Todd Manning And His Relationships With His Family Members. The Best On One Life To Live.

Michael Malone wrote the best relationships for Todd. Todd's relationships with the people he loves most in his life is his signature for One Life To Live. His connections is what gives Todd his staple on One Life To Live. It brings out his human side. And when it comes to Todd protecting his family from those out to hurt them. There's no stopping him. When Ron Carlivati came in he did one thing wrong (in a number of things wrong) with Todd he took his connections away. He set out, wrote and took what made Todd Manning so important to the show away. In this blog I will write what important relationships in Todd's life meant to the show and how Ron Carlvati came in and changed each and every one of his relationships.

Lets Start off With: Starr Manning:

Starr is his reason for living. I remember when she was born. Todd wouldn't hold her in fear of hurting her. When Vicki finally brought Starr to him while he was hiding and Vicki held Starr out for Todd to hold her. Todd took her and held her for the first time. That is when Todd starting living again. When his Starr started growing up Todd and Starr became partners in crime. Todd had his shorty and together they would scheme,start trouble with those who messed with them. Starr was a force to be reckon with those days. And working with Todd made them so much fun to watch. Than Starr started her teenage years. Things between them started to change. One day a boy name Cole enter Starr's life. Cole happen to be the son of Marty and things never were the same between Todd and Starr again. Todd was Starr's life and everything about him revolved around her. But Cole change all that. When Todd wanted to move to Hawaii all because Lee Ramsey was threatening his family (the writers forgot this)part of the storyline. Starr thought he was moving them away because Todd wanted to keep Starr away from Cole. Starr wanted to say goodbye to Cole one last time and that night Starr gave herself to Cole. Todd went looking for Starr to apologize to her from their earlier fight. When he walked into the bedroom he found Starr in bed with Cole. Todd not wanting to see this beat Cole up in front of Starr. From there on end Todd and Starr's relationship went down hill, and was ruined and completely destroyed. When Cole and Starr decided to run away. Todd follow Blair and John. Todd again got into a fight with Cole, Starr stepped between them. And while moving Starr out of the way to get to Cole, Starr fell down the steps while she was pregnant. Marty was found to be alive, Todd took her and in his mind tried to undo everything he did wrong to her. On top of this Starr was pregnant by Cole planned to give her baby away to Marcie. This didn't sit well with Todd so he planned to take the baby leave town with Marty raise the baby until Starr changed her mind. Of course Todd was caught holding Marty and he did change his mind about the baby in the end. But by than it was to late. Everything that was build ed between Todd and Starr was ruined. Why Ron Carlivati did this I'll never know or under stand. All I know you don't mess with history and take a special relationship that was between Todd and Starr and completely destroyed it. Just because his shorty was growing up does not mean it had to be destroyed. But RC saw to it and took the magic of Todd and Starr away. Starr is Todd's life line and no writer should ever touch their relationship.

Todd and Jessica:

Todd's favorite niece. Jessica accepted Todd more than anyone over her own family. Am talking about her other family. Jessica like Starr and Vicki loves Todd unconditional no matter what. This relationship between them is another relationship for the life of me can't under stand why RC set out and ruined. Todd would do anything for Jessica as Jessica would do anything for Todd. Todd saved Jessica's life in a car accident and that forged their bond. Than RC came along and during the whole time Todd held Marty and Jessica's alter Tess came back.RC wrote besides Todd helping Jessica RC written Todd keeping quiet and not helping her at all. Where as Dena wrote Todd helping Jessica when Tess first came out the first time. Todd and Jessica's bond grew and never stopped. Until he hid Marty and Tess came out and Todd did nothing to help Jessica because holding Marty was more important to Todd at the time than Jessica. Another history destroyed by RC. And another part of history taken away from Todd by RC. The bible RC, the bible is what keeps soaps going. Breaking them is what ruins the show. Lets hope for once RC builds this relationship up again and brings Uncle Todd and Jessica is favorite niece back to where their relationship was. But am not holding my breath.

