Clip of the Day, July 22, 2011 (254)

I cannot stand POWELL trying to talk with Marty and make things ok. He did the SAME THING Todd did, only in my book, he was worse. He KNEW what he was doing was wrong, and he could have saved her and didn't. He is responsible for it just as much. SO SICKENING.

I LOVE when RAY tells TODD about his past....and what it all meant to him. Fantastic stuff. If anything made a difference for Todd relating to Ray, it was this. The whole therapy thing is AWESOME and would have been SO GREAT if it went even deeper.

Roger and this HAIR....omg, it's so beautiful, and so is he.

When Ray goes to see Marty, he attempts to explain to her how he needs her to be part of the therapy and she turns him down flat. Of course, we know it leads to one of the best and most powerful scenes (and I say ONE of them because there are many) between Marty and Todd (the REAL ONE of course).

Comments? Add to this commentary below!

Clip of the Day, July 21, 2011 (253)

I love this clip. I was thinking this morning, look how far "Todd" came from this brooding, messed-up kid who went (in Luna's words) "very wrong."

Also, the engagement party scene....I just realized that yesterday's clip had one of my VERY FAVORITE SARAH LINES: "You're gonna marry POWL?" LOL! Loved that kid.

Marty, still in her sadness, Beth died, you can hear the nervous laughter of HBS in the background. Rebecca
announces her engagement to Marty.....etc.

"If I ever heard a story that didn't want to to away, this is it," says Clint. Reminds me of TODD himself. The character just won't go away because of Roger, of course. Regardless of what people say, TSJ made the character his own MESS, and ... never really was Todd to begin with.

I just adore Roger's portrayal of Todd at all the stages we've seen, including the current one. The ability of the CHARACTER, however, to change and grow, I attribute to Rebecca's love, and later, in a larger sense, Blair's love and his love for BOTH of them and his daughter Starr. Those things transcend the brutality of his actions and of his experiences, and transform Todd in different ways. What's your take on that? Chime in!

Clip of the Day, April 30, 2011 (225, 226, 227)

C.J. spills the beans to Rebecca. I love it. Now she can't hide from it...she really has no choice but to get back in his corner after this.

Todd always winds up in the woods. It's a recurring theme that I think has some ties to certain Biblical elements in Malone's writing. It's one of the things I love about this era; the Malone/Griffith team combined classical concepts rooted in literature from hundreds of years ago with ground breaking socially conscious/verite style concepts. You get the best from both worlds.

Typical frustrating hospital stuff Cord is dealing with.

Marty confirms what C.J. told his babysitter, Rebecca.

Oh my God, what a PERFECT line from Bo about Todd. "I'm telling you that Todd Manning can make you think he's going one direction when he's really going the other." Can you say, "double entendre?" And the thing is, Bo knows what happened at this point (as we find out soon)...so his comment was partly the result of that knowledge. Todd "went in a different direction" in more ways than one.

Writing, folks. Writing.

Everybody tied into this story now that Jessica's involved. Love it.

Oh my, look at this Bo/Todd standoff, with Bo so close to Todd without actually knowing it (but maybe sensing it in his gut). LOL!!! Nick Manzo, "not too many Caucasian males with long hair." Oh my, this next scene is going to be HILARIOUS after that line. Llanview's own Keystone Kops in full flight.



So now we know Jessica doesn't have a spleen.

See that look on Powell-the-Pure's face? That's the look of a dastardly guy realizing he lost his last advantage over his biggest enemy.

Clint and Jessica scene. Classic moment. Great work by the late Clint Ritchie here.




Hahahaha!!!!!! Keystone Kops, Go! I love how they found an RH lookalike (probably just happened to be walking by the studio in New York) for an "extras" role in this. I'll bet you this guy would make a better Todd than Trevor St. Jawn, LOL.

"Great, the guy's probably in West Virgina by now." Well, Nick, that WOULD be fitting after your lame "Wheeling, West Virginia" idea a few months ago.

Todd goes climbing. Good thing RH stays in shape!

And here we go. Another one of my all-time favorite Todd scenes. I have about 500 of them, true, but this is in there! I LOVE this. The Todd/Bo standoff, with Todd clinging on and Bo literally trying to talk him down.

