Todd Manning and Marty Saybrooke rape storylines
Created by writers Michael Malone and Ron Carlivati, the stories depict characters Todd (originally Roger Howarth, later Trevor St. John) and Marty (Susan Haskell) struggling to overcome his actions of rape and destruction.
The storylines resulted in significant controversy, and were subsequently heavily debated among viewers, cited in mainstream press, and studied within various academic works.
[5] The storyline was inspired by recent news stories about an increase in gang rapes on college campuses across the country, and was described by TV Guide's Michael Logan as one that "may be the most daring plot ever attempted on soaps".
This changed when Howarth's portrayal of the character inspired notable fan reaction and prompted the creators to layer Todd's personality and showcase him regularly within the series.
As revenge, Todd has his fraternity brothers Powell Lord (the III) and Zach Rosen help him rape her after she is left alone upstairs in Kevin's room.
[11] The trial ends in a mistrial when Nora Gannon (Hillary B. Smith), Todd's lawyer, realizes that the three alleged perpetrators did rape her.
[9][11] "Marty's mistaken accusation naming Kevin Buchanan (then Kirk Geiger) as one of her assailants turned the gang rape and court case into an umbrella storyline that encompassed the entire cast.
As his popularity grew, and as a solution not to have to kill off what had become a perceived monster, Malone and executive producer Susan Bedsow Horgan chose a controversial option — the decision to complicate Todd by ensuring that he was not a one-dimensional rapist.
He is publicly forgiven by Marty herself, which enrages Todd when he and fellow rapist Zach receive eight-year sentences behind prison compared to Powell's three months of jail time.
[9] To carry out this vow, Todd was written to escape by "drugging himself, waking from a coma to leap from a speeding ambulance, and then reviving himself again by stabbing a knife through his hand while rolling his eyes heavenward" and saying the pain felt good.
The writers had the scuffle between the two leave Todd with a scar gracing the right side of his face, which served to signify his past misdeeds.
[9] His "true redemption" begins with his rescue of Marty and two children from a car wreck,[9][10][11][12][15] and ends with the discovery that he is the rightful heir to a fortune left by his deceased biological father.
Malone was intrigued by telling this type of character aspect, and felt that it worked better due to Howarth being an actor who would not let Todd acquire redemption easily.
[10] Malone felt the most important part of Todd's redemption was to have him re-confront Marty in order to better deal with the fact that he initiated a gang rape on her.
[10] Despite the character's eagerness to be thought of as a decent human being, the writers felt that these good deeds should never make Todd feel any less horrible for having raped Marty.
In his book Behold the Man, Edisol Dotson suggests acceptance of Todd's redemption as significantly being due to the character's physical attractiveness.
Malone's story "truly resonates and engages the daytime community because the umbrella arc — which consisted of three acts: crime, justice, and atonement — wasn’t mined from a place of desperation, nor a desire for ratings".
Malone "penned a character-rich story" rooted in "telling an honest and emotional study of a woman’s right to sexual freedom juxtaposed with a patriarchy destined to destroy it.
[16][24] His popularity led viewers to demand his stay on the show,[6][9] and his portrayal of the character is credited with making Todd a legend and icon within the soap opera medium.
"[29] In response to viewer concern about the direction the writers seemed to be taking Todd and Marty's bond, Carlivati assured Soap Opera Digest that he would have never written this under different circumstances.
[27] "I think the thing about the two of them, the characters and the actors, is you feel a chemistry when they're just talking, so I don't necessarily categorize it as romantic," stated Carlivati.
"[27] Regarding viewers' resistance to a romantic pairing between the two, Carlivati acknowledged, "I understand the initial impulse, but then again, I feel that action is more appropriate if we were telling a story where she had all of her memories.
In his September 29, 2008 article, TV Guide's Nelson Branco declared the soap opera in a "state of emergency" due to its insistence on going through with a Todd and Marty romance.
[3] Romantically pairing Todd and Marty had been contemplated and proposed by several One Life to Live writers, even though the notion was considered career suicide.
[3] Branco stated, "Three weeks ago, Carlivati's risky and oh-so-reckless decision to turn the gold standard of rape stories — Michael Malone’s [1993] Emmy-winning gang-rape storyline — into a soap cliché culminated in a shocking, controversial and highly publicized kiss.
"[3] Expressing his dismay at One Life to Live's decision to turn Todd and Marty's relationship romantic, Branco stated: ...I’m afraid, it’s too late.
Parrish stated that One Life to Live did not contact RAINN before telling the 2008 Todd and Marty storyline, but that ABC agreed to air a rape-themed PSA in the near future.
Michael Malone wrote a brilliant story that still has repercussions today" and "[We] cannot think of a single good thing that will come out of this storyline and a PSA from RAINN doesn’t cut it.
"[8] On October 1, 2008, creator of the original Todd and Marty rape storyline, Malone, shared his thoughts with TV Guide about the romance controversy.
"However obscene or depraved the riskiest storyline in recent memory was," he said, "the fallout has been shockingly riveting — thanks to the fact that head writer Ron Carlivati is playing all the psychological beats of Todd’s self-serving and criminal actions.
