(August 22 2000)
"One Life To Live got a boost from Blair and Todd's tete-a-tete in Starr's bedroom."
No one knows what Todd is really up to, and one can always count on him to do the unexpected. Todd "rescued" Nora from Colin, but then kept her captive himself. Blair plotted with everyone to get even with Max, but when she finally began to see the fruits of her labour come true, she realized that she may still love him.
Will it be too late for Blair and Max? Just what will she do if Max leaves her for Skye? Who will be there for Todd? Todd and Blair have Starr and that always keeps them in contact, and it could be enough to draw this unusual twosome together again. Imagine what would happen if those two plotted to take revenge on the people who made them unhappy? Keep your eye on Todd and Blair!!
ROUND TWO - Todd and the other ex-Mrs. Manning, BLAIR, ROCK! Whenever the former scheme team butt heads, sparks fly, and we're hoping that before too long, their
passion for one another will be rekindled. Once that happens, watch out, Llanview, because a lot of people are sure to get
burned.
"We are also pleased to see Todd flirting with Blair, his one and only soulmate."
It's not easy to take story that's been done not once, but twice before and make it seem new. That's what the writers over at OLTL have done with Todd and Blair by breathing life into their tortured love affair and making it interesting again. Initially, Blair and Todd connected because they felt like they were the biggest losers in town. The next go-round, they actually seemed to see each other as human beings. Now, they are both older and a lot wiser about life and love (Todd has all but rejected the latter entirely) so a whole new perspective was needed. Viewers got it: By taking a dash of original attraction (They're cut from the same cloth) and missing it with an almost desperate need for security and stability, the relationship flourished. With small gestures, like an un-birthday cake, Todd found ways to prove that he understood Blair better than she understood herself. Not to discount the Todd and Tea relationship, that pairing certainly had its own magic(Ed: They did?). But in the end, what makes Blair and Todd tick has been pointed out several times: Blair has never tried to change Todd, and that has made him more willing to be the kind of man she wants. Right now, they're far from warm and cuddly. But the next round is just getting started, and we're guessing the sparks will fly again.
Between the Sheets: Todd Really Wanted To Marry Blair- She's gorgeous, sexy, loving and wants some happiness in her life. He's a rogue, hates shows of affection and doesn't trust anyone. How in the world did Blair and Todd think they could get married a third time after their two other marriage attempts ended in disaster? Blair is probably the only person
who can actually say that she's slept with Todd. After all, they do have a daughter together. However, through the years, Todd has become more and more distrustful, especially of women, and romance seems to be totally unimportant to him. He doesn't understand the concept of loving or trusting someone. So it was quite a surprise to see Todd and Blair in a liplock or two. It was even more of a surprise when they actually slipped between the
sheets and spent the night together. Todd was determined to marry Blair, and he succeeded in getting her to accept his proposal. Blair was convinced that she loved Todd, and for Todd, being with Blair was as close to being happy as he would let himself be. Although they showed their genuine affection for each other, their wedding day was a disaster, thanks to Max, and Blair and Todd never did wed.
The caption on the picture of T&B says: "Blair has been the only woman to whom Todd has ever shown any affection."
Editor's Choice- The Terrible Twos
There have been many fascinating, darkly offbeat couples over the years: Tristan and Isolde, Bonnie and Clyde, Charles Starkweather and Caril Ann Fugate. So, maybe it's time to put OLTL's Todd and Blair up there too. They're no Romeo and Juliet, but mainly because they've got more sense than to off themselves before the credits roll. They'd rather take out the whole town instead.
Which is what Todd nearly did this past week, when he left a live explosive in the police precinct as a gesture of his undying love for Blair (that he was foiled by crack bomb experts Bo and Melanie is best ignored). Planting a bomb was his way of getting into the evidence room to remove the clothes he'd provided two weeks ago, which incriminated Blair in Max's shooting.
As usual, Todd is his own worst enemy.
Still, what made this particular T&B chapter so surprising (and surprisingly touching) was the way Blair came to his rescue. If a bomb is a symbol of Todd's undying love, then an ax surely can be Blair's. "You are so wasting the last few minutes of my life, " Todd yelled at Blair as she desperately tried to unlock the gate to a chain link fence surrounding the evidence room shelves (he'd accidentally locked himself in while trying to retrieve the clothing). "Will you stop wasting your time?"
