I really didn't have a comment on this, but I just happened to come across this post elsewhere by someone tonight and I like it (except I do not think TSJ ranks as a villain, he is way too boring and doesn't do much IMO):
"some people like that TSJ plays TODD as a full-on psycho.
i was much more intrigued by Roger's portrayal, layering warmth & humor within his sociopathic tendencies. when his TODD did a terrible thing, it *pained* us, because we understood that he was setting himself up for even worse things, and pushing those he loved even farther away.
that was the big difference between Howarth's antihero TODD and TSJ's villain TODD. "
First and foremost let's talk about Villains. There are many different types of villains. Todd is an antihero which means he has many villainous tendencies but he also has a conscience which tends to temper his villainous ways,,,Then we have Mitch, he's fully capable of the most atrocious acts and shows no qualms when committing them. Both men could be called Villains but I believe only one deserves it. Mitch is a Villain plain and simple he has no remorse. Everything is for Mitch and there is no room for what others want. When Todd was introduced he was written as a villain with no redeeming qualities,,Then his creators decided that this character was more than just a standard villain this one did have a conscience. When the writers gave Todd a conscience they took him from just a Monster to a human with mounstrous tendencies changed and tortured by that same conscience. Suddenly an antihero was born. He wasn't a hero, he still was capable of doing terrible things, but he had his reasons and many times he wasn't trying to hurt on purpose; fate just usually stepped in and it was like matters were no longer in his hands and the hurt occurred. I can't call Todd a Villain that is too Black and White. To me, villains are unredeemable .They can't be helped and they don't want to be helped. Villains like who they are and see no reason to change. Todd hates himself, he has tried to change so many times to no avail but he always keeps trying. He also knows he is no saint and he knows he doesn't want to be one. In a nutshell, Todd is very complicated . Todd's very essence is so tortured and at the same time so loving he is at war with himself constantly and we love him for it. We are all human with flaws. Todd's Flaws are just out there for everyone to see. This makes some people hate him and others love him but everyone would just like to make sense of him.
In my opinion, The Real Todd is not a villain or a sociopath. He does bad things, when he knows nothing else to do, but shows remorse, has a conscience, has feelings and does regard the emotions of people he loves, if he is in control of his own at the time.
Do I think he's screwed up? YES. Does he do terrible things? YES. But I see him as a human being with a lot of faults, not a villain. His goal in life is not to hurt others (I am referring to The Real Todd, of course) but to live and try and survive. He does lash out when hurt because he knows no other way, and since I do believe he has MPD, he's also mentally ill and needs therapy. At times he has been heroic (not in recent times, mind you) and has put the feelings/needs/emotions of others ahead of himself, like his daughter, the kid who had AIDS, Marty and Paloma, tried to save Blair's life, etc. When it comes to children, especially, he seems to have a need to help. That's NOT a sociopath. And it's also not a villain.
I vote for Todd as a mentally ill man who needs therapy and healing. I vote for Mitch as a villain, also Carlo Hesser, and Patrick London. People like them are on the show for one purpose and that is to make hell for others. Todd is not there to make hell; he's there to make up a kind of screwed-up, bitter and tortured heaven.
Calling him a "villain" is vastly oversimplifying it. It's kind of an insult to the writing and Roger Howarth to just classify him that way.
The character is at once tragic, damaged, disturbed, flawed, depressed, passionate, remorseful...the list goes on.
People always want to classify characters as "heroes" or "villains," but we don't really have true "heroes" or "villains" in real life. Todd is (or WAS) more true to real life.
I do like the "anti-hero" description the best. In 1994 we were meant to pull for him, whether RH saw it that way or not.
@TM9394, I think we were always supposed to pull for him, except maybe at the very start. I was pulling for him all the way through the scenes I've seen. I've even said aloud, "Come on Todd....just ____________________" He's an amazing actor playing an equally amazing character.
I don't think Todd is a villain.......villains are waaaaaaayyyyyy to one note. And I do see TSJ portrayal as a villain......just a punk thug. Those type of characters burn out way to quickly......which is why the writing of OL quickly changed the TOdd Manning story to keep out boy around!!!!! LOL Like many have said in this blog.......Todd is full of so many layers.....and a villain IS ONE of those layers......he can be as villainous as anyone I've seen. But Todd is different......I see villain as pure bad.....do things just because they are bad and evil. The most evil things Todd every did......there was a true "reason" behind why he did them......it was never "just because". Todd is totally twisted and messed up.....but he is full of more emotions then any character I have ever watched......and villains aren't.....they are one note in my book and on the scene for one specific purpose. Again, I do think OL set out having Frat Boy #1 being the main villain.....of course our boy changed all that!!!!!!
Remember to keep the posts positive, it is all in fun! A good hint is to use the @symbol when directing a comment at a specific person who posted prior to you, if you choose.
