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Musings
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Chemistry Musings….
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Chemistry between actors can be as explosive as the combustion engine or as flat and uninteresting as a railroad tie. Successful pairings depend not on what or whom the producers wish to promote that day but on the actual connections the actors make with each other. Smart producers and writers can spot these little pockets of heat in an instant and exploit them to their fullest, regardless of story line or what (new) demographic the networks have decided to pursue that month. Really smart producers and writers will run with it, will know that exploring the spark, taking those chances, often yield unexpected and wonderful results, even if it means disrupting long planned plot breakdowns. Port Charles has for the most part done an admirable job, especially since the advent of the 13 week arc format, at picking up on and exploring those unexpected connections that happen along the way. We may not always agree, you can’t please all of the people all of the time, but for the most part the coupling and uncoupling going on in PC has been fairly true to the actors emerging or established chemistry if not necessarily plot. And chemistry PC has, in spades. Rafe and Alison, Jamal and Alison, Livvie and Jack, Lucy and Kevin, Lucy and Ian, Lucy and Rafe, Rafe and Ian, Karen and Frank, Karen and Ricky, Ricky and Casey, Chris and Eve, Chris and Jack, Ed and James, Victor and Mary, Ian and Kate. Each pairing had or has its own degree of intensity, passion and tension that defines great chemistry. Having said all this however, the problem with all this constant mixing and matching of the relatively small cast is that no sense of history is every really established, no foundation is ever really laid to create those strong soap super couples (a word I hate but that has become part of soap language) with whom the audience can invest in and which ultimately ensures the future of a show. While its no secret I’m a fan of the 13 week arc format overall because it forces the writers to not allow stories and situations to go on forever, neither does it provide much opportunity for the careful build-up that makes a convincing couple. With the exception of Rafe and Alison whose buildup was spread out over 3 arcs, it almost feels as if today’s couples are decided by being thrown up against the wall to see who will stick. If they do great, if not just move on to the next attempt. Case in point, Jamal and Marissa. They were thrown together after barely two weeks. Unless characters establish who they are to each other and what’s happening between them the audience doesn’t really care. Without relationships there’s not much going on. What are soaps really about if not those relationships. No story in the world, no matter how progressive or expertly written will work if the relationships don’t. PC has not given roots to any of its couples with the exception of Karen and Frank and Lucy and Kevin, whose history was well established on GH before PC was even a sparkle in someone’s eye. Taking it further than just romantic roots, the characters on PC seem to be floundering, with no strong familial ties to ground them. Yes there are families, the Collins, Scanlons, and Barringtons, but none of these families can serve as the core history of the show, the core that eventually all characters revolve around. There is so little generational progression that it’s hard to believe these characters have any ties to the town at all. Granted PC is a 30 minute show and thorough explorations of its past have to be implied, rather than shown, but fleshing out the characters and their connections to each other more fully, other than just romantic connections, would certainly give the relationships more depth, more interest, more focus and more purpose.It appears that there is no end in sight to the cutting and pasting of couples or the formation and dissolution of triangle after triangle. Rafe/Livvie/Alison, Karen/Ricky/Frank, Jamal,/Marissa/Rick , Kevin/Lucy/Ian (as spoilers tease). None of these triangles have much credible story to them, at least none that any viewers are willing to invest in. PC writers know how to write a romance, we’ve witnessed it. Have they suddenly forgotten and decided to try on everyone for size. It’s become a merry-go-round where going in circles gets everyone exactly no where. Without fully developed relationships, is chemistry between actors and personal charisma enough then. Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Sometimes. In the case of Rafe and Alison the incredible onscreen chemisty between Brian Gaskill and Erin Hershey and the charisma of the actors when together was as unexpected as a rainbow during a tempest. Smart writers/ producers here couldn’t ignore what was under their noses and gave us a romantic, beautiful love story the likes of which soaps hadn’t seen in many, many years. Breaking up Alison and Jamal however was a risk, they were a proven commodity, again because excellent chemistry exists between Erin Hershey and Kiko Ellsworth. It was a risk that proved to pay off enormously well. Sometimes not. In the case of Rafe and Livvie while there is no denying the explosive sexual energy between Brian Gaskill and Kelly Monaco, breaking up Rafe and Alison, the current story and situation is too mindless and senseless to believe. The chemistry between the simply actors can’t save it.Sometimes. Frank and Karen are a successful couple with an actual history that goes back to childhood. Jay Picket and Marie Wilson are well suited to each other, play well off each other, and each seems to bring out the best in the other. Through all the nonsense thrown at them the natural sense that they should be together comes through. The darkness of character going on now is serving to create even more excitement for this couple. Suddenly Jay Picket is a dark, menacing, sexy foil whose attraction to and for Karen is even more powerful. Sometimes not. Karen and Ricky were a passionate surprise, yes. But can Ricky really be viewed as anything but a boy toy who came along at a time when Karen most needed confidence boosting. All the heat in the world is not going to make this work. This couple is a sticky mess that needs to be cleaned up. Sometimes. Lucy and Kevin I suppose can be viewed as the backbone of PC. Their chemistry has been well established over the past 10 years or so. They’ve weathered every storm, every twist and turn, every contrived soap device that writers over the years could sling to keep them apart and get them back together and they’re still standing. A beacon of consistency and continuity. Sometimes not. As comfortable as Lynn Herring and Jon Lindstrom are together, the level of excitement, passion, emotional connection that really elevates chemistry is just not there, and to me never has been. Kevin and Eve were a much more enticing couple as are Lucy and Ian. Lucy and Scott should have made it, if there wasn’t a better match for Lucy throughout her history I don’t know who was. Lynn Herring and Thorsten Kaye have all the makings of one combustible supercouple. In my opinion Lucy and Kevin should have called it quits long ago. This is one case where all their history and character development can’t manufacture chemistry if it simply isn’t really there. But the question is, is it reasonable to break up a long standing couple because they’ve become as comfortable as an old shoe. Which brings me back to my original musing. Is chemistry between actors enough to prop up failing story lines and poorly devised plots. Should chemistry between actors then dictate story. Absolutely and definitely not on both counts! The best couples are a potent blend of super charged energy and passionate romantic attraction, combined with well developed characterizations and believable stories. There has to be a base to build on for the future otherwise you get the kind of disposable couples we’ve seen of late that can be thrown away with yesterdays coffee grinds. If it didn’t work you can always brew up a fresh pot tomorrow. When actors come along with chemistry that is so powerful it can’t be ignored, and they don’t very often, then every effort should be made to exploit and develop it. All in all, PC has managed to recognize the special and unique relationships their talented actors have to one an other. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t. It would be a tremendous shame if the new shooting schedule adversely affects their ability to capitalize on the unexpected surprises that may come up in this regard. A real shame. There might be another Rafe and Alison just around the corner.
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