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COGGIE'S Corner

Skye's more than O.K.! The first time I really hated a new soap character happened on AMC. God, it must've been in the late 70s, early 80s, something like that. I'm horrible with dates and this soap sucks online in terms of researchable URL databases.Anyway!The new character was Adam Chandler's estranged 20-something daughter, Skye. TIIC hired some unknown bony British babe for the roleand I spent so much time stuck on her accent that I never bothered to pay attention to her going after Tad with icy gusto. After a few days of this annoying interruptus of my usual family integration interaction fare, I began to wonder if she would be long-term. Back then, VCRs and FF buttons on remote controls were non-existent. If you couldn't stomach a character or a storyline, you had to suffer through anyway; or time your bathroom and kitchen breaks.Fortunately for me, TIIC turned into TPTB and recast this terribly awkward Skye for a much improved, subtly intriguing Skye in the porcelain fiery of Robin Christopher.In the history of soaps, this was by far the greatest casting move of all. Christopher is a rarity, a true adult actor, one who doesn't blaze and blare and bellow around constantly to be heard, seen and noticed in step-by-step kindergarten thespianism. Rather, she embodies so completely the very essence of the soul of a human being made fiction, from the surface flimsy down to the undulating core, in sections, layers, facets, compartments, fused into one frustrating, captivating, heroic enigma.She took Skye to dimensions unheard of in daytime by purposely, unapologetically, ruthlessly, mercilessly and exactingly in slow, measured steps revealing her as a selfish, petty, whining bitch. She did this so comprehensively, so realistically, and so completely that you really wanted to throttle her, scream at her, slap some sense into her.But she was no Erica Kane. She did bad with an almost undetectable restraint, naturally to the situation, the responses to other charactersuntil you believed totally in her motives, her behavior, her actions and her cruel, cutting, relentless words meant to seek and destroy, unravel your most tightly-held vulnerabilities.You believed until you almost approved.She was never loud for loud's sake, hardly a drama queen presence, rarely wasting a breath or a movement in arm-flailing tantrumsa lesser actor's easy way out.Just when you were ready to heave-ho, enough was enoughChristopher did something unexpected, and did so with that same slow, measured, natural approach, like a real misunderstood, childish but well-meaning woman would if that woman existed as a Skye Chandler.She became unerringly, trustingly, heartbreakingly human.You saw it in her eyes first, the eyes of a broken child flinching for the next and final strike, a fragile trembling of the palest blues and greens, a backdrop amidst sea and sky waiting for storm to overtake and overwhelm with the more flamboyant, the more showy colors. No matter what she said, no matter how cutting her tone, you need only gaze into her eyes to tell the truth, to glimpse into her uncommonly beautiful haunting soul, the diametrical opposite of the façade she lets people pass through.Giving her alcoholism was a stroke of genius on the writers' part, because it struck her with a visible weakness with which to clearly identify a visual aid for the dimwitted among us who needed a sledgehammer to the skull to sort through complex portrayals that refused to spell every emotion and subterfuge out, that made you work for every morsel of insight. It also gave her chance after chance to prove herself not quite out of the running as a worthy, decent person, capable of more, much more than she ever allowed herself, or would allow anyone else.After the bitch cut swaths through the residents of Pine Valley, a child would lay hurt or a rival would nearly succumb to an addiction and Skye would undo her superficial reputation in one fell swoop by releasing her instinctive compassion. She made Tom's life a living hell, demanding his total devotion, jealous of anybody else in the way, even a little girl. She'd turn to the bottle and embarrass herself, others, a drunken party if she wants to. But when push came to shove, when it mattered, she found herself again and became the strength enough for everybody.I couldn't help but root for her, even when she lashed out unnecessarily, tortured by her worst enemy, her own insecurities. Everywhere she went, a catalyst exploded, filling the room with light and music and arguments and laughter and hidden chasms of tears, and possibility, that this time, the monumental would be discovered, celebrated, awed by the building realization fulfilled in the real Skye.It was that need to see the real Skye which compelled me to follow her around, from soap to soap.After years of neglect and other mis-recasts, Skye came back, to Llanview in OLTL a few years ago, the same frail, desperate, lonely woman who always undid her own achievements and blessings with that trademarked insecurity.Heaven and hell! Joy and misery everlasting! Promised, delivered on cue, in that same adult acting manner so missing in today's preening mannequins.But this time, she came with JFP baggage. The new OLTL executive producer took over a troubled soap with an itinerary and an agenda. Fresh faces, friends from former soaps in the spotlight, revolve the pre-existing cast around them, and watch the fur fly. Which happened, but in ways not expected or wanted by the regime. Fans began to resent the extravagance indulged these FOJs (Friends of Jill's), calling for a boycott until JFP was replaced summarily with an EP who would do the OLTL veterans justice. Included amongst the FOJs was Robin Christopher, from their AW days where she played Lorna Devon from 1994-1997. Oh, the flames for her especially!I sympathized with the general sentiment, agreed that JFP should end, but I couldn't quite bring myself to dismiss Christopher. I mean, I knew and loved her from AMC! Far far earlier than this whole JFP FOJ mess!To me, Robin Christopher already proved herself long ago by earning my respect and interest on AMC. As far as I was concerned, she was immune and absolved, a self-contained performance contractor, hired to do the job and do it ably. With or without ties, connections.I didn't care for her storylines, though panting after Ben, trying to ruin a pillar of the community to get him, then repeating the same mistake with Max, in that amoral Jerry Springer ménage a deux with trois trailer trash piece of dreck where she was made to be his mistress living in the same mansion with him and his tolerant but competitive wife Blair. Two women debasing themselves and their dignity to merely touch the hem of Max's boxer shorts exit, please!Still, this was Skye frickin' Chandler, dammit! Nobody better mess with her or she'd make you pay and pay dearly.She rampaged through two towns already before heading over to GH's Port Charles a few weeks ago. Why? Well, JFP, of course. The controversial EP moved on over to the next soap and took a few buddies with her.Yeah, yeah, I hear ya.But hands off my Skye, anyway. She's perfect as the permanent crossover, the bastard Quartermaine foil, the devious collaborator who just may humanize Sonny again, and God knows what elseShe's already working miracles, weaving magic. Take that scene where Edward berates A.J. incessantly in the same emasculating manner the other family members are used to. Not Skye. The camera doesn't have to find her reaction. You do, easily, because you're hunting for it, searching it out, and you're not disappointed. For once during the entire scene where she's smirking with pretense, her face falters, turns stone cold sober and melds into a wide range of emotions from one recovering lush to another, a cocktail of rage, hurt, disgust and always, that patented Skye empathy. When the rest of them leaves, leaving A.J. reaching automatically for the vodka, you'd expect Skye to stop him, hurl the crystal bottle across the room and proceed with the AA lecture.Skye?! You must be confusing her for Carly.No, Skye does what Skye does best. She leaves A.J. with very few words, but poignantly understated in final inevitable tones, meant as a passing of the shield, to withstand the abuse and the obstacles that weaken the barrier into drinking again. She tells him basically that the choice is his, but that letting Edward make that choice for him, is letting someone else win control of your life, and your sobriety and all the pain you went through to reach the calm and the peace. The Skye Closed Caption: Don't let the bastard win, A.J. With that, she walked quietly away, and guess whatA.J. won, instead.Skye influence afootSo, hey, I can't fault JFP this time. In fact, next to Linda Dano (Rae)whom I used to resent for her hogging crossover airtime until I had two clarifying dreams about the woman being nothing as I'd presumed, but that's a long story for maybe a future columnRobin Christopher (Skye) is one FOJ I will always warmly embrace, welcome and accept in any show, any time, any place, anywhere. She's that gifted, that worth the fan flak, that good.It's like AMC all over again. Waiting eagerly, leaning forward, for the next infamous, infallibly multiplex of her myriad moods, faces, postures and eventually, if you're lucky enough, patient enough, smart enough and insightful enougha flash of the real Skye Chandler.Remember, start at her eyes.

by Coggie
[circa, Saturday, May 26, 2001]

Check out a new fanfiction, by SSS#30, Jennie. Face the Past
Jan. 7: Update: Chapters 3 and 4 added!
Also please email Jennie if you have any comments or suggestions on the story! She would be happy to hear from you! Click here to email the author!

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Also check out Christine's Skye poems, short stories and fanfics!!! Click here
You can email your comments to Christine by clicking here

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For the best Skye fanfiction on the net, check out the Fanfiction forum at the Robin Christopher Fans' Board! There are umpteen fics that cater to everyone's preferences: Skye and Jax fans, Skye and Sonny fans, those who like humour, those who like drama, and those who like something totally different from the real GH! Click below!