Where do I start? Since I can remember, I’ve watched, adored, and was absorbed by soap operas. I still mourn the loss of One Life to Live, All My Children, and As the World Turns.…heck I even wish Santa Barbara and Loving would come back. I’d even settle or the City.
My mother adored soaps as did my sister who was older than me by 8 years. So, I remember staying home from school because my mother couldn’t miss Tad and Dixie getting married. This trend happened quite frequently. On Days of Our Lives, my sister convinced my mom to let me skip school to watch Patch and Kayla. There were days my mom and sister would bicker (in a friendly way) because DOOL was on the same time as AMC.
When I was about 12 or 13, a new character came on One Life to Live and instantly captured my attention. I actually recognized him from Loving, and was upset he had such a bit part on that show. Well, when Todd Manning showed up he was a frat boy and a real bad guy. He commited crimes way too vile to mention, but in my young niavete and misunderstanding of his deeds, I rooted for him even when he broke out of prison and continued to terrorize the rest of the town. I of course, side with him and despised the rest of the town. It didn’t help that I was into philsophy, and Todd Manning was a very intelligent character who would talk about humanity and it’s darkest side and the hypocritical nature of some individuals who judged others but forgived themselves of sins like cheating, lying, stealing, etc.
Over the years, he changed a bit – but would usually return to his evil roots. He did some bad things. Things that the average person wouldn’t forgive. Still, the actor had a ridiculously huge fan base. Other actors commented that when they went to events, all the fans would ask about was Roger Howarth. See, he’s just such a good actor and sooo good at being bad.
Well, when One Life to Live ended and Todd Manning was no more …I began watching General Hospital. He was playing Franco – a reformed serial killer. Now, that was not his fault. See, he had a brain tumor that made him bad. Maybe, I haven’t changed much since my youthful niavete, but I was on his side. Then, slowly they had him become a mushy, goody-goody and though he was still gorgeous – it just didn’t hit that emotion in me. He wasn’t intellectual or savvy. The writing just wasn’t good.
I hadn’t watched at all for about 8 months. I was finally over my life time addiction of soap operas…..and then just like Laura Spencer, my day of reckoning came. It was 11/05/2014. I was flipping through the channels and caught glimpse of Roger Howarth as Franco… but wait. He wasn’t smiling. He was angry! I liked it when he was angry. See, his girlfriend – the one who made him all mushy cheated on him. Note to all the single ladies, if you’re dating a reformed serial killer – it’s wise to be faithful. Well, he destroyed her entire family with secrets revealed.
So….I was drawn back in. Instantly, he was intriguing again. He was doing diabolical things but justifying them with philosophical arguments that not even his ex could debate. Now, when I get obsessed….I get obsessed. I’m OCD – and it always begins the same way. I tell my loving amazing husband, I just want to catch up on last week so I have a good understanding. It’ll only be like 20 minutes of clips – all I care about are the Roger Howarth clips and fans post those on youtube. It’ll only take a few minutes. Well, from 9PM to 8AM I caught up on 8 months of GH and watched a ton of old OLTL clips. I kept telling myself, just one more. I’ll watch just one more. So, today I have gone on no sleep – but I’m not really tired. I’m giddy. I can’t wait to get home and watch more of Franco – especially because he’s hooking up with a nutball who’s trying to steal a baby and who is enthralled by his insanity. The chemistry between them is fantastic and more than that – the dialouge and delivery from Roger is topknotch. It’s like Todd has been reincarnated and the heyday of OLTL is back.
My name is Melissa Garza and I was a RECOVERING soap addict, but I’ve fallen back into this awful pattern again. I go on soap opera sites and defend actions that are heinous and cruel simply because I love the characters. Sure, Franco ruined his ex’s son’s life to get back at her, but she cheated on him…. he really didn’t do it to hurt her son – he was just a casualty because the best way to hurt her was to ruin her son….is that so bad? Yes, Yes it is – but the little voice inside of me jumps out when someone says, “Franco is a psycho jerk.” My reply is “no…he’s an intelligent, misunderstood man who tried to walk the right path and was destroyed by a woman unworthy of his devotion.”
My husband smiles and shakes his head yet he’ll still sit on the couch and watch with me. Since, I’ve been with him I’ve shown him clips as I have his old scenes on DVD and they’re on youtube.