"Didn't I dig a hole deep enough to die in, yet?" as he is clinging on for dear life with a gun pointed at him. Simply amazing stuff. In this scene you just get this clear look at where he is now...look how far he's come after everything that's happened over the past several months since he first decided he was going to escape prison, and look at this one moment where he's trapped and grimacing with the last fumes of whatever resistance is left in him keeping him from giving up. It's a matter of pride for him, now.

And as we now find out, Bo knows about everything that happened after the accident. But one of the Keystone Kops shoots him down anyway as he was trying to surrender. This stuff is more like a prime television series or a movie than a soap opera. Anyone who hasn't seen the story of 1994 Todd Manning is really missing out on something special, and their life isn't complete until they HAVE seen it. :D


FAIL: Powell with hilarious hypocrisy. "That doesn't make him a Saint!" Nope, it doesn't make him like YOU, Powell, right?

Clip of the Day, April 23 and 24, 2011 (223 and 224)

Well we find out that Manning is not dead after all.

"CJ, he's a great kid, I'd never let anything happen to him. What, what are you looking at me like that for? You think I eat kids for breakfast?"

Todd, is the best. Roger, is the best. ABCD sucks.

I LOVE the conversation between Marty and Todd is UNPARALLELED. "Nothin to do, except think about things."

"What are you saying Todd? Are you trying to say that you're sorry? Say it Todd, I need to hear you say it?"

*******
"You wanna know if the monster feels thing? I do Marty, I feel sorry, I feel sorry about a lot of things, but mostly I feel sorry about the day I was born."

BINGO. I adore this man....his work as Todd, what else meets this? I can't even say Tony Geary's work does, because it doesn't. He was GREAT, don't get me wrong, but this is unbelievable....and the music they use. So amazing.

FAIL: The POWELL and REBECCA SCENE WRECKS IT. "I never knew homework could be so fascinating." GAG.

SAVING GRACE IN THE FAIL" COrd: Must be the Alec Baldwin Hair Thing. LOL!



Jessica's at the hospital, CJ is in shock. I love this whole story, and it's AWESOME EACH TIME I WATCH. Even the day players are amazing in this. ROCKS.

"Lemon, Strawberry, Orange?"

"Ali."

OMG, so perfect. CJ was a GREAT LITTLE ACTOR!!! Loved these awesome child actors. The nurse coaxing CJ is a fantastic actress, I mean, for a day player, she's lightyears ahead of some of the regular characters today.

And of course, the story brings in a lot of characters....like the Vicki, Sloan, Clint thing....it's amazing. Everyone gets into the act where is Todd is concerned.

"Todd talked to you?"

"He saved us."

I LOVE IT. Marty has to DEAL with that, and it's too much for her, clearly. During the next story, she definitely goes after him, almost hoping he is NOT a real person and has NOT done something heroic. Great stuff.

Do these clips make you grateful that we have them, or sadder that we'll only have a little more in light of the cancellation?

SOUND OFF.

Clip of the Day, April 22, 2011 (222)

Yet again, Todd just can't walk away. "YOU CAN, AND YOU WILL." Similar to what he told Rebecca in the woods. It's interesting how Todd, who is often a pessimist, has these moments of belief in the power of pure determination.

The kid who plays C.J. doing a GREAT job of looking like he's in a state of shock.

Todd and Marty doing their thing...truly a pleasure to watch. I'd gush over the acting again, but why bother? Pretty self-explanatory.

"I can't believe I'm doing this." Bulls-eye delivery, once again.

One question, though: Where'd the tourniquet come from? Unless the cop outfit he'd stolen included it for whatever reason.

"This is how we gotta do it. Whether we like it or not, we just...we just gotta do it."

Todd became awfully wise during his time on the run. Remember when Milton Bittlecomb called him a neanderthal? Well, now we know why he came back all those years later, played by Trevor St. Jawn. He, like Powell, always wanted to be Todd deep down.

And we're off. One of the all-time classic Todd shots...carrying a battered Marty uphill to safety. He raped her a little over a year ago...remember?


Fail: Brian Frons, for being alive. I know that has nothing to do with this clip, but I figured I'd throw that in there. No fails in the clip, by the way.

Clip of the Day, April 16, 17 and 18 (216, 217 and 218)

We're getting to one of my favorite plots for Todd! Cannot wait!



Ok, I just cannot believe how GORGEOUS this guy is. He just seems like the type who doesn't think so, but he's stunning. I love the ponytail thing. Doesn't happen often, but when he does it, I love it. I mean, what don't I love about him aside from one of the stories written for him later on?

