help, TODD approached Marcie and made her an offer: Take my grandchild and leave town!  Todd could pretend Starr's baby was dead, just as he did to Blair years ago, and give the baby to Marcie and Michael. Marcie's conscience would kick in, and she'd turn Todd in to Ramsey. Now that would certainly deepen Starr's feud with her dad!  The idea of Starr having a baby in La Boulaie who is practically the same age as her brother Sam, is just not working for me. I don't want to come out and say that I HOPE Starr loses her baby, because that's pretty brutal and heartless. But as a fan of the show, that's exactly what I hope happens. Or that she gives it up for adoption. I do NOT want to see Todd and Blair as grandparents yet. I do NOT want Starr's life to be ruined.  I do NOT want Viki and Addie and Dorian to be great-great-aunts or great-grandmas just yet. The pregnancy story will probably be GREAT, but Starr isn't ready to be a mom and the show shouldn't limit her future storylines by saddling her with a child.

But this is a soap, and sometimes doing something unexpected and outrageous is the right thing to do. Is giving Starr a baby too great a risk for the writers to take? I'm betting yes. But considering how low the ratings are lately, maybe it's time OLTL did the unexpected. I know my friend who doesn't watch OLTL anymore is curious to tune in if Starr really is pregnant. Would others feel compelled to do the same?  Stay tuned. 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

-  So, Antonio...You had Jamie before you ever came into the Santi money...but now you say that the Santi money is the only thing that secured Jamie's future? Huh?
-  Roxy, who's not the brightest bulb in the package, has pretty much figured out that Shane is Rex's son...but Rex STILL doesn't get it? And he's a P.I.?  Who's writing this?
-  Let the Antonio/John war begin! Who's side am I on? John's. I mean, they're both horrible, but Antonio is worse. This feud will have to be called Annoying vs. Annoying.
-  I love how the penthouse was magically sold out from under Todd.  Um... right.
-  I'm starting to really love Gigi... but for some reason, when she cries, it seems fake.
-  Wouldn't it be funny if Marcie STOLE Shane and took him on the run? She isn't the most qualified babysitter, is she?
-  Why is Langston wearing mini-skirts in March?  Why is she wearing mini-skirts at all?
-  I do like that Lee is living in the penthouse - it fits, somehow.
-  Looks like Brian Frons saw Justis Bolding naked and now can't get enough. 
-  But did BLAIR have to see her like that?
-  And I'm STILL confused as to why Blair is suddenly being nice to Sarah? 
-  I love that Starr is plotting against Todd...but saying he hit Sam was REALLY sketchy.
-  I LOVE that Adriana is suddenly (for the first time) being crafty and outsmarting Dorian. She's being nasty, too.
-  Lindsay seems to know a LOT about B.E. and their associates...more than she should.
-  Is this sloppy writing, or is Lindsay part of the inside plot to bring down B.E.?
-  Who does Lee keep talking to on the phone? Don't you get the feeling it's either a) a woman or b) a child?
-  Could it be Lindsay? Could she and Lee be working together to bring down B.E.?
-  Or does Lindsay REALLY care about B.E.? I'm not buying it, folks.
-  But, almost despite myself, I am enjoying the Clint/Lindsay scenes.
-  Isn't JPL doing really great work lately? 
-  Jared and Gigi did NOT have chemistry, somewhat to my surprise.
-  I can't stand them as a couple, but I must admit... the Antonio/Talia sex was pretty hot.
-  Loved the gimmick of Viki waiting tables at the diner and EVERYONE showing up for lunch at the same time.
-  Dorian and the mayor...are we supposed to think they're the ones behind B.E.? 
-  If Dorian is behind the B.E. takeover, and Lindsay is truly trying to help Bo and Clint, then where does that leave Dorian and Lindsay's relationship?
-  Dorian has only been married six times? That doesn't seem excessive for a soap character of her longevity. 
-  Clint and Nora haven't even slept together yet, and they're already starting to drive each other nuts.
-  I laughed pretty hard when Marcie asked Gigi if she kissed CLINT!  Hilarious.
-  I'm finding the Jared/Charlie/Jimmy back story kind of contrived and corny.
-  But I still love the chemistry between Brian Kerwin and John Brotherton.
-  Now Charlie and Cole are going to be working at B.E.? What is going on here? The diner and B.E. are the only workplaces in Llanview!
-  Who knew Jared and Rex would be throwing punches over Gigi?
-  I loved, loved, loved Adriana's line to her mother: "You selfish bitch." 
-  But Adriana is still a novice. She should have kept the discovery of Dorian's treachery to herself, then eloped with Rex.

