Wednesday, April 21, 2010

Less Than Five Months Left of ATWT: Byrne Still Not Back

As I mentioned in a previous post, some actors may not want to return to AS THE WORLD TURNS in its final months. Even though it was brief, it was wonderful to see Julianne Moore again. Gwen and Will are returning soon. I don't know how Larry Bryggman would feel about returning but I'm trying to find out.

One of the more curious situations though is the character of Lily. Whatever the ending is for Lily and Holden, it just won't have any weight to it for me with Noelle Beck in the role. I am a longtime Beck fan from her days at LOVING and no one could have done a better job taking over the role from Martha Byrne than her. But having watched this show since elementary school, I want to get a final, beautiful closing for Lily and Holden, as well as Lily and Lucinda, and that can only happen with Byrne. Noelle Beck's contract with ATWT has already expired. It was actully a perfect time to ask Byrne to return as Lily, without going back on the commitment to Beck, yet no one did. It seemed like a golden opportunity and a no-brainer.

What do you think? Do you want to see Byrne back for the final months of ATWT? Are you okay with Beck's Lily closing out the show with Holden? Tell us what you think in the comments section.

15 comments:

  1. I like Noelle, but I have to agree. They might as well write out the character of Lily now. They're already wasting precious time on Gabriel, Liberty and others.

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  2. Roger, I agree 1000%, but I am assuming that Byrne's departure - and the lack of commitment that ATWT was giving her that led to it - caused so much bad blood *somewhere*. Unfortunately, I don't think she'll be back.

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  3. I agree that Noelle Beck has done as good as anyone could in this HUGE role (especially in the face of some rather uninspired writing, where the character remarried after believing her soul mate was dead for a month tops and stayed married when he showed up alive!). I did not know Noelle Beck before she joined ATWT but I can tell she is very capable and I will be a fan of hers from here out. But as a lifelong Lily and Holden fan, I find myself really unsure what I want to see happen as ATWT comes close to the end without Martha Byrne in the role. Honestly, I would be happy if they wrote Lily and Holden off today and brought them back with Martha in the role a week before the show ended. We just all want to see Martha and John happy together as Lily and Holden one last (and theoretically eternal) time.

    And do let us know what you find out about Larry Bryggman. John and Andy are also sorely missed from the final episodes.

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  4. Patrick, I'm sure you are right, but this is such a historical show, in many ways more than GL, since three 50 year cast members are around. I'm old school I guess and want the faces I grew up with and loved forever to be featured. Martha has been open about being willing to return in her GOTHAM chats as long as it's not a last minute throw in on the final day. But she hasn't been asked.

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  5. Greg, even if some actors decide not to come back, I hope the writers will at least mention them, tell us what they're up to now, and give some closure.

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  6. YES! The recent storylines have been greatly missed, the current one is fine, but just not the same, like with the original Dusty, Emily, Paul and Margo.
    I'm a '80's fan, those were the best of times.
    212-474-5888-TeleNext
    513-983-1100-P&G
    866-695-1860-ATWT Hot-line Toll Free

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  7. Without Martha and her chemistry with Jon, I prefer Holden end up with Molly.

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  8. I completely agree, Roger. It would have seemed like a no-brainer to bring Martha back for the final few months of the show after Noelle's contract expired. Noelle is no stanger to the soap "game", so I'm sure she would understand the "why" behind it all.

    ...and yes, please bring John Dixon back for one last hurrah...!

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  9. I Love Noelle from Loving.. But I would rather she leave and head back to ABC Daytime in a new role. Give ATWT fans what they want.

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  10. Based on Goutman's history, particularly the end of Another World, I don't have a lot of hope that he has one bit of understanding of what the fans want as the show ends.

    I may just pretend the Bob and Kim anniversary story was the end.

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  11. I've watched ATWT for almost 15 years now, so I'm not really a newer viewer. But I don't really care for the character of Lily, so I don't care who plays her. But I'd love if they could find a way to bring her back as Rose. I loved Rose!! Lily & Holden are just boring together.

    I cannot WAIT for Will & Gwen to come back!

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  12. I would not return. Martha has moved on and she should keep on trekking. She was awesome and the only true Lily as others have said, but she was mistreated and thus there should be no reason to return to that enviornment. Period.

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  13. no disrespect to noelle, but she is not martha. the fans deserve proper closure from this charactor, and it should be martha byrne as lily.

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  14. I think Noelle Beck is doing a great job in the role. She deserves to finish it without everyone watching over her shoulder. No one likes a back seat driver.

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  15. Wow. I had no idea Noelle Beck's contract had expired. If we were going to get Martha back, that would've been the time. Clearly, Goutman doesn't want her back. She challenged his authority, he totally %^$!#@$ her over the way he handled the situation. He's not going to ask her to return. It's a shame. I have been watching for 11 years (I can't believe that!) and yes, more than anything, with all that I have invested in Holden and Lily, I want to see Jon and Martha finish it together. I have no hope for it though. Martha (and Noelle)...we love you!!!

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