REFLECTIONS BY JILL for October 23, 2006

FAN FEEDBACK AND QUESTIONS

Lucy writes: “Jill, you keep saying how wonderful Natalie's acting is. I am sorry to disagree with you. I think Evangeline's reactions are better. Natalie just does not move me, no matter how her character is. She's supposed to be in denial, I know, however, the acting is bad.”

Dear Lucy: I keep saying that I think Melissa Archer is doing a good job because that what I think, week after week. Why are Evangeline’s reactions better because they are different from Natalie’s? Yes, Evangeline was devastated by John’s “death” and she has a totally different personality than Natalie does. Evangeline doesn’t have the hard edges that Natalie has and she and Natalie have had totally different life experiences so they react to things differently. I can’t see any reason why their reactions should even be compared.

Missy writes: “Thank you! I truly appreciate (and agree with) your support for Melissa Archer and her portrayal of Natalie, as well as, the John and Natalie love story. I agree wholeheartedly with your opinion of the recent storyline. Ms. Archer portrays Natalie's grief realistically, showing the audience the various facets of grief. I find myself sympathizing with her in every scene and utterly believing every emotion. Her portrayal is most effective, however, because she doesn't overact. All of her scenes, especially the scene when she first receives the news from Bo, are subdued. You feel the agony through the sadness in her eyes and her body language. Between Ms. Archer's obvious development as an actress and the recent revelations about John's feelings for Natalie, I can't help but be excited about the fall and the upcoming year! For me, these last few weeks solidified my position that John and Natalie have joined the exclusive ranks of couples like Todd and Blair and have become one of OLTL's super couples. Do you think this latest storyline has cemented John and Natalie as OLTL's newest super couple?”

Dear Missy: Obviously, there are a lot of people on both sides of the fence when it comes to Melissa Archer’s portrayal of Natalie and her reaction to John’s “death.” I would not mind at all if John and Natalie developed into a major couple on the show, but I think a lot is riding on whether or not Michael Easton plans to be around in the long run. No one seems to know for sure what will happen or what the deal was when Michael Easton agreed to extend his contract. I hope he will be around for a long time. I’d love to see John and Natalie really give a long-term committed relationship a go. John has come such a long way as far as making peace with his past and now would be a great time to see what it would be like for him to lead a real life and relate to his loved ones without all the filters he’s always had.

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