Todd and Vicki:

Brother and sister who have a common bond. Their childhoods. Vicki was at the mercy of her abusive father Victor Lord, Todd was at the mercy of his abusive adopted father Peter Manning. When it came out that Todd was Victor Lords son Todd and Vicki form a bond. The bond came from what they lived through and had gone through in their childhoods. No matter what Todd does or done Vicki would always forgive Todd and never stop loving him when no one else would under stand. Todd will protect Vicki and Vicki would protect Todd. That bond grew during the years until the year Todd had Marty, didn't help Jessica and hurt Starr. RC saw to it that when everything came out for the first time Vicki turn on Todd and not only that RC saw to it that Vicki didn't think Todd loved anyone. This in my opinion was the final straw with RC. Taking the bonding brother and sister relationship away the one point that made Todd who he is and was the final nail in the Todd Manning coffin. To this day their relationship still isn't right. RC still took the magic away and hasn't rebuild their relationship back to where it used to be. Todd and Vicki having each other backs no matter what. Will we ever see that bond between Todd and Vicki again?

As I wrote this blog about Todd's three most interesting relationships on the show I still to this day don't understand how one Head Writer out of all the other Head Writers that was there and went could totally destroy so much of what makes Todd Manning's history and an important part of the show. Take these three most important parts away from Todd is taking what made OLTL in the past. And since RC is about the past. How could he have taken the past away from Todd Manning. It makes you wonder doesn't it?

In my next blog I will write why is Todd Manning so hard for RC to write for. I'll put examples in the blog since he took over as Head Writer of why this Head Writer does not get Todd. Other writers did accepted for Dena Hickely but some fans liked Dena Hickely's writing of Todd. Why is it we fans of Todd don't like or love RC's version.

The Head Writers Look Into Todd Manning.

Three writers have come and gone on One Life To Live. Each writer, writes their own take on who and what Todd Manning is. In this blog I will take a look into all three head writers heads and point out what Todd Manning is to them. First up:





Michael Malone:
When Trevor first joined One Life To Live in 2003 Michael
Malone was still Head Writer. Michael's way of writing was brilliant. He knew the writing bible of each character on the show. He not only wrote their history but wrote story lines ahead and where he was on taking the show. He mapped out where he was taking each and every character from the start of storyline to finish. When Trevor first showed up as Walker he wrote a brilliant storyline where he introduce fans to Walker. Had fans get to know who Walker was and left fans to decide if they loved or hated Walker. Slowly he brought Walker into the lives of Blair, Starr, Kevin, Vicki and Dorian. Than he slowly started bringing out little things about Walker that reminded fans of Todd Manning. Fans started guessing is Walker really Todd. Hints and hints started to come together until the show finally waited for the answer. Who could forget the Todd and Starr scenes when Walker as Todd finally revealed to Starr he was in deed her father Todd. They were awesome scenes! Michael Malone is the only writer out of the last three writers who knows who the real Todd Manning is. He wrote Todd with depth, emotional and feelings. Kept the history with character and connections with Todd Manning intact. Could you really see Michael writing Todd today, beating up Cole, holding Langston, Markko, holding Marty (with her memory lost), planning to take Starr's child. I can't and even if Michael wrote all of that. He would of gave fans an answer as to why Todd was doing all these things. All because Michael Malone knew who Todd Manning was. Under Michael Malone Trevor had his best head writer. And to this day. Michael Malone is Trevor's and Todd Manning's best writer. I wish he was still here today.


Dena Higely:
OK so she wasn't the best head writer for One Life To Live. Maybe because she didn't know the history of the show. And yes with alot of fans Dena was not liked because of what she did to the characters on the show. But there is one thing I do know for me. As much as I was mad with the way she was writing One Life To Live. I never would turn off One Life To Live. She may of wrote a lot of things for Todd from the crazy Mad Mags storyline, to Mags holding Todd hostage, to the rape of Todd, to Spencer to the continued storyline of the dead baby storyline. She may have gave all of us Todd Manning fans stories like this for Todd but the one thing She never did was take away Todd's connections. He still had his shorty Starr, Jessica, Vicki. She still gave Todd layers and never took them away from him. Todd's layers is what makes Todd who he is. She never made him a complete monster and kept you rooting for Todd no matter what happen. That's the important part of Todd making him a root able character. All the way up until those great execution scenes. Which to this day Trevor and Todd fans will never forget. With all the complaining and moaning from One Life To Live fans about Dena ruining One Life To Live. This Trevor and Todd fan didn't have any complaints. I was mad what she was doing to Todd. But she still kept me watching the show. And Todd Manning no matter what threw at him.








