*twisted Passions*

When the show began, it seemed like Theresa's fascination for Ethan was just a "crush"--especially with the instances of her always finding inopportune moments to meet up with the guy. To add insult to injury, Ethan even gets a pail of fishguts poured on his head. When Ethan and Whitney save Theresa from being carted off to jail for these endeavors, you'd think that she would learn her lesson and try to change her life. Perhaps she could have gone into a different direction. That would be wishful thinking. Instead, she has become more driven to get this guy to notice her--to the point of insanity. For months, I have been shaking my head and "tsk,tsk,tsk-ing" her character. Why? Theresa really doesn't know what she wants out of life.

You could honestly think that the gal has more redeeming values than just chasing this guy around, but there is none. Sure she works and goes to school, but she never thinks of things that might add fabric to her character. Does she hang out and shop? Does she like to read books? Does she even listen to music or watch television? (Heck. Even Kay does those things while vying against Charity for Manuel's attention). Instead, all that fills her mind is the next scheme to get Ethan to notice her.

It's not like Ethan's the prize around the small New England town they live in. Sure, the guy has the Crane money to fall back upon. But is there anything else to compliment his character? I don't think so. He's nothing but a blank slate. No interests. Nothing fascinating. Nothing even intellectually stimulating. He's just a walking dose of "back problems" with a barking, snooty girlfriend named Gwen. Well, make that ex-girlfriend--knowing that she caught Ethan and Theresa in a "compromising position" last week.

Theresa needs to wake up and smell the coffee. Although her friends and family members try to tell her the cruel, hard facts, this gal continues on this endless campaign to get her man. Instead, she should see that this guy isn't worth it by any means--and wait awhile before she tries to lock into another guy. As I watch each episode unfold, I always wonder what would happen if the writers introduced someone new to turn Theresa's attention away from the idiotic Ethan Crane. Of course, that might get Ethan's--not to mention everyone else's--attention. Wouldn't it be interesting to discover that her entire world is not tied up in being the new mistress of the "Crane estate"? But that would be too easy and smart. Instead, Theresa has to continue to sink into this quagmire of self-pity, craziness and doubt. A tale told of sound and fury, if you ask me.

When you compare Theresa to other female characters her age on television who pursue guys, she pales in comparison personality-wise. Take Willow and Liz. On Buffy, Willow has been portrayed as the gal who has been pining away for a guy. In fact, Xander has been the sole part of her crush since the first season. But her feelings for him or other guys she admires do not take away from her studies or her "extra-curricular" activities. Yeah, Willow could be seen as "wispy", but she isn't a drag to watch. Even in the latest episodes this season, she was able to stand up for herself and be counted as a contributing part of the Vampire-busting gang. She doesn't let her love interests deteoriate her into having a nutty, obsessive personality. She is always able to maintain a good sense of herself--even when these love interests let her down (look at the entire fracas between her and Oz this season). She goes on and endures. Liz, on Roswell, also deals with her attraction to Max with the same sense of tact. Although she finds herself involved in preserving Max's secret, Liz still works at the Crashdown Café and keeps up her grades. And she has some sort of social life on the side to boot. Throughout each episode, Liz continues to formulate her personality apart from and with Max. But Max isn't her entire world. Instead, she remains pretty grounded in her goals and works things out as they come. For her, there isn't any time for silliness (possibly because her life depends on it--in a way). She finds herself embroiled with Max, but her reasons--no matter how empathetic they are--still remain cut, dried and rational.

Which makes me wonder about what Theresa is supposed to represent. Madness?