Vicki is being a good mom here....I like Erin T so much. I really prefer her to the new Jessica.

Hold on, need a snack or breakfast....brb.

Ok that took too long to get these in for today's mailing but . . .

I think it's neat that there are scenes of other things, like Sloan, Vicki, Marty, etc. They really help us get the fist of the stories. No isolation.

"I'm willing to pay for what I've done but not what I didn't do." Ah Todd, we love you! You won't pay for anything at this rate. LOL!

The plan is ON for the collision of a lifetime!



Marty has a little talk with Jess to help her put things in perspective.

Marty's upset when Jess says Todd may have helped her. The start of something big.

It's amazing what Roger can make someone feel for him, regardless of the character. "I'm not an animal." Bo says, "You're not?" I also love the CHANGE that BO goes through very soon regarding Todd. Love that whole thing. He attacks Bo momentarily, almost as if he's terrified (wish they'd ever get into what he's dealt with in jail but don't think we're going to have time for that) and screams her name! Roger is just a plain old powerhouse.



Meanwhile, Powell gets another thank you. Gag. Everyone discusses terrible Todd. Meanwhile, Rebecca surely still loves Todd but is stuck in the Powell thing. Aarf.

When I see Todd in that police car, I know darn well something great is coming. I remember this story like the back of my hand, and I mean the ORIGINAL AIR TIME. It was SUCH a great story...all of the acting was paramount, everything was fantastic. I miss and will miss it so much.

We're introduced to the hero figurine that CJ is carrying. Love the attention to detail that we got. It's such an important item later throughout at least three more stories of Todd's life.

My God, the face he has on when driving in that car! Roger can be extremely menacing when he wants to be. The kids are talking about Suede's ring, etc. Marty is driving the kids along and here comes the most important SLAM of all. I love this.

I must say, having been in a car accident, this one is pretty realistic when they show the kids and Marty screaming when the car is out of control. Not sure about the police car side, though. I just LOVE what we get next....this is one of my fave stories for Todd.

Sound off!

Clip of the Day, April 13, 2011 (213)

Rebecca more concerned for Poet Boy as she sees Todd, formerly known as "Zorro," brought back. Todd's nearing complete suicidal status, but he still holds a faint glimmer of hope...FOR NOW. You'll see what I mean soon.

Wow...Marty's most angry scene ever. Even Todd's anger, at least in terms of SURFACE anger (at his angriest, his anger was usually this chilling, beneath-the-surface, exploding type), doesn't compare to this. He doesn't even know how to respond.

Powell's adoptive pseudo-mom, Nora, gives him a big, warm hug now that Mr. Innocent is safe.

Hank telling Powell the whole town will know what a HERO he is tomorrow. Wait for it...wait for it....BLEEEECCHHHHHHH!!!!!!

Honestly, I don't think Nora's credibility ever quite recovered from the Powell pimping. It's really something to behold and vomit over.

Oh God...this next scene is even worse. Rebecca and her faux-love reunited. Rebecca passionately kissing him as the music they were given to create the illusion they were actually a legitimate couple is playing in the background.

These scenes are what I think of as the all time LOW POINT for Todd. From being recaptured to the scenes that are about to happen...this is rock bottom. It wasn't until the crash that Todd rises from this rock bottom. We're probably in as much agony watching this as this character is living it, LOL.

While the "hero" is with the epicenter of Todd's universe, the "inhuman monster animal bad guy" is being dragged into a jail cell. Nick Manzo taunts him, which I guess is only fair after Todd humiliated him in the "Go Get a Donut!" standoff. Still, he's one of those biased TV cops that give real cops a bad name.

More Powell pimping. Nora: It takes guts. Powell's got em! Hahahahahaha. Yep, except when a woman is getting raped right in front of him he not only doesn't make a true effort to stop it (easily could have left the room and gotten help), he chooses to PARTICIPATE for fear of the rapist not thinking he's cool. Nora's motherly love for Powell is truly disturbing.

Hey, isn't that one of the guards (Michael) from Statesville prison? Did he get reassigned, or are they just recycling actors? LOL! Todd's not hungry. Perfectly played.

Marty's self-righteousness continues. Nothing will ever be enough when it comes to punishing Todd, as we'll find out in the coming months (well, months of 1994, anyway).

Todd's last glimmer of hope...since he believed Rebecca when she told him she hadn't informed the cops, he figures she not only loves him, but will inevitably still visit him because she's also still his friend. Otherwise, why would she have kept it a secret?

He doesn't yet realize she had lied. And yet he's right about the second two assumptions ANYWAY, as we'll come to find out, though those would greatly be aided by the Mountain Rescue scenes. Seeing him at his lowest and everyone piling on and coming at him with pitchforks is the perfect setup to the ultimate redemption. This is great writing, folks.

FAIL: How much pimping of one man can you possibly do? You would think Powell was the male version of Mother Teresa in these scenes. I'm having trouble holding in my stomach contents. I know it adds to the satisfaction when Todd, formerly known as "Zorro," rises from the ashes, but it really hurts the credibility of the other characters in Llanview when they believe in the heroic goodness of "sweet" Powell the Pure. How can they be so STUPID? How can Jim be the only one with any sense? Remember all this pimping Powell received. In a few clips, you can compare it to the pimping Todd receives in his act of heroism. Will it be as generous and free-flowing as what Mr. Lord III has received from everyone? HA!

Clip of the Day, March 23, 2011 (195)

We start off with a glimpse at the Viki/Sloan/Clint triangle. Sad being reminded of Clint Ritchie's death...he was one of the OLTL legends.

Rebecca and Powell at the police station with Bo. Rebecca is totally giving away her feelings for Todd. Her point about Todd having been there for months and there having been no victims is a poignant one. Of course, Bo doesn't want to hear of it. Everyone thinks they know Todd better than Rebecca, but they're wrong.

And she still can't get that kiss out of her head!

"Including Todd?" Rebecca is still concerned for his safety when nobody else is.

And Todd now has three people who genuinely care about him. He's slowly building some momentum.

Well, here's loud, self-righteous Marty. Sorry, but I can't stand her during this part of the story. I mean, I know intellectually that she has good reason to be upset and even angry at Rebecca for her part in his post-escape rampage, but she's just so loud, repetitive, self-righteous, and one-note. Her telling Rebecca how she's supposed to feel about Todd is just too much. Oh, heaven forbid she cries when a guy she became close to/fell in love with DIES...as if that's any of Marty's business. Her blowing up at Rebecca in this scene is one thing, but you would THINK that Marty would have been relieved enough by Todd's "death" that she would've let Rebecca grieve. Instead, she decided to scold her with more self-righteous banter and insist Rebecca should be "glad he's dead."

You can see the screws coming loose in Marty over the next several months, too. It seems everyone "goes crazy" to some extent at some point during this storyline. Todd, Powell, Marty, and Rebecca. But I guess that shouldn't be too surprising; this was an intense story.

It's also funny how Marty is standing there in front of two people - Rebecca, and a guy who raped her - and she apparently has nothing against the rapist. All of her anger is directed at the OTHER person. From this scene, you would think Marty and Powell are friends. Ugh.

Clint talks with C.J. and Sarah about the "bad man" genie. Note how they don't make a huge fuss about defending him right here, though they're questioning what people tell them. After the car accident, though, we'll see them convinced they were right all along and fight tooth and nail for Todd's freedom. These kids are no dummies.

Luna sighting...and pre-SORASed Al. LOL.


Fail: No Todd. Pretty obvious one there. Marty and her whiny, self-righteous rants. The lack of even a hint of anger from Marty toward Powell. Powell continuing to be "Mr. Wonderful" as he defends his girlfriend. Awwww, how sweet. Not.

Clip of the Day, March 22, 2011 (194)

Roger. More Roger. However, I'd like SOME NEW ROGER, please!



The search is on! A manhunt is ON! And Todd is getting his drink on with the guys in the woods! LOL! Of course, THE RADIO is on now....and a report about Todd is said right aloud for everyone. This is how he finds out that Rebecca turned him in. He's quite upset about it. Back in Llanview, the Keystone Cops are still trying to find him. Meanwhile, Marty shows up and involved herself as always and blames Rebecca for the recent events.

So many characters in one clip - it's like the story arc stretched to include so many characters on so many levels. Rebecca is the babysitter for the kids, Cord is the father, Clint and Vicki are involved, Bo is the police guy, Powell, and it goes on and on and on. The show was acutely adept at including so many people in the story arcs. Love this type of commitment by the show to a long-term story that is slowly and fully developed. Cannot wait for the Zorro scenes!