 

GUEST OPINION:  Todd Manning, by Louis F.

As always, thank you for a thoughtful, passionate and well written column. I read last week's column on Todd Manning with great interest and almost wrote you then. However, I decided to wait and watch for another week to let my own impressions take better hold. Having just read your current column, I felt compelled to write about the Todd Manning story that is currently being told.

The week's wait has done nothing to dispel my initial reaction. Although you and many of your readers seem hopeful that this is a carefully planned story arc for Todd which will lead to an examination of his past, I still fear that it is an example of "rudderless" writing. Everyone seems too willing to imbue it with significance that I don't think the writers intend or are even aware of. This may be an extreme case of wishful thinking. What I'm seeing on the screen is something that is becoming more and more common on soaps - thoughtless, mindless seat-of-your-pants writing. A character is one way today and another tomorrow, with no motivation or development. What others see as the beginning of an in-depth exploration of the psycho-sexual core of Todd Manning, I see as an overly simplistic theme that might be described as "Todd is REALLY MAD about Starr being with Cole", period.

This is an instance where I would love to be wrong. It would be great if the writers and powers that be are truly planning a deep and provocative look into Todd's psyche. Trevor St. John is definitely up to the task of portraying such a story. Yet, I can't help thinking how riveting and compelling the story would be if played by Roger Howarth. Howarth could not live with the notion of portraying a rapist turned hero, so it might even make sense that this story for Todd could be paving the way for Howarth's return, as it would be more true to his vision for the character. In any case, I hope that this all leads to something profound, as you have suggested, and not just fake, mindless  drama for its own sake. I'll keep watching to find out!


Me too!  Not that I have a choice...!
 

MAIL REPORT

"After reading both last week's column and this week's, I have to say that I've noticed that Todd has been missing something for awhile now. A touchstone or anchor, something to keep him tied down to some extent. That person is his best friend. If Evangeline had been there, honestly do you think Todd would have exploded, imploded, whatever 'ploded? Todd has lost his mind, control, wife, daughter and is on the verge of losing everything. The start of this madness has a name: Lee Ramsey. Ramsey threatens everything that Todd claims he holds dear. Todd's tightly controlled world is now unraveling, his daughter is unrecognizable. His wife is um, well, she's there but has no power whatsoever to bring him back from the brink. Not even Jack or Sam can stave off what is about to happen. Could it be that Lee Ramsey has brought up some dusty reminders of Peter Manning or someone far worse? Todd's story does need to be told. I honestly do think one of the best scenes that the writers could do is with Todd is at Evangeline's side on the eve of being taken away or fleeing, tearfully pouring out his story to the one person who won't and isn't capable of turning on him, hurting him or endangering him."  - Nicole

I can't imagine this storyline if Evangeline were around. On the one hand, she wouldn't enable or tolerate Todd the way Blair does. Todd wouldn't be able to go this dark without jeopardizing his relationship with Evangeline. On the other hand, if she and Todd were a couple the writers probably wouldn't have taken Todd this dark again or caused such a deep rift between Todd and Starr. The focus of the story at this point would be on a Blair/Todd/Evangeline triangle. And yes, I think that would have been one of the best triangles in recent memory. The freshness and chemistry of Tangeline versus the established pull of Todd/Blair?  I don't think Todd would be allowed to turn into the near-psychopath he is today. Evangeline would have been out the door and back shooting soft-core porn with that boxer guy by now.

"It is impossible to judge this storyline until we see where it goes. If they delve into todd's past, then this will be a mega success. If they try and move past this and not deal with the deep rooted issues, then this is a travesty. Only the future will tell. I am expecting hallucinations and flashback scenes of Todd in his room as a kid with Peter Manning coming in there to make his "middle of the night" visits to his son."  - Bucky

I agree. If they don't "go there" with Todd's past, he will ultimately be painted as a two-dimensional villain. He should never be that.

