Burke Devlin....like him or hate him?

[IluvBarnabas]

What did you think of the character of Burke Devlin as a whole? Did you root for him or were you glad to see him go?

When they switched from Mitch Ryan to Anthony George, the character of Burke Devlin became George's it seems to me in name only....he was nothing like the way Ryan portrayed him. Personally I prefer Ryan's Devlin, he may have been a vengeful hothead at times but he was really a good guy at heart. Burke mellowed WAY too much when Anthony took over the role....plus I didn't like the way he kept bossing Vicki around especially [spoiler]after they became engaged.[/spoiler]

[arashi]

I LOVE Ryan's Burke Devlin, he's one of the reasons I'm so eager to get my hands on the pre-Barnabas episodes. George's Devlin was a different creature all together, but that would be the writer's doing and not the actors.

Personally I really like the character. I'm not sure they could have kept him on the show for longer than they did as he was pretty damn smart. I love the verbal sparring that he and Barnabas engaged in, terrific dialogue.

[Josette]

I liked him.  He was ruthless at times, but one could certainly understand his motivation for revenge, and after finally
[spoiler]getting Roger to admit he was guilty[/spoiler]
he got on well with the family.  He was even on fairly decent terms with Liz even before that.  And, he was always nice with Vicki.  I definitely prefer Ryan to George, though.

[Willie]

Never cared for his character at all.  I found him annoying and generally abrasive, with no positive qualities to balance it out.

[BuzzH]

I could take him or leave him.  Wasn't too sad when he was gone.  Liked Ryan better than George though, but funnily enough, I wouldn't have enjoyed Ryan as Jeremiah.  [spoiler]Was more upset Jeremiah was killed off, really liked him and liked George better as J than as Burke.[/spoiler]

[MagnusTrask]

I only know Burke #2.    He was so aggressively self-righteous sometimes about his unimaginative, straight-ahead "normality" (I like electricity too, but I don't pee on anyone's romanticism because of it!) that it was impossible for me not to root for Barnabas, even knowing he was the dangerous one at that point.

[TERRY308]

I'm sure alot of people on this sight have heard my cries for help about 'Burke Devlin'.  I hate him.  He's the kind of guy that bosses Vickie around, and apparentably she likes it because she does not stop him.  He's like ( and I know alot of people have heard this too, so just skip this part) he'll come to your house and just barge in.  I really think that he thinks that he is the mayor.  Hey, Devlin-Boy, come on to my property and barge in to my house and see what I got for you.  
 

[Para L. Time]

I have quite neutral feelings about Burke I. In a way, I do like him, because I felt he was a tie to more normal stories on the show, which DS sorely needed if it was to become a long-running soap opera, like Days of Our Lives or General Hospital (not that those are very good soap opera role models, mind you).

However, I cannot stand Burke II in any shape or capacity. Like mentioned before me, he was a Grade A A-hole. God forbid that Victoria would remain David's tutor if she and Burke got married! God forbid that Victoria should have any interests, such as history, antiques, architecture, and other friends! As abrupt as it was, I was not sorry to hear [spoiler]his plane crashed.[/spoiler] I was so disappointed to see him on my television screen as "Jeremiah", later on.

[rainingwolf]

Didn't like either Burke as characters-though I think the first Burke was a much better actor than Anthony George. When George later went to One Life To Live, he played the doctor the same way he played Burke, so I think he could only really play himself!

[Joeytrom]

I would have loved to see Burke interact with Adam, Nicholas, and Cassandra/Angelique.

How do you think he would have played against them?

[DSFan008]

i thought as a character Burke was good, both actors had their own way with said character

Ryan's Burke was driven by revenge and a strange attraction to Vicki

George's Ryan: was hot tempered and seemed to personally hate Barnabas, as if gearing George for the part of Jerimah

[Barnabas'sBride]

Burke Devlin is one of those characters I didn't think I would miss much until he was actually gone. I'm not all that crazy about the character. I prefer Ryan's Burke as a whole.....George's Burke worked well opposite Barnabas, though.

I think what made me miss him was how 'normal' he was, so to speak. He would have added some realism to the show as the supernatural took over, and after he left I found myself wishing that the character had stuck around. He made a great rival to Barnabas because they were both very powerful men in their own ways, and yet so utterly different.

I think Burke added a balance to the show that would have been useful in those later years. I wish they had found a way to write him back in post-1795.

[michael c]

for me the character of burke devlin is one of the show's great "what ifs?".

what if mitch ryan had not left the show abruptly?what if he had fulfilled the obligations of his contract?what if he hadn't been replaced by an actor who played the character so differently?

if "factor x" had been "factor y" the whole show might have played out differently.

i sort of do have a fondness for burke because as had been said he sort of ties the show to the earlier more reality based storytelling techniques i prefer(i.e.he's not a monster).with burke i got the impression that vicki was somehow protected in the world.jeff clark couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time let alone take care of another human being...and look what happened to vicki under his watch.

in some ways burke is sort of the forgotten main character.he was an enormous presence during the first year or so but once he's gone he's never mentioned again.
whenever a new version of the show is proposed or put into production(the 1991 series,the 2004 pilot)early characters like vicki,elizabeth,roger,etc. co-exist with characters like barnabas,julia and angelique who represent the later more supernaturally themed part of the show.even relatively "minor" characters like willie loomis,joe haskell,sam evans and mrs.johnson get to take their place at the table...but never burke.

i guess in the end both burke and barnabas were too willfull and domineering to exist on the same plane for long.

[Sunny_Collins]

I know I'm in the minority here, but I really like burke. I'm not too fond of the first Burke, IMHO, he was a bully. but the second Burke, even though he was a bit bossy with vicki, was more gentle, more the family man type of person. And his subtle arguments with barnabas were great to watch. Also, I think if Burke and vicki would have married, she wouldn't have allowed him to boss her for long. In any marriage, it's a learning process, and I think Burke would have come to realize that Vicki needed some hobbies and activities of her own, and wouldn't have begrudged her them. I believe Burke was the best match for Vicki.

I was really sad to see him leave, and I always wished he would have returned, especially considering that his plane crashed and we never really learned if he died. It was open to a great deal of interpretation.

And IMHO, Barnabas didn't cause burke's plane crash. I think it was just one of those unfortunate tragedies the Collins' family had to face.

[BuzzH]

Also, I think if Burke and vicki would have married, she wouldn't have allowed him to boss her for long.

Several ppl have mentioned Burke bossing Vickie around when I don't think he did.  He'd offer his opinion sure, but she did whatever the hell she wanted anyway, like continuing to be friends w/Barnabas, being interested in the past etc...when did he rule over her?  I don't recall that.  And she was VERY vocal w/him when he went too far and pissed her off.  Like when [spoiler]he had Barnabas investigated.  That did not sit well w/her at all, and she let him have it.[/spoiler]