I really didn't have a comment on this, but I just happened to come across this post elsewhere by someone tonight and I like it (except I do not think TSJ ranks as a villain, he is way too boring and doesn't do much IMO):
ReplyDelete"some people like that TSJ plays TODD as a full-on psycho.
i was much more intrigued by Roger's portrayal, layering warmth & humor within his sociopathic tendencies. when his TODD did a terrible thing, it *pained* us, because we understood that he was setting himself up for even worse things, and pushing those he loved even farther away.
that was the big difference between Howarth's antihero TODD and TSJ's villain TODD.
"
First and foremost let's talk about Villains. There are many different types of villains. Todd is an antihero which means he has many villainous tendencies but he also has a conscience which tends to temper his villainous ways,,,Then we have Mitch, he's fully capable of the most atrocious acts and shows no qualms when committing them. Both men could be called Villains but I believe only one deserves it. Mitch is a Villain plain and simple he has no remorse. Everything is for Mitch and there is no room for what others want. When Todd was introduced he was written as a villain with no redeeming qualities,,Then his creators decided that this character was more than just a standard villain this one did have a conscience. When the writers gave Todd a conscience they took him from just a Monster to a human with mounstrous tendencies changed and tortured by that same conscience. Suddenly an antihero was born. He wasn't a hero, he still was capable of doing terrible things, but he had his reasons and many times he wasn't trying to hurt on purpose; fate just usually stepped in and it was like matters were no longer in his hands and the hurt occurred. I can't call Todd a Villain that is too Black and White. To me, villains are unredeemable .They can't be helped and they don't want to be helped. Villains like who they are and see no reason to change. Todd hates himself, he has tried to change so many times to no avail but he always keeps trying. He also knows he is no saint and he knows he doesn't want to be one. In a nutshell, Todd is very complicated . Todd's very essence is so tortured and at the same time so loving he is at war with himself constantly and we love him for it. We are all human with flaws. Todd's Flaws are just out there for everyone to see. This makes some people hate him and others love him but everyone would just like to make sense of him.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, The Real Todd is not a villain or a sociopath. He does bad things, when he knows nothing else to do, but shows remorse, has a conscience, has feelings and does regard the emotions of people he loves, if he is in control of his own at the time.
ReplyDeleteDo I think he's screwed up? YES. Does he do terrible things? YES. But I see him as a human being with a lot of faults, not a villain. His goal in life is not to hurt others (I am referring to The Real Todd, of course) but to live and try and survive. He does lash out when hurt because he knows no other way, and since I do believe he has MPD, he's also mentally ill and needs therapy. At times he has been heroic (not in recent times, mind you) and has put the feelings/needs/emotions of others ahead of himself, like his daughter, the kid who had AIDS, Marty and Paloma, tried to save Blair's life, etc. When it comes to children, especially, he seems to have a need to help. That's NOT a sociopath. And it's also not a villain.
I vote for Todd as a mentally ill man who needs therapy and healing. I vote for Mitch as a villain, also Carlo Hesser, and Patrick London. People like them are on the show for one purpose and that is to make hell for others. Todd is not there to make hell; he's there to make up a kind of screwed-up, bitter and tortured heaven.
Calling him a "villain" is vastly oversimplifying it. It's kind of an insult to the writing and Roger Howarth to just classify him that way.
ReplyDeleteThe character is at once tragic, damaged, disturbed, flawed, depressed, passionate, remorseful...the list goes on.
People always want to classify characters as "heroes" or "villains," but we don't really have true "heroes" or "villains" in real life. Todd is (or WAS) more true to real life.
I do like the "anti-hero" description the best. In 1994 we were meant to pull for him, whether RH saw it that way or not.
@TM9394, I think we were always supposed to pull for him, except maybe at the very start. I was pulling for him all the way through the scenes I've seen. I've even said aloud, "Come on Todd....just ____________________" He's an amazing actor playing an equally amazing character.
ReplyDeleteI don't think Todd is a villain.......villains are waaaaaaayyyyyy to one note. And I do see TSJ portrayal as a villain......just a punk thug. Those type of characters burn out way to quickly......which is why the writing of OL quickly changed the TOdd Manning story to keep out boy around!!!!! LOL Like many have said in this blog.......Todd is full of so many layers.....and a villain IS ONE of those layers......he can be as villainous as anyone I've seen. But Todd is different......I see villain as pure bad.....do things just because they are bad and evil. The most evil things Todd every did......there was a true "reason" behind why he did them......it was never "just because". Todd is totally twisted and messed up.....but he is full of more emotions then any character I have ever watched......and villains aren't.....they are one note in my book and on the scene for one specific purpose. Again, I do think OL set out having Frat Boy #1 being the main villain.....of course our boy changed all that!!!!!!
ReplyDelete