Dr. Julia Hoffman: Tough Cookie or Doormat?

[Julia99]

For the amount of time the character is on the show she doesn't get a backstory, and because she's a main character and is on the show constantly, it's kind of surprising why they never created any kind of past for her.

And that is a huge irony often noted by others. . .when the show resoundingly revolves around Barnabas's past and then Quentin's . ..Elizabeth's. . Roger's . . .**why** is Julia's past life never even mentioned?  We get only a few hints . .the medallion being from her Grandmother (which could've been an outright lie to cover up her hypnonsis-addicted ways) and the fact that she **chose** medical school over marriage/family. . and her brilliance in medical school (a la Dr Woodward)--I think that's about it. .

[michael c]

because of her distinctive style grayson hall gave dr.julia hoffman great "presence" on the show.that combined with the chemistry she had with mr.frid gradually lead to her being written into the show's lead.

but what if a less charismatic actress had been hired for the part?would the character have been given less prominence?
because the character lacked a back-story or any sort of personal life in the hands of a lesser actress she could have been a very boring character,and indeed,a "doormat".it was grayson's style and charisma that made the character what it was and she did always have an air of the "tough cookie" even when she was obviously being put to ill use by barnabas.

[jeffreywj777]

I believe that the defining moment in Julia's and Barnabas's relationship came when Barnabas was able to manipulate Julia into standing by during Dr. Woodard's murder. Regardless how determined or strong willed Julia would be in dealing with others, this key moment would always make her subservient to Barnabus's will.

Jeff

[Luciaphile]

Overall, I always saw her as fairly strong. The scenes that are most vivid in my mind are the ones from the 1968 arc when she would face Nicholas or Cassandra with total equanimity. The scenes toward the end of that SL with Nicholas in particular, you knew she was one tough broad.

For whatever reason, though, whenever Barnabas was involved, she turned into complete j-ello. Even when his plans were totally insane, when there were other more reasonable and more rational courses of action, yeah, she'd register a protest, but 9 times out of 10, she'd cave like a house of cards during an earthquake. I think it would have made for a better story if she had been written as a strong woman consistently, but she wasn't.

So doormat with Barnabas, strong with everybody else.

[TheShroud]

I think Julia Hoffman was a combination of both.
With other people she was definitely a tough cookie.  With Barnabas she ended up being his doorman.  Most women would have realized after a while that Barnabas wasn't going to be anything more than a friend and moved on.  Julia kept letting him walk all over her, however.