Blair shot back, "All right, I'm wasting my time! I've wasted way too much time on you!"
Can you feel the love? Roger Howarth's Todd and Kassie DePaiva's Blair do, and make
it evident to everyone else through their intense, glittering gazes and heartfelt, energetic gestures. When Todd and Blair are not letting their heads get in front of their hearts, there's no stopping them; alas, most of the time, they're too brainy to be able to put aside their past history. Not so this time around.
After screaming at Todd that she'd wasted her time on him, Blair ran out. The shock and hurt on Todd's face spoke volumes. Yeah, he'd been telling her to "scram" to save her own life and haranguing her as she tried every device in the world to get the gate open (including a bobby pin), but he didn't really think she'd abandon him in his moment of need. Todd tried to talk to his maker, but the lines were busy: "I'm supposed to go out trying to redeem myself in the eyes of some woman? It's pathetic."
Instead, his savior showed up in the flesh. Blair, who usually only cares about whether her own skin is getting crisped, returned wielding a firefighter's ax and set about hacking at the gate. It was a grand gesture of passion for a couple who're usually more grand guignol.
Not that she'd admit it. Once they'd escaped the police station, Blair had to face the truth: She'd acted on instinct, and instinct told her to save Todd's life. "Why would you take a chance like that if you didn't care about me?" he wondered.
Blair spat that she'd done it for their daughter. "I didn't want her daddy's butt blown over three states." But perhaps for the first time, Blair was bewildered by her own feelings, making it clear from her stunned expression that this was an unforseen consequence: Her caring for Todd wasn't just a knee-jerk, surface emotion.
This isn't easy soap opera to do. It requires talented, experienced writers willing to give dimensions and layers to the characters' motivations and actions. That DePaiva and Howarth can - and do - make their characters believable (and believably bizarre) proves they deserved to be called one of the great "terrible" twosomes.
November1995
- United We Stand -
Already having wed and divorced for the wrong reasons, Todd and Blair vowed that this time, things would be different. And so, clad in her grandmother's antique gown, Blair became Mrs. Manning, this time for the right reasons. She and Todd would celebrate their love with a family and friends at the Palace Hotel. But, noted Todd to his bride, "I've got to share you with everyone else for the rest of my life. Tonight, I'm keeping you for myself." Runners Up - 1) Bo & Nora Buchanan, 2) Viki & Ben Davidson
Kassie Depaiva and Roger Howarth: RH is in a class by himself when it comes to expressing himelf without saying a single word. KDP is his perfect partner. These two turned what might have been dull scenes into the highlight of the day.
Many OLTL viewers are eagerly awaiting Todd and Blair's reunion.
Kassie DePaiva Interview
Digest- When Blair met Todd, how did she feel about his rapist past?
Kassie- Blair wasn’t one to judge. Todd was exciting. She had always been such an outcast, and he accepted her. And in turn that made her accept him for who he was. She knew he wasn’t perfect, and she liked that.
Digest- What is the continuing attraction between them?
Kassie- That they’re both outsiders, and they understand each other. They’re better together than they are separate.
Digest- Was Blair jealous of Tea?
Kassie- She didn’t like her. Blair felt that she stole her life and her daughter away. She loved Todd, and she loves her daughter, and Tea came in and tried to be a Blair wannabe.
Digest- Why do they have such a hard time getting together for any length of time?
Kassie- Because both of them are so afraid of being hurt and being left alone. And he trust factor is a big deal.
Digest- Have you disagreed with the storyline over the years?
Kassie- Yeah. The start of Blair not telling him that she was pregnant with his child and his taking Starr away and kicking Blair out of the house---that was mean stuff that Todd and Blair wouldn’t really do to each other.
Digest- Are Blair and Todd soul mates?
Kassie- Yes. Their connection is so deeply rooted. Less is more with them. They don’t even need dialogue to speak. What they don’t say speaks volumes.
Digest- Blair now has two kids with Todd. Is he the man she always envisioned being a father to her children?
Kassie- If you’re part of the Addams Family, yes. They’re not the all-American, loving, white-picket-fence kind of family, but what they feel is real and they don’t hold anything back.