Characters who tempt you to fast-forward

[Bob_the_Bartender]

I'm just wild about Harry!   There's something about Craig Slocum's terror and nervousness as an actor that lends itself to the character so wonderfully!  I will agree that in one scene with Nicholas, he was, as Leonard Pinth-Garnell of SNL "Bad Theatre" fame would say, "deliciously bad."  For my money, however, the appearance of Sky Rumson ("ANN - JUHHH - LEEK!) was equally "delicious."

As God as my witness this is true; at the 1988 Dark Shadows Festival, during the "Q-and-A" session with actress Lara Parker, some very nice lady in the audience, asked her (and, remember, now, this was 18 years ago): "How did you like, working with a 'pretty-boy' like that Sky Rumson character?"  (She may have even mentioned that tall, dark and handsome actor's real name!)

Anyway, Ms. Parker, just raised her eyebrows, as the audience (including yours truly and my then-girlfriend) just about fell out of our chairs in paroxysms of laughter!!!

Hopefully, there are several other cousins out there, who were, indeed, at the 1988 Festival in the World Trade Center to verify that I am NOT going completely senile in my dotage.  Oy vey, that lady, must have had a "few" at McSorley's Pub, just off of lower Broadway before "sauntering-over" to the Fest!

[petofi]

Great story, Bob!  I don't doubt it a bit, considering how wooden good old "Sky" could be.

Petofi

[Lydia]

I'm in the no-fast-forwarding camp, but if ever I were to switch sides, my first victim would be Vicky.  All that unleavened sweetness gets to me.  I've never seen the pre-Barnabas episodes and I accept that she's smarter in them - but she would probably still remind me of a bowl of melted vanilla ice cream.

[Barnabas'sBride]

Vanilla is my favorite ice cream flavor.

Victoria has never annoyed me, even when her character deteriorates. I get more annoyed at The Powers That Be for not seeing the potential in the character and not allowing her to grow and be let in on things.

[Raineypark]

Fast forwarding was the perfect antidote for Beth-the-human-doormat....

[Nancy]

  Love that, Rainey.

I have to admit I don't understand anyone being hesitant about fast forwarding through something he/she considers boring.   The whole deal with this stuff is it's suppose to be entertaining.  When something I'm watching ceases to be that for me, I fast forward until something catches my eye.

Nancy

Fast forwarding was the perfect antidote for Beth-the-human-doormat....

[Willie]

David and Amy when Quentin is haunting Collinwood.  The way they lie and always switch to that "who, me?  I'm so innocent" voice when they do it, then they share a smug grin with each other afterwards.  Good god, I can't take it.  And all those scenes in David's bedroom where he and Amy basically have the same conversation over and over, and none of it advances the plot one bit.  And Elizabeth and Roger acting like complete imbeciles.  Definite fast forward material.

I think I also skipped about 20 episodes where Adam was falling in love with Carolyn.  But even though I don't care for that storyline too much, it's at least watchable.  Those kids make me yell at the TV screen.

[retzev]

Vanilla is my favorite ice cream flavor.

Victoria has never annoyed me, even when her character deteriorates.

I agree. I like Victoria no matter what she's doing, but I have to admit I'm a sucker for those eyes of hers 

Sometimes it's a struggle, but I haven't fast-forwarded yet. I even watch the credits all the way to the end,  I guess it's the completist in me 

[BuzzH]

I agree. I like Victoria no matter what she's doing, but I have to admit I'm a sucker for those eyes of hers 

Sometimes it's a struggle, but I haven't fast-forwarded yet. I even watch the credits all the way to the end,  I guess it's the completist in me 

Vickie doesn't really bother me too much either, even at her most "petunia-ish".  I was very good in the beginning of going through my DVD's to not fast forward through anything, including the opening and closing credits.  But because I'm trying to get through the entire series before the Fest in August, I've begun to FF through both sets of credits. Saving even a little bit of time helps. 

