Now we're getting somewhere....! See my commentary below!
Ok, in remembering watching this storyline live, this is where I knew OLTL was onto something with Mr. Howarth.
First, no one can deny Susan's terror is completely convincing and deeply real. She is SO talented. Roger, is so devastatingly menacing and evil here, you can totally see WHY he gets the role he gets....and he's VERY YOUNG here. The stage presence is overwhelming. His draw was undeniable, and they probably never even thought it could happen.
As for Todd, it's almost like he doesn't realize what he actually did and is gloating in that fact. We get a window into his "Pete" self bigtime here.. He's creepy enough to scare me a little here! When he's touching her toward the end of his visit, I get repulsed along with her. He whistles his way out of the house....OMG, just so excellent and so telling. Clearly, at least for me, no one can do what he just did in her own home and leave that way unless they are a deeply hurt and sick individual. And that's what Roger wanted us to see.
The joking around at the Frat House is more menacing stuff, again, what's Zach's motivation for doing all this - was he also feeling he "had to" impress Todd? It doesn't seem enough of a reason for him. Powell begins his "poor me" act here, we're supposed to feel pity for him. For some reason, I never did. Even as bad as he felt, I never felt sorry for him because to me, he was just as guilty, if not more, than the other two. He KNEW what he was doing was wrong, and did nothing to stop it or save her. He's on his way to a way-too-early redemption. Ugh.
When Todd suggests they go and see Marty, I remember being totally convinced that something was very wrong with him. Which is exactly what was most likely intended, and if not, it sure came in handy later. Who knew I'd come to love this sick sweetheart later on?
FAIL: Sorry, guys, Suede is RIDICULOUS, acting and denim jacket. I just can't believe they chose this actor for this story! Ok, you SOUND OFF. What do you think???
P.S. I have a very long, crappola day today and I am hoping to come home to tons of posts!!! :D Have a good one!
Well I figured it was about time a delve into these discussions. LOL Every time I go back to the beginning and watch Fratboy Todd he makes me cringe at who heartless he seemed to be. The worst time is right after they get done raping her, Todd sits on the side of the bed by Marty, covered her up with a coat, and give her this "sweet" kiss on her cheek!!!!!! Totally sick! LOL I apologize, I know I need to get those spring fling clips up so you can see what Im talking about, but that action was as disgusting as they come......and then within a couple of months and the first siting of Peter Manning and how Todd reacts to him, you immediately know there is alot going on with Todd and the beauty begins!
ReplyDeleteI wish I could remember what I thought of all this back when it was live. RH did an amazing job making us want him on the show. He was such a messed up individual, but yet he showed us that vulnerable side just enough that we wanted him around and we wanted to see what he did next. The story goes that he got so much fan mail they had to keep him. LOL
ReplyDelete@Bjujubee....you're so right. It was a sick thing, and it gets clearer and clearer why he's the way he is....I just love those revelations over time.
ReplyDelete@rockwello - I am SO GLAD THEY KEPT HIM. My goodness, once you get past the rape story and into his own, it's like utter amazement.
Well, I guess the first place I should start is with the one FAIL I see. Now, this fail is not on the part of either SH or RH and it isn't a fail on the part of the writers either....this FAIL belongs to the editors...so while it's not a big deal because most probably don't notice it, I just had to mention it (lol)...at the beginning when Marty's trying to keep Todd out and he's trying to get in...she is seen stepping back to prepare for the fact thathe's about to kick the door in...they either should have edited her steping back out completely, or they should have edited it in such a way where it appears as though she's reacting to the door flying open.
ReplyDeleteOkay, now that that's out of the way...on to the regular part of my comment...
This first part between Todd and Marty is done so amazingly well by both of them. Marty's pain and completely and utter fear and terror are so strong...so real. And, this is made even stronger and more real by how d**n creepy as h*** Todd is. Somewhere between Todd tuching the side of her face (causing her to jurk her head to the side) and him stroking her hair and him whistling I start to wonder....where the heck is Luna with that pip when you need her? LOL This scene is so well done and so memorable that I never forgot it...when I watch it now, it's almost like I'm back in '93 and I've just finished watching it for the first time. But then there is a lot about this storyline and the trial and some of the later Todd/Marty stuff that is also very memorable. RH & SH are both so good I can't possibly say it enough.
Now, is where I wish some of my memories were a little stronger and/or more clear...or that I could find videos to help me fill in the blanks...
Did Suede know prior to this...in any way shape or form that Marty had been raped? I mean I know he didn't really believe her at first, but had he somehow come to have heard it yet, or not until later? Because, even if he didn't believe her and even if he had no idea who may have done it then I want to smack him upside the head for not at least peaking through that window after Todd left to see what her reaction or expression in Todd's wake was. But, if he had no idea of any of that yet, then I guess it makes more sense because his reaction would be one of the 2 typical jealous reactions.
All the stuff at the frat house is just awful..I can't help but kind of smile a bit at that interaction between Todd and Zach but at the same time I hate them deeply at this point...I mean Todd was just at Marty's terrifying her and now he's joking about that night and what they did...then he suggests they go and visit Marty in the hospital and I want to scream...Todd is such a deeply sick and royally screwed up individual...but then of course that's true and again RH has played it perfectly! We're supposed to hate him, to fear him...it's not until later where we really get to see deeper...BUT and that's a big BUT RH is sooo good at what he does...he's such a real and believable and strong actor, that even when we couldn't stand him and/or were creeped out or scared of him....we still wanted him on screen. lol
@Precious - I love your analysis of the scenes....I also love your summation of Todd's personae during this time period. :D You've hit it right on the head here. I love this "he's such a real and believable and strong actor, that even when we couldn't stand him and/or were creeped out or scared of him....we still wanted him on screen. " So true. Love you Roger! Please come back!
ReplyDelete@Kim...Thank you! I'm glad you liked it. I know I've ben a slacker around here the last few days with the COTD comments, but I really love your blog and Bjujubee for all of her hard work getting up the videos...it's nice to be able to sit back, watch and then comment on them. :)
ReplyDelete@Bjujubee...do you by any chance have videos of when Marty passed out and Jess found her and she went to the hospital? and whatever interactions she had while there? Basically everything that followed Todd leaving her house up until the police showed up at Vicki's to arrest the "boys"? If you do and you don't want to, or can't load them (I'm too thankful to you for all of your work and your videos, do I don't want to ask for that), could you fill in a few blanks for me in I memory?
I remember Jessica found her and ran home to Vicki to get help and they somehow got her to the hospital...I know Vicki found out that Marty was raped somehow (over heard someone a nurse or something or maybe Marty said something that clued her in) and Vicki talked to her about it...kind of tried to talk her into reporting it or whatever...but were there any scenes involving her actually talking to the police? or was that something just assumed when the police showed up on Vicki's doorstep? I can't really remember that part for sure.