By Lynda Hirsch
Feb 28, 2009
Last week on "All My Children," Greenlee (Rebecca Budig) died. Or did she? It was the famous "she's dead, but we have no body" soap opera ploy. I like Greenlee. I think Budig is a great actress. However, I want the character dead. I am tired of mourning characters that pop back like the Energizer Bunny. AMC, often my favorite soap (OK, I admit it), has you mourn and then pulls the mourning rug out from under you by bringing the character back from the dead.
Dixie dies not once but twice and returned; although, we think her last death, caused by poisoned pancakes, may really have her dead. Tad died; he's back and we're glad because the character and actor, Michael E. Knight, are favorites of mine and the fans. Paul Rauch, presently executive producing "Young and Restless," once said, "When an actor leaves or a character is painted into a corner, I like to put that character into the bank. That means the character can return. No body, no death. So when I want to bring the character back I go to the soap opera bank and withdraw the frozen assets." Yes, it's a good idea sometimes but not every time. The only way you can be certain a character is dead is if it's a minor character. When it's a major one there's always that possibility that they really haven't breathed their last breath.
Last week on "All My Children," Greenlee (Rebecca Budig) died. Or did she? It was the famous "she's dead, but we have no body" soap opera ploy. I like Greenlee. I think Budig is a great actress. However, I want the character dead. I am tired of mourning characters that pop back like the Energizer Bunny. AMC, often my favorite soap (OK, I admit it), has you mourn and then pulls the mourning rug out from under you by bringing the character back from the dead.
Dixie dies not once but twice and returned; although, we think her last death, caused by poisoned pancakes, may really have her dead. Tad died; he's back and we're glad because the character and actor, Michael E. Knight, are favorites of mine and the fans. Paul Rauch, presently executive producing "Young and Restless," once said, "When an actor leaves or a character is painted into a corner, I like to put that character into the bank. That means the character can return. No body, no death. So when I want to bring the character back I go to the soap opera bank and withdraw the frozen assets." Yes, it's a good idea sometimes but not every time. The only way you can be certain a character is dead is if it's a minor character. When it's a major one there's always that possibility that they really haven't breathed their last breath.