"Hey Jeremy, great column last week. I've really had it with Todd...And for the record, about pod-Blair and Todd being each others' first loves, you're right - it's BS!  Blair came on as a troublemaker and quickly latched onto Max. She spent several years insinuating herself into his life (and never mind that he was married to Luna Moody!) She enabled Max's gambling addiction and accidentally ran over Luna. It took her a long time to get over Max - in fact, she even tried to stick her head in the oven a la Sylvia Platt when he went back to Luna for good. Good guy Cord came to her rescue, and ta-da, Blair had herself a rebound man! Eventually Cord went back to Tina, and poor Blair commiserated with another 'Llanview Loser' - Todd Manning, spurned by Rebecca Lewis for fellow rapist Powell. Note to OLTL writers - just because you've forgotten these things doesn't mean I have!"  - Kade

Thanks for the review, Kade! I remember very fondly scenes of Blair and Max going to the casinos and her feeding into his gambling addiction. That was good stuff! I had lost track of the chronology between Blair, Cord, and Max, though - probably because Cord is very boring to me and I did not think he and Blair were a good match whatsoever. I don't remember Blair sticking her head in an oven though - I would LOVE to see that!

"Your last two weeks' columns have been truly great.  I'll try to be brief:

1.)I see John Rue (Moe) is still in the credits...is he due back in Llanview? I sort of see him taking over, perhaps, The Palace dining
room? I first thought The Diner, but his cooking is too good (ask Dorian). 

2.)I don't think Starr and Cole actually had sex...I didn't at first, and I still don't.  We'll see.

3.)I am just hating Dorian (loving Robin Strasser however) and just want to smack her. IS she behind the Buchanan take-over?? I keep thinking they are bringing back Carlo, although I was sure he had died back in that prison riot when John and Cris were escaping. Perhaps Carlo is behind the Vega/Santi money thing and I think Lee Ramsey is connected with him somehow.

4.)I am enjoying Hunt Block's acting (I never have liked him much) and find you have to watch every second to truly "get him"...still don't know what he's up to.

5.)I think we know Marty (and Patrick) are still alive... do you think either John or Ramsey pulled Marty from that van before it went up? John isn't broken up enough about Marty's death although it would be horribly cruel of him to make Cole think they were both dead...I haven't made up my mind yet. I just want Thorsten Kaye brought over...he is languishing on AMC.

6.)Why did Todd call Patrick "that bastard" last week? I didn't get that???"  - Patricia 

Thanks, Patricia!  Here's my answers:

1.) I do know that Moe and Noelle are both coming to Llanview, though I'm uncertain of their length of stay. I'm glad Moe is coming to town, but I could do WITHOUT Noelle.  She is annoying, period. I don't need anymore pie montages, thank you very much. Let Moe have his pick from Renee, Carlotta, Addie, and Roxy, and leave Noelle behind in Texas! 

2.) Yep, they had sex. Then again, since they didn't show it, I suppose Carlivati could re-write it. But how dumb would Starr be to take a pregnancy test if she didn't have sex? That makes no sense.  Plus, it's positive!

3.) Dorian HAS been very nasty lately! I love it. And I would LOVE nothing more than if Carlo were behind the B.E. takeover. That would be stellar. He's not dead. 

4.) I'm enjoying Hunt Block, too.  There's just something weird about his face that bothers me, but I'm used to it now.

5.) Of course Marty and Patrick are alive. I don't think we'll be seeing them soon, though.  I don't think John knows they're alive, no.  Ramsey, perhaps.  More likely they are just in hiding from the Irish mafia, and want to keep Cole safe by staying "dead." 

6.  When Todd came back from being "dead" in Ireland, he walked in on Blair and Patrick having sex on the floor of the Penthouse - sex which resulted in Blair becoming pregnant with Patrick's child.  Just imagine if that child had lived... Blair would be the mother of Cole's sibling, and Starr and Cole would have a sibling in common... yuck! Anyway, Blair lost that baby thanks to her cousin, Kelly. 


Please send your OLTL thoughts, complaints, suggestions, and desperate pleas to:

Robert Iger, President of Disney (ABC Parent Company)
robert.a.iger@disney.com. 

Anne Sweeney, President of ABC
anne.x.sweeney@abc.com.

That's it for this week.  Thanks for reading, and don't forget to e-mail me.
 
 

 

 

Until next time - don't forget to feel the Craze! 

Jeremy in Chicago

 

 

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