All My Children is going through a bit of a transition period. Not long ago the show changed head writers, a change which I actually feel was for the better. Still, as with everything in life, the change has not been perfect. The story pace has picked up considerably, and therefor some of the depth that could have been mined has been lost. Also, some characters have had complete personality transplants, or at least started leaning more towards their dark sides.
This is where this note comes in. All My Children has shown me, as a novice writer, how to ruin a character, as well as how to bring new life to one.
Which character did they ruin? Ryan Lavery. Ryan was always a romantic who jumped head first into relationships, sometimes while still in one with someone else, and he was quick to declare his undying love. He was a fool, but still someone worth watching. Lately though, since the death of his most rescent "one true love" Ryan has turned into something resembling a monster.
He is willing to rip families apart and cheat. He has done everything in his power to hurt his ex-wife Annie, who he had driven crazy, and he has set out to destroy Zach Slater, the man he blames for Greenlee's death.
Ryan is a character with blinders on. He blames everyone else, but never blames himself for the role he played in Greenlee's death. He jumped to a conclusion that wasn't true, started running his mouth, and was responsible for his wife to be, being on the road the night she was killed.
Ryan, of course, denies this, and instead managed to ruin not one, but two marriages. Then he goes and sleeps with Greenlee's best friend, who is married with children!
We're supposed to cheer for this character? Luckily the writers aren't idiots, and they have decided to side with the audience, and portray Ryan has the sudden monster he is. Still, Ryan's character was one of the more heroic, romantic men on the show. Now he's a cruel, vindictive mess who is so unhappy with his life that he terrorizes everyone else.
At the same time, one of his victims, Annie, has become a very interesting character! When I started watching the show Annie was pretty darn dull. She was for the most part saintly, a good mother, and a devoted wife. When Ryan left her is when the fun begins.
Annie went insane. In her insanity she murdered two people, one of them her brother, kidnapped her daughter, stabbed Erica Kane, and had a completely mental breakdown in the middle of a nightclub while wearing a bloodstained wedding dress. Saintly no more!
Annie has become a character with depth, layers, and a very interesting and dark past. Her new romance with Aidan has become almost exciting to watch, since there are so many forces working against them.
Before the writer's switch it seemed as if Annie would be written off the show. After the switch Annie was given a good deal of plot and material to work with, and with her insanity her character grew.
Now I know fans would disagree on my opinion on both of these characters, and that's fine. This is my opinion, and I'm sticking to it.
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