Speaking Of Custody Battles...What Writer Has Custody Of Talent?

Even though, in an effort to preserve my sanity, I watched All My Children and promised myself that I would skip any and all scenes regarding Greenlee's trial, and Ryan's testimony, and their status as--let's all gag in unison--star-crossed lovers, I still ended the show peeved beyond all reason.

Why? BECAUSE MARISSA, is why.

The custody battle is quite nearly as big a farce as Greenlee's trial, what with its blatant misrepresentation of the legal system and the fact that it is based on the most ludicrous premise possible: JR doesn't deserve custody of his son because he's hooking up with Annie. He not only doesn't deserve custody, he doesn't deserve to see his son ever.

JR: I want to see my son.
Marissa: Not a chance in hell.
JR: Then why'd you drive him all the way over here?
Marissa: Because he missed you, and I was stupid enough to think you deserved a chance, and it was breaking my heart. But I should have known better. Do you realize what he almost walked in on? I don't want you anywhere near him.
JR: You're not going to keep me from my son.
Marissa: You're out of control, JR.
Annie: You are the one standing between a devoted father and his son.
Marissa: The only thing JR is devoted to is getting you in bed.
JR: Marissa--
Marissa: No. This is it. Don't call. Don't visit. Don't even ask. If you do show up, I will call the police.

FIRST OF ALL, it's not like she walked in on Annie and JR having sex. She walked in on them almost having sex, and she walked in on them almost having sex because she showed up unannounced and sashayed into the beach house without knocking.

SECONDLY, it's not like she walked in on Annie and JR, like, dismembering a body. They were making out! This is so obscene and controversial that the police need to be called and, what, a SWAT team brought in if JR attempts to contact his son?

THIRDLY, she claims to be all about protecting AJ. What about protecting him from a broken heart, Marissa? WHAT ABOUT THAT? Did she not see him visibly depressed about not trick-or-treating with his father? He was walking around like a forlorn Charlie Brown!

FOURTHLY, shut the hell up, Krystal, with your "He does not deserve his son". Why, because he was trying to get laid? Please. If he had told Marissa that he was trying to comfort Annie, would Krystal "I'll make you feel better...in the bedroom" Carey still feel so strongly that JR shouldn't be a part of AJ's life? Actually, she probably still would because she's so hypocritical that I doubt she'd realize this is a slut calling the whore trampish situation. 

I would hope that we're meant to see Marissa as a vindictive shrew, but considering this show's bad habit of casting tools and douchebags in the most heavenly light, I'm not so sure...

Comments

[Smooshiest]

I just really hope that Sarah Glendening can interpret what the writers are trying to do for Marissa better than BA... this Marissa, while her intentions are truly ridiculous, since she is the pot calling the kettle black (she clearly doesn't remember her very recent tryst with Scott, but maybe they locked the door)... BA only comes off as mean and annoying

[Gio]

I just love how Krystal is this moral compass. I guess she forgot about her screwing Tad while married to Adam.

[Daniel St. John]

The biggest problem I am having with this custody storyline is that I am not buying JR as the selfish douche who doesn't give a damn about his son or Marissa as the selfless mother of the year who only wants to protect her child from a horrible father. Instead I see JR as being the victim of a bratty harridan who is so pissed off that her man left her for another (much hotter and interesting) woman that she is using the only weapon she has, little AJ, to bludgeoun JR to death.
Now if the idiots who write AMC actually intended to do that then this would all be enjoyable but instead the viewer is supposed to side with Marissa just like all of the "good people" of PV are doing. Tad is once again showing himself to be a total bastard when it comes to supporting JR. Krystal is dialing up her usual obnoxious skankiness to levels that haven't been seen since she and Babe lied and told JR his son was dead. And Colby's support of her brother in this situation is being written as her siding with the devil against the holy hosts of heaven.
And to top it all off Hillbilly Caleb gets to use AJ as a pawn in his battle with JR all the while being treated like most caring individual to ever move into town.

[Diane]

I couldn't agree more with the assessment above! This whole custody battle is beyond ludicrous and it has absolutely no connection to the real world.

Where do I start?

As a former attorney, this custody storyline thoroughly disgusts me, mainly because the writers have obviously done NO homework on what a real custody suit entails...