[ClaudeNorth]

As God as my witness this is true; at the 1988 Dark Shadows Festival, during the "Q-and-A" session with actress Lara Parker, some very nice lady in the audience, asked her (and, remember, now, this was 18 years ago): "How did you like, working with a 'pretty-boy' like that Sky Rumson character?"  (She may have even mentioned that tall, dark and handsome actor's real name!)

Anyway, Ms. Parker, just raised her eyebrows, as the audience (including yours truly and my then-girlfriend) just about fell out of our chairs in paroxysms of laughter!!!

Hopefully, there are several other cousins out there, who were, indeed, at the 1988 Festival in the World Trade Center to verify that I am NOT going completely senile in my dotage.  Oy vey, that lady, must have had a "few" at McSorley's Pub, just off of lower Broadway before "sauntering-over" to the Fest!

I recall a similar incident.  It might have been all the way back at one of the Newark Fests.  LP was asked about Geoffrey Scott and she replied that he was very good-looking but a terrible actor.

My vote for most fast-forwardable character?  The Eagle Hill Cemetery caretaker.  In general, I loathe the "young actor acting old" routine, and all of his scenes felt like filler, as if the episode came up short so the writers decided to have the caretaker ramble and moan to add the necessary 1 minute and 15 seconds to the running time.  Even though I've seen these episodes many times, I still hope that Barnabas will kill the old geezer.

[BuzzH]

LP was asked about Geoffrey Scott and she replied that he was very good-looking but a terrible actor.

She should talk!  Sheesh!  Oscar/Emmy contender she ain't!   

[PennyDreadful]

She should talk!  Sheesh!  Oscar/Emmy contender she ain't!   

Definitely disagree there.  LP is a good actor with definite screen presence.  Her performance as Angelique certainly outshines Geoffrey Scott's acting as Sky by leaps and bounds.  Geoff was easy on the eyes, but rather wooden acting-wise.  LP's performances weren't at 100% in every single episode (who was always at 100% every time really except maybe Louis Edmonds?), but when she was on her game, Parker was certainly as good as the best actors in the series IMO.

[BuzzH]

Definitely disagree there.  LP is a good actor with definite screen presence.  Her performance as Angelique certainly outshines Geoffrey Scott's "acting" by leaps and bounds.  She wasn't at 100% in every single episode (who was really except maybe Louis Edmonds), but when she was on her game, Parker was as good as the best actors in the series IMO.

Oh, I wasn't saying Lara was a bad actress, just that she wasn't the best, IMHO anyway.  She was average, and let's face it, there were times she overacted ('course, ALL of them did at times   That would be the script too most times).  I saw her in a couple things after DS and she was good, but not great.  I didn't see a lot of versatility to her in those other roles, she basically played the same thing.  There are some actors out there that can TOTALLY transform into something, then in the next movie be completely different again.  Case in point--Al Pacino--he can play a very quiet, soft-spoken, almost shy person (Scarecrow, Frankie & Johnny) then play something way opposite (Scarface, Scent of a Woman), and do all 4 roles very convincingly.  This is why I'm convinced some actors have bigger, better and more lucrative careers, like Pacino (or DeNiro, Streep, Sally Field) and others (Lara) don't.  But it's true, G. Scott *was* pretty bad on DS, but by the time he was on Dynasty he was much better. 

[PennyDreadful]

I haven't seen much of LP's work besides DS to be honest.  Only her Kolchak appearance.  I know what you mean, but to be honest, I wonder if LP was ever given the opportunity to play various types of roles.  It seems, at least in days gone by, she had a personal  leaning towards the ingenue role which I don't think she's as well suited for.  I suspect she'd be a fairly strong character actor given the opportunity and the interest on her part.

[CyrusL]

Just a reminder, Lara is in the very early Braine DePalma film, "Hi Mom" which I have some quibbles with, but its the only place I've heard her use her Tennessee accent. Her sons very briefly appear as well.
    Is Lara still married to Jim Hawkins? He  also appeared on  the original "Kolchak".

Michael