A Study in Character: Lessons From the Past: Bobbie Spencer by Adrian McConchie

How much does a person change over twenty years? In a medium where characters come and go--and often come back again--the most treasured, invariably, are those that we've shared our lives with, year after year. The opportunity to watch a character grow, learn from experience and, most importantly, survive, all the while treading water in an industry mired by constant change and upheaval behind the scenes (often without the added benefit of dynamism), is surely daytime's greatest strength.

It takes more than longevity and survival to create a legendary character in daytime television, however. In the two decades that have passed since Barbara Jean "Bobbie" Spencer (Jacklyn Zeman) stepped off the elevator at General Hospital, the character has provided viewers with a fascinating look at the human psyche. In the years we have watched Bobbie, she has grown, learnt from life and, of course, survived. But the life of this enduring and, at times, maddening spitfire has not been a textbook study in strength of will, nor have we been witness to the introduction of a ground breaking and triumphant iconoclast. Indeed, perhaps the most intriguing and entertaining aspect of watching Barbara Jean Spencer is that she is, quite simply, human. Impetuous, fiercely loyal and headstrong, Bobbie has carried these traits since her arrival in Port Charles, and in most cases, they color her actions, her reactions, her existence.

Created by the late, revered, daytime writer Douglas Marland, Bobbie Spencer began life in Port Charles as a scheming, hungry and determined young woman. She was out to get what she wanted, and nothing would stop her. But she was also running. Running from a life of shame, degradation and pain. As we later learned, with the love and support of her idol and renegade brother Luke, Bobbie had escaped an early life in prostitution. But those formative years were to have an effect that would never leave her. Deep beneath a veneer of strength and determination lie fear, shame, vulnerability, and an ever present inferiority complex.

The phrase "life wasn't meant to be easy" could easily have been penned by Bobbie, except she rarely has time for introspective self-analysis. Her now infamous past as a prostitute is well known, as are her past battles with Laura for the affections of Scotty Baldwin which saw her carry out scheme after scheme to win him, including faking pregnancy! After losing Scotty, Bobbie underwent a metamorphosis of sorts and fell for Roy DiLuca. The death of Roy was the first of many hardships the character was to face. A short-lived romance with Noah Drake and an abusive marriage to D.L. Brock followed, as did a miscarriage and subsequent hysterectomy.

Indeed, her inability to bear children continued to haunt Bobbie long after her failed marriage to Jake Meyer, as she struggled with a custody case over Lucas and, later, the death of BJ, her adoptive daughter. In more recent times, following the failure of two marriages (to Tony Jones and Stefan Cassadine), Bobbie has both learned from her past while still exhibiting the fiery and loyal behavior which have become her trademark. No more is this more in evidence than her fascinating relationship with daughter Carly.

Recognizing Carly's flaws should come easy, if somewhat begrudgingly, to Bobbie since the characters share so much in common. In a wonderful illustration of the strength of daytime television, viewers are now experiencing Bobbie coming full circle, and Carly grappling with the same emotional issues that her mother encountered many years before her. How could Bobbie not sympathize with her daughter--a lifetime ago she drugged Scott Baldwin to make it look like she had slept with him, and years later her own daughter drugged AJ Quartermaine--except in the latter case, it was so he wouldn't remember sleeping with her!

These are the stories that have the strongest impact for viewers. Growing up with Bobbie has given us an insight into the essence of life experience--its highs and lows--and the impact of these experiences that are exhibited in the behavior and character of the subject. Watching Bobbie's actions and understanding their innate appropriateness--the conflict with Laura, the ever present shame from a childhood marred by poverty and prostitution, and the search for love that is never ultimately fulfilling--are the true rewards of growing up with Bobbie over the years and hence the daytime television experience.