Last week we One Life To Live fans bid goodbye to two characters: Marcie & Michael McBain. The actors, Kathy Brier & Chris Stack, were let go from the show a couple months ago. The characters moved to Seattle, WA for a fresh start. First, they had decided that "their" baby, Hope, rightfully belonged with her teenaged parents, Starr & Cole. And out of the blue Michael told Marcie about his job offer from Seattle Grace Hospital. Just like that moving sounded like a pretty good idea. Michael said goodbye to his brother, John, while Marcie said good bye to friend Gigi. They did not leave without a happy ending for the fans: they found out that Marcie's pregnant. They had been trying different ways to have a baby, and now they finally will. At this point it doesn't matter if it's a girl or boy. Michael & Marcie will be wonderful parents.
While it was two characters who left, Marcie was the more beloved one. Michael only became prominent because of her (and John, I suppose) and was cared about more when portrayed by Nathaniel Marston. Marcie has been around since 2002, her maiden name being Walsh. She was only suppose to be on for three episodes. For a while she was a recurring character, her sole purpose being Jen Rappaport's best friend. Her role expanded, and viewers came to love her. She was real and down-to-earth. What made her so appealing was her size. She was heavy like so many women are in real life. Usually, the soap operas are full of super-thin women. It was wonderfully refreshing to have a strong female character with a real weight.
Marcie reached the height of her popularity when paired with Al Holden (also portrayed by Nathaniel Marston). They were adorable, and I probably saw their entire relationship. But so much is fuzzy because I got hooked on them towards the end of their short romance. Both attending Llanview University, Marcie was Al's tutor. They became friends, and their biggest hurdle was Al's drug addiction. She staged an intervention by herself and helped him through detoxification. Then they were free to fall in love. It was such a pure, sweet love between them. They took everything step-by-step since Marcie was afraid of making love with him. She didn't want to disappoint him, and she was self-conscious of her weight. Al was her hero through her weight issues, and he supported her stance on world peace. Classmates believed she wasn't supporting or caring about the troops fighting for their country. They treated her badly, and I'm sure thin girls saw her as easy to pick on because of her weight. Girls made her sing by a dumpster as they threw trash at her. Another night she was kidnapped, knocked out, and tossed into a dumpster. Al found her and spent the night by her side in her dorm room. College life was not easy for Marcie Walsh, but nothing could keep her down for long. She only grew stronger from those horrible experiences.
The most unique aspect of Al & Marcie was their love for music. It was such a prominent part of their lives, and it really added to their romance. Al secretly took a job as a radio host. He called himself "The Voice Of The Night", sharing words of wisdom and playing meaningful songs. Marcie got sucked into every word he said, and at some point she discovered who "the voice" was. I think that was a big factor in her falling for him. Al burned Marcie a CD, called Marcie's Mix, the very night they said their first "I love you"s. One special song on it was "This Year's Love" by David Gray. They sat together on the floor, holding each other while listening to it & talking. More songs used for them were: "Take Me Away" by Lifehouse, "Take A Little Piece Of My Heart" by Janis Joplin (sung by Marcie), and "Something Right" by Julia Fordham.
That dumpster incident came with consequences. Marcie passed along an infection to Al, and he became so ill that he needed a liver transplant. His mom donated part of hers, but it wasn't enough. Al's liver was too damaged, also in part from his drug use. Al, the love of Marcie's life, died. It was a tragedy for her and his parents - legendary characters Grabrielle Medina and Max Holden. It was also tragedy for the fans; Al & Marcie's love story had only just begun. Music continued to be used for this precious couple. Marcie played "This Year's Love" on the radio in memory of him as a montage of their greatest moments were shown. Max and Gabrielle were also shown crying, and Marcie sang along through her tears. Marcie sang "Iris" by the Goo Goo Dolls during Al's funeral; it was his favorite song. And "The Scientist" by Coldplay played as Gabrielle and Marcie comforted & held each other. I think they were in Al's dorm room, going through his belongings. Music expresses love & loss so beautifully, and it helps to have those songs to remember Marcie & Al by. It connects us to them.