There is no friekin' way a judge would EVER grant temporary full custody to Marissa when neither party actually appeared in court to argue the matter. Both parties have a right to speak at a custody proceeding and a judge would NEVER make such a HUGE decision without hearing them. Even the child would be interviewed. A judge would never just grant temporary custody via mail based on a few pictures of broken glass and one party's word (Marissa's) that JR was an unfit parent.

So let's say a judge did grant 'temporary' custody, this does NOT equal a restraining order or no visitation rights!!! That is how Marissa is treating it, like she has every right in the world to determine whether JR gets to visit his son, and if she, as the moral police decides he can't, well...he just CAN'T!

And then to have her threaten him with the police if he EVER dares to visit, because....he is JUST SO OUT OF CONTROL...yes, he's so out of control because the "ONLY thing he can think about is bedding Annie." Actually, honey, he was about to get some 'comfort sex' because YOU have taken AJ away from him, and Annie is the only one who was there to support him. How exactly is he supposed to focus on AJ when you won't even allow him a measly visit?!?

The whole plot is outrageous in its stupidity. And I'm not just angry at Marissa, I'm angry at every friekin' resident of Pine Valley who is blindly and hypocritically supporting her decision to yank AJ away from the only father he's ever known...NOT because he's an unfit parent, but because he has the audacity to fall for another woman. Because THAT is they way this country works, right? You commit adultery, and you have your child taken away. Oh wait, are we in Saudia Arabia, or the U.S.?

And the whole band of PV hypocrites can all go fall off a cliff...including previously sympathetic characters like Krystal, Tad and Caleb. I'm beginning to despise the lot of them! How dare they tell JR to 'prove' he's a good parent? REally? Marissa is the one who has to PROVE that he's an unfit parent, and so far all she's done is behave like a paranoid, jealous, raving lunatic. To have Tad refusing to help him and then telling JR that he's a 'son' to him is just pathetic. Is this the same 'son' to whom you lied about AJ being alive? And Krystal saying that 'JR doesn't deserve his son' and 'what is wrong with him?' -- because if adultery meant that you don't DESERVE your child, then Babe never deserved AJ, and you, Krystal never deserved your own children (oh, maybe except the one that you SOLD!).

Okay, I'm done. Thanks for letting me vent. I was so mad these last couple of days, I almost threw something at the t.v.

And these rocket scientists want to recast Marissa? Just get rid of her already! I don't care what she looks like -- I want her GONE!

[KIM]

I JUST think it is sad that these dumb writers ARE making a child BEG to see his DADDY, and a DAD i might add THAT has been in this childs life from the start, and this TWIT marissa comes along and has been around a HOT second, get to dictate who this child can see or not. and TIIC are just plain wrong to let ANOTHER CAREY STEAL THIS CHILD, it has been tried to damn many times for my taste. as for the charater or Marissa imo it does not matter whom plays her, it is how they have written her charater that makes ME HATE HER..and i don't see that changing anytime soon, JMO, oh yea I AM AND HAVE ALWAYS BEEN A JR FAN FIRST......Thanks

[Birdie]

Quite frankly, I have no interest in either party. I feel no sympathy for JR because there's just too much skeeviness around him and Annie is not helping with that impression and I'm not on Marissa's side either. Frankly, I just don't care about these people and the fact that AMC continues to circle down the drain in ratings (thanks Rylee!), it's obvious not many other people care about JR, Marissa, AJ and Annie either.

[Angela]

I'm pretty much with Birdie. I don't really like Marissa or have any use for her; but JR tried to MURDER the kid's biological Mother for crying out loud. That hardly makes him a fit parent. Mostly I just wish it would all go away, because I don't enjoy anyone involved.

[Judy]

Diane, my sister temporarily lost custody of her son to her ex, who not only has a criminal record, but also kicked them both out of the house and said he never wanted to see them again, because the judge was punishing her for taking her son out of state. However, even this incredibly dense judge did a hearing by phone before coming to her decision, so I'm with everyone on the craziness here.

And yeah, custody does not equal a restraining order, but unless there's a visitation agreement, the custodial parent can do what he/she wants. My sister didn't see her baby for a month even WITH a visitation agreement.