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AMC’s Zach, Greenlee should stay just friends
I’m enjoying Zach (Thorsten Kaye) and Greenlee’s (Rebecca Budig) friendship on All My Children. (Although I still think I would appreciate it more if Sabine Singh were still in the role. But, oh, well.)
What I don’t like, however, are the not-so-subtle innuendos flying from everyone’s lips, Zach and Greenlee’s included.
Some examples (and I paraphrase, of course):
Erica to Kendall: Zach and Greenlee have gotten really close.
Greenlee to Zach: They say men and women can’t really be friends because sex always gets in the way. Why didn’t that happen with us?
Zach to Greenlee: Maybe we got out in time.
Greenlee to Zach: Do you think if we’d been in that bomb shelter longer something would have happened?
Zach to Greenlee: What happened with us is more intimate than sex.
Oh, yeah, and let’s not forget their parting glances — Zach’s over Kendall’s shoulder, Greenlee’s over Aidan’s.
Ugh.
I don’t know if anything will come of these little comments and sly looks, but I do know that it disappoints me that soaps have so few true platonic male/female friendships.
Most of the ones that develop usually have a history of sex between them. Cass and Felicia on Another World. Carly and Jason on General Hospital.
But male/female friendships without sex can be done.
My favorite? GH’s Jax (Ingo Rademacher) and Alexis (Nancy Lee Grahn).
I’ll admit I used to want them together romantically. And still think they’d make one rockin’ couple if GH ever decided to go that route. But I’m relatively glad they didn’t.
It’s so refreshing to see the scenes between Jax and Alexis and know that the feelings are genuine and based on nothing more than the simple fact these two love and respect one another.
I could see that being the case with Zach and Greenlee, too, if only AMC has the guts to write a male/female relationship that doesn’t fall back on sex to make things “interesting.”
I know it’s a soap, and I know there’s nothing much soapier than a best friend/husband romp.
But really, AMC, I’m much more intrigued to see how you can build a strong relationship between Zach and Greenlee that doesn’t rely on the constant tease of “will they, won’t they.”
Men and women can be friends. Honestly. It happens. So why don’t you try writing that kind of story for Zach and Greenlee?
I think you’d be pleasantly surprised.
Permalink | Comments (6) | Post your comment | Categories: All My Children
Comments
By Kimi
February 28, 2008 10:58 AM | Link to this
Zach to Greenlee: What happened with us is more intimate than sex
I must admit that line really bothered me, particularly cuz Zach isn’t the biggest talker with Kendall, so that would almost suggest he’s been more intimate with Greens than with his own wife.
Anyway, I do hope they leave them as friends even when the Aidan/Kendall grief sex thing comes out. The thing with Kendall/Greenlee always sleeping with each other’s men (for whatever reason) is getting played out.
Another classic platonic friendship was Jenny Gardner & Jesse Hubbard :-)
By Kimi
February 28, 2008 11:07 AM | Link to this
Oh forgot to add, altho I am liking their friendship (& probably would also appreciate it more w/SS since they can use flashbacks), I was really not feeling it when Greens panicked in the elevator yesterday, Zach grabbed/held her hand & basically talked her down right in front of Kendall AND Aidan.
Aidan is like window dressing with this version of Greenlee it seems. She should be turning to her man for comfort (especially when he’s standing right next to her!) not Zach.
Altho it would ruin the concept of a “platonic friendship”, sometimes I’d like to see Jax/Alexis hook up if for no other reason than to stick it to Carly :-) Bad I know!
By Kara
February 29, 2008 9:20 PM | Link to this
Ooh. Jesse and Jenny. Good one, kimi. Good one. I knew there were others out there, I just kept drawing a blank.
By the way, ITA with your comments about Aidan. Just when he gets a viable love interest, they change actresses and story direction on him. What a shame. He shouldn’t be languishing behind Kendall and Zach and Ryan for Greenlee’s time, trust and affection.
By zaleefan
June 18, 2008 2:47 PM | Link to this
i love zach and greenlee they are the perfect couple
By Amy
July 3, 2008 5:54 PM | Link to this
hi i love zach and greenlee they are the perfect couple and have perfect chemistry i am sick of kendall acting like a dumb 2 year old
GO ZALEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
By Kara
July 3, 2008 8:52 PM | Link to this
Hi, Amy and zaleefan.
Honestly, I wouldn’t be entirely opposed to a Zach/Greenlee pairing, although I do believe Greenlee and Kendall have shared enough men. LOL. However, I’m enjoying the special connection Greenlee and Zach have right now, and I think anything romantic between them would probably ruin what makes them so endearing together. Like I said before, true male/female friendships are rare on soaps, so I kind of like that “zalee” fills that niche.
Thanks to you both for posting!