It was so easy to feel Marcie's pain. She was sad for a good couple of months. Kathy Brier portrayed her grief brilliantly. But Marcie wouldn't be heartbroken forever. Death cannot stop true love. Like magic, Al got a second chance with Marcie, with the help of his former step-mom Luna Moody. I think first he could see & hear Marcie and everything but no one could see/hear him. Then his soul was put into Michael McBain (also Nathaniel Marston), a bitter doctor leading a lonely life. Every time Al's soul was in him, it's like he was Al. But no one knew it. Al's mission was to get Marcie to see that it was Al inside Michael by the end of Valentine's Day. He tried & tried, but Michael made some mistakes without Al's soul. And Marcie was still grieving.
On Valentine's night "Michael" had Marcie's favorite band, Simply Red, play at Capricorn. They played "Sunrise" and "You Make Me Feel Brand New". The latter is Marcie's favorite, and she danced to it with "Michael". Afterwards, Al did just about everything he could, and he finally succeeded in getting Marcie to see it was him. She stared into his eyes to Michael's soul, and for one episode we had Al & Marcie back together. It couldn't stay that way. Once time was up, they both forgot what had just happened, but Al's soul was forever inside of Michael. And the love story of Michael & Marcie began.
My memory of Michael & Marcie before their wedding is fuzzy. I know I saw everything that happened to them, but a lot is vague. I know they had their ups and downs. They broke up and got back together - that typical soap couple thing. Marcie began writing a crime novel and did some investigating on her own. She even sort of shadowed the police to understand their job better. She proved to be a talented writer. Her book, The Killing Club, was brought to life, and it was a good read. It centered on one character solving a series of murders that related to something in her past. What broke Marcie & Michael up was their strong focus on their respective careers. The killings began occurring for real, and there was a big serial killer storyline that Marcie was, of course, involved in. But I don't remember too much of that, and Marcie wasn't injured.
On another Valentine's Day (probably 2006) Michael planned to propose, and Marcie had no clue. They were at Ultra Violet to see Lifehouse perform. Again, more music. During the song "You And Me" Michael had the television screens set up to say, "Will you marry me?" Marcie was shocked. They discussed this huge decision to get married, and in the end Marcie said, "Yes." They were blissfully happy, and they wed in early May. Despite a looming tornado, the wedding went off without a hitch. It was beautiful, and the reception was like a real wedding, for the most part. What sets it a part from any other is that Marcie sang to Michael: an original song, "When It's Real". It appeared on Kathy Brier's sole album, Heartbreaker. It's suits them so well. I don't think Michael & Marcie had a honeymoon. Maybe they did, and we didn't see it.
From the tornado rubble was a baby boy. The disaster made him an orphan, and Marcie & Michael found & took care of him. They fell so in love with the baby, and Marcie realized she wanted to be a mother more than anything. They learned at some point that they couldn't have children the natural way (or so they thought). They fought to adopt the baby and named him Tommy. They were truly Tommy's parents, but it later was revealed that Tommy was biologically Todd's son with Margaret Cochran. Michael worked with Rex Balsom & Adrianna Cramer to keep it a secret. Secrets don't stay hidden for long. Once the truth was out, there was a custody battle. Todd was awarded custody, but Marcie wouldn't have it. She went on the run with Tommy, leaving Michael behind because he wasn't as determined as she was & she was still angry with him for keeping the secret.