Ron Carlivati:
What can I say. He's the first Head Writer that made me turn off One Life To Live and tune out my favorite character and actor Trevor and Todd. From the moment he took over One Life To Live was the end with me with him. Since taking over One Life To Live as head writer he has turn Todd into a monster. With no feelings, no emotions, no root able part of Todd Manning is there. He had Todd beating up teenagers, he had Todd put Sam in a car and get into a car accident, than he has Todd kidnapped Marty, than had him plotting to take his shorty Starr's baby away from her by pretending the baby was dead. He writes Todd with no layers, took all his feelings away from him. And lets not get into his connections, Starr (was a big lost), Vicki, Jessica all these people in his life he wouldn't hurt. Than on top of all of this Ron saids this is Todd and this is how I see Todd. No Ron that is not Todd! Todd Manning fans know Todd and know who Todd is. I sit back thinking that all the writing I do and complaining to him doesn't work. Because according to Ron that is who Todd Manning is "OK". If you say so. For a head writer that's suppose to know the history of your characters you sure don't. Todd did a lot of monster things but the one thing he always kept in mind was that he never wanted to turn into his abusive adopted dad Peter Manning, or turn into his real father, Victor Lord. That was the bible you should of kept when writing Todd Manning. That's what Todd always fought against and him never hurting his children. But no Ron since taking over as head writer you wnet against the bible that was written for Todd Manning and changed that bible and history to suit your way of seeing Todd Manning. And that's why Ron is the worst head writer that ever happen to Todd Manning. Todd was a anti-hero, not the monster you turn him into.

Being A Todd Manning Fan Under Ron Carlivati Is Not Easy.

Since Ron has become head writer of One Life To Live we Todd fans can always expect to see.

Todd in jail during sweeps.
Todd beating up teenagers.
Todd attempting to steal his daughters child.
Todd holding or fighting the woman he raped Marty.
Todd being a cold hearted man with no emotions.
Todd turning on his favorite niece Jessica.
Todd having his connections taken away from him that makes Todd his character and what he is, such Vicki, Jessica and Starr.
Todd doing dumb things that make no sense.
Todd always losing and never winning.
Todd never saving the day for his love ones.

From the moment RC took over as a head writer on OLTL he set out to write his version on how he sees Todd. I laugh every time he does an interview and saids he knows his characters on his show. The only characters RC knows is his favorites. The characters he treats with kit gloves, turns them into perfect characters that can't be touch. He protects those characters no matter what. No mean word against them, nothing said even when the characters are committing one crime after another. Characters that are right even when their wrong.

Than there's Todd. We fans have to listen as his past is constantly brought up on every show. Must do that in order to pimp his characters that can't be touch. There isn't a show where Todd is pimping RC's favorites. His writing is lets bring Todd out when he needs to sell his favorite story lines. Sole, Blair, Dani, Marty, John, Rex, Gigi and all newbies that need to be pushed.

The thing that RC doesn't realize is that we fans of Todd Manning know who his character is. But to Ron he thinks he knows who Todd is so he writes his vision of Todd his way.

And this is the most nerve wracking thing with him. So for a writer who claims to know everything about his characters and the history of his characters. He knows nothing about them or their history. He writes his vision of what he thinks he knows.

In my next blog I will compare the Head Writers and their way of writing Todd Manning. And compare them against each other to where it's going and went to where Todd is now. From Michael Malone, Dena Higely to when Trevor first started on OLTL to how each writer wrote Todd Manning since. There is one thing I do know. RC will come out as the worst head writer writing, Todd of all.

To the next time.

The Life Of Todd Manning

I decide to open a blog up on my favorite character on One Life To Live Todd Manning.

This blog will be my opinion on not only Todd Manning himself. But how this Head Writer of One Life To live writes Todd every day on the show.

It's some times nerve wracking watching One Life To Live every day watching Ron trying to get a hold on this great character. Half the time he doesn't know who Todd Manning is.

So this blog will be about everything the writer does to Todd Manning on the show. Hope everybody enjoys the blog.