In Springfield, it's the smallest resident who holds all of the cards.
Little Sarah Randall is only a few months old, but she controls the fate of so many Springfield residents. Without speaking a word, her very presence is making her family members act out of sheer desperation to have her little pink cheeks in their lives for many years to come.
All of the machinations of the characters on screen are certainly riveting and good plot devices, I guess. But I remember the days when the birth of a baby was a blessed event that brought families together. Without custody battles, hit-men and the like taking the innocence out of what should be a magical time for all involved.
The practical soap fan in me realizes that with two central players in the story leaving, you could really ramp up the excitement a notch or two. But seeing the spoilers that are coming, and having some idea of what will happen, it makes me sad. How can the show kill off a character who could return, or just be written to leave town in an attempt to make a better life for a little girl?
As I watched the show this week - which is rare (I usually listen now on Innertube) I saw Vincent Irizarry (ex-Lujack/Nick) doing promos for Y&R. When Vincent left GL the first time, the show killed off his character, then had to write in a twin when they wanted him back. Hardly realistic (but when is daytime these days?) but that is the world of soaps.
It's certainly too late to re-write the show, but I would like the show to think about the way they write out characters not for short term hype, but for long term story. They've done the same thing with Maureen Bauer (Ellen Parker), famously, thinking she didn't matter to fans. The same with Fiona Hutchinson (Jenna Bradshaw). But both were done when the show wanted to get rid of the character and this exit was actor driven, but still, we need to learn from our past. Yes, characters can die, but don't write yourself into a situation that you'll regret in a few years.
Which leaves me to the other topic - paying for your sins. When will Alan's actions finally catch up with him? If you want the show to be based in realism, Alan will ultimately have to pay some price for the blood that will stain his hands. But I'll leave that for another column...
Kimberly