We saw what a protective mama bear Marcie really is. She knew how dangerous Todd is and could not let him raise Tommy. She put her life on the line to protect and raise Tommy. And she truly is a wonderful mom. I was on her side through this whole thing. She and Michael would have given Tommy a better life than Todd. They deserved him more than Todd. Marcie hid at her brother's place, in a drag club, and finally ended up at The Bonjoir Cafe in Paris, TX - where Viki Lord was also hiding & living a new life. Todd was always on her tail, but she managed to hide in Texas for a while as Sally Ann, a waitress. She avoided Viki very well. But of course, everything came crashing in for her. Michael found out where she was, Viki saw her, and Todd (with the cops) closed in on her. In this story climax, Kathy Brier show her full acting abilities. Her work was amazing and totally Emmy-worthy. Marcie went to extremes by taking Viki hostage at the cafe. She had no other place to go. Michael (now Chris Stack) exchanged himself with Viki and shared emotional scenes with Marcie & Tommy. He convinced Marcie that she had to give Tommy to Todd. There was no other choice. Marcie was arrested and fortunately sentenced to community service.
Marcie tried to continue a normal life with Michael, but her budding career as a teacher was tarnished. As were their chances of adopting any more children. Parenthood didn't seem to be in their future. But when Starr Manning, Todd's daughter, got pregnant last year by Cole Thornhart, she was unsure about keeping the baby. She was only 16, and she overheard Marcie saying how much she wants to be a mom but can't. Starr decided to give her baby to Marcie via open adoption. Marcie wasn't sure at first but then agreed to it. Michael was against it because of Todd, and he moved out. Marcie was determined to go through with the adoption and raise the baby on her own if she had too. She always hoped Michael would change his mind, though. Marcie happily eased Starr along every step of the pregnancy. Meanwhile, Todd planned to steal the baby and raise it with an amnesiac Marty Saybrooke. He changed his mind the night the baby was born. But since the start of his plan was in motion, it was easy for Jessica Buchanan's alter, Bess, to switch the baby with her dead one. Marcie and Starr mourned for their baby girl, Hope, while Jessica was raising her as Chloe without any knowledge of what Bess did. Another chance at having a baby was seemingly shattered. Michael mourned too and grieved with Marcie, bringing them together again.
A recent series of events & revelations led to Hope being returned to Starr and then Marcie. Natalie Buchanan and Jared Banks learned the truth well before anyone else but kept it a secret to protect Jessica. Marcie found out that Hope couldn't have died from RH disease, as originally believed. Jessica was gradually unraveling. She reverted back to Bess and took "Chloe" since Bess knew how close the secret was to coming out. Jared & Natalie told Viki and Clint the truth, and Bess was found in West Virginia. Jessica came back out and with mom Viki's help realized her baby died & Bess switched the babies. By now, Starr's and Cole's parents learned the truth and told everything to them. Hope was returned to Starr & Cole briefly for a farewell before Marcie & Michael took her. But it didn't feel right anymore to Marcie.
Marcie got the feeling that Starr wanted to keep Hope. She was right. Also last week, she brought the baby back to Starr, and they shared very moving & poignant scenes in Starr's bedroom. I consider that to be Marcie's last hurrah. She did such a wonderful thing in giving Hope to Starr. To us, it seemed like Marcie wouldn't have a child. But maybe she had suspected she was pregnant. She did take a pregnancy test. Maybe she learned that she could have children. Of course, when someone on soaps can't have children, it doesn't stay that way.
And then, of course, Michael sprung the idea of moving out of Llanview for a fresh start. And we got a happy ending. Marcie fans, never forget her final moments: smiling while showing Michael the positive pregnancy test and then laughing as Michael picked her up & spun her around. Pure happiness. Their dream will finally come true. And we'll never forget Marcie Walsh McBain - wife, mother, sweet friend, and even singer. She began as a young college student and grew into a caring woman liked & loved by many. We will miss her & Kathy Brier and hope for nothing but the best. I'm sure Kathy will move on to more success and Marcie will raise her child on "Cloud Nine" with Michael.
I don't know if there is a Michael & Marcie website, but there is a Marcie & Al one. You can live through everything Al & Marcie (aka Marcal) on this wonderful fan-made site: http://tessarae_2.tripod.com/marcal_2.htm.
And there's always Kathy Brier's websites to support her and keep up with her music, acting, & whatever she does next:
http://kathybrier.com/
http://www.myspace.com/kathybrier
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Divas-of-Daytime/57142508951
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