FAIL: The typical. Too much Powell, not enough Todd.

Sound off!!

Clip of the Day, January 25, 2011

Another snowy day, going to school late and expecting a storm during assessment week - not so great. Anyway, here's the clip of the day.



OMG. After watching Paul non-stop, seeing this just melts my heart, makes me smile, and just says, wow. First off, how gorgeous can he get as he's trying so hard to be ugly? Second, he's into his manipulative best, doing the faces away from her so we can see and she can't.

"I'm afraid of the anger inside of you."

"Sometimes I'm afraid. Help me, Rebecca."

Who could say no to that? I think this is where we really start to see some of the workings of the tortured Todd that we love. This whole "On the Run" story is an easy one to peg as the opening of some wounds in him.

OMG that hand kiss. Wow. I forgot that, see what watching a 7th time can do??? LOL. Gorgeous.

"There is a kindness inside of him, he's afraid of it." Wow Rebecca, you had him PEGGED.

I do have some confusion here, and that is why he decides to spend the cash on a gun. He was thinking of running away, then he needed the cash for that....and then this gun idea comes up. It conjures quite a few thoughts.

The last scene, the NYE Party, made me so nostalgic I almost teared up. Of course, that's not saying much from this sap, but seeing all of those outstanding characters and actors really made my heart sing. At the same time that everyone is starting anew, Todd is getting a gun from someone. I used to LOVE how the show created those paradoxes.

FAIL: None

Sound off. You know you want to, and it's lonely at the top.

Clip of the Day, Jan. 8, 2011

Todd, Todd, Todd.



I love his speech to Rebecca at the start of this clip. He puts his arm around her lovingly and promises to protect her.

This clip shows another reason that Susan was one of my favorites. She CRIES so well. She's a very convincing actress. It's kind of weird that the relegated her to nut status now, but she was a staple back then. I always loved Susan's work, even when I felt the character "overdid" it during the Hospital Rapes Stories.

Rebecca is invited to the party and Todd encourages her to go. "Heck, I would." LOL!

Ah, it's Christmas time in 1993....one year from this, Todd is having sex with Blair after everything is done. I love it.....! Rebecca is breaking the law, and is oblivious to that fact, but besides that . . . she's off to Marty's party. I'm just confused about his plan. He wants to be hidden but then he's going out to Marty's house during the party? Or is he just so obsessed by rage that he does not care if he's found out?

Ah here's the STALKER GARB! Roger was SUCH A HOTTIE in anything he wore. I never loved the knit cap look because it covered his hair, but he's a babe nonetheless. These upcoming scenes in this get up are the scariest Todd to me. What's your take?

FAIL: Kevin, Marty, Rachel and Rebecca just HAPPENED to be taking the same University Class with Sloan? Hmm what are the odds of that?

Sound off!

Clip of the Day, Jan 6, 2011

Our boy in normal clothes again, sigh.

"I know you'd never hurt me."

Poor witty bitty Powell the Turd, did he get his feelings hurt when the maid did not want to serve him?

Just watching Nora and Bo in this clip, and then seeing them twice this week on OLTL, I am happy and amazed that they are still there, still together and still allowed to have scenes by TIIC. They are truly a lasting couple, even though they have had their problems over time. Love anything that's like real life in these shows, almost as much as the stuff that's NOT! They are really a fantastic couple....but are they "super?" They don't have those wild adventures but . . . what do you think? See my Owner Editorial on Supercouples and today's QUESTION OF THE DAY (scroll down.)

Rebecca is taking care of Todd, who is burning up with fever. Now what is the fever from? The pills or the head injury?

"You're not like the others, not at all."

"God is with you and I won't let anyone hurt you ever again." Gee that was quite a large thing she took on! Poor Rebecca....but as the story develops, she also hurts him in her own innocent way.

Is this Todd's first "non-mannered" eating scene? She's so trusting and he's shoving food into his mouth. Roger does this eating stuff like a champ!

"Todd is very smart and very twisted!" I like to post IRONIC statements when I get the chance, since we know what is coming down the pike.

FAIL: When sick, Todd was getting in the bed fully clothed with BOOTS/SHOES ON. LOL.